[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 141 (Friday, July 24, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36691-36694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17751]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Continued Operation of the Department of Energy/National Nuclear
Security Administration Nevada Test Site and Off-Site Locations in the
State of Nevada
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security
Administration.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
and conduct public scoping meetings.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) regulations
implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508 and 10 CFR Part 1021,
respectively), the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a
semi-autonomous agency within DOE, announces its intention to prepare a
site-wide environmental impact statement (SWEIS) (DOE/EIS-0426) for the
continued operation of DOE/NNSA activities at the Nevada Test Site
(NTS) and certain off-site locations (the Remote Sensing Laboratory at
Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada, the DOE/NNSA campus in North
Las Vegas, and the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) including
activities at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR)) in the State of Nevada. The
purpose of this notice is to invite individuals, organizations, and
government agencies and entities to participate in developing the scope
of the SWEIS.
The new SWEIS will consider a No Action Alternative, which is to
continue current operations through implementation of the 1996 Record
of Decision (ROD) (61 FR 65551; 12/13/96), and subsequent decisions.
Three action alternatives proposed for consideration in the SWEIS would
be compared to the No Action Alternative. The three action alternatives
would differ by either their type or level of on-going operations and
may include proposals for new operations or the reduction or
elimination of certain operations.
DATES: NNSA invites comments on the scope of this SWEIS. The public
scoping period starts with the publication of this notice in the
Federal Register and will continue through October 16, 2009. NNSA will
consider all comments defining the scope of the SWEIS received or
postmarked by this date. Comments received or postmarked after this
date will be considered to the extent practicable. NNSA will conduct
public scoping meetings in Las Vegas, Tonopah and Pahrump, Nevada and
St. George, Utah scheduled as follows:
Thursday, September 10, 2009--2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
Frank H. Rogers Science & Technology Building, Desert Research
Institute, 755 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV.
Monday, September 14, 2009--5:30-7:30 p.m.
Bob Ruud Community Center, 150 North Highway 160, Pahrump, NV.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009--5:30-7:30 p.m.
Tonopah Convention Center, 301 Brougher Ave., Tonopah, NV.
Friday, September 18, 2009--5:30-7:30 p.m.
Holiday Inn Conference Center, 850 South Bluff Street, St. George,
Utah.
These scoping meetings will provide the public with an opportunity
to present comments, ask questions, and discuss issues with NNSA
officials regarding the SWEIS. Preparation of the SWEIS will require
participation of other Federal agencies. As bordering land managers,
the USAF and BLM have an inherent interest in activities at the Nevada
Test Site (NTS). The DHS and DTRA are tenant organizations with ongoing
and future operations at the NTS: Therefore requests for cooperating
agency participation will be extended to the DOE, Department of
Defense, U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency
(DTRA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department
of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM.)
ADDRESSES: To submit comments on the scope of the SWEIS, questions
about the document or scoping meetings, or to be included on the
document distribution list, please contact: Linda M. Cohn, NNSA Nevada
Site Office, SWEIS Document Manager, P.O. Box 98518, Las Vegas, Nevada
89193-8518; telephone (702) 295-0077; fax (702) 295-5300; or e-mail
address: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information about the DOE
NEPA process, please contact: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of
NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-20), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585; e-mail:
[email protected]; telephone: 202-586-4600, or leave a message at 1-
800-472-2756; or fax: 202-586-7031. Please note that U.S. Postal
Service deliveries to the Washington, DC office may be delayed by
security screening. Additional information regarding DOE NEPA
activities is available on the Internet through the NEPA Web site at
http://www.gc.energy.gov/nepa.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The NTS occupies about 1,375 square miles (3,561 square kilometers)
in southern Nevada, and is surrounded on three sides by the U.S. Air
Force Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) (formerly the Nellis Air
Force Range) and the Desert National Wildlife Refuge. The fourth
boundary is shared with the Bureau of Land Management. The Nevada Site
