National Nuclear Security Administration; Amended Record of Decision: Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 40352-40354 [2011-17161]

Download as PDF mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 40352 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 131 / Friday, July 8, 2011 / Notices Docket Numbers: ER11–3935–000. Applicants: CL Power Sales Eight, LLC. Description: CL Power Sales Eight, LLC submits tariff filing per 35.37: CL Power Sales Eight, LLC Triennial MBR Update for the NE Region to be effective 6/30/2011. Filed Date: 06/29/2011. Accession Number: 20110629–5160. Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, August 29, 2011. Docket Numbers: ER11–3936–000. Applicants: CP Power Sales Twenty, LLC. Description: CP Power Sales Twenty, LLC submits tariff filing per 35.37: CP Power Sales Twenty, LLC Triennial MBR Update for the NE Region to be effective 6/30/2011. Filed Date: 06/29/2011. Accession Number: 20110629–5161. Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, August 29, 2011. Docket Numbers: ER11–3937–000. Applicants: CP Power Sales Seventeen, LLC. Description: CP Power Sales Seventeen, LLC submits tariff filing per 35.37: CP Power Sales Seventeen, LLC Triennial MBR Update for the NE Region to be effective 6/30/2011. Filed Date: 06/29/2011. Accession Number: 20110629–5162. Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, August 29, 2011. Docket Numbers: ER11–3938–000. Applicants: Hoosier Wind Project, LLC. Description: Hoosier Wind Project, LLC submits tariff filing per 35: Hoosier Seller Category Compliance Filing to be effective 6/30/2011. Filed Date: 06/29/2011. Accession Number: 20110629–5163. Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 20, 2011. Docket Numbers: ER11–3944–000. Applicants: Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Description: Request for Tariff Waiver of Pacific Gas and Electric Company in ER11–3944. Filed Date: 06/29/2011. Accession Number: 20110629–5182. Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 20, 2011. Take notice that the Commission received the following electric reliability filings: Docket Numbers: RD11–8–000. Applicants: North American Electric Reliability Corporation. Description: Petition of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation for Approval of Proposed NPCC Regional Reliability Standard VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:52 Jul 07, 2011 Jkt 223001 PRC–002–NPCC–01—Disturbance Monitoring. Filed Date: 05/31/2011. Accession Number: 20110531–5064. Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, August 1, 2011. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest in any of the above proceedings 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) on or before 5 p.m. Eastern time on the specified comment date. It is not necessary to separately intervene again in a subdocket related to a compliance filing if you have previously intervened in the same docket. 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. Anyone filing a motion to intervene or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant. In reference to filings initiating a new proceeding, interventions or protests submitted on or before the comment deadline need not be served on persons other than the Applicant. As it relates to any qualifying facility filings, the notices of self-certification [or self-recertification] listed above, do not institute a proceeding regarding qualifying facility status. A notice of self-certification [or self-recertification] simply provides notification that the entity making the filing has determined the facility named in the notice meets the applicable criteria to be a qualifying facility. Intervention and/or protest do not lie in dockets that are qualifying facility self-certifications or selfrecertifications. Any person seeking to challenge such qualifying facility status may do so by filing a motion pursuant to 18 CFR 292.207(d)(iii). Intervention and protests may be filed in response to notices of qualifying facility dockets other than self-certifications and selfrecertifications. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper, using the FERC Online links at https:// www.ferc.gov. To facilitate electronic service, persons with Internet access who will eFile a document and/or be listed as a contact for an intervenor must create and validate an eRegistration account using the eRegistration link. Select the eFiling link to log on and submit the intervention or protests. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the intervention or protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., Washington, DC 20426. PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 The filings in the above proceedings are accessible in the Commission’s eLibrary system by clicking on the appropriate link in the above list. They are also 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 email FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call (866) 208–3676 (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659. Dated: June 30, 2011. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 2011–17134 Filed 7–7–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Nuclear Security Administration; Amended Record of Decision: Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of Energy. ACTION: Amended Record of Decision. AGENCY: The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is amending its September 26, 2008 Record of Decision (ROD) issued pursuant to the Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (LANL SWEIS; DOE/EIS–0380). That ROD announced NNSA’s decision, among other things, to continue and expand support for the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) Off-Site Source Recovery Project (OSRP). These activities include the recovery, storage, and disposal of certain high-activity sealed sources to minimize risks to national security and public health and safety. The LANL SWEIS and subsequent ROD did not address shipment of sealed sources through the global commons and the use of a commercial facility in managing these sealed sources as part of the GTRI program’s recovery of sealed sources. In April, 2011, NNSA prepared a Supplement Analysis for the Transport and Storage of High-Activity Sealed Sources from Uruguay and Other Locations (DOE/EIS–0380–SA–02) to analyze the potential impacts of these SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\08JYN1.SGM 08JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 131 / Friday, July 8, 2011 / Notices actions. Based on the LANL SWEIS and the Supplement Analysis, NNSA is amending the ROD for the LANL SWEIS to announce its decision that these actions can be expected to take place as part of the ongoing GTRI program. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the GTRI OSRP, contact: Ms. Abigail Cuthbertson; phone: 202–586–2391; email: Abigail.Cuthbertson@nnsa.doe.gov. For general information concerning the DOE NEPA process, contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC–54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585; (202) 586–4600; leave a message at (800) 472–2756; or send an e-mail to ask NEPA@hq.energy.gov. Additional information regarding DOE NEPA activities and access to many DOE NEPA documents, including those referenced in this ROD, are available on the Internet through the DOE NEPA Web site at https://nepa.energy.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Background The GTRI mission includes the effort to reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials located at civilian sites worldwide. Part of the GTRI mission is implemented through OSRP, an ongoing effort (since 1979) that involves the recovery, storage, and, when appropriate, disposition of disused (excess, unwanted) radiological sources that present national security or public health and safety concerns. GTRI OSRP recovers sealed sources domestically and, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), from foreign countries. Some of the sources recovered through OSRP are high-activity beta/ gamma sealed sources used in medical devices (e.g., teletherapy units) and for research. These contain cobalt-60, cesium-137, radium-226, or strontium90. OSRP may recover sources from approximately 20 locations annually. Most would be recovered from locations within the United States; others would come from locations in foreign countries, such as Uruguay. The specific actions analyzed in DOE/ EIS–0380–SA–02 include packaging the sealed sources (sometimes with a part of the larger device within which they are contained), transporting the packages to a secure storage facility with the capability to safely handle the sources, then transporting the sealed sources to their country of origin or disposing of the sealed sources as low-level VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:52 Jul 07, 2011 Jkt 223001 radioactive waste at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in southern Nevada if the sources meet the NNSS waste acceptance criteria. DOE accepts ownership of the sealed sources prior to transport or, for sources recovered from foreign countries, upon arrival in the United States. Basis for Decision In addition, DOE/EIS–0380–SA–02 activities associated with the recovery of high-activity sealed sources are analyzed in the Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (DOE/EIS–0380). NNSA published a ROD based on the LANL SWEIS announcing its decision, among other things, to continue and expand support for GTRI OSRP activities (73 FR 55833; September 26, 2008). The disposal of low-level radioactive waste, including sealed sources, is analyzed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Nevada Test Site and Off-Site Locations in the State of Nevada (DOE/EIS–0243). This EIS resulted in a ROD stating that NNSS is available to DOE sites for disposal of low-level radioactive waste that meets the NNSS waste acceptance criteria (61 FR 65551, December 13, 1996). Certain sealed sources meeting NNSS low-level waste acceptance criteria have been disposed of at the NNSS. Environmental Impacts Associated With the Decision In the Supplement