Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 224 / Thursday, November 20, 1997 / Notices 62027

Regulations (10 CFR part 1021) require

the analysis of a no action alternative.

Under the no action alternative, DOE

would continue storing mixed low-level

waste, alpha-contaminated mixed lowlevel waste and transuranic waste in the

existing RCRA Type II storage modules

and the earthen covered berm at the

Radioactive Waste Management

Complex. The waste stored in the

earthen berm of the Transuranic Storage

Area Retrieval Enclosure would not be

retrieved. Under the no action

alternative, all INEEL activities

supporting the Waste Isolation Pilot

Plant would cease once the current

inventory of waste that is now ready for

transport to the Waste Isolation Pilot

Plant has been shipped. Waste currently

stored in the RCRA Type II storage

modules at the Radioactive Waste

Management Complex that could not be

shipped to the Waste Isolation Pilot

Plant would remain in storage

indefinitely. If DOE selects the no action

alternative, the contract with BNFL

would be terminated for convenience.

Related NEPA Decisions and Reviews

This tiered EIS will use, and

supplement as necessary, the

information and analyses contained in:

(1) the SNF & INEL EIS, (DOE/EIS–

0203–F); (2) the WM PEIS, (DOE/EIS–

200–F) and (3) SEIS–II (DOE/EIS–0026–

S–2).

Volume 2 of the SNF & INEL EIS,

issued in April 1995, is a site-wide EIS

for environmental restoration and waste

management activites at the INEEL.

Volume 2 includes analysis of the

potential environmental impacts

associated with treating alphacontaminated and transuranic mixed

wastes and packaging the waste for

shipment to a DOE approved repository.

The SNF & INEL EIS evaluated two

proposed generic treatment facilities:

the Private Sector Alpha Low-Level

Waste Treatment Facility, and the Idaho

Waste Processing Facility. The SNF &

INEL EIS envisioned that these projects

would be identical (except for how they

would be funded and operated) and

would involve thermal (incineration)

and non-thermal treatment processes.

The SNF & INEL EIS also envisioned

that only one of these projects would

ultimately be implemented, and that

appropriate further NEPA review would

be conducted before DOE would decide

to implement one of the projects. In the

SNF & INEL EIS, the potential

environmental impacts of these facilities

were analyzed sufficiently to assess

their incremental contribution to the

cumulative impacts of past, present and

reasonably foreseeable future activities

at the INEEL.

The WM PEIS, issued in May 1997, is

a DOE complex-wide study examining

the potential environmental impacts

associated with managing five types of

radioactive and hazardous wastes

generated by past, present, and

reasonably foreseeable future activities

at 24 major sites located around the

United States. The five types of waste

examined by the WM PEIS are mixed

low-level radioactive waste (including

alpha-contaminated mixed low-level

waste), low-level radioactive waste,

transuranic waste, hazardous waste, and

high-level radioactive waste. The WM

PEIS preferred treatment alternative for

mixed low-level waste is treatment at

DOE facilities (including INEEL). The

WM PEIS preferred alternative for

transuranic waste involves treatment at

DOE facilities that have significant

quantities of transuranic waste, such as

the INEEL. Based on the preferred

alternative, treated transuranic waste

would be stored where it is treated

pending decisions on a final repository

(see below). A WM PEIS Record of

Decision has not yet been issued for any

waste types.

The SEIS–II assesses whether to

dispose of transuranic waste at the

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and

reasonable options for transportation

and other activities associated with

disposal, as well as reasonable

alternatives concerning quantities,

sources, and treatment of transuranic

waste for disposal. The Department’s

preferred alternative in SEIS–II is to

dispose of post-1970 defense

transuranic waste at the Waste Isolation

Pilot Plant, and to transport the waste to

the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant by truck

(although DOE would continue to

explore the availability of safe and costeffective commercial rail

transportation). The preferred

alternative is consistent with the

proposed action that will be analyzed in

the AMWTP EIS.

