Notice2021-25724
Notice of Request for Information (RFI) on Using a Consent-Based Siting Process To Identify Federal Interim Storage Facilities
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Published
December 1, 2021
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), requests information on how to site Federal facilities for the temporary, consolidated storage of spent nuclear fuel using a consent- based approach. DOE anticipates that communities; governments at the local, State, and Tribal levels; members of the public; energy and environmental justice groups; organizations or corporations; and other stakeholders may be interested in responding to this Request for Information (RFI). We especially welcome insight from people, communities, and groups that have historically not been well- represented in these discussions. Responses to the RFI will inform development of a consent-based siting process, overall strategy for an integrated waste management system, and possibly a funding opportunity.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 228 (Wednesday, December 1, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 228 (Wednesday, December 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68244-68246]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25724]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Request for Information (RFI) on Using a Consent-Based
Siting Process To Identify Federal Interim Storage Facilities
AGENCY: Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition, Office of Nuclear
Energy, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE), requests information on how to site Federal facilities for the
temporary, consolidated storage of spent nuclear fuel using a consent-
based approach. DOE anticipates that communities; governments at the
local, State, and Tribal levels; members of the public; energy and
environmental justice groups; organizations or corporations; and other
stakeholders may be interested in responding to this Request for
Information (RFI). We especially welcome insight from people,
communities, and groups that have historically not been well-
represented in these discussions. Responses to the RFI will inform
development of a consent-based siting process, overall strategy for an
integrated waste management system, and possibly a funding opportunity.
DATES: Responses to the RFI must be received by March 4, 2022 by 5:00
p.m. (ET).
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit comments electronically to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e5868a8b96808b918784968081968c918c8b82a58d94cb818a80cb828a93"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="99faf6f7eafcf7edfbf8eafcfdeaf0edf0f7fed9f1e8b7fdf6fcb7fef6ef">[email protected]</span></a>. Include ``RFI: Consent-Based Siting and
Federal Interim Storage'' in the subject line of the email. Email
attachments can be provided as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file or an
Adobe PDF (.pdf) file, prepared in accordance with the detailed
instructions in the RFI. Documents submitted electronically should
clearly indicate which topic areas and specific questions are being
addressed, and should be limited to no more than 45MB in size.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please send any questions to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d8bbb7b6abbdb6acbab9abbdbcabb1acb1b6bf98b0a9f6bcb7bdf6bfb7ae"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="84e7ebeaf7e1eaf0e6e5f7e1e0f7edf0edeae3c4ecf5aae0ebe1aae3ebf2">[email protected]</span></a>, or to Alisa Trunzo at 301-903-9600.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 68245]]
Background
In 2015, DOE began developing a consent-based process for siting
storage or disposal facilities collaboratively with members of the
public, communities, stakeholders, and governments at the Tribal,
State, and local levels. As part of this initiative, the Department
issued an Invitation for Public Comment (<a href="http://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/12/f34/Summary">www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/12/f34/Summary</a> of Public Input Report FINAL.pdf) and
conducted a series of public meetings to seek feedback and inform
future efforts. Based on that feedback, as well as the findings of
several expert groups, DOE developed and requested public comment on
the Draft Consent-Based Siting Process for Consolidated Storage and
Disposal Facilities for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive
Waste (the ``Draft Consent-Based Siting Process,'' <a href="http://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/01/f34/Draft">www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/01/f34/Draft</a> Consent-Based Siting Process and
Siting Considerations.pdf) in January 2017.
In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Congress appropriated
funds to the Department for interim storage activities. Interim storage
is an important component of a waste management system and will enable
near-term consolidation and temporary storage of spent nuclear fuel.
This will allow for removal of spent nuclear fuel from reactor sites,
provide useful research opportunities, and build trust and confidence
with stakeholders and the public by demonstrating a consent-based
approach to siting.
DOE anticipates that an interim storage facility would need to
operate until the fuel can be moved to final disposal. The duration of
the interim period depends on the completion of a series of significant
steps, such as the need to identify, license, and construct a facility,
plus the time needed to move the spent nuclear fuel.
Questions for Input
Given Congressional appropriations to move forward with interim
storage activities, we are seeking input on using a consent-based
process to site federal interim storage facilities. We will use
responses to this RFI, along with comments received in 2017 on the
Draft Consent-Based Siting Process (<a href="http://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/01/f34/Draft">www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/01/f34/Draft</a> Consent-Based Siting Process and Siting
Considerations.pdf), to help develop a consent-based siting process for
use in siting federal interim storage facilities, the overall strategy
for development and operation of an integrated waste management system,
and possibly a funding opportunity.
Respondents to this RFI do not need to address every question, but
DOE welcomes input in all of the following areas.
Area 1: Consent-Based Siting Process
1. How should the Department build considerations of social equity
and environmental justice into a consent-based siting process?
2. What role should Tribal, State, and local governments and
officials play in determining consent for a community to host a federal
interim storage facility?
3. What benefits or opportunities could encourage local, State, and
Tribal governments to consider engaging with the Department as it works
to identify federal interim storage sites?
4. What are barriers or impediments to successful siting of federal
interim storage facilities using a consent-based process and how could
they be addressed?
