73832 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2023 / Notices 

Dated: October 23, 2023. 

Juliana Pearson, 

PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and 

Clearance Governance and Strategy Division, 

Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of 

Planning, Evaluation and Policy 

Development. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23692 Filed 10–26–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Notice of Availability of Draft Basis for 

Section 3116 Determination for 

Closure of the Calcined Solids Storage 

Facility at the Idaho National 

Laboratory Site, Idaho 

AGENCY: Department of Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE) announces the availability 

of the Draft Basis for Section 3116 

Determination for Closure of the 

Calcined Solids Storage Facility at the 

Idaho National Laboratory Site (Draft 

CSSF 3116 Basis Document). The Draft 

CSSF 3116 Basis Document 

demonstrates that the Calcined Solids 

Storage Facility (CSSF) at closure after 

waste retrieval is not high-level 

radioactive waste (HLW) and may be 

disposed of in place as low-level 

radioactive waste (LLW). DOE prepared 

the Draft CSSF 3116 Basis Document 

pursuant to Section 3116 of the ‘‘Ronald 

W. Reagan National Defense 

Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005’’ 

(hereafter NDAA Section 3116). DOE is 

consulting with the U.S. Nuclear 

Regulatory Commission (NRC), and is 

also making the Draft CSSF 3116 Basis 

Document available for comments from 

states, Tribal Nations, stakeholders, and 

the public. After consultation with the 

NRC, carefully considering comments 

received, and performing any necessary 

revisions of analyses and technical 

documents, DOE will prepare a final 

CSSF 3116 Basis Document. Based on 

the final document, the Secretary of 

Energy, in consultation with the NRC, 

may determine in the future whether the 

stabilized CSSF bins (including integral 

equipment), transport lines, and any 

residual waste remaining therein at 

closure are non-HLW and may be 

disposed of in place as LLW. 

DATES: DOE invites comments on the 

Draft CSSF 3116 Basis Document during 

a 45-day comment period beginning the 

calendar day after publication of this 

Notice of Availability. A public virtual 

meeting on the Draft CSSF 3116 Basis 

Document will be held on a date to be 

announced, currently anticipated to be 

November 1, 2023. Before the meeting, 

DOE will issue stakeholder and media 

notifications and publish a notice in the 

local newspaper providing the date, 

time, and virtual platform information 

of the public meeting. Information on 

the public meeting date and virtual 

platform information also will be 

available before the meeting at the 

website listed in https://

www.id.energy.gov/insideNEID/ 

PublicInvolvement.htm. 

ADDRESSES: The Draft CSSF 3116 Basis 

Document is available on the internet at 

https://www.id.energy.gov/insideNEID/ 

PublicInvolvement.htm and will be 

publicly available for review on the U.S. 

DOE Idaho Operations Office Public 

Reading Room web page at https://

inl.gov/about-inl/general-information/ 

doe-public-reading-room. Written 

comments should be submitted to: Mr. 

Greg Balsmeier, INTEC Program 

Manager for the Calcine Disposition 

Project, U.S. Department of Energy 

Idaho Operations Office, 1955 Fremont 

Ave., Idaho Falls, ID 83401. 

Alternatively, comments may also be 

filed electronically by email to: 

DraftCSSFBasisDocument@icp.doe.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information about this Draft 

CSSF 3116 Basis Document, please 

contact Mr. Greg Balsmeier, INTEC 

Program Manager for the Calcine 

Disposition Project, by mail at U.S. 

Department of Energy Idaho Operations 

Office, 1995 Fremont Ave, Idaho Falls, 

ID 38401, by phone at 208–526–5871, or 

by email at balsmege@id.doe.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Idaho 

National Laboratory (INL) Site, near 

Arco, Idaho, currently stores solid 

calcined radioactive waste in stainlesssteel bins housed in six reinforced 

concrete vaults that are below or 

partially below grade at the CSSF. The 

CSSF is located at the Idaho Nuclear 

Technology and Engineering Center 

(INTEC) at the INL Site. The stored 

calcined HLW was generated by 

converting liquid HLW and nonreprocessing waste into a granular solid. 

The liquid HLW was generated by the 

prior reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel 

(SNF). DOE’s current mission focuses on 

the cleanup and remediation of those 

wastes and ultimate closure of the 

CSSF. 

