Environmental statements; availability, etc.: 12 Plant, TN,

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Federal Register: March 17, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 51)NoticesPage 13179-13183From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr17mr99-45

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS); Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Intent (NOI).

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), DOE announces its intent to prepare a Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) for the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (Y-12), DOE's primary site for enriched uranium operations and storage related to the nation's nuclear weapons program. The SWEIS will analyze current levels of Y-12 operations and foreseeable new operations and facilities for approximately the next ten years. The alternatives to be analyzed in the SWEIS include: an extensive upgrade/retrofit of existing processes and facilities; construction of new facilities to replace existing processes and facilities; a combination of upgrades of existing processes and facilities and new construction; and the No Action alternative. The No Action alternative is to continue current facility operations throughout Y-12 in support of assigned missions. There is no preferred alternative at this time. The purpose of this notice is to invite public participation in the process and to encourage public dialogue on the alternatives that should be considered.

DATES: The DOE invites other federal agencies; state, local and tribal governments; and the general public to comment on the scope of this SWEIS. The public scoping period starts with the publication of this Notice in the Federal Register and will continue until May 17, 1999. DOE will consider all comments received or postmarked by that date in defining the scope of this SWEIS. Comments received or postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent practicable. Public scoping meetings will be held in the Oak Ridge area and their dates, times, and locations will be published in local newspapers and other appropriate media.

The DOE is requesting, by separate correspondence and this Notice, that federal and state government agencies desiring to be designated as cooperating

[Page 13180]agencies on the Y-12 SWEIS inform DOE by April 30, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or suggestions to assist the DOE in identifying the appropriate scope of the Y-12 SWEIS should be directed to: Gary S. Hartman, SWEIS Document Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Operations Office, Post Office Box 2001, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, or by facsimile at (423) 576-1237, or by E-Mail at Y12EIS@oro.doe.gov.

For general information on the DOE NEPA process, please contact: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance, EH- 42, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20585.

Ms. Borgstrom can also be reached at (202) 586-4600, or by leaving a message at 1-800-472-2756.

Additional information regarding DOE NEPA activities and access to many NEPA documents is available on the Internet through the NEPA Home Page at http://www.eh.doe.gov/nepa.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The DOE is the federal agency responsible for providing the nation with nuclear weapons and ensuring that those weapons remain safe and reliable. As one of the DOE major production facilities, Y-12 has been DOE's primary site for enriched uranium processing and storage, and one of the primary manufacturing facilities for maintaining the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. Y-12 is located on the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR), approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of Knoxville, Tennessee. For purposes of the SWEIS, the Y-12 Site is defined as approximately 5,000 acres of the 34,516 acre ORR, bounded by the DOE Boundary and Pine Ridge to the north, Scarboro Road to the east, Bethel Valley Road to the south, west to Mount Vernon Road, and then extending west down Bear Creek Valley to the security fence-line near the Roane/Anderson County boundary. Y-12 has a current annual budget of approximately $460 million and houses approximately 5,000 employees on site.

Nondefense-related activities at the Y-12 Plant include environmental monitoring, remediation, and deactivation and decontamination activities of the Environmental Management Program; management of waste materials from past and current operations; research activities operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory; support of other federal agencies through the Work-for-Others Program; and the transfer of highly specialized technologies to support the capabilities of the U.S. industrial base.

In response to the end of the Cold War and changes in the world's political regimes, the emphasis of the U.S. weapons program has shifted dramatically over the past few years from developing and producing new weapons to dismantlement and maintenance of a smaller, enduring stockpile. Even with these significant changes, however, DOE responsibilities for the nuclear weapons stockpile continue, and the President and Congress have directed DOE to continue to maintain the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile.

In order to meet the challenges of the post-Cold War era, DOE has prepared several Programmatic Environmental Impact Statements (PEISs) to determine how best to carry out its national security requirements. The Stockpile Stewardship and Management PEIS (SSM PEIS, DOE/EIS-0236), which was completed in September 1996, evaluated alternatives for maintaining the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile without underground nuclear testing or production of new-design weapons. The Storage and Disposition of Weapons-Usable Fissile Material PEIS (S&D PEIS, DOE/EIS-0229), which was completed in December 1996, evaluated alternatives for the long-term storage of fissile material, and the disposition of surplus fissile material. The Records of Decision (RODs) from these two PEISs form a starting point for the scope of actions that are contemplated in this Y-12 SWEIS.

