[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 46 (Thursday, March 8, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9847-9850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04670]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Interim Management of Nuclear Materials; Spent Nuclear Fuel 
Management at Savannah River Site

AGENCY: Office of Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Amended record of decision.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) is amending its record of 
decision (ROD) (published in the Federal Register on December 19, 1995) 
for the Final Environmental Impact Statement: Interim Management of 
Nuclear Materials at the Savannah River Site (IMNM EIS) (DOE/EIS-0220) 
and its ROD (published in the Federal Register on; August 7, 2000) for 
the Savannah River Site Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Environmental 
Impact Statement (SRS SNF EIS) (DOE/EIS-0279) with respect to 
management of 65 Mark-18A targets. The IMNM EIS evaluated the potential 
environmental consequences of alternatives for the disposition of a 
large number and variety of nuclear materials, including 65 Mark-18A 
targets. These targets were irradiated in a nuclear reactor at the 
Savannah River Site (SRS) to produce valued isotopes. The SRS SNF EIS 
evaluated the potential environmental consequences from alternatives 
for managing spent nuclear fuel at SRS, as well as other irradiated 
materials including the 65 Mark-18A targets. In both the IMNM EIS and 
SRS SNF EIS RODs, DOE decided to continue to store the 65 Mark-18A 
targets at SRS. DOE has now decided to process the 65 Mark-18A targets 
at SRS to recover valued isotopes in the form of solid oxides and to 
issue this amended ROD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this 
Amended ROD, or to receive related NEPA documents, please contact: Ms. 
Tracy L. Williams, NEPA Compliance Officer, Savannah River Operations 
Office, U.S. Department of Energy, P.O. Box B, Aiken, South Carolina 
29802; (803) 952-8278; or [email protected]. For information on 
DOE's NEPA process, please contact: Mr. Brian Costner, Acting Director, 
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-54), U.S. Department of 
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20505; (202) 586-
4600; or leave a message at (800) 472-2756. This Amended ROD and 
related NEPA documents are available on the DOE NEPA website at 
www.energy.gov/nepa.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

A. Mark-18A Targets and Action

    DOE has decided to process the 65 Mark-18A targets at SRS to 
recover the \244\Pu and other valued isotopes in the form of solid 
oxides. Processing activities at SRS will occur at the Savannah River 
National Laboratory (SRNL) Shielded Cells Facility (SCF) in A-Area. 
These oxides will be transported to Oak Ridge National Laboratory 
(ORNL) in Tennessee for further processing and material recovery. 
Processing activities at ORNL will take place in accordance with its 
continuing research and development (R&D) mission.
    DOE manages materials containing long-lived isotopes produced from 
irradiating targets in nuclear reactors. A target is an object, 
typically a closed cylinder containing radioactive or nonradioactive 
material, placed within a nuclear reactor so that the material within 
the target may be bombarded by neutrons to produce desired isotopes.
    One reactor at SRS was configured to generate a high concentration 
of neutrons in order to produce isotopes for defense purposes, other 
DOE programmatic applications, and scientific research. Eighty-six 
Mark-18A targets were irradiated in this reactor, producing \244\Pu and 
other isotopes including \252\Cf and heavy curium. Twenty-one of the 86 
targets were processed at ORNL from 1971 through 1973 to recover these 
isotopes. The \244\Pu was apportioned to scientists for basic research 
and safeguards programs while the heavy curium was processed into 
targets for production of \252\Cf and other isotopes for medical and 
industrial uses. The remaining 65 targets were originally stored at SRS 
in the Receiving Basin for Offsite Fuels in H-Area, but are now stored 
in the L-Basin.
    Since the 1970s the 21 irradiated and processed Mark-18A targets 
have provided the world's supplies of \244\Pu and heavy curium, and the 
65 remaining targets represent the only practical source of additional 
supply.\244\Pu is a critical component of certified standards for high-
precision laboratory analyses supporting nuclear forensics and nuclear 
non-proliferation, while heavy curium is needed as production feed for 
other isotopes such as \252\Cf. Current international supplies of both 
\244\Pu and heavy curium are nearly depleted.
    To ensure the availability of \244\Pu and other valued isotopes, 
DOE will retrieve the 65 Mark-18A targets from storage in the L-Basin 
and process them in the SRNL SCF. The targets will be transported to 
the SRNL SCF (in the SRS A-Area) in a shipping cask modified to provide 
enhanced shielding against neutron radiation and to accommodate the 
radiation spectrum of the targets (e.g., shielding using lighter 
elements). Each cask will contain one Mark-18A target consistent with 
the cask's physical and safety analysis constraints. No modifications 
are needed at the L-Basin to retrieve the targets.
    At the SRNL SCF, the targets will be taken into shielded cells 
where the aluminum cladding will be chemically removed. The target 
material will be dissolved and the plutonium in the resulting solution 
separated from curium, americium, and fission products. The plutonium 
solution will be converted to oxide as will the solution containing the 
curium, americium, and fission products. Both oxides will be 
transported to ORNL using packaging that has been certified in 
accordance with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations.
    These operations are similar to activities performed at the SRNL 
SCF from the 1960s through the 1980s to process and recover actinides, 
and will be performed consistent with this facility's safety analysis 
constraints. Minor modifications, such as installation of special 
handling tools and temporary shielding, will be made at the SRNL SCF to 
configure it to facilitate safe receipt of the modified shipping cask 
and transfer of the targets to the shielded cells.
    Additional processing and material recovery will occur at ORNL. 
Processing activities will be performed in existing facilities as part 
of ORNL's continuing R&D mission. These ORNL mission activities are 
covered under an existing NEPA Categorical Exclusion determination, 
3059X (June 9, 2005).

