[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 190 (Friday, September 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67338-67340]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23663]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Environmental Impact Statement for the Recapitalization of 
Infrastructure Supporting Naval Spent Nuclear Fuel Handling at the 
Idaho National Laboratory

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Naval Nuclear Propulsion 
Program (NNPP) announces the availability of the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Recapitalization of Infrastructure Supporting 
Naval Spent Nuclear Fuel Handling at the Idaho National Laboratory 
(DOE/EIS-0453-F). The Final EIS evaluates the potential environmental 
impacts associated with recapitalizing the infrastructure needed to 
ensure the long-term capability of the NNPP to support naval spent 
nuclear fuel handling until at least 2060.

DATES: The NNPP will publish a Record of Decision no sooner than 30 
days after publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 
(EPA) Notice of availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS are available in public reading 
rooms and libraries as indicated in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
portion of this notice. The Final EIS is also available for review at 
www.ecfrecapitalization.us and on the DOE's NEPA Web site at http://energy.gov/nepa.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this 
Final EIS, contact: Erik Anderson, Naval Sea Systems Command, 1240 
Isaac Hull Avenue SE., Stop 8036, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20376-8036.
    For information regarding the DOE NEPA process, please contact: Ms. 
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-
54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20585, Telephone (202) 586-4600, or leave a message at 
(800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NNPP prepared this Final EIS in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 
as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental 
Quality (CEQ) regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of 
NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the DOE NEPA implementing procedures 
(10 CFR 1021). This Final EIS addresses all public comments on the 
Draft EIS which was issued on June 19, 2015 (80 FR 35331). The NNPP is 
committed to managing naval spent nuclear fuel in a manner that is 
consistent with the Department of Energy (DOE) Programmatic Spent 
Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory 
Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0203-F), and to complying with 
the Settlement Agreement, as amended in 2008, among the State of Idaho, 
the DOE, and the Navy concerning the management of naval spent nuclear 
fuel. Consistent with the Record of Decision for DOE/EIS-0203-F, naval 
spent nuclear fuel is shipped by rail from shipyards and prototype 
facilities to the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for processing. To 
allow the NNPP to continue to unload, transfer, prepare, and package 
naval spent nuclear fuel for disposal, three alternatives are evaluated 
in the Final EIS: No Action Alternative, Overhaul Alternative, and New 
Facility Alternative. The preferred alternative to recapitalize the 
infrastructure supporting naval spent nuclear fuel handling is to build 
a new facility (New Facility Alternative).

Background

    The mission of the NNPP, also known as the Naval Reactors Program, 
is to provide the U.S. with safe, effective, and affordable naval 
nuclear propulsion plants and to ensure their continued safe and 
reliable operation through lifetime support, research and development, 
design, construction, specification, certification, testing, 
maintenance, and disposal. A crucial component of this mission, naval 
spent nuclear fuel handling, occurs at the end of a nuclear propulsion 
system's useful life or when naval nuclear fuel has been depleted. The 
NNPP is responsible for removal of the naval spent nuclear fuel through 
a defueling or refueling operation. Both operations remove the naval 
spent nuclear fuel from the reactor, but a refueling operation also 
involves installing new fuel, allowing the nuclear-powered ship to be 
redeployed into the U.S. Navy fleet. Once the naval spent nuclear fuel 
has been removed from an aircraft carrier, submarine, or prototype, it 
is sent to the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF) for examination and 
further naval spent nuclear fuel handling including transferring, 
preparing, and packaging for transfer to an interim storage facility or 
geologic repository.
    The NNPP ensures that naval spent nuclear fuel handling is 
performed in a safe and environmentally responsible manner in 
accordance with 50 U.S.C. 2406 and 2511 (codifying Executive Order 
12344). Nuclear fuel handling is an intricate and intensive process 
requiring a complex infrastructure.

