Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices 55615

Title: Application for Grants Under

the Magnet Schools Assistance Program

(MSAP).

Frequency: Triennially.

Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal

Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs.

Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping

Hour Burden:

Responses: 180.

Burden Hours: 4,500.

Abstract: The application is used by

local educational agencies to apply

under the magnet schools program. The

Department uses this information to

make grant awards.

[FR Doc. 97–28323 Filed 10–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.200]

Graduate Assistance in Areas of

National Need Program; Notice Inviting

Applications for New Awards for Fiscal

Year (FY) 1998

Purpose of Program: This program

provides fellowships through academic

departments and programs of

institutions of higher education to assist

graduate students of superior ability

who demonstrate financial need. The

purpose of the program is to sustain and

enhance the capacity for teaching and

research in areas of national need.

Eligible Applicants: Academic

departments and programs of

institutions of higher education that

meet the requirements in 34 CFR 648.2.

Deadline for Transmittal of

Applications: January 5, 1998.

Deadline for Intergovernmental

Review: March 5, 1998.

Applications Available: November 7,

1998.

Available Funds: $16,000,000.

Estimated Range of Awards:

$122,251–$750,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

$243,000.

Estimated Number of Awards: 60.

Note: The Department is not bound by any

estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The

Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in

34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 85, and

86; and (b) the regulations in 34 CFR

Part 648.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Stipend Level: The Secretary has

determined that the maximum

fellowship stipend for academic year

1998–1999 is $15,000, which is equal to

the level of support that the National

Science Foundation is providing for its

graduate fellowships.

Institutional Payment: The Secretary

estimates that the institutional payment

for academic year 1998–1999 will be

$10,051, which represents a 3.3 percent

adjustment of the academic year 1997–

1998 payment based on the Department

of Labor’s projection in April 1997 of

the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for

1997. The Secretary will adjust the

institutional payment prior to the

issuance of grant awards based on the

Department of Labor’s projection in

December 1997 of the CPI for 1998.

Priorities

Absolute Priorities

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and 34

CFR 648.33, the Secretary gives an

absolute preference to applications that

meet one or more of the following

priorities. The Secretary funds under

this competition only applications that

meet one or more of these absolute

priorities:

Applications that propose to provide

fellowships in one or more of the

following areas of national need:

Biology, Chemistry, Computer and

Information Sciences, Engineering,

Geoscience, Mathematics, and Physics.

Invitational Priority 1—

Within the absolute priority specified

above, the Secretary is particularly

interested in receiving applications from

mathematics programs that train Ph.Ds

in mathematics who will specialize in

the teaching of mathematics, to students

at the K–12 level.

Invitational Priority 2—

Within the absolute priority specified

above, the Secretary is interested in

receiving applications from biology,

chemistry, and physics programs that

train Ph.Ds who will specialize in the

teaching of biology, chemistry or

physics, to students at the K–12 level.

Invitational Priority 3—

Within the absolute priority specified

above, the Secretary is interested in

receiving applications from engineering

programs that train Ph.Ds for careers in

the fields of environmental/

environmental health and robotic

technology.

For Applications or Information

Contact

Cosette H. Ryan, U.S. Department of

Education, International Education and

Graduate Program Service, 600

Independence Ave, S.W., Suite 600–B,

Portals Building, Washington, D. C.

20202–5247. Telephone: (202) 260–

3608. Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the Federal Information

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time,

Monday through Friday.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain this document in an alternate

format (e.g., Braille, large print,

audiotape, or computer diskette) on

request to the contact person listed in

the preceding paragraph.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain a copy of the application package

in an alternate format, also, by

contacting that person. However, the

Department is not able to reproduce in

an alternate format the standard forms

included in the application package.

Note: The official application notice for a

discretionary grant competition is the notice

published in the Federal Register.

Electronic Access to This Document

Anyone may view this document, as

well as all other Department of

Education documents published in the

Federal Register, in text or portable

document format (pdf) on the World

Wide Web at either of the following

sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm

http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use the pdf you must have the

Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with

Search, which is available free at either

of the previous sites. If you have

questions about using the pdf, call the

U.S. Government Printing Office toll

free at 1–888–293–6498.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1134l–

1134q–1.

Dated: October 20, 1997.

David A. Longanecker,

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary

Education.

[FR Doc. 97–28425 Filed 10–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Hanford

Site Solid (Radioactive and Hazardous)

Waste Program; Environmental Impact

Statement, Richland, WA

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE) announces its intent to

prepare an environmental impact

statement (EIS) for the Solid Waste

Program at the Hanford Site, and to

conduct a public scoping process

pursuant to the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended
55616 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices

(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The Hanford

Site Solid Waste Program manages

several types of solid wastes at the

Hanford Site, including low-level,

mixed low-level, transuranic and mixed

transuranic, and hazardous wastes, and

contaminated equipment. Mixed wastes

contain radioactive and hazardous

components. Other solid waste types

(i.e., municipal solid waste, high-level

waste, remediation waste) and spent

nuclear fuel are managed by other

Hanford Site programs.

