Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, NV, 60490-60494 [06-8676]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 198 / Friday, October 13, 2006 / Notices
the Supplemental Yucca Mountain Rail
Corridor and Rail Alignment EIS, and
transportation planning in general.
The public scoping meetings will be
held during the public scoping
comment period. The comment period
begins with publication of this
Amended Notice of Intent in the
Federal Register and closes November
27, 2006. Comments received after this
date will be considered to the extent
practicable. Written comments may be
provided in writing, facsimile, or by the
Internet to Mr. Lee Bishop, EIS
Document Manager (see ADDRESSES
above).
Public Reading Rooms
Documents referenced in this
Amended Notice of Intent and related
information are available at the
following locations: Beatty Yucca
Mountain Information Center, 100 North
E. Avenue, Beatty, NV 89003, (775) 553–
2130; Esmeralda County Yucca
Mountain Oversight Office, 274 E. Crook
Avenue, Goldfield, NV 89013, (775)
485–3419; Las Vegas Yucca Mountain
Information Center, 4101–B Meadows
Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89107, (702) 295–
1312; Lincoln County Nuclear Waste
Project Office, 100 Depot Avenue,
Caliente, NV 89008, (775) 726–3511;
Nye County Department of Natural
Resources and Federal Facilities, 1210
E. Basin Road, Suite #6, Pahrump, NV
89060 (775) 727–7727; Pahrump Yucca
Mountain Information Center, 2341
Postal Drive, Pahrump, NV 89048, (775)
571–5817; University of Nevada, Reno,
The University of Nevada Libraries,
Business and Government Information
Center, M/S 322, 1664 N. Virginia
Street, Reno, NV 89557, (775) 784–6500,
Ext. 309; and the U.S. Department of
Energy Headquarters Office Public
Reading Room, 1000 Independence
Avenue SW., Room 1E–190 (ME–74)
FORS, Washington, DC 20585, 202–
586–3142.
Issued in Washington, DC, October 10,
2006.
David R. Hill,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 06–8675 Filed 10–10–06; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Supplement to the Final Environmental
Impact Statement for a Geologic
Repository for the Disposal of Spent
Nuclear Fuel and High-Level
Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain,
Nye County, NV
AGENCY:
U.S. Department of Energy.
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ACTION:
Notice of intent.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE or the Department) is
announcing its intent to prepare a
Supplement to the ‘‘Final
Environmental Impact Statement for a
Geologic Repository for the Disposal of
Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level
Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain,
Nye County, Nevada’’ (DOE/EIS–0250F,
February 2002) (Yucca Mountain Final
EIS). The Proposed Action addressed in
the Yucca Mountain Final EIS is to
construct, operate and monitor, and
eventually close a geologic repository at
Yucca Mountain in southern Nevada for
the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste.
The Yucca Mountain Final EIS
considered the potential environmental
impacts of a repository design for
surface and subsurface facilities, a range
of canister packaging scenarios and
repository thermal operating modes, and
plans for the construction, operation
and monitoring, and eventual closure of
the repository. The Yucca Mountain
Final EIS also considered the
environmental impacts of the
transportation of spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste from
commercial and DOE sites to the
repository by two principal modes—
mostly truck and mostly rail. In the
Yucca Mountain Final EIS DOE
recognized that these repository design
concepts and operational plans would
continue to develop during the design
and engineering process.
Since publication of the Yucca
Mountain Final EIS, DOE has continued
to develop the repository design and
associated plans. As now planned, the
proposed surface and subsurface
facilities would allow DOE to operate
the repository following a primarily
canistered approach in which most
commercial spent nuclear fuel would be
packaged at the commercial sites in
multipurpose transport, aging and
disposal canisters (TADs), and all DOE
materials would be packaged in
disposable canisters at the DOE sites.
Waste packages would be arrayed in the
repository underground to achieve what
is referred to as a higher-thermal
operating mode, and most spent nuclear
fuel and high-level radioactive waste
would arrive at the repository by rail.
To evaluate the potential
environmental impacts of the current
repository design and operational plans,
DOE has decided to prepare a
Supplement to the Yucca Mountain
Final EIS 1, consistent with the National
1 Coincident with this Notice of Intent, DOE is
publishing an Amended Notice of Intent to prepare
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Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, as
amended (Pub. L. 97–425) (NWPA).
This Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS
(DOE/EIS–0250–S1) is being prepared to
assist the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) in satisfying its
NEPA responsibilities pursuant to the
NWPA (Section 114(f)(4)) 2.
DATES: The Department invites
comments on the scope of the
Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS to
ensure that all relevant environmental
issues are addressed. Public scoping
meetings are discussed below in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
DOE will consider all comments
received during the 45-day public
scoping period, which starts with
publication of this Notice of Intent and
ends November 27, 2006. Comments
received after this date will be
considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Requests for additional
information on the Supplemental Yucca
Mountain EIS or on the repository
program in general, should be directed
to: Dr. Jane Summerson, EIS Document
Manager, Regulatory Authority Office,
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste
Management, U.S. Department of
Energy, 1551 Hillshire Drive, M/S 010,
Las Vegas, NV 89134, Telephone 1–800–
967–3477. Written comments on the
scope of the Supplemental Yucca
Mountain EIS may be submitted to Dr.
Jane Summerson at this address, or by
facsimile to 1–800–967–0739, or via the
Internet at https://www.ocrwm.doe.gov
under the caption What’s New.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
general information regarding the DOE
NEPA process contact: Ms. Carol M.
Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA
Policy and Compliance, U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Ave., SW., Washington,
DC 20585, Telephone 202–586–4600, or
leave a message at 1–800–472–2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
a Supplemental Yucca Mountain Rail Corridor and
Rail Alignment EIS (DOE/EIS–0250F–S2 and DOE/
EIS–0369). That EIS will review the rail corridor
analyses of the Yucca Mountain Final EIS, and
update, as appropriate, and will analyze the
proposed Mina corridor; it also will include
detailed analyses of alternative alignments for the
construction and operation of a rail line within the
Mina corridor, as well as the Caliente corridor.
2 Section 114(f)(4) of the NWPA provides that any
environmental impact statement ‘‘prepared in
connection with a repository * * * shall, to the
extent practicable, be adopted by the Commission
[NRC] in connection with the issuance by the
Commission of a construction authorization and
license for such repository. To the extent such
statement is adopted by the Commission, such
adoption shall be deemed to also satisfy the
responsibilities of the Commission under the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 * * *.’’
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Background
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Section 111(a)(4) of the NWPA states that
the Federal government has the:
‘‘responsibility to provide for the permanent
disposal of high-level radioactive waste and
such spent nuclear fuel as may be disposed
of in order to protect the public health and
safety and the environment.’’