B. NEPA Reviews and Decisions

    In the IMNM EIS, DOE evaluated the potential impacts of 
alternatives for interim management of a variety of nuclear materials 
stored at SRS. The major categories of nuclear material considered in 
the IMNM EIS were Stable Materials, Programmatic Materials, and 
Candidate Materials for Stabilization (60 FR 65315; December 19, 1995):

[[Page 9848]]

     Stable Materials. Materials that were unlikely to present 
a safety concern over the next 10 years and were stable and suitable 
for continued storage. These materials included 65 Mark-18A targets 
containing about 1.1 kilograms of nuclear material, as well as about 
380,000 discrete items including other types of irradiated targets, 
spent nuclear fuel, R&D material, and reactor materials such as control 
rods, plus about 700,000 liters (78,000 gallons) of depleted uranium 
solutions.
     Programmatic Materials. Materials that DOE needed to meet 
current or future program missions, mostly in a liquid form. These 
materials included 33,100 liters (8,900 gallons) of plutonium, 
americium, curium, and neptunium solutions, and 248 discrete solid 
items such as irradiated fuel assemblies, targets, and slugs. The 65 
Mark-18A targets were also evaluated in this category.
     Candidate Materials for Stabilization. Materials 
determined to be in a physical form or storage configuration that could 
present a safety concern within the next 10 years. These materials 
included a variety of irradiated targets and nuclear fuels, and other 
materials including 16,000 Mark-31 targets containing 147 metric tons 
(160 tons) of nuclear material (primarily uranium-238 and plutonium-239 
[\239\Pu]) and 3,450 Mark-16 and Mark-22 irradiated nuclear fuels. The 
total included about 22,600 discrete solid items as well as 34,000 
liters (9,000 gallons) of \239\Pu solutions and 228,000 liters (60,000 
gallons) of enriched uranium solutions. The alternatives differed 
depending on the category of nuclear material. For Stable Materials, 
DOE evaluated a No Action (continued storage) Alternative. For 
Programmatic Materials, including 65 Mark-18A targets, and Candidate 
Materials for Stabilization, DOE evaluated a range of action 
alternatives. One of the action alternatives evaluated was a Processing 
to Oxide Alternative under which the materials would be processed to an 
oxide using the separations capabilities in F- and H-Canyons.
    In the IMNM EIS ROD, DOE decided to implement the No Action 
Alternative for Stable Materials, including the 65 Mark-18A targets. 
However, DOE recognized the targets as Programmatic Materials. DOE 
indicated that storage would continue until ``DOE makes decisions 
relative to their future use or disposition'' (60 FR 65301; December 
19, 1995), and that the Processing to Oxide Alternative as applied to 
americium and curium solutions could be used for ``targets and slugs 
containing americium and curium isotopes'' (60 FR 65306; December 19, 
1995), a group of materials that includes the 65 Mark-18A targets.
    In the SRS SNF EIS, DOE evaluated technologies and five broad 
categories of alternatives (including processing in H-Area at SRS) for 
the management of about 68 metric tons of heavy metal (MTHM) of 
aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuel, about 20 MTHM of stainless-steel or 
zirconium-clad spent nuclear fuel, and other nuclear materials. With 
respect to the 65 Mark-18A targets, the SRS SNF EIS evaluated the 
impacts from continued storage at SRS, repackaging and shipping to 
another DOE site, and processing in H-Canyon at SRS with discharge to 
the liquid waste system and verification at DWPF. In the SRS SNF EIS 
ROD, DOE decided to continue to store the 65 Mark-18A targets at SRS.