The Hanford Site Solid (Radioactive

and Hazardous) Waste Program EIS will

evaluate the potential environmental

impacts associated with ongoing

activities of the Hanford Site Solid

Waste Program, the implementation of

programmatic decisions resulting from

the Final Waste Management

Programmatic Environmental Impact

Statement (WM PEIS, DOE/EIS–0200–

F), and reasonably foreseeable

treatment, storage, and disposal

facilities/activities. The EIS will

evaluate alternatives for management of

the Program’s radioactive and hazardous

wastes, including waste generated at the

Hanford Site or received from offsite

generators, during the same 20-year

period evaluated by the WM PEIS. This

EIS will comprehensively analyze

impacts of the proposed action and

reasonable alternatives, including

potential cumulative impacts of other

relevant past, present, and reasonably

foreseeable activities. The EIS will be

prepared in accordance with NEPA, the

Council on Environmental Quality

NEPA Regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500–

1508), and the DOE NEPA Regulations

(10 CFR Part 1021).

DOE invites individuals,

organizations, and agencies to comment

on issues to be considered, alternatives

to be analyzed, and environmental

impacts to be addressed in the Hanford

Site Solid (Radioactive and Hazardous)

Waste Program EIS. Two public scoping

meetings are scheduled during the

public scoping period.

DATES: The public scoping period for

the Hanford Site Solid (Radioactive and

Hazardous) Waste Program EIS begins

with the publication of this notice and

continues until December 11, 1997. DOE

invites all interested parties to submit

written comments or suggestions during

the scoping period. Written comments

must be postmarked by December 11,

1997 to ensure consideration.

Comments postmarked after that date

will be considered to the extent

practicable.

Oral and written comments will be

received at public scoping meetings on

the dates and at the locations given

below:

1. November 12, 1997, 1:00–4:00 p.m.

PST and 7:00–10:00 p.m. PST at

Federal Building, 825 Jadwin,

Richland, WA 99352

2. November 13, 1997, 7:00–10:00 p.m.

PST at Vert Center, 500 S.W.

Dorion, Pendleton, OR 97801

For further information see Public

Scoping Meetings under SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION, below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the

scope of the Hanford Site Solid

(Radioactive and Hazardous) Waste

Program EIS, requests to speak at the

public meetings, and requests for copies

of the Draft EIS should be directed to

the DOE Document Manager listed

below.

Ms. Allison Wright, Document Manager,

Hanford Site Solid (Radioactive and

Hazardous) Waste Program EIS, U.S.

Department of Energy, Richland

Operations Office, MSIN S7–55, Post

Office Box 550, Richland, Washington

99352, Telephone: (509) 373–7840,

FAX: 509–372–1926, E-mail:

solidlwasteleisl-ldoe@rl.gov

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

further information regarding waste

managed by the Hanford Site Solid

Waste Program, contact Allison Wright

at the above address. For general

information on the DOE NEPA process,

contact: Carol 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.

Copies of DOE documents referenced

in this notice and related background

information are available for inspection

during normal business hours at the

following locations:

• U.S. Department of Energy,

Forrestal Building, Freedom of

Information Reading Room 1E–190,

1000 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20585, Telephone:

(202) 586–6020.

• Richland Public Library, 955

Northgate Dr., Richland, WA 99352–

3539, Telephone: (509) 943–7457.

• Foley Center Library, Gonzaga

University, E. 502 Boone Avenue,

Spokane, WA 99258, Telephone: (509)

328–4220, Ext. 3132.

• Branford Price Millar Library,

Government Documents Section,

Portland State University, 951

Southwest Hall, Portland, OR 97201,

Telephone: (503) 725–4617.

• Suzzallo Library, Government

Publications, University of Washington,

Seattle, WA 98195, Telephone: (206)

543–9158.

• U.S. DOE Public Reading Room,

Consolidated Information Center,

Washington State University-Tri Cities

Campus, 100 Sprout Road, Richland,

WA 99352, Telephone: (509) 372–7443.

Additional information on DOE and

Hanford Site NEPA activities and

documents, and Hanford solid waste

volume information, may also be

obtained at the following addresses on

the world-wide web:

• DOE NEPA Information—http://

tis.eh.doe.gov/nepa/

• Hanford Information—http://

www.hanford.gov/hanford.html

• Hanford Environmental

Assessments—http://

www.hanford.gov/hanford.html#ea

• Hanford Environmental Impact

Statements—http://www.hanford.gov/

hanford.html#eis

• Hanford Solid Waste Volumes—http:/

/www.hanford.gov/docs/ep0918/

index

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The Hanford Site occupies

approximately 560 square miles

adjacent to the Columbia River,

principally in Benton and Franklin

Counties, Washington, extending

approximately 25 miles north of

Richland, Washington. The Hanford

Site’s missions have included

processing nuclear materials in support

of defense, research, and medical

programs of the United States. The

Hanford Site defense production

facilities included nuclear fuel

fabrication facilities, nuclear production

reactors, separation facilities, product

preparation facilities, research facilities,

and waste management facilities. The

Site’s activities have generated a variety

of radioactively contaminated

equipment and radioactive and

hazardous wastes that are managed

under the Hanford Site Solid Waste

Program. These wastes include lowlevel radioactive waste (LLW), mixed

low-level radioactive waste (MLLW)

(which contains both hazardous and

radioactive constituents), transuranic

and mixed transuranic (TRU) waste, and

hazardous waste (HW). Other waste

types and spent nuclear fuel are

managed by other Hanford Site

programs.