In the SSM PEIS ROD, DOE decided to maintain the national security missions at Y-12, but to downsize the plant consistent with reduced requirements. These national security missions include: (1) maintaining the capability to fabricate uranium and lithium components and parts for nuclear weapons, (2) evaluating components and subsystems returned from the stockpile, (3) storing enriched uranium that is designated for national security purposes (also referred to as non-surplus enriched uranium), (4) storing depleted uranium and lithium materials and parts, (5) dismantling nuclear weapon secondaries returned from the stockpile, (6) processing uranium (which includes chemical recovery, purification, and conversion of enriched uranium to a form suitable for long-term storage and/or further use), and (7) providing support to weapons laboratories. In the S&D PEIS ROD, DOE decided that Y-12 would also store surplus enriched uranium pending disposition.

The DOE NEPA strategy for both the SSM and the S&D programs consists of multiple phases. The first phase was to prepare PEISs (now completed) to support program-wide decisions. In the second phase, DOE would prepare any necessary site-wide and/or project-specific NEPA documents required to implement any programmatic decisions. This Y-12 SWEIS is the next step for DOE's NEPA strategy for the Y-12 Plant. As such, the proposals in this NOI are consistent with previous decisions of the DOE in the PEIS RODs to downsize the Y-12 Plant and store non- surplus and surplus enriched uranium. As described in the ``alternatives'' section of this NOI, DOE is proposing several different approaches to carrying out these missions.

Public scoping meetings held in the Oak Ridge area will facilitate dialogue between DOE and the public and provide an opportunity for individuals to provide written or oral statements. In addition to providing comments at the public scoping meetings, all interested parties are invited to record their comments, ask questions concerning the Y-12 SWEIS, request time to speak, request assistance for special needs at the public meetings (e.g., an interpreter for the hearing impaired or special access), or request to be placed on the Y-12 SWEIS mailing or document distribution list. This may be done by contacting the SWEIS Document Manager at the address given above.

Proposed Action

DOE proposes to continue to provide the capability and capacity to maintain the nation's stockpile, in support of the U.S. Nuclear Weapons Program. Further, DOE proposes to continue the processing and storage of enriched and depleted uranium, lithium compounds, and other materials; and the manufacturing and assembly/disassembly mission assigned to the Y-12 Plant in the safest and most efficient manner practicable. The SWEIS will provide a baseline of impacts associated with current activities, analyze the potential impacts of constructing a new enriched uranium storage facility, and address siting issues associated with other possible modernization projects.

Alternatives to be Analyzed

As described below, DOE will analyze three broad alternatives involving upgrades of existing facilities, construction of new facilities, and a combination of these two approaches. Analysis will be performed at a level of detail sufficient to enable DOE to make

[Page 13181]decisions regarding approach (i.e., upgrade or construct) and location (i.e., where on the site) for each function or activity. Environmental considerations will be addressed for footprint reduction activities as Y-12 surplus facilities are transitioned into the Environmental Management program consistent with the SSM PEIS and the Department's Lifecycle Asset Management Order. For most major functions or activities, additional NEPA evaluations would be required as more detailed information becomes available in order to make subsequent decisions regarding construction and operation. However, as an exception to this general approach, DOE will analyze the potential impacts of designing, constructing, and operating a new enriched uranium storage facility, for which conceptual design has begun and sufficient information is available.

Under the Upgrade Alternative, the SWEIS will assess impacts from extensive upgrade/retrofit of existing processes and facilities, such as: enriched uranium manufacturing, depleted uranium manufacturing, lithium manufacturing, assembly/disassembly, general manufacturing, office facilities, and other support facilities.