The NWPA directs the Secretary of
Energy, if the Secretary decides to
recommend approval of the Yucca
Mountain site for development of a
repository, to submit a final
environmental impact statement with
any recommendation to the President.
The Department prepared the Yucca
Mountain Final EIS to fulfill that
requirement.
On February 14, 2002, the Secretary,
in accordance with the NWPA,
transmitted his recommendation
(including the Yucca Mountain Final
EIS) to the President for approval of the
Yucca Mountain site for development of
a geologic repository. The President
considered the site qualified for
application to the NRC for a
construction authorization and
recommended the site to the U.S.
Congress. Subsequently, on July 23,
2002, the President signed into law
(Pub. L. 107–200) a joint resolution of
the U.S. House of Representatives and
the U.S. Senate designating the Yucca
Mountain site for development as a
geologic repository for the disposal of
spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste. The Department is
now preparing a license application for
submittal to the NRC seeking
authorization to construct the
repository, as required by the NWPA
(Section 114(b)).
In the Yucca Mountain Final EIS,
DOE considered the potential
environmental impacts of a repository
design for surface and subsurface
facilities, a range of canister packaging
scenarios and repository thermal
operating modes, and plans for the
construction, operation and monitoring,
and eventual closure of the repository.
The Yucca Mountain Final EIS also
described and evaluated the
transportation of spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste from
commercial and DOE sites to the
repository by two principal modes—
mostly truck and mostly rail. DOE
recognized at that time that these
repository design concepts and
operational plans would continue to
develop during the design and
engineering process.
More specifically, the Yucca
Mountain Final EIS included
evaluations of separate canistered and
uncanistered packaging scenarios for
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commercial spent nuclear fuel, and a
repository design comprised of three
primary surface operations areas (North
Portal Operations Area, South Portal
Development Area, Ventilation Shaft
Operations Area) in which spent
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste would be handled in two
principal facilities (Carrier Preparation
Building, Waste Handling Building).
The Yucca Mountain Final EIS also
evaluated a range of underground
thermal operating modes (referred to as
lower- and higher-temperature modes)
in which heat from the waste packages
would raise the temperature of the
adjacent rock to a range of temperatures
from below the boiling point of water to
above the boiling point. Two scenarios,
mostly truck and mostly rail, were
analyzed for the transportation of spent
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste from the commercial and DOE
sites to the repository.
Since publication of the Yucca
Mountain Final EIS, DOE has continued
to develop the repository design and
associated plans. As now planned (and
described in greater detail in the
Proposed Action below), the proposed
surface and subsurface facilities would
allow DOE to operate the repository
following a primarily canistered
approach in which most commercial
spent nuclear fuel would be packaged at
the commercial sites in TADs, and all
DOE materials would be packaged in
disposable canisters at the DOE sites.
These TADs and disposable canisters
then would be transported mostly by
rail 3 to the repository where they would
be placed on aging (or staging) 4 pads
prior to disposal, or inserted into waste
packages and disposed of in the
repository underground.
At the repository site, spent nuclear
fuel and high-level radioactive waste
would now be handled in up to six
principal facilities located within three
primary surface operations areas. A
fourth operations area would be
developed to support excavation of the
underground repository. A higherthermal (temperature) operating mode
would be employed.
Based on the current planning, the
Department does not believe that any of
3 On April 8, 2004 (69 FR 18557), the Department
issued a Record of Decision selecting, both
nationally and in the State of Nevada, the mostly
rail scenario analyzed in the Yucca Mountain Final
EIS. This decision will ultimately require the
construction of a rail line to connect the repository
site at Yucca Mountain to an existing rail line in
the State of Nevada.
4 The terminology refers to retaining commercial
spent nuclear fuel on the surface at the repository
to meet waste package thermal limits (aging), or to
provide a surge capacity to maintain flexibility in
waste handling operations (staging).
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the developments to the repository
design or operational plans would have
a significant impact on the
environmental effects considered in the
Yucca Mountain Final EIS.
Nevertheless, to assist NRC in satisfying
its NEPA responsibilities pursuant to
the NWPA (Section 114(f)(4)), DOE has
decided to prepare this Supplemental
EIS.
Proposed Action
Under the Proposed Action, DOE
would construct, operate and monitor,
and eventually close a geologic
repository at Yucca Mountain for the
disposal of up to 70,000 metric tons of
heavy metal (MTHM) of commercial and
DOE-owned spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste.5 DOE
would dispose of these materials in the
repository using the inherent, natural
geologic features of the mountain and
engineered barriers to ensure long-term
isolation of the spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste from the
human environment. These materials
would be emplaced underground at
least 200 meters (660 feet) below the
surface and at least 160 meters (530 feet)
above the water table. The NRC, through
its licensing process, would regulate
repository construction, operation and
monitoring, and closure.
Under the Proposed Action, most
spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste would be shipped
from 72 commercial and 4 DOE sites 6 to
the repository in NRC-certified
transportation casks placed on trains
dedicated only to these shipments.
Some shipments, however, would arrive
at the repository by truck.
Under the Proposed Action, all DOE
spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste would be placed in
disposable canisters at the DOE sites,
and as much as 90 percent of the
commercial spent nuclear fuel would be
placed in TADs at the commercial sites
prior to shipment. Upon arrival at the
repository, both types of canisters (DOE
disposable and TADs) would be placed
into corrosion-resistant overpacks
5 The 70,000 MTHM includes 63,000 MTHM of
commercial spent nuclear fuel, about 2,333 MTHM
of DOE fuel (includes about 65 MTHM of naval
fuel), and about 4,667 MTHM of DOE high-level
radioactive waste.
6 In 2002, fifty-four additional sites, primarily
domestic research reactors, were expected to ship
spent nuclear fuel to two DOE sites prior to disposal
at the repository (see Records of Decision June 1,
1995 at 60 FR 28680, and March 8, 1996 at 61 FR
9441). Also, the Yucca Mountain Final EIS analyzed
fuel shipments from 5 DOE sites, including Fort St.
Vrain, to the repository. Presently, it is anticipated
that fuel from Fort St. Vrain will be shipped to
Idaho National Laboratory prior to being shipped to
the repository.
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 198 / Friday, October 13, 2006 / Notices
(waste packages) prior to emplacement
in the repository underground.
The remaining commercial spent
nuclear fuel (about 10 percent) would be
transported to the repository in dualpurpose canisters (canisters suitable for
storage and transportation), or would be
uncanistered. At the repository,
uncanistered spent nuclear fuel would
be placed directly into TADs and then
waste packages for disposal.
Commercial spent nuclear fuel arriving
in dual-purpose canisters would first be
removed from the canisters, placed into
TADs and then into waste packages for
disposal.
