Notice of Availability of the Department of the Navy Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a Container System for the Management of Naval Spent Nuclear Fuel; and Announcement of Public Hearings

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Navy

Notice of Availability of the Department of the Navy Draft

Environmental Impact Statement for a Container System for the

Management of Naval Spent Nuclear Fuel; and Announcement of Public

Hearings

SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy (Navy) is giving notice of the

availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a

Container System for the Management of Naval Spent Nuclear Fuel.

The draft EIS was prepared in accordance with the requirements of

the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); Council on

Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA, 40 CFR Parts 1500-

1508; and the Chief of Naval Operations Environmental and Natural

Resources Program Manual, OPNAV Instruction 5090.1B. The Navy will

conduct public hearings and receive comments on the draft EIS which

addresses the need, alternatives, and environmental impacts of

manufacturing containers; loading containers; handling, and storage of

naval spent nuclear fuel at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

(INEL); transportation of naval spent nuclear fuel loaded containers to

a notional repository or centralized interim storage site; and the

storage, handling, and transportation of certain radioactive waste

associated with naval spent nuclear fuel management. The Department of

Energy is a cooperating agency for this draft EIS.

General distribution of the document is complete and the Navy has

filed the draft EIS with the Environmental

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Protection Agency prior to publishing this Notice of Availability in

the Federal Register. The draft EIS is available to the public in

reading rooms and designated information locations which are identified

in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

DATES: The Navy invites interested agencies, organizations, and the

general public to provide comments on the draft EIS. The Navy is

providing a 45 day public comment period and all comments on the draft

EIS are due by July 3, 1996. Oral comments will be accepted at the

public hearings to be held at the times and locations listed below.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: Mr. William Knoll of the Naval

Nuclear Propulsion Program of the Department of the Navy, Code NAVSEA

08U, 2531 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA 22242-5160, Telephone:

703-602-8229. Copies of the draft EIS may be obtained by following

instructions given below in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

Hearing Schedule and Locations: Six public hearings at three

locations will be held during the 45 day comment period. The locations

and dates of these public hearings are: (1) Fort Hall, Idaho, on

Monday, June 3, 1996 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 11:00

p.m. at the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes' Tribal Business Center, Pima

Drive; (2) Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday, June 5, 1996 from 1:00 p.m. to

5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at The Boise Centre on the Grove,

850 West Front Street; and (3) Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday, June 7,

1996 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the

Best Western Olympus Hotel, 161 West 600 South.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this draft

EIS, please contact Mr. William Knoll of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion

Program, Department of the Navy, Code NAVSEA 08U, 2531 Jefferson Davis

Highway, Arlington, VA 22242-5160, Telephone: 703-602-8229.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 24, 1994, the DOE published in

the Federal Register (59 FR 53442) a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS

for a multi-purpose canister system for the management of civilian

spent nuclear fuel. Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as

amended (42 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.), DOE is responsible for disposal of

civilian spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste in a

geologic repository. DOE is also responsible for any monitored

retrievable storage (centralized interim storage) prior to disposal,

and transportation of civilian spent nuclear fuel in connection with

disposal or storage. As part of carrying out these responsibilities,

DOE was in the process of evaluating in an EIS the environmental

impacts of fabricating and deploying a standardized container system to

enable storage, transportation, and possible disposal of spent nuclear

fuel.

During the scoping process for the multi-purpose canister EIS, the

scope of the EIS was broadened, based on a comment by the Navy, to

include naval spent nuclear fuel. The total amount of naval spent

nuclear fuel projected to be in existence by the year 2035 is 65 metric

tons heavy metal, which is less than 0.1% of the commercial spent

nuclear fuel expected by that date (approximately 85,000 metric tons).

In addition to its responsibility for civilian spent nuclear fuel, DOE

is also responsible for the management of spent nuclear fuel derived

from atomic energy defense activities, including that from the Naval

Nuclear Propulsion Program (42 U.S.C. 2121(a)(3)). Since naval spent

nuclear fuel is rugged, well characterized and compatible with

standardized container system technology, DOE determined that naval

spent fuel should be included in the EIS. This determination was

announced in the Implementation Plan issued by DOE in August 1995 under

DOE's NEPA regulations. The availability of the Implementation Plan was

announced in the Federal Register on August 30, 1995 (60 FR 45147).

In October 1995, DOE advised the Navy that because of insufficient

funding in Congress' fiscal year 1996 appropriation to the DOE Office

of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, DOE would withdraw its

proposal to fabricate and deploy a multi-purpose canister based system.

