Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 57 / Tuesday, March 25, 1997 / Notices 14125

II (Project Description, Potential Sites),

a program policy factor for DOE is the

determination of potential needs for

medical surveillance for former workers

at major DOE sites not included in the

cooperative agreements awarded in

September 1996.

VII. DOE’s Role

In order for DOE to utilize cooperative

agreements for these medical

surveillance projects, there must be

substantial involvement between DOE

and any awardee(s). DOE established

the core tasks for these projects and

prepared this Federal Register Notice of

Availability. DOE will conduct the

selection and award process, which will

include evaluations by persons outside

the Federal government. DOE will

evaluate the results of phase I and,

where warranted, authorize and fund

phase II. DOE will facilitate awardee

access to the target sites and help

familiarize investigators with the facility

and historical operations. DOE will

facilitate access to exposure records,

including the identification and

retrieval of records relating to DOE

activities, and declassification of

records, as needed. DOE will establish

requirements for data collection and

handling. DOE will consult with project

investigators and coordinate semiannual

meetings. DOE will interact with an

independent advisory group that will

provide advice to DOE and to project

investigators. Finally, DOE will monitor

and evaluate the results of the projects,

including the participant’s level of

satisfaction, to determine how these

projects could be expanded to other

groups of former workers both at the

project sites and at other DOE sites. In

addition to helping former workers,

information gained from these projects

will contribute to DOE’s ongoing efforts

to improve health and safety programs

for current workers.

VIII. Applicants

Applicants for the cooperative

agreements could include domestic

nonprofit and for profit organizations,

universities, medical centers, research

institutions, other public and private

organizations, including State and local

governments, labor unions and other

employee representative groups, and

small, minority and/or women-owned

businesses. Consortiums of interested

organizations are encouraged to apply.

Awardees for each project will work

cooperatively with former workers, DOE

site officials, DOE operating contractors,

labor organizations, health officials, and

designated community representatives.

Issued in Washington, D.C., on March 14,

1997.

Paul J. Seligman,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Studies.

[FR Doc. 97–7470 Filed 3–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Mobile Systems Certification Program

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE),

Albuquerque Operations Office (AL).

ACTION: Notice of intent to issue

competitive solicitation.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy,

Albuquerque Operations Office,

announces its intent to issue a

competitive Federal Financial

Assistance (FFA) Solicitation Number

97AL77459 under DOE Financial

Assistance Rules, 10 CFR 600.8, for

Mobile Systems Certification Program

participation. This solicitation is to

assist in the certification of Recipients

to perform Contact-Handled (CH)

Transuranic (TRU) Waste Management

Activities at DOE’s Waste Generator/

Storage Sites and Small Quantity Sites

located throughout the United States,

through the use of the Recipient’s

Mobile Systems.

DATES AND ADDRESSES: DOE plans to

issue FFA Solicitation Number

97AL77459 on or about April 15, 1997.

A copy of the solicitation can be

obtained after April 15, 1997, by

contacting Mr. Lowther at the address,

telephone, fax number, or E–Mail

address below. Companies who have

previously received a copy of or

responded to DOE AL Draft Request For

Proposal No. DE–RP04–97AL77459

entitled ‘‘Mobile CH TRU Waste

Management Services’’ are currently on

the mailing list and will be furnished a

copy of this FFA Solicitation No.

97AL77459. Applications will be due

June 12,1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S.

Department of Energy, Albuquerque

Operations Office, PO. Box 5400,

Albuquerque, NM 87185–5400, Attn:

Mr. Robert D. Lowther, Contracts and

Procurement Division, Telephone

Number: (505) 845–6839, Fax Number:

(505) 845–4004, E–Mail Address:

rlowther@doeal.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOE

plans to issue a Federal Assistance

Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement

Proposals (FASCAP) on or about April

15, 1997. The objective of this

solicitation is to (1) stimulate the market

place by having Recipients, who possess

or can develop Mobile Systems

(equipment which can be attached to

trailers and transported to sites around

the country) technology and capability,

apply for federal financial assistance to

seek DOE’s review and certification of

the Recipient’s procedures, policies, and

processes, and, (2) to evaluate the

Recipients’ capabilities and equipment

through participation in DOE

performance demonstration programs

and certification audits.

A maximum of three applicants will

be awarded a cooperative agreement.

The estimated DOE funding for this

Mobile Systems Certification Program is

$900,000, to be shared equally among

the selected applicants. The DOE

funding is restricted to developing

procedures and its associated quality

assurance plans, and for participating in

performance demonstration programs

and audits. The DOE funding cannot be

used to purchase or develop Mobile

Systems equipment. Recipient cost

sharing (non-federal) is highly

encouraged. The DOE Carlsbad Area

Office (CAO) will administer the

cooperative agreements, which will

have a project period of approximately

six months with an August 1997

planned award date.