Handling of spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste would take
place in the geologic repository
operations area, which includes the
North Portal area, the South Portal
development area, a North Construction
Portal development area, and the
surface shaft areas. The surface portion
of the geologic repository operations
area also would include the facilities
necessary to receive, package, and
support emplacement of spent nuclear
fuel and high-level radioactive waste in
the repository. Waste transfer operations
would be conducted inside reinforced
concrete and metal frame buildings
designed and constructed to withstand
earthquakes and other phenomena.
Workers and the public would be
protected from radiation by shielded
transfer equipment and walls, exhaust
filtering systems, and the use of
remotely controlled equipment to
remove the waste forms from the
transportation casks for insertion into
waste packages.
The primary surface waste handling
facilities include a wet handling facility,
a receipt facility, and three separate
canister receipt and closure facilities.
DOE also is considering an initial
handling facility. These facilities would
allow the various types of materials
received at the repository to be prepared
for disposal.
The wet handling facility would
receive commercial spent nuclear fuel
as bare fuel assemblies (uncanistered) or
in dual-purpose canisters, either in
truck or rail transportation casks.
Commercial spent nuclear fuel would be
transferred underwater from the
transportation casks or dual-purpose
canisters into TADs. The wet handling
facility would include provisions for
opening transportation casks and dualpurpose canisters, and for drying and
closing the loaded TADs. Loaded TADs
either would be placed into overpacks
for placement on aging/staging pads, or
would be transferred to the canister
receipt and closure facilities for loading
into waste packages for disposal.
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The receipt facility would receive
TADs and dual-purpose canisters in rail
transportation casks. The TADs and
dual-purpose canisters would be
transferred (dry) from the transportation
casks either to overpacks for placement
on the aging/staging pads, or to shielded
transfer casks for transfer to the canister
receipt and closure facilities. Shielded
transfer casks also would transfer dualpurpose canisters to the wet handling
facility, as necessary.
The canister receipt and closure
facilities would receive DOE disposable
canisters and TADs in rail
transportation casks, shielded transfer
casks and aging/staging overpacks.
These facilities also could receive truck
casks. There, TADs and DOE disposable
canisters would be placed into waste
packages for disposal.
If constructed, the initial handling
facility would receive DOE high-level
radioactive waste canisters and naval
spent nuclear fuel canisters in truck and
rail transportation casks. These canisters
would be removed from the
transportation casks and transferred to
waste packages for disposal.
Waste packages containing TADs,
naval nuclear spent fuel, or DOE
disposable canisters would be placed on
pallets and loaded onto shielded waste
package transporters. The shielded
waste package transporters would
transfer the waste packages to the
underground for emplacement in
dedicated tunnels (drifts). In these
drifts, waste packages would be aligned
end-to-end. Emplacement drifts would
be excavated in a series of panels,
phased to match the anticipated
throughput rate of the surface waste
handling facilities.
The repository also would have other
underground excavations. These would
include, for example, main drifts to
provide access to the surface and the
emplacement drifts, and exhaust mains
to exhaust ventilation air from the
emplacement drifts.
Under the Proposed Action, thermal
output of the waste packages would heat
the adjacent rock in excess of the boiling
temperature of water (i.e., higherthermal operating mode). In this higherthermal mode, the repository
emplacement drifts would remain open
and ventilated for a nominal period of
50 years after emplacement of the spent
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste; ventilation would remove much
of the heat and humidity from the
emplacement drifts during this period.
The higher thermal operating mode
would be achieved by a combination of
closely spaced waste packages, a
nominal ventilation period of 50 years,
and managing waste package thermal
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output by mixing lower heat output
waste packages with higher heat output
packages in the drifts (for example).
After the repository is closed and
sealed, the rock around the
emplacement drifts would dry,
minimizing the amount of water that
might contact the waste packages for
hundreds of years. However, a
substantial portion of the rock between
the drifts would remain at temperatures
below boiling, and this would promote
drainage of water through the central
portions of the rock, rather than into the
emplacement drifts.
The surface and subsurface facilities
and associated infrastructure,7 such as
the on-site road and water distribution
networks and emergency response
facilities, would be constructed in
phases to accommodate the expected
receipt rates of spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste.
Emplacement (disposal) operations,
which would last up to 50 years, would
be followed by a preclosure monitoring
period of 50 years. Towards the end of
the preclosure monitoring period,
titanium drip shields would be installed
over the waste packages. The drip
shields would divert moisture that
might drip from the drift walls, as well
as condensed water vapor around the
waste packages, to the drift floor thereby
increasing the life expectancy of the
waste packages. Drip shields also would
protect the waste packages from rock
falls.
Under the Proposed Action, emplaced
waste packages could be retrieved at any
time prior to 100 years after the start of
emplacement. Following waste
emplacement, surface facilities would
be decommissioned and after the
monitoring period the repository would
be closed. Closure would involve
sealing the shafts, ramps, exploratory
boreholes and other repository
openings. The main drifts would be
filled with crushed rock and surface
caps would be installed to discourage
human intrusion. A network of
monuments and markers would be
erected around the site surface to warn
7 DOE published a ‘‘Draft Environmental
Assessment for the Proposed Infrastructure
Improvements for the Yucca Mountain Project,
Nevada’’ on July 6, 2006 (71 FR 38391). DOE
proposes to repair, replace, or improve certain
infrastructure at the site to enhance safety and to
safely continue operations, scientific testing, and
maintenance until such time as NRC decides
whether to authorize construction of a repository.
To the extent that activities proposed by DOE in its
environmental assessment, such as construction of
a new access road or new power lines, may not be
undertaken in the timeframe considered in the
environmental assessment, they will be considered
in this Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS (DOE/
EIS–0250F–S1).
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future generations of the presence and
nature of the buried radioactive waste.
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No Action Alternative
Under the No Action Alternative,
DOE would terminate activities at Yucca
Mountain and undertake site
reclamation to mitigate any significant
adverse environmental impacts.
Commercial nuclear power utilities and
DOE would continue to manage spent
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste at sites throughout the United
States. The No Action Alternative was
analyzed in the Yucca Mountain Final
EIS as a basis for comparison with the
Proposed Action.
Since completion of the Yucca
Mountain Final EIS, DOE has not
identified any relevant changes in
circumstances or information bearing on
environmental concerns regarding the
No Action Alternative. For this reason,
DOE anticipates that the Supplemental
Yucca Mountain EIS will incorporate by
reference the information describing
and analyzing the No Action Alternative
presented in the Yucca Mountain Final
EIS (pursuant to Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ)
regulations at 40 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 1502.21).
