Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 43 / Monday, March 8, 2021 / Notices 13359 

1The majority of FCA fuel is stainless-steel clad 

alloy and requires conversion to an oxide prior to 

dilution. A small portion of the FCA fuel is 

stainless-steel clad oxide and, therefore, would not 

require conversion prior to dilution. This AROD 

applies to both the stainless-steel clad alloy and the 

stainless-steel clad oxide. 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

National Nuclear Security 

Administration 

Disposition of Fast Critical Assembly 

Plutonium 

AGENCY: National Nuclear Security 

Administration, Department of Energy. 

ACTION: Amended record of decision. 

SUMMARY: The National Nuclear 

Security Administration (NNSA), a 

semi-autonomous agency within the 

Department of Energy (DOE), is 

amending its prior decision to 

disposition up to 350 kilograms (kg) of 

foreign Gap Material Plutonium from 

preparation for emplacement in the 

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) to 

disposition using an electrolytic 

dissolver in H-Canyon, vitrification with 

high level radioactive waste (HLW) at 

the Defense Waste Processing Facility 

(DWPF), and storage at Savannah River 

Site (SRS) until a geologic repository is 

available. NNSA has determined 

through feasibility and process 

technology studies that this disposition 

path could be performed at a 

substantially lower cost than 

preparation for disposal at WIPP. NNSA 

has prepared a Supplement Analysis 

(SA) to inform this amended decision 

and has determined that no additional 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) review is necessary. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information on this Amended 

Record of Decision (ROD) or the Fast 

Critical Assembly (FCA) SA, or to 

receive related NEPA documents, please 

contact: Ms. Amy Miller, NEPA 

Compliance Officer, National Nuclear 

Security Administration, Office of 

General Counsel, (505) 845–5090; or by 

email to amy.miller@nnsa.doe.gov. This 

Amended ROD and the FCA SA (DOE/ 

EIS–0283–S2–SA–02, Supplement 

Analysis for the Disposition of Fast 

Critical Assembly Plutonium, January 

2021) will be available on the internet 

at http://energy.gov/nepa. For further 

information on FCA disposition, contact 

Ms. Lisa McGuire, Office of Material 

Management and Minimization, 

National Nuclear Security 

Administration, (803) 952–6921 or 

email at lisa.mcguire@nnsa.srs.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

In the Surplus Plutonium Disposition 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement (SPD Supplemental EIS) 

(DOE/EIS–0283–S2, April 2015), NNSA 

evaluated disposition options for 13.1 

metric tons (MT) of surplus plutonium 

consisting of 6 MT of non-pit material 

and 7.1 MT of pit material. The 6 MT 

of surplus non-pit plutonium included 

0.9 MT (900 kg) of excess capacity to 

allow for the possibility that the NNSA 

might identify additional quantities of 

surplus plutonium that could be 

processed for disposition using the 

facilities and capabilities analyzed in 

the SPD Supplemental EIS. 

NNSA assessed the impacts of 

shipment, receipt, treatment, storage, 

and disposition of up to 900 kilograms 

(kg) of foreign Gap Material Plutonium, 

of which the FCA fuel is a subset, in an 

Environmental Assessment (EA) for Gap 

Material Plutonium—Transport, 

Receipt, and Processing (DOE/EA–2024, 

December 2015), with a subsequent 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI). In the 2015 EA, NNSA noted 

that up to 375 kg of the Gap Material 

Plutonium may require stabilization 

prior to disposition. NNSA further 

stated that interim storage and 

disposition of the Gap Material 

Plutonium would be in accordance with 

decisions made for disposition of U.S. 

surplus plutonium in the SPD 

Supplemental EIS. 

In a 2016 ROD (81 FR 19588, April 5, 

2016), NNSA announced its decision to 

implement the preferred alternative, the 

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) 

(Dilute and Dispose) Alternative, for 

disposition of 6 MT of surplus, 

weapons-usable, non-pit plutonium. In 

the 2016 ROD, NNSA refers specifically 

to the 2015 Gap Material Plutonium EA. 

In the SPD Supplemental EIS, NNSA 

evaluated five alternatives for 

disposition of 6 MT of plutonium, 

which includes the 900 kg of Gap 

Material Plutonium, including the HCanyon/HB-Line to DWPF Alternative 

and WIPP (Dilute and Dispose) 

Alternative. 

Based on an international agreement, 

the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) 

is providing funding to NNSA to 

disposition the FCA plutonium (FCA 

fuel), a subset of the Gap Material 

Plutonium. The United States received 

the FCA fuel from Japan for 

nonproliferation purposes to disposition 

it safely and securely, and it is currently 

stored at SRS awaiting further 

processing for final disposition. 