Background

Approximately 102,000 cubic meters

(contained in various size drums or

boxes) of retrievably stored, CH TRU

waste and mixed TRU waste, is in

inventory at numerous sites around the

country. In addition, an estimated

38,000 cubic meters of TRU waste will

be generated in the course of continuing

DOE operations. All stored and to-begenerated defense TRU waste is

destined for permanent disposal in the

DOE Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

located near Carlsbad, New Mexico.

WIPP is scheduled to open in November

1997, pending receipt of regulatory

approvals from the U. S. Environmental

Protection Agency and the State of New

Mexico.

In order to ship TRU waste to WIPP,

sites must certify that the waste meets

WIPP Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC).

Waste certification involves the physical

characterization combined with the

appropriate quality assurance

documentation (records, audits, etc.) to

demonstrate that the waste complies

with the standards for disposal at WIPP.

The waste must go though physical

characterization performed in

accordance with the Transuranic Waste

Characterization Quality Assurance

Program Plan (QAPP) on a waste stream

basis and per container basis to

determine the chemical, radiological,

and physical attributes of the waste.

Waste containers that do not meet the

acceptance criteria outlined in WIPP

WAC will need further processing,

including repackaging for shipment in
14126 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 57 / Tuesday, March 25, 1997 / Notices

the TRUPACT–II shipping containers,

before disposal at WIPP.

Most sites with significant quantities

of TRU waste plan to use existing fixed

facilities or open new facilities in the

future to perform these functions;

however, such facilities may not be fully

operational and thus not be capable of

meeting DOE’s current disposal

schedule. Furthermore, small quantity

sites lack the capability to characterize,

treat, package, and load TRU waste.

An alternative to using fixed facilities

is the use of mobile systems mounted on

one or more trailers or portable systems

which can be transported to a site(s).

These mobile systems must be capable

of characterizing, processing,

repackaging, and loading TRU waste

into TRUPACT–II shipping containers.

In addition to the physical

characterization and processing to be

provided by these mobile systems, the

sites have a need for waste management

services necessary to certify waste to

WIPP WAC requirements prior to

transportation and disposal at WIPP.

The CAO is pursuing this strategy of

using mobile systems services to offer

the DOE complex substantial advantages

such as:

• More rapid deployment than the

construction of fixed facilities;

• Greater flexibility in managing and

configuring waste preparation; and

• Greater efficiencies and costeffectiveness in waste preparation.

The majority of drums destined for

WIPP are planned for transportation

through the year 2006, with additional

drum quantities to be identified,

characterized, certified, and transported

through the year 2033. However, the

TRU-Waste inventory processing

allocations may be subject to change,

thus enhancing the potential for

additional mobile systems processing.

Under this Mobile Systems

Certification Program, a Recipient(s)

must develop procedures and plans that

demonstrate its proposed

‘‘characterization/certification process’’

meets the Quality Assurance Standards

set forth by the CAO. These standards

(available from CAO) are identified in

CAO’s Transuranic Waste

Characterization Quality Assurance

Program Plan, CAO–94–1010, and

Quality Assurance Program Document,

CAO–94–1012. Additional information

is available in the National Transuranic

Waste Management Plan, DOE/NTP–96–

1204, and Mobile Systems Capability

Plan, DOE/NTP–96–1202.

The solicitation to be issued will

include a guide for submission of

applications as well as identify the

evaluation criteria, and program policy

factors. If you are interested in receiving

the FASCAP, contact Robert Lowther at

the above address or telephone/fax

number. All responsible sources may

submit an application, which will be

considered. The solicitation is subject to

the limitations on financial aid

participation imposed by Section 2306

of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42

U.S.C. 13525).

Purpose

This notice is issued to announce the

Mobile Systems Certification Program

solicitation.

Issued in Albuquerque, New Mexico on

March 18, 1997.

James G. Hoyal, Jr.,

Deputy Assistant Manager for Management

and Administration.

[FR Doc. 97–7469 Filed 3–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Environmental Management SiteSpecific Advisory Board, Nevada Test

Site

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act

(Public Law 92–463, 86 Stat. 770) notice

is hereby given of the following

Advisory Committee meeting:

Environmental Management SiteSpecific Advisory Board (EM SSAB),

Nevada Test Site.

DATES: Wednesday, April 2, 1997: 5:30

p.m.–9 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Community College of

Southern Nevada (Cheyenne Avenue

Campus), High Desert Conference and

Training Center, Room 1422, 3200 East

Cheyenne Avenue, North Las Vegas,

Nevada 89030–4296, 702–651–4294.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kevin Rohrer, U.S. Department of

Energy, Office of Environmental

Management, PO Box 98518, Las Vegas,

Nevada 89193–8513, phone: 