Potential Environmental Issues and
Resources To Be Examined
The CEQ regulations direct Federal
agencies preparing an EIS to focus on
significant environmental issues (40
CFR 1502.1) and discuss impacts in
proportion to their significance (40 CFR
1502.2). Accordingly, the Supplemental
Yucca Mountain EIS will analyze issues
and impacts with the amount of detail
commensurate with their importance.
Under these guidelines, aspects of the
Proposed Action with clearly small
environmental impacts usually would
require less depth and breadth of
analysis. To the degree that the
Proposed Action would affect public
health or safety, however, the potential
impacts generally are a matter of public
interest, regardless of their significance.
Therefore, DOE plans to pay particular
attention to worker and public health
and safety associated with the handling
and disposal, and transportation of
spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste, even where such
impacts would not be significant.
To facilitate the scoping process, DOE
has identified a preliminary list of
issues and environmental resources that
it may consider in the Supplemental
Yucca Mountain EIS. The list is not
intended to be all-inclusive, but should
be used as a starting point for public
input on the scope of the Supplemental
Yucca Mountain EIS.
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• Radiological releases. The potential
impacts (i.e., latent cancer fatalities) to
the public and workers from potential
radiological releases during routine
loading of canisters and transportation
casks at the commercial sites, and from
handling and disposal operations at the
repository.
• Worker safety and health. Potential
health and safety impacts (i.e., injuries
and fatalities) to workers during
handling and disposal operations at the
commercial and DOE sites and the
repository.
• Transportation. The potential
radiological and non-radiological
impacts (i.e., traffic injuries and
fatalities) to the public and workers
associated with the shipment of
materials to the repository under the
mostly rail scenario.
• Accidents. The potential
radiological impacts to workers and the
public from reasonably foreseeable
accidents during loading of canisters at
the sites, transportation and repository
operations, including any accidents
with low probability but high potential
consequences.
• Sabotage. The potential radiological
impacts to workers and the public from
sabotage of transportation and
repository operations.
• Waste isolation. Potential
radiological and non-radiological
impacts (e.g., chemically toxic
materials) associated with the long-term
performance of the repository.
• Socioeconomic conditions.
Potential local regional socioeconomic
impacts to the surrounding
communities from construction,
operation and closure of the repository.
• Water and air resources. Potential
impacts to air resources, and water
quality and use.
• Cultural resources. Potential
impacts to archaeological and historic
resources and American Indian issues of
concern.
• Biological resources. Potential
impacts to plants, animals and their
habitats, including impacts to
endangered and threatened species.
• Cumulative impacts from the
Proposed Action and other past, present
and reasonably foreseeable future
actions.
• Environmental justice. Potential for
disproportionately high and adverse
impacts on minority or low-income
populations.
Schedule
The DOE intends to issue the Draft
Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS in
2007, at which time its availability will
be announced in the Federal Register
and in media in Nevada. A public
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60493
comment period will start upon
publication of the Environmental
Protection Agency’s Notice of
Availability in the Federal Register.
DOE will hold public hearings during
the comment period. The Department
will consider and respond to comments
received on the Draft Supplemental
Yucca Mountain EIS in preparing the
Final Supplemental Yucca Mountain
EIS.
Other Agency Involvement
The Department intends to consult
with Federal agencies, such as the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau
of Land Management, U.S. Air Force,
and the U.S. Department of the Navy,
and with state agencies, such as the
Nevada Department of Transportation
and the Nevada Division of
Environmental Protection, during
preparation of the Supplemental Yucca
Mountain EIS.
Public Scoping Meetings
DOE will hold public scoping
meetings on the Supplemental Yucca
Mountain EIS. The meetings will be
held at the following locations and
times:
• Washington, District of Columbia,
L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, 480 L’Enfant
Plaza, SW., October 30 from 4–7 p.m.
• Amargosa Valley, Nevada.
Longstreet Hotel Casino, Nevada State
Highway 373, November 1 from 4–7
p.m.8
• Las Vegas, Nevada. Cashman
Center, 850 North Las Vegas Blvd.,
November 2 from 4–7 p.m.
The public scoping meetings will be
an open meeting format without a
formal presentation by DOE. Members
of the public are invited to attend the
meetings at their convenience any time
during meeting hours and submit their
comments in writing at the meeting, or
in person to a court reporter who will
be available throughout the meeting.
This open meeting format increases the
opportunity for public comment and
provides for one-on-one discussions
with DOE representatives involved with
8 DOE will hold a joint public scoping meeting on
the Supplemental Yucca Mountain Rail Corridor
and Rail Alignment EIS (DOE/EIS–0250F–S2 and
DOE/EIS–0369) and on the Supplemental Yucca
Mountain EIS (DOE/EIS–0250F–S1) in Amargosa
Valley, Longstreet Hotel Casino, Nevada State
Highway 373, November 1 from 4–7 pm. Additional
public scoping meetings on the Supplemental
Yucca Mountain Rail Corridor and Rail Alignment
EIS will be held in Caliente, Caliente Youth Center,
U.S. 93 North, November 8 from 6–8 pm; Goldfield,
Goldfield School Gymnasium, Hall and Euclid,
November 13 from 4–7 pm; Hawthorne, Hawthorne
Convention Center, 932 E. Street, November 14
from 4–7 pm; and Fallon, Fallon Convention
Center, 100 Campus Way, November 15, from 4–7
pm.
E:\FR\FM\13OCN1.SGM
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60494
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 198 / Friday, October 13, 2006 / Notices
the Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS
and the repository program.
The public scoping meetings will be
held during the public scoping
comment period. The comment period
begins with publication of this Notice of
Intent in the Federal Register and closes
November 27, 2006. Comments received
after this date will be considered to the
extent practicable. Written comments
may be provided in writing, by
facsimile, or via the Internet to Dr. Jane
Summerson, EIS Document Manager
(see ADDRESSES above).
Public Reading Rooms
Documents referenced in this Notice
of Intent and related information are
available at the following locations:
Beatty Yucca Mountain Information
Center, 100 North E. Avenue, Beatty, NV
89003, (775) 553–2130; Esmeralda
County Yucca Mountain Oversight
Office, 274 E. Crook Avenue, Goldfield,
NV 89013, (775) 485–3419; Las Vegas
Yucca Mountain Information Center,
4101–B Meadows Lane, Las Vegas, NV
89107, (702) 295–1312; Lincoln County
Nuclear Waste Project Office, 100 Depot
Avenue, Caliente, NV 89008, (775) 726–
3511; Nye County Department of
Natural Resources and Federal
Facilities, 1210 E. Basin Road, Suite #6,
Pahrump, NV 89060 (775) 727–7727;
Pahrump Yucca Mountain Information
Center, 2341 Postal Drive, Pahrump, NV
89048, (775) 571–5817; University of
Nevada, Reno, The University of Nevada
Libraries, Business and Government
Information Center, M/S 322, 1664 N.
Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, (775)
784–6500, Ext. 309; and the U.S.
Department of Energy Headquarters
Office Public Reading Room, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1E–
190 (ME–74) FORS, Washington, DC,
20585, 202–586–3142.
Issued in Washington, DC, October 10,
2006.
David R. Hill,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 06–8676 Filed 10–10–06; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
FERC Gas Tariff, Original Volume No. 1,
Eleventh Revised Sheet No. 11, to
become effective November 1, 2006.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Protests will be considered by
the Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed in accordance
with the provisions of Section 154.210
of the Commission’s regulations (18 CFR
154.210). Anyone filing an intervention
or protest must serve a copy of that
document on the Applicant. Anyone
filing an intervention or protest on or
before the intervention or protest date
need not serve motions to intervene or
protests on persons other than the
Applicant.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
docket(s). For assistance with any FERC
Online service, please e-mail
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call
(866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202) 502–8659.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Magalie R. Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6–16976 Filed 10–12–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
ycherry on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES2
[Docket No. RP00–445–016]
Alliance Pipeline L.P.; Notice of
Negotiated Rates
October 5, 2006.
Take notice that on October 2, 2006,
Alliance Pipeline L.P. (Alliance)
tendered for filing to become part of its
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:21 Oct 12, 2006
Jkt 211001
PO 00000
Frm 00034
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Docket No. RP96–200–154]
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission
Company; Notice Of Negotiated Rate
Filing
October 5, 2006.
Take notice that on October 3, 2006,
CenterPoint Energy Gas Transmission
Company (CEGT) tendered for filing and
approval a negotiated rate agreement
between CEGT and Norphlet Chemical
Incorporated. CEGT has entered into an
agreement to provide firm
transportation service to this shipper
under Rate Schedule FT and requests
the Commission accept and approve the
transaction under which transportation
service will commence upon the later of
December 1, 2006, or the ‘‘in-service’’
date following completion of necessary
delivery facilities.
Any person desiring to intervene or to
protest this filing must file in
accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of
the Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and
385.214). Protests will be considered by
the Commission in determining the
appropriate action to be taken, but will
not serve to make protestants parties to
the proceeding. Any person wishing to
become a party must file a notice of
intervention or motion to intervene, as
appropriate. Such notices, motions, or
protests must be filed in accordance
with the provisions of Section 154.210
of the Commission’s regulations (18 CFR
154.210). Anyone filing an intervention
or protest must serve a copy of that
document on the Applicant. Anyone
filing an intervention or protest on or
before the intervention or protest date
need not serve motions to intervene or
protests on persons other than the
Applicant.
The Commission encourages
electronic submission of protests and
interventions in lieu of paper using the
‘‘eFiling’’ link at https://www.ferc.gov.
Persons unable to file electronically
should submit an original and 14 copies
of the protest or intervention to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC
20426.
This filing is accessible on-line at
https://www.ferc.gov, using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link and is available for
review in the Commission’s Public
Reference Room in Washington, DC.
There is an ‘‘eSubscription’’ link on the
Web site that enables subscribers to
receive e-mail notification when a
document is added to a subscribed
E:\FR\FM\13OCN1.SGM
13OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 198 (Friday, October 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60490-60494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8676]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for a
Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-
Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, NV
AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) is
announcing its intent to prepare a Supplement to the ``Final
Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the
Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at
Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada'' (DOE/EIS-0250F, February 2002)
(Yucca Mountain Final EIS). The Proposed Action addressed in the Yucca
Mountain Final EIS is to construct, operate and monitor, and eventually
close a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain in southern Nevada for
the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste.
The Yucca Mountain Final EIS considered the potential environmental
impacts of a repository design for surface and subsurface facilities, a
range of canister packaging scenarios and repository thermal operating
modes, and plans for the construction, operation and monitoring, and
eventual closure of the repository. The Yucca Mountain Final EIS also
considered the environmental impacts of the transportation of spent
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste from commercial and DOE
sites to the repository by two principal modes--mostly truck and mostly
rail. In the Yucca Mountain Final EIS DOE recognized that these
repository design concepts and operational plans would continue to
develop during the design and engineering process.
Since publication of the Yucca Mountain Final EIS, DOE has
continued to develop the repository design and associated plans. As now
planned, the proposed surface and subsurface facilities would allow DOE
to operate the repository following a primarily canistered approach in
which most commercial spent nuclear fuel would be packaged at the
commercial sites in multipurpose transport, aging and disposal
canisters (TADs), and all DOE materials would be packaged in disposable
canisters at the DOE sites. Waste packages would be arrayed in the
repository underground to achieve what is referred to as a higher-
thermal operating mode, and most spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste would arrive at the repository by rail.
To evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the current
repository design and operational plans, DOE has decided to prepare a
Supplement to the Yucca Mountain Final EIS \1\, consistent with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Nuclear Waste Policy
Act, as amended (Pub. L. 97-425) (NWPA). This Supplemental Yucca
Mountain EIS (DOE/EIS-0250-S1) is being prepared to assist the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in satisfying its NEPA
responsibilities pursuant to the NWPA (Section 114(f)(4)) \2\.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Coincident with this Notice of Intent, DOE is publishing an
Amended Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Yucca Mountain
Rail Corridor and Rail Alignment EIS (DOE/EIS-0250F-S2 and DOE/EIS-
0369). That EIS will review the rail corridor analyses of the Yucca
Mountain Final EIS, and update, as appropriate, and will analyze the
proposed Mina corridor; it also will include detailed analyses of
alternative alignments for the construction and operation of a rail
line within the Mina corridor, as well as the Caliente corridor.
\2\ Section 114(f)(4) of the NWPA provides that any
environmental impact statement ``prepared in connection with a
repository * * * shall, to the extent practicable, be adopted by the
Commission [NRC] in connection with the issuance by the Commission
of a construction authorization and license for such repository. To
the extent such statement is adopted by the Commission, such
adoption shall be deemed to also satisfy the responsibilities of the
Commission under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 * *
*.''
DATES: The Department invites comments on the scope of the Supplemental
Yucca Mountain EIS to ensure that all relevant environmental issues are
addressed. Public scoping meetings are discussed below in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section. DOE will consider all comments
received during the 45-day public scoping period, which starts with
publication of this Notice of Intent and ends November 27, 2006.
Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
practicable.
ADDRESSES: Requests for additional information on the Supplemental
Yucca Mountain EIS or on the repository program in general, should be
directed to: Dr. Jane Summerson, EIS Document Manager, Regulatory
Authority Office, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, U.S.
