Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 11 / Tuesday, January 19, 2021 / Notices 5175 

4https://www.energy.gov/nepa/doeea-2115- 

commercial-disposal-defense-waste-processingfacility-recycle-wastewater-savannah. 

5Public Law 108–375. 

6 85 FR 48236. 

HLW if the waste meets either of the 

following two criteria: 

(I) Does not exceed concentration 

limits for Class C low-level radioactive 

waste as set out in section 61.55 of title 

10, Code of Federal Regulations, and 

meets the performance objectives of a 

disposal facility; or 

(II) Does not require disposal in a 

deep geologic repository and meets the 

performance objectives of a disposal 

facility as demonstrated through a 

performance assessment conducted in 

accordance with applicable 

requirements. 

Reprocessing waste meeting either I or 

II of the above criteria is non-HLW, 

and—pursuant to appropriate 

processes—may be classified and 

disposed in accordance with its 

radiological characteristics in an 

appropriate disposal facility provided 

all applicable requirements of the 

disposal facility are met. 

During 2019–2020, in determining 

whether and how to implement the 

HLW interpretation specific to a 

particular waste stream, DOE initiated a 

public process pursuant to the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to 

analyze the potential environmental 

impacts associated with disposing of 

that waste. DOE completed its 

environmental analysis and decided to 

apply the HLW interpretation to a 

specific waste stream, shipping eight 

gallons of the SRS Defense Waste 

Processing Facility (DWPF) recycle 

wastewater to the Waste Control 

Specialists, LLC Federal Waste Facility, 

a licensed commercial low-level 

radioactive waste facility located near 

Andrews, Texas, for stabilization and 

disposal as non-HLW.4

Each reprocessing waste stream has 

unique radiological characteristics and, 

accordingly, the interpretation will 

continue to be implemented for 

subsequent proposed actions on a caseby-case basis, following consideration 

of: Evaluation and characterization of 

specific reprocessing waste streams in 

conjunction with the waste acceptance 

criteria and requirements of a specific 

waste disposal facility; input from 

affected stakeholders (e.g., federal, state, 

local and tribal officials; and members 

of the public); and compliance with 

applicable federal and state laws, 

regulations, and agreements. 

II. Summary Description of Changes 

DOE Manual 435.1–1 has been 

updated to include as Departmental 

policy DOE’s interpretation of the 

statutory term HLW, as defined in the 

AEA and NWPA and consistent with the 

Supplemental Notice. Specifically, 

Chapter II of the Manual is revised to 

include a new Section C that sets forth 

the HLW interpretation and provides a 

basis for its use by DOE. DOE Manual 

435.1–1 also is revised to set forth the 

roles and responsibilities of Field 

Managers and the Deputy Assistant 

Secretary for Waste and Materials 

Management with respect to the 

application of the HLW interpretation. 

The HLW interpretation limited 

change to DOE Manual 435.1–1 does not 

affect DOE’s current policies and 

practices relating to determinations 

under Chapter II.B of the Manual or 

under Section 3116 of the Ronald W. 

Reagan National Defense Authorization 

Act for Fiscal Year 2005.5 Section 3116 

will continue to apply to reprocessing 

waste covered under Section 3116. 

Chapter II.B of the Manual will continue 

to be used for tank closures not covered 

by Section 3116 and may be used in 

other cases determined to be 

appropriate by DOE. 

In addition, DOE is canceling DOE 

Guide 435.1–1, Implementation Guide 

for Use with DOE Manual 435.1–1, as it 

is out of date. The cancellation of DOE 

Guide 435.1–1 is recognized in the 

administrative change to DOE Order 

435.1. The definition of ‘‘reprocessing 

waste’’ in the Guide has now been 

incorporated in DOE Manual 435.1–1. 

These directives can be viewed at 

https://www.directives.doe.gov/. 