The Hanford Site Solid (Radioactive

and Hazardous) Waste Program EIS

(hereafter referred to as the Solid Waste

Program EIS) would facilitate

accomplishment of the Program’s

mission, which is to:

• Manage wastes for which it is

responsible in a safe and efficient
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices 55617

manner in compliance with applicable

Federal, State, and local laws, codes,

standards, and requirements.

• Manage LLW, MLLW, TRU, and

HW received from on-site and off-site

generators, and legacy wastes associated

with prior operations,

• Decontaminate equipment for reuse

or disposal.

Waste management operations

include receipt, storage, repackaging,

treatment, and disposal or other

disposition, such as reuse.

Regulatory and Programmatic

Framework

The Atomic Energy Act (42 USC 2011

et seq.) requires DOE to manage the

wastes that it generates. Wastes that

have hazardous components are subject

to the Resource Conservation and

Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 USC 6901 et

seq.), the Toxic Substances Control Act

and other applicable laws and

regulations.

Tri-Party Agreement

The Hanford Federal Facility

Agreement and Consent Order (referred

to as the ‘‘Tri-Party Agreement’’) is an

interagency agreement among DOE, the

United States Environmental Protection

Agency, and the Washington State

Department of Ecology. The parties to

this agreement have established

milestones to bring DOE operating

facilities into compliance with RCRA

and to coordinate the cleanup of past

Hanford disposal sites under the

Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation, and Liability

Act.

Waste Management Programmatic EIS

DOE is currently examining its

complex-wide integrated waste

management program and evaluating

the suitability of existing and reasonably

foreseeable future facilities in light of

recent changes in the missions of DOE

facilities. The Final WM PEIS was

issued in May 1997. Alternatives

evaluated in the WM PEIS for each type

of waste include no action,

decentralization, regionalization, and

centralization of waste management

functions at one or more DOE facilities.

WM PEIS Records of Decision could

transfer management responsibilities for

some types of waste to or from the

Hanford Site. In general, the alternatives

analysis in the Solid Waste Program EIS

will be consistent with the DOE

complex-wide policies and practices

that have been analyzed in the WM

PEIS. The Solid Waste Program EIS will

be coordinated with Records of Decision

for the WM PEIS and other DOE EISs

that affect waste management at the

Hanford Site.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Disposal

Phase Final Supplemental EIS

DOE is currently considering whether

and, if so, how to begin disposal of TRU

waste at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

site near Carlsbad, New Mexico. The

decisions to be based on the Waste

Isolation Pilot Plant Disposal Phase

Final Supplemental EIS (DOE/EIS–

0026–S–2, issued in September 1997)

are whether to dispose of TRU waste at

the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, the

transportation method, the contents of

the disposal inventory, and what level

of treatment is required for disposal or

storage (i.e., repackaging to meet

planning-basis Waste Isolation Pilot

Plant waste acceptance criteria, thermal

treatment, or treatment by shred and

grout). In the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Disposal Phase Final Supplemental EIS,

the Hanford Site is considered for

treatment of TRU waste by any of the

three methods and for storage of TRU

waste (either without disposal at the

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant or pending

disposal). The analysis in the Solid

Waste Program EIS of TRU waste

management will be consistent with the

forthcoming Record of Decision for the

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Disposal

Phase Final Supplemental EIS.

Other Programmatic Decisions

The DOE Office of Environmental

Management has proposed a strategic

plan for accelerated cleanup by the year

2006 of most types of radioactive and

hazardous wastes at DOE facilities. This

‘‘2006 Strategic Plan’’ (formerly the TenYear Plan) would reduce the cost and

risks associated with managing

radioactive and hazardous waste that

currently exists at DOE facilities, and

make resources available for other uses

in the future. The goals of the 2006 Plan

will be incorporated into the action

alternatives evaluated for the Solid

Waste Program EIS.

Waste Types To Be Addressed

The waste types to be addressed in

the Solid Waste Program EIS are LLW,

MLLW, TRU, HW. The EIS also will

address management alternatives for

contaminated equipment. The

radioactive waste can be further defined

as being contact-handled or remotehandled. Contact-handled waste

containers produce radiation levels less

than or equal to 200 mrem/hr at contact;

remote-handled containers produce

greater than 200 mrem/hr.

The management of high-level waste,

most liquid wastes, spent nuclear fuel,

naval reactor compartments, nonhazardous solid wastes and most

remediation wastes are outside the

scope of the Solid Waste Program EIS.

Each of these materials has special

physical or regulatory management

requirements that are quite different

from those that typically apply to wastes

managed under the Solid Waste

Program. Further, most of these other

materials have been or are being

addressed by separate NEPA reviews or

other appropriate environmental review

process, and impacts from managing

these wastes will be included in

analyses of cumulative impacts in the

Solid Waste Program EIS.

Low-Level Radioactive Waste

Solid LLW includes operating and

laboratory wastes (e.g., protective

clothing, plastic sheeting, gloves, and

analytical wastes), contaminated

equipment, reactor and reactor fuel

hardware, spent lithium-aluminum

targets from which tritium has been

extracted, and spent deionizer resin

from reactor operations. The analytical

laboratories, reactors, separations

facilities, plutonium processing

facilities, and waste management

activities generated most of the LLW

currently managed at Hanford.

