[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 67348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26977]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Invitation for Public Comment on Draft Test Plan for the High 
Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project (CDP)

AGENCY: Fuel Cycle Technologies, Office of Nuclear Energy, Department 
of Energy.

ACTION: Notice; request for public comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing notice of 
request for public comment on its draft test plan for the High Burnup 
Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project (CDP). The test plan 
will guide the Department's activities, research, and development 
throughout the execution of the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research 
and Development Project. The draft test plan places its focus on 
``why'' the project is being performed and ``what'' the Department 
plans to accomplish with the CDP. The details on ``how'' the test plan 
will be executed will be added when Dominion Virginia Power, who is 
part of the Electric Power research Institute (EPRI) team, submits a 
License Amendment Request for the existing North Anna Generating 
Station Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The 
License Amendment Request will be submitted to the NRC in the future. 
The public will be provided an opportunity to provide comments to the 
NRC on the CDP test plan at that time. The DOE's Office of Used Nuclear 
Fuel Disposition Research and Development has coordinated this effort 
in collaboration with its contractor EPRI and several DOE national 
laboratories. The DOE is seeking public stakeholder comment to ensure 
CDP resources are invested wisely to achieve measurable improvements in 
our Nation's data on High Burnup Casks.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by December 12, 2013. 
Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical 
to do so; however, the DOE is only able to ensure consideration of 
comments received on or before this date.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
    Electronic Form: Go to http://www.id.energy.gov/insideNEID/PublicInvolvement.htm. Locate the area on the page that pertains to the 
draft test plan for the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and 
Development Project (CDP). Click on the link for the electronic comment 
form. Populate the form and click on ``Submit''.
    E-Mail: [email protected].
    Mail: U.S. Department of Energy, C/O Melissa Bates, 1955 Freemont 
Ave., MS 1235, Idaho Falls, ID 83415.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: U.S. Department of Energy, Willow Creek 
Building Ground Floor, Room 185B, 1955 Fremont Ave., Attn: Melissa 
Bates, Idaho Falls, ID, between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. MT, Monday through 
Thursday, except Federal holidays.
    Fax: 208-526-6249.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Melissa Bates, Contracting 
Officers Representative, High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and 
Development Project, U.S. Department of Energy--Idaho Operations 
Office, MS 1235, 1955 Fremont Ave., Idaho Falls, ID 83415, (208) 526-
4652, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Energy (DOE) has performed 
recent assessments focusing on long-term aging issues important to the 
performance of the structures, systems, and components of the dry cask 
storage systems for high burnup spent nuclear fuel. A number of 
technical issues and research and data needs have emerged from these 
assessments. DOE has determined that a large scale cask research and 
development project using various configurations of dry storage cask 
systems and experiments would be beneficial.
    A draft test plan for the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and 
Development Project (CDP) has been drafted by DOE's contractor the 
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to document what is planned to 
be accomplished by the CDP. DOE is soliciting comments from the public 
to obtain feedback on what the Department plans to execute.
    A copy of the draft test plan can be found at the following link: 
http://www.id.energy.gov/insideNEID/PublicInvolvement.htm. Locate the 
area on the page that pertains to the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask 
Research and Development Project (CDP). Click on the link for the draft 
test plan.

Submitting Comments

    Stakeholder's comments should be aligned, if possible, with the 
goals and objectives of the CDP. All comments will be considered that 
are received by the deadline that appears in the DATES section.
    Instructions: Submit comments via any of the mechanisms set forth 
in the ADDRESSES section above. Identify your name, organization 
affiliation, comments on the draft test plan, email, and phone number. 
If an email or phone number is included, it will allow the DOE to 
contact the commenter if questions or clarifications arise. No 
responses will be provided to commenters in regards to the disposition 
of their comments. All comments will be officially recorded without 
change or edit, including any personal information provided.
    Privacy Act: Data collected via the mechanisms listed above will 
not be protected from the public view in any way. DOE does not intend 
to publish the comments received externally; however, data collected 
will be seen by multiple entities while comments are resolved.

    Dated: November 5, 2013.
Jay Jones,
Office of Fuel Cycle Technologies, Office of Nuclear Energy.
[FR Doc. 2013-26977 Filed 11-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P