In addition to the programmatic EISs

described above, the High-Level Waste

and Facilities Disposition (HLWFD) EIS

is an ongoing NEPA analysis that is

potentially related to the AMWTP EIS.

The HLWFD EIS will analyze the

potential environmental impacts of

treating INEEL’s high-level waste and

associated radioactive waste. The

HLWFD EIS is potentially relevant to

the proposed Advanced Mixed Waste

Treatment Project EIS because a small

portion of the radioactive waste (not

high-level waste) considered in the

former EIS is a candidate for treatment

at the proposed AMWTP. A Notice of

Intent to prepare the HLWFD EIS was

issued on September 19, 1997 (62 FR

49209).

Preliminary Identification of EIS Issues

• Potential effects on the Snake River

Plain Aquifer;

• Effects of emissions and discharges

from the thermal treatment of mixed

low-level waste, alpha-contaminated

mixed low-level waste, and

transuranic waste;

• Potential effects on the public and

workers from exposure to radiological

and hazardous materials, during

normal operations and from

reasonably foreseeable accidents;

• Potential effects on air, soil, and water

quality, from normal operations and

reasonably foreseeable accidents;

• Potential effects on members of the

public, including minority and low

income populations, from normal

operations and reasonably foreseeable

accidents;

• Pollution prevention, waste

minimization, and energy and water

use reduction technologies to

eliminate or reduce use of energy,

water, and hazardous substances, and

to minimize environmental impacts;

• Potential socioeconomic impacts,

including potential impacts

associated with the number of

workers needed for operations;

• Potential impacts on cultural and

historic resources;

• Regulation of commercial operations

on a DOE site;

• Compliance with applicable Federal,

State, and local requirements and the

Court Order/Settlement Agreement;

• Potential cumulative environmental

impacts of all past, present, and

reasonably foreseeable future

operations at the INEEL;

• Potential irreversible and irretrievable

commitment of resources and the

ultimate use of INEEL land;

• Potential environmental impacts,

including long term risks to humans,

associated with constructing,

operating, and decommissioning the

AMWTP.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on November

17, 1997.

Peter N. Brush,

Acting Assistant Secretary Environment,

Safety and Health.

[FR Doc. 97–30536 Filed 11–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Environmental Management SiteSpecific Advisory Board, Savannah

River Site

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.
62028 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 224 / Thursday, November 20, 1997 / Notices

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act

(Pub. L. 92–463, 86 Stat. 770) notice is

hereby given of the following Advisory

Committee meeting: Environmental

Management Site-Specific Advisory

Board (EM SSAB), Savannah River Site.

DATES AND TIMES: Friday & Saturday,

December 5–6, 1997: 8:30 a.m.–5:00

p.m.

ADDRESSES: The December 5–6, 1997

meetings will be held at: Ocean Plaza,

Oceanfront at 15th Street, Savannah,

Georgia 31328.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gerri Flemming, Public Accountability

Specialist, Environmental Restoration

and Solid Waste Division, Department

of Energy Savannah River Operations

Office, P.O. Box A, Aiken, S.C. 29802

(803) 725–5374.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of the Board

The purpose of the Board is to make

recommendations to DOE and its

regulators in the areas of environmental

restoration, waste management and

related activities.

Tentative Agenda

Friday, December 5, 1997

8:30 a.m.—Review applications of

potential candidates for Board

membership and select three qualified

applicants per Board vacancy

5:00 p.m.—Adjourn

Saturday, December 6 1997

8:30 a.m.—Review applications of

potential candidates for Board

membership and select three qualified

applicants per Board vacancy

5:00 p.m.—Adjourn.

If necessary, time will be allotted after

public comments for items added to the

agenda, and administrative details.

Public Participation

The meeting is open to the public.