5. How should the Department work with local communities to
establish reasonable expectations and plans concerning the duration of
storage at federal interim storage facilities?
6. What organizations or communities should the Department consider
partnering with to develop a consent-based approach to siting?
7. What other issues, including those raised in the Draft Consent-
Based Siting Process (<a href="http://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/01/f34/Draft">www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2017/01/f34/Draft</a>
Consent-Based Siting Process and Siting Considerations.pdf), should the
Department consider in implementing a consent-based siting process?
Area 2: Removing Barriers to Meaningful Participation
1. What barriers might prevent meaningful participation in a
consent-based siting process and how could those barriers be mitigated
or removed?
2. What resources might be needed to ensure potentially interested
communities have adequate opportunities for information sharing, expert
assistance, and meaningful participation in the consent-based siting
process?
3. How could the Department maximize opportunities for mutual
learning and collaboration with potentially interested communities?
4. How might the Department more effectively engage with local,
State, and Tribal governments on consent-based siting of federal
interim storage facilities?
5. What information do communities, governments, or other
stakeholders need to engage with the Department on consent-based siting
of federal interim storage facilities?
Area 3: Interim Storage as Part of a Waste Management System
1. How can the Department ensure considerations of social equity
and environmental justice are addressed in developing the nation's
waste management system?
2. What are possible benefits or drawbacks to co-locating multiple
facilities within the waste management system or co-locating waste
management facilities with manufacturing facilities, research and
development infrastructure, or clean energy technologies?
3. To what extent should development of an interim storage facility
relate to progress on establishing a permanent repository?
4. What other issues should the Department consider in developing a
waste management system?
Response Preparation and Transmittal Instructions
Please submit responses to this RFI electronically to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#03606c6d70666d776162706667706a776a6d64436b722d676c662d646c75"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b2d1dddcc1d7dcc6d0d3c1d7d6c1dbc6dbdcd5f2dac39cd6ddd79cd5ddc4">[email protected]</span></a> no later than 5:00 p.m. (ET) on March 4,
2022. Please include in the subject line ``RFI: Consent-Based Siting
and Federal Interim Storage.'' Responses must be received by March 4,
2022, for immediate consideration; however, DOE will continue to accept
responses after that date and will review as time permits. Responses
may be directly emailed or provided as attachments to an email. It is
recommended that attachments with file sizes exceeding 25MB be
compressed (i.e., zipped) to ensure message delivery; however, no email
shall exceed a total of 45MB, including all attachments. Responses sent
as an email attachment must be provided as a Microsoft Word (.docx) or
Portable Document Format (.pdf) document.
Please identify your answers by responding to a specific question
or topic, if applicable. Please clearly state the specific question to
which you are responding. All proprietary and restricted information
must be clearly marked. Respondents may answer as many or as few
questions as they wish. DOE will not respond to individual submissions.
A response to this RFI will not be viewed as a binding commitment to
develop or pursue the project or ideas discussed.
Please provide the following information at the start of your
response:
<bullet> Community, organization, or company (if applicable)
<bullet> Contact name
<bullet> Contact's address, phone number, and email address
[[Page 68246]]
Data collected from this RFI will not be protected from the public
view in any way. Individual commentors' names and addresses (including
email addresses) received as part of this RFI are part of the public
record. DOE plans to post all comment documents received in their
entirety at following the close of the public comment period. Any
person wishing to have their name, address, email address, or other
identifying information withheld from the public record of comment
documents must state this request prominently at the beginning of any
comment document, or else no redactions will be made.
Disclaimer and Important Note
This RFI is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), prize, or
any other type of solicitation; therefore, DOE is not accepting
applications at this time. DOE may issue a FOA or other solicitation in
the future based on or related to the content and responses to this
RFI; however, there is no guarantee that a FOA or solicitation will be
issued as a result of this RFI. Responding to this RFI does not provide
any advantage or disadvantage to potential applicants if DOE chooses to
issue a FOA regarding the subject matter. Final details, including the
anticipated award size, quantity, and timing of DOE-funded awards, will
be subject to Congressional appropriations and direction.
Any information obtained as a result of this RFI is intended to be
used by the Government on a non-attribution basis for planning and
strategy development. This RFI does not constitute a formal
solicitation for proposals or abstracts. Your response to this notice
will be treated as information only. DOE will review and consider all
responses in its formulation of program strategies for the identified
materials of interest that are the subject of this request. DOE will
not provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this RFI.
Respondents are advised that DOE is under no obligation to acknowledge
receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents
with respect to any information submitted under this RFI. Responses to
this RFI do not bind DOE to any further actions related to this topic.
If you need assistance in a language other than English, please
visit <a href="http://www.energy.gov/consentbasedsiting">www.energy.gov/consentbasedsiting</a> where additional resources will
be made available or contact <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1a797574697f746e787b697f7e69736e73747d5a726b347e757f347d756c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="25464a4b56404b514744564041564c514c4b42654d540b414a400b424a53">[email protected]</span></a>.
Thank you in advance for your input, and we look forward to
receiving your responses.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on November
18, 2021, by Dr. Kathryn Huff, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for
the Office of Nuclear Energy, pursuant to delegated authority from the
Secretary of Energy. That document with the original signature and date
is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in
compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on November 19, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-25724 Filed 11-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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