Notice2022-17502
Notice of Availability and Notice of Virtual Public Meetings for Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) and Its Associated Naval Reactor Plants Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement
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Published
August 19, 2022
Issuing agencies
Defense DepartmentNavy Department
Abstract
Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, Council on Environmental Quality implementing regulations and a Presidential Executive Order, DoN, with United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) as a cooperating agency, has prepared and filed with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) for the Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) and its Associated Naval Reactor Plants. The Draft EIS/OEIS includes an analysis of the potential environmental impacts associated with alternatives for the disposal of ex-Enterprise, including its defueled reactor plants. The Proposed Action executes the statutory responsibilities of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) and Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) policy for inactive ships stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and designated for disposal by dismantling in order to reduce DoN inactive ship inventory and eliminate costs associated with maintaining the ship in a safe stowage condition.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 160 (Friday, August 19, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 160 (Friday, August 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51068-51070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17502]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy
Notice of Availability and Notice of Virtual Public Meetings for
Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) and Its
Associated Naval Reactor Plants Draft Environmental Impact Statement/
Overseas Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: Department of the Navy (DoN), Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of
1969, Council on Environmental Quality implementing regulations and a
Presidential Executive Order, DoN, with United States (U.S.) Department
of Energy (DOE) as a cooperating agency, has prepared and filed with
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) for the
Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled Ex-Enterprise (CVN 65) and its
Associated Naval Reactor Plants. The Draft EIS/OEIS includes an
analysis of the potential environmental impacts associated with
alternatives for the disposal of ex-Enterprise, including its defueled
reactor plants. The Proposed Action executes the statutory
responsibilities of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP) and
Chief
[[Page 51069]]
of Naval Operations (CNO) policy for inactive ships stricken from the
Naval Vessel Register and designated for disposal by dismantling in
order to reduce DoN inactive ship inventory and eliminate costs
associated with maintaining the ship in a safe stowage condition.
DATES: The 45-day public comment period begins August 19, 2022, and
ends October 3, 2022. Virtual public meetings will be held on September
20 and September 22, 2022 to provide an overview of the Draft EIS/OEIS
and to answer questions from the public. All public comments on the
Draft EIS/OEIS are due by the end of the day on October 3, 2022.
Two virtual public meetings will be held as follows:
1. September 20, 2022, from 4 to 5 p.m. CDT;
2. September 22, 2022, from 4 to 5 p.m. CDT.
Questions concerning the Draft EIS/OEIS for discussion with DoN
representatives at the virtual public meetings can be submitted between
September 12 and September 21.
ADDRESSES: Email questions for the virtual public meetings to:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7d14131b123d1e1c0f0f14180f19140e0d120e1c1118140e531e1210"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a1c8cfc7cee1c2c0d3d3c8c4d3c5c8d2d1ced2c0cdc4c8d28fc2cecc">[email protected]</span></a> or complete the form at: <a href="http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com">http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com</a>.
Comments on the Draft EIS/OEIS may be provided by mail and through
the project website at: <a href="http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com">http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com</a>. Mailed
comments must be postmarked no later than October 3, 2022, and mailed
to: Office of Congressional and Public Affairs; Attn. Ex-Enterprise CVN
65 Draft EIS/OEIS; Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate
Maintenance Facility; 1400 Farragut Ave., Stop 2072; Bremerton, WA
98314-2072 for consideration in the preparation of the Final EIS/OEIS.
DoN distributed the Draft EIS/OEIS to government agencies with
which DoN is consulting and to federally recognized tribes and other
stakeholders. The Draft EIS/OEIS is available for public review on the
project website at <a href="http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com">http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com</a> and at these
public libraries:
1. Kitsap Regional Library, Downtown Bremerton Branch, 612 Fifth
St., Bremerton, WA 98337.
2. Richland Public Library, 955 Northgate Dr., Richland, WA 99352.
3. Hampton Public Library, 4207 Victoria Blvd., Hampton, VA 23669.
4. Brownsville Public Library, Main Branch, 2600 Central Blvd.,
Brownsville, TX 78520.
5. Brownsville Public Library, Southmost Branch, 4320 Southmost
Blvd., Brownsville, TX 78521.
