Notice of Availability of the Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Y-12 National Security Complex, 56189-56191 [E9-26207]
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[FR Doc. E9–26233 Filed 10–29–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security
Administration
Notice of Availability of the Draft SiteWide Environmental Impact Statement
for the Y–12 National Security Complex
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY: National Nuclear Security
Administration, U.S. Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability and public
hearings.
SUMMARY: The National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA), a
separately-organized agency within the
Department of Energy (DOE), announces
the availability of the Draft Site-Wide
Environmental Impact Statement for the
Y–12 National Security Complex (Draft
Y–12 SWEIS, DOE/EIS–0387). The Draft
Y–12 SWEIS analyzes the potential
environmental impacts of reasonable
alternatives for ongoing and foreseeable
future operations, facilities, and
activities at Y–12. Five alternatives are
analyzed: No Action Alternative
(maintain the status quo); Uranium
Processing Facility (UPF) Alternative;
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:30 Oct 29, 2009
Jkt 220001
Upgrade-in-Place Alternative;
Capability-sized UPF Alternative; and
No Net Production/Capability-sized
UPF Alternative. DOE NNSA has
prepared the Draft Y–12 SWEIS in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) regulations that implement the
procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR
Parts 1500–1508), and DOE regulations
implementing NEPA (10 CFR Part 1021).
The CEQ regulations allow an agency to
identify its preferred alternative or
alternatives, if one or more exist, in a
draft EIS (40 CFR 1502.14[e]). For the
Draft Y–12 SWEIS, the Capability-sized
UPF Alternative is the preferred
alternative.
DATES: DOE NNSA invites comments on
the Draft Y–12 SWEIS during the public
comment period, which ends on January
4, 2010. DOE NNSA will consider
comments received after this date to the
extent practicable as it prepares the
Final Y–12 SWEIS.
DOE NNSA will hold two public
hearings on the Draft Y–12 SWEIS at the
following location, dates, and times:
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, New Hope
Center, 602 Scarboro Road (Corner of
Scarboro Road and Second Street), Oak
Ridge, Tennessee, Tuesday, November
17, 2009, 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m. and
Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10
a.m.–12:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Requests for additional
information on the Draft Y–12 SWEIS,
including requests for copies of the
document, should be directed to: Ms.
Pam Gorman, Y–12 SWEIS Document
Manager, Y–12 Site Office, 800 Oak
Ridge Turnpike, Suite A–500, Oak
Ridge, TN 37830, or by Telephone: 865–
576–9903. Written comments on the
Draft Y–12 SWEIS should be submitted
to the above address, by facsimile to
865–483–2014, or by electronic mail to
y12sweis.comments@tetratech.com.
Please mark correspondence ‘‘Draft
Y–12 SWEIS Comments.’’ Additional
information on the Y–12 SWEIS may be
found at https://www.y12sweis.com.
For general information regarding the
DOE NEPA process contact: Ms. Carol
M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA
Policy and Compliance, GC–20, 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.
Additional information regarding DOE
NEPA activities and access to many of
DOE’s NEPA documents are available
on the Internet through the DOE NEPA
Web site at https://www.gc.energy.gov/
nepa.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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56189
Background. Y–12 is one of three
primary installations on the DOE Oak
Ridge Reservation in Oak Ridge,
Tennessee. The other installations are
the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and
the East Tennessee Technology Park
(formerly the Oak Ridge K–25 Site).
Construction of Y–12 started in 1943 as
part of the World War II Manhattan
Project. The early missions of the site
included the separation of uranium-235
from natural uranium by the
electromagnetic separation process and
the manufacture of nuclear weapons
components from uranium and lithium.
Today, as one of the DOE NNSA major
production facilities, Y–12 is the
primary site for enriched uranium
processing and storage, and one of the
primary manufacturing facilities for
maintaining the U.S. nuclear weapons
stockpile. Y–12 is unique in that it is the
only source of secondaries, cases, and
other nuclear weapons components
within the DOE NNSA nuclear security
enterprise. Y–12 also dismantles
weapons components, safely and
securely stores and manages special
nuclear material (SNM), supplies SNM
for use in naval and research reactors,
and dispositions surplus materials.