Supplement Analysis and Summary of Impacts

    In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 
DOE's implementing NEPA regulations, DOE prepared the Supplement 
Analysis of the Mark-18A Target Material Recovery Program at the 
Savannah River Site (Mark-18A SA, DOE/EIS-0220-SA-02 and DOE/EIS-0279-
SA-06, dated December 9, 2016) to evaluate whether the proposed action 
requires supplementing the existing IMNM EIS and SRS SNF EIS, or 
preparing a new EIS. The Mark-18A SA updates the evaluations from the 
IMNM EIS and SRS SNF EIS to reflect the changes in SRS facilities where 
the 65 Mark-18A targets will be managed, along with associated onsite 
transportation. The Mark-18A SA also evaluates the potential impacts of 
transporting the oxide resulting from processing the 65 Mark-18A 
targets to ORNL.
    The Mark-18A SA concluded that the environmental consequences of 
the proposed action would be very small and would not constitute 
substantial changes relative to the analyses and conclusions in the 
IMNM EIS and SRS SNF EIS, and that there are not significant new 
circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and 
bearing on the action or its impacts. Therefore, no further NEPA 
analysis is required.

A. IMNM EIS and SRS SNF EIS

    In the IMNM EIS, DOE determined that any of the alternatives where 
the materials would be processed at the large separations facilities at 
SRS (i.e., F- or H-Canyon) would have larger environmental impacts than 
alternatives involving continued interim storage, but the potential 
health effects of processing alternatives would be low and well within 
regulatory limits. No latent cancer fatalities (LCFs) were expected for 
members of the public and 1 LCF was projected for workers. The 
potential for accidents involving the processed and stabilized 
materials would be reduced, and some types of accidents would no longer 
be possible.
    The IMNM EIS also evaluated risks from onsite transportation of 
nuclear materials between SRS facilities. No radiation exposures were 
projected to members of the public from incident-free transport of the 
materials and no LCFs from radiation exposure were projected to 
workers. No LCFs to onsite or offsite populations or an offsite 
maximally exposed individual (MEI) were projected from potential 
transportation accidents considering a range of accidents from the very 
minor to the very severe.
    The IMNM EIS determined that implementing any of the alternatives 
would result in little or no impacts on geologic resources, ecological 
resources, cultural resources, aesthetic and scenic resources, noise, 
or land use. Emissions of hazardous air pollutants and releases of 
hazardous effluents would be well within regulatory standards and 
existing permitting limits for the SRS facilities. None of the 
alternatives would result in emissions of radioactive or nonradioactive 
constituents resulting in disproportionate impacts on minority or low-
income communities in the vicinity of SRS. Management of high-level 
liquid, transuranic (TRU), low-level radioactive waste (LLW), mixed 
low-level radioactive waste (MLLW), and hazardous waste would be within 
the capacities of existing SRS waste management facilities.
    The action addressed in this amended ROD will revise previously 
evaluated operations for the 65 Mark-18A targets evaluated in the IMNM 
EIS under the alternatives requiring processing operations at the SRS 
separations facilities. It will entail processing operations similar to 
those evaluated for tens of thousands of gallons of liquid nuclear 
solutions and tens of thousands of discrete solid items including the 
Mark-18A and Mark-31 targets and the Mark-16 and Mark-22 irradiated 
nuclear fuels. For example, the 1.1 kilograms of plutonium, americium, 
curium, and californium in the 65 Mark-18A targets represents about 7 x 
10 -4 percent (about 1/140,000) of the mass of the nuclear 
material contained in 16,000 Mark-31 targets evaluated in the IMNM EIS 
and subsequently processed in F-Canyon.