Proposed Action

    NNPP is proposing to recapitalize the current naval spent nuclear 
fuel handling capabilities provided by the Expended Core Facility (ECF) 
located at the NRF on the INL. The purpose of the proposed action is to 
provide the infrastructure necessary to support the naval nuclear 
reactor defueling and refueling schedules required to meet the 
operational needs of the U.S. Navy. The proposed action is needed 
because significant upgrades are necessary to ECF infrastructure and 
water pools to continue safe and environmentally responsible naval 
spent nuclear fuel handling until at least 2060.
    The transfer, preparation, and packaging of naval spent nuclear 
fuel

[[Page 67339]]

are vital to the NNPP's mission of maintaining the reliable operation 
of the naval nuclear fleet and developing effective nuclear propulsion 
plants. Although ECF continues to be operated in a safe and 
environmentally responsible manner, the ECF infrastructure and 
equipment necessary to accomplish the work of naval spent nuclear fuel 
handling need significant upgrades to continue safe and environmentally 
responsible naval spent nuclear fuel handling until at least 2060. 
Efforts are ongoing to sustain this infrastructure, preserve these 
essential capabilities, and ensure that the high NNPP standards for 
protecting the environment continue to be met. However, major portions 
of this infrastructure have been in service for over 50 years.

Alternatives

    Consistent with the Record of Decision for DOE/EIS-0203-F, naval 
spent nuclear fuel would continue to be shipped by rail from shipyards 
and prototypes to NRF for processing. To allow the NNPP to continue to 
unload, transfer, prepare, and package naval spent nuclear fuel for 
disposal, three alternatives were identified and analyzed in this Final 
EIS.

1. No Action Alternative

    The No Action Alternative involves maintaining ECF without a change 
to the present course of action or management of the facility. The 
current naval spent nuclear fuel handling infrastructure would continue 
to be used while the NNPP performs only preventative and corrective 
maintenance. The No Action Alternative does not meet the purpose for 
the proposed action because it would not provide the infrastructure 
necessary to support the naval nuclear reactor defueling and refueling 
schedules required to meet the operational needs of the U.S. Navy. The 
No Action Alternative does not meet the NNPP's need because significant 
upgrades are necessary to the ECF infrastructure to continue safe and 
environmentally responsible naval spent nuclear fuel handling until at 
least 2060. As currently configured, the ECF infrastructure cannot 
support use of the new M-290 shipping containers. Significant changes 
in configuration of the facility and spent fuel handling processing 
locations in the water pool would be required to support unloading fuel 
from the new M-290 shipping containers. In addition, over the next 45 
years, preventative and corrective maintenance without significant 
upgrades and refurbishments may not be sufficient to sustain the proper 
functioning of ECF infrastructure and equipment. Upgrades and 
refurbishments needed to support use of the new M-290 shipping 
containers and continue safe and environmentally responsible operations 
would not meet the definition of the No Action Alternative; therefore, 
these actions are represented by the Overhaul Alternative.
    The implementation of the No Action Alternative (i.e., failure to 
perform upgrades and refurbishments), in combination with the NNPP 
commitment to only operate in a safe and environmentally responsible 
manner, may result in ECF eventually being unavailable for handling 
naval spent nuclear fuel. If the NNPP naval spent nuclear fuel handling 
infrastructure were to become unavailable, the inability to transfer, 
prepare, and package naval spent nuclear fuel could immediately and 
profoundly impact the NNPP's mission and national security needs to 
refuel and defuel nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers. In 
addition, the U.S. Navy could not ensure its ability to meet the 
requirements of the Settlement Agreement and its 2008 Addendum.
    Since the No Action Alternative does not meet the purpose and need 
for the proposed action, it is considered to be an unreasonable 
alternative; however, the No Action Alternative is included in the 
Final EIS as required by CEQ regulations.

2. Overhaul Alternative

    The Overhaul Alternative involves continuing to use the aging 
infrastructure at ECF, while incurring increasing costs to provide the 
required refurbishments and work-around actions necessary to ensure 
uninterrupted aircraft carrier and submarine refuelings and defuelings. 
Under the Overhaul Alternative, the NNPP would operate ECF in a safe 
and environmentally responsible manner by continuing to maintain ECF 
while implementing major refurbishment projects for the ECF 
infrastructure and water pools. This would entail:
    [ssquf] Short-term actions necessary to keep the infrastructure and 
equipment in safe working order, including regular upkeep sufficient to 
sustain their proper functioning (e.g., the ongoing work currently 
performed in ECF to inspect and repair deteriorating water pool 
concrete coatings).
    [ssquf] Facility, process, and equipment reconfigurations needed 
for specific capabilities required in the future. These actions involve 
installation of new equipment and processes, and relocation of existing 
equipment and processes, within the current facility to provide a new 
capability (e.g., modification of ECF and reconfiguration of the water 
pool as necessary to handle M-290 shipping containers).
    [ssquf] Major refurbishment actions necessary to sustain the life 
of the infrastructure (e.g., to the extent practicable, overhaul the 
water pools to bring them up to current design and construction 
standards).
    Refurbishment activities would take place in parallel with ECF 
operations for the majority of the Overhaul Alternative time period. 
The first 33 years of the 45 years (i.e., the refurbishment period) 
would include refurbishment and operations activities being conducted 
in parallel. During certain refurbishment phases, operations could be 
limited due to the nature of the refurbishment activities (e.g., 
operations would not continue in water pools that are under repair). 
There would then be a 12-year period where only operational activities 
would take place in ECF (i.e., the post-refurbishment operational 
period).
    Failure to implement this overhaul in advance of infrastructure 
deterioration would impact the ability of ECF to operate for several 
years. Further, overhaul actions would necessitate operational 
interruptions for extended periods of time.