Y–12 nuclear nonproliferation programs
play a critical role in securing our
nation and the globe and combating the
spread of weapons of mass destruction
by removing, securing, and
dispositioning SNM.
In the mid-1990s, DOE prepared
several programmatic environmental
impact statements (PEISs) to inform
decisionmakers and the public on the
potential environmental impacts of
alternatives for carrying out its national
security missions. DOE then made a
number of decisions related to the
nuclear security enterprise operations at
Y–12 and the long-term storage and
disposition of fissile material.
Specifically, DOE decided that the
mission of Y–12 would not change, and
that Y–12 would continue to maintain
the capability and capacity to fabricate
nuclear weapons secondaries, cases, and
limited-life components in support of
the nuclear weapons stockpile, and
store/process non-surplus, highly
enriched uranium (HEU) long-term, and
store surplus HEU pending disposition.
Most recently, DOE NNSA prepared
the Complex Transformation
Supplemental PEIS (SPEIS) (DOE/EIS–
0236–S4) to analyze potential
environmental impacts of alternatives
for transforming the nuclear weapons
complex into a smaller, more efficient
enterprise. In the record of decision
(ROD) for that SPEIS, DOE NNSA
affirmed that manufacturing and
research and development (R&D)
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56190
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 209 / Friday, October 30, 2009 / Notices
involving uranium will remain at Y–12
(73 FR 77644, December 19, 2008). DOE
NNSA also announced that it will
construct and operate a UPF at Y–12 as
a replacement for existing facilities that
are more than 50 years old and face
significant safety and maintenance
challenges to their continued operation.
The DOE NNSA committed to
evaluating the site-specific potential
environmental impacts associated with
continued production operations at
Y–12 in this SWEIS, including those
related to construction and operation of
a UPF.
The continued operation of Y–12 is
critical to DOE NNSA’s Stockpile
Stewardship Program and to preventing
the spread and use of nuclear weapons
worldwide. However, continued
operation of Y–12 is made more difficult
by the fact that most of the facilities at
Y–12 are old, oversized, and inefficient.
Continued long-term reliance on World
War II-era facilities originally designed
for other purposes, and on support
facilities built in some cases to be
temporary, would not meet DOE
NNSA’s objectives to transform its Y–12
infrastructure into one that is more
responsive to future national security
needs, less costly and more efficient to
operate, and improve the level of
security and safeguards necessary for
future activities. Over time, nearly all
Y–12 facilities will need to be replaced
with structures designed for their
intended present-day use. Modernizing
this old, over-sized, and inefficient
infrastructure is a key strategic goal of
DOE NNSA and is consistent with
strategic planning initiatives and prior
programmatic NEPA documents.
In this SWEIS, DOE NNSA is
considering alternatives that would
support decisions for the modernization
of Y–12, and implement the Complex
Transformation SPEIS decisions. These
Y–12 modernization alternatives would:
(1) Improve the level of security and
safeguards; (2) replace/upgrade end-oflife facilities and ensure a reliable
enriched uranium processing capability
to meet the mission of DOE NNSA; (3)
improve efficiency of operations and
reduce operating costs by consolidating
and modernizing equipment and
operation; (4) reduce the size of the
Protected Area by 90 percent and reduce
the operational cost necessary to meet
the security requirements; (5) improve
worker protection with an emphasis on
incorporating engineered controls; and
(6) comply with modern building codes
and environment, safety, and health
standards.
DOE NNSA conducted a public
scoping process that began with the
publication of a Notice of Intent (NOI)
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:30 Oct 29, 2009
Jkt 220001
in the Federal Register on November 28,
2005 (70 FR 71270), in which DOE
NNSA announced its intention to
prepare a SWEIS and invited public
comment on the scope of the NEPA
review. The NOI also announced the
schedule for public scoping meetings
that were held on December 15, 2005, in
Oak Ridge, Tennessee. In addition to the
meetings, the public was encouraged to
provide comments via mail, e-mail, and
fax. All comments received during the
public scoping period were considered
by DOE NNSA in preparing the Draft
Y–12 SWEIS. DOE’s development and
analysis of alternatives for the Draft
Y–12 SWEIS reflect consideration of
these comments.
