[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42082-42084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17523]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Recapitalization of Infrastructure Supporting Naval Spent Nuclear 
Fuel Handling and Examination at the Idaho National Laboratory

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement; 
Notice of Public Meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on 
Environmental Quality regulations for implementing the procedural 
provisions of NEPA (40 CFR part 1500-1508), and the Department of 
Energy (DOE) implementing procedures (10 CFR part 1021), the DOE Naval 
Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) announces its intent to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Recapitalization of Naval 
Spent Nuclear Fuel Handling and Examination Facilities at the Idaho 
National Laboratory (INL). The NNPP intends to prepare an EIS for the 
recapitalization of infrastructure at the Expended Core Facility (ECF) 
at the INL in Idaho. This action supports the receipt, handling, 
examination, and packaging of naval spent nuclear fuel removed from 
nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, as well as from land-
based prototype reactors, and the examination of other irradiated 
materials. Infrastructure recapitalization (e.g., new or improved 
facilities and equipment) is needed to ensure continued naval nuclear-
powered operations and missions for at least the next 40 years. In 
addition, the recapitalized infrastructure will support the Navy's 
commitments, as identified in the 1995 Idaho Settlement Agreement 
(amended in June 2008), among the State of Idaho, the DOE, and the 
Navy. Three public scoping meetings will be held.

DATES: NNPP invites interested parties to comment on the proposed scope 
of the EIS. NNPP will consider all comments received by September 3, 
2010, and to the extent practical comments received after that date, in 
the preparation of the EIS.
    The public meetings will address the scope of the planned EIS. For 
dates, times, and locations of public scoping meetings, see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS may be submitted by 
mailing to: Mr. Gregory F. Holden (08U-Naval Reactors), Naval Sea 
Systems Command, 1240 Isaac Hull Avenue, SE., Stop 8036, Washington 
Navy Yard, DC 20376-8036.
    Comments provided by E-Mail should be submitted to 
[email protected] and comments provided via phone should be 
made by calling 1-866-369-4802.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this 
project, contact Mr. Gregory F. Holden, as described above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NNPP is responsible for all aspects of 
U.S. Navy nuclear power and propulsion. These responsibilities include 
design, maintenance, and safe operation of nuclear propulsion systems 
throughout their operational life cycles. A crucial component of this 
mission, naval spent nuclear fuel handling, occurs at the end of a 
nuclear propulsion system's useful life. Once a naval nuclear core is 
depleted, the NNPP is responsible for removal of the spent nuclear fuel

[[Page 42083]]

