[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 19, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3005-3006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-1229]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33824]


Great Salt Lake and Southern Railroad, L.L.C.--Construction and 
Operation--In Tooele County, UT

AGENCY:  Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION:  Notice of filing of application and request for public 
comments.

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SUMMARY:  Great Salt Lake and Southern Railroad Company, L.L.C., has 
filed an application under 49 U.S.C. 10901(a) for authority to 
construct and operate one of the two following rail projects: (1) A 
rail line approximately 32 miles in length between Low, UT, and a 
facility to be constructed in the Skull Valley, UT, for the interim 
storage of spent nuclear fuel; or (2) A run-around track and sidings at 
a point approximately 1.8 miles west of Timpie, UT, where applicant 
would locate an intermodal transfer point for the transfer of spent 
nuclear fuel shipping casks from railcars onto trucks for highway 
movement to the storage facility. The Board will entertain comments and 
replies on whether this application meets the criteria of 49 U.S.C. 
10901.

DATES:  Comments are due on February 9, 2000. Replies are due February 
14, 2000.

ADDRESSES:  Send comments (an original and 10 copies) referring to STB 
Finance Docket No. 33824 to: Surface Transportation Board, Office of 
the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20423-0001. In addition, send one copy of comments to applicant's 
representative: George W. Mayo, Jr., Hogan & Hartson L.L.P., 555 
Thirteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004-1109.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Joseph H. Dettmar, (202) 565-1600. 
[TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-877-8339.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  On January 5, 2000, Great Salt Lake and 
Southern Railroad Company, L.L.C. (GSLS), a noncarrier, filed an 
application under 49 U.S.C. 10901(a) for authority to construct and 
operate one of the two following rail projects: (1) A rail line 
approximately 32 miles in length (and associated sidings) between Low, 
UT, and a facility which applicant's parent, Private Fuel Storage 
L.L.C. (PFS), proposes to construct in the south-central portion of 
Skull Valley, UT, for the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel (SNF); 
or (2) A run-around track and sidings at a point approximately 1.8 
miles west of Timpie, UT, where applicant would locate an intermodal 
transfer point for the transfer of SNF shipping casks from arriving 
railcars onto heavy haul trucks for highway movement to the storage 
facility. Although GSLS has not finally determined which of the two 
rail projects it will ultimately pursue, it prefers the direct rail 
option because it will permit efficiencies associated with rail-only 
movements.
    Environmental review of the application under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and related environmental laws is 
currently ongoing by the Board's Section of Environmental Analysis 
(SEA). The Board is engaged in this environmental review in the 
capacity of a cooperating agency, where the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) is the lead agency for environmental review. According 
to applicant, NRC undertook this lead responsibility in connection with 
the June 1997 license application filed by PFS seeking NRC authority to 
construct and operate the SNF storage facility. The Bureau of Land 
Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the United States 
Department of the Interior are also participating in the environmental 
review as cooperating agencies. Because a third-party consultant has 
been retained to prepare the necessary environmental documentation 
under the Board's direction and supervision, the Board's environmental 
reporting requirements are not applicable to this application. See 49 
CFR 1105.10(d).
    GSLS indicates that substantially all of the traffic to be 
transported to the storage facility will be SNF originating at various 
commercial nuclear power electric generating plants throughout the 
United States. The total design capacity of the PFS facility will be 
4,000 canisters of SNF. GSLS states that, although the United States 
Department of Energy (DOE) has the statutory responsibility to develop 
a geologic repository program for SNF by January 31, 1998, DOE is not 
likely to implement such a program for another decade. Applicant states 
that, accordingly, the nuclear power industry

[[Page 3006]]

has no alternative but to build and operate its own storage facility 
where SNF can be stored for an interim period of up to 40 years, while 
DOE pursues its permanent disposal obligation.
    Written comments (an original and 10 copies) on the application to 
construct and operate the above-described rail lines must be filed with 
the Board not later than February 9, 2000. Comments must contain the 
basis for the party's position either in support or opposition, and 
must contain the name and address of the commenting party. Applicant 
must be concurrently served with a copy of each comment. Any replies 
(an original and 10 copies) by applicant to written comments must be 
filed with the Board not later than February 14, 2000.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our website at 
``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.''
    This decision will not significantly affect either the quality of 
the human environment or the conservation of energy resources.

    Decided: January 13, 2000.

    By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-1229 Filed 1-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P