Analysis, NNSA analyzes potential impacts associated with actions involving high activity sealed sources including transporting sealed sources by commercial cargo aircraft and by truck; handling such as loading and offloading associated with transportation; storage; opening and repackaging containers to inspect sealed sources; and intentional destructive acts. Estimates of potential impacts are comparable to those for similar activities analyzed in the LANL SWEIS and other DOE NEPA documents. The dose estimates and associated risks are small. For example, the highest dose estimate in the Supplement Analysis associated with incident-free commercial truck transport of sealed sources is approximately 78 millirem to an individual crewmember, which equates to a fatal cancer risk of approximately 1 chance in 25,000. For air transport of sealed sources, which was not analyzed in the LANL SWEIS, the Supplement Analysis estimates potential impacts associated with incident-free operations and accidents. For a 12-hour flight PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 40353 transporting three containers with sealed sources, the estimated dose to a crew of four is 0.0065 person-rem, which equates to a chance of one in approximately 250,000 of a latent cancer fatality among the crew. For other transportation scenarios, this estimate would vary according to factors such as flight time and the number of containers of sealed sources. However, the variability would not change the overall conclusion that potential impacts are small and similar to those estimated for transportation of radioactive material in other DOE NEPA documents. The air transport accident analysis assumed a low probability crash from a landing stall and subsequent fire. For purposes of analysis, NNSA assumed failure of all transport packages, though this is a very unlikely scenario. If such an accident were to occur, the Supplement Analysis estimates a chance of a latent cancer fatality of about one in 100,000 among the population surrounding the accident location (approximately five million people within 50 miles). When the probability of the accident (4.5 x 10¥6) is considered, the risk of a latent cancer fatality is about one chance in 20 billion. Amended Decision Consistent with the decisions announced in the ROD issued pursuant to the LANL SWEIS (73 FR 55833; September 26, 2008), NNSA will continue implementing the GTRI OSRP program, including the recovery, storage and disposition of high-activity beta/ gamma sealed sources. This program includes the recovery of sealed sources from foreign countries, and NNSA has decided that transport of high-activity sealed sources through the global commons via commercial cargo aircraft may be utilized as part of the ongoing GTRI OSRP program. Mitigation Measures NNSA will use all practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm when implementing the actions described in this ROD. NNSA operates pursuant to a number of Federal laws including environmental laws, DOE Orders, and Federal, State, and local controls, and agreements. Also, the commercial storage and transportation activities associated with the recovery of high-activity sealed sources are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (and states granted certain authorities by the Commission) and the Department of Transportation. Many of these requirements mandate actions that may serve to mitigate potential adverse environmental impacts. E:\FR\FM\08JYN1.SGM 08JYN1 40354 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 131 / Friday, July 8, 2011 / Notices Issued in Washington, DC, on June 27, 2011. Thomas P. D’Agostino, Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration. [FR Doc. 2011–17161 Filed 7–7–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration [DOE/EIS–0462] Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Crowned Ridge Wind Energy Center Project, Codington and Grant Counties, SD Western Area Power Administration, DOE. ACTION: Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement. AGENCY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power Administration (Western) is issuing this notice to advise the public that it is cancelling the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on an interconnection request by NextEra Energy Resources (NextEra). DATES: This cancellation is effective on July 8, 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the cancellation of this EIS process, contact Matt Marsh, NEPA Document Manager, Upper Great Plains Regional Office, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 35800, Billings, MT 59107– 5800, e-mail MMarsh@wapa.gov, telephone (800) 358–3415. For general information on DOE’s NEPA review process, contact Carol M. Borgstrom, Director of NEPA Policy and Compliance, GC–54, Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585–0119, telephone (202) 586–4600 or (800) 472– 2756, facsimile (202) 586–7031. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NextEra proposed to design, construct, operate, and maintain a 150-megawatt Crowned Ridge Wind Energy Center Project (Project) in Codington and Grant counties, South Dakota, and interconnect that Project with Western’s transmission system. NextEra’s interconnection request caused Western to initiate a NEPA review of its action to allow the interconnection. Western published a Notice of Intent for the EIS in the Federal Register on November 30, 2010 (75 FR 74040), and started the EIS mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:52 Jul 07, 2011 Jkt 223001 process. A public scoping meeting was held subsequent to the Notice of Intent, but a Draft EIS was not produced because NextEra decided to suspend further action on its proposed Project. NextEra notified Western of the decision, and Western is now terminating the NEPA review process on its interconnection decision and NextEra’s proposed Project. NextEra could decide to reinitiate the proposed Project at some future date. In that event Western would issue a new Notice of Intent, and would start an entirely new NEPA process. The Assistant Secretary, Environment, Safety and Health granted approval authority to Western’s Administrator for EISs related to integrating major new sources of generation in a October 4, 1999, memorandum. Under the authority granted by that memorandum, I have terminated the NEPA process for NextEra’s proposed Crowned Ridge Wind Energy Center Project with the publication of this notice. Dated: June 29, 2011. Timothy J. Meeks, Administrator. [FR Doc. 2011–17157 Filed 7–7–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [ER–FRL–8997–8] Environmental Impacts Statements; Notice of Availability Responsible Agency: Office of Federal Activities, General Information (202) 564–1399 or https://www.epa.gov/ compliance/nepa/ Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact Statements Filed 06/27/2011 Through 07/01/2011 Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9. Notice In accordance with Section 309(a) of the Clean Air Act, EPA is required to make its comments on EISs issued by other Federal agencies public. Historically, EPA met this mandate by publishing weekly notices of availability of EPA comments, which includes a brief summary of EPA’s comment letters, in the Federal Register. Since February 2008, EPA has included its comment letters on EISs on its Web site at: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/ nepa/eisdata.html. Including the entire EIS comment letters on the Web site satisfies the Section 309(a) requirement to make EPA’s comments on EISs available to the public. Accordingly, on March 31, 2010, EPA discontinued the PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 publication of the notice of availability of EPA comments in the Federal Register. EIS No. 20110210, Final EIS, USFS, NM, McKinley County Easement—Forest Roads 191 and 191D, Implementation, Cibola National Forest, McKinley County, NM, Review Period Ends: 08/08/2011, Contact: Keith Baker 505–346–3820. EIS No. 20110211, Draft EIS, USFS, AK, Ketchikan—Misty Fiords Outfitter and Guide Management Plan, Authorizes Outfitter and Guide Operations through the Issuance of Special-Use-Permits, Tongass National Forest, Ketchikan-Misty Ranger District, Ketchikan, AK, Comment Period Ends: 08/22/2011, Contact: Susan Jennings 907–723– 0477. EIS No. 20110212, Draft EIS, BLM, CA, Ocotillo Express Wind Energy Project, Proposing to Develop a 465–Megawatt Wind Energy Facility, Implementation, Imperial County, CA, Comment Period Ends: 10/05/2011, Contact: Cedric Perry 951–697–5388. EIS No. 20110213, Final EIS, FAA, RI, Theodore Francis Green Airport Improvement Program, Proposing Improvements to Enhance Safety and the Efficiency of the Airport and the New England Regional Airport System, City of Warwick, Kent County, RI, Review Period Ends: 08/ 08/2011, Contact: Richard Doucette 781–238–7613. EIS No. 20110214, Draft Supplement, USFS, ND, North Billings County Allotment Management Plan Revisions, Updated Information, Proposes to Continue to Permit Livestock Grazing on 43 Allotments, Medora Ranger District, Dakota Prairie Grasslands, Billings County, ND, Comment Period Ends: 08/22/2011, Contact: Nickole Dahl 701–227–7800. EIS No. 20110215, Final EIS, FHWA, WI, Wisconsin Highway Project, Mobility Motorized and Nonmotorized Travel Enhancements, Updated Information on New Alternatives, and Evaluates a Staged Improvement, US18/151 (Verona Road) and the US 12/14 (Beltine) Corridors, Dane County, WI, Review Period Ends: 08/08/2011, Contact: George R. Poirier 608–829– 7500. EIS No. 20110216, Final EIS, FHWA, UT, Hyde Park/North Logan Corridor Project, Proposed 200 East Transportation Corridor between North Logan City and Hyde Park, Funding, Right-of-Way Acquisitions and US Army COE Section 404 Permit, Cache County, UT, Review Period Ends: 08/08/2011, Contact: Paul C. Ziman 801–955–3525. E:\FR\FM\08JYN1.SGM 08JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 131 (Friday, July 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40352-40354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-17161]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


National Nuclear Security Administration; Amended Record of 
Decision: Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued 
Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM

AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of 
Energy.

ACTION: Amended Record of Decision.

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

SUMMARY: The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-
autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is 
amending its September 26, 2008 Record of Decision (ROD) issued 
pursuant to the Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Continued Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New 
Mexico (LANL SWEIS; DOE/EIS-0380). That ROD announced NNSA's decision, 
among other things, to continue and expand support for the Global 
Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) Off-Site Source Recovery Project 
(OSRP). These activities include the recovery, storage, and disposal of 
certain high-activity sealed sources to minimize risks to national 
security and public health and safety. The LANL SWEIS and subsequent 
ROD did not address shipment of sealed sources through the global 
commons and the use of a commercial facility in managing these sealed 
sources as part of the GTRI program's recovery of sealed sources. In 
April, 2011, NNSA prepared a Supplement Analysis for the Transport and 
Storage of High-Activity Sealed Sources from Uruguay and Other 
Locations (DOE/EIS-0380-SA-02) to analyze the potential impacts of 
these

[[Page 40353]]

actions. Based on the LANL SWEIS and the Supplement Analysis, NNSA is 
amending the ROD for the LANL SWEIS to announce its decision that these 
actions can be expected to take place as part of the ongoing GTRI 
program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about the GTRI 
OSRP, contact: Ms. Abigail Cuthbertson; phone: 202-586-2391; email: 
Abigail.Cuthbertson@nnsa.doe.gov.
    For general information concerning the DOE NEPA process, contact: 
Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance 
(GC-54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585; (202) 586-4600; leave a message at (800) 472-
2756; or send an e-mail to ask NEPA@hq.energy.gov. Additional 
information regarding DOE NEPA activities and access to many DOE NEPA 
documents, including those referenced in this ROD, are available on the 
Internet through the DOE NEPA Web site at https://nepa.energy.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The GTRI mission includes the effort to reduce and protect 
vulnerable nuclear and radiological materials located at civilian sites 
worldwide. Part of the GTRI mission is implemented through OSRP, an 
ongoing effort (since 1979) that involves the recovery, storage, and, 
when appropriate, disposition of disused (excess, unwanted) 
radiological sources that present national security or public health 
and safety concerns. GTRI OSRP recovers sealed sources domestically 
and, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State and the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), from foreign countries.
    Some of the sources recovered through OSRP are high-activity beta/
gamma sealed sources used in medical devices (e.g., teletherapy units) 
and for research. These contain cobalt-60, cesium-137, radium-226, or 
strontium-90. OSRP may recover sources from approximately 20 locations 
annually. Most would be recovered from locations within the United 
States; others would come from locations in foreign countries, such as 
Uruguay.
    The specific actions analyzed in DOE/EIS-0380-SA-02 include 
packaging the sealed sources (sometimes with a part of the larger 
device within which they are contained), transporting the packages to a 
secure storage facility with the capability to safely handle the 
sources, then transporting the sealed sources to their country of 
origin or disposing of the sealed sources as low-level radioactive 
waste at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in southern Nevada if 
the sources meet the NNSS waste acceptance criteria. DOE accepts 
ownership of the sealed sources prior to transport or, for sources 
recovered from foreign countries, upon arrival in the United States.

Basis for Decision

    In addition, DOE/EIS-0380-SA-02 activities associated with the 
recovery of high-activity sealed sources are analyzed in the Site-Wide 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Continued Operation of Los 
Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (DOE/EIS-0380). NNSA 
published a ROD based on the LANL SWEIS announcing its decision, among 
other things, to continue and expand support for GTRI OSRP activities 
(73 FR 55833; September 26, 2008). The disposal of low-level 
radioactive waste, including sealed sources, is analyzed in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the Nevada Test Site and Off-Site 
Locations in the State of Nevada (DOE/EIS-0243). This EIS resulted in a 
ROD stating that NNSS is available to DOE sites for disposal of low-
level radioactive waste that meets the NNSS waste acceptance criteria 
(61 FR 65551, December 13, 1996). Certain sealed sources meeting NNSS 
low-level waste acceptance criteria have been disposed of at the NNSS.

Environmental Impacts Associated With the Decision

    In the Supplement Analysis, NNSA analyzes potential impacts 
associated with actions involving high activity sealed sources 
including transporting sealed sources by commercial cargo aircraft and 
by truck; handling such as loading and offloading associated with 
transportation; storage; opening and repackaging containers to inspect 
sealed sources; and intentional destructive acts. Estimates of 
potential impacts are comparable to those for similar activities 
analyzed in the LANL SWEIS and other DOE NEPA documents. The dose 
estimates and associated risks are small. For example, the highest dose 
estimate in the Supplement Analysis associated with incident-free 
commercial truck transport of sealed sources is approximately 78 
millirem to an individual crewmember, which equates to a fatal cancer 
risk of approximately 1 chance in 25,000.
    For air transport of sealed sources, which was not analyzed in the 
LANL SWEIS, the Supplement Analysis estimates potential impacts 
associated with incident-free operations and accidents. For a 12-hour 
flight transporting three containers with sealed sources, the estimated 
dose to a crew of four is 0.0065 person-rem, which equates to a chance 
of one in approximately 250,000 of a latent cancer fatality among the 
crew. For other transportation scenarios, this estimate would vary 
according to factors such as flight time and the number of containers 
of sealed sources. However, the variability would not change the 
overall conclusion that potential impacts are small and similar to 
those estimated for transportation of radioactive material in other DOE 
NEPA documents.
    The air transport accident analysis assumed a low probability crash 
from a landing stall and subsequent fire. For purposes of analysis, 
NNSA assumed failure of all transport packages, though this is a very 
unlikely scenario. If such an accident were to occur, the Supplement 
Analysis estimates a chance of a latent cancer fatality of about one in 
100,000 among the population surrounding the accident location 
(approximately five million people within 50 miles). When the 
probability of the accident (4.5 x 10-6) is considered, the 
risk of a latent cancer fatality is about one chance in 20 billion.

Amended Decision

    Consistent with the decisions announced in the ROD issued pursuant 
to the LANL SWEIS (73 FR 55833; September 26, 2008), NNSA will continue 
implementing the GTRI OSRP program, including the recovery, storage and 
disposition of high-activity beta/gamma sealed sources. This program 
includes the recovery of sealed sources from foreign countries, and 
NNSA has decided that transport of high-activity sealed sources through 
the global commons via commercial cargo aircraft may be utilized as 
part of the ongoing GTRI OSRP program.

Mitigation Measures

    NNSA will use all practicable means to avoid or minimize 
environmental harm when implementing the actions described in this ROD. 
NNSA operates pursuant to a number of Federal laws including 
environmental laws, DOE Orders, and Federal, State, and local controls, 
and agreements. Also, the commercial storage and transportation 
activities associated with the recovery of high-activity sealed sources 
are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (and states granted 
certain authorities by the Commission) and the Department of 
Transportation. Many of these requirements mandate actions that may 
serve to mitigate potential adverse environmental impacts.


[[Page 40354]]


    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 27, 2011.
Thomas P. D'Agostino,
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-17161 Filed 7-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.