[[Page 9849]]

    The very small quantity of material addressed by the proposed 
action indicates that the proposed action will have only negligible 
impacts and represent a negligible change to the potential 
environmental consequences evaluated in the IMNM EIS. This conclusion 
is supported by the SRS SNF EIS which evaluated the impacts from 
processing the 65 Mark-18A targets at H-Canyon. DOE determined that 
processing all 65 Mark-18A targets at H-Canyon would result in a total 
radiation dose to an offsite MEI of 0.0035 millirem. Byproducts of the 
action addressed in this amended ROD will be similar in type to the 
byproducts of other nuclear material processed at SRS (e.g., Mark-31 
targets) and evaluated in the SRS SNF EIS. In the SRS SNF EIS ROD, DOE 
decided to continue to store the 65 Mark-18A targets at the L-Basin.
    The Mark-18A SA updates the evaluations from the IMNM EIS and SRS 
SNF EIS to reflect the changes in SRS facilities where the 65 Mark-18A 
targets will be managed: (1) Targets are now stored at the L-Basin 
(rather than the Receiving Basin for Offsite Fuels); (2) processing 
will occur at the SRNL SCF (rather than F- or H-Canyons); and (3) the 
65 Mark-18A targets will be transported onsite from the L-Basin to the 
SRNL SCF. In addition, the Mark-18A SA evaluates the potential impacts 
of transporting the oxide from processing the 65 Mark-18A targets from 
SRS to ORNL, an activity not specifically evaluated in the IMNM EIS or 
the SRS SNF EIS.

