[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42082-42084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17523]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Recapitalization of Infrastructure Supporting Naval Spent Nuclear
Fuel Handling and Examination at the Idaho National Laboratory
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement;
Notice of Public Meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on
Environmental Quality regulations for implementing the procedural
provisions of NEPA (40 CFR part 1500-1508), and the Department of
Energy (DOE) implementing procedures (10 CFR part 1021), the DOE Naval
Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) announces its intent to prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Recapitalization of Naval
Spent Nuclear Fuel Handling and Examination Facilities at the Idaho
National Laboratory (INL). The NNPP intends to prepare an EIS for the
recapitalization of infrastructure at the Expended Core Facility (ECF)
at the INL in Idaho. This action supports the receipt, handling,
examination, and packaging of naval spent nuclear fuel removed from
nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines, as well as from land-
based prototype reactors, and the examination of other irradiated
materials. Infrastructure recapitalization (e.g., new or improved
facilities and equipment) is needed to ensure continued naval nuclear-
powered operations and missions for at least the next 40 years. In
addition, the recapitalized infrastructure will support the Navy's
commitments, as identified in the 1995 Idaho Settlement Agreement
(amended in June 2008), among the State of Idaho, the DOE, and the
Navy. Three public scoping meetings will be held.
DATES: NNPP invites interested parties to comment on the proposed scope
of the EIS. NNPP will consider all comments received by September 3,
2010, and to the extent practical comments received after that date, in
the preparation of the EIS.
The public meetings will address the scope of the planned EIS. For
dates, times, and locations of public scoping meetings, see
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the EIS may be submitted by
mailing to: Mr. Gregory F. Holden (08U-Naval Reactors), Naval Sea
Systems Command, 1240 Isaac Hull Avenue, SE., Stop 8036, Washington
Navy Yard, DC 20376-8036.
Comments provided by E-Mail should be submitted to
[email protected] and comments provided via phone should be
made by calling 1-866-369-4802.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this
project, contact Mr. Gregory F. Holden, as described above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NNPP is responsible for all aspects of
U.S. Navy nuclear power and propulsion. These responsibilities include
design, maintenance, and safe operation of nuclear propulsion systems
throughout their operational life cycles. A crucial component of this
mission, naval spent nuclear fuel handling, occurs at the end of a
nuclear propulsion system's useful life. Once a naval nuclear core is
depleted, the NNPP is responsible for removal of the spent nuclear fuel
[[Page 42083]]
through a defueling or refueling operation. Both operations remove the
spent nuclear fuel from a reactor core, but a refueling operation also
involves installing new fuel into the reactor core, allowing the
nuclear-powered ship to be redeployed into the U.S. Navy fleet. After
the naval spent nuclear fuel has been removed from an aircraft carrier
or submarine, NNPP spent fuel handling includes the subsequent
transfer, preparation, and packaging required for dry storage pending
transportation of the fuel to a national geologic repository or interim
storage site.
A second component of the mission is to support the design and
maintenance of nuclear propulsion systems by providing for the
examination of naval spent nuclear fuel and irradiated materials. This
examination includes the receipt and unloading of the spent nuclear
fuel; preparation of irradiated materials for examination using various
visual, microscopic, and metallurgical techniques; and preparation of
small fuel and non-fuel test samples for insertion into test reactors,
where they are irradiated.
The NNPP ensures that naval spent nuclear fuel handling and
examination are performed in a safe and environmentally responsible
manner in accordance with 50 U.S.C. 2406, 2511 (codifying Executive
Order 12344). Nuclear fuel handling and examination are intricate and
intensive processes requiring a complex infrastructure. Naval spent
nuclear fuel handling includes the transfer of spent nuclear fuel
removed from a reactor to the ECF at the Naval Reactors Facility (NRF)
at the INL, where it is received, unloaded, prepared, and packaged for
disposal. Currently, naval spent nuclear fuel examination and the
examination of some irradiated specimens are performed at the ECF.
Examination of spent naval fuel and irradiated materials is essential
to the mission of the Navy for three reasons: to provide data on
current reactor performance, to validate models used to predict future
performance, and to support research to improve reactor design.
The NNPP is proposing to recapitalize the existing ECF
infrastructure at the INL. The purpose of the proposed action is to
ensure the continued availability of the infrastructure needed to
support the transfer, handling, examination, and packaging of naval
spent nuclear fuel removed from nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and
submarines, as well as from land-based prototype reactors, and the
examination of other irradiated materials, for at least the next 40
years. This action is needed because, although the ECF at the NRF,
where this work is currently supported, continues to be maintained and
operated in a safe and environmentally responsible manner, a
significant portion of the ECF infrastructure has been in service for
over 50 years. Deterioration of the ECF infrastructure could
immediately and profoundly impact the NNPP mission, including the
NNPP's ability to support refueling and defueling of nuclear powered
submarines and aircraft carriers. The ECF capabilities to transfer,
prepare, examine, and package naval spent nuclear fuel, and other
irradiated materials are vital to the NNPP's mission of maintaining the
reliable operation of the naval nuclear-powered fleet and developing
militarily effective nuclear propulsion plants.
