[Federal Register: August 13, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 156)]
[Notices]
[Page 50180-50181]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13au04-60]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Amended Record of Decision for the Department of Energy's Final
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, DOE/EIS-0310
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Amended record of decision.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to 10 CFR 1021.315,
its implementing regulations under the National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA), is amending its Record of Decision (ROD) (66 FR 7877,
January 26, 2001) for its Final 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 (NI) PEIS). DOE had decided to transport neptunium-237
(Np-237), after conversion to neptunium oxide (NpO2), from
DOE's Savannah River Site (SRS) to the Radiochemical Engineering
Development Center (REDC) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
for use in production of plutonium-238 in the future. Np-237 is
categorized as special nuclear material (SNM). After the September 11,
2001, terrorist attack, storage of all SNM requires additional security
and safeguards. Since REDC does not meet security requirements for
storage of SNM, it would require costly security upgrades to qualify
for safe storage of NpO2. DOE's Argonne National Laboratory-
West (ANL-W) site, located in Idaho, meets the security requirements
for storage of SNM, currently stores such materials, and has the
storage space available for storage of NpO2.
DOE prepared a Supplement Analysis (SA) for the NI PEIS for the
change of storage location of NpO2 from REDC to ANL-W (DOE/
EIS-0310-SA-01) to determine whether further NEPA review is required.
DOE has determined that no additional NEPA review is necessary because
the relocation and change in storage location does not constitute a
substantial change in the original proposed action, and the impacts
analyzed in the NI PEIS bound the impacts of transfer to and storage at
the new proposed storage location. Therefore, DOE has decided to change
its decision on the storage location for NpO2 from REDC to
ANL-W.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this
project or to receive copies of the SA, initial ROD, or this Amended
ROD contact: Dr. Rajendra Sharma, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of
Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology, 19901 Germantown Road,
Germantown, Maryland 20874, telephone (301) 903-2899, fax (301) 903-
5005, e-mail: Rajendra.Sharma@nuclear.energy.gov. For general
information on the DOE NEPA process, contact Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom,
Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance, EH-42/Forrestal
Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0119, telephone (202) 586-4600 or leave a message
at (800) 472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The SRS has the remaining domestic inventory of recovered Np-237
which is no longer useable at that site because production of Pu-238 is
no longer possible since the reactors have been shutdown. To support
the future production of Pu-238 for the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and national security missions, DOE must convert
this material to neptunium oxide (NpO2), a stable form, that
can be safely stored and used later to produce Pu-238. The
NpO2 also needs to be relocated and stored at a site that
meets the security requirements for storage of SNM (Np-237 is
categorized as SNM) and is readily available for production of Pu-238.
After analyzing various alternatives, DOE originally selected REDC,
located at ORNL, for storage of NpO2. However, REDC no
longer meets the security requirements for storage of SNM and would
have to incur costly upgrades to comply with such requirements. ANL-W
site in Idaho already stores SNM and meets the enhanced security
requirements for storage of SNM.
The proposed plan calls for the shipment of approximately 70 drums
containing small cans of NpO2 to ANL-W beginning in FY 2004
and ending in FY 2006. For shipment from SRS, one to three (depending
on mass of neptunium, no more than 6 kg) crimp-sealed can(s) of
NpO2 will be placed inside a 35-gallon shipping drum. The
drums will be transported to ANL-W where the material will be stored
until needed for Pu-238 production.
Basis for Decision
DOE has prepared a SA (DOE/EIS-0310-SA-01) in accordance with the
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and DOE regulations
[[Page 50181]]
implementing NEPA. CEQ regulations at title 40, section 1502.9(c) of
the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 1502.9(c)) require Federal
agencies to prepare a supplement to an EIS when an agency makes
substantial changes in the proposed action that are relevant to
environmental concerns or there are significant new circumstances or
information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the
proposed action or its impacts. DOE regulations at 10 CFR 1021.314(c)
direct that when it is unclear whether a supplement to an EIS is
required, an SA be prepared to determine whether an EIS should be
supplemented; a new EIS should be prepared; or no further NEPA
documentation is required. The SA analyzed whether this transportation
and storage (change of NpO2 storage location from ORNL to
ANL-W) is substantially relevant to environmental concerns and whether
a supplement to the NI PEIS should be prepared. The environmental
impacts of shipment of NpO2 from SRS were analyzed in the NI
PEIS for several storage locations including FDPF and CPP-651 storage
vault at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory
(INEEL). The ANL-W site is in close proximity of FDPF and CPP-651. The
transportation route and distance from SRS to ANL-W is virtually
identical to FDPF/CPP-651. Because the impacts of shipment to and
storage at FDPF/CPP-651 at INEEL were analyzed in the NI PEIS, the
impacts for shipment to and storage at ANL-W are expected to be
virtually the same. In addition, ANL-W currently stores SNM and meets
the security requirements for storage of SNM. This change of storage
location for NpO2 would obviate the need for costly security
upgrades at ORNL.
Decision
On the basis of the SA and the analyses conducted in NI PEIS, DOE
has determined that the proposed change in storage location of
NpO2 from REDC to ANL-W would not require further review
under NEPA. The impacts due to relocation and storage of
NpO2 would be no greater than those assessed in the NI PEIS.
DOE is issuing this amendment to the original ROD to announce the
change of storage location for NpO2 from REDC to ANL-W.
Issued in Washington, DC, August 5, 2004.
William D. Magwood, IV,
Director, Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 04-18534 Filed 8-12-04; 8:45 am]
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