B. Modifications to Previously Evaluated Activities

    Considering the operational changes that will be required for 
implementing the Conversion to Oxide Alternative for the Mark-18A 
targets (minor modifications to the SRNL SCF cells, temporary 
shielding, equipment removal at the end of processing), DOE re-
evaluated the potential environmental consequences that could result, 
focusing on potential human health impacts; geologic, ecological, 
cultural, aesthetic, and scenic resources; noise; land use; waste 
generation and management; and cumulative impacts.
    L-Basin Retrieval and Onsite Transportation to the SRNL SCF. 
Removal of the 65 Mark-18A targets from the L-Basin will involve the 
same routine operations as those for other targets and spent nuclear 
fuel assemblies. Incident-free retrieval of targets from the L-Basin 
and transport to the SRNL SCF would not be expected to result in 
radiation doses and risks to members of the public in addition to those 
currently experienced. In addition, it is not expected that the 
proposed action would introduce additional accident risks. Potential 
radiation exposures to transport workers are expected to be within DOE 
regulations and be maintained at levels as low as reasonably 
achievable. Risks to workers from potential accidents will be 
comparable to or smaller than the risks evaluated in the SRS SNF EIS 
for onsite transfer of spent nuclear fuel. The action will not 
introduce additional accident risks to those evaluated in the SRS SNF 
EIS.
    SRNL SCF Processing. Processing activities at SRS will occur at the 
SRNL SCF in A-Area rather than at F- and/or H-Canyons as evaluated in 
the IMNM EIS and SRS SNF EIS. Whereas F- and H-Canyons are designed to 
process large quantities of materials, there are only about 21 grams of 
\244\Pu in the 65 Mark-18A targets. The SRNL SCF is a more appropriate 
facility for performing the separations and recovery of the 
comparatively small quantities of materials involved.
    Processing the targets will involve activities similar to those 
previously and currently conducted at the SRNL SCF. Operations will be 
performed within the SRNL safety and environmental basis, and will 
comply with DOE regulations, directives, and best management practices 
to minimize radiation exposures to workers and risks from industrial 
accidents or hazardous materials. Processing the 65 Mark-18A targets at 
the SRNL SCF will be within the scope of routine operations under its 
R&D mission. Although operations will vent nonradioactive volatile 
gases (nitrogen oxides, nitric acid, hydrogen) and fission products 
(krypton, xenon, iodine) through SRNL's E-wing ventilation system and 
the 791-A Sand filter stack, less than 100 liters of volatile compounds 
will be vented per target (6,500 liters total over a period of nine 
years).
    Releases of both nonradioactive volatile gases and fission products 
will be well below levels of potential regulatory or procedural impact. 
Releases of fission products will be within the facility operating 
basis of 0.1 millirem per year (a procedural guideline to monitor SRNL 
activities) and no additional sampling or approval from the South 
Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control will be 
required. Therefore, minimal impacts to members of the public or to 
noninvolved workers are expected from processing the 65 Mark-18A 
targets. Including Mark-18A target processing, operations at the SRNL 
SCF will be conducted so radioactive and nonradioactive emissions from 
all activities will be within its existing basis of operations and the 
requirements for protection of the public under the National Emission 
Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants.
    Offsite Transportation. Oxides recovered at the SRNL SCF will be 
prepared for transport to ORNL using packaging that has been certified 
in accordance with DOT and NRC regulations. All activities will be 
compliant with Federal regulations and DOE directives. DOE anticipates 
making approximately 65 shipments using Type A packaging (e.g., Type 
S300 special form configuration) for the americium/curium/fission 
product oxides and approximately 8 shipments using Type B packaging 
(e.g., Type 9975 or Type 9977) for the plutonium oxides. These Type A 
and Type B packages are approved for much larger quantities of 
radioactive materials than those projected for each shipment.
    DOE evaluated the potential impacts to transport crews and members 
of the public by scaling the analysis in the SRS SNF EIS for 1,400 
shipments of spent nuclear fuel from SRS to a geologic repository, 
considering the smaller number of expected shipments to ORNL (nominally 
65 shipments of americium/curium/fission products and nominally 8 
shipments of plutonium oxide), and risk factors appropriate for the 
populations along the evaluated transport route to ORNL. No LCFs 
(0.0015 calculated) are expected among transport crews or the general 
population (0.004 calculated) during incident-free transport. The risk 
of an LCF to the general population considering the range of potential 
accidents, from minor to severe, was determined to be about 6 x 
10-\7\ (one chance of a fatal cancer in about 1.7 million) 
from all transport of the oxides, while the risk of a non-radiological 
accident fatality was determined to be 0.007 (1 chance in 140 of a 
fatality).
    Other Resource Areas. Under this decision, only minor modifications 
will occur within the existing SRNL SCF building (modifications to the 
SRNL SCF cells, temporary shielding, and equipment removal at the end 
of processing) in an industrialized portion of SRS, and operations will 
entail activities at existing facilities that are similar to those 
previously and currently conducted at SRS. Thus, there will be no 
change in land use and no impacts on soil and geology, or on visual, 
ecological, or cultural resources. There will be no discernible 
increase in noise above current levels. There will be no need for 
additional personnel, resulting in minimal socioeconomic impacts, and 
no change in impacts on

[[Page 9850]]

infrastructure (e.g., utilities), surface water resources, or 
groundwater resources from operation of the L-Basin and the SRNL SCF.
    Wastes will be generated primarily during operations at the SRNL 
SCF and will include laboratory samples, scrap, and contaminated 
equipment such as pipettes or gloves. These wastes will primarily 
consist of solid or liquid LLW, MLLW, and TRU waste that will be 
managed within the capacities of existing SRS waste management 
operations. Solid LLW will be disposed of onsite in E-Area, while MLLW 
will be shipped offsite for treatment and disposal in accordance with 
the Final Programmatic EIS for Managing Treatment, Storage, and 
Disposal of Radioactive and Hazardous Waste (DOE/EIS-0200) and amended 
ROD (65 FR 10061; February 25, 2000). Liquid waste will be discarded to 
the SRNL liquid radioactive waste system, or combined with an absorbent 
for disposal as LLW or management as MLLW. TRU waste will be stored on-
site in the SRS E-Area Solid Waste Facility until shipped to the Waste 
Isolation Pilot Plant for disposal.
    Cumulative Impacts. The action addressed in this amended ROD will 
require activities at existing SRS facilities that are the same as or 
comparable to past and present operations at these facilities. 
Therefore, the action addressed in this amended ROD is not expected to 
result in increases to the ranges of cumulative impacts evaluated in 
the IMNM EIS and SRS SNF EIS.

