Office of Environmental Management; Notice of Availability of Draft Section 3116 Determination Concerning Disposal of Residual Tank Wastes in Tanks 18 and 19 at the Savannah River Site, 58698 [05-20257]

Download as PDF 58698 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 194 / Friday, October 7, 2005 / Notices Issued in Washington, DC, on October 1, 2005. James N. Solit, Advisory Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 05–20256 Filed 10–6–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Office of Environmental Management; Notice of Availability of Draft Section 3116 Determination Concerning Disposal of Residual Tank Wastes in Tanks 18 and 19 at the Savannah River Site Office of Environmental Management, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of a draft determination concerning the permanent, in-situ disposal of residual tank wastes (including tank structure and equipment) in liquid radioactive waste tanks 18 and 19 at the F-Tank Farm (FTF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. DOE prepared the draft determination pursuant to Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005, which authorizes the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, to determine that certain waste from reprocessing is not high-level waste (HLW) if the provisions set forth in section 3116 are satisfied. Although not required by the Act, DOE is making the draft determination available for public review and comment. DATES: The comment period will end on November 21, 2005. Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent practicable. ADDRESSES: The draft waste determination is available on the Internet at https://apps.em.doe.gov/swd, and is publicly available for review at the following locations: U.S. Department of Energy, Public Reading Room, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, Phone: (202) 586–5955, or Fax: (202) 586–0575; and U.S. Department of Energy, Savannah River Operations Office, Public Reading Room, 171 University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801, Phone: (803) 641–3320, or Fax: (803) 641–3302. Written comments should be addressed to: Mr. Matthew Duchesne, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management, EM–2, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, comments can be filed electronically by VerDate Aug<31>2005 18:27 Oct 06, 2005 Jkt 208001 e-mail to matthew.duchesne@em.doe.gov, or by Fax at (202) 586–4314. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since 1954, SRS Tank Farms F and H have received over 140 million gallons (Mgal) of waste from SRS nuclear material processing facilities. Much of this waste resulted from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel for defense purposes, which has been commingled with nonreprocessing waste. The waste tanks contain two distinct types of radioactive waste material, approximately 3 Mgal of radioactive sludge and approximately 34 Mgal of salt waste. DOE’s plans call for stabilizing and disposing of retrieved sludge in a deep geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Regarding the salt waste, DOE contemplates removing fission products and actinides from these materials using a variety of technologies and solidifying the remaining low-activity salt stream into a grout matrix, known as saltstone grout, suitable for disposal in vaults at the Saltstone Disposal Waste Determination. This Determination addresses only the permanent disposal of the residual materials contaminating Tank 18 and Tank 19, as well as the structure of the tanks themselves and ancillary equipment. Both tanks have a nominal operating capacity of 1.3 Mgal. Waste removal operations for Tank 18 were initiated in 1985 and completed in 2003. Tank 18 now holds approximately 4.3 thousand gallons (Kgal) of residual material. Waste removal operations for Tank 19 were initiated in 1981 and completed in 2001, and it now holds approximately 15.1 Kgal of residual material. DOE plans to fill both tanks with a reducing grout designed to stabilize and solidify the residual material. This method was chosen as the least hazardous and most environmentally preferable alternative. It will reduce migration of contaminants into the environment; prevent inadvertent intrusion; minimize freestanding liquids; and minimize void spaces in the tank. After final pouring of the stabilizing grout, a layer of higherstrength grout will be poured into the tanks to further discourage human/ animal inadvertent intrusion. In addition, institutional controls (access restriction and groundwater monitoring) will be implemented and maintained in accordance with Federal and State agreements. Final Determination: Section 3116 authorizes the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), to determine that certain waste from PO 00000 Frm 00037 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 reprocessing is not HLW if the provisions set forth in Section 3116 are satisfied. DOE will issue a final waste determination for Tanks 18 and 19 following the completion of consultation with the NRC, and consideration of any public comments. Issued in Washington, DC, on October 3, 2005. Mark A. Gilbertson, Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Environmental Cleanup and Acceleration. [FR Doc. 05–20257 Filed 10–6–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [ER–FRL–6668–2] Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments Availability of EPA comments prepared pursuant to the Environmental Review Process (ERP), under section 309 of the Clean Air Act and Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act as amended. Requests for copies of EPA comments can be directed to the Office of Federal Activities at 202–564–7167. An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental impact statements (EISs) was published in the Federal Register dated April 1, 2005 (70 FR 16815). Draft EISs EIS No. 20050066, ERP No. D–FAA– B40165–MA, New Bedford Regional Airport Improvements Project, To Enhance Aviation Capacity, Air Traffic, Jet Traffic, Air Cargo and General Aviation Traffic, Southeastern Massachusetts Region, City of New Bedford, Bristol County, MA. Summary: EPA commented on the lack of information to characterize the severity of adverse direct and indirect impacts to wetlands, and encouraged the FAA to consider enhancement of a less damaging runway safety area alternative. The comments also requested a mitigation plan to compensate for unavoidable losses at wetlands. Rating EO2 EIS No. 20050137, ERP No. D–AFS– B65013–VT, Green Mountain National Forest, Propose Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Forest Plan Revision, Addison, Bennington, Rutland, E:\FR\FM\07OCN1.SGM 07OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 194 (Friday, October 7, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 58698]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20257]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Environmental Management; Notice of Availability of 
Draft Section 3116 Determination Concerning Disposal of Residual Tank 
Wastes in Tanks 18 and 19 at the Savannah River Site