through a defueling or refueling operation. Both operations remove the 
spent nuclear fuel from a reactor core, but a refueling operation also 
involves installing new fuel into the reactor core, allowing the 
nuclear-powered ship to be redeployed into the U.S. Navy fleet. After 
the naval spent nuclear fuel has been removed from an aircraft carrier 
or submarine, NNPP spent fuel handling includes the subsequent 
transfer, preparation, and packaging required for dry storage pending 
transportation of the fuel to a national geologic repository or interim 
storage site.
    A second component of the mission is to support the design and 
maintenance of nuclear propulsion systems by providing for the 
examination of naval spent nuclear fuel and irradiated materials. This 
examination includes the receipt and unloading of the spent nuclear 
fuel; preparation of irradiated materials for examination using various 
visual, microscopic, and metallurgical techniques; and preparation of 
small fuel and non-fuel test samples for insertion into test reactors, 
where they are irradiated.
    The NNPP ensures that naval spent nuclear fuel handling and 
examination are performed in a safe and environmentally responsible 
manner in accordance with 50 U.S.C. 2406, 2511 (codifying Executive 
Order 12344). Nuclear fuel handling and examination are intricate and 
intensive processes requiring a complex infrastructure. Naval spent 
nuclear fuel handling includes the transfer of spent nuclear fuel 
removed from a reactor to the ECF at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF) 
at the INL, where it is received, unloaded, prepared, and packaged for 
disposal. Currently, naval spent nuclear fuel examination and the 
examination of some irradiated specimens are performed at the ECF. 
Examination of spent naval fuel and irradiated materials is essential 
to the mission of the Navy for three reasons: to provide data on 
current reactor performance, to validate models used to predict future 
performance, and to support research to improve reactor design.
    The NNPP is proposing to recapitalize the existing ECF 
infrastructure at the INL. The purpose of the proposed action is to 
ensure the continued availability of the infrastructure needed to 
support the transfer, handling, examination, and packaging of naval 
spent nuclear fuel removed from nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and 
submarines, as well as from land-based prototype reactors, and the 
examination of other irradiated materials, for at least the next 40 
years. This action is needed because, although the ECF at the NRF, 
where this work is currently supported, continues to be maintained and 
operated in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, a 
significant portion of the ECF infrastructure has been in service for 
over 50 years. Deterioration of the ECF infrastructure could 
immediately and profoundly impact the NNPP mission, including the 
NNPP's ability to support refueling and defueling of nuclear powered 
submarines and aircraft carriers. The ECF capabilities to transfer, 
prepare, examine, and package naval spent nuclear fuel, and other 
irradiated materials are vital to the NNPP's mission of maintaining the 
reliable operation of the naval nuclear-powered fleet and developing 
militarily effective nuclear propulsion plants.
    Consistent with the Record of Decision for the April 1995 DOE 
Programmatic EIS for Spent Nuclear Fuel Management (DOE/EIS-0203-F), 
naval spent nuclear fuel is shipped by rail from shipyards and 
prototype facilities to NRF for examination and processing. After 
processing, naval spent nuclear fuel is transferred into dry storage 
containers and placed into temporary storage at NRF, prior to off-site 
transfer consistent with the Record of Decision for the November 1996 
Navy EIS for a Container System for Management of Naval Spent Nuclear 
Fuel (DOE/EIS-0251). Ongoing efforts to sustain the infrastructure 
needed to transfer, prepare, examine, and package naval spent nuclear 
fuel will preserve these essential capabilities and ensure that the 
NNPP high standards for protecting the public and the environment 
continue to be met. Facility age, however, is expected to cause a 
growing maintenance burden and increase the likelihood of unacceptable 
workflow interruptions that could adversely impact the fleet.
    The NNPP proposes to recapitalize the infrastructure for 
transferring, preparing, examining, and packaging naval spent nuclear 
fuel and other irradiated materials, to ensure these capabilities are 
maintained for the vital NNPP mission of supporting the naval nuclear-
powered fleet. The recapitalization is expected to be carried out as 
two projects. The first project will be the Spent Fuel Handling 
Recapitalization Project; the second project will be the Examination 
Recapitalization Project. The Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization 
Project will ensure that interfaces and exchanges between handling and 
examination are factored into detailed designs, to ensure that both 
projects can be carried out in an environmentally responsible and cost-
effective manner.
    The proposed EIS will consider the environmental effects related to 
siting and construction of new facilities for both of the 
Recapitalization Projects. The NNPP proposes to evaluate three siting 
combinations, along with a No-Action Alternative.
    Alternative 1--Locate the Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization 
Project and the Examination Recapitalization Project at the NRF at the 
INL.
    Alternative 2--Locate the Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization 
Project at the NRF and the Examination Recapitalization Project at the 
Advanced Test Reactor Complex at the INL.
    Alternative 3--Locate the Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization 
Project at the NRF and the Examination Recapitalization Project at the 
Materials and Fuels Complex at the INL.
    No-Action Alternative--Overhaul the ECF. Overhauling includes 
continuing to repair, maintain, refurbish, and upgrade the ECF as 
necessary to provide the needed long-term capabilities for 
transferring, examining, preparing, and packaging naval spent nuclear 
fuel.
    Within each of these alternative sites, there are a number of 
practical locations for facility placement. These location options will 
also be addressed in the EIS. NNPP proposes to address the issues 
listed below when considering the potential impacts of the proposed 
alternatives in the EIS. This list is presented to facilitate public 
comment during the scoping period and is not intended to be 
comprehensive, or to imply any predetermination of impacts. Issues 
include:
     Potential impacts of emissions on air and water quality.
     Potential impacts on plants, animals, and their habitats, 
including species that are listed by either State or Federal government 
as threatened, endangered, or of special concern.
     Potential impacts from postulated accidents, as well as 
potential impacts from acts of terrorism or sabotage.
     Potential effects on the public health from exposure to 
hazardous materials or radiological releases under routine operations.
     Potential safety and health impacts to workers.
     Impacts on cultural resources, such as historic, 
archeological, and Native American culturally important sites.
     Socioeconomic impacts to the potentially affected 
communities.
     Compliance with applicable Federal and state regulations.
     Potential disproportionately high and adverse effects on 
low-income and minority populations (environmental justice).
     Cumulative impacts.

[[Page 42084]]

    NEPA implementing regulations require an early and open process for 
determining the scope of an EIS and for identifying the significant 
issues related to the proposed action. Accordingly, NNPP invites 
Federal agencies; Tribal, State, and local governments; and the general 
public to comment on the scope of the planned EIS including 
identification of reasonable alternatives and specific issues that 
should be addressed. NNPP will hold three public scoping meetings to 
provide information on the Spent Nuclear Fuel Handling and Examination 
Recapitalization Projects and to solicit public concerns and comments. 
Dates, times, and locations for these meetings are as follows:

August 24, 2010

6 p.m.-9 p.m.
    Shilo Inn, 780 Lindsay Blvd., Idaho Falls, ID 83404.

August 25, 2010

6 p.m.-9 p.m.
    Red Lion, 1555 Pocatello Creek Road, Pocatello, ID 83201.

August 26, 2010

6 p.m.-9 p.m.
    Canyon Springs Red Lion, 1357 Blue Lakes Blvd. North, Twin Falls, 
ID 83301.

    Persons unable to attend these meetings may view meeting 
information by visiting the NNPP Web site http://www.ecfrecapitalization.us. NNPP will provide additional notification 
of the meeting times and locations through newspaper advertisements and 
other appropriate media.
    At each scoping meeting, NNPP plans to hold an open house for the 
first hour prior to beginning the formal portion of the meeting to 
allow participants to register to provide oral comments and view 
informational materials. The registration table will have an oral 
comment registration form as well as a sign-up sheet for those who do 
not wish to give oral comments but who would like to be included on the 
mailing list to receive either printed or electronic information about 
the project in the future. The public may provide written and/or oral 
comments at the scoping meetings.
    All public comments received during the scoping meetings, as well 
as those submitted as described above, will be considered during the 
development of the EIS.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 12, 2010.
John M. McKenzie,
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-17523 Filed 7-19-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P