The FCA fuel is different from the rest 

of the 6 MT because it is clad in 

stainless steel, whereas the majority of 

the 6 MT is not clad in stainless steel. 

The stainless-steel cladding must be 

removed prior to processing the 

plutonium. As described in the 2015 

Gap Material Plutonium EA, NNSA 

intended to separate the FCA fuel from 

its stainless-steel cladding and convert 

it to an oxide form 1 for dilution at SRS 

to meet the waste acceptance criteria for 

disposal at WIPP near Carlsbad, New 

Mexico. Because of the high cost to 

install and operate a decladding and 

oxide conversion process, NNSA 

initiated an evaluation of alternative 

processing technologies. Based on these 

feasibility and process technology 

studies, NNSA determined that 

electrolytic dissolution could be 

performed at SRS at a substantially 

lower cost than the mechanical 

decladding and oxidation process. 

Based on results of studies and 

experiments conducted by Savannah 

River Nuclear Solutions in 2017 and 

2018, NNSA is changing the disposition 

path for up to 350 kg of FCA fuel. 

Instead of using the WIPP Alternative, 

NNSA will employ the H-Canyon/HBLine Alternative, using a dissolver in 

H-Canyon, vitrification with HLW at the 

Defense Waste Processing Facility 

(DWPF), and storage at SRS until a 

geologic repository is available, as 

described in the SPD Supplemental EIS. 

However, NNSA will use an electrolytic 

dissolver rather than a chemical 

dissolver in H-Canyon to dissolve the 

FCA fuel to prepare it for transfer to 

DWPF. 

Disposition Process 

The material will be dissolved using 

an electrolytic dissolver in H-Canyon. 

The DOE Office of Environmental 

Management (DOE/EM) categorically 

excluded replacement of a failed 

electrolytic dissolution unit in HCanyon with a spare electrolytic 

dissolution unit. (OBU–H–2019–0006, 

January 14, 2019, available at https://

www.energy.gov/nepa/downloads/cx019585-electrolytic-dissolution-fastcritical-assembly-material). 

The FCA fuel will be transported to 

H-Canyon where containers of the FCA 

fuel will be removed from the shipping 

packages and placed in or attached to a 

charging device for transport to the 

dissolver. After preparing the 

electrolytic dissolver with a cold 

chemical solution of nitric acid, the 

cans will be charged to (placed in) the 

dissolver. Electrical power will be 

applied to the dissolver resulting in the 

dissolution of the FCA cladding and 

fuel. The only difference between the HCanyon process used to dissolve the 

FCA fuel with an electrolytic dissolver 

rather than a chemical dissolver is the 


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13360 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 43 / Monday, March 8, 2021 / Notices 

1On November 1, 2020, Dominion Energy sold 

certain companies including Dominion Energy 

Transmission, Inc., the Supply Header Project 

developer, to Berkshire Hathaway Energy Company 

and Dominion Energy Transmission, Inc. changed 

its name to Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage, 

Inc. 

2Both plans were submitted in response to 

Commission staff’s October 27, 2020 Data Request. 

application of the electrical current. 

NNSA estimates that dissolution will be 

complete in less than 24 hours per 

charge. After each dissolution cycle is 

complete, solution samples will be 

obtained to ensure complete dissolution 

of the FCA fuel. If necessary, a 

subsequent heating step will be 

performed to complete the dissolution 

process. NNSA estimates that 18 batches 

would be required to complete 

processing of the FCA fuel. After 

completion of each batch, the material 

will be transferred to an accountability 

tank in H-Canyon and then to a canyon 

vessel for storage and eventual transfer 

to the H-Tank Farm. Immobilization and 

storage of the material will occur at 

DWPF pending disposal in a geologic 

repository. NNSA estimates that 

vitrification of the FCA fuel along with 

HLW at DWPF will result in three waste 

canisters. 

The electrolytic dissolution process is 

very similar to the chemical dissolution 

process as described in Appendix B, 

section B.1.3, of the SPD Supplemental 

EIS. Dissolved FCA fuel solutions will 

be very similar to those resulting from 

chemical dissolution, and compatible 

with transfer to the H-Area Tank Farm 

pending immobilization in DWPF. FCA 

dissolution operations would be 

scheduled in conjunction with other HCanyon operations and coordinated 

with tank farm and DWPF operations. 

