[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 5, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62244-62245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29578]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Plutonium Finishing
Plant Stabilization, Hanford Site, Richland, Benton County, WA, Notice
of Availability and Announcement of Public Hearing
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of
the Plutonium Finishing Plant Stabilization Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DOE/EIS-0244-D). The Draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) was prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, and its implementing regulations. The continued
presence of relatively large quantities of chemically reactive
materials in their present form and location within the Plutonium
Finishing Plant (PFP) Facility poses an unacceptable long-term risk to
workers, the public, and the environment. DOE has identified the need
to expeditiously and safely reduce radiation exposure to workers and
the risk to the public; reduce future resources to safely manage the
Facility; and remove, stabilize, store, and manage plutonium, pending
DOE's future use and disposition decisions.
DATES: DOE invites comments on the Draft PFP Stabilization EIS from all
interested parties. Written comments or suggestions regarding the
adequacy, accuracy, and completeness of the Draft EIS will be
considered in preparing the Final EIS and should be submitted
(postmarked) by January 16, 1996. Written comments received after that
date will be considered to the degree practicable.
DOE will also hold one public hearing at which agencies,
organizations, and the general public will be invited to present oral
comments or suggestions on the Draft EIS. Location, date, and time for
the public hearing is provided in the section of this notice entitled
``PUBLIC HEARING.'' Written and oral comments will be given equal
weight and will be considered in preparing the Final EIS. Requests for
copies of the Draft EIS or questions concerning the project should be
sent to Mr. Ben F. Burton, DOE, at the address listed in the section of
this notice entitled ADDRESSES.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft EIS should be submitted
(postmarked) by January 16, 1996, for incorporation into the public
hearing record. Oral comments will be accepted at the public hearing.
Written comments, requests to speak at the hearing, or questions
concerning the PFP EIS should be directed to: Mr. Ben F. Burton, U.S.
Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, Attn: PFP
Stabilization EIS, P.O. Box 550, MSIN B1-42, Richland, Washington
99352, (509) 946-3609, 1-800-249-8181.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on DOE's EIS
process and other matters related to NEPA, please contact: Ms. Carol
Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42), U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC
20585, (202) 586-4600 or (800) 472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background, Purpose and Need for Agency Action
In the late 1980s, a sudden halt in the production of weapons-grade
plutonium froze the existing PFP Facility manufacturing pipeline in a
state that was unsuited for long-term storage. On January 24, 1994, the
Secretary of Energy commissioned a comprehensive assessment to identify
and prioritize the environmental, safety, and health vulnerabilities
that arise from the storage of plutonium in DOE facilities and
determine which are the most dangerous and urgent. The DOE-wide
assessment, commonly referred to as
[[Page 62245]]
The Plutonium Vulnerability Study, identified 15 environmental, safety,
and health vulnerabilities at the PFP Facility. These included storage
of unstable forms of plutonium, a potential for criticality accidents,
and seismic weaknesses. DOE has determined that a feasible alternative
for resolution of the safety issues is removal of readily retrievable
plutonium-bearing material in hold-up at the PFP Facility and
stabilization of these and other plutonium-bearing materials at the PFP
Facility through the following four treatment processes: (1) Ion
exchange, vertical calcination and thermal stabilization of plutonium-
bearing solutions; (2) thermal stabilization of oxides, fluorides, and
process residues in a continuous furnace; (3) repackaging of metals and
alloys; and (4) pyrolysis of polycubes and combustibles.
Environmental Impact Statement Preparation
The Draft EIS has been prepared in accordance with Section
102(2)(C) of the NEPA, as implemented in regulations promulgated by the
Council on Environmental Quality (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR]
Parts 1500-1508) and by DOE's Implementing Procedures (10 CFR Part
1021). The Draft EIS has been prepared to assess the potential impacts
of both the proposed action, and reasonable alternatives to the
proposed action, on the human and natural environment.
