Notice2021-27558
Draft Environmental Assessment for the Commercial Disposal of Savannah River Site Contaminated Process Equipment
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 21, 2021
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of its Draft Environmental Assessment for the Commercial Disposal of Savannah River Site Contaminated Process Equipment (DOE/EA-2154) (Draft Savannah River Site (SRS) Contaminated Process Equipment Environmental Assessment (EA)). The Draft SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA evaluates the potential impacts from a proposed action to dispose of certain SRS contaminated process equipment at a commercial low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal facility outside of South Carolina, licensed by either the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or an Agreement State pursuant to NRC's regulations for land disposal of radioactive waste. The proposed disposal of the SRS contaminated process equipment is being analyzed consistent with the Department's interpretation of the statutory term "high-level radioactive waste" (HLW) as defined in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), and Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended (NWPA).
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 242 (Tuesday, December 21, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 21, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72217-72220]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27558]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Draft Environmental Assessment for the Commercial Disposal of
Savannah River Site Contaminated Process Equipment
AGENCY: Office of Environmental Management, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability
of its Draft Environmental Assessment for the Commercial Disposal of
[[Page 72218]]
Savannah River Site Contaminated Process Equipment (DOE/EA-2154) (Draft
Savannah River Site (SRS) Contaminated Process Equipment Environmental
Assessment (EA)). The Draft SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA
evaluates the potential impacts from a proposed action to dispose of
certain SRS contaminated process equipment at a commercial low-level
radioactive waste (LLW) disposal facility outside of South Carolina,
licensed by either the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or an
Agreement State pursuant to NRC's regulations for land disposal of
radioactive waste. The proposed disposal of the SRS contaminated
process equipment is being analyzed consistent with the Department's
interpretation of the statutory term ``high-level radioactive waste''
(HLW) as defined in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA),
and Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended (NWPA).
DATES: The 45-day public comment period extends from the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register through February 4,
2022, in consideration of the end of calendar year 2021 holidays. DOE
will hold an informational webinar on January 11, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET.
See section V, ``Public Participation,'' for further information on the
public comment process and the informational webinar.
ADDRESSES: Please direct written comments or questions on the Draft SRS
Contaminated Process Equipment EA using one of the following methods:
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f0a3a2a395818599809d959e84b5b1b0959dde949f95de979f86"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="431011102632362a332e262d37060203262e6d272c266d242c35">[email protected]</span></a>. Please submit comments in
Microsoft\TM\ Word or PDF file format and avoid the use of encryption.
Although DOE has routinely accepted public comment submissions
through a variety of mechanisms, including postal mail and hand
delivery/courier, the Department has found it necessary to make
temporary modifications to the comment submission process in light of
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For this EA, DOE is suspending receipt
of public comments via postal mail and hand delivery/courier. If a
commenter finds that this change poses an undue hardship, please
contact James Joyce at (202) 586-5000 to discuss the need for
alternative arrangements.
The Draft SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA is available at:
<a href="https://www.energy.gov/em/downloads/draft-environmental-assessment-commercial-disposal-srs-contaminated-process-equipment">https://www.energy.gov/em/downloads/draft-environmental-assessment-commercial-disposal-srs-contaminated-process-equipment</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Joyce, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Environmental Management, at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eab9b8b98f9b9f839a878f849eafabaa8f87c48e858fc48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9fcccdccfaeeeaf6eff2faf1ebdadedffaf2b1fbf0fab1f8f0e9">[email protected]</span></a> or (202) 586-5000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
SRS occupies approximately 310 square miles primarily in Aiken and
Barnwell counties in South Carolina. Over the years, a primary SRS
mission has been the production of special radioactive isotopes to
support national defense programs, including reprocessing of spent
nuclear fuel and target materials. More recently, the SRS mission has
emphasized waste management, environmental restoration, and the
decontamination and decommissioning of facilities that are no longer
needed for SRS's traditional defense activities. SRS generated large
quantities of liquid radioactive waste as a result of reprocessing
activities associated with its nuclear materials production mission.
The SRS process equipment has been utilized during the on-site
storage and treatment of the reprocessing waste, which results in the
equipment's contamination. This Draft SRS Contaminated Process
Equipment EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated
with the commercial disposal of SRS process equipment contaminated with
reprocessing waste. Portions of the Tank 28F salt sampling drill
string, glass bubblers, and glass pumps are comprised of hazardous
components (e.g., lead) or are contaminated with hazardous
constituents. Because there are no permitted facilities at SRS for the
disposal of mixed LLW, this contaminated process equipment cannot be
disposed of on-site.