C. Supplement Analysis Conclusion

    The action addressed in this amended ROD will revise the management 
approach for a very small fraction of the materials evaluated in the 
IMNM EIS and SRS SNF EIS. The operational changes at SRS that will be 
required for implementing the action are expected to have only minor 
environmental consequences.

Environmentally Preferable Alternative

    In the IMNM EIS and IMNM EIS RODs, DOE determined that any of the 
alternatives involving continued interim storage would have smaller 
environmental impacts than alternatives involving processing at the 
large separations facilities at SRS (e.g., F- or H-Canyon) while the 
processing operations were underway. Of the evaluated processing 
alternatives, the environmentally preferable alternative identified in 
the IMNM EIS ROD for targets containing americium and curium was 
Processing and Storage for Nitrification. This remains the 
environmentally preferred alternative.
    The action addressed in this amended ROD does not involve 
processing operations at large separations facilities at SRS. The 
action addressed in this amended ROD will result in increased but small 
levels of short-term environmental impacts from target recovery, onsite 
transfer, and processing to recover desired isotopes, and transport of 
the recovered isotopes to ORNL.

Amended Decision

    To enable recovery of \244\Pu and other valued isotopes, DOE has 
decided to process the 65 Mark-18A targets stored in the L-Basin. The 
65 Mark-18A targets will be removed from the L-Basin and transferred to 
the SRNL SCF within a modified spent nuclear fuel cask. At the SRNL 
SCF, the targets will be processed to recover desired isotopes in two 
solid streams: A plutonium oxide stream and an oxide stream containing 
americium, heavy curium, and fission products. Minor modifications will 
be made within the SRNL SCF to enable efficient receipt and processing 
of the targets. The two oxide streams will be packaged and transported 
to ORNL for further processing and material recovery.
    DOE expects that processing activities at SRNL could begin as early 
as fiscal year 2020 and would continue through fiscal year 2029 
depending on how many targets can be processed per year.

Mitigation Measures

    No mitigation measures were identified in the IMNM EIS ROD, SRS SNF 
EIS ROD, or the subsequent supplemental and amended RODs. No 
environmental impacts resulting from operations under this amended 
decision will require specific mitigation measures. DOE will continue 
its current practices and policies to use all practicable means to 
avoid or minimize environmental harm and impacts to workers and the 
public when implementing the actions described in this amended ROD.

Basis for Decision

    This amended decision ensures the availability of \244\Pu, which is 
a critical component of certified standards for high-precision 
laboratory analyses supporting nuclear forensics and nuclear 
nonproliferation. In addition, this amended decision ensures the 
availability of heavy curium for use as feedstock for production of 
high-demand isotopes such as \252\Cf, which is used in many industrial 
and medical research and health care applications, such as cancer 
treatment. Implementing this action also provides a disposition pathway 
for all remaining Mark-18A targets in storage at SRS.
    The action addressed in this amended ROD will involve a very small 
fraction of the nuclear materials evaluated in the IMNM EIS and SRS SNF 
EIS and will entail use of an existing DOE facility performing 
activities similar to those previously conducted at SRS and within the 
scope of the facility's R&D mission. The action addressed in this 
amended ROD will not result in potential health or environmental 
consequences that will be significantly different from the small 
consequences that were determined in the IMNM EIS and SRS SNF EIS.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 27, 2018.
James M. Owendoff,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-04670 Filed 3-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6450-01-P