Department of Energy October 10, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In July 2008, the Department of Energy (Department or DOE) issued the ``Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High- Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, NevadaNevada Rail Transportation Corridor'' (DOE/EIS-0250F-S2) (hereafter referred to as the final Nevada Rail Corridor SEIS), the ``Final Environmental Impact Statement for a Rail Alignment for the Construction and Operation of a Railroad in Nevada to a Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada'' (DOE/EIS-0369) (hereafter referred to as the final Rail Alignment EIS), and the ``Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada'' (DOE/EIS-0250F-S1) (hereafter referred to as the final Repository SEIS). The final Nevada Rail Corridor SEIS analyzed the potential impacts of constructing and operating a railroad for shipments of spent nuclear fuel, high-level radioactive waste, and other materials in the Mina corridor, and DOE concluded that the Mina corridor warranted further analysis at the alignment level. This further, more detailed analysis is presented in the final Rail Alignment EIS, which analyzed the potential environmental impacts of constructing and operating a railroad along rail alignments in both the Caliente and Mina rail corridors. The final Rail Alignment EIS also analyzed the potential environmental impacts from shipments of general freight (also referred to as common carriage shipments or the Shared-Use Option) on a railroad in either corridor. The final Repository SEIS analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the construction, operation, and eventual closure of a repository at Yucca Mountain. The final Repository SEIS also included the potential impacts from national transportation, as well as the potential impacts in Nevada from the construction and operation of a railroad along specific alignments in the Caliente and Mina rail corridors. DOE concluded in the final Repository SEIS that the potential impacts associated with the repository design and operational plans are similar in scale to the impacts analyzed in the ``Final Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada'' (DOE/EIS-0250F, February 2002) (Yucca Mountain Final EIS). Based on the analyses in the final Rail Alignment EIS, among other considerations as discussed herein, the Department has decided to construct and operate a railroad along a rail alignment within the Caliente corridor. DOE also has decided to allow shipments of general freight on the rail line (Shared-Use Option). The Department will obtain all regulatory approvals necessary to construct and operate the railroad, and allow common carriage shipments.

The Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) has submitted for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission)'s approval a new methodology for determining the average system cost (ASC) of a utility's resources under the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Northwest Power Act). Bonneville requested that the Commission revise its regulations to incorporate the new methodology and to make the revised regulations effective October 1, 2008. On an interim basis, the Commission is conditionally revising its regulations governing the ASC methodology used by Bonneville in its Residential Exchange Program. The Commission also is requesting comments on whether, on a final basis, the Commission should approve the new ASC methodology proposed by Bonneville.