[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 97 (Friday, May 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24951-24952]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12592]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[CA-930-06-1430-00]
Notice of Intent to Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for a Proposed Land Transfer to the State of California for
the Purpose of Developing a Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal
Facility at Ward Valley
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in California intends to
prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for a
proposed land transfer to the State of California for the purpose of
developing a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility at Ward
Valley. The SEIS will address new information that has become available
and new circumstances that have occurred since the Environmental Impact
Statement/Report (EIS/EIR) was completed in April 1991 and the initial
SEIS was completed in September 1993. The site of the proposed Federal
land transfer is located in San Bernardino County, CA, approximately 20
miles west of the city of Needles.
DATES: The public is invited to submit formal written comments on the
scope of the SEIS, or provide new information about the site and
proposed actions. All written comments must be received by BLM at the
address listed below no later than July 1, 1996.
Three public scoping workshops will also be held, and each will be
open to the public at the following dates and locations:
June 3 in Sacramento 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at Cal Expo Club, 1600
Exposition Blvd;
June 5 in San Bernardino from 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the National
Orange Show Grounds, Arrowhead Avenue, Gate 9, Renaissance Room;
June 12 in Needles from 2-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at Elks Lodge No. 1608,
1000 Lily Hill Drive.
These workshops will provide the public additional opportunities to
supply additional information and to identify issues to be addressed in
the SEIS. They will be conducted in an open house format; BLM will
simply record the issues identified or information offered by the
public. Submission of written comments is strongly encouraged to
facilitate the sessions.
ADDRESSES: Any written comments or requests to be placed on the mailing
list should be sent to Ward Valley Land Transfer Coordinator (CA-930),
Bureau of Land Management, 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Richard F. Johnson or John S. Mills at (916) 979-2820.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SEIS will focus on new information and
circumstances, including the May 1995 National Academy of Sciences
Report; the results of tritium and related testing to be conducted at
the site; recent U.S. Geological Survey information concerning tritium
and other radioactive materials detected in proximity to a closed LLRW
facility at Beatty, Nevada, and other evidence of migration of
radioactive and other wastes from the Beatty facility; the results of
consultation with Native American Tribes; the possible effect of the
proposed transfer, construction, and operation of the LLRW facility on
areas of cultural importance to nearby Native American Tribes and any
Tribal rights recognized by federal law; the designation of Ward Valley
by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as critical habitat for the
desert tortoise and a 1995 FWS Biological Opinion evaluating the
potential impacts of the land transfer and facility on the tortoise and
its critical habitat; a report prepared by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency concerning release of radionuclides into the
atmosphere and effects on desert tortoise habitat; a hydrogeologic
report on the proposed facility site commissioned by the Metropolitan
Water District of Southern California; and other information submitted
by the public. Issues that were fully analyzed in the 1991 EIS/EIR and
the 1993 SEIS (which was limited to the changed land transfer method
from indemnity selection to direct sale), and are not the subject of
new information or circumstances, will not be addressed in this SEIS.
A separate public notice will be issued in the near future
regarding procedures for the tritium and related testing to be done at
the site.
[[Page 24952]]
Dated: May 14, 1996.
Ed Hastey,
State Director.
[FR Doc. 96-12592 Filed 5-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M