DOE NNSA had originally planned to
issue the Draft Y–12 SWEIS in late 2006;
however, in October 2006, DOE NNSA
decided to prepare the Complex
Transformation SPEIS. As a result, DOE
NNSA decided to delay the Draft Y–12
SWEIS until programmatic decisions on
the Complex Transformation SPEIS
were made.
Alternatives. The Y–12 SWEIS
assesses the following five alternatives:
No Action Alternative. The No Action
Alternative reflects the current nuclear
weapons program missions at Y–12 and
includes the manufacture and assembly/
disassembly of weapons components,
the continued processing and storage of
enriched uranium materials, disposition
of excess materials, and the continued
removal of excess buildings and
infrastructure. Under the No Action
Alternative, DOE NNSA would
consolidate the storage of enriched
uranium into the Highly Enriched
Uranium Materials Facility (HEUMF).
The No Action Alternative includes
continued operations related to other
national security programs, such as
nonproliferation, the Global Threat
Reduction Initiative, and support to the
Naval Reactors program. Additionally,
there are many non-DOE NNSA
activities at Y–12 that would also
continue under this alternative. Under
the No Action Alternative, DOE NNSA
would make only those repairs and
improvements to existing HEU
processing facilities necessary to
maintain existing levels of operation
and to support essential worker safety
and health requirements. Construction
of a UPF and Complex Command Center
(CCC) would not occur under the No
Action Alternative.
Uranium Processing Facility (UPF)
Alternative. Under this alternative, DOE
NNSA would continue the No Action
Alternative, and construct and operate a
UPF and CCC. The UPF (388,000 square
feet) would consolidate existing
enriched uranium operations from
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multiple facilities into an integrated
manufacturing operation. Under this
alternative, the UPF would be sited
adjacent to the HEUMF to allow the two
facilities to function as one integrated
HEU complex. Transition of the
enriched uranium production
operations to the UPF and transition of
enriched uranium storage operations
into the HEUMF would enable the
creation of a new high-security area 90
percent smaller than the current high
security protected area. The CCC would
house equipment and personnel for
emergency operations.
Upgrade-in-Place Alternative. Under
this alternative, DOE NNSA would
continue the No Action Alternative and
upgrade the existing HEU and nonnuclear processing facilities to
contemporary environmental, safety,
and security standards to the extent
possible within the limitations of the
existing structures and without
prolonged interruptions of
manufacturing operations. Under this
alternative there would be no UPF and
parts of the current high-security area
would not be downsized. Although
existing production facilities would be
modernized, it would not be possible to
attain the combined level of safety,
security and efficiency made possible by
the UPF Alternative. Although an
upgrade of existing facilities was not
selected in the Complex Transformation
SPEIS ROD, the Upgrade-in-Place
Alternative is included as a reasonable
alternative because it would correct to
the extent possible within the
limitations of the existing structures
facility deficiencies associated with the
existing enriched uranium and nonnuclear processing facilities, and could
potentially require smaller upfront
capital expenditures than the
construction of a UPF. The construction
of the CCC would also take place under
this alternative.
Capability-Sized UPF Alternative.
Under this alternative, DOE NNSA
would continue the No Action
Alternative but would reduce the
capacity of enriched uranium
operations. DOE NNSA would maintain
a basic manufacturing capability to
conduct surveillance and produce and
dismantle secondaries and cases. To
support this alternative, DOE NNSA
would build a smaller UPF (350,000
square feet) compared to the UPF
described under the UPF Alternative
(388,000 square feet). A smaller UPF
would maintain all capabilities for
fabricating secondaries and cases, and
capabilities for planned dismantlement,
surveillance and uranium work for other
DOE NNSA and non-DOE NNSA
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 209 / Friday, October 30, 2009 / Notices
customers. The CCC would also be
constructed under this alternative.
No Net Production/Capability-Sized
UPF Alternative. Under a No Net
Production/Capability-Sized UPF
Alternative, DOE NNSA would maintain
the capability to conduct surveillance
and produce and dismantle secondaries
and cases; however, under this
alternative, DOE NNSA would not add
new types or increased numbers of
secondaries to the stockpile. This
alternative would involve an even
further reduction of production
throughput at Y–12 compared to the
Capability-Sized UPF Alternative. To
support this alternative, DOE NNSA
would build the smaller UPF
(approximately 350,000 square feet)
compared to the UPF described under
the UPF Alternative (388,000 square
feet). The CCC, described in Section
S.1.4.2.2, would also be constructed
under this alternative.