III. Reviews Under the National 

Environmental Policy Act 

The objective of the limited change to 

DOE Manual 435.1–1 is to continue to 

ensure that all DOE radioactive waste, 

including reprocessing waste, is 

managed in a manner that protects 

worker and public health and safety, 

and the environment. When proposing 

to apply the HLW interpretation to 

future waste streams, DOE will prepare 

the necessary environmental analyses 

and documentation in accordance with 

Council on Environmental Quality 

regulations and DOE NEPA 

implementing procedures at 40 CFR 

parts 1500 through 1508 and 10 CFR 

part 1021, respectively, as was done 

with the application of the 

interpretation to the disposal of SRS 

DWPF recycle wastewater 6 (August 10, 

2020 FRN). 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on January 13, 2021, 

by William I. White, Senior Advisor for 

Environmental Management to the 

Under Secretary for Science, Office of 

Environmental Management, 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, January 13, 

2021. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2021–01053 Filed 1–15–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Draft Environmental Assessment for 

the Commercial Disposal of Savannah 

River Site Contaminated Process 

Equipment 

AGENCY: Office of Environmental 

Management, U.S. Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) announces its intent to 

prepare a draft environmental 

assessment (EA) pursuant to the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA) to dispose of contaminated 

process equipment from the Savannah 

River Site (SRS) at a commercial lowlevel radioactive waste (LLW) disposal 

facility located outside of South 

Carolina licensed by either the Nuclear 

Regulatory Commission (NRC) or an 

Agreement State. This effort will 

analyze capabilities for alternative 

disposal options through the use of 

existing, licensed, off-site commercial 

disposal facilities. The SRS 

contaminated process equipment would 

be characterized, stabilized as 

appropriate, and packaged, and if the 

waste acceptance criteria and 

performance objectives of a specific 

disposal facility are met, DOE could 

consider whether to dispose of the 

waste as LLW under 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 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
5176 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 11 / Tuesday, January 19, 2021 / Notices 

1NEPA documents and technical documents for 

the commercial disposal of DWPF recycle 

wastewater from SRS under the HLW interpretation 

can be found at: https://www.energy.gov/em/ 

program-scope/high-level-radioactive-waste-hlwinterpretation. 

2 84 FR 26835. 

3 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq. 

4 42 U.S.C. 10101 et seq. 

5 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. 

6EnergySolutions is currently licensed to only 

dispose of Class A LLW and mixed LLW. 

Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended 

(NWPA). As a result of this NEPA 

process, DOE may consider what 

actions, if any, are needed and 

appropriate to implement any decision 

to dispose of the SRS contaminated 

process equipment as LLW. 

ADDRESSES: This Federal Register 

Notice is available on https://

www.energy.gov/em/high-levelradioactive-waste-hlw-interpretation. 

The Draft Environmental Assessment for 

the Commercial Disposal of Savannah 

River Site Contaminated Process 

Equipment (Draft EA) will also be made 

available at this website. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Theresa Kliczewski and/or James Joyce, 

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of 

Environmental Management, Office of 

Waste and Materials Management (EM– 

4.2), 1000 Independence Avenue SW, 

Washington, DC 20585. Emails: 

Theresa.Kliczewski@em.doe.gov and 

James.Joyce@em.doe.gov. Phone 

number: (202) 586–5000. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

SRS occupies approximately 300 

square miles primarily in Aiken and 

Barnwell Counties, South Carolina. 

Until the early 1990s, the primary SRS 

mission was the production of special 

radioactive isotopes to support national 

defense programs. 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. 

The SRS contaminated process 

equipment is generated during the onsite treatment of the reprocessing waste. 

The Draft EA will analyze commercial 

disposal options for three specific types 

of process equipment contaminated 

with reprocessing waste: Tank 28F salt 

sampling drill string, glass bubblers, and 

glass pumps. These waste streams do 

not meet the criteria for disposal at 

existing SRS disposal facilities given the 

waste form, radionuclide inventory, 

dose rates, and internal lead shielding. 

The Tank 28F salt sampling drill 

string was used to collect reprocessing 

waste samples from the waste storage 

tank. The drill string consists of steel 

piping measuring 2.25 inches outer 

diameter by 41 feet long, contaminated 

with reprocessing waste (supernatant) 

from Tank 28F. Contaminants include a 

mixture of beta, gamma, and alpha 

emitting radionuclides (e.g., cesium 137 

and plutonium 238). The drill string is 

currently stored in a large container onsite until a disposal path can be 

established. 

The glass bubblers are used to 

increase efficiency of Defense Waste 

Processing Facility (DWPF) melter 

operations, where high-activity tank 

waste is vitrified into glass under hightemperature. Each bubbler is comprised 

of a 3⁄4 inch Schedule 160 Inconel pipe, 

which is inserted into the DWPF melter 

and through which an inert gas is 

introduced to increase melter efficiency. 