6. Ben May Main Library, 701 Government St., Mobile, AL 36602.
Additional information on the virtual public meetings and comment
submittal will be available on the project website at: <a href="http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com/vpm">http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com/vpm</a>. An audio-only option will also be
available.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, contact Anna
Taylor, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs; Attn. Ex-Enterprise
CVN 65 Draft EIS/OEIS; Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate
Maintenance Facility; 1400 Farragut Ave., Stop 2072; Bremerton, WA
98314-2072, 360-476-7111, or project website: <a href="http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com">http://www.carrierdisposaleis.com</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This draft Environmental Impact Statement
was prepared and filed with the EPA pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, Council on Environmental
Quality implementing regulations and a Presidential Executive Order
12114, DoN, with United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) as a
cooperating agency.
DoN action proponent is the Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion (CNO
N00N). The purpose of the Proposed Action is to reduce DoN inactive
ship inventory, eliminate costs associated with maintaining the ship in
a safe stowage condition, and dispose of legacy radiological and
hazardous wastes in an environmentally responsible manner, while
meeting operational needs of DoN.
DoN is considering the following alternatives to satisfy the
purpose of and need for the Proposed Action:
Alternative 1--Single Reactor Compartment Packages: This
alternative involves the partial dismantlement and removal of non-
radiological portions of ex-Enterprise at a commercial dismantlement
facility. The remainder, including the defueled reactor plants, would
be transported around South America by heavy-lift ship to Puget Sound
Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) for
recycling and construction of eight single reactor compartment
packages. The reactor compartment packages would be shipped by barge to
the Port of Benton near the DOE Hanford Site and by high-capacity
transporter to the DOE Hanford Site for disposal.
Alternative 2--Dual Reactor Compartment Packages: This alternative
is the same as Alternative 1, except four dual reactor compartment
packages would be constructed rather than eight single reactor
compartment packages. The packages would be heavier and larger than
reactor compartment packages currently transported to the DOE Hanford
Site under the existing DoN program, and this alternative would require
modifications to the Port of Benton barge slip and roadway to the DOE
Hanford Site.
Alternative 3--Commercial Dismantlement: Under this alternative,
DoN would contract with commercial industry to dismantle ex-Enterprise,
including its defueled reactor plants, and dispose of the reactor plant
waste at authorized facilities. DoN analyzed environmental impacts
associated with three locations for commercial dismantlement: the
Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area, Virginia; Brownsville, Texas; and
Mobile, Alabama.
DoN also evaluated the No Action Alternative, which includes
waterborne storage of ex-Enterprise and periodic maintenance to ensure
storage continues in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
DoN evaluated the potential impacts on environmental resources
resulting from activities included in the three action alternatives and
the No Action Alternative in accordance with 40 Code of Federal
Regulations Sec. 1502.16. Direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts
were analyzed. DoN does not anticipate significant environmental
impacts resulting from the proposed alternatives with the
implementation of best management practices and mitigation measures.
DoN identified Alternative 3--Commercial Dismantlement as its
preferred alternative because it would keep the specially qualified and
trained PSNS & IMF workforce focused on high-priority fleet maintenance
work and the submarine inactivation and reactor compartment package
work that are already part of the PSNS & IMF workload, would provide
cost benefits to the U.S. taxpayer, would be completed in the shortest
duration, and would not result in significant environmental impacts.
The preferred alternative does not result in any decrease in workforce
at PSNS & IMF.
DoN will hold virtual public meetings to discuss the Proposed
Action, alternatives, and the draft environmental impact analysis, and
to answer questions from the public. DoN has assessed that virtual
public meetings are the best format to meet statutory requirements
under NEPA while mitigating COVID-19 risks.
The public involvement process is helpful in identifying public
concerns and local issues to be considered during the development of
the EIS/OEIS and assessing the accuracy and adequacy of the
environmental impact analysis.
[[Page 51070]]
Federal, state, and local agencies; federally recognized tribes and
tribal groups; nongovernmental organizations; and interested persons
are encouraged to provide comments to DoN that are substantive to the
analysis of potential impacts on environmental resources. All comments
provided electronically via the project website or mailed to the
address provided in the ADDRESSES section will be taken into
consideration during the development of the Final EIS/OEIS.
Dated: August 10, 2022.
J. M. Pike,
Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register
Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-17502 Filed 8-18-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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