Public Hearings and Invitation to
Comment. DOE NNSA will hold two
public hearings on the Draft Y–12
SWEIS. The hearings will be held at the
following location, dates, and times:
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, New Hope
Center, 602 Scarboro Road (Corner of
Scarboro Road and Second Street), Oak
Ridge, Tennessee, Tuesday,
November 17, 2009, 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m.
and Wednesday, November 18, 2009,
10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Individuals who would like to present
comments orally at these hearings must
register upon arrival at the hearing.
Speaking time will be allotted by the
hearing moderator to each individual
wishing to speak so as to ensure that as
many people as possible have the
opportunity to speak. DOE NNSA
representatives will be available to
discuss the Draft Y–12 SWEIS and
answer questions during the first half
hour of the hearing. DOE NNSA will
then hold a plenary session during
which representatives will explain the
Draft Y–12 SWEIS and the analyses in
it. Following the plenary session, the
public will have an opportunity to
provide oral and written comments.
Oral comments from the hearings and
written comments submitted during the
comment period will be considered by
DOE NNSA in preparing the Final Y–12
SWEIS.
The Draft Y–12 SWEIS and additional
information regarding Y–12 are
available on the Internet at https://
www.Y12.doe.gov and https://
www.Y12sweis.com. The Draft Y–12
SWEIS and references are available for
review by the public at the DOE Reading
Rooms listed below:
U.S. Department of Energy, FOIA/
Privacy Act Group, 1000
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:30 Oct 29, 2009
Jkt 220001
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20585, Phone: (202)
586–3142.
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant,
Department of Energy, Environmental
Information Center and Reading
Room, 115 Memorial Drive, Barkley
Centre, Paducah, Kentucky 42001,
Phone: (270) 554–6979.
Oak Ridge Operations Office, DOE Oak
Ridge Information Center, 475 Oak
Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge,
Tennessee 37830, Phone: (865) 241–
4780 or (toll-free) 1 (800) 382–6938,
option 6.
Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant,
Department of Energy, Environmental
Information Center, 1862 Shyville
Rd., Room 220, Piketon, Ohio 45661.
Following the end of the public
comment period on the Draft SWEIS
described above, the DOE NNSA will
consider and respond to the comments
received, and issue the Final Y–12
SWEIS. The DOE NNSA will consider
the environmental impact analysis
presented in the Final Y–12 SWEIS,
along with other information, in making
its decisions related to operations at
Y–12.
Signed in Washington, DC, on October 22,
2009.
Thomas P. D’Agostino,
Administrator, National Nuclear Security
Administration.
[FR Doc. E9–26207 Filed 10–29–09; 8:45 am]
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56191
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or beforeDecember 29, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
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• www.regulations.gov: Follow the
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Attention Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–
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Instructions: Direct your comments to
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which means EPA will not know your
identity or contact information unless
you provide it in the body of your
comment. If you send an e-mail
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captured and included as part of the
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include your name and other contact
information in the body of your
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 209 (Friday, October 30, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56189-56191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26207]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Notice of Availability of the Draft Site-Wide Environmental
Impact Statement for the Y-12 National Security Complex
AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a
separately-organized agency within the Department of Energy (DOE),
announces the availability of the Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact
Statement for the Y-12 National Security Complex (Draft Y-12 SWEIS,
DOE/EIS-0387). The Draft Y-12 SWEIS analyzes the potential
environmental impacts of reasonable alternatives for ongoing and
foreseeable future operations, facilities, and activities at Y-12. Five
alternatives are analyzed: No Action Alternative (maintain the status
quo); Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) Alternative; Upgrade-in-Place
Alternative; Capability-sized UPF Alternative; and No Net Production/
Capability-sized UPF Alternative. DOE NNSA has prepared the Draft Y-12
SWEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations that implement
the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and DOE
regulations implementing NEPA (10 CFR Part 1021). The CEQ regulations
allow an agency to identify its preferred alternative or alternatives,
if one or more exist, in a draft EIS (40 CFR 1502.14[e]). For the Draft
Y-12 SWEIS, the Capability-sized UPF Alternative is the preferred
alternative.