Approximately three feet of the lower 

portion of the bubbler was in the melt 

pool and contains contaminated glass, 

including transuranic radionuclides 

(e.g., plutonium 238) and short-lived 

radionuclides (e.g., cesium 137). SRS 

currently has approximately 60 

contaminated bubblers in storage and 

will generate four contaminated glass 

bubblers every six months until DWPF 

operations are completed in the 2034 

timeframe. 

The glass pumps were used to support 

melter efficiency and are no longer in 

use at SRS having been replaced by the 

glass bubblers. Each pump is comprised 

of an Inconel pipe, measuring 

approximately 3 5⁄8 inches in outer 

diameter. The lower two feet was in the 

melt pool and contains contaminated 

glass similar to the glass bubblers. There 

are approximately 10 glass pumps in 

storage at SRS requiring final disposal. 

In August 2020, DOE completed its 

first NEPA analysis and waste 

determination for a waste stream (SRS 

DWPF recycle wastewater) under the 

HLW interpretation.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 2 (Supplemental Notice) in which 

DOE provided its interpretation of the 

statutory term HLW as defined in the 

AEA 3 and NWPA.4

Purpose and Need for Action 

Currently there is no disposal 

pathway for the SRS process equipment 

contaminated with reprocessing waste 

(Tank 28F salt sampling drill string, 

glass bubblers, and glass pumps). DOE’s 

purpose and need for this action is to 

dispose of SRS contaminated process 

equipment at a commercial LLW facility 

outside of South Carolina and licensed 

by either the NRC or an Agreement State 

under 10 CFR part 61. Therefore, no 

NEPA analyses on disposal at Federal 

facilities will be conducted. Any 

proposal to dispose of additional SRS 

process equipment contaminated with 

reprocessing waste, other than those 

identified and analyzed in the Draft EA, 

would be evaluated in separate NEPA 

documentation. Disposal of the SRS 

contaminated process equipment at a 

licensed off-site commercial LLW 

facility would help to mitigate on-site 

storage constraints, improve worker 

safety, and support accelerated 

completion of the environmental 

cleanup mission at SRS. 

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 

facility outside of South Carolina and 

licensed by either the NRC or an 

Agreement State under 10 CFR part 61. 

The Draft EA will analyze the potential 

environmental impacts associated with 

the proposed commercial disposal of the 

contaminated process equipment. Prior 

to a disposal decision, DOE would 

characterize the contaminated process 

equipment to verify with the licensed 

off-site commercial LLW disposal 

facility whether the waste meets DOE’s 

HLW interpretation for disposal as nonHLW, in accordance with DOE Order 

435.1, Radioactive Waste Management, 

DOE Manual 435.1–1, Radioactive 

Waste Management Manual, and 

consistent with the Supplemental 

Notice. DOE would also demonstrate 

compliance with the waste acceptance 

criteria and all other requirements of the 

disposal facility, including any 

applicable regulatory requirements (e.g., 

Resource Conservation and Recovery 

Act) for treatment of the waste prior to 

disposal and applicable Department of 

Transportation requirements for 

packaging and transportation from SRS 

to the commercial disposal facility. DOE 

has identified two action alternatives for 

the proposed action: 

• Alternative 1—If determined to be 

Class A LLW,5 stabilize and package the 

waste at SRS and ship to either 

EnergySolutions 6 in Clive, Utah or 

Waste Control Specialists, LLC (WCS) in 

Andrews County, Texas for disposal. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 11 / Tuesday, January 19, 2021 / Notices 5177 

This is dependent upon waste content 

and compliance with facility waste 

acceptance criteria. 

• Alternative 2—If determined to be 

Class B or C LLW, stabilize and package 

the waste at SRS and ship to WCS. This 

is dependent upon waste content and 

compliance with facility waste 

acceptance criteria. 

The EA will also analyze a no action 

alternative under which the 

contaminated process equipment would 

remain in storage at SRS until 

disposition occurs. 

Potential Areas of Environmental 

Analysis 

DOE has tentatively identified the 

following areas for detailed analysis in 

the EA: Human health and safety; land 

use; air quality; water, cultural, and 

ecological resources; waste 

management; socioeconomics; and 

transportation. This list is not intended 

to be comprehensive or to predetermine 

the potential impacts to be analyzed. 

The level of analysis for different 

impacts will be in proportion to their 

significance. 