As part of that mission, DOE plans to 

retrieve waste from the CSSF for 

treatment, and disposition out of the 

State of Idaho. Following waste 

retrieval, DOE plans to stabilize in grout 

and pursue closure (disposal in place) of 

the CSSF bins (including integral 

equipment), transport lines, and any 

residual waste remaining therein. 

The Draft CSSF 3116 Basis Document 

concerns the CSSF bins (including 

integral equipment), transport lines, and 

any residual waste remaining therein, 

after waste retrieval, which is 

anticipated to remove most of the 

calcine, (approximately 99% or more of 

the calcine (by volume) and 

approximately 99% of the radioactivity 

attributable to highly radioactive 

radionuclides). A small amount of 

calcine, less than approximately 1% by 

volume, is expected to remain in the 

CSSF at the time of closure. The final 

CSSF closure configuration is 

anticipated to include stabilizing (with 

grout) the bins and transport line piping 

void spaces. The grout will serve to 

provide long term structural stability, 

limit the amount of water infiltration 

into the bins and transfer lines to 

mitigate contaminate migration, and 

provide a barrier for intrusion by 

burrowing animals, plant roots, or 

humans. 

NDAA Section 3116(a) provides that 

HLW does not include radioactive waste 

resulting from the reprocessing of SNF 

that the Secretary of Energy, in 

consultation with the NRC, determines: 

‘‘(1) does not require permanent 

isolation in a deep geologic repository 

for spent fuel or high-level radioactive 

waste; 

(2) has had highly radioactive 

radionuclides removed to the maximum 

extent practical; and 

(3) (A) does not exceed concentration 

limits for Class C low-level waste as set 

out in Section 61.55 of title 10, Code of 

Federal Regulations, and will be 

disposed of— 

(i) in compliance with the 

performance objectives set out in 

subpart C of part 61 of title 10, Code of 

Federal Regulations; and 

(ii) pursuant to a State-approved 

closure plan or State-issued permit, 

authority for the approval or issuance of 

which is conferred on the State outside 

of this section; or 

(B) exceeds concentration limits for 

Class C low-level waste as set out in 

section 61.55 of title 10, Code of Federal 

Regulations, but will be disposed of— 

(i) in compliance with the 

performance objectives set out in 

subpart C of part 61 of title 10, Code of 

Federal Regulations; 

(ii) pursuant to a State-approved 

closure plan or State-issued permit, 

authority for the approval or issuance of 

which is conferred on the State outside 

of this section; and 

(iii) pursuant to plans developed by 

the Secretary in consultation with the 

Commission.’’ 

The Draft CSSF 3116 Basis Document 

demonstrates that after waste retrieval 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 207 / Friday, October 27, 2023 / Notices 73833 

1While most interstate oil pipelines have marketbased or indexed rates, some jurisdictional 

pipelines have cost-of-service rates on file with the 

Commission. 

2 ‘‘By requiring the payment of minimum 

prevailing wages, Congress sought to ‘ensure that 

Government construction and federally assisted 

construction would not be conducted at the 

expense of depressing local wage standards.’ ’’ Dep’t 

of Labor, Updating the Davis-Bacon & Related Acts 

Reguls., 88 FR 57526, 57526 (Aug. 23, 2023) (citing 

Determination of Wage Rates Under the DavisBacon & Serv. Cont. Acts 5 Op. O.LC. 174, 176 

(1981)) (Final Rule). 

3 Dep’t of Labor, Dollar Threshold Amount for 

Contract Coverage under State Prevailing Wage 

Continued 

activities, the CSSF at closure will meet 

the above criteria. DOE is predicating 

this Draft CSSF 3116 Basis Document on 

extensive analysis and scientific 

rationale, using a risk-informed 

approach, including analyses presented 

in the Performance Assessment and 

Composite Analysis for the INTEC 

Calcined Solids Storage Facility at the 

INL Site (CSSF PA/CA). 

Specifically, this Draft CSSF 3116 

Basis Document shows that the CSSF 

bins (including integral equipment), 

transport lines, and any residual waste 

at the time of closure does not require 

permanent isolation in a deep geologic 

repository for spent fuel or HLW, and 

that the highly radioactive 

radionuclides (those radionuclides 

which contribute most significantly to 

radiological dose to workers, the public, 

and the environment as well as 

radionuclides listed in 10 CFR 61.55) 

will have been removed to the 

maximum extent practical. As also 

shown in the Draft CSSF 3116 Basis 

Document, the stabilized (grouted) CSSF 

stainless-steel bins (including integral 

equipment), transport lines, and any 

residual waste at CSSF closure will not 

exceed concentration limits for Class C 

LLW. Based on the analyses in the CSSF 

PA/CA, this Draft CSSF 3116 Basis 

Document projects that potential doses 

to a hypothetical member of the public 

and hypothetical inadvertent intruder 

after CSSF closure will be well below 

the doses specified in the performance 

objectives for disposal of LLW. 