DATES: DOE NNSA invites comments on the Draft Y-12 SWEIS during the
public comment period, which ends on January 4, 2010. DOE NNSA will
consider comments received after this date to the extent practicable as
it prepares the Final Y-12 SWEIS.
DOE NNSA will hold two public hearings on the Draft Y-12 SWEIS at
the following location, dates, and times:
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, New Hope Center, 602 Scarboro Road (Corner of
Scarboro Road and Second Street), Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Tuesday,
November 17, 2009, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. and Wednesday, November 18, 2009,
10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Requests for additional information on the Draft Y-12 SWEIS,
including requests for copies of the document, should be directed to:
Ms. Pam Gorman, Y-12 SWEIS Document Manager, Y-12 Site Office, 800 Oak
Ridge Turnpike, Suite A-500, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, or by Telephone: 865-
576-9903. Written comments on the Draft Y-12 SWEIS should be submitted
to the above address, by facsimile to 865-483-2014, or by electronic
mail to y12sweis.comments@tetratech.com. Please mark correspondence
``Draft Y-12 SWEIS Comments.'' Additional information on the Y-12 SWEIS
may be found at https://www.y12sweis.com.
For general information regarding the DOE NEPA process contact: Ms.
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance, GC-
20, 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.
Additional information regarding DOE NEPA activities and access to many
of DOE's NEPA documents are available on the Internet through the DOE
NEPA Web site at https://www.gc.energy.gov/nepa.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background. Y-12 is one of three primary installations on the DOE
Oak Ridge Reservation in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The other installations
are the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the East Tennessee Technology
Park (formerly the Oak Ridge K-25 Site). Construction of Y-12 started
in 1943 as part of the World War II Manhattan Project. The early
missions of the site included the separation of uranium-235 from
natural uranium by the electromagnetic separation process and the
manufacture of nuclear weapons components from uranium and lithium.
Today, as one of the DOE NNSA major production facilities, Y-12 is the
primary site for enriched uranium processing and storage, and one of
the primary manufacturing facilities for maintaining the U.S. nuclear
weapons stockpile. Y-12 is unique in that it is the only source of
secondaries, cases, and other nuclear weapons components within the DOE
NNSA nuclear security enterprise. Y-12 also dismantles weapons
components, safely and securely stores and manages special nuclear
material (SNM), supplies SNM for use in naval and research reactors,
and dispositions surplus materials. Y-12 nuclear nonproliferation
programs play a critical role in securing our nation and the globe and
combating the spread of weapons of mass destruction by removing,
securing, and dispositioning SNM.
In the mid-1990s, DOE prepared several programmatic environmental
impact statements (PEISs) to inform decisionmakers and the public on
the potential environmental impacts of alternatives for carrying out
its national security missions. DOE then made a number of decisions
related to the nuclear security enterprise operations at Y-12 and the
long-term storage and disposition of fissile material. Specifically,
DOE decided that the mission of Y-12 would not change, and that Y-12
would continue to maintain the capability and capacity to fabricate
nuclear weapons secondaries, cases, and limited-life components in
support of the nuclear weapons stockpile, and store/process non-
surplus, highly enriched uranium (HEU) long-term, and store surplus HEU
pending disposition.
Most recently, DOE NNSA prepared the Complex Transformation
Supplemental PEIS (SPEIS) (DOE/EIS-0236-S4) to analyze potential
environmental impacts of alternatives for transforming the nuclear
weapons complex into a smaller, more efficient enterprise. In the
record of decision (ROD) for that SPEIS, DOE NNSA affirmed that
manufacturing and research and development (R&D)
[[Page 56190]]
involving uranium will remain at Y-12 (73 FR 77644, December 19, 2008).
DOE NNSA also announced that it will construct and operate a UPF at Y-
12 as a replacement for existing facilities that are more than 50 years
old and face significant safety and maintenance challenges to their
continued operation. The DOE NNSA committed to evaluating the site-
specific potential environmental impacts associated with continued
production operations at Y-12 in this SWEIS, including those related to
construction and operation of a UPF.