In the SPD Supplemental EIS, NNSA 

evaluated disposition of 6 MT of 

plutonium using both the H-Canyon/ 

HB-Line to DWPF Alternative and the 

WIPP Alternative. The impact 

assessment of both alternatives includes 

up to 350 kg of FCA fuel. In the 

Supplement Analysis for Disposition of 

FCA Plutonium, NNSA compared the 

impacts of processing 350 kg of FCA 

fuel using both alternatives. 

Differences in doses and potential 

latent cancer fatalities to workers and 

the public between the WIPP 

Alternative and the H-Canyon/HB-Line 

Alternative are minor. In the case of 

electrolytic dissolution, worker dose 

would be lower than the H-Canyon/HBLine chemical dissolution and WIPP 

alternatives. Both would require 

handling and de-cladding of the fuel 

prior to processing. In the SPD 

Supplemental EIS (Tables 4–3 and 4–4), 

NNSA estimated radiation doses and 

impacts, in terms of latent cancer 

fatalities (LCFs), from operations for the 

H-Canyon/HB-Line Alternative 

(including the material evaluated in the 

SA) to workers and the public. Worker 

doses were estimated to be less than the 

SRS administrative limit of 500 

millirem (mrem) per year, resulting in 

no LCFs on an annual basis. Over the 

life of the H-Canyon/HB-Line to DWPF 

Alternative (13 years), NNSA estimated 

that operations could result in an 

estimated 2 LCFs to involved workers 

and none to members of the public or 

the maximally exposed individual. The 

proposed action was included in the 

estimates for the H-Canyon/HB-Line 

Alternative. No LCFs in addition to 

those NNSA previously estimated 

would result from implementation of 

the proposed action. 

Vitrification of the FCA fuel in DWPF 

would result in an estimated three HLW 

glass canisters. Less CH–TRU waste 

would be generated using the 

H-Canyon/HB-Line Alternative because 

WIPP alternative processing results in 

TRU waste for disposal at WIPP. Other 

differences in waste generation are 

minor. 

To ensure safe and secure operations, 

NNSA, in conjunction with DOE/EM, 

which owns the facilities, would review 

and revise, as needed, safety basis 

documents for all involved facilities at 

SRS. 

Basis for Decision 

To disposition the FCA fuel the 

H-Canyon/HB-Line Alternative can be 

implemented at a substantially lower 

cost than the WIPP Alternative. The SRS 

H-Canyon has used electrolytic 

dissolution in the past. The process is 

well known and can be implemented 

with little technology maturation. The 

impacts from activities related to the 

disposition of FCA fuel have been 

evaluated in the SPD Supplemental EIS. 

There are no substantial differences in 

environmental impacts between using 

the electrolytic dissolver and the 

standard H-Canyon dissolver for this 

amount of material (up to 350 kg). All 

processes downstream of the dissolver 

are the same as those analyzed in the 

H-Canyon/HB-Line to DWPF 

Alternative. The FCA fuel would be 

prepared for disposition and safely 

stored at SRS in existing facilities 

pending the availability of a geologic 

repository. 

Amended Decision 

NNSA has decided to change the 

disposition pathway for up to 350 kg 

FCA fuel from the WIPP Disposal 

Alternative to the H-Canyon/HB-Line to 

DWPF Alternative, as described and 

evaluated in the SPD Supplemental EIS. 

NNSA will use electrolytic dissolution 

instead of chemical dissolution because 

the FCA fuel is clad in stainless steel. 

FCA fuel comprises less than half of 

the 0.9 MT of gap material plutonium 

evaluated in DOE/EA–2024, and less 

than 6 percent of the 6 MT NNSA 

decided to disposition using the WIPP 

Disposal Alternative. NNSA remains 

committed to dispositioning 6 MT of 

surplus plutonium using the WIPP 

Disposal Alternative, as NNSA 

previously decided (81 FR 19588, April 

5, 2016). 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on March 1, 2021, by 

Charles P. Verdon, Acting Under 

Secretary for Nuclear Security and 

Administrator, NNSA, 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, on March 3, 

2021. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2021–04707 Filed 3–5–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket Nos. CP15–554–009; CP15–555– 

007] 

Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC, Eastern 

Gas Transmission and Storage, Inc.; 

Notice of Amendment of Certificates 

and Opening of Scoping Period 

Take notice that on January 4, 2021, 

Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC (ACP), 120 

Tredegar Street, Richmond, VA 23219, 

filed its Atlantic Coast Project 

Disposition and Restoration Plan, and 

on November 20, 2020, Eastern Gas 

Transmission and Storage, Inc. (EGTS),1

6603 West Broad Street, Richmond, 

Virginia 23230, filed the Supply Header 

Project Restoration Plan.2 On July 5, 

2020, Dominion Energy Transmission, 


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