Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Plutonium Pit Production at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina and Announcement of Public Hearing, 18947-18948 [2020-06557]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 65 / Friday, April 3, 2020 / Notices
negotiate their own trade arrangements.
As part of this analysis, DOE will
consider the study entitled,
Macroeconomic Outcomes of Market
Determined Levels of U.S. LNG Exports
(2018 LNG Export Study),4 and DOE/
FE’s response to public comments
received on that Study.5
Additionally, DOE will consider the
following environmental documents:
• Addendum to Environmental
Review Documents Concerning Exports
of Natural Gas From the United States,
79 FR 48132 (Aug. 15, 2014); 6
• Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas
Perspective on Exporting Liquefied
Natural Gas From the United States, 79
FR 32260 (June 4, 2014); 7 and
• Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas
Perspective on Exporting Liquefied
Natural Gas From the United States:
2019 Update, 84 FR 49278 (Sept. 19,
2019), and DOE/FE’s response to public
comments received on that study.8
Parties that may oppose this
Application should address these issues
and documents in their comments and
protests, as well as other issues deemed
relevant to the Application.
The National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.,
requires DOE to give appropriate
consideration to the environmental
effects of its proposed decisions. No
final decision will be issued in this
proceeding until DOE has met its
environmental responsibilities.
Public Comment Procedures
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In response to this Notice, any person
may file a protest, comments, or a
motion to intervene or notice of
intervention, as applicable. Interested
parties will be provided 15 days from
the date of publication of this Notice in
which to submit comments, protests,
motions to intervene, or notices of
4 See NERA Economic Consulting,
Macroeconomic Outcomes of Market Determined
Levels of U.S. LNG Exports (June 7, 2018), available
at: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2018/
06/f52/Macroeconomic%20LNG%20Export
%20Study%202018.pdf.
5 U.S. Dep’t of Energy, Study on Macroeconomic
Outcomes of LNG Exports: Response to Comments
Received on Study; Notice of Response to
Comments, 83 FR 67251 (Dec. 28, 2018).
6 The Addendum and related documents are
available at: https://energy.gov/fe/draft-addendumenvironmental-review-documents-concerningexports-natural-gas-united-states.
7 The 2014 Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Report is
available at: https://energy.gov/fe/life-cyclegreenhouse-gas-perspective-exporting-liquefiednatural-gas-united-states.
8 U.S. Dep’t of Energy, Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas
Perspective on Exporting Liquefied Natural Gas
From the United States: 2019 Update—Response to
Comments, 85 FR 72 (Jan. 2, 2020). The 2019
Update and related documents are available at:
https://fossil.energy.gov/app/docketindex/docket/
index/21.
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17:45 Apr 02, 2020
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intervention. DOE/FE will disregard
comments or protests that do not bear
directly on the Application.
Any person wishing to become a party
to the proceeding must file a motion to
intervene or notice of intervention. The
filing of comments or a protest with
respect to the Application will not serve
to make the commenter or protestant a
party to the proceeding, although
protests and comments received from
persons who are not parties will be
considered in determining the
appropriate action to be taken on the
Application. All protests, comments,
motions to intervene, or notices of
intervention must meet the
requirements specified by the
regulations in 10 CFR part 590.
Filings may be submitted using one of
the following methods: (1) Emailing the
filing to fergas@hq.doe.gov, with FE
Docket Nos. 13–04–LNG and 16–109–
LNG in the title line; (2) mailing an
original and three paper copies of the
filing to the Office of Regulation,
Analysis, and Engagement at the
address listed in ADDRESSES; or (3) hand
delivering an original and three paper
copies of the filing to the Office of
Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement
at the address listed in ADDRESSES. All
filings must include a reference to FE
Docket Nos. 13–04–LNG and 16–109–
LNG. PLEASE NOTE: If submitting a
filing via email, please include all
related documents and attachments
(e.g., exhibits) in the original email
correspondence. Please do not include
any active hyperlinks or password
protection in any of the documents or
attachments related to the filing. All
electronic filings submitted to DOE
must follow these guidelines to ensure
that all documents are filed in a timely
manner. Any hardcopy filing submitted
greater in length than 50 pages must
also include, at the time of the filing, a
digital copy on disk of the entire
submission.
A decisional record on the
Application will be developed through
responses to this notice by parties,
including the parties’ written comments
and replies thereto. Additional
procedures will be used as necessary to
achieve a complete understanding of the
facts and issues. If an additional
procedure is scheduled, notice will be
provided to all parties. If no party
requests additional procedures, a final
Opinion and Order may be issued based
on the official record, including the
Application and responses filed by
parties pursuant to this notice, in
accordance with 10 CFR 590.316.