The continued operation of Y-12 is critical to DOE NNSA's Stockpile
Stewardship Program and to preventing the spread and use of nuclear
weapons worldwide. However, continued operation of Y-12 is made more
difficult by the fact that most of the facilities at Y-12 are old,
oversized, and inefficient. Continued long-term reliance on World War
II-era facilities originally designed for other purposes, and on
support facilities built in some cases to be temporary, would not meet
DOE NNSA's objectives to transform its Y-12 infrastructure into one
that is more responsive to future national security needs, less costly
and more efficient to operate, and improve the level of security and
safeguards necessary for future activities. Over time, nearly all Y-12
facilities will need to be replaced with structures designed for their
intended present-day use. Modernizing this old, over-sized, and
inefficient infrastructure is a key strategic goal of DOE NNSA and is
consistent with strategic planning initiatives and prior programmatic
NEPA documents.
In this SWEIS, DOE NNSA is considering alternatives that would
support decisions for the modernization of Y-12, and implement the
Complex Transformation SPEIS decisions. These Y-12 modernization
alternatives would: (1) Improve the level of security and safeguards;
(2) replace/upgrade end-of-life facilities and ensure a reliable
enriched uranium processing capability to meet the mission of DOE NNSA;
(3) improve efficiency of operations and reduce operating costs by
consolidating and modernizing equipment and operation; (4) reduce the
size of the Protected Area by 90 percent and reduce the operational
cost necessary to meet the security requirements; (5) improve worker
protection with an emphasis on incorporating engineered controls; and
(6) comply with modern building codes and environment, safety, and
health standards.
DOE NNSA conducted a public scoping process that began with the
publication of a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on
November 28, 2005 (70 FR 71270), in which DOE NNSA announced its
intention to prepare a SWEIS and invited public comment on the scope of
the NEPA review. The NOI also announced the schedule for public scoping
meetings that were held on December 15, 2005, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
In addition to the meetings, the public was encouraged to provide
comments via mail, e-mail, and fax. All comments received during the
public scoping period were considered by DOE NNSA in preparing the
Draft Y-12 SWEIS. DOE's development and analysis of alternatives for
the Draft Y-12 SWEIS reflect consideration of these comments.
DOE NNSA had originally planned to issue the Draft Y-12 SWEIS in
late 2006; however, in October 2006, DOE NNSA decided to prepare the
Complex Transformation SPEIS. As a result, DOE NNSA decided to delay
the Draft Y-12 SWEIS until programmatic decisions on the Complex
Transformation SPEIS were made.
Alternatives. The Y-12 SWEIS assesses the following five
alternatives:
No Action Alternative. The No Action Alternative reflects the
current nuclear weapons program missions at Y-12 and includes the
manufacture and assembly/disassembly of weapons components, the
continued processing and storage of enriched uranium materials,
disposition of excess materials, and the continued removal of excess
buildings and infrastructure. Under the No Action Alternative, DOE NNSA
would consolidate the storage of enriched uranium into the Highly
Enriched Uranium Materials Facility (HEUMF). The No Action Alternative
includes continued operations related to other national security
programs, such as nonproliferation, the Global Threat Reduction
Initiative, and support to the Naval Reactors program. Additionally,
there are many non-DOE NNSA activities at Y-12 that would also continue
under this alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, DOE NNSA would
make only those repairs and improvements to existing HEU processing
facilities necessary to maintain existing levels of operation and to
support essential worker safety and health requirements. Construction
of a UPF and Complex Command Center (CCC) would not occur under the No
Action Alternative.
Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) Alternative. Under this
alternative, DOE NNSA would continue the No Action Alternative, and
construct and operate a UPF and CCC. The UPF (388,000 square feet)
would consolidate existing enriched uranium operations from multiple
facilities into an integrated manufacturing operation. Under this
alternative, the UPF would be sited adjacent to the HEUMF to allow the
two facilities to function as one integrated HEU complex. Transition of
the enriched uranium production operations to the UPF and transition of
enriched uranium storage operations into the HEUMF would enable the
creation of a new high-security area 90 percent smaller than the
current high security protected area. The CCC would house equipment and
personnel for emergency operations.
Upgrade-in-Place Alternative. Under this alternative, DOE NNSA
would continue the No Action Alternative and upgrade the existing HEU
and non-nuclear processing facilities to contemporary environmental,
safety, and security standards to the extent possible within the
limitations of the existing structures and without prolonged
interruptions of manufacturing operations. Under this alternative there
would be no UPF and parts of the current high-security area would not
be downsized. Although existing production facilities would be
modernized, it would not be possible to attain the combined level of
safety, security and efficiency made possible by the UPF Alternative.
