25472 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 2, 2000 / Notices

Requirement Waived: Section

307(c)(4) of the Class-Size legislation.

Duration of Waiver: Three years.

Date Granted: December 30, 1999.

(104) Applicant: Midd-West School

District, Middleburg, PA.

Requirement Waived: Section

1113(a)(2)(B) of the ESEA.

Duration of Waiver: Three years.

Date Granted: December 30, 1999.

DEADLINES FOR APPLYING FOR A WAIVER:

As established in the Federal Register

on September 23, 1999 (Vol. 64 FR

51528), the requests for waivers that

would be implemented and affect

school level activities beginning with

the 2000–2001 school year must have

been submitted to the Department in

substantially approvable form no later

than April 1, 2000. Requests for waivers

that would be implemented and affect

school-level activities beginning with

the semester immediately following

January 1, 2001 must be submitted to

the Department in substantially

approvable form no later than October 1,

2000. Requests for waivers that would

be implemented and affect school-level

activities beginning with the 2001–2002

school year must be submitted to the

Department of Education in

substantially approvable form no later

than April 1, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Carla Kirksey at the Department’s

Waiver Assistance Line, (202) 401–7801.

The Department’s Waiver Guidance,

which provides examples of waivers,

explains the waiver authorities in detail,

and describes how to apply for a waiver,

is also available at this number. The

Guidance and other information on

flexibility are available at the

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Dated: April 26, 2000.

Michael Cohen,

Assistant Secretary, Elementary and

Secondary Education.

[FR Doc. 00–10904 Filed 5–1–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–U

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

National Nuclear Security

Administration

Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement for

The Proposed Relocation of the Los

Alamos National Laboratory Technical

Area 18 Missions

AGENCY: Department of Energy, National

Nuclear Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

SUMMARY: On April 11, 2000, Energy

Secretary Bill Richardson announced

the Department of Energy’s (DOE)

proposal to relocate missions at

Technical Area 18 (TA–18), a group of

facilities at the Los Alamos National

Laboratory (LANL), by the end of 2004.

Secretary Richardson also announced

that an environmental impact study on

the proposed transfer of TA–18’s

missions to another location will begin

immediately. Pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969, as amended (42 USC 4321 et seq.,

and the DOE Regulations Implementing

NEPA (10 CFR Part 1021), the National

Nuclear Security Administration

(NNSA), an agency within the

Department of Energy, is announcing its

intent to prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed

Relocation of the TA–18 Missions.

TA–18 supports important defense,

nuclear safety, and other national

security missions. Though TA–18 is

judged to be secure by the Department’s

independent inspection office, its

facilities are between 30 and 50 years

old and are increasingly expensive to

maintain and operate. Relocating the

TA–18 missions will enable the

Department to conduct these missions

in a more efficient and cost-effective

manner. Currently, DOE expects that the

TA–18 Relocation EIS will evaluate the

environmental impacts associated with

relocating the TA–18 missions to the

following alternative locations: (1) A

different site at LANL (the preferred

alternative) at Los Alamos, New Mexico;

(2) the Nevada Test Site (NTS) near Las

Vegas, Nevada; (3) the Sandia National

Laboratory (SNL) at Albuquerque, New

Mexico; and (4) the Argonne National

Laboratory—West (ANL–W) near Idaho

Falls, Idaho. It is possible that this list

of reasonable alternatives may change

during the scoping process. The EIS will

also evaluate the no-action alternative of

maintaining the missions at the current

TA–18 location.

DATES: Comments on the proposed

scope of the TA–18 Relocation EIS are

invited from the public. To ensure

consideration in the preparation of the

EIS, comments must be postmarked by

June 1, 2000. Late comments will be

considered to the extent practicable.

Public scoping meetings to discuss

issues and receive oral comments on the

scope of the EIS will be held in the

vicinity of sites that may be affected by

the proposed action. The public scoping

meetings will provide the public with

an opportunity to present comments,

ask questions, and discuss concerns

with DOE/NNSA officials regarding the

EIS. The location, date, and time for

these public scoping meetings is as

follows:

Los Alamos National Laboratory—

May 17, 7 p.m.–10 p.m., Betty Ehart

Senior Center, 2132 Central Avenue, Los

Alamos, NM 87544.

Sandia National Laboratory—May 18,

7 p.m.–10:00 p.m., Albuquerque

Convention Center, 401 Second Street,

N.W., Albuquerque, NM 87102.

