26960 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 91 / Monday, May 12, 2014 / Notices 

environmental impacts for years other 

than the peak year(s) would fall within 

the range of impacts discussed for a 

peak year in the ULP PEIS. Therefore, 

the potential environmental impacts for 

the entire 10-year lease period would be 

expected to be no more than 10 times 

those for the peak year. 

For the exploration phase of a mine, 

it is assumed that a total of 0.33 acre 

(0.13 ha), 1.1 acre (0.44 ha), and 0.33 

acre (0.13 ha) of surface would be 

disturbed for the new 6 small, 10 

medium, and 2 large mines respectively. 

For the very large mine, 210 acres (92 

ha) have already been disturbed at the 

JD–7 surface open-pit mine. A total of 

20 workers would be required to 

conduct the exploration phase for the 

mines assumed for the peak year (not 

including the very large open-pit mine 

at JD–7, for which exploration was 

assumed to have been completed). 

The total area disturbed for 

Alternative 4 will be approximately 460 

acres (190 ha). Total tonnage of ore 

generated for the peak year of operation 

will be about 480,000 tons. The number 

of workers needed for mine 

development and operations will 

depend on the size of the mine and 

could vary from 7 to 51 workers. It is 

assumed that 7, 11, 17, and 51 workers 

will be needed for each small, medium, 

large, and very large mine, respectively. 

These workers will consist mostly of 

mine workers. A peak year of operation 

for 19 mines will involve about 237 

workers. 

Equipment needed for mine 

development and operations will 

include both underground and surface 

equipment. Water will also be needed 

and will be trucked to the location of 

the activities. The annual amount of 

water needed for the 19 mines during 

the peak year assumed for this action is 

estimated to be about 6,300,000 gal (19 

ac-ft.). Retention ponds will be required 

to capture surface water and prevent 

sediment from entering nearby streams 

and drainages. Reclamation of the mine 

operations will involve about 39 

workers over the course of a peak year. 

It is assumed that there will be a waiting 

period of up to 2 years to account for 

verification of adequate revegetation 

and obtaining the necessary release and 

approval. 

Based on historical and existing mine 

development, it is expected, and the 

analysis assumes, that the mines will be 

underground, with the exception of the 

JD–7 mine on Lease Tract 7, which is a 

surface open-pit mine. 

Mitigation 

During lease implementation, DOE 

will require specific measures to be 

identified to ensure that potential 

environmental impacts from specific 

future ULP activities are avoided or 

minimized consistent with the 

mitigation measures in the Final ULP 

PEIS. DOE’s decision incorporates all 

practicable means to avoid or minimize 

adverse environmental impacts during 

exploration, mining operations, and 

reclamation associated with the ULP. 

All activities associated with the ULP 

will be conducted to ensure that 

conditions are protective of the 

environment and human health. DOE 

will ensure implementation of the 

mitigation measures identified in the 

Final ULP PEIS (section 4.6), as 

appropriate. Mitigation measures will 

ensure that risks from potential 

exposures under foreseeable end-state 

scenarios analyzed in the ULP PEIS (i.e., 

a recreational visitor scenario at the 

mine site footprint and within the lease 

tracts, and a resident scenario for 

outside the lease tracts) will be very 

small. These measures are identified in 

current leases or will be added to the 

leases. 

These and other mitigation measures 

address potential impacts to human 

health, transportation, and the various 

environmental resources as follows: (1) 

Reduce dust emissions, (2) identify and 

protect paleontological resources, (3) 

protect soil from erosion, (4) minimize 

the extent and amount of ground 

disturbance, (5) restore original grade 

and reclaim soil and vegetation, (6) 

protect wildlife and wildlife habitats, (7) 

minimize lighting to off-site areas, (8) 

protect human health by minimizing 

radiological exposure, and (9) assure 

safe and proper transport of generated 

ore. 

Mitigation measures identified in the 

Final ULP PEIS and in the leases will be 

addressed in a MAP. DOE will prepare 

the MAP, consistent with 10 CFR 

1021.331, to establish how the 

mitigation measures will be planned, 

implemented, and monitored. 

Compliance measures identified in the 

Final ULP PEIS will not be included in 

the MAP because they are legal 

requirements irrespective of the MAP. 

Lease stipulations will be in place to 

reinforce these legal requirements. DOE 

will ensure that the lessees fulfill the 

mitigation measures specified in this 

ROD and in the MAP, which is under 

development. DOE will make the MAP 

available to the public via the Web sites 

listed under ADDRESSES above. 