Analytical laboratory and research

operations facility deactivation

processes, waste management activities,

and other on-site and off-site activities

would likely continue to generate LLW

wastes in the foreseeable future. The

WM PEIS estimates that Hanford Site

LLW, including waste generated during

the next 20 years, would be about

89,000 m3 (or 6% of the LLW in the

DOE complex).

DOE needs to determine the

treatment, storage and disposal

activities required to properly manage

solid LLW that currently exists or may

exist at Hanford during the next 20

years. Currently, most of the LLW is

certified, packaged to meet waste

acceptance criteria, and placed in the

Low Level Burial Grounds (LLBG). DOE

needs to evaluate options for the

disposal of such wastes, including

expansion or reconfiguration and

ultimate closure of the current LLBG.

Small quantities of DOE-generated

waste that cannot meet Hanford Site

waste disposal criteria are currently

stored at various facilities until methods

are developed for their disposal. The

Hanford Solid Waste Program classifies

such wastes as ‘‘greater-than-Category-3

(GTC3).’’ DOE must evaluate

alternatives for the management of

Hanford’s GTC3 wastes.
55618 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices

Mixed Low-Level Radioactive Waste

Hanford’s MLLW was generated from

reactor operations, chemical separation

facilities, and laboratory operations, and

consists of materials such as sludges,

ashes, resins, paint wastes, soils, and

contaminated equipment. Hazardous

components may include lead and other

heavy metals, solvents, paints, oils,

other hazardous organic materials, or

components that exhibit the RCRA

characteristics of ignitability,

corrosivity, toxicity, or reactivity. The

WM PEIS estimates that the Hanford

Site MLLW, including waste generated

during the next 20 years, would be

about 36,000 m3 (or 16% of the MLLW

in the DOE complex).

DOE needs to determine the storage,

treatment and disposal activities

required to properly manage solid

MLLW that currently exists or may exist

at the Hanford Site during the next 20

years. Currently, most MLLW at the

Hanford Site is stored in the Central

Waste Complex awaiting treatment

before disposal.

A small amount of contact-handled

MLLW is treated on-site by

macroencapsulation or other processes.

The remaining contact-handled MLLW

requires treatment by other processes,

either thermal or non-thermal, before

disposal. To meet this need and ensure

that DOE meets its commitments under

the Tri-Party Agreement, the Hanford

Solid Waste Program is pursuing two

proposals as interim actions to this EIS.

Each proposal involves a separate

procurement of commercial treatment

services for contact-handled MLLW—

one for non-thermal treatment services

and the other for thermal treatment

services.

Under the Tri-Party Agreement, DOE

is required to: 1) award a contract for

stabilization of contact-handled MLLW

by September 30, 1997 (target milestone

M–19–01–T02; DOE has completed this

milestone); 2) complete all NEPA

requirements related to the commercial

contract for stabilization of contacthandled MLLW by September 30, 1998

(target milestone M–19–01–T03); 3)

initiate treatment of contact-handled

MLLW by September 30, 1999

(milestone M–19–01); and 4) initiate

thermal treatment of currently stored

and newly generated contact-handled

MLLW (at least 600 cubic meters will be

treated by December 2005, milestone

M–91–12).

DOE is preparing an environmental

assessment (DOE/EA–1189) regarding

its proposal to procure commercial nonthermal treatment services. Under the

proposed action, DOE would transport

up to 1860 cubic meters of contacthandled MLLW to a commercial vendor

for treatment; the treated waste would

be returned to the Hanford Site for

disposal. The Hanford Solid Waste

Program issued a Request for Proposals

for non-thermal treatment services in

April 1997. On September 5, 1997, after

considering a comparative evaluation of

the potential environmental impacts of

the offerors’ proposals in accordance

with its NEPA regulations (10 CFR Part

1021.216), DOE selected a commercial

vendor for further consideration of its

proposal to provide such services at an

existing non-DOE facility in Richland,

Washington.

Regarding its proposal to procure

commercial thermal treatment services

for contact-handled MLLW, DOE issued

a Request for Proposals for such services

in April 1994. In November 1995, after

considering a comparative evaluation of

the potential environmental impacts of

the offerors’ proposals in accordance

with its NEPA regulations (10 CFR Part

1021.216), DOE selected a vendor in

Richland, Washington (same vendor as

for non-thermal treatment) for further

consideration of its proposal to provide

such services. According to a draft EIS

issued in September 1997 by the City of

Richland (prepared under the State of

Washington Environmental Policy Act

to support the City’s action regarding

the siting, construction and operation of

the vendor’s proposed thermal

treatment facility), the vendor plans to

construct a new thermal treatment

(gasification and vitrification

technology) unit at its facility in

Richland and market both thermal and

non-thermal treatment services to both

the Government and the private sector.

DOE is preparing an environmental

assessment (DOE/EA–1135) regarding

DOE’s proposed action, which is to

transport up to 5,120 cubic meters of

contact-handled MLLW that requires

thermal treatment to the vendor’s

commercial treatment facility for

thermal treatment and return the treated

(vitrified) waste to the Hanford Site for

disposal. DOE’s MLLW would comprise

about 25% of the capacity of the thermal

treatment unit.