Nevada Test Site—May 23, 7 p.m.–10

p.m., U.S. DOE Nevada Operations

Office Auditorium, 232 Energy Way,

North Las Vegas, NV 89030.

Argonne National Laboratory—

West—May 25, 7 p.m.–10 p.m., The

Shilo Inn, 780 Lindsay Blvd., Idaho

Falls, ID 83402.

Any agency that desires to be

designated as a cooperating agency

should contact Mr. Jay Rose at the

address listed below by May 31, 2000.

ADDRESSES: General questions

concerning the TA–18 Project can be

asked by calling 1–800–832–0885, ext.

65484, or by writing to: Mr. Jay Rose,

Document Manager, TA–18 Relocation

EIS, U.S. Department of Energy/NNSA,

1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20585.

Comments can be submitted to Mr.

Rose at the address above; or faxed to:

1–202–586–0467; or e-mailed to

James.Rose@ns.doe.gov. Please mark

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 2, 2000 / Notices 25473

envelopes, faxes, and E-mail: ‘‘TA–18

Relocation EIS Comments.’’

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information on the NNSA NEPA

process, please contact: Mr. Henry

Garson, NEPA Compliance Officer for

Defense Programs, U.S. Department of

Energy/NNSA, 1000 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585; or

telephone 1–800–832–0885, ext. 30470.

For general information on the DOE

NEPA process, please contact: Ms. Carol

M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA

Policy and Assistance (EH–42), U.S.

Department of Energy, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW.,

Washington, DC 20585, telephone 202–

586–4600, or leave a message at 1–800–

472–2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April

11, 2000, Secretary of Energy Bill

Richardson announced that the

Department would begin preparation of

an EIS on the proposed transfer of TA–

18’s capabilities and up to

approximately 2 tons of special nuclear

materials to another location. TA–18,

known as the Pajarito Site, consists of a

main building, three outlying remotecontrolled critical assembly buildings

known as ‘‘kivas’’, several smaller

laboratories, nuclear material storage

vaults, and support buildings. The site

is located on approximately 130 acres

along Pajarito Road. The Los Alamos

Critical Experiments Facility (LACEF)

and other experimental facilities are

located at TA–18, which is situated in

the base of a canyon whose walls rise

approximately 200 feet on three sides.

The three kivas are Category 2 nuclear

facilities (i.e., hazard analysis shows the

potential for significant on-site

consequences) and are within fenced

areas to keep personnel at a safe

distance during criticality experiments.

Additionally, the entire TA–18 is

bounded by a security fence to aid in

physically safeguarding special nuclear

material. Site access is through a

guarded portal.

The principal TA–18 activities are the

design, construction, research,

development, and applications of

experiments on nuclear criticality.

Excluding security and support

personnel, about 80 full-time employees

work at TA–18. They provide expertise

and knowledge in advanced nuclear

technologies that support three primary

areas: (1) Critical experiments in

support of Stockpile Stewardship and

other programs; (2) emergency response

in support of counter-terrorism

activities; and (3) safeguards and arms

control in support of domestic and

international programs to control excess

nuclear materials. TA–18 is the nation’s

only facility capable of performing

general-purpose nuclear materials

handling for a variety of experiments,

measurements and training. TA–18 also

houses the Western Hemisphere’s

largest collection of machines for

conducting nuclear safety evaluations

and establishing limits for operations.

Since 1948, thousands of criticality

experiments and measurements have

been performed at TA–18 on assemblies

using uranium-233, uranium-235, and

plutonium-239 in various

configurations, including nitrate,

sulfate, and oxide compounds as well as

solid, liquid, and gas forms. Critical

assemblies at TA–18 are designed to

operate at low-average power and

temperatures well below phase change

transition temperatures (which sets

them apart from normal reactors) with

low fission production and minimal

inventory. Special nuclear materials are

stored at kivas or in a vault. The on-site

TA–18 nuclear materials inventory

(about 2 metric tons of special nuclear

materials) is relatively stable, and

consists primarily of isotopes of

plutonium and uranium. The bulk of the

plutonium is metal, and is either clad or

encapsulated; plutonium oxide is

double-canned. The use of toxic and

hazardous chemicals is limited. The

criticality experiments generate very

small amounts of fission products and

there is little radioactive waste.

Criticality experiments do not release

significant emissions to the atmosphere

at the site. A more detailed description

of TA–18 activities and associated

impacts can be found in the Site-Wide

Environmental Impact Statement for

Continued Operation of the Los Alamos

National Laboratory (January 1999).