The Application is available for
inspection and copying in the Office of
Regulation, Analysis, and Engagement
PO 00000
Frm 00035
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18947
docket room, Room 3E–042, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20585. The docket room is open
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays. The Application and
any filed protests, motions to intervene
or notice of interventions, and
comments will also be available
electronically by going to the following
DOE/FE Web address: https://
www.fe.doe.gov/programs/
gasregulation/.
Signed in Washington, DC, on March 30,
2020.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Regulation, Analysis, and
Engagement, Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. 2020–06937 Filed 4–2–20; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security
Administration
Notice of Availability of Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
Plutonium Pit Production at the
Savannah River Site in South Carolina
and Announcement of Public Hearing
National Nuclear Security
Administration, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability and public
hearing.
AGENCY:
The National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA), a
semi-autonomous agency within the
United States (U.S.) Department of
Energy (DOE), announces the
availability of a Draft Environmental
Impact Statement for Plutonium Pit
Production at the Savannah River Site
in South Carolina (SRS Pit Production
EIS) (DOE/EIS–0541). NNSA is also
announcing a 45-day public comment
period and one public hearing to receive
comments on the Draft EIS. NNSA
prepared the Draft EIS to evaluate the
potential environmental impacts of
producing a minimum of 50 war reserve
pits per year at SRS and developing the
ability to implement a short-term surge
capacity to enable NNSA to meet the
requirements of producing pits at a rate
of not less than 80 war reserve pits per
year beginning during 2030 for the
nuclear weapons stockpile.
DATES: NNSA invites Federal and state
agencies, state and local governments,
Native American tribes, industry, other
organizations, and members of the
public to review and submit comments
on the Draft SRS Pit Production EIS
through May 18, 2020. NNSA is
SUMMARY:
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18948
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 65 / Friday, April 3, 2020 / Notices
planning to hold one public hearing on
the Draft EIS as follows:
In light of recent public health
concerns, NNSA will be hosting an
internet-based, virtual public hearing in
place of an in-person meeting. The date
of the hearing will be provided in a
future notice posted on the following
website: https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/
nnsa-nepa-reading-room. NNSA will
hold the hearing no earlier than 15 days
from the posting of the notice.
ADDRESSES: Written and oral comments
will be given equal weight and NNSA
will consider all comments received or
postmarked by the end of the comment
period in preparing the Final EIS.
Comments received or postmarked after
the comment period will be considered
to the extent practicable. Written
comments on the Draft EIS or requests
for information related to the Draft EIS
should be sent to Ms. Jennifer Nelson,
NEPA Compliance Officer, National
Nuclear Security Administration,
Savannah River Field Office, P.O. Box
A, Aiken, SC 29802; or sent by email to
NEPA–SRS@srs.gov. Before including
your address, phone number, email
address, or other personally identifiable
information in your comment, please be
advised that your entire comment—
including your personally identifiable
information—may be made publicly
available. If you wish for NNSA to
withhold your name and/or other
personally identifiable information,
please state this prominently at the
beginning of your comment. You may
also submit comments anonymously.
The Draft SRS Pit Production EIS is
available on the internet at: https://
www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepareading-room and https://
www.energy.gov/nepa/listings/latestdocuments-and-notices.
Information related to the online
public hearing, including internet and
telephone access details, and
instructions on how to participate will
be available at the following website:
https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsanepa-reading-room and announced in
local media outlets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information about this Notice,
please contact Ms. Jennifer Nelson,
NEPA Compliance Officer, National
Nuclear Security Administration
Savannah River Field Office, P.O. Box
A, Aiken, SC 29802; email: NEPA–SRS@
srs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: National
security policies require DOE, through
NNSA, to maintain the United States’
nuclear weapons stockpile, as well as
the nation’s core competencies in
nuclear weapons. NNSA has the
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17:45 Apr 02, 2020
Jkt 250001
mission to maintain and enhance the
safety, security, and effectiveness of the
nuclear weapons stockpile. Plutonium
pits are critical components of every
nuclear weapon, with nearly all current
stockpile pits having been produced
from 1978–1989. Today, the United
States’ capability to produce plutonium
pits is limited.
NNSA’s pit production mission was
emphasized as a national security
imperative by the 2018 Nuclear Posture
Review, issued in February 2018 by the
Office of the Secretary of Defense, and
subsequent congressional statements of
the policy of the United States. The
2018 Nuclear Posture Review
announced that the United States will
pursue initiatives to ensure the
necessary capability, capacity, and
responsiveness of the nuclear weapons
infrastructure and the needed skill of
the workforce, including providing the
enduring capability and capacity to
produce no fewer than 80 pits per year
by 2030. The 2018 Nuclear Posture
Review concludes that the United States
must have sufficient research, design,
development, and production capacity
to support the sustainment of its nuclear
forces. Additionally, in Section 3116 of
the National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020,
Congress required NNSA to produce 80
plutonium pits per year beginning
during 2030.
