[Federal Register: November 28, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 228)]
[Notices]
[Page 68813-68814]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28no06-46]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Determination Under Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 for the Idaho Nuclear
Technology and Engineering Center Tank Farm Facility at the Idaho
National Laboratory
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) provides that certain
waste from reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is not considered high-level
radioactive waste (HLW) if the Secretary of Energy, in consultation
with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), determines that the waste
meets the statutory criteria set forth in Section 3116(a). The
Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of the
Secretary's Section 3116 Determination for the Idaho Nuclear Technology
and Engineering Center (INTEC) Tank Farm Facility (TFF), which
addresses the stabilized residuals in the TFF and TFF system on the
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) near Arco, Idaho, and the document that
sets forth the basis for the Section 3116 Determination (Basis
Document). The Section 3116 Determination sets forth the Secretarial
finding that the stabilized residuals in the TFF and TFF system: (1) Do
not require permanent isolation in a deep geologic repository, (2) have
or will have had highly radioactive radionuclides removed to the
maximum extent practical, (3) will be disposed of in accordance with
NRC performance
[[Page 68814]]
objectives for the disposal of low-level waste, (4) will be disposed of
pursuant to DOE's disposal plan developed in consultation with the NRC,
and (5) will be disposed of pursuant to closure plans approved by the
State of Idaho. The Basis Document sets forth the facts and analyses
supporting the Secretary's Section 3116 Determination. DOE's Amended
Record of Decision to close the TFF pursuant to the Idaho High-Level
Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental Impact Statement
(DOE/EIS-0287, September 2002) is being provided separately and
concurrently with this Notice.
ADDRESSES: The Section 3116 Determination and the Basis Document, as
well as the public comments received on the draft Section 3116
Determination, are available on the Internet at http://apps.em.doe.gov/idwd
, and are publicly available for review at the following locations:
U.S. DOE, Public Reading Room, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1E-
190, Washington, DC 20585, Phone: (202) 586-5955, or Fax: (202) 586-
0575; and U.S. DOE, Idaho Operations Office, Public Reading Room, 850
Energy Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415-2300, Phone: 208-526-0709, Fax:
208-526-8789.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the Section
3116 Determination, contact Scott Van Camp, Assistant Manager, Facility
and Materials Disposition Project, U.S. DOE, Idaho Operations Office,
1955 Fremont Avenue, MS-1222, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, Telephone: (208)
526-6503.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The INTEC TFF and TFF system consists of
eleven 300,000-gallon belowgrade stainless-steel tanks in unlined
concrete vaults, four 30,000-gallon belowgrade stainless-steel tanks,
and associated ancillary equipment and piping. Historically, the TFF
tanks were used to store various INTEC wastes, including those from
reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, decontamination waste, laboratory
waste, and contaminated liquids from other INTEC operations. DOE has
initiated cleaning of the TFF and TFF system, a process that includes
consolidating remaining wastes in the minimum number of tanks
necessary, and then cleaning the empty tanks and ancillary equipment
and piping. After completing cleaning operations, a small amount of
residual radioactive waste that cannot be removed will remain in the
tanks and ancillary equipment and piping. DOE plans to stabilize the
residuals by filling the TFF and TFF system with grout. The Secretary's
Section 3116 Determination concludes that the TFF and TFF system
residuals will meet the criteria in NDAA Section 3116. Therefore, and
pursuant to Section 3116, that material is not HLW. The Basis Document
sets forth the reasons supporting the Section 3116 Determination. DOE's
Amended Record of Decision to close the TFF pursuant to the Idaho High-
Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental Impact
Statement (DOE/EIS-0287, September 2002) is being provided separately
and concurrently with this notice.
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 20, 2006.
Charles E. Anderson,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management.
[FR Doc. E6-20107 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am]
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