Basis for Decision 

In making this decision, DOE has 

carefully considered all public 

comments, the results of the Final ULP 

PEIS evaluation, the biological opinion 

issued by the USFWS based on the ESA 

consultation, and the establishment of 

the PA consistent with Section 106 of 

the NHPA. DOE believes that uranium 

mining activities at the ULP lease tracts 

can continue to be conducted in a 

manner that is protective of the 

environment and public health. This 

decision supports the AEA provisions 

that authorize and direct DOE to 

develop a supply of domestic uranium, 

and to issue leases or permits for 

prospecting, exploration, mining, or 

removal of deposits of uranium ore in 

lands belonging to the United States. An 

active ULP program will be more 

successful in meeting these needs than 

would an inactive program. Although 

Alternatives 3 and 5 considered in the 

PEIS also provided an active ULP 

program, this decision provides access 

to a greater supply of domestic uranium 

from the lease tracts compared to 

Alternative 3, could create about 229 

direct jobs and 152 indirect jobs, 

generates about $14.8 million in 

income, provides royalties from the 

leases to the Federal Government, and 

results in negligible to moderate 

potential environmental impacts that 

would be less than those under 

Alternative 5. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on this 6th of 

May 2014. 

David W. Geiser, 

Director, DOE Office of Legacy Management. 

[FR Doc. 2014–10847 Filed 5–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[FRL–9910–76–OA] 

National Environmental Education 

Advisory Council 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: Under the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act, EPA gives notice of a 

meeting of the National Environmental 

Education Advisory Council (NEEAC). 

The NEEAC was created by Congress to 

advise, consult with, and make 

recommendations to the Administrator 

of the Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) on matters related to activities, 

functions and policies of EPA under the 

National Environmental Education Act 

(Act). 20 U.S.C. § 5508(b). 

The purpose of these meeting(s) is to 

discuss specific topics of relevance for 

consideration by the council in order to 

provide advice and insights to the 

Agency on environmental education. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 91 / Monday, May 12, 2014 / Notices 26961 

DATES: The National Environmental 

Education Advisory Council will hold a 

public meeting (teleconference) on 

Tuesday May 27, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 

10:00 a.m. (Mountain Standard Time) 

11:00 a.m.–12:00 noon (Eastern Time). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Javier Araujo, Designated Federal 

Officer, araujo.javier@epa.gov, 202– 

564–2642, U.S. EPA, Office of 

Environmental Education, William 

Jefferson Clinton North, Room 1426, 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20460. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Members 

of the public wishing to gain access to 

the meeting, make brief oral comments, 

or provide a written statement to the 

NEEAC must contact Javier Araujo, 

Designated Federal Officer, at 

araujo.javier@epa.gov or 202–564–2642 

by 10 business days prior to each 

regularly scheduled meeting. 

Meeting Access: For information on 

access or services for individuals with 

disabilities or to request 

accommodations please contact Javier 

Araujo at araujo.javier@epa.gov or 202– 

564–2642, preferably at least 10 days 

prior to the meeting, to give EPA as 

much time as possible to process your 

request. 

Dated: May 5, 2014. 

Javier Araujo, 

Designated Federal Officer. 

Sarah N. Sowell, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of 

Environmental Education. 

[FR Doc. 2014–10839 Filed 5–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[CERCLA–10–2014–0057; FRL–9910–62– 

Region 10] 

Proposed CERCLA Administrative 

Cost Recovery Settlement; Absorbent 

Technologies Site, Albany, OR 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency. 

ACTION: Notice; request for public 

comment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 

122(i) of the Comprehensive 

Environmental Response, 

Compensation, and Liability Act, as 

amended (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. 9622(i), 

notice is hereby given of a proposed 

administrative settlement for recovery of 

response costs incurred for the 

Absorbent Technologies Site located at 

140 Queen Avenue SW., and 2830 Ferry 

Street SW., in Albany, Oregon. Under 

this proposed settlement, the settling 

parties are David L. Ellis, Pamela L. 

Ellis, Farouk H. Al-Hadi, Lombard 

Foods, Inc., an Oregon corporation, and 

the Bankruptcy Estate of Absorbent 

Technologies, Inc. The proposed 

settlement requires the settling parties 

to pay $250,000 to the EPA Hazardous 

Substance Superfund. Upon payment of 

this sum to EPA, the settling parties will 

be released from their obligations for 

payments to EPA for costs EPA incurred 

between October 15, 2013 and January 

31, 2014. EPA has incurred additional 

response since January 31, 2014, and 

this settlement does not provide the 

settling parties with a release for claims 

for reimbursement of responses costs 

incurred after January 31, 2014. 