If DOE determines that an EIS is

required for one or both of the interim

actions described above, DOE would

rely on the analyses in the Solid Waste

Program EIS to support a decision on

whether to proceed with one or both of

the proposed interim actions. If DOE

issues a finding of no significant impact

for one or both of the proposed interim

actions, DOE’s NEPA review would be

complete and DOE would evaluate the

cumulative environmental impacts of

the proposals in the Solid Waste

Program EIS. DOE welcomes comments

on this approach for fulfilling its

environmental review responsibilities

under NEPA for these proposals.

Treatment, storage and disposal

options for the remainder of Hanford

Site MLLW, which is predominantly

remote-handled MLLW that cannot be

treated or disposed of under existing or

planned processes, will be addressed in

the Solid Waste Program EIS.

The Hanford Solid Waste Program

currently has two RCRA-compliant

MLLW trenches that could be used to

dispose of MLLW that meet RCRA land

disposal restrictions. Additional MLLW

disposal capacity is necessary to dispose

of MLLW to be managed by the Hanford

Site Solid Waste Program.

Transuranic and Mixed Transuranic

Waste

Transuranic waste contains

radioactive isotopes with atomic

numbers greater than 92 (i.e.,

transuranic isotopes) and half-lives

longer than 20 years at concentrations

exceeding 100 nanocuries of alphaemitting radionuclides per gram (mixed

transuranic waste also contains

hazardous constituents). TRU waste is

generated as a result of similar activities

to those that generated LLW and MLLW,

as described above. The major

difference is that TRU waste is

contaminated with transuranic isotopes

most often associated with plutonium

handling facilities. The WM PEIS

estimates that Hanford Site TRU waste,

including waste generated during the

next 20 years, would be about 52,000 m3

(38% of the TRU waste in the DOE

complex).

DOE needs to determine the retrieval,

treatment, and storage activities

required to properly manage solid TRU

waste that currently exists or may exist

during the next 20 years at the Hanford

Site. Since 1970, DOE has segregated

and retrievably stored TRU waste in

trenches and caissons, and in above

ground storage buildings at the Hanford

Site (mainly in the Central Waste

Complex and the Transuranic Storage

and Assay Facility). DOE hopes to

dispose of the existing inventory of TRU

waste and anticipated future quantities

of TRU waste at the proposed Waste

Isolation Pilot Plant. Capabilities such

as those provided by Hanford’s Waste

Receiving and Processing Facility would

be needed to meet the Waste Isolation

Pilot Plant planning-basis waste

acceptance criteria. Alternatives for the

treatment of remote-handled TRU have

not been determined. Additionally, DOE

needs to evaluate alternatives for the

transition or reuse of certain existing

facilities (e.g., the 221–T canyon)
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices 55619

managed by the Hanford Site Solid

Waste Program.

Hazardous Waste

HW is similar to MLLW except that

HW is not radioactive. Hazardous

components include materials such as

lead and other heavy metals, solvents,

paints, oils, other hazardous organic

materials, or materials that exhibit

RCRA characteristics of ignitability,

corrosivity, toxicity, or reactivity. They

are generated from activities such as

facility operations, decontamination and

decommissioning of facilities,

environmental restoration, waste

management, and vehicle maintenance.

The WM PEIS estimates that Hanford

Site HW, including waste generated

during the next 20 years, would be

about 6,100 m3 (9% of the HW in the

DOE complex).

DOE needs to determine the activities

required to properly manage its existing

and anticipated HW. Currently, nonwastewater HW is stored, packaged, and

shipped to off-site commercial facilities

for treatment and disposal. Based on the

WM PEIS, DOE will decide the extent to

which it should continue to rely on

commercial facilities. The Solid Waste

Program EIS will analyze alternatives

for the management of Hanford’s HW.

Contaminated Equipment

DOE activities have resulted in the

contamination of equipment, sometimes

to the extent that it is no longer suitable

for use. Some of the equipment would

potentially be useable if the radioactive

and/or hazardous constituent

contamination were removed or reduced

to acceptable levels. In other cases,

decontamination of the equipment may

be desirable prior to disposal to

minimize worker exposure or to reduce

the volume of material that must be

disposed of as LLW, HW, or MLLW.

DOE needs to determine the future

storage and treatment activities required

to properly manage Hanford’s

contaminated equipment and materials,

including those that may be received by

Hanford in the future from off-site

facilities. Currently, decontamination

services are provided at the 2706–T

building and 221–T (T–Plant canyon)

facilities at Hanford; however,

additional services and methods may be

desirable to recycle or reuse

contaminated equipment and materials.

Preliminary Description of the

Proposed Action and Alternatives

The preliminary proposed action and

alternatives to the proposed action

described below for each waste type are

consistent with relevant EISs for other

DOE sites, and encompass the range of

reasonable waste management activities

that could be undertaken at the Hanford

Site to implement programmatic

decisions that would be based on the

WM PEIS. The quantities and

characteristics of the wastes to be

considered would be based on

reasonable estimates of wastes from

ongoing operations, Hanford’s

environmental restoration and

decontamination and decommissioning

operations, and wastes that Hanford

might receive from off-site as a result of

decisions based on the WM PEIS,

decisions under the Federal Facility

Compliance Act, or other reasonably

foreseeable future programmatic

decisions. The alternatives would be

adjusted as necessary to conform to new

decisions as they are made. The

following descriptions indicate the

general approach to development of

these alternatives, and include examples

of potential actions for each type of

waste.