AGENCY: Office of Environmental Management, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of a 
draft determination concerning the permanent, in-situ disposal of 
residual tank wastes (including tank structure and equipment) in liquid 
radioactive waste tanks 18 and 19 at the F-Tank Farm (FTF) at the 
Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. DOE prepared the 
draft determination pursuant to Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005, which 
authorizes the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, to determine that certain waste from 
reprocessing is not high-level waste (HLW) if the provisions set forth 
in section 3116 are satisfied. Although not required by the Act, DOE is 
making the draft determination available for public review and comment.

DATES: The comment period will end on November 21, 2005. Comments 
received after this date will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: The draft waste determination is available on the Internet 
at https://apps.em.doe.gov/swd, and is publicly available for review at 
the following locations: U.S. Department of Energy, Public Reading 
Room, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, Phone: (202) 
586-5955, or Fax: (202) 586-0575; and U.S. Department of Energy, 
Savannah River Operations Office, Public Reading Room, 171 University 
Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801, Phone: (803) 641-3320, or Fax: (803) 641-
3302. Written comments should be addressed to: Mr. Matthew Duchesne, 
U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management, EM-2, 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585. Alternatively, 
comments can be filed electronically by e-mail to 
matthew.duchesne@em.doe.gov, or by Fax at (202) 586-4314.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since 1954, SRS Tank Farms F and H have 
received over 140 million gallons (Mgal) of waste from SRS nuclear 
material processing facilities. Much of this waste resulted from the 
reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel for defense purposes, which has been 
commingled with non-reprocessing waste. The waste tanks contain two 
distinct types of radioactive waste material, approximately 3 Mgal of 
radioactive sludge and approximately 34 Mgal of salt waste. DOE's plans 
call for stabilizing and disposing of retrieved sludge in a deep 
geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive 
waste. Regarding the salt waste, DOE contemplates removing fission 
products and actinides from these materials using a variety of 
technologies and solidifying the remaining low-activity salt stream 
into a grout matrix, known as saltstone grout, suitable for disposal in 
vaults at the Saltstone Disposal Waste Determination.
    This Determination addresses only the permanent disposal of the 
residual materials contaminating Tank 18 and Tank 19, as well as the 
structure of the tanks themselves and ancillary equipment. Both tanks 
have a nominal operating capacity of 1.3 Mgal. Waste removal operations 
for Tank 18 were initiated in 1985 and completed in 2003. Tank 18 now 
holds approximately 4.3 thousand gallons (Kgal) of residual material. 
Waste removal operations for Tank 19 were initiated in 1981 and 
completed in 2001, and it now holds approximately 15.1 Kgal of residual 
material. DOE plans to fill both tanks with a reducing grout designed 
to stabilize and solidify the residual material. This method was chosen 
as the least hazardous and most environmentally preferable alternative. 
It will reduce migration of contaminants into the environment; prevent 
inadvertent intrusion; minimize free-standing liquids; and minimize 
void spaces in the tank. After final pouring of the stabilizing grout, 
a layer of higher-strength grout will be poured into the tanks to 
further discourage human/animal inadvertent intrusion. In addition, 
institutional controls (access restriction and groundwater monitoring) 
will be implemented and maintained in accordance with Federal and State 
agreements.
    Final Determination: Section 3116 authorizes the Secretary of 
Energy, in consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), 
to determine that certain waste from reprocessing is not HLW if the 
provisions set forth in Section 3116 are satisfied. DOE will issue a 
final waste determination for Tanks 18 and 19 following the completion 
of consultation with the NRC, and consideration of any public comments.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 3, 2005.
Mark A. Gilbertson,
Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Environmental Cleanup and Acceleration.
[FR Doc. 05-20257 Filed 10-6-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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