A Notice of Intent (Notice) to prepare the PFP EIS and hold public
scoping meetings in Spokane, Richland, and Bellevue, Washington, and
Hood River and Portland, Oregon, was published by DOE in the Federal
Register on October 27, 1994. A subsequent Notice was published by DOE
in the Federal Register on November 23, 1994, announcing additional
meetings in Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. The Notice
invited oral and written comments and suggestions on the proposed scope
of the EIS, including environmental issues and alternatives, and
invited public participation in the NEPA process. Overall, scoping
comments were received that assisted in identifying major issues for
subsequent in-depth analysis in the Draft EIS. As a result of the
scoping process, an Implementation Plan for the PFP Stabilization EIS
was developed to define the scope and provide further guidance for
preparing the Draft EIS.
The Draft EIS considers the proposed action, other reasonable
alternatives, and the no action alternative.
Comment Procedures
Availability of Draft EIS
Copies of the Draft PFP Stabilization EIS are being distributed to
federal, state, tribal and local officials and agencies, as well as
organizations and individuals known to be interested in or affected by
the proposed project. Additional copies may be obtained by contacting
Mr. Burton as provided in the section of this notice entitled
ADDRESSES. Copies of the Draft PFP Stabilization EIS, including
appendices and reference material will be available for public review
at the locations listed below.
(1) U.S. Department of Energy, Headquarters, Freedom of Information
Reading Room, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Washington D.C. 20585, (202) 586-3142
(2) U.S. DOE Public Reading Room, 100 Sprout Road, Room 130 West,
Richland, WA 99352, (509) 376-8583
(3) Government Publications, University of Washington Library, Box
352900, Seattle, WA 98185-2900, (206) 543-1937
(4) Gonzaga University, Foley Center, East 502 Boone Avenue, Spokane,
WA 99258, (509) 328-4220
(5) Portland State University, Branford Price Millar Library, SW
Harrison and Park, Portland, OR 97207, (503) 725-3690
You may also receive a copy of the Draft EIS by calling the PFP
Stabilization EIS toll-free line at 1-800-249-8181.
Written Comment
Interested parties are invited to provide comments to DOE on the
content of the Draft EIS as indicated in the section of this notice
entitled ADDRESSES. Comments submitted (postmarked) after January 16,
1996, will be considered to the extent practicable.
Public Hearing
Procedures
The public is invited to provide oral comments to DOE on the Draft
EIS at the scheduled public hearing. Advance registration for the
presentation of oral comments at the hearing will be accepted up to the
day prior to the scheduled meeting by calling 1-800-249-8181 (prior to
3:00 p.m. Pacific Time). Requests to speak at a specific time will be
honored, if possible. Registrants are only allowed to register
themselves to speak and must confirm the time they are scheduled to
speak at the registration desk the day of the hearing. Persons who have
not registered in advance may register to speak when they arrive at the
hearing to the extent that time is available. To ensure that as many
persons as possible have the opportunity to present comments, five
minutes will be allotted to each speaker. Persons presenting comments
at the hearing are requested to provide DOE with written copies of
their comments at the hearing, if possible. Written comments sent by
mail to the office listed in the ADDRESSES section above, must be
submitted (postmarked) no later than January 16, 1996.
Hearing Schedule and Location
A public hearing will be held at the following location, date and
time:
Red Lion Inn--Pasco, 2525 N. 20th, Pasco, Washington 99301, (509) 547-
0701
Thursday, January 11, 1996, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Conduct of Hearing
DOE's rules and procedures for the orderly conduct of the hearing
will be announced by the presiding officer at the start of the hearing.
The hearing will not be of an adjudicatory or evidentiary nature.
Speakers will not be cross-examined, although the presiding officer and
the DOE hearing panel members will respond to comments and questions
from the public. In addition, DOE representatives will be available to
discuss the project in informal conversations. A transcript of the
hearing will be prepared, and the entire record of the hearing,
including the transcript, will be placed on file by DOE for inspection
at the public locations given above in the ``COMMENT PROCEDURES''
section.
Signed in Richland, WA this 21st day of November 1995, for the
United States Department of Energy.
John D. Wagoner,
Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office.
[FR Doc. 95-29578 Filed 12-4-95; 8:45 am]
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