Under the Construction Alternative, the SWEIS will assess the impacts of replacing existing processes and facilities with newly designed and constructed processes and facilities, such as: enriched uranium manufacturing, depleted uranium manufacturing, lithium manufacturing, assembly/disassembly, general manufacturing, office facilities, and other support facilities.

Under the Upgrade/Construction Alternative, the SWEIS will assess the impacts of the combination of extensive upgrades to certain existing processes and facilities and the design and construction of certain new processes and facilities. This alternative will include a combination of both existing upgraded/new processes and facilities, such as: enriched uranium manufacturing, depleted uranium manufacturing, lithium manufacturing, assembly/disassembly, general manufacturing, office facilities, and other support facilities.

The No Action Alternative would continue current facility operations throughout Y-12 in support of assigned missions. NEPA regulations require analysis of the No Action alternative to provide a benchmark for comparison with environmental effects of the other alternatives. This alternative reflects the current nuclear weapons program missions at Y-12, and includes the manufacture and assembly/ disassembly of weapons components, and the continued processing and storage of enriched uranium materials in existing facilities. As specified in the SSM PEIS and the S&D PEIS, these operations would continue in a reduced footprint of consolidated operations. This alternative also includes environmental considerations of footprint reduction activities as Y-12 surplus facilities are transitioned into the Environmental Management program consistent with the SSM PEIS and the Department's Lifecycle Asset Management Order. Limited upgrades of existing facilities are underway and their completion would be included in the No Action alternative.

Other Alternatives Considered

Members of the public have in the past expressed interest in shutting down all operations at Y-12 and deactivating some or all facilities. As discussed in the Background section above, DOE has considered these suggestions in previous PEIS documents. DOE recognizes that Y-12 has unique capabilities and diverse roles supporting a variety of national programs, and that there is an essential near-term need to manage and maintain the safety and stability of the existing nuclear materials inventory. In addition, the National Security Strategy for a New Century, issued by The White House in October 1998, emphasizes the need to ``ensure the continued viability of the infrastructure that supports U.S. nuclear forces and weapons.'' Accordingly, the DOE view at this time is that a decision to shut down or further reduce Y-12 missions within the time frame of the SWEIS would be highly unlikely. Therefore, DOE does not plan to analyze an alternative involving an orderly shutdown or further reduction during this period.

The Role of the SWEIS in the DOE NEPA Compliance Strategy

The SWEIS will be prepared pursuant to the NEPA of 1969, 42 USC 4321 et seq., the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and the DOE NEPA regulations (10 CFR Part 1021). The DOE has a policy (10 CFR 1021.330) of preparing SWEISs for certain large, multiple-facility sites such as Y-12. The purpose of a SWEIS is to: (1) provide DOE and its stakeholders with an analysis of the individual and cumulative environmental impacts resulting from ongoing and reasonably foreseeable new operations and facilities (and reasonable alternatives) at a DOE site; (2) provide a basis for site-wide decision making; and (3) improve and coordinate agency plans, functions, programs, and resource utilization. A SWEIS can be used to efficiently and effectively analyze multiple proposals and help establish an efficient, environmentally sound, and cost- effective plan for operating the site and its facilities. Additionally, a SWEIS provides an overall NEPA baseline for a site that is useful as a reference when project-specific NEPA documents are prepared. The NEPA process allows for federal, state, tribal, county, municipal, and public participation in the environmental review process.

In accordance with 10 CFR 1021.330(d), DOE will evaluate the SWEIS at least every five years after its completion to determine whether it remains adequate, should be supplemented, or should be replaced with a new SWEIS.

The Y-12 Site-Wide Analysis

The SWEIS will address operations and activities that DOE foresees at Y-12 for the ten years following the publication of the ROD. The SWEIS is expected to facilitate and streamline subsequent NEPA reviews at Y-12 by allowing DOE to focus on project-specific issues and narrow and simplify the scope of later reviews. This process is called ``tiering'' (40 CFR 1508.28). DOE believes that the SWEIS analysis will provide adequate NEPA analysis for impacts related to existing and reasonably foreseeable activities and projects covered within the SWEIS.