Although an upgrade of existing facilities was not selected in the
Complex Transformation SPEIS ROD, the Upgrade-in-Place Alternative is
included as a reasonable alternative because it would correct to the
extent possible within the limitations of the existing structures
facility deficiencies associated with the existing enriched uranium and
non-nuclear processing facilities, and could potentially require
smaller upfront capital expenditures than the construction of a UPF.
The construction of the CCC would also take place under this
alternative.
Capability-Sized UPF Alternative. Under this alternative, DOE NNSA
would continue the No Action Alternative but would reduce the capacity
of enriched uranium operations. DOE NNSA would maintain a basic
manufacturing capability to conduct surveillance and produce and
dismantle secondaries and cases. To support this alternative, DOE NNSA
would build a smaller UPF (350,000 square feet) compared to the UPF
described under the UPF Alternative (388,000 square feet). A smaller
UPF would maintain all capabilities for fabricating secondaries and
cases, and capabilities for planned dismantlement, surveillance and
uranium work for other DOE NNSA and non-DOE NNSA
[[Page 56191]]
customers. The CCC would also be constructed under this alternative.
No Net Production/Capability-Sized UPF Alternative. Under a No Net
Production/Capability-Sized UPF Alternative, DOE NNSA would maintain
the capability to conduct surveillance and produce and dismantle
secondaries and cases; however, under this alternative, DOE NNSA would
not add new types or increased numbers of secondaries to the stockpile.
This alternative would involve an even further reduction of production
throughput at Y-12 compared to the Capability-Sized UPF Alternative. To
support this alternative, DOE NNSA would build the smaller UPF
(approximately 350,000 square feet) compared to the UPF described under
the UPF Alternative (388,000 square feet). The CCC, described in
Section S.1.4.2.2, would also be constructed under this alternative.
Public Hearings and Invitation to Comment. DOE NNSA will hold two
public hearings on the Draft Y-12 SWEIS. The hearings will be held at
the following location, dates, and times: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, New
Hope Center, 602 Scarboro Road (Corner of Scarboro Road and Second
Street), Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 6:30 p.m.-9
p.m. and Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Individuals who would like to present comments orally at these
hearings must register upon arrival at the hearing. Speaking time will
be allotted by the hearing moderator to each individual wishing to
speak so as to ensure that as many people as possible have the
opportunity to speak. DOE NNSA representatives will be available to
discuss the Draft Y-12 SWEIS and answer questions during the first half
hour of the hearing. DOE NNSA will then hold a plenary session during
which representatives will explain the Draft Y-12 SWEIS and the
analyses in it. Following the plenary session, the public will have an
opportunity to provide oral and written comments. Oral comments from
the hearings and written comments submitted during the comment period
will be considered by DOE NNSA in preparing the Final Y-12 SWEIS.
The Draft Y-12 SWEIS and additional information regarding Y-12 are
available on the Internet at https://www.Y12.doe.gov and https://
www.Y12sweis.com. The Draft Y-12 SWEIS and references are available for
review by the public at the DOE Reading Rooms listed below:
U.S. Department of Energy, FOIA/Privacy Act Group, 1000 Independence
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, Phone: (202) 586-3142.
Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Department of Energy, Environmental
Information Center and Reading Room, 115 Memorial Drive, Barkley
Centre, Paducah, Kentucky 42001, Phone: (270) 554-6979.
Oak Ridge Operations Office, DOE Oak Ridge Information Center, 475 Oak
Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, Phone: (865) 241-4780 or
(toll-free) 1 (800) 382-6938, option 6.
Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Department of Energy, Environmental
Information Center, 1862 Shyville Rd., Room 220, Piketon, Ohio 45661.
Following the end of the public comment period on the Draft SWEIS
described above, the DOE NNSA will consider and respond to the comments
received, and issue the Final Y-12 SWEIS. The DOE NNSA will consider
the environmental impact analysis presented in the Final Y-12 SWEIS,
along with other information, in making its decisions related to
operations at Y-12.
Signed in Washington, DC, on October 22, 2009.
Thomas P. D'Agostino,
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-26207 Filed 10-29-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