Written statements may be filed with

the Committee either before or after the

meeting. Individuals who wish to make

oral statements pertaining to agenda

items should contact Gerri Flemming’s

office at the address or telephone

number listed above. Requests must be

received 5 days prior to the meeting and

reasonable provision will be made to

include the presentation in the agenda.

The Designated Federal Officer is

empowered to conduct the meeting in a

fashion that will facilitate the orderly

conduct of business. Each individual

wishing to make public comment will

be provided a maximum of 5 minutes to

present their comments at the end of

each day.

Minutes

The minutes of this meeting will be

available for public review and copying

at the Freedom of Information Public

Reading Room, 1E–190, Forrestal

Building, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585 between

9:00 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday–Friday

except Federal holidays. Minutes will

also be available by wrting to Gerri

Flemming, Department of Energy

Savannah River Operations Office, P.O.

Box A, Aiken, S.C. 29802, or by calling

her at (803) 725–5374.

Issued at Washington, DC on November 12,

1997.

Rachel Samuel,

Deputy Advisory Committee Management

Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–30510 Filed 11–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Secretary of Energy Advisory Board;

Notice of Open Meeting

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

SUMMARY: Consistent with the

provisions of the Federal Advisory

Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 86 Stat.

770), notice is hereby given of the

following advisory committee meeting:

Name: Secretary of Energy Advisory

Board—Laboratory Operations Board.

Date and Time: Tuesday, December 9,

1997, 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Place: Georgetown University

Conference Center, Salon H, 3800

Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC

20057.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard C. Burrow, Secretary of Energy

Advisory Board (AB–1), US Department

of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 586–

1709.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

purpose of the Laboratory Operations

Board is to provide advice to the

Secretary of Energy Advisory Board

regarding the strategic direction of the

Department’s laboratories, the

coordination of budget and policy issues

affecting laboratory operations, and the

reduction of unnecessary and

counterproductive management burdens

on the laboratories. The Laboratory

Operations Board’s goal is to facilitate

the productive and cost-effective

utilization of the Department’s

laboratory system and the application of

best business practices.

Tentative Agenda

Tuesday, December 9, 1997

9:00–9:30 AM—Introductory Remarks

9:30–10:30 AM—Status Report on LOB

Recommendations

10:30–10:45 AM—Break

10:45–11:30 AM—Report on Multiple

Laboratory Projects

11:30–12:00 PM—Public Comment

Period

12:00–1:00 PM—Lunch

1:00–1:30 PM—Progress Report on

Ongoing Studies

1:30–2:00 PM—Report on New

Activities

2:00–2:45 PM—Working Session

2:45–3:15 PM—Public Comment Period

3:15–3:30 PM—Closing Remarks

3:30 PM—Adjourn

This tentative agenda is subject to

change. A final agenda will be available

at the meeting.

Public Participation

The Chairman of the Laboratory

Operations Board is empowered to

conduct the meeting in a way which

will, in the Chairman’s judgment,

facilitate the orderly conduct of

business. During its meeting in

Washington, D.C., the Laboratory

Operations Board welcomes public

comment. Members of the public will be

heard in the order in which they sign up

at the beginning of the meeting. The

Laboratory Operations Board will make

every effort to hear the views of all

interested parties. Written comments

may be submitted to Skila Harris,

Executive Director, Secretary of Energy

Advisory Board, AB–1, US Department

of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue,

SW, Washington, DC 20585.

Minutes

Minutes and a transcript of the

meeting will be available for public

review and copying approximately 30

days following the meeting at the

Freedom of Information Public Reading

Room, 1E–190 Forrestal Building, 1000

Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, D.C., between 9:00 a.m.

and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday

except Federal holidays. Information on

the Laboratory Operations Board may

also be found at the Secretary of Energy

Advisory Board’s web site, located at

http://www.hr.doe.gov/seab.

Issued at Washington, D.C., on November

17, 1997.

Rachel M. Samuel,

Deputy Advisory Committee Management

Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–30509 Filed 11–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P