Department of Energy, 1551 Hillshire Drive, M/S 010, Las Vegas, NV
89134, Telephone 1-800-967-3477. Written comments on the scope of the
Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS may be submitted to Dr. Jane Summerson
at this address, or by facsimile to 1-800-967-0739, or via the Internet
at https://www.ocrwm.doe.gov under the caption What's New.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information regarding the
DOE NEPA process contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of
NEPA Policy and Compliance, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20585, Telephone 202-586-4600,
or leave a message at 1-800-472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 60491]]
Background
Section 111(a)(4) of the NWPA states that the Federal government
has the: ``responsibility to provide for the permanent disposal of
high-level radioactive waste and such spent nuclear fuel as may be
disposed of in order to protect the public health and safety and the
environment.''
The NWPA directs the Secretary of Energy, if the Secretary decides
to recommend approval of the Yucca Mountain site for development of a
repository, to submit a final environmental impact statement with any
recommendation to the President. The Department prepared the Yucca
Mountain Final EIS to fulfill that requirement.
On February 14, 2002, the Secretary, in accordance with the NWPA,
transmitted his recommendation (including the Yucca Mountain Final EIS)
to the President for approval of the Yucca Mountain site for
development of a geologic repository. The President considered the site
qualified for application to the NRC for a construction authorization
and recommended the site to the U.S. Congress. Subsequently, on July
23, 2002, the President signed into law (Pub. L. 107-200) a joint
resolution of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate
designating the Yucca Mountain site for development as a geologic
repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste. The Department is now preparing a license
application for submittal to the NRC seeking authorization to construct
the repository, as required by the NWPA (Section 114(b)).
In the Yucca Mountain Final EIS, DOE considered the potential
environmental impacts of a repository design for surface and subsurface
facilities, a range of canister packaging scenarios and repository
thermal operating modes, and plans for the construction, operation and
monitoring, and eventual closure of the repository. The Yucca Mountain
Final EIS also described and evaluated the transportation of spent
nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste from commercial and DOE
sites to the repository by two principal modes--mostly truck and mostly
rail. DOE recognized at that time that these repository design concepts
and operational plans would continue to develop during the design and
engineering process.
More specifically, the Yucca Mountain Final EIS included
evaluations of separate canistered and uncanistered packaging scenarios
for commercial spent nuclear fuel, and a repository design comprised of
three primary surface operations areas (North Portal Operations Area,
South Portal Development Area, Ventilation Shaft Operations Area) in
which spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste would be
handled in two principal facilities (Carrier Preparation Building,
Waste Handling Building). The Yucca Mountain Final EIS also evaluated a
range of underground thermal operating modes (referred to as lower- and
higher-temperature modes) in which heat from the waste packages would
raise the temperature of the adjacent rock to a range of temperatures
from below the boiling point of water to above the boiling point. Two
scenarios, mostly truck and mostly rail, were analyzed for the
transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste
from the commercial and DOE sites to the repository.
Since publication of the Yucca Mountain Final EIS, DOE has
continued to develop the repository design and associated plans. As now
planned (and described in greater detail in the Proposed Action below),
the proposed surface and subsurface facilities would allow DOE to
operate the repository following a primarily canistered approach in
which most commercial spent nuclear fuel would be packaged at the
commercial sites in TADs, and all DOE materials would be packaged in
disposable canisters at the DOE sites. These TADs and disposable
canisters then would be transported mostly by rail \3\ to the
repository where they would be placed on aging (or staging) \4\ pads
prior to disposal, or inserted into waste packages and disposed of in
the repository underground.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ On April 8, 2004 (69 FR 18557), the Department issued a
Record of Decision selecting, both nationally and in the State of
Nevada, the mostly rail scenario analyzed in the Yucca Mountain
Final EIS. This decision will ultimately require the construction of
a rail line to connect the repository site at Yucca Mountain to an
existing rail line in the State of Nevada.
\4\ The terminology refers to retaining commercial spent nuclear
fuel on the surface at the repository to meet waste package thermal
limits (aging), or to provide a surge capacity to maintain
flexibility in waste handling operations (staging).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
At the repository site, spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste would now be handled in up to six principal
facilities located within three primary surface operations areas. A
fourth operations area would be developed to support excavation of the
underground repository. A higher-thermal (temperature) operating mode
would be employed.
Based on the current planning, the Department does not believe that
any of the developments to the repository design or operational plans
would have a significant impact on the environmental effects considered
in the Yucca Mountain Final EIS. Nevertheless, to assist NRC in
satisfying its NEPA responsibilities pursuant to the NWPA (Section
114(f)(4)), DOE has decided to prepare this Supplemental EIS.
Proposed Action
Under the Proposed Action, DOE would construct, operate and
monitor, and eventually close a geologic repository at Yucca Mountain
for the disposal of up to 70,000 metric tons of heavy metal (MTHM) of
commercial and DOE-owned spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste.\5\ DOE would dispose of these materials in the repository using
the inherent, natural geologic features of the mountain and engineered
barriers to ensure long-term isolation of the spent nuclear fuel and
high-level radioactive waste from the human environment. These
materials would be emplaced underground at least 200 meters (660 feet)
below the surface and at least 160 meters (530 feet) above the water
table. The NRC, through its licensing process, would regulate
repository construction, operation and monitoring, and closure.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The 70,000 MTHM includes 63,000 MTHM of commercial spent
nuclear fuel, about 2,333 MTHM of DOE fuel (includes about 65 MTHM
of naval fuel), and about 4,667 MTHM of DOE high-level radioactive
waste.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the Proposed Action, most spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste would be shipped from 72 commercial and 4 DOE sites
\6\ to the repository in NRC-certified transportation casks placed on
trains dedicated only to these shipments. Some shipments, however,
would arrive at the repository by truck.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ In 2002, fifty-four additional sites, primarily domestic
research reactors, were expected to ship spent nuclear fuel to two
DOE sites prior to disposal at the repository (see Records of
Decision June 1, 1995 at 60 FR 28680, and March 8, 1996 at 61 FR
9441). Also, the Yucca Mountain Final EIS analyzed fuel shipments
from 5 DOE sites, including Fort St. Vrain, to the repository.
Presently, it is anticipated that fuel from Fort St. Vrain will be
shipped to Idaho National Laboratory prior to being shipped to the
repository.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the Proposed Action, all DOE spent nuclear fuel and high-
level radioactive waste would be placed in disposable canisters at the
DOE sites, and as much as 90 percent of the commercial spent nuclear
fuel would be placed in TADs at the commercial sites prior to shipment.
Upon arrival at the repository, both types of canisters (DOE disposable
and TADs) would be placed into corrosion-resistant overpacks
[[Page 60492]]
(waste packages) prior to emplacement in the repository underground.