Purpose, Need, and Proposed Action

The Department proposes to provide

a long-term capability to conduct

criticality experiments and evaluations,

develop emergency response

procedures, and support nonproliferation safeguards and arms

control. Since the 1980’s, this capability

has been based upon the operation of

facilities at TA–18, some of which have

been operational since 1946. Though

TA–18 is judged secure by the

Department of Energy’s independent

inspection office, its facilities are

between 30 and 50 years old and are

increasingly expensive to maintain and

operate. The Defense Nuclear Facilities

Safety Board has recommended, in 1993

and 1997, that the Department continue

to maintain the capability to support the

only remaining criticality safety

program in the nation. Consistent with

this, the Department wishes to maintain

the important capabilities currently

provided by TA–18 in a manner that

reduces the long-term costs for

safeguards and security. Relocating the

TA–18 missions would reduce life-cycle

costs and improve safeguards and

security.

Alternatives

Currently, the NNSA expects that the

TA–18 Relocation EIS will evaluate the

environmental impacts associated with

TA–18 missions at the following DOE

sites: (1) a different location at LANL

(the preferred alternative); (2) NTS; (3)

SNL; and (4) ANL–W. This preliminary

list of sites is based on the initial efforts

of a Department-wide Option Study

Group chartered to develop reasonable

alternatives for conducting TA–18

missions. Site screening criteria were

developed by the Group that looked for

sites with existing Category I (highest

level) security infrastructure; nuclear

environment, safety and health

infrastructure; and compatibility

between the site and TA–18 missions.

These alternatives are described in

greater detail below.

LANL Alternative. This alternative

would involve constructing a new

facility near the TA–55 Plutonium

Facility 4. Consolidating the TA–18

missions near the existing TA–55

facilities could significantly reduce

future costs associated with safeguards

and security by consolidating safeguards

and security requirements. Following

construction, the existing Perimeter

Intrusion Detection and Assessment

System (PIDAS) fence would be

expanded to encompass the new

facility. Other possible LANL locations

for a new facility may also be identified.

NTS Alternative. This alternative

would house the TA–18 missions at or

near the existing Device Assembly

Facility (DAF). The DAF, which became

operational in 1998, has the capability

to support a variety of nuclear explosive

operations (including device assembly,

disassembly, modification, staging,

testing, repair, and surveillance).

Currently, the DAF is used for assembly

of sub-critical assemblies, as well as

miscellaneous other national security

missions. The DAF is approximately

100,000 square feet and has capacity

available to accept the TA–18 missions

with internal modifications and some

minor external construction.

SNL Alternative. This alternative

would house the TA–18 missions

within TA–V at SNL. Currently, SNL

operates a variety of research-oriented

nuclear facilities in TA–V. Because

existing space in TA–V could

accommodate the TA–18 missions, no

new buildings would be needed for this

25474 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 2, 2000 / Notices

alternative. Internal modifications to

existing buildings would be required.

ANL–W Alternative. This alternative

would house the TA–18 missions in the

existing Fuel Manufacturing Facility,

and possibly the Transient Reactor Test

Facility and other existing facilities.

New construction to expand the existing

Fuel Manufacturing Facility would be

required to accommodate the TA–18

missions. Security upgrades may also be

necessary.

As required by the Council on

Environmental Quality regulations, the

TA–18 Relocation EIS will also evaluate

the no-action alternative of maintaining

the missions at the current TA–18

location. This alternative would

maintain the current missions at

Technical Area 18 as described in the

expanded use alternative of the SiteWide Environmental Impact Statement

for Continued Operation of the Los

Alamos National Laboratory and

Associated Record of Decision (64 FR

50797, September 20, 1999). As stated

in the Site-Wide Environmental Impact

Statement for Continued Operation of

the Los Alamos National Laboratory,

previously planned routine upgrades for

infrastructure and security would be

conduced in order to maintain the

facility.

It is possible that this list of

reasonable alternatives may change

during the scoping process. In addition,

as the EIS is being prepared, the NNSA

will be examining the TA–18 missions

in order to optimize the number and

kind of facilities, and the amount of

special nuclear material that would be

required to carry out the missions.

Following completion of the EIS

process, the Secretary of Energy intends

to decide where and how to conduct the

TA–18 missions, as well as the future

use of the existing TA–18 facilities.

