Withdrawal of Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS)

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Withdrawal of Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) at the Department of Energy (DOE) Savannah River Site

(SRS)

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On March 20, 1992, DOE announced its intent to prepare an EIS

in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for a

proposed Upgrade of Canyon Exhaust Systems Project at the Savannah

River Site (SRS). Due to a substantial reduction in scope of the

proposed upgrade, DOE is withdrawing its Notice of Intent to Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions on the information provided

below under the heading ``Supplementary Information'' should be

directed to Mr. A.R. Grainger, NEPA Compliance Officer, Environmental

Compliance Division, Savannah River Operations Office, P.O. Box 5031,

Aiken, South Carolina, 29804, Phone/FAX: (800) 242-8269, E-Mail:

[email protected]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on DOE's

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, please contact Ms.

Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-

42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, D.C. 20585. Telephone: (202) 586-4600 or leave a message at

(800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Beginning in the early 1950's, the SRS

served as a

[[Page 16474]]

defense materials production facility for DOE and its predecessor

agencies. As part of the SRS mission, the chemical separations

facilities (``Canyons'') in F- and H-Areas performed, among other

functions, the chemical recovery or reprocessing of nuclear materials

produced at SRS. The primary facilities for these activities were the

F- and H-Area Canyons, which recovered and separated isotopes of

uranium, plutonium, and neptunium from spent reactor fuels or from

targets irradiated in SRS reactors. The activities performed in the F-

and H- Area canyons and their associated facilities produce airborne

radioactive offgases and particulates, which have contaminated some

parts of the interiors of the facilities. To protect workers from a

buildup of radioactivity and to protect the environment from airborne

radioactive releases, large ventilation and filter systems control the

air flow in the canyons, which must be maintained whether the canyons

are in actual operation or not. F- and H-Areas have nearly identical

canyon ventilation systems. Each ventilation system consists of ducts,

filters, fans, exhaust stack, electrical power supplies, and electrical

control centers. The Canyon Exhaust Systems fans in the F- and H-Areas

are 20 years old or older. Although they are still operating within the

requirements of the F- and H-Canyon Safety Analysis Reports, the

exhaust portions of the canyon ventilation systems require replacement

to address reliability concerns.

On March 20, 1992, the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety

and Health published in the Federal Register the Notice of Intent for

the Upgrade Canyon Exhaust Systems (UCES) Project Environmental Impact

Statement. The proposed action at that time was a major upgrade of the

canyon exhaust systems to meet current or anticipated reliability,

capacity, safety, and security criteria. Since then, DOE has performed

several technical reviews on the merits of completing the originally

envisioned UCES project at the Savannah River Site, considering the

potential future missions of the affected facilities. On July 17, 1995,

the scope of the activity of the UCES project was changed to include

only in-kind replacement for safety and environmental reasons. DOE

believes that these particular proposed replacements are necessary

regardless of the scope of potential future missions for which F- and

H-Canyons may be considered.

The proposed action is now restricted to five removals and four

replacement actions, as follows:

(1) Removal of existing diesel generators in 292-F/H buildings,

(2) Removal and replacement of existing 254-5F/H diesel generators,

(3) Removal and replacement of existing motor control centers, A,

B, and C in the 292-F/H buildings,

(4) Removal and replacement of 750 kVA and 1000 kVA substations in

292-F/H buildings,

(5) And removal and replacement of Old Canyon Exhaust Fans.

The proposed action now fits within DOE Categorical Exclusion (CX)/

B2.5/, for safety and environmental improvements that do not

significantly alter life span, capacity, or function of a facility.

This CX is further described in Appendix B to Subpart D of the DOE NEPA

Implementing Procedures and Regulations, 10 CFR 1021, 57 FR 15122,

15154. Therefore, no EIS is required, and DOE hereby withdraws its

notice of intent to prepare an EIS.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on April 3, 1996.

John A. Ford,

Director, Savannah River Office.

[FR Doc. 96-9244 Filed 4-12-96; 8:45 am]

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