Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Nevada Test Site and Off-Site Locations Within the State of Nevada

[[Page 3924]]

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the

Nevada Test Site and Off-Site Locations Within the State of Nevada

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of

the Draft Sitewide Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the

Nevada Test Site and Off-site Locations in the State of Nevada (DOE/

EIS-0243), for public review and comment. DOE also announces the dates,

times, and locations for public hearings on the Draft EIS. Alternative

uses for the land and facilities at the site are analyzed in the Draft

EIS.

DATES: DOE filed the Draft EIS with the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency on January 26, 1996, with an expected Federal Register

publication date for the notice of availability of February 2, 1996.

Written or oral comments on the Draft EIS are invited from the general

public, other government agencies, and all other interested parties.

Comments received or postmarked by May 3, 1996, whether written or

oral, submitted directly to the Department, or presented during a

public hearing, will be given equal consideration in preparation of the

final EIS. Comments received or postmarked after that date, will be

considered to the extent practicable. DOE will use the comments

received to help prepare the final version of the EIS.

The dates and locations for the public meetings are listed below.

All meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m: March 5, 1996, Dixie

Center Convention Facilities, 425 South 700 East, St. George, Utah;

March 13, 1996, Bob Ruud Community Center, 150 North Highway 160,

Pahrump, Nevada; March 19, 1996, University of Nevada, Student Union

Bldg., Reno, Nevada; March 26, 1996, Cashman Field Convention Center,

850 Las Vegas Blvd. North, Las Vegas, Nevada.

ADDRESSES: Requests for a copy of the Draft EIS and written comments on

the Draft Site-wide EIS should be directed to: Donald R. Elle,

Director, Environmental Protection Division, U.S. Department of Energy,

Nevada Operations Office, P.O. Box 14459, Las Vegas, NV 89114, phone

(702) 295-1433. Oral comments may be submitted at the public hearing or

by calling the Nevada Test Site EIS Hotline, 1-800-405-1140 or (702)

794-1550, and recording comments or suggestions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the

Department's NEPA process, please contact: Ms. Carol Borgstrom,

Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance, U.S. Department of

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585, 202-586-

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This sitewide EIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts of

four possible resource management alternatives being considered for the

Nevada Test Site (NTS), the Tonopah Test Range, and the formerly

operated DOE sites in the state of Nevada: the Project Shoal Area, the

Central Nevada Test Area, and portions of the Nellis Air Force Range

Complex. Three additional sites in Nevada, Coyote Spring Valley, Dry

Lake Valley, and Eldorado Valley are evaluated for colocation of solar

energy production facilities. The four alternatives include No Action

(continue to operate at the level maintained for the past 5 years);

Discontinue Operations (discontinue operations and interagency programs

and close the site); Expanded Use (maximize use of NTS and its

resources to support defense and nondefense programs; and Alternate Use

of Withdrawn Lands (discontinue all defense-related activities at NTS;

continue waste management operations in support of NTS environmental

restoration efforts; expand nondefense research). Environmental impacts

were assessed for each alternative by analyzing, to the extent

possible, the discrete and cumulative environmental impacts associated

with defense, waste management, environmental restoration, nondefense

research and development, and work for others programs.

Related Documentation

The Department will prepare transcripts of the oral comments

received during the Draft EIS public hearings. The records of all

comments, both oral and written, received during the comment period

will be made available for public review in the reading rooms listed

below. Additional background documents and references identified as

pertinent during the EIS process will also be made available in the

reading rooms.

1. DOE Public Reading Room, 2621 Losee Road, North Las Vegas, NV 89030

2. Las Vegas Public Library, 833 N. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV

89101

3. Carson City Public Library, 900 N. Roop St., Carson City, NV 89701

4. Tonopah Public Library, 171 Central St. Tonopah, NV 89049

5. Doris Shirkey Library, 2101 E. Calvada Blvd., Pahrump, NV 89041

6. Caliente Branch Library, 100 Depot Avenue, Caliente, NV 89008

7. University of Nevada, Reno, Noble H. Getchell Library, Reno, NV

89557

8. University of Nevada, Las Vegas, James Dickenson Library, 4505 S.

Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154

9. Freedom of Information Reading Room, Forrestal Bldg, 1000

Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, DC 20585

10. Fallon Public Library, Churchill County Library, 553 S. Main,

Fallon, NV 89406-3387

11. Washington County Library, 50 S. Main, St. George, UT 84770

Cooperating Agencies

The preparation of this Site-wide EIS required the participation of

several Federal agencies and a local government, including the

Department of Defense (Air Force and Defense Nuclear Agency), the

Department of the Interior (Bureau of Land Management and Fish and

Wildlife Service), and Nye County, Nevada.

Public Hearings Registration and Format

Oral and written comments may be presented at the public hearings.

Persons desiring to speak at any of these hearings should register by

calling the Nevada Test Site EIS Hotline by 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard

Time, two working days in advance of the public hearing; or by writing

to the Director of the Environmental Protection Division at the above

address. Persons wishing to speak that have not registered in advance

may register at the entrance of the meeting room. Individuals speaking

on behalf of an organization should identify the organization

represented. In order to solicit individual viewpoints and facilitate

interactive communication between participants and representatives of

the Department, opportunities will be provided at the public hearings

for questions and informal discussions regarding the issues to be

addressed in this EIS.

Subsequent Document Preparation

After the completion of the public hearing process for the Draft

EIS, the Department will consider all comments prior to publication of

the Final EIS and the Record of Decision.

[[Page 3925]]

Issued in Washington, DC, this 29th day of January, 1996.

Gary T. Palmer,

Environmental Specialist, Office of Environmental Support, Defense

Programs.

[FR Doc. 96-2240 Filed 2-1-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P