Furthermore, the CSSF closure will be 

performed pursuant to a State-approved 

closure plan. 

DOE is consulting with the NRC on 

this Draft CSSF 3116 Basis Document 

and also making the Draft CSSF 3116 

Basis Document available for comments 

from states, Tribal Nations, 

stakeholders, and the public. After 

consultation with the NRC, carefully 

considering comments received, and 

performing any necessary revisions of 

analyses and technical documents, DOE 

plans to issue a Final CSSF 3116 Basis 

Document. Based on the Final CSSF 

3116 Basis Document, the Secretary of 

Energy, in consultation with the NRC, 

may determine in the future whether the 

CSSF bins (including integral 

equipment), transport lines, and any 

residual waste therein are non-HLW, 

and may be disposed in place as LLW. 

Signing Authority 

This document of the Department of 

Energy was signed on October 20, 2023, 

by Kristen Ellis, Acting Associate 

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for 

Regulatory and Policy Affairs, 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 October 24, 

2023. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2023–23761 Filed 10–26–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. PL24–1–000] 

Project-Area Wage Standards in the 

Labor Cost Component of Cost-ofService Rates 

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, Department of Energy. 

ACTION: Proposed policy statement. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission (Commission) 

proposes to clarify how the Commission 

will treat the use of project-area wage 

standards in calculating the labor cost 

component of jurisdictional cost-ofservice rates. 

DATES: Comments on this proposed 

policy statement are due on or before 

December 26, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: Comments, identified by 

docket number, may be filed in the 

following ways. Electronic filing 

through https://www.ferc.gov, is 

preferred. 

• Electronic Filing: Documents must 

be filed in acceptable native 

applications and print-to-PDF, but not 

in scanned or picture format. 

• For those unable to file 

electronically, comments may be filed 

by USPS mail or by hand (including 

courier) delivery. 

Æ Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: 

Addressed to: Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 

Commission, 888 First Street, NE, 

Washington, DC 20426. 

Æ Hand (including courier) delivery: 

Deliver to: Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, 

Rockville, MD 20852. 

The Comment Procedures Section of 

this document contains more detailed 

filing procedures. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Heidi Nielsen (Legal Information), 

Office of the General Counsel, (202) 

502–8435, heidi.nielsen@ferc.gov. 

Adam Pollock (Technical 

Information), Office of Energy Market 

Regulation, (202) 502–8458, 

adam.pollock@ferc.gov. 

James Sarikas (Technical 

Information), Office of Energy Market 

Regulation, (202) 502–6831, 

james.sarikas@ferc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Proposal 

1. In this proposed policy statement, 

we clarify how the Commission will 

treat the use of project-area wage 

standards in calculating the labor cost 

component of cost-of-service rates, 

including under Natural Gas Act (NGA) 

sections 4, 5, and 7, 15 U.S.C. 717c–d, 

717f; the Interstate Commerce Act (ICA), 

49 U.S.C. app. 1(5)(a); and Federal 

Power Act (FPA) sections 205 and 206, 

16 U.S.C. 824d–e.1

2. Project-area wage standards are the 

prevailing wages set by labor markets in 

the locale where the associated project 

work (e.g., construction, capital repairs, 

decommissioning) is performed. They 

can be found in data sources that 

indicate the basic hourly wage rates and 

fringe benefit rates for labor, direct 

employees and/or contract personnel 

that prevail in a predetermined 

geographic area. For example, under the 

Davis-Bacon Act, the U.S. Department of 

Labor issues prevailing wage 

determinations based on periodic 

surveys of union and non-union wages 

paid in a particular location, which 

serve as the minimum wage that must 

be paid by contractors and 

subcontractors performing under certain 

federally funded or assisted 

construction contracts.2 A number of 

states have enacted their own prevailing 

wage laws, sometimes referred to as 

‘‘Little Davis-Bacon’’ laws.3


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1