The remaining commercial spent nuclear fuel (about 10 percent)
would be transported to the repository in dual-purpose canisters
(canisters suitable for storage and transportation), or would be
uncanistered. At the repository, uncanistered spent nuclear fuel would
be placed directly into TADs and then waste packages for disposal.
Commercial spent nuclear fuel arriving in dual-purpose canisters would
first be removed from the canisters, placed into TADs and then into
waste packages for disposal.
Handling of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste
would take place in the geologic repository operations area, which
includes the North Portal area, the South Portal development area, a
North Construction Portal development area, and the surface shaft
areas. The surface portion of the geologic repository operations area
also would include the facilities necessary to receive, package, and
support emplacement of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste in the repository. Waste transfer operations would be conducted
inside reinforced concrete and metal frame buildings designed and
constructed to withstand earthquakes and other phenomena. Workers and
the public would be protected from radiation by shielded transfer
equipment and walls, exhaust filtering systems, and the use of remotely
controlled equipment to remove the waste forms from the transportation
casks for insertion into waste packages.
The primary surface waste handling facilities include a wet
handling facility, a receipt facility, and three separate canister
receipt and closure facilities. DOE also is considering an initial
handling facility. These facilities would allow the various types of
materials received at the repository to be prepared for disposal.
The wet handling facility would receive commercial spent nuclear
fuel as bare fuel assemblies (uncanistered) or in dual-purpose
canisters, either in truck or rail transportation casks. Commercial
spent nuclear fuel would be transferred underwater from the
transportation casks or dual-purpose canisters into TADs. The wet
handling facility would include provisions for opening transportation
casks and dual-purpose canisters, and for drying and closing the loaded
TADs. Loaded TADs either would be placed into overpacks for placement
on aging/staging pads, or would be transferred to the canister receipt
and closure facilities for loading into waste packages for disposal.
The receipt facility would receive TADs and dual-purpose canisters
in rail transportation casks. The TADs and dual-purpose canisters would
be transferred (dry) from the transportation casks either to overpacks
for placement on the aging/staging pads, or to shielded transfer casks
for transfer to the canister receipt and closure facilities. Shielded
transfer casks also would transfer dual-purpose canisters to the wet
handling facility, as necessary.
The canister receipt and closure facilities would receive DOE
disposable canisters and TADs in rail transportation casks, shielded
transfer casks and aging/staging overpacks. These facilities also could
receive truck casks. There, TADs and DOE disposable canisters would be
placed into waste packages for disposal.
If constructed, the initial handling facility would receive DOE
high-level radioactive waste canisters and naval spent nuclear fuel
canisters in truck and rail transportation casks. These canisters would
be removed from the transportation casks and transferred to waste
packages for disposal.
Waste packages containing TADs, naval nuclear spent fuel, or DOE
disposable canisters would be placed on pallets and loaded onto
shielded waste package transporters. The shielded waste package
transporters would transfer the waste packages to the underground for
emplacement in dedicated tunnels (drifts). In these drifts, waste
packages would be aligned end-to-end. Emplacement drifts would be
excavated in a series of panels, phased to match the anticipated
throughput rate of the surface waste handling facilities.
The repository also would have other underground excavations. These
would include, for example, main drifts to provide access to the
surface and the emplacement drifts, and exhaust mains to exhaust
ventilation air from the emplacement drifts.
Under the Proposed Action, thermal output of the waste packages
would heat the adjacent rock in excess of the boiling temperature of
water (i.e., higher-thermal operating mode). In this higher-thermal
mode, the repository emplacement drifts would remain open and
ventilated for a nominal period of 50 years after emplacement of the
spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste; ventilation would
remove much of the heat and humidity from the emplacement drifts during
this period. The higher thermal operating mode would be achieved by a
combination of closely spaced waste packages, a nominal ventilation
period of 50 years, and managing waste package thermal output by mixing
lower heat output waste packages with higher heat output packages in
the drifts (for example).
After the repository is closed and sealed, the rock around the
emplacement drifts would dry, minimizing the amount of water that might
contact the waste packages for hundreds of years. However, a
substantial portion of the rock between the drifts would remain at
temperatures below boiling, and this would promote drainage of water
through the central portions of the rock, rather than into the
emplacement drifts.
The surface and subsurface facilities and associated
infrastructure,\7\ such as the on-site road and water distribution
networks and emergency response facilities, would be constructed in
phases to accommodate the expected receipt rates of spent nuclear fuel
and high-level radioactive waste. Emplacement (disposal) operations,
which would last up to 50 years, would be followed by a preclosure
monitoring period of 50 years. Towards the end of the preclosure
monitoring period, titanium drip shields would be installed over the
waste packages. The drip shields would divert moisture that might drip
from the drift walls, as well as condensed water vapor around the waste
packages, to the drift floor thereby increasing the life expectancy of
the waste packages. Drip shields also would protect the waste packages
from rock falls.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ DOE published a ``Draft Environmental Assessment for the
Proposed Infrastructure Improvements for the Yucca Mountain Project,
Nevada'' on July 6, 2006 (71 FR 38391). DOE proposes to repair,
replace, or improve certain infrastructure at the site to enhance
safety and to safely continue operations, scientific testing, and
maintenance until such time as NRC decides whether to authorize
construction of a repository. To the extent that activities proposed
by DOE in its environmental assessment, such as construction of a
new access road or new power lines, may not be undertaken in the
timeframe considered in the environmental assessment, they will be
considered in this Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS (DOE/EIS-0250F-
S1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under the Proposed Action, emplaced waste packages could be
retrieved at any time prior to 100 years after the start of
emplacement. Following waste emplacement, surface facilities would be
decommissioned and after the monitoring period the repository would be
closed. Closure would involve sealing the shafts, ramps, exploratory
boreholes and other repository openings. The main drifts would be
filled with crushed rock and surface caps would be installed to
discourage human intrusion. A network of monuments and markers would be
erected around the site surface to warn
[[Page 60493]]
future generations of the presence and nature of the buried radioactive
waste.
No Action Alternative
Under the No Action Alternative, DOE would terminate activities at
Yucca Mountain and undertake site reclamation to mitigate any
significant adverse environmental impacts. Commercial nuclear power
utilities and DOE would continue to manage spent nuclear fuel and high-
level radioactive waste at sites throughout the United States. The No
Action Alternative was analyzed in the Yucca Mountain Final EIS as a
basis for comparison with the Proposed Action.
Since completion of the Yucca Mountain Final EIS, DOE has not
identified any relevant changes in circumstances or information bearing
on environmental concerns regarding the No Action Alternative. For this
reason, DOE anticipates that the Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS will
incorporate by reference the information describing and analyzing the
No Action Alternative presented in the Yucca Mountain Final EIS
(pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations at 40
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1502.21).