Office (NSO) operations are managed and performed for DOE/NNSA under
contract by a management and operating contractor (currently National
Security Technologies, LLC) which teams with personnel from Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and
Sandia National Laboratories as well as other governmental entities to
perform NTS mission-related activities. NTS is a multi-disciplinary,
multi-purpose facility primarily engaged in work that supports national
security, homeland security initiatives, waste management,
environmental restoration, and defense
[[Page 36692]]
and non-defense research and development programs (R&D) for DOE/NNSA
and other government entities. Historically, the primary DOE/NNSA
mission work conducted at NTS was nuclear weapons testing. Since the
moratorium on nuclear testing began in October 1992, NTS has been
maintained in a state of readiness to conduct underground nuclear
tests, if so directed by the President. It also conducts high-hazard
experiments involving nuclear material and high explosives (HE);
provides the capability to process and dispose of a damaged nuclear
weapon or improvised nuclear device; and conducts non-nuclear
experiments, hydrodynamic testing, and HE testing. Nuclear stockpile
stewardship activities at the NTS include conducting dynamic plutonium
experiments that provide technical information to maintain the safety
and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, and conducting
research and training on nuclear safeguards, criticality safety, and
emergency response. Special Nuclear Materials are also stored at the
NTS. Also, in accordance with the amended 1996 NTS EIS (DOE/EIS-0243)
ROD, NNSA continues to receive low-level and mixed low-level
radioactive waste for disposal at NTS. Sandia National Laboratories, a
DOE/NNSA contractor, operates the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) near
Tonopah, Nevada for flight testing of gravity weapons (including R&D
and testing of nuclear weapons components and delivery systems) in
support of DOE/NNSA mission requirements.
The 1996 NTS EIS examined existing and potential impacts to the
environment from ongoing and anticipated future DOE/NNSA operations
conducted over approximately a 10-year period of time at NTS and at
off-site locations in the State of Nevada, such as portions of the NTTR
including the TTR. NSO's remediation efforts have been completed at
Project Shoal and the Central Nevada Test Area.
The four alternatives analyzed in the 1996 NTS EIS were: (1) The No
Action Alternative, to continue to operate at the level maintained in
the previous 5 years; (2) Discontinue Operations; (3) Expanded Use, and
(4) Alternative Use of Withdrawn Lands. DOE's ROD implemented
Alternative 3, Expanded Use, plus the public educational activities of
Alternative 4, Alternative Use of Withdrawn Lands. This ROD also
selected the continuation of low-level and mixed low-level waste
management activities as described in the No Action Alternative until
decisions on the Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement for Managing Treatment, Storage, and Disposal of Radioactive
and Hazardous Waste (Waste Management PEIS) (DOE/EIS-0200) could be
made. DOE issued its decisions on the Waste Management PEIS in a
February 2000 ROD that included an amendment to the 1996 NTS EIS ROD.
That February 2000 ROD announced DOE's decision to implement low-level
and mixed low-level waste management activities in accordance with the
Expanded Use Alternative of the 1996 NTS EIS.
In July 2002, DOE/NNSA completed a 5-year review of the 1996 NTS
EIS with the preparation of a Supplement Analysis (SA) (DOE/EIS-0243-
SA-01), pursuant to DOE's regulatory requirement to evaluate site-wide
NEPA documents at least every 5 years (10 CFR 1021.330) to determine
the adequacy of an existing EIS. Based on the 2002 Supplement Analysis
for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Nevada Test Site
and Off-Site Locations in the State of Nevada (DOE/EIS-0243-SA-01),
DOE/NNSA determined that there were no substantial changes to the
actions or impacts evaluated in the NTS EIS, and there were no
significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental
concerns. Thus, the existing NTS EIS was adequate and neither a
supplemental EIS or a new EIS was required.
In 2003, NNSA prepared a Supplement Analysis entitled Supplement
Analysis for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Nevada
Test Site and Off-Site Locations in the State of Nevada to Address the
Increase in Activities Associated with the National Center for
Combating Terrorism & Counterterrorism Training & Related Activities
(DOE-EIS-0243-SA-02) to determine whether an anticipated increase in
national security projects after the terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001, required further NEPA analysis. This analysis covered military
training/exercises, and testing, evaluation, and development of
technology for multiple Federal government agencies. Based upon this
review, DOE/NNSA determined that the proposed increase in activities
would not result in substantial changes to the NTS EIS or the ROD, and
there were no significant new circumstances or information relevant to
environmental concerns. Thus, neither a supplemental EIS nor a new EIS
was required.
