[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 160 (Friday, August 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51068-51070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17502]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy


Notice of Availability and Notice of Virtual Public Meetings for 
Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) and Its 
Associated Naval Reactor Plants Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Department of the Navy (DoN), Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, Council on Environmental Quality implementing regulations and a 
Presidential Executive Order, DoN, with United States (U.S.) Department 
of Energy (DOE) as a cooperating agency, has prepared and filed with 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) for the 
Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) and its 
Associated Naval Reactor Plants. The Draft EIS/OEIS includes an 
analysis of the potential environmental impacts associated with 
alternatives for the disposal of ex-Enterprise, including its defueled 
reactor plants. The Proposed Action executes the statutory 
responsibilities of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) and 
Chief

[[Page 51069]]

of Naval Operations (CNO) policy for inactive ships stricken from the 
Naval Vessel Register and designated for disposal by dismantling in 
order to reduce DoN inactive ship inventory and eliminate costs 
associated with maintaining the ship in a safe stowage condition.

DATES: The 45-day public comment period begins August 19, 2022, and 
ends October 3, 2022. Virtual public meetings will be held on September 
20 and September 22, 2022 to provide an overview of the Draft EIS/OEIS 
and to answer questions from the public. All public comments on the 
Draft EIS/OEIS are due by the end of the day on October 3, 2022.
    Two virtual public meetings will be held as follows:
    1. September 20, 2022, from 4 to 5 p.m. CDT;
    2. September 22, 2022, from 4 to 5 p.m. CDT.
    Questions concerning the Draft EIS/OEIS for discussion with DoN 
representatives at the virtual public meetings can be submitted between 
September 12 and September 21.

ADDRESSES: Email questions for the virtual public meetings to: 
[email protected] or complete the form at: http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com.
    Comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS may be provided by mail and through 
the project website at: http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com. Mailed 
comments must be postmarked no later than October 3, 2022, and mailed 
to: Office of Congressional and Public Affairs; Attn. Ex-Enterprise CVN 
65 Draft EIS/OEIS; Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate 
Maintenance Facility; 1400 Farragut Ave., Stop 2072; Bremerton, WA 
98314-2072 for consideration in the preparation of the Final EIS/OEIS.
    DoN distributed the Draft EIS/OEIS to government agencies with 
which DoN is consulting and to federally recognized tribes and other 
stakeholders. The Draft EIS/OEIS is available for public review on the 
project website at http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com and at these 
public libraries:
    1. Kitsap Regional Library, Downtown Bremerton Branch, 612 Fifth 
St., Bremerton, WA 98337.
    2. Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Dr., Richland, WA 99352.
    3. Hampton Public Library, 4207 Victoria Blvd., Hampton, VA 23669.
    4. Brownsville Public Library, Main Branch, 2600 Central Blvd., 
Brownsville, TX 78520.
    5. Brownsville Public Library, Southmost Branch, 4320 Southmost 
Blvd., Brownsville, TX 78521.
    6. Ben May Main Library, 701 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602.
    Additional information on the virtual public meetings and comment 
submittal will be available on the project website at: http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com/vpm. An audio-only option will also be 
available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact Anna 
Taylor, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs; Attn. Ex-Enterprise 
CVN 65 Draft EIS/OEIS; Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate 
Maintenance Facility; 1400 Farragut Ave., Stop 2072; Bremerton, WA 
98314-2072, 360-476-7111, or project website: http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This draft Environmental Impact Statement 
was prepared and filed with the EPA pursuant to the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, Council on Environmental 
Quality implementing regulations and a Presidential Executive Order 
12114, DoN, with United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) as a 
cooperating agency.
    DoN action proponent is the Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion (CNO 
N00N). The purpose of the Proposed Action is to reduce DoN inactive 
ship inventory, eliminate costs associated with maintaining the ship in 
a safe stowage condition, and dispose of legacy radiological and 
hazardous wastes in an environmentally responsible manner, while 
meeting operational needs of DoN.
    DoN is considering the following alternatives to satisfy the 
purpose of and need for the Proposed Action:
    Alternative 1--Single Reactor Compartment Packages: This 
alternative involves the partial dismantlement and removal of non-
radiological portions of ex-Enterprise at a commercial dismantlement 
facility. The remainder, including the defueled reactor plants, would 
be transported around South America by heavy-lift ship to Puget Sound 
Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) for 
recycling and construction of eight single reactor compartment 
packages. The reactor compartment packages would be shipped by barge to 
the Port of Benton near the DOE Hanford Site and by high-capacity 
transporter to the DOE Hanford Site for disposal.
    Alternative 2--Dual Reactor Compartment Packages: This alternative 
is the same as Alternative 1, except four dual reactor compartment 
packages would be constructed rather than eight single reactor 
compartment packages. The packages would be heavier and larger than 
reactor compartment packages currently transported to the DOE Hanford 
Site under the existing DoN program, and this alternative would require 
modifications to the Port of Benton barge slip and roadway to the DOE 
Hanford Site.
    Alternative 3--Commercial Dismantlement: Under this alternative, 
DoN would contract with commercial industry to dismantle ex-Enterprise, 
including its defueled reactor plants, and dispose of the reactor plant 
waste at authorized facilities. DoN analyzed environmental impacts 
associated with three locations for commercial dismantlement: the 
Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area, Virginia; Brownsville, Texas; and 
Mobile, Alabama.
    DoN also evaluated the No Action Alternative, which includes 
waterborne storage of ex-Enterprise and periodic maintenance to ensure 
storage continues in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
    DoN evaluated the potential impacts on environmental resources 
resulting from activities included in the three action alternatives and 
the No Action Alternative in accordance with 40 Code of Federal 
Regulations Sec.  1502.16. Direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts 
were analyzed. DoN does not anticipate significant environmental 
impacts resulting from the proposed alternatives with the 
implementation of best management practices and mitigation measures.
    DoN identified Alternative 3--Commercial Dismantlement as its 
preferred alternative because it would keep the specially qualified and 
trained PSNS & IMF workforce focused on high-priority fleet maintenance 
work and the submarine inactivation and reactor compartment package 
work that are already part of the PSNS & IMF workload, would provide 
cost benefits to the U.S. taxpayer, would be completed in the shortest 
duration, and would not result in significant environmental impacts. 
The preferred alternative does not result in any decrease in workforce 
at PSNS & IMF.
    DoN will hold virtual public meetings to discuss the Proposed 
Action, alternatives, and the draft environmental impact analysis, and 
to answer questions from the public. DoN has assessed that virtual 
public meetings are the best format to meet statutory requirements 
under NEPA while mitigating COVID-19 risks.
    The public involvement process is helpful in identifying public 
concerns and local issues to be considered during the development of 
the EIS/OEIS and assessing the accuracy and adequacy of the 
environmental impact analysis.

[[Page 51070]]

Federal, state, and local agencies; federally recognized tribes and 
tribal groups; nongovernmental organizations; and interested persons 
are encouraged to provide comments to DoN that are substantive to the 
analysis of potential impacts on environmental resources. All comments 
provided electronically via the project website or mailed to the 
address provided in the ADDRESSES section will be taken into 
consideration during the development of the Final EIS/OEIS.

    Dated: August 10, 2022.
J. M. Pike,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register 
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-17502 Filed 8-18-22; 8:45 am]
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