Potential Environmental Issues and Resources To Be Examined
The CEQ regulations direct Federal agencies preparing an EIS to
focus on significant environmental issues (40 CFR 1502.1) and discuss
impacts in proportion to their significance (40 CFR 1502.2).
Accordingly, the Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS will analyze issues
and impacts with the amount of detail commensurate with their
importance. Under these guidelines, aspects of the Proposed Action with
clearly small environmental impacts usually would require less depth
and breadth of analysis. To the degree that the Proposed Action would
affect public health or safety, however, the potential impacts
generally are a matter of public interest, regardless of their
significance. Therefore, DOE plans to pay particular attention to
worker and public health and safety associated with the handling and
disposal, and transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level
radioactive waste, even where such impacts would not be significant.
To facilitate the scoping process, DOE has identified a preliminary
list of issues and environmental resources that it may consider in the
Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS. The list is not intended to be all-
inclusive, but should be used as a starting point for public input on
the scope of the Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS.
Radiological releases. The potential impacts (i.e., latent
cancer fatalities) to the public and workers from potential
radiological releases during routine loading of canisters and
transportation casks at the commercial sites, and from handling and
disposal operations at the repository.
Worker safety and health. Potential health and safety
impacts (i.e., injuries and fatalities) to workers during handling and
disposal operations at the commercial and DOE sites and the repository.
Transportation. The potential radiological and non-
radiological impacts (i.e., traffic injuries and fatalities) to the
public and workers associated with the shipment of materials to the
repository under the mostly rail scenario.
Accidents. The potential radiological impacts to workers
and the public from reasonably foreseeable accidents during loading of
canisters at the sites, transportation and repository operations,
including any accidents with low probability but high potential
consequences.
Sabotage. The potential radiological impacts to workers
and the public from sabotage of transportation and repository
operations.
Waste isolation. Potential radiological and non-
radiological impacts (e.g., chemically toxic materials) associated with
the long-term performance of the repository.
Socioeconomic conditions. Potential local regional
socioeconomic impacts to the surrounding communities from construction,
operation and closure of the repository.
Water and air resources. Potential impacts to air
resources, and water quality and use.
Cultural resources. Potential impacts to archaeological
and historic resources and American Indian issues of concern.
Biological resources. Potential impacts to plants, animals
and their habitats, including impacts to endangered and threatened
species.
Cumulative impacts from the Proposed Action and other
past, present and reasonably foreseeable future actions.
Environmental justice. Potential for disproportionately
high and adverse impacts on minority or low-income populations.
Schedule
The DOE intends to issue the Draft Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS
in 2007, at which time its availability will be announced in the
Federal Register and in media in Nevada. A public comment period will
start upon publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice
of Availability in the Federal Register. DOE will hold public hearings
during the comment period. The Department will consider and respond to
comments received on the Draft Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS in
preparing the Final Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS.
Other Agency Involvement
The Department intends to consult with Federal agencies, such as
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S.
Air Force, and the U.S. Department of the Navy, and with state
agencies, such as the Nevada Department of Transportation and the
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, during preparation of the
Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS.
Public Scoping Meetings
DOE will hold public scoping meetings on the Supplemental Yucca
Mountain EIS. The meetings will be held at the following locations and
times:
Washington, District of Columbia, L'Enfant Plaza Hotel,
480 L'Enfant Plaza, SW., October 30 from 4-7 p.m.
Amargosa Valley, Nevada. Longstreet Hotel Casino, Nevada
State Highway 373, November 1 from 4-7 p.m.\8\
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\8\ DOE will hold a joint public scoping meeting on the
Supplemental Yucca Mountain Rail Corridor and Rail Alignment EIS
(DOE/EIS-0250F-S2 and DOE/EIS-0369) and on the Supplemental Yucca
Mountain EIS (DOE/EIS-0250F-S1) in Amargosa Valley, Longstreet Hotel
Casino, Nevada State Highway 373, November 1 from 4-7 pm. Additional
public scoping meetings on the Supplemental Yucca Mountain Rail
Corridor and Rail Alignment EIS will be held in Caliente, Caliente
Youth Center, U.S. 93 North, November 8 from 6-8 pm; Goldfield,
Goldfield School Gymnasium, Hall and Euclid, November 13 from 4-7
pm; Hawthorne, Hawthorne Convention Center, 932 E. Street, November
14 from 4-7 pm; and Fallon, Fallon Convention Center, 100 Campus
Way, November 15, from 4-7 pm.
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Las Vegas, Nevada. Cashman Center, 850 North Las Vegas
Blvd., November 2 from 4-7 p.m.
The public scoping meetings will be an open meeting format without
a formal presentation by DOE. Members of the public are invited to
attend the meetings at their convenience any time during meeting hours
and submit their comments in writing at the meeting, or in person to a
court reporter who will be available throughout the meeting. This open
meeting format increases the opportunity for public comment and
provides for one-on-one discussions with DOE representatives involved
with
[[Page 60494]]
the Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS and the repository program.
The public scoping meetings will be held during the public scoping
comment period. The comment period begins with publication of this
Notice of Intent in the Federal Register and closes November 27, 2006.
Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent
practicable. Written comments may be provided in writing, by facsimile,
or via the Internet to Dr. Jane Summerson, EIS Document Manager (see
ADDRESSES above).
Public Reading Rooms
Documents referenced in this Notice of Intent and related
information are available at the following locations: Beatty Yucca
Mountain Information Center, 100 North E. Avenue, Beatty, NV 89003,
(775) 553-2130; Esmeralda County Yucca Mountain Oversight Office, 274
E. Crook Avenue, Goldfield, NV 89013, (775) 485-3419; Las Vegas Yucca
Mountain Information Center, 4101-B Meadows Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89107,
(702) 295-1312; Lincoln County Nuclear Waste Project Office, 100 Depot
Avenue, Caliente, NV 89008, (775) 726-3511; Nye County Department of
Natural Resources and Federal Facilities, 1210 E. Basin Road, Suite
6, Pahrump, NV 89060 (775) 727-7727; Pahrump Yucca Mountain
Information Center, 2341 Postal Drive, Pahrump, NV 89048, (775) 571-
5817; University of Nevada, Reno, The University of Nevada Libraries,
Business and Government Information Center, M/S 322, 1664 N. Virginia
Street, Reno, NV 89557, (775) 784-6500, Ext. 309; and the U.S.
Department of Energy Headquarters Office Public Reading Room, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1E-190 (ME-74) FORS, Washington, DC,
20585, 202-586-3142.
Issued in Washington, DC, October 10, 2006.
David R. Hill,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 06-8676 Filed 10-10-06; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