The Tank 28F salt sampling drill string was used to collect
reprocessing waste samples from the waste storage tank in F-Area. The
Tank 28F salt sampling drill string consists of steel piping measuring
2.25 inches in outer diameter by 41 feet long, contaminated with
reprocessing waste (supernatant) from Tank 28F. Contaminants include a
mixture of radionuclides (e.g., cesium-137 and plutonium-238). The Tank
28F drill string is currently stored in a large container in a high-
radiation area south of the H-Area Tank Farm until a disposal path can
be established.
The glass bubblers are used to increase the efficiency of the SRS
Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) melter operations, where high-
activity tank waste is vitrified into glass under high temperature.
Each glass bubbler is made up of a \3/4\-inch Inconel pipe, which is
inserted into the DWPF melter and through which an inert gas is
introduced to increase melter efficiency. During operations,
approximately three feet of the lower portion of the bubbler is
submerged in the melt pool and becomes contaminated with various
radionuclides (e.g., cesium-137 and plutonium-238). The total length of
each complete bubbler assembly is between 8.8 feet and 9.4 feet, as
there are four design lengths based on the bubbler location in the
melter. SRS currently has approximately 60 contaminated bubblers in
storage and is expected to generate four contaminated glass bubblers
every six months until DWPF operations are completed in the 2034
timeframe. Based on the glass bubbler replacement rate of eight
bubblers annually, DOE projects a need to dispose of approximately 172
bubblers by the forecasted end of DWPF operations. The bubblers are
currently stored inside the DWPF canyon building.
The glass pumps were previously used to support melter efficiency
but have been replaced by the glass bubblers and therefore are no
longer generated at SRS. Each glass pump includes a section of Inconel
pipe, measuring approximately 3.625 inches in outer diameter; only the
lower portion (two feet) of which was in the melt pool and contains
contaminated glass. The overall glass pump is about 11 feet long. There
are approximately 10 glass pumps in storage at SRS requiring disposal.
Similar to the glass bubblers, the glass pumps are currently stored
inside the DWPF canyon building.
This Draft SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA will be the second
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis proposing to apply
the high-level radioactive waste interpretation (HLWI) to a particular
waste stream. In August 2020, DOE completed its first NEPA analysis
(Commercial Disposal of DWPF Recycle Wastewater Environmental
Assessment, DOE/EA-2115) analyzing a proposed application of the
HLWI.\1\ This was implemented in accordance with the June 10, 2019,
Supplemental Notice Concerning U.S. Department of Energy Interpretation
of High-Level Radioactive Waste (Supplemental Notice), 84 FR 26835, in
which DOE provided its interpretation of the statutory term HLW as
defined in the AEA \2\ and NWPA.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ NEPA documents and technical documents for the commercial
disposal of DWPF recycle wastewater from SRS under the HLWI can be
found at: <a href="https://www.energy.gov/em/program-scope/high-level-radioactive-waste-hlw-interpretation">https://www.energy.gov/em/program-scope/high-level-radioactive-waste-hlw-interpretation</a>.
\2\ 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.
\3\ 42 U.S.C. 10101 et seq.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 72219]]
In early 2021, various stakeholders submitted both supportive and
non-supportive letters to the Secretary of Energy regarding the HLWI.
The Secretary is committed to implementing the Department's
environmental cleanup programs in a manner that is consistent with the
law and that makes evidence-based decisions guided by the best
available science and data. The Department assessed the HLWI in light
of this commitment; please see separate Federal Register Notice,
Assessment of Department of Energy's Interpretation of the Definition
of High-Level Radioactive Waste, which is being published in the
Federal Register concurrently with this notice, documenting the
Department's assessment and affirming the Department's interpretation
of the statutory term ``high-level radioactive waste'' as defined in
the AEA and the NWPA.
II. Purpose and Need for Action
There is no current disposal pathway for the SRS contaminated
process equipment. The purpose and need for DOE's action is to identify
a disposal pathway for the SRS contaminated process equipment to
mitigate on-site storage constraints, improve worker safety, and
support accelerated completion of the environmental cleanup mission at
SRS.