Preliminary Environmental Analysis

The following issues have been identified for analysis in the SWEIS. The list is tentative and intended to facilitate public comment on the scope of this SWEIS. It is not intended to be all-inclusive, nor does it imply any predetermination of potential impacts. The DOE specifically invites suggestions for the addition or deletion of items on this list.

1. Potential effects on the public and workers from exposures to radiological and hazardous materials during normal operations, construction, and credible accident scenarios.

2. Impacts on surface and groundwater, floodplains and wetlands, and on water use and quality.

3. Impacts on air resources.

4. Impacts to plants and animals and their habitat, including species which are federal- or state-listed as threatened or endangered, of special concern, or economically/recreationally important.

5. Impacts on physiography, topography, geology, and soil characteristics.

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6. Impacts to cultural resources such as historic, archaeological, scientific, or culturally important sites.

7. Socioeconomic impacts to affected communities.

8. Environmental Justice, particularly whether or not activities at Y-12 have a disproportionately high and adverse effect on minority and low-income populations.

9. Potential impacts on land use plans, policies, and controls.

10. Transportation of radiological and hazardous materials on and off the Y-12 Plant.

11. Pollution prevention and waste management practices and activities.

12. Impacts on aesthetics and noise levels of the Y-12 facilities on the surrounding communities and ambient environment.

13. Unavoidable adverse impacts due to natural phenomena (e.g., floods, earthquakes, etc.).

14. Cumulative effects of past, present, and future operations within the Y-12 region of influence.

15. Reasonably foreseeable impacts associated with the shutdown of excess facilities.

16. Status of compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes and regulations; required federal and state environmental consultations and notifications; and DOE orders on environmental protection and waste management.

Related NEPA Reviews

The following is a list of recent NEPA and other documentation related to the scope of this SWEIS. The summaries below are intended to familiarize the reader with the purpose of these other NEPA reviews and how Y-12 is considered in them.

Programmatic NEPA Reviews

Stockpile Stewardship and Management PEIS (DOE/EIS-0236). A ROD was issued on December 19, 1996 (61 FR 68014, December 26, 1996). The DOE decided to maintain, but downsize, the weapons secondary and case component fabrication capability at Y-12.

Storage and Disposition of Weapons-Usable Fissile Materials PEIS (DOE/EIS-0229). A ROD was issued on January 14, 1997 (62 FR 3014, January 21, 1997). Oak Ridge, in particular Y-12, will continue to store non-surplus highly enriched uranium and surplus highly enriched uranium pending disposition in upgraded and consolidated facilities.

Waste Management PEIS (DOE/EIS-0200). The Final PEIS was issued in May 1997. Multiple RODs are being prepared for various categories of waste. A ROD for the Treatment of Non-Wastewater Hazardous Waste was issued on July 30, 1998 (63 FR 41810, August 5, 1998). The DOE decided to continue to use off-site facilities for the treatment of major portions of the non-wastewater hazardous waste generated at DOE sites. The ORR will treat some of its own non-wastewater hazardous waste on site, where capacity is available in existing facilities and where this is economically favorable. A ROD for Transuranic Waste was issued on January 20, 1998 (63 FR 3629, January 23, 1998). Transuranic waste at the ORR will be packaged to meet waste acceptance criteria for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico and then stored on site for eventual disposal at the WIPP. Decisions for managing low- level radioactive waste, low-level radioactive and hazardous mixed waste, and high-level radioactive waste are still pending.

Project-Specific NEPA Reviews

Disposition of Surplus Highly Enriched Uranium EIS (DOE/EIS-0240). A ROD was issued on August 5, 1996 (61 FR 40619, August 5, 1996). The ORR, particularly Y-12, is one of four DOE sites selected for implementing blending technologies for highly enriched uranium.

Interim Storage of Enriched Uranium Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-0929). A Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was issued on September 14, 1995. This allowed for the continued interim storage of enriched uranium at Y-12, with an increase in the amount of material stored above the historical maximum level. The S&D PEIS, discussed above, confirmed and extended this mission beyond the ten years assessed in the EA.

