[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 179 (Monday, September 16, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56869-56870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22452]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Nuclear Infrastructure Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement Supplement Analysis Determination for Plutonium-238 
Production for Radioisotope Power Systems

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability of supplement analysis and 
determination.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) has completed the Supplement 
Analysis (SA) of the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for 
Accomplishing Expanded Civilian Nuclear Energy Research and Development 
and Isotope Production Missions in the United States, Including the 
Role of the Fast Flux Test Facility (Nuclear Infrastructure or NI PEIS) 
(DOE/EIS-0310) published in December 2000. In accordance with DOE's 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Procedures at 10 
CFR 1021.314, DOE has determined that the SA has not identified 
substantial changes to the original proposal for production of Pu-238 
analyzed in the NI PEIS or significant new circumstances or information 
relevant to environmental concerns which would warrant preparation of a 
supplement to the NI PEIS or a new EIS and that the NI PEIS Record of 
Decision (ROD) published on January 26, 2001 (66 FR 7877) may be 
implemented without any additional NEPA review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the Pu-238 
Production Program, please contact: Ms. Rebecca Onuschak, Pu-238 
Production Program Manager, Office of Space and Defense Power Systems 
(NE-75), Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20585, Phone 301-903-0023, 
[email protected].

[[Page 56870]]

    For copies of the SA and the Determination or information on NEPA 
analysis for Pu-238 production, please contact:
    Dr. Rajendra Sharma, NEPA Compliance Officer, Office of Nuclear 
Energy (NE-31), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., 
Washington, DC 20585, Phone 301-903-2899, 
[email protected].
    For general information on the DOE NEPA process, please contact: 
Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance 
(GC-54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., 
Washington, DC 20585, Phone 202-586-4600; leave a message at 1-800-472-
2756; facsimile 202-586-7031; or send email to: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Background

    DOE published a Federal Register notice (78 FR 1848) on January 9, 
2013, to announce its intent to implement the decision made in 2001 for 
production of Pu-238, which was based on the analyses conducted in the 
NI PEIS (DOE/EIS-0310) issued in 2000. Because the NI PEIS was 
published 13 years ago, the Department decided to conduct a supplement 
analysis of the NI PEIS to ascertain if there are significant new 
circumstances or new information relevant to environmental concerns 
which should be analyzed prior to implementing the 2001 decision.
    This NI PEIS SA (DOE/EIS-0310-SA-02) was prepared in accordance 
with DOE's NEPA Implementing Procedures at 10 CFR 1021.314. The 
relevant environmental aspects analyzed in the NI PEIS were re-
analyzed, as necessary, with updated information. The Department also 
analyzed the alternatives which were evaluated in the NI PEIS, 
including any additional reasonable alternatives that may warrant 
analysis and consideration in the SA. The proposed action as analyzed 
in the NI PEIS has not changed except for the change in storage 
location of neptunium-237 (Np-237, the target material) from the Oak 
Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Tennessee to the Materials and 
Fuels Complex at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Idaho. After 
completing an earlier SA (DOE/EIS-0310-SA-01), the Department published 
an Amended Record of Decision for this change of storage location in 
August 2004 (69 FR 50180). After completing this SA, the Department has 
determined that the analysis contained in the NI PEIS, including the 
analysis of alternatives, is still valid. There are no significant new 
circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns which 
would warrant preparation of a supplement to the NI PEIS or a new EIS. 
Therefore, the Department reaffirms the decision made in the NI PEIS 
ROD (January 26, 2001; 66 FR 7877) for production of up to five 
kilograms of Pu-238 per year using the Advanced Test Reactor at INL and 
the High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL to irradiate Np-237 targets, and 
using the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC) at ORNL 
to fabricate Np-237 targets and isolate Pu-238. The processing of Pu-
238 into fuel pellets at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in 
New Mexico and assembly and testing of radioisotope power systems 
(RPSs) at INL in existing facilities will continue as ongoing 
operations. The RPSs are used to support the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration and national security missions.
    The NI PEIS SA, including the determination, has been posted on the 
DOE NEPA Web site at http://energy.gov/nepa/supplement-analyses-sa, 
with internet links provided on the Office of Nuclear Energy (http://energy.gov/ne/), Idaho Operations Office (http://www.id.energy.gov/insideNEID/PublicInvolvement.htm), and Oak Ridge Office (http://www.oakridge.doe.gov/external/) Web sites. Copies of the SA and the 
determination have been placed in the DOE public reading room(s) in 
Washington, DC; Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee; for a 
reasonable period of time. Copies may also be requested from Dr. 
Rajendra Sharma at the address provided above.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 10, 2013.
Peter B. Lyons,
Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy.
[FR Doc. 2013-22452 Filed 9-13-13; 8:45 am]
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