Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement; Shutdown of the River Water System at the Savannah River Site

Federal RegisterJun 12, 1996

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Intent To Prepare Environmental Impact Statement;

Shutdown of the River Water System at the Savannah River Site

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces its intent to prepare

an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, for the proposed shutdown of

the River Water System at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The River

Water System was originally constructed to pump large quantities of

cooling water from the Savannah River to five nuclear reactors at SRS.

Since all of the reactors are shut down, no cooling water is required.

DOE invites the public, organizations, and agencies to present oral or

written comments concerning (1) the scope of the EIS, (2) the issues

the EIS should address, and (3) the alternatives the EIS should

analyze.

DATES: The public scoping period will continue until July 12, 1996.

Written comments submitted by mail should be postmarked by that date to

ensure consideration. DOE will consider comments mailed after that date

to the extent practicable. On June 27, 1996, DOE will conduct a public

scoping meeting to assist in defining the appropriate scope of the EIS

and identifying significant environmental issues to be addressed. This

meeting will be held at the following times and location: June 27,

1996; 1-4 and 6-9 pm; North Augusta Community Center, 495 Brookside

Drive, North Augusta, S.C.

ADDRESSES: Please direct comments or suggestions on the scope of the

EIS, requests to speak at the public scoping meeting, and questions

concerning the project to: Mr. Andrew R. Grainger, U.S. Department of

Energy, Savannah River Operations Office, P.O. Box A, Aiken, S.C.

29802, 1-800-242-8269, E-mail: [email protected]

Mark the envelopes: ``River Water System EIS Comments''.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the DOE

NEPA process, please contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office

of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000

Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585, telephone: 202-586-

4600 or leave a message at 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SRS is an 800-square-kilometer (300 square

mile) controlled area located in southwestern South Carolina. The Site

is approximately 25 miles southeast of Augusta, Georgia, and 20 miles

south of Aiken, South Carolina. Since its establishment, the mission of

SRS has been to produce nuclear materials that support the defense,

research, and medical programs of the United States.

Because of the end of the Cold War and the reduction in the size of

the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, the need for production of new

nuclear materials has been reduced dramatically. As a result,

activities at SRS have shifted from nuclear material production to

cleanup and environmental restoration. DOE developed the Savannah River

Operations Office Strategic Plan in order to guide SRS in meeting this

changing mission. The Strategic Plan directs SRS to identify excess

infrastructure and develop action plans for its disposition. DOE has

identified the River Water System as potential surplus infrastructure.

The River Water System was originally constructed to pump large

quantities of cooling water from the Savannah River to all five

production reactors at SRS. Heated discharge water from the reactors

was returned to the Savannah River via several onsite streams and

creeks. In 1958, Par Pond was constructed to dissipate the thermal

effluent from P- and R-Reactors. In 1984, L-Lake was constructed to

dissipate the thermal effluent from L-Reactor. However, all production

reactors are now shut down. Operationally, there is no longer a need to

provide cooling water, except for some small air conditioning and

equipment cooling loads in K-, L-, and P-Reactor Areas.

The River Water System maintains L Lake and Par Pond water levels

at their normal operating values. As analyzed in an Environmental

Assessment performed in 1995 (Environmental Assessment for the Natural

Fluctuation of Water Level in Par Pond and Reduced Water Flow in Steel

Creek Below L Lake at the Savannah River Site, DOE/EA-1070), Par Pond

water level is currently allowed to fluctuate naturally, but the River

Water System is used to prevent the water level from falling below 195

feet above mean sea level.

Proposed Action and Alternatives

The Department proposes to shut down the River Water System and to

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place all or part of the system in standby condition. Under the

proposed ``standby'' alternative, portions of the River Water System

could be placed in a variety of conditions. For example, surplus

portions of the River Water System could be shut down and deactivated.

Those portions of the River Water System that are deactivated would not

be capable of being restarted. However, other portions of the River

Water System could be placed in a ``layup'' condition in order to

support potential future missions. In the layup condition, equipment

would be shut down, but preserved so that restart would be possible.

Alternatively, some portions of the River Water System could be

placed in a higher state of readiness than in ``layup'' condition; such

portions of the River Water System could be restarted in a relatively

short period of time. Short term cost savings would be minimal, but

this condition would allow DOE to maintain a great degree of

flexibility. Unlike the ``shutdown and deactivate'' alternative

described below, the River Water System could be available to mitigate

or even reverse the impacts of the proposed action, if deemed

necessary.

Two alternatives to the proposed action are under consideration.

The first alternative is to continue current River Water System

operation (this is the no-action alternative). Under this alternative,

the River Water System would continue to provide water to maintain L

Lake and Par Pond water levels. The second alternative is to shut down

and deactivate the entire River Water System. Under this alternative,

alternative water sources (such as from ground water) would be needed

to provide for minor non-reactor cooling requirements (air

conditioning, small equipment cooling, etc.) The cessation of river

water input to L Lake would result in the gradual disappearance of the

lake and its return to original creek conditions over the next several

years.

Preliminary Identification of Environmental and Other Issues

The Department has identified the following issues for analysis for

proposed and alternative actions in the EIS. Additional issues may be

identified as a result of the scoping process.

(1) Public and Worker Safety and Health Risk Assessment:

radiological and nonradiological impacts of the proposed action and

alternatives, including projected effects on workers and the public

from expected and potential conditions.

(2) Impacts from releases to air, water, and soil.

(3) Impacts to plants, animals, and habitat, including impacts to

wetlands, and threatened or endangered species and their habitat.

(4) The consumption of natural resources and energy including

water, natural gas, and electricity.

(5) Socioeconomic impacts to affected communities from operation

labor forces and support services in the SRS area.

(6) Environmental justice: disproportionately high and adverse

human health or environmental effects on minority and low-income

populations.

(7) Impacts to cultural resources such as historic, archaeological,

scientific, or culturally important sites.

(8) Status of compliance with all applicable Federal, state, and

local statutes and regulations; required Federal and state

environmental consultations and notifications; and DOE Orders on waste

management, waste minimization initiatives, and environmental

protection.

(9) Cumulative impacts from the proposed action and other past,

present, and reasonably foreseeable actions at the Savannah River Site.

(10) Potential irreversible and irretrievable commitments of

resources.