Department of Energy March 22, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is providing this Advance Notice of Intent (ANOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) Technology Demonstration Program. The GNEP Technology Demonstration Program would demonstrate certain technologies that could change the way spent nuclear fuel from commercial light-water nuclear power reactors is managed. This EIS will inform DOE officials and the public of the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, which is to demonstrate U.S. capability to safely recycle spent nuclear fuel using proliferation-resistant separation processes and the conversion of transuranics into shorter-lived radioisotopes. The proposed action includes three key elements that would comprise a proliferation-resistant closed fuel cycle: (1) The demonstration of separation processes in which usable and waste materials that are found in spent nuclear fuel are separated; (2) the demonstration of the conversion of transuranics; and (3) the demonstration of an advanced fuel fabrication process. The EIS will evaluate all reasonable alternative technologies and locations for the key elements of the proposed GNEP Technology Demonstration Program. New facilities and modifications to existing facilities might be required for the Technology Demonstration Program. The EIS will address siting, construction or modification, and operation of these facilities. DOE is issuing this ANOI, pursuant to its NEPA regulations at 10 CFR 1021.311(b), to inform and request early comments from Federal agencies, state and local governments, Native American tribes, industry, other organizations, and members of the public regarding the proposed action, the reasonable alternatives, and the potential environmental impacts.