3. New Facility Alternative

    A New Facility Alternative would acquire capital assets to 
recapitalize naval spent nuclear fuel handling capabilities. While a 
new facility requires new process and infrastructure assets, the design 
could leverage use of the newer, existing ECF support facilities and 
would leverage use of newer equipment designs. The facility would be 
designed with the flexibility to integrate future identified mission 
needs.
    Under the current budget and funding levels for the New Facility 
Alternative, it is anticipated that construction activities would occur 
over approximately a 5-year period.
    Construction of the New Facility Alternative would occur in 
parallel with ECF operations. An approximately 2-year period would 
follow the construction of the New Facility Alternative when new 
equipment would be installed and tested, and training would be provided 
to qualify the operations workforce.
    A new facility would include all current naval spent nuclear fuel 
handling operations conducted at ECF. In addition, it would include the 
capability to unload naval spent nuclear fuel from M-290 shipping 
containers in

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the water pool and handle aircraft carrier naval spent nuclear fuel 
assemblies without prior disassembly for preparation and packaging for 
disposal. Such capability does not currently exist within the ECF water 
pools, mainly due to insufficient available footprint in areas of the 
water pool with the required depth of water.
    The NNPP will continue to operate ECF during new facility 
construction, during a transition period, and after the new facility is 
operational for examination work. To keep the ECF infrastructure in a 
safe working order during these time periods, some limited upgrades and 
refurbishments may be necessary. Details are not currently available 
regarding which specific actions will be taken; therefore, they are not 
explicitly analyzed as part of the New Facility Alternative. The 
environmental impacts from these upgrades and refurbishments are 
considered to be bounded by the environmental impacts described in the 
Refurbishment Period of the Overhaul Alternative.
Changes From Draft EIS
    The Draft EIS was published by the NNPP in June 2015. The NNPP has 
considered all public comments received in preparing this Final EIS, 
which includes the NNPP's responses to those comments. The Final EIS 
highlights changes that were made to address these comments as well as 
changes that have resulted from additional design and planning for the 
New Facility Alternative. Changes to the design and planning for the 
New Facility Alternative include changes to the seismic design 
strategy, water management strategy, and analysis of potential air 
emissions related to operation of concrete batch plants.
Public Reading Rooms and Libraries
    The Final EIS is available for review at the following reading 
rooms:

Idaho Operations Office, Department of Energy, Public Reading Room, 
2251 N. Boulevard, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, Telephone: (208) 526-1185
Idaho Falls Public Library, 457 W. Broadway, Idaho Falls, ID 83402, 
Telephone: (208) 612-8460
Shoshone-Bannock Library, Bannock and Pima Streets, P.O. Box 306, Fort 
Hall, ID 83203, Telephone: (208) 238-3882
Eli M. Oboler Library, Idaho State University, 850 South 9th Avenue, 
Pocatello, ID 83209, Telephone: (208) 282-2958
Twin Falls Public Library, 201 Fourth Avenue East, Twin Falls, ID 
83301, Telephone: (208) 733-2964
Marshall Public Library, 113 South Garfield, Pocatello, ID 83204, 
Telephone: (208) 232-1263
Boise Public Library, 715 S. Capitol, Boise, ID 83702, Telephone: (208) 
972-8200
Idaho Commission for Libraries, 325 W. State Street, Boise, ID 83702, 
Telephone: (208) 334-2150
Latah County, Free Library District, 110 S. Jefferson, Moscow, ID 
83843, Telephone: (208) 882-3925

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 23, 2016.
Jeffrey M. Avery,
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
[FR Doc. 2016-23663 Filed 9-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P