As a result, DOE ceased preparation of the Environmental Impact

Statement for a Multi-Purpose Canister System for Management of

Civilian and Naval Spent Nuclear Fuel.

The Navy decided to proceed with that part of the multi-purpose

canister EIS covering naval spent nuclear fuel. The Navy announced it

would assume lead responsibility for the EIS in the Federal Register on

December 7, 1995 (60 FR 62828). DOE is participating as a cooperating

agency since naval spent nuclear fuel is managed at DOE facilities.

Unlike civilian spent nuclear fuel which is stored in plants throughout

the country, all naval spent nuclear fuel, after removal from naval

reactors, is shipped to one place, the INEL, for examination and

temporary storage as set forth in the Department of Energy Programmatic

Spent Nuclear Fuel Management and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Programs Final

Environmental Impact Statement and in the associated Record of Decision

issued June 1, 1995 and amended Record of Decision issued March 8,

1996. Therefore, the container system EIS evaluations for the storage

and transportation of naval spent nuclear fuel at INEL make use of

information specific to that location.

The range of alternatives considered in the EIS did not change as a

result of the reduction in scope covering naval spent fuel only. Thus,

no additional scoping was needed as a result of the EIS being limited

to naval spent nuclear fuel. The six container system alternatives

considered are:

(1) No-Action Alterative--Use of existing technology to handle,

store, and subsequently transport naval spent nuclear fuel to a

geologic repository or a centralized interim storage site using the

Navy M-140 transportation cask. Prior to shipment to a repository or

centralized interim storage site, naval spent nuclear fuel would be

managed at INEL in water pools or dry containers, then loaded into M-

140 transportation casks. At the repository, the naval spent fuel would

be unloaded from the M-140 transportation casks and placed in a

geologic repository's surface facilities for loading into disposal

containers. Following unloading, the M-140 transportation casks would

be returned to INEL for reuse.

(2) Multi-Purpose Canister Alternative--Use of large multi-purpose

canisters, such as those currently being designed under a DOE contract,

for storage, transportation, and disposal of naval spent nuclear fuel,

without repackaging or further handling of individual spent nuclear

fuel assemblies. In addition to the sealed metal canisters, specialized

casks or overpacks would be required for different stages of the

process, such as on-site transfer, dry storage, transportation to a

geologic repository or a centralized interim storage site, and

disposal.

(3) Current Technology/Supplemented by High Capacity Rail

Alternative--Use of existing M-140 transportation casks, but with

redesigned internal structures to accommodate a larger amount of naval

spent nuclear fuel per cask, thus reducing the total number of

shipments required.

(4) Transportable Storage Cask Alternative--Use of an existing,

commercially available cask for storage at INEL and shipment of naval

spent

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nuclear fuel to a geologic repository or centralized interim storage

site. At a repository, the naval spent fuel would be unloaded from the

casks and placed in a geologic repository's surface facilities for

loading into disposal containers. The unloaded transportable storage

casks could be returned to INEL for further storage and transport.

(5) Dual-Purpose Canister Alternative--Use of an existing,

commercially available canister and overpack system for storage at INEL

and shipment of naval spent nuclear fuel to a geologic repository or

centralized interim storage site. At a repository, the naval spent fuel

would be unloaded from the canisters and placed in a geologic

repository's surface facilities for loading into disposal containers.

(6) Small Multi-Purpose Canister Alternative--Use of smaller multi-

purpose canisters, such as those currently being designed under a DOE

contract, rather than large multi-purpose canisters. The small multi-

purpose canisters would be similar in design, operations, and function

to the large multi-purpose canisters, but would offer a lower weight

and size alternative for transportation and handling at a geologic

repository or centralized interim storage site.

In addition, the environmental evaluations in this draft EIS

include several actions which are related to the container system

choice: manufacturing the container system; handling and transportation

associated with the container system; modifications at INEL to support

loading naval spent nuclear fuel into containers for dry storage; the

location of the dry storage at INEL; and the storage, handling, and

transportation of certain radioactive waste (called ``special case

waste'') associated with naval spent nuclear fuel management.

The draft EIS does not contain a preferred alternative. Instead,

the Navy will identify a preferred alternative in the Final EIS, and

select an alternative in the Record of Decision, taking into

consideration the following factors: (1) Public comments; (2)

protection of human health and the environment; (3) cost; (4) technical

feasibility; (5) operational efficiency; (6) regulatory impacts; and

(7) storage or disposal criteria which may be established for a

repository or centralized interim storage site outside the State of

Idaho.

