Department of Energy January 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Energy (DOE) is further revising the Record of Decision (61 FR 25092; May 17, 1996) on the Environmental Impact Statement on a Proposed Nuclear Weapons Nonproliferation Policy Concerning Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR SNF EIS) (DOE/EIS-0218, February 1996) to allow the United States to transport up to 1 metric ton heavy metal (MTHM) (1.1 tons) of spent nuclear fuel (Gap Material SNF) from foreign research reactor (FRR) locations to the United States and safely store this Gap Material at a DOE site pending disposition. Gap Material consists primarily \1\ of a limited quantity of (1) SNF containing non-U.S.-origin highly enriched uranium (HEU) and (2) SNF containing U.S.-origin HEU that was not previously addressed in the FRR SNF EIS. DOE prepared a Supplement Analysis of the FRR SNF EIS in accordance with DOE's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Procedures (10 CFR Part 1021). This analysis addressed the potential health and environmental impacts of accepting Gap Material SNF and concluded that the recovery and transport of this material to the United States would constitute neither substantial changes to the proposed action nor significant new circumstances relevant to environmental concerns bearing on the proposed action evaluated in the FRR SNF EIS. Acceptance of Gap Material SNF would not cause the total quantity of SNF projected to be received under DOE's FRR SNF Acceptance Program to exceed the estimates analyzed in the FRR SNF EIS.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing amendments to its test procedures for fluorescent lamp ballasts under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. These amendments address the measurement of energy consumption of fluorescent lamp ballasts in the standby and off modes. DOE is also announcing a public meeting to receive comment on the issues presented in this notice.

The Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are announcing the availability of the final ``Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Assessment of Materials and Equipment manual'' (MARSAME). MARSAME provides information on planning, conducting, evaluating, and documenting radiological surveys for demonstrating compliance with measurable action levels. The MARSAME manual is a multi-agency consensus document. The agencies previously have sought public comment in order to receive feedback from the widest range of interested parties and to ensure that all information relevant to developing the document was received. The agencies reviewed public comments received on the draft MARSAME as well as comments from a concurrent, independent, technical peer review. Suggested changes were incorporated, where appropriate, in response to those comments.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Portsmouth. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

The Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) is making available its National Transportation Plan, Revision 0 (DOE/RW-0603, January 2009) for public review and comment. The National Transportation Plan outlines OCRWM's current strategy and planning for developing and implementing the transportation system that will be required to transport spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high-level radioactive waste (HLW) from where the material is generated or stored to the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. OCRWM does not expect actual shipments to begin before 2020, but has started the transportation planning process well in advance to ensure the concerns and input of State, Tribal and local officials, as well as other involved and interested parties, are taken into account. OCRWM's National Transportation Plan will be updated as appropriate to accommodate changes to the waste management system, reflect progress in the development and implementation of the transportation system, and incorporate stakeholder and public comments. OCRWM also anticipates that detailed implementation plans will be developed in collaboration with the stakeholder community.

The Acting Deputy Secretary of Energy confirmed and approved Rate Order No. WAPA-140 and Rate Schedules P-SED-F10 and P-SED-FP10, placing firm power and firm peaking power rates from the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin ProgramEastern Division (P-SMBPED) of the Western Area Power Administration (Western) into effect on an interim basis. The provisional rates will be in effect until the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) confirms, approves, and places them into effect on a final basis or until they are replaced by other rates. The provisional rates will provide sufficient revenue to pay all annual costs, including interest expense, and repayment of power investment and irrigation aid within the allowable periods.

On November 20, 2008, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a Notice of Inquiry to consider whether to revise its contract reporting requirements for those natural gas pipelines that fall under the Commission's jurisdiction pursuant to section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 or section 1(c) of the Natural Gas Act (November 28, 2008, 73 FR 72395). The deadline for filing comments is being extended at the request of the Texas Pipeline Association. Comment Date: Comments are due on or before February 13, 2009.