However, pursuant to the terms of the 

Settlement Agreement, EPA agrees not 

to file claims against the Bankruptcy 

Estate of Absorbent Technologies, Inc. 

in its bankruptcy proceeding. 

For 30 days following the date of 

publication of this notice, the EPA will 

receive written comments relating to the 

proposed settlement. The EPA will 

consider all comments received and 

may modify or withdraw its consent to 

the settlement if comments received 

disclose facts or considerations which 

indicate that the settlement is 

inappropriate, improper, or inadequate. 

The EPA’s response to any comments 

received will be available for public 

inspection at the U.S. EPA Region 10 

Office, located at 1200 Sixth Avenue, 

Seattle, Washington 98101. 

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before June 11, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: The proposed settlement is 

available for public inspection at the 

U.S. EPA Region 10 Office, located at 

1200 Sixth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 

98101. A copy of the proposed 

settlement may be obtained from 

Candace Smith, Regional Hearing Clerk, 

U.S. EPA Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, 

Suite 900, Mail Stop ORC–158, Seattle, 

Washington 98101. Comments should 

reference Absorbent Technologies Site, 

and should be addressed to Ted 

Yackulic, Assistant Regional Counsel, 

U.S. EPA Region 10, Mail Stop ORC– 

158, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, 

Seattle, Washington 98101. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ted 

Yackulic, Assistant Regional Counsel, 

U.S. EPA Region 10, Mail Stop ORC– 

158, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, 

Seattle, Washington 98101; (206) 553– 

1218. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Absorbent Technologies Site is located 

at 140 Queen Avenue SW and 2830 

Ferry Street SW in Albany, Oregon. 

Absorbent Technologies, Inc. operated a 

commercial agricultural chemical 

formulating business at both properties 

within the Site. Absorbent Technologies 

Inc.’s operations included the use and 

storage of hazardous substances at both 

the Queen Property and the Ferry 

Property. Before EPA became involved 

at the Site, Absorbent Technologies, Inc. 

had filed a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy 

petition. On or about October 11, 2013, 

Absorbent Technologies, Inc., ceased 

operations at and essentially abandoned 

both the Queen Property and Ferry 

Property. On October 15, 2013, the City 

of Albany requested that EPA assist it in 

addressing threats posed by the Site. 

EPA initiated its efforts on the Site on 

October 15, 2013, when it performed an 

initial evaluation of conditions at the 

Queen Property. After evaluating 

conditions at the Queen Property, EPA 

performed an emergency removal action 

at the Queen Property between October 

16 and October 20, 2013. Absorbent 

Technologies, Inc. converted its 

bankruptcy proceeding from Chapter 11 

to Chapter 7 on October 23, 2013. The 

settling parties conducted additional 

response actions at both the Queen 

Property and Ferry Property between 

October 21, 2013 and January 31, 2014 

within the Site under the oversight of 

EPA. Between October 15, 2103 and 

January 31, 2014, EPA incurred 

approximately $399,151.14 performing 

or overseeing the performance of 

response actions at the Site. The settling 

parties include Absorbent Technologies 

Inc., the owners and operators of the 

Queen Property and the owner of the 

Ferry Property. David L. Ellis, Pamela L. 

Ellis, and Farouk H. Al-Hadi owned the 

Queen Property during the time period 

covered by the settlement agreement. 

Lombard Foods, Inc. owns the Ferry 

Property. Pursuant to the terms of the 

Settlement Agreement for Recovery of 

Response Costs, the settling parties will 

pay EPA $250,000. In return for the 

payment of this amount, EPA covenants 

not to sue the settling parties for 

response costs it incurred between 

October 15, 2013 and January 31, 2014. 

EPA continues to incur response costs at 

the Site, and EPA’s covenant not to sue 

does not include costs incurred by EPA 

after January 31, 2014. In addition, 

pursuant to the terms of the Settlement 

Agreement, EPA agrees not to file claims 

against the Bankruptcy Estate of 

Absorbent Technologies, Inc. in its 

bankruptcy proceeding. 

Dated: April 21, 2014. 

Richard Albright, 

Director, Office of Environmental Cleanup, 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 

Region 10. 

[FR Doc. 2014–10844 Filed 5–9–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 


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