Availability of Copies of the Draft EIS

Copies of the draft EIS have been distributed to Federal, State,

and local officials and agencies; and to organizations and individuals

known to be interested in the EIS. Copies of the draft EIS are

available for public review at the locations listed below. Copies of

selected reference materials are also available in Reading Rooms and

Other Information Locations listed below. Copies of the reference

material may also be obtained upon request from Mr. Knoll at the

address given above (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

Requests for copies of the draft EIS should be directed to: Argonne

National Laboratory, EAD, Building 900, Mail Stop 1, 9700 South Cass

Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439., ATTN: Naval Spent Fuel Container System

EIS. The draft EIS, including appendices, is about 300 pages in length.

Separately bound copies of the 20-page Executive Summary are available

for review for those who do not wish to receive the entire draft EIS.

When requesting copies of the draft EIS, please indicate whether you

wish to receive only the Executive Summary, or the entire draft EIS.

Location of Reading Rooms

--Public Reading Room for U.S. DOE Headquarters; 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW; Room 1E-190; Forestall Building; Washington, DC

--Public Reading Room for U.S. DOE--Idaho Operations Office; 1776

Science Center Drive; Idaho Falls, ID

--Public Reading Room for U.S. DOE--Nevada Operations Office; 3004

South Highland Drive; Las Vegas, NV

--Flagstaff Public Library; 300 West Aspen Street; Flagstaff, AZ

--Sacramento Library; Central Office; 828 I Street; Sacramento, CA

--Denver Public Library; 1357 Broadway; Denver, CO

--Boise Public Library; 715 South Capital Boulevard; Boise, ID

--Shoshone-Bannock Library; Bannock and Pima Streets; HRDC Building;

Fort Hall, ID

--Idaho Falls Public Library; 457 Broadway; Idaho Falls, ID

--Pocatello Public Library; 812 East Clark Street; Pocatello, ID

--Albuquerque Bernalillo County Library; 501 Copper NW; Albuquerque, NM

--Deschutes County Library; 507 NW Wall Street; Bend, OR

--Salt Lake City Public Library; 209 East 500 South; Salt Lake City, UT

--Laramie County Library; 2800 Central Avenue; Cheyenne, WY

Other Information Locations

--Lost River Community Library; 126 South Front Street; Arco, ID

--Idaho State Library; 325 West State Street; Boise, ID

--City of Burley, Public Library; 1300 Miller Avenue; Burley, ID

--Coeur d'Alene Public Library; 201 Harrison Avenue; Coeur d'Alene, ID

--City of Emmett, Public Library; 275 South Hayes; Emmett, ID

--City of Gooding Public Library; 306 5th Avenue, West Gooding, ID

--Consolidated Free Library; 8385 North Government Way; Hayden Branch,

Hayden Lake, ID

--City of Homedale, Public Library; 125 West Owyhee; Homedale, ID

--Idaho Falls Public Library; Reference Desk; 457 Broadway; Idaho

Falls, ID

--Ketchum Public Library; 415 Bruce North; Ketchum, ID

--University of Idaho Library; Rayburn Street; Government Documents;

Moscow, ID

--Moscow Public Library; 110 South Jefferson; Moscow, ID

--Ola District Library; 11475 Ola School Road; Ola, ID

--Clearwater Memorial Library; 402 Michigan Avenue; Orofino, ID

--Idaho State University; Documents Department; Pocatello, ID

--Salmon Public Library; 204 Main Street; Salmon, ID

--Shoshone Public Library; 211 South Rail Street; Shoshone, ID

--Twin Falls Public Library; 434 2nd Street, East; Reference Desk; Twin

Falls, ID

--Caliente Public Library; 120 Depot Avenue; Caliente, NV

--Carson City Public Library; 900 North Roop Street; Carson City, NV

--Elko Public Library; 720 Court Street; Elko, NV

--Las Vegas Public Library; 833 Las Vegas Boulevard, North; Las Vegas,

NV

--Brigham City Library; 20 North Main Street; Brigham City, UT

--Cedar City Library; 136 West Center; Cedar City, UT

--Delta City Library; 76 North 200 West; Delta, UT

--Logan City Library; 255 North Main; Logan, UT

--Marriott Library; University of Utah; Salt Lake City, UT

The final EIS is scheduled to be available no later than November

30, 1996.

Dated: May 3, 1996.

B. DeMars,

Admiral, USN, Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.

[FR Doc. 96-11948 Filed 5-13-96; 8:45 am]

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