More recently, in 2007, DOE/NNSA initiated its second comprehensive
5-year review of the 1996 NTS EIS and prepared a SA entitled Draft
Supplement Analysis for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for
the Nevada Test Site and Off-Site Locations in the State of Nevada
(DOE-EIS-0243-SA-03) which evaluated whether the 1996 NTS EIS continued
to remain adequate for ongoing and reasonably foreseeable activities.
This document was issued for public review and comment in April 2008.
Based upon consideration of comments received on this draft SA
regarding potential changes to the NTS program work scope, the DOE/NNSA
decided to prepare a new SWEIS for the Continued Operation of the NTS
and Off-Site Locations in the State of Nevada for the 10-year period
commencing 2010.
Purpose and Need
The purpose and need for agency action is to continue the operation
of NTS to provide support for DOE's core missions as directed by the
Congress and the President. NTS has a long history of supporting
national security objectives through the conduct of underground nuclear
tests and other nuclear and non-nuclear activities. Since October 1992,
there has been a moratorium on underground nuclear testing. Thus, the
present mission of the DOE at NTS is to maintain a readiness to conduct
tests. In addition, NTS supports DOE national security related
research, development, and testing programs, and DOE's waste
management/disposal activities. NTS also provides opportunities for
various environmental research projects.
Alternatives for the SWEIS
In accordance with applicable DOE and CEQ NEPA regulations, the No
Action Alternative will be analyzed in the SWEIS and will form the
baseline for the action alternatives analyzed in the document. In this
case, the No Action Alternative will be the continued implementation of
the 1996 NTS EIS ROD, and the amendment to the ROD for the NTS (65 FR
10061 at 10065) at DOE/NNSA sites in Nevada over the next 10 years.
Additionally, the No Action Alternative will also include the
implementation of other decisions supported by separate NEPA analyses
completed since the issuance of the final 1996 NTS EIS, including: the
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Relocation of
Technical Area 18 Capabilities and Materials at Los Alamos National
Laboratory (DOE/EIS-319) and ROD (67 FR 79906); and the Final Complex
Transformation Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
(DOE/EIS-0235-S4) and its RODs (73 FR 77644 and 73 FR 77656) and the
Waste Management PEIS and ROD (65 FR 10061). The No Action Alternative
will
[[Page 36693]]
also include actions analyzed in eight environmental assessments and
their associated Findings of No Significant Impacts, as well as actions
categorically excluded from the need for preparation of either an EA or
an EIS. These various documents are identified in the 2008 draft SA.
Copies of these documents can be reviewed at the DOE/NNSA Public
Reading Rooms at 755 E. Flamingo, Las Vegas, Nevada, and 100 North
Stewart Street, Carson City, Nevada, and public libraries in St.
George, Utah; and Tonopah and Pahrump, Nevada; and on the internet at:
http://www.gc.energy.gov/nepa.
Three action alternatives will be considered in the SWEIS: Expanded
Operations, Reduced Operations, and Renewable Energy Operations. All
three of these alternatives will be compared to the No Action
Alternative level of operations. The Expanded Operations Alternative
will consider a greater proportion of reasonably foreseeable new work
from other Federal organizations as identified by cooperating agencies.
This work will relate to nonproliferation and counterterrorism,
experiments, research, development and testing. Such expansion could
include developing test beds for concept testing of sensors, mitigation
strategies and weapons effectiveness. The Reduced Operations
alternative will consider an overall reduction in the level of
operations and closure of specific buildings and structures. The
Renewable Energy Operations Alternative will consider renewable energy
R&D and the potential deployment of those technologies on the NTS. Any
new facilities/activities, regardless of which alternative they are
associated with, will be included in the analysis if they are
reasonably foreseeable (i.e., proposed within the next 10 years).
This SWEIS will analyze potential impacts resulting from reasonably
foreseeable operations and compare these impacts to those projected in
the No-Action Alternative. The SWEIS will analyze projected impacts
anticipated from operating the NTS and certain off-site locations in
the State of Nevada at the current level with some modified work now
being proposed at certain facilities, such as the Radiological and
Nuclear Test Evaluation Center and the Non-Proliferation Test and
Evaluation Center. Examples of newly proposed actions at NTS include
development of enhanced national security programs to include increased
homeland security activities in sensor development and testing, and
chemical and biological simulant releases, as well as stockpile
stewardship activities.