No Action Alternative

Under the no action alternative, DOE

would continue ongoing waste

management activities and implement

those actions for which NEPA reviews

have been completed and decisions

made (the baseline for analytical

purposes would be the time of issuance

of the Draft EIS). The no action

alternative will provide a baseline for

comparison of the environmental

impacts of the proposed action and its

alternatives. The following are examples

of activities that would be included in

the no action alternative (listed by waste

type).

LLW: Continued near term storage/

disposal operations at the LLBG;

indefinite storage of GTC3 waste;

continued use of other existing waste

management facilities (without

expansion or reconfiguration) and offsite treatment technology; and

limitations in the receipt of waste from

off-site generators to current rates with

a gradual reduction as capacity

diminishes.

TRU: Indefinite storage of existing

and newly generated TRU waste in the

existing central facilities; no retrieval of

existing TRU waste; no receipt of TRU

waste from off-site generators; no

treatment of TRU waste on-site; and no

shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot

Plant for disposal.

MLLW: Continued indefinite storage

operations at present centralized

facilities, without expansion or closure

of disposal facilities; indefinite storage

at generator sites; and no new treatment

processes initiated.

HW: Continued short-term storage of

existing and newly-generated HW at

generator sites with shipment off-site for

treatment and disposal.

Contaminated Equipment: Continued

use of 2706–T and 221–T facilities for

current decontamination activities and

minimal transition activities for future

uses of T–Plant.

Proposed Action

This alternative is the Hanford Solid

Waste Management Program long-term

planning baseline. In general, it consists

of a hybrid of actions from the other

alternatives, with options for managing

at the Hanford Site some radioactive

and hazardous wastes from off-site

facilities, including on-site and off-site

treatment, storage, and disposal,

depending upon the type of waste. The

proposed action would implement

programmatic decisions resulting from

DOE’s WM PEIS.

The proposed action includes

Hanford solid waste management

actions that are needed to comply with

regulatory requirements, protect human

health and the environment, and

support Hanford Site missions. Before

the implementation of some of the

proposed actions, DOE may need to

conduct further project-specific NEPA

reviews tiered from this EIS.

LLW: Disposal of LLW in the LLBG,

including the expansion,

reconfiguration, and closure of burial

grounds; development and use of new

treatment technologies; receipt of waste

from off-site generators or shipment of

Hanford waste to other sites; and storage

and disposal of GTC3 waste.

TRU: Retrieval and characterization of

TRU waste from active LLBG trenches

and caissons; storage at the Central

Waste Complex; receipt of some TRU

waste from off-site generators; treatment

of contact-handled TRU waste in the

Waste Receiving and Processing Facility

or another qualified facility;

development at Hanford of treatment

technologies/facilities for remotehandled and other special TRU waste or

shipment off-site for treatment; and

shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot

Plant for disposal.

MLLW: Disposal of MLLW in existing

RCRA-compliant trenches at the

Hanford Site; expansion of Hanford’s

MLLW trenches; use of vendor

treatment services or other treatment;

development of new treatment

technologies/facilities; receiving and

managing MLLW from off-site

generators; development and

implementation of leachate treatment

technologies; disposal of leachate;

closure of MLLW trenches; and disposal

at off-site facilities.

HW: Packaging and shipping HW to

off-site treatment, storage, and disposal
55620 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices

facilities; and closing or transitioning

for other use the Nonradioactive

Dangerous Waste Storage Facility (this

HW storage facility is currently in

standby mode).

Contaminated Equipment: Continued

decontamination activities at 2706–T

and 221–T facilities; evaluation of other

decontamination methods and

technologies; and receiving equipment

from other DOE sites for

decontamination at Hanford.

Minimize Solid Waste Management at

Hanford Alternative

This alternative would minimize the

use of land and facilities at Hanford

(i.e., maximize management of

Hanford’s solid radioactive and

hazardous wastes at either commercial

facilities or other DOE sites).

LLW: Disposal of existing LLW at

LLBG; newly generated waste shipped

off-site for treatment, storage, and

disposal; no receipt of waste from offsite generators; GTC3 waste managed

on-site for eventual off-site disposal;

and closure of LLBG.

TRU: All retrievable TRU waste from

the LLBG retrieved; and all newly

generated and existing TRU waste

packaged and shipped off-site for

treatment and disposal.

MLLW: Storage of MLLW pending

treatment; newly generated and existing

MLLW shipped off-site for treatment

and disposal; and no receipt of waste

from off-site generators.

HW: Packaging and shipping HW to

off-site treatment, storage, and disposal

facilities; and the Nonradioactive

Dangerous Waste Storage Facility

transitioned to other uses.

Contaminated Equipment:

Contaminated equipment shipped offsite for treatment and disposal;

discontinue use of 221–T and 2706–T

facilities for decontamination; and

deactivate T-plant.

Maximize Solid Waste Management at

Hanford Alternative

This alternative would maximize the

use of Hanford Site land and facilities

for management of solid radioactive and

hazardous wastes. It would include

management of wastes from other DOE

facilities, consistent with alternatives in

the WM PEIS under which the Hanford

Site would serve as a regional or

national management site for specific

types of waste.

Under this alternative, the Hanford

Site would manage more waste than

under the proposed action, and DOE

would improve or add to waste

treatment, storage, and disposal

facilities at the Hanford Site

accordingly. This increase would be

described and analyzed in terms of

increases to the waste quantities used to

evaluate the proposed action.