NEPA Process and Public Participation 

DOE will prepare the Draft EA in 

accordance with the Council on 

Environmental Quality regulations at 40 

CFR parts 1500–1508 and DOE NEPA 

implementing procedures at 10 CFR part 

1021. DOE plans to issue a Federal 

Register notice in 2021 on the 

availability of the Draft EA. Based on 

the EA analysis, DOE will either issue 

a Finding of No Significant Impact or 

announce its intention to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on January 12, 2021 

by Mark A. Gilbertson, Associate 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Regulatory and Policy Affairs, Office of 

Environmental Management, 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 at Washington, DC, on January 13, 

2021. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2021–01052 Filed 1–15–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

Combined Notice of Filings 

Take notice that the Commission has 

received the following Natural Gas 

Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings: 

Docket Numbers: RP21–377–000. 

Applicants: Gas Transmission 

Northwest LLC. 

Description: Compliance filing Report 

of Refunds—Coyote Springs Lateral IT 

Revenue (Nov 2019–Oct 2020). 

Filed Date: 1/8/21. 

Accession Number: 20210108–5216 

Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/21/21. 

Docket Numbers: RP21–378–000. 

Applicants: Carolina Gas 

Transmission, LLC. 

Description: Compliance filing 2020 

Interruptible Revenue Sharing Report. 

Filed Date: 1/11/21. 

Accession Number: 20210111–5118. 

Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/25/21. 

Docket Numbers: RP21–379–000. 

Applicants: Maritimes & Northeast 

Pipeline, L.L.C. 

Description: § 4(d) Rate Filing: 

Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C 

RCA Modifications to be effective 3/1/ 

2021. 

Filed Date: 1/11/21. 

Accession Number: 20210111–5166. 

Comments Due: 5 p.m. ET 1/25/21. 

The filings are accessible in the 

Commission’s eLibrary system (https://

elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/search/ 

fercgensearch.asp) by querying the 

docket number. 

Any person desiring to intervene or 

protest in any of the above proceedings 

must file in accordance with Rules 211 

and 214 of the Commission’s 

Regulations (18 CFR 385.211 and 

385.214) on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern 

time on the specified date. Protests may 

be considered, but intervention is 

necessary to become a party to the 

proceeding. 

eFiling is encouraged. More detailed 

information relating to filing 

requirements, interventions, protests, 

service, and qualifying facilities filings 

can be found at: http://www.ferc.gov/ 

docs-filing/efiling/filing-req.pdf. For 

other information, call (866) 208–3676 

(toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502–8659. 

Dated: January 12, 2021. 

Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., 

Deputy Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2021–01038 Filed 1–15–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Project No. 4718–039] 

Notice of Application Tendered for 

Filing With the Commission and 

Soliciting Additional Study Requests 

and Establishing Procedural Schedule 

for Relicensing and a Deadline for 

Submission of Final Amendments; 

Cocheco Falls Associates 

Take notice that the following 

hydroelectric application has been filed 

with the Commission and is available 

for public inspection. 

a. Type of Application: Subsequent 

Minor License. 

b. Project No.: 4718–039. 

c. Date filed: December 29, 2020. 

d. Applicant: Cocheco Falls 

Associates. 

e. Name of Project: Cocheco Falls 

Dam Project. 

f. Location: On the Cocheco River in 

Dover, Strafford County, New 

Hampshire. The project does not occupy 

any federal land. 

g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power 

Act 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). 

h. Applicant Contact: Mr. John 

Webster, Cocheco Falls Associates, P.O. 

Box 178, South Berwick, ME 03908; 

Phone at (207) 384–5334, or email at 

Hydromagnt@gwi.net. 

i. FERC Contact: Amy Chang at (202) 

502–8250, or amy.chang@ferc.gov. 

j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state, 

local, and tribal agencies with 

jurisdiction and/or special expertise 

with respect to environmental issues 

that wish to cooperate in the 

preparation of the environmental 

document should follow the 

instructions for filing such requests 

described in item l below. Cooperating 

agencies should note the Commission’s 

policy that agencies that cooperate in 

the preparation of the environmental 

document cannot also intervene. See 94 

FERC 61,076 (2001). 

k. Pursuant to section 4.32(b)(7) of 18 

CFR of the Commission’s regulations, if 

any resource agency, Indian Tribe, or 

person believes that an additional 

scientific study should be conducted in 

order to form an adequate factual basis 

for a complete analysis of the 

application on its merit, the resource 

agency, Indian Tribe, or person must file 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES