Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Extension of Scoping Period for the U.S. Department of Energy Uranium Leasing Program Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, 43678 [2011-18373]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 140 (Thursday, July 21, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 43678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18373]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Public Scoping Meetings and Extension of Scoping Period 
for the U.S. Department of Energy Uranium Leasing Program Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of public scoping meetings and extension of scoping 
period.

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SUMMARY: DOE will host public scoping meetings in western Colorado to 
receive comments on the scope of the DOE Uranium Leasing Program (ULP) 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (hereinafter referred to as 
the ULP PEIS). The PEIS will analyze the reasonably foreseeable 
environmental impacts, including the site-specific impacts, of the 
range of reasonable alternatives for the management of DOE's ULP.
    On June 21, 2011, DOE announced in the Federal Register (76 FR 
36097) its intention to prepare the PEIS and opened a scoping period 
which would have closed August 22, 2011. The scoping period has been 
extended and will now close on September 9, 2011. DOE invites the 
public to submit written comments by any of the means listed in the 
ADDRESSES section. Oral as well as written comments may also be 
provided at the public scoping meetings to be held as listed under 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

DATES: DOE invites comments on the proposed scope of the PEIS from all 
interested parties. The public scoping period began on June 21, 2011, 
and will close on September 9, 2011. Comments on the scope of the PEIS 
should be submitted by September 9, 2011. Comments e-mailed or 
postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent 
practicable. DOE also invites all interested parties to participate in 
public scoping meetings. Dates and locations of the public scoping 
meetings are listed under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below. Requests to 
speak at any of the public scoping meetings can be submitted via the 
ULP PEIS Web site indicated in the ADDRESSES section and may also be 
made at the scoping meetings; however, requests received via the Web 
site before the scoping meetings will be given priority in the speaking 
order. For interested parties wishing to speak with a DOE 
representative, see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 
announcement.

ADDRESSES: Requests to speak at the public scoping meetings on the 
proposed scope of the PEIS may be submitted via the ULP PEIS Web site 
at https://ulpeis.anl.gov and at the public scoping meetings. Written 
comments may be submitted by any of the following means:
     By submitting electronic comments on the PEIS Web site at 
https://ulpeis.anl.gov.
     By e-mail to ulpeis@anl.gov.
     By mail to Laura Kilpatrick, Esq., DOE ULP Program 
Manager, Office of Legacy Management, U.S. Department of Energy, 11025 
Dover Street, Suite 1000, Westminster, CO 80021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on DOE's proposed 
action, contact Laura Kilpatrick, Esq., DOE ULP Program Manager, at the 
address listed above.
    For general information on the DOE National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) process, contact Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA 
Policy and Compliance (GC-54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585; telephone (202-586-
4600); fax (202-586-7031); or leave a toll-free message (1-800-472-
2756).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 21, 2011, DOE published a notice in 
the Federal Register (76 FR 36097) announcing its intention to prepare 
the ULP PEIS and opening a scoping period that would have closed August 
22, 2011. The PEIS will be prepared pursuant to NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321, 
et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations 
(40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and DOE's NEPA implementing procedures (10 
CFR Part 1021). The PEIS will analyze the reasonably foreseeable 
environmental impacts, including site-specific impacts, of alternatives 
for the management of DOE's ULP, under which DOE administers tracts of 
land for the exploration, development, and extraction of uranium and 
vanadium ores. The ULP includes tracts of land located in Mesa, 
Montrose, and San Miguel counties in western Colorado that cover a 
cumulative acreage of approximately 25,000 acres. In the June 21, 2011, 
notice, DOE stated that it would hold public scoping meetings and 
announce the dates, times, and locations of these meetings in a 
subsequent Federal Register notice, as well as in local news media. DOE 
now announces the public scoping meetings to be held at the dates, 
times, and locations listed below. DOE is also extending the public 
scoping period to September 9, 2011.
    Four public scoping meetings will be held as follows:
     August 8, 2011--Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Dr., 
Montrose, CO 81401, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
     August 9, 2011--Sheridan Opera House, 110 North Oak St., 
Telluride, CO 81435, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
     August 10, 2011--Naturita Community Building, 411 W. 2nd 
St., Naturita, CO 81422, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
     August 11, 2011--San Juan County Courthouse, Commission 
Chambers, 117 South Main St., Monticello, UT 84535, from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
    At each of the public scoping meetings, registration to speak will 
be held starting at 6:30 pm. The formal commenting session will begin 
at 7 p.m. with a DOE presentation providing an overview of the DOE ULP, 
the proposed action for the ULP PEIS, and a description of the NEPA 
process for the ULP PEIS. Public comments will be received starting at 
7:15 p.m. until the end of each meeting. The formal commenting session 
will be transcribed by a court stenographer. The presiding officer will 
establish the order of the speakers and procedures to ensure that 
everyone who wishes to speak has an opportunity to do so. Depending on 
the number of speakers, the presiding officer may limit all speakers to 
a set amount of time initially and provide additional opportunities to 
speak as time permits. Individuals may also provide written materials 
in lieu of, or supplemental to, their presentations, and such 
additional information may be submitted in writing by the date listed 
in the DATES section. Both oral and written comments will be considered 
and given equal weight by DOE.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 15, 2011.
Thomas C. Pauling,
Acting Director, Office of Legacy Management.
[FR Doc. 2011-18373 Filed 7-20-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P