Environmental Impact Statement on the Proposed Production of Plutonium-238 for Use in Advanced Radioisotope Power Systems for Future Space Missions

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Environmental Impact Statement on the Proposed Production of

Plutonium-238 for Use in Advanced Radioisotope Power Systems for Future

Space Missions

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: DOE is extending the public scoping period on the

environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Proposed Production of

Plutonium-238 for Use in Advanced Radioisotope Power Systems for Future

Space Missions from November 4, 1998, to January 4, 1999. DOE is also

changing the toll-free telephone number from (800) 708-2680 to (877)

562-4593 and establishing a fax number, (877) 562-4592, that the

members of public can use to submit their comments. Since the

publication of the Notice of Intent (NOI), DOE has established the

dates and locations for the public scoping meetings and is publishing

them in this notice.

DOE will also announce the dates and locations of these meetings in

the local media at least 15 days prior to the meetings.

DATES: Comments on the scope of the EIS should be postmarked by January

4, 1999, to ensure consideration. Comments postmarked after that date

will be considered to the extent practicable.

DOE will conduct public scoping meetings to assist in defining the

appropriate scope of the EIS and to identify significant environmental

issues to be addressed. These meetings will be held at the following

locations and times:

November 12, 1998, Shilo Inn, 780 Lindsey Blvd., Idaho

Falls, Idaho

November 17, 1998, Oak Ridge Associated Universities,

Pollard Auditorium, 210 Badger Ave., Oak Ridge, Tennessee

November 19, 1998, Best Western Tower Inn, 1515 George

Washington Way, Richland, Washington

The schedule for all three meetings will be the same. They will

begin at 5:00 p.m. and end at 9:00 p.m. Written comments may be

submitted at the meetings or by mail to Ms. Colette Brown at the

address identified below. If the comments are mailed, they should be

postmarked by January 4, 1999, to ensure consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this EIS,

please contact Colette Brown, Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and

Technology (NE-50), U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road,

Germantown, MD 20874. Telephone: (301) 903-6924, Facsimile: (301) 903-

1510, Electronic Mail: [email protected] For further

information on DOE procedures for implementing the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), contact Carol M. Borgstrom, Director,

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

Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20582-0119,

Telephone: (202) 586-4600 or leave a message at 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 5, 1998, DOE published a notice

in the Federal Register (63 FR 53398) announcing its intent to prepare

an EIS on the proposed production of plutonium-238 for use in advanced

radioisotope power systems for future space missions. In that notice,

DOE indicated that the public scoping meetings would be announced at a

later time. Because the scoping meetings could not be scheduled within

the public comment period established by the original notice, the

comment period has been extended to January 4, 1999. Comments should be

postmarked by that date to ensure consideration.

To provide an additional method for submitting comments on the

scope of the EIS and to correct a mistake in the original notice, DOE

is adding a fax number and changing the toll-free telephone number. The

toll-free telephone number has been changed to (877) 562-4593. The new

fax number to be used to submit comments on the scope of the EIS is

(877) 562-4592.

Signed in Washington, DC, this 29th day of October 1998, for the

U.S. Department of Energy.

William D. Magwood, IV,

Acting Director, Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology.

[FR Doc. 98-29529 Filed 11-3-98; 8:45 am]

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