[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 15, 1999)] [Notices] [Page 32032] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-15125] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Public Hearing on the Supplement to the Draft Surplus Plutonium Disposition Environmental Impact Statement
Agency
Department of Energy.
Action
Notice.
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Summary
The Department of Energy (DOE) will hold a public hearing on the Supplement to the Surplus Plutonium Disposition Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SPD EIS). The hearing will be held on June 15, 1999, in Washington, DC, and will focus on issues associated with the analysis of the specific commercial reactors that the Department proposes to use for the irradiation of mixed oxide fuel in addition to other changes to the Draft SPD EIS presented in the Supplement. The purpose of this hearing is to facilitate an exchange of information and to provide a forum for receiving public comments on the supplement. Members of the public are invited to attend.
Dates
The hearing will be held on June 15, 1999, in Washington, DC.
Addresses
Questions about the hearing should be addressed to: Bert Stevenson (202-586-5368; bert.stevenson@hq.doe.gov); by mail to DOE, Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, P.O. Box 23786, Washington, DC 20026-3786; or through the program web site at www.doe-md.com. Preregistration for the hearing is available by calling 1-800-820-5134 or by fax at 1-800-820-5156. The hearing will be held at the Hotel Washington, 15th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC, (202) 638-5900.
For Further Information Contact
Bert Stevenson, NEPA Compliance Officer, Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, Department of Energy. (202) 586-5368.
Supplementary Information
The Draft Surplus Plutonium Disposition EIS (DOE/EIS-0283-D) was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and issued in July 1998. It identified the potential environmental impacts of reasonable alternatives for the proposed siting, construction and operation of three facilities for plutonium disposition. The draft also included the potential environmental impacts of using from three to eight commercial nuclear reactors to irradiate mixed oxide fuel. The potential impacts were based on a generic reactor analysis that used actual reactor data and a range of potential site conditions. Subsequently, six specific reactors at three sites have been selected through a competitive procurement process that included an environmental review specified in DOE's NEPA Regulations (10 CFR 1021.216). The Supplement describes the potential environmental impacts of irradiating mixed oxide fuel in these specific reactors. The proposed reactors are the Catawba Nuclear Station near York, South Carolina; the McGuire Nuclear Station near Huntersville, North Carolina; and the North Anna Power Station near Mineral, Virginia. Each of the proposed sites has two operating nuclear reactors that would be used to irradiate mixed oxide fuel assemblies. The public hearing will provide the public the opportunity to present comments, ask questions, and discuss concerns related to plutonium disposition by the irradiation of the surplus plutonium as mixed oxide fuel in the six commercial reactors at the three sites. The Department will receive oral and written comments on the Supplement to the Draft SPD EIS. Written and oral comments will be given equal weight in preparing the final SPD EIS. Input from this hearing along with comments received by other means (phone, mail, fax, website) will be used by the Department in preparing the final SPD EIS. The public hearing will be held in the Washington Room of the Hotel Washington, 15th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC. Two sessions will be held on that date. The first session will start at 9 am and the second session will begin at 1:30 pm. Advanced registration for the hearing is requested but not required. Please call 1-800-820-5134 and leave your name and the session or sessions you plan to attend. This information will be used to determine the size and number of rooms needed for the hearing.
Issued in Washington, DC on this 4th day of June 1999, for the United States Department of Energy. Laura S.H. Holgate, Director, Office of Fissile Materials Disposition. [FR Doc. 99-15125 Filed 6-14-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P