Consistent with the Record of Decision for the April 1995 DOE
Programmatic EIS for Spent Nuclear Fuel Management (DOE/EIS-0203-F),
naval spent nuclear fuel is shipped by rail from shipyards and
prototype facilities to NRF for examination and processing. After
processing, naval spent nuclear fuel is transferred into dry storage
containers and placed into temporary storage at NRF, prior to off-site
transfer consistent with the Record of Decision for the November 1996
Navy EIS for a Container System for Management of Naval Spent Nuclear
Fuel (DOE/EIS-0251). Ongoing efforts to sustain the infrastructure
needed to transfer, prepare, examine, and package naval spent nuclear
fuel will preserve these essential capabilities and ensure that the
NNPP high standards for protecting the public and the environment
continue to be met. Facility age, however, is expected to cause a
growing maintenance burden and increase the likelihood of unacceptable
workflow interruptions that could adversely impact the fleet.
The NNPP proposes to recapitalize the infrastructure for
transferring, preparing, examining, and packaging naval spent nuclear
fuel and other irradiated materials, to ensure these capabilities are
maintained for the vital NNPP mission of supporting the naval nuclear-
powered fleet. The recapitalization is expected to be carried out as
two projects. The first project will be the Spent Fuel Handling
Recapitalization Project; the second project will be the Examination
Recapitalization Project. The Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization
Project will ensure that interfaces and exchanges between handling and
examination are factored into detailed designs, to ensure that both
projects can be carried out in an environmentally responsible and cost-
effective manner.
The proposed EIS will consider the environmental effects related to
siting and construction of new facilities for both of the
Recapitalization Projects. The NNPP proposes to evaluate three siting
combinations, along with a No-Action Alternative.
Alternative 1--Locate the Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization
Project and the Examination Recapitalization Project at the NRF at the
INL.
Alternative 2--Locate the Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization
Project at the NRF and the Examination Recapitalization Project at the
Advanced Test Reactor Complex at the INL.
Alternative 3--Locate the Spent Fuel Handling Recapitalization
Project at the NRF and the Examination Recapitalization Project at the
Materials and Fuels Complex at the INL.
No-Action Alternative--Overhaul the ECF. Overhauling includes
continuing to repair, maintain, refurbish, and upgrade the ECF as
necessary to provide the needed long-term capabilities for
transferring, examining, preparing, and packaging naval spent nuclear
fuel.
Within each of these alternative sites, there are a number of
practical locations for facility placement. These location options will
also be addressed in the EIS. NNPP proposes to address the issues
listed below when considering the potential impacts of the proposed
alternatives in the EIS. This list is presented to facilitate public
comment during the scoping period and is not intended to be
comprehensive, or to imply any predetermination of impacts. Issues
include:
Potential impacts of emissions on air and water quality.
Potential impacts on plants, animals, and their habitats,
including species that are listed by either State or Federal government
as threatened, endangered, or of special concern.
Potential impacts from postulated accidents, as well as
potential impacts from acts of terrorism or sabotage.
Potential effects on the public health from exposure to
hazardous materials or radiological releases under routine operations.
Potential safety and health impacts to workers.
Impacts on cultural resources, such as historic,
archeological, and Native American culturally important sites.
Socioeconomic impacts to the potentially affected
communities.
Compliance with applicable Federal and state regulations.
Potential disproportionately high and adverse effects on
low-income and minority populations (environmental justice).
Cumulative impacts.
[[Page 42084]]
NEPA implementing regulations require an early and open process for
determining the scope of an EIS and for identifying the significant
issues related to the proposed action. Accordingly, NNPP invites
Federal agencies; Tribal, State, and local governments; and the general
public to comment on the scope of the planned EIS including
identification of reasonable alternatives and specific issues that
should be addressed. NNPP will hold three public scoping meetings to
provide information on the Spent Nuclear Fuel Handling and Examination
Recapitalization Projects and to solicit public concerns and comments.
Dates, times, and locations for these meetings are as follows:
August 24, 2010
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
Shilo Inn, 780 Lindsay Blvd., Idaho Falls, ID 83404.
August 25, 2010
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
Red Lion, 1555 Pocatello Creek Road, Pocatello, ID 83201.
August 26, 2010
6 p.m.-9 p.m.
Canyon Springs Red Lion, 1357 Blue Lakes Blvd. North, Twin Falls,
ID 83301.
Persons unable to attend these meetings may view meeting
information by visiting the NNPP Web site http://www.ecfrecapitalization.us. NNPP will provide additional notification
of the meeting times and locations through newspaper advertisements and
other appropriate media.
At each scoping meeting, NNPP plans to hold an open house for the
first hour prior to beginning the formal portion of the meeting to
allow participants to register to provide oral comments and view
informational materials. The registration table will have an oral
comment registration form as well as a sign-up sheet for those who do
not wish to give oral comments but who would like to be included on the
mailing list to receive either printed or electronic information about
the project in the future. The public may provide written and/or oral
comments at the scoping meetings.
All public comments received during the scoping meetings, as well
as those submitted as described above, will be considered during the
development of the EIS.
Issued in Washington, DC, on July 12, 2010.
John M. McKenzie,
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-17523 Filed 7-19-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P