Identification of Environmental and

Other Issues

The NNSA has identified the

following issues for analysis in the EIS.

Additional issues may be identified as

a result of the scoping process.

1. Public and Worker Safety, Health

Risk Assessment: Radiological and nonradiological impacts, including

projected effects on workers and the

public from construction, normal

operations and accident conditions, and

decommissioning and decontamination

activities associated with relocating and

carrying out the TA–18 missions.

2. Impacts from releases to air, water,

and soil associated with relocating and

carrying out the TA–18 missions.

3. Impacts to plants, animals, and

habitats, including threatened or

endangered species and their habitats,

associated with relocating and carrying

out the TA–18 missions.

4. The consumption of natural

resources and energy associated with

relocating and carrying out the TA–18

missions.

5. Socioeconomic impacts to affected

communities from construction and

operation associated with relocating and

carrying out the TA–18 missions.

6. Environmental justice:

Disproportionately high and adverse

human health or environmental effects

on minority and low-income

populations associated with relocating

and carrying out the TA–18 missions.

7. Impacts to cultural resources such

as historic, archaeological, scientific, or

culturally important sites associated

with relocating and carrying out the

TA–18 missions. Because some facilities

at TA–18 are over 50 years old, and

potentially important in the context of

the Cold War, these will be evaluated

for their historical significance under all

alternatives.

8. Impacts associated with

transportation and storage of nuclear

materials.

9. Status of compliance with all

applicable Federal, state, and local

statutes and regulations; required

Federal, state, and tribe environmental

consultations and notifications; and

DOE Orders on waste management,

waste minimization, and environmental

protection.

10. Cumulative impacts from the

proposed action and other past, present,

and reasonably foreseeable actions at

the alternative sites.

11. Potential irreversible and

irretrievable commitments of resources

associated with relocating and carrying

out the TA–18 missions.

12. Pollution prevention and waste

management practices, including

characterization, storage, treatment and

disposal of wastes associated with

relocating and carrying out the TA–18

missions.

NNSA anticipates that certain

classified information will be consulted

in the preparation of this EIS and used

by decision-makers to decide where and

how the capabilities at TA–18 will be

carried out. The EIS may contain a

classified appendix. To the extent

allowable, the EIS will summarize this

information in an unclassified manner.

EIS Schedule

The importance of the TA–18

missions requires that the facilities

remain operational until the final

decision is made and implemented so

there is minimal disruption to existing

programs or commitments. To support a

Record of Decision for this EIS by

January 2001, the major milestones for

the EIS are shown below.

Public Scoping Meetings: May 2000.

Publish Draft EIS: September 2000.

Draft EIS Public Hearings: October 2000.

Publish Final EIS: December 2000.

Record of Decision: January 2001.

To facilitate this schedule, the TA–18

Relocation EIS will tier from existing

EISs for the four alternative sites, as

appropriate. For example, the

Department has previously prepared

Site-Wide EISs for LANL (Site-Wide

Environmental Impact Statement for

Continued Operation of the Los Alamos

National Laboratory, January 1999), SNL

(Site-Wide Environmental Impact

Statement for Sandia National

Laboratories, Albuquerque, New

Mexico, November 1999), and NTS

(Environmental Impact Statement for

the Nevada Test Site and Off-Site

Locations in the State of Nevada, August

1996) that are expected to provide much

of the existing environmental

information. Additionally, several

NEPA documents for ANL–W facilities

will be utilized, including the Electrometallurgical Treatment Research and

Demonstration Project at ANL–W

Environmental Assessment (May 1996)

and the Treatment and Management of

Sodium-Bonded Spent Nuclear Fuel EIS

(Final EIS expected to be published in

May 2000).

Public Scoping Process

To assist in defining the appropriate

scope of the EIS and to identify

significant environmental issues to be

addressed, NNSA representatives will

conduct public scoping meetings at the

locations, dates, and times described

above under DATES. Each scoping

meeting will begin with an overview of

the TA–18 missions, the current EIS

alternatives, and the proposed EIS

scope. Following the initial

presentation, NNSA representatives will

answer questions and accept comments.

Copies of handouts from the meetings

will be available to those unable to

attend, by contacting the NNSA as

described above under ADDRESSES.

Issued in Washington, D.C., this 26th day

of April, 2000.

T. J. Glauthier,

Deputy Secretary of Energy, Department of

Energy.

[FR Doc. 00–10897 Filed 5–1–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P