To that end, the Under Secretary of
Defense for Acquisition and
Sustainment and Under Secretary for
Nuclear Security and Administrator of
the NNSA issued a Joint Statement on
May 10, 2018, identifying their
recommended alternative to meet the pit
production requirement based on the
completion of an Analysis of
Alternatives, an Engineering
Assessment, and a Workforce Analysis.
To achieve the nation’s requirement of
producing no fewer than 80 pits per
year beginning during 2030, NNSA has
proposed to repurpose the Mixed-Oxide
Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) at SRS
to produce plutonium pits while also
relying upon pit production activities at
the Los Alamos National Laboratory
(LANL). This two-pronged approach—
with a minimum of 50 pits per year
produced at SRS and a minimum of 30
pits per year at LANL—is considered
the best way to manage the cost,
schedule, and risk of such a vital
undertaking. This approach improves
the resiliency, flexibility, and
redundancy of our Nuclear Security
Enterprise by reducing reliance on a
single production site.
The SRS Pit Production EIS is an
important element of the overall NEPA
strategy related to fulfilling national
PO 00000
Frm 00036
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
requirements for pit production, which
NNSA announced on June 10, 2019 (84
FR 26849). In the Draft EIS, NNSA
evaluates the potential impacts to the
environment and human health from
the following alternatives: (1) Proposed
Action to repurpose MFFF into the
Savannah River Plutonium Processing
Facility (SRPPF) to produce a minimum
of 50 pits per year; and (2) No Action
Alternative. The Proposed Action to
construct and operate the SRPPF to
produce a minimum of 50 pits per year
includes, but is not limited to:
Reconfiguration (including disassembly
and removal of equipment and utility
commodities) of the MFFF; installation
of equipment necessary for activities
associated with pit production before
disassembly/metal preparation, pit
assembly, machining, aqueous
processing, foundry operations, material
characterization, and analytical
chemistry operations for certification);
constructing and repurposing other
facilities surrounding the SRPPF for
support activities (e.g., waste handling,
training, office space, roads, storage, and
parking); security and nuclear safety
upgrades to support pit production;
providing reliable utilities and
infrastructure required for pit
production; and hiring and training
necessary workforce to ensure the safe,
secure, reliable, and responsive
capability for pit production at SRS.
Under the No-Action Alternative, the
existing MFFF would remain unused
and NNSA would utilize the capabilities
at LANL to meet the Nation’s long-term
needs for pit manufacturing.
Following this public comment
period, and after consideration of
comments received, NNSA will prepare
a Final SRS Pit Production EIS. NNSA
will announce the availability of the
Final EIS in the Federal Register and
local media outlets. If warranted, NNSA
will issue a record of decision (ROD) no
sooner than 30 days after publication by
the Environmental Protection Agency of
a Notice of Availability of the Final EIS.
Signed in Washington, DC, this 16th day of
March 2020, for the United States
Department of Energy.
Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty,
Under Secretary for Nuclear Security,
Administrator, NNSA.
[FR Doc. 2020–06557 Filed 4–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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03APN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 65 (Friday, April 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18947-18948]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06557]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for Plutonium Pit Production at the Savannah River Site in South
Carolina and Announcement of Public Hearing
AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-
autonomous agency within the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy
(DOE), announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for Plutonium Pit Production at the Savannah River Site in
South Carolina (SRS Pit Production EIS) (DOE/EIS-0541). NNSA is also
announcing a 45-day public comment period and one public hearing to
receive comments on the Draft EIS. NNSA prepared the Draft EIS to
evaluate the potential environmental impacts of producing a minimum of
50 war reserve pits per year at SRS and developing the ability to
implement a short-term surge capacity to enable NNSA to meet the
requirements of producing pits at a rate of not less than 80 war
reserve pits per year beginning during 2030 for the nuclear weapons
stockpile.
DATES: NNSA invites Federal and state agencies, state and local
governments, Native American tribes, industry, other organizations, and
members of the public to review and submit comments on the Draft SRS
Pit Production EIS through May 18, 2020. NNSA is
[[Page 18948]]
planning to hold one public hearing on the Draft EIS as follows:
In light of recent public health concerns, NNSA will be hosting an
internet-based, virtual public hearing in place of an in-person
meeting. The date of the hearing will be provided in a future notice
posted on the following website: https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room. NNSA will hold the hearing no earlier than 15 days from
the posting of the notice.
ADDRESSES: Written and oral comments will be given equal weight and
NNSA will consider all comments received or postmarked by the end of
the comment period in preparing the Final EIS. Comments received or
postmarked after the comment period will be considered to the extent
practicable. Written comments on the Draft EIS or requests for
information related to the Draft EIS should be sent to Ms. Jennifer
Nelson, NEPA Compliance Officer, National Nuclear Security
Administration, Savannah River Field Office, P.O. Box A, Aiken, SC
29802; or sent by email to [email protected]. Before including your
address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable
information in your comment, please be advised that your entire
comment--including your personally identifiable information--may be
made publicly available. If you wish for NNSA to withhold your name
and/or other personally identifiable information, please state this
prominently at the beginning of your comment. You may also submit
comments anonymously.
