[Federal Register: December 5, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 235)]
[Notices]
[Page 74162-74163]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05de08-64]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan for the West Valley
Demonstration Project, West Valley, NY
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability
of the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan for the West Valley
Demonstration Project (WVDP) at the Western New York Nuclear Service
Center in West Valley, New York (WNYNSC). The proposed Phase 1
Decommissioning Plan is consistent with DOE's preferred alternative in
the Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the
Decommissioning and/or Long-Term Stewardship at the West Valley
Demonstration Project and Western New York Nuclear Service
[[Page 74163]]
Center (Draft EIS, DOE/EIS-02260). DOE intends, at a future date, to
issue a Record of Decision pursuant to the Final EIS. The proposed
Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan is being reviewed by the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC). The Department will consider NRC comments
prior to the initiation of decontamination and decommissioning
operations, and should DOE during the course of the National
Environmental Policy Act process or as a result of comments from the
NRC ultimately decide upon an approach that differs from the current
preferred alternative in the Draft Decommissioning EIS, or adopt
changes that affect the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan, then DOE
will revise the Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan as necessary to reflect
the changes.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan for the
West Valley Demonstration Project are available for public inspection
at the following locations:
U.S. Department of Energy, FOIA Reading Room, Room 1E-190, Forrestal
Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0001;
Hulbert Library, DOE-WVDP Public Reading Room, 18 Chapel St.,
Springville, NY 14141. 716-592-7742; and
Ashford Office Complex Public Reading Room, 9030 Route 219, West
Valley, NY 14171-0191. (716) 942-4679.
The proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan is also available at:
The U.S. Department of Energy West Valley Demonstration Project Web
site, at http://www.wv.doe.gov; and
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Electronic Reading Room Web
site, at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Moira N. Maloney, Decommissioning Plan Project Manager, West Valley
Demonstration Project, U.S. Department of Energy, 10282 Rock Springs
Road, West Valley, NY 14171-0191;
Mr. Bryan C. Bower, Director, West Valley Demonstration Project, U.S.
Department of Energy, 10282 Rock Springs Road, West Valley, NY 14171-
0191; and
Mr. Desi Crouther, Director, Office of Small Sites Projects, Office of
Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0001.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The West Valley Demonstration Project Act
(the Act), Public Law 96-368 of October 1, 1980, directed the
Department of Energy to carry out a high-level radioactive waste
management demonstration project at the WNYNSC. The purpose of the
project was to demonstrate the solidification of high-level radioactive
waste for disposal in a Federal repository. The Act also requires the
Department to decontaminate and decommission the underground high-level
waste storage tanks and other facilities where the solidified high-
level radioactive waste was stored, the facilities used in the
solidification of the waste, and any material and hardware used in
connection with the project, in accordance with such requirements as
the NRC may prescribe.
In accordance with the Act, DOE entered into an agreement with the
NRC to establish arrangements for review and consultation by the NRC
for the Project. The procedures for NRC review and consultation were
established in the September 23, 1981 Memorandum of Understanding and
section 2(c)(1) of the Act between DOE and NRC. Accordingly, DOE is to
submit to NRC, for its review and comment, a Project Decommissioning
Plan for the facilities that were used in solidifying the waste, which
includes a description of engineering and operating activities to be
performed. The plan is to be reviewed by the NRC and comments provided
to DOE. DOE is to review and consider the comments provided prior to
the initiation of decontamination and decommissioning operations.
The decommissioning activities described in the proposed Phase 1
Decommissioning Plan for the West Valley Demonstration Project are
consistent with the Phased Decision-making Alternative, the preferred
alternative described in the Revised Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for Decommissioning and/or Long-Term Stewardship at the West
Valley Demonstration Project and Western New York Nuclear Service
Center. Under the Phased Decision-making Alternative, the
decommissioning of the Project and WNYNSC would be completed in two
phases. Phase 1 decommissioning activities within the Project premises,
which are described in the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning Plan, are
near-term removal actions that include removal of the Main Plant
Process Building, Vitrification Facility, source area of the North
Plateau Groundwater Plume, wastewater treatment facility lagoons, and
certain ancillary buildings, foundations, slabs, and pads on the WVDP
premises. The Phase 2 decisions on the decommissioning of the remainder
of the Project and WNYNSC, or its long-term management, would be made
in the future and is not part of the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning
Plan.
DOE will issue a Record of Decision pursuant to section III.B.1 of
the final EIS no sooner than 30 days after the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency has published its Notice of Availability in the
Federal Register. DOE will revise the proposed Phase 1 Decommissioning
Plan to be consistent with the Record of Decision as necessary.
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 1, 2008.
Cynthia Anderson,
Deputy Chief Operations Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-28807 Filed 12-4-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P