Direct and indirect, as well as unavoidable and irreversible and
irretrievable impacts to the environment of the NTS and off-site
locations in the State of Nevada will be identified and analyzed in the
SWEIS. In addition, updated modeling and analysis will be conducted of
potential migration of contaminants in the groundwater from historic
nuclear testing on the NTS. Where appropriate, mitigation strategies
will also be analyzed in the SWEIS. Further, an updated evaluation of
NTS operational and transportation accident analyses, and a new
assessment of cumulative impacts of DOE/NNSA operations in Nevada will
also be included. DOE/NNSA plans to prepare the SWEIS as an
unclassified document with a classified appendix. The classified
information will not be available for public review; however, it will
be considered in the decision-making process of the SWEIS. DOE/NNSA
intends to re-evaluate the range of reasonable alternatives following
public scoping.
Preliminary Identification of Environmental Issues
DOE/NNSA proposes to address the issues listed below when
considering the potential impacts of each alternative. This list is
presented to facilitate public comment during the scoping period and
will be revisited as DOE/NNSA considers all scoping comments. It is not
intended to be comprehensive, nor to imply any predetermination of
impacts.
Potential effects on the public health from exposure to
hazardous materials under routine and credible accident scenarios;
Impacts on surface and groundwater, and on water use and
quality;
Impacts on air quality and noise;
Impacts on plants and animals, and their habitats,
including species that are Federal- or state-listed as threatened or
endangered, or of special concern;
Impacts on geology and soil;
Impacts on cultural resources such as Native American
sites, historic mining and ranching, and Cold War structures;
Socioeconomic impacts on potentially affected communities
and disproportionately high and adverse impacts to minority and low-
income populations;
Potential impacts on land use.
Pollution prevention and waste management practices and
activities;
Unavoidable adverse impacts and irreversible and
irretrievable commitments of resources;
Potential cumulative environmental effects of past,
present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions;
Potential impacts of intentional destructive acts,
including sabotage and terrorism.
SWEIS Process and Invitation To Comment
The SWEIS scoping process provides an opportunity for the public to
assist the DOE/NNSA in determining issues. Four public scoping meetings
will be held as noted under DATES in this Notice. The purpose of
scoping meetings is to provide attendees an opportunity to present
comments, ask questions, and discuss concerns regarding the SWEIS with
DOE/NNSA officials. Comments and recommendations can also be mailed to
Linda M. Cohn as noted in this Notice under ADDRESSES. The SWEIS
scoping meetings will use a format to facilitate dialogue between DOE/
NNSA and the public and will provide individuals the opportunity to
give written or oral statements. DOE/NNSA welcomes specific comments or
suggestions on the SWEIS process. The SWEIS will describe the potential
environmental impacts of each alternative by using available data where
possible and obtaining additional data where necessary. Copies of
written comments and transcripts of oral comments provided to DOE/NNSA
during the scoping period will be available at the DOE Public Reading
Room at 755 E. Flamingo, Las Vegas, Nevada, and public libraries in St.
George, Utah; Tonopah and Pahrump, Nevada; and on the Internet at
http://www.nv.doe.gov/library/publications/environmental.
After the close of the public scoping period, DOE/NNSA will begin
developing the draft SWEIS. DOE/NNSA expects to issue the draft SWEIS
for public review in mid-2010. Public comments on the draft SWEIS will
be received for at least 60 days following publication of the
Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Availability in the Federal
Register. The Notice of Availability, along with notices placed in
local newspapers, will provide dates and locations for public hearings
on the draft SWEIS and the deadline for comments on the draft document.
Persons who submit comments with a mailing address during the scoping
process will receive a copy of the draft SWEIS. Other persons who would
like to receive a copy of the document for review when it is issued
should notify Linda M. Cohn at one of the addresses provided
previously. DOE/NNSA will include all comments received on the draft
SWEIS,
[[Page 36694]]
and responses to those comments in the final SWEIS. Issuance of the
final SWEIS is currently scheduled for mid-2011.
Issued in Washington, DC, this 21st day of July 2009.
Thomas P. D'Agostino,
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-17751 Filed 7-23-09; 8:45 am]
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