The Draft SRS Pit Production EIS is available on the internet at:
https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room and https://www.energy.gov/nepa/listings/latest-documents-and-notices.
Information related to the online public hearing, including
internet and telephone access details, and instructions on how to
participate will be available at the following website: https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room and announced in local media
outlets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this
Notice, please contact Ms. Jennifer Nelson, NEPA Compliance Officer,
National Nuclear Security Administration Savannah River Field Office,
P.O. Box A, Aiken, SC 29802; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: National security policies require DOE,
through NNSA, to maintain the United States' nuclear weapons stockpile,
as well as the nation's core competencies in nuclear weapons. NNSA has
the mission to maintain and enhance the safety, security, and
effectiveness of the nuclear weapons stockpile. Plutonium pits are
critical components of every nuclear weapon, with nearly all current
stockpile pits having been produced from 1978-1989. Today, the United
States' capability to produce plutonium pits is limited.
NNSA's pit production mission was emphasized as a national security
imperative by the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review, issued in February 2018
by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and subsequent congressional
statements of the policy of the United States. The 2018 Nuclear Posture
Review announced that the United States will pursue initiatives to
ensure the necessary capability, capacity, and responsiveness of the
nuclear weapons infrastructure and the needed skill of the workforce,
including providing the enduring capability and capacity to produce no
fewer than 80 pits per year by 2030. The 2018 Nuclear Posture Review
concludes that the United States must have sufficient research, design,
development, and production capacity to support the sustainment of its
nuclear forces. Additionally, in Section 3116 of the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, Congress required
NNSA to produce 80 plutonium pits per year beginning during 2030.
To that end, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and
Sustainment and Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and Administrator
of the NNSA issued a Joint Statement on May 10, 2018, identifying their
recommended alternative to meet the pit production requirement based on
the completion of an Analysis of Alternatives, an Engineering
Assessment, and a Workforce Analysis. To achieve the nation's
requirement of producing no fewer than 80 pits per year beginning
during 2030, NNSA has proposed to repurpose the Mixed-Oxide Fuel
Fabrication Facility (MFFF) at SRS to produce plutonium pits while also
relying upon pit production activities at the Los Alamos National
Laboratory (LANL). This two-pronged approach--with a minimum of 50 pits
per year produced at SRS and a minimum of 30 pits per year at LANL--is
considered the best way to manage the cost, schedule, and risk of such
a vital undertaking. This approach improves the resiliency,
flexibility, and redundancy of our Nuclear Security Enterprise by
reducing reliance on a single production site.
The SRS Pit Production EIS is an important element of the overall
NEPA strategy related to fulfilling national requirements for pit
production, which NNSA announced on June 10, 2019 (84 FR 26849). In the
Draft EIS, NNSA evaluates the potential impacts to the environment and
human health from the following alternatives: (1) Proposed Action to
repurpose MFFF into the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility
(SRPPF) to produce a minimum of 50 pits per year; and (2) No Action
Alternative. The Proposed Action to construct and operate the SRPPF to
produce a minimum of 50 pits per year includes, but is not limited to:
Reconfiguration (including disassembly and removal of equipment and
utility commodities) of the MFFF; installation of equipment necessary
for activities associated with pit production before disassembly/metal
preparation, pit assembly, machining, aqueous processing, foundry
operations, material characterization, and analytical chemistry
operations for certification); constructing and repurposing other
facilities surrounding the SRPPF for support activities (e.g., waste
handling, training, office space, roads, storage, and parking);
security and nuclear safety upgrades to support pit production;
providing reliable utilities and infrastructure required for pit
production; and hiring and training necessary workforce to ensure the
safe, secure, reliable, and responsive capability for pit production at
SRS. Under the No-Action Alternative, the existing MFFF would remain
unused and NNSA would utilize the capabilities at LANL to meet the
Nation's long-term needs for pit manufacturing.
Following this public comment period, and after consideration of
comments received, NNSA will prepare a Final SRS Pit Production EIS.
NNSA will announce the availability of the Final EIS in the Federal
Register and local media outlets. If warranted, NNSA will issue a
record of decision (ROD) no sooner than 30 days after publication by
the Environmental Protection Agency of a Notice of Availability of the
Final EIS.
Signed in Washington, DC, this 16th day of March 2020, for the
United States Department of Energy.
Lisa E. Gordon-Hagerty,
Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, Administrator, NNSA.
[FR Doc. 2020-06557 Filed 4-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P