LLW: Treatment, consolidation and

disposal of existing LLW and GTC3 onsite; acceptance of LLW from off-site

generators for treatment, storage, and

disposal at Hanford; expansion of

treatment, storage and disposal facilities

on-site as necessary with minimum use

of off-site options; and closure of LLBG.

MLLW: Receipt of MLLW from off-site

generators for treatment, storage, and

disposal; development of new treatment

technologies/facilities; minimized use of

off-site options, maximized on-site

treatment; disposal of leachate on-site;

disposal of newly generated and

existing MLLW on-site; expansion of

existing MLLW disposal facilities and

possible construction of new facilities as

needed; and closure of MLLW trenches.

TRU: Retrieval and characterization of

TRU waste from active LLBG trenches

and caissons; storage at the Central

Waste Complex; receipt of TRU waste

from off-site generators (i.e., serve as

primary regional/national treatment

facility to prepare TRU waste for

disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot

Plant); treatment of contact-handled

TRU waste in the Waste Receiving and

Processing Facility or another qualified

facility; development at Hanford of

technologies/facilities for the treatment

of remote-handled and other special

TRU waste; and shipment to the Waste

Isolation Pilot Plant for disposal.

HW: Development and use of on-site

treatment, storage, and disposal

facilities; and receipt of HW from offsite generators for disposition.

Contaminated Equipment: Continued

decontamination activities at 2706–T

and 221–T facilities or at new facilities

that would be constructed as needed;

development of mobile or other

decontamination methods and

technologies; and receipt of equipment

from off-site generators for

decontamination at Hanford.

Relationship to Other Actions

Interim Actions

The following environmental

assessments are currently being

prepared for potential interim actions

that DOE is considering during the

preparation of this EIS:

• Off-Site Thermal Treatment of Lowlevel Mixed Waste, DOE/EA–1135.

• Solid Low-level Mixed Waste NonThermal Treatment, DOE/EA–1189.

Other Potentially-Related NEPA

Documents in Preparation

The following DOE or other-agency

NEPA documents in preparation may be

related to the Hanford Site Solid Waste

Program EIS:

• DOE/EIS–0222, Hanford Remedial

Action EIS and Comprehensive Land

Use Plan.

• DOE/EIS–0274, Disposal of S3G and

D1G Prototype Reactor Plants EIS.

• DOE/EIS–0283, Surplus Plutonium

Disposition EIS

• Commercial Low-Level Radioactive

Waste Disposal Site (U.S. Ecology) on

the Hanford Site (an EIS being prepared

by the State of Washington Department

of Ecology and Department of Health

under the State of Washington

Environmental Policy Act).

• Off-Site Thermal Treatment of LowLevel Mixed Waste, Richland

Washington (an EIS being prepared by

the City of Richland under the State of

Washington Environmental Policy Act).

Existing Related NEPA Documentation

The following lists completed DOE or

other-agency NEPA documents that are

related to the Hanford Site Solid Waste

Program EIS:

• ERDA–1538, EIS for Waste

Management Operations, Hanford

Reservation, Richland, Washington, U.S.

Energy and Research Development

Administration, Washington, D.C., 1975.

• DOE/EIS–0113, EIS for Disposal of

Hanford High-Level, Transuranic, and

Tank Wastes, December 1987. Record of

Decision, 53 FR 12449, April 14, 1988.

• DOE/EIS–0119, Decommissioning

of Eight Surplus Production Reactors at

the Hanford Site EIS, Richland,

Washington, December 1992. Record of

Decision, 58 FR 48509, September 16,

1993.

• DOE/EIS–0189, Tank Waste

Remediation System, Hanford Site EIS,

August 1996. Record of Decision, 62 FR

8693, February 26, 1997.

• DOE/EIS–0200–F, Waste

Management Programmatic EIS, May

1997.

• DOE/EIS–0026–S2, Waste Isolation

Pilot Plant Supplemental EIS–II,

September 1997.

• DOE/EIS–0245, Management of

Spent Nuclear Fuel from the K Basins at

the Hanford Site EIS, Richland,

Washington, January 1996. Record of

Decision, 61 FR 10736, March 15, 1996.

• DOE/EIS–0244, Plutonium

Finishing Plant Stabilization EIS,

Hanford Site, Richland, Washington,

May 1996. Record of Decision, 61 FR

36352, July 10, 1996.

• Disposal of Decommissioned

Defueled Naval Submarine Reactor

Plants EIS (prepared by the Department

of the Navy), May 1984. Record of

Decision, 49 FR 47649, December 6,

1984.

• DOE/EIS–0259, Disposal of

Decommissioned, Defueled Cruiser,
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 207 / Monday, October 27, 1997 / Notices 55621

Ohio and Los Angeles Class Naval

Reactor Plants EIS, adopted by the U.S.

Department of Energy, Washington,

D.C., May 1996. Record of Decision, 61

FR 41596, August 9, 1996.

• DOE/EA–0981, Solid Waste

Retrieval Complex, Enhanced

Radioactive and Mixed Waste Storage

Facility, Infrastructure Upgrades, and

Central Waste Support Complex,

Hanford Site, Richland Washington,

Environmental Assessment, September

1995.