Replacement and Operation of the Anhydrous Hydrogen Fluoride (AHF) Supply and Fluidized-Bed Chemical Processing Systems EA (DOE/EA-1049). A FONSI was issued on September 20, 1995. This allowed for replacement of the AHF supply and fluidized-bed reactor systems at Y-12 to meet operational and safety requirements and extend the life of the process by approximately 20 years.

ORR Related NEPA Reviews

Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) EIS (DOE/EIS-0247). The draft EIS was issued for review in December 1998. This document evaluates four alternative DOE sites for construction and operation of a new SNS facility. The preferred alternative is a site at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on the ORR.

Lease of Land and Facilities Within the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) EA (DOE/EA-1175). A FONSI was issued on December 1, 1997. The EA evaluated impacts of alternatives on future use and/or disposition of surplus facilities at the former K-25 Site on the ORR, and allowed for the lease of some facilities and land to commercial entities.

Long-Term Management and Use of Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride PEIS (DOE/EIS-0269). The final PEIS and ROD are scheduled to be issued in 1999. The ETTP is an alternative site for management and storage of this material.

Receipt and Storage of Uranium Materials from the Fernald Environmental Management Project Site EA (DOE/EA-1291). The draft EA was issued for review in February 1999. Y-12 and ETTP are among the candidates for storage of materials being removed in the cleanup effort at the Fernald site in Ohio.

Transuranic Waste Treatment Facility EIS (DOE/EIS-030J). An NOI was published in January 1999. DOE proposes to treat wastes at ORNL at a new facility to be constructed near the Melton Valley Storage Tanks, where the material is currently being stored.

Other Documents

Environmental, Safety and Health Vulnerabilities Associated with the Storage of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) (DOE/EH0525). This report was issued in December 1996; the related Management Plan (DOE/DP-0139) was issued in April 1997. In this report, the DOE evaluated 22 sites that handle and store HEU materials in a variety of forms, including disassembled weapons parts, reactor fuels, solids, solutions, and scrap and residues. Most of the HEU vulnerabilities identified at those sites, including Y-12, are associated with poor facility conditions and institutional weaknesses. Further analyses are being conducted on particular facilities and issues presented in the Vulnerability Assessment Report.

Report on the Remedial Investigation (RI) of the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Characterization Area at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (DOE/OR/ 01-1641/D2). The RI was issued in August 1998. The feasibility study that accompanies the RI is still in draft form. A ROD on remediation of the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek watershed will be issued in the future.

The SWEIS Preparation Process

After the scoping period, DOE will prepare the draft Y-12 SWEIS. Additional public meetings or

[Page 13183]workshops may be scheduled during this time based on stakeholder interest. The DOE intends to complete the draft SWEIS in early 2000 and will announce its availability in the Federal Register and through local media. The DOE will hold public hearings to solicit comments on the draft SWEIS from the public, organizations, and other agencies, and will consider all comments in the preparation of the final SWEIS. The DOE intends to complete the final SWEIS in August 2000, and issue a ROD in October 2000, but at least 30 days after the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Availability of the final SWEIS is published in the Federal Register.

Classified Material

DOE will review classified material while preparing this SWEIS. Within the limits of classification, DOE will provide to the public as much information as possible to assist public understanding and comment. Any classified material DOE needs to use to explain the purpose and need for the action, or the uses, materials, or impacts analyzed in this SWEIS, will be segregated into a classified appendix or supplement, which will not be available for general public review. However, all unclassified results of calculations using classified data will be reported in the unclassified section of the SWEIS, to the extent possible in accordance with federal classification requirements.

Availability of Scoping Documents

Copies of all written comments and transcripts of all oral comments related to the Y-12 SWEIS will be available at the following locations:

The DOE Public Reading Room, 230 Warehouse Road, Building 1916-T-2, Suite 300, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831. Oak Ridge Public Library, 1401 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831.

Issued in Washington, D.C., this 11th day of March 1999, for the United States Department of Energy. Peter N. Brush, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Environment, Safety and Health.

FR Doc. 99-6481Filed3-16-99; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 6450-01-P

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