III. Proposed Action and Alternatives
Under the proposed action, DOE would dispose of the SRS
contaminated process equipment (Tank 28F salt sampling drill string,
glass bubblers, and glass pumps) at a commercial LLW disposal facility
outside of South Carolina licensed by either the NRC or an Agreement
State under 10 CFR part 61. Prior to a disposal decision, DOE would
characterize the contaminated process equipment to verify with the
licensed offsite commercial LLW disposal facility whether the waste
meets DOE's HLWI Criterion 1 for disposal as non-HLW, in accordance
with DOE Manual 435.1-1, Radioactive Waste Management Manual. DOE would
demonstrate compliance with the waste acceptance criteria and all other
requirements of the disposal facility, including any applicable
regulatory requirements for management of the waste prior to disposal
and applicable U.S. Department of Transportation and NRC requirements
for packaging and transportation from SRS to the commercial disposal
facility. DOE has identified two reasonable action alternatives for the
proposed action:
<bullet> Alternative 1--If determined to be Class B or Class C
LLW,\4\ DOE would stabilize and package the waste at SRS and ship the
waste packages to Waste Control Specialists LLC (WCS) in Andrews
County, Texas, for disposal.\5\ Implementation would be dependent upon
the waste meeting the facility's waste acceptance criteria, among other
requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ In its 10 CFR part 61 regulations, NRC has identified
classes of LLW--Class A, B, or C--for which near-surface disposal is
safe for public health and the environment. This waste
classification regime is based on the concentration levels of a
combination of specified short-lived and long-lived radionuclides in
a waste stream, with Class C LLW having the highest concentration
levels.
\5\ Because the SRS contaminated process equipment would most
likely result in Class B or Class C LLW, this has been identified as
the first alternative.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
<bullet> Alternative 2--If determined to be Class A LLW, DOE would
stabilize and package the waste at SRS and ship the waste packages to
either EnergySolutions \6\ in Clive, Utah, or WCS in Andrews County,
Texas, for disposal. Implementation would be dependent upon the waste
meeting the facility's waste acceptance criteria, among other
requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\6\ EnergySolutions is currently licensed to only dispose of
Class A LLW and mixed LLW; WCS is licensed to dispose of Class A,
Class B, and Class C LLW and mixed LLW.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The EA also evaluates a No-Action Alternative under which the
contaminated process equipment would remain in storage at SRS until
another disposal path was identified.
IV. NEPA Process
Comments on the Draft SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA
received during the public comment period will be considered during
preparation of the Final SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA.
Following the public comment period--and based on the Final SRS
Contaminated Process Equipment EA and consideration of all comments
received--DOE will either issue a Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) or announce its intent to prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS). If DOE determines that a FONSI is appropriate, both
the Final EA and FONSI will be made available to the public. If DOE
determines that an EIS is needed, either during preparation of the
Final SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA or after completing the EA,
DOE would issue in the Federal Register a Notice of Intent to prepare
an EIS.
Consultations with other agencies (e.g., State Historic
Preservation Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) were not required
or undertaken in connection with the Draft SRS Contaminated Process
Equipment EA because the Proposed Action would not impact cultural
resources, historic properties, or threatened or endangered species.
The following regulatory agencies were notified of the preparation of
this Draft SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA: U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency; NRC; Idaho Department of Environmental Quality;
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection; New York State Energy
Research and Development Authority; South Carolina Department of Health
and Environmental Control; Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
Utah Department of Environmental Quality; and Washington State
Department of Ecology.
V. Public Participation
Submission of Public Comments: DOE will accept comments on the
Draft SRS Contaminated Process Equipment EA no later than the date
provided in the DATES section at the beginning of this notice.
Interested parties may submit comments using any of the methods
described in the ADDRESSES section at the beginning of this notice.
Because your comments will be made public, you are solely responsible
for ensuring that your comments do not include any Confidential
Business Information that you or a third party may not wish to be
posted.
Confidential Business Information. Pursuant to 10 CFR 1004.11, any
person submitting information that he or she believes to be
confidential and exempt by law from public disclosure should submit via
email two well-marked copies: One copy of the document marked
confidential including all the information believed to be confidential,
and one copy of the document marked non-confidential with the
information believed to be confidential deleted. It is DOE's policy
that all comments will be included in the public docket, without change
and as received, including any personal information provided in the
comments (except information deemed to be exempt from public
disclosure).
Informational Webinar: The time and date of the webinar are listed
in the DATES section at the beginning of this notice. This webinar,
which will provide an overview of the Draft SRS Contaminated Process
Equipment EA, can be accessed at: <a href="https://doe.webex.com/doe/j.php?MTID=m60ab8e647f04ce33ab25e3cf7e5b60ea">https://doe.webex.com/doe/j.php?MTID=m60ab8e647f04ce33ab25e3cf7e5b60ea</a>.
No registration is required. Participants are responsible for
ensuring their systems are compatible with the webinar software.
[[Page 72220]]
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on December
15, 2021, by John A. Mullis II, Acting Associate Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Regulatory and Policy Affairs, Office of
Environmental Management, pursuant to delegated authority from the
Secretary of Energy. This 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 at Washington, DC, on December 16, 2021.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2021-27558 Filed 12-20-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on December 21, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.