• DOE/EA–1203, Trench 33 Widening

in Low Level Waste Burial Ground 218–

W–5, Environmental Assessment, July

1997.

• DOE/EA–1211, Relocation and

Storage of Isotopic Heat Sources

(formerly DOE/EA-0982, Special Case

Waste), Environmental Assessment,

June 1997.

Preliminary Identification of

Environmental Issues

The following issues have been

tentatively identified for analysis in the

EIS. The list is presented to facilitate

comment on the scope of the EIS. It is

not intended to be all-inclusive or to

predetermine the potential impacts of

any of the alternatives.

• Effects on the public and on-site

workers from releases of radiological

and nonradiological materials during

normal operations and reasonably

foreseeable accidents.

• Long-term risks to human

populations resulting from waste

disposal.

• Effects on air and water quality

from normal operations and reasonably

foreseeable accidents.

• Cumulative effects, including

impacts from other past, present, and

reasonably foreseeable actions at the

Hanford Site.

• Effects on endangered species,

archaeological/cultural/historical sites,

floodplains and wetlands, and priority

habitat.

• Effects from transportation and

from reasonably foreseeable

transportation accidents.

• Socioeconomic impacts on

surrounding communities.

• Disproportionately high and

adverse effects on low-income and

minority populations (Environmental

Justice).

• Unavoidable adverse environmental

effects.

• Short-term uses of the environment

versus long-term productivity.

• Potential irretrievable and

irreversible commitment of resources.

• The consumption of natural

resources and energy, including water,

natural gas, and electricity.

• Pollution prevention, waste

minimization, and potential mitigative

measures.

Development of the Hanford Site Solid

Waste Program EIS

DOE will consider comments and

suggestions received during the scoping

period in its preparation of the draft EIS.

On completing the draft EIS, DOE will

announce its availability in the Federal

Register and local media, and will again

solicit public comments. DOE will

consider comments on the draft EIS in

its preparation of the final EIS. The

preliminary schedule for issuance of the

Hanford Site Solid Waste Program EIS

is:

Availability of Draft EIS: Spring 1998.

Draft EIS Public Comment Period:

Summer 1998.

Availability of Final EIS: Late 1998.

Record of Decision: Early 1999.

Public Scoping Meetings

DOE invites the public to attend

scoping meetings at which comments

may be presented on the scope of the

EIS. Oral and written comments will be

considered equally in preparation of the

EIS. Oral and written comments will be

received at public scoping meetings to

be held on the dates and at the locations

given below:

November 12, 1997—Meeting Times:

1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. PST and 7:00

p.m.–10:00 p.m. PST, Federal

Building, 825 Jadwin, Richland, WA

99352

November 13, 1997—Meeting Time:

7:00 p.m.—10:00 p.m. PST, Vert

Center, 500 S.W. Dorion, Pendleton,

OR 97801

DOE staff will begin each scoping

meeting with a short presentation on the

EIS process, the Hanford Site Solid

Waste Program, and the proposed action

and alternatives. A brief informal

question and answer session will

follow. Individuals and organization

and agency spokespersons will then be

invited to present comments.

Requests to speak at the public

meetings may be made in person at the

meeting, by calling the DOE NEPA

Document Manager by 3:00 p.m. PST

the day before the meeting, or by writing

to the DOE Document Manager (see

ADDRESSES, above). Speakers will be

heard on a first-come, first-served basis

as time permits. Written comments also

will be accepted at the meetings.

Speakers are encouraged to provide

written versions of their oral comments

for the record.

The meetings will be conducted by a

moderator. DOE staff and the moderator

may ask speakers clarifying questions.

Individuals requesting to speak on

behalf of an organization must identify

the organization. Each speaker will be

allowed five minutes to present

comments unless more time is available.

Comments will be recorded by a court

reporter and will become part of the

scoping meeting record. DOE also will

provide opportunities for separate

informal discussions about the scope

and content of the EIS, and will make

subject matter experts available to

answer questions.

Issued in Washington, DC this 21st day of

October, 1997.

Peter N. Brush,

Acting Assistant Secretary, Environment,

Safety and Health.

[FR Doc. 97–28399 Filed 10–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Chicago Operations Office; Office of

Nuclear Energy, Science and

Technology; Notice of Solicitation for

Cooperative Agreement/Applications

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Solicitation.

SUMMARY:The U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE), pursuant to theDOE

Financial Assistance Rules, intends to

issue Solicitation No. DE–SC02–

98NE21596, for Administrative and

Management Services for the

NuclearEngineering /Health Physics

Fellowship & Scholarship Program on or

about October 31, 997. This is a reissue

to the notification previously published

of the Federal Register on June 25,

1997.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: Applications

submitted in response to this Notice

should be received byDecember 4, 1997.

To obtain a complete solicitation

package, please contact Nadine S. Kijak,

Chairperson, U.S. Department of Energy,

Chicago Operations Office, Acquisition

and Assistance Group, 9800 S. Cass

Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 Telephone

630/252–2508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nadine S. Kijak at 630/252–2508 or by

fax at 630/252–2522.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Program Title: Nuclear Engineering/

Health Physics Fellowship and

Scholarship Program.

Solicitation Number: DE-SC02–

98NE21596.

Citation of Authority: PL 95–91.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),

Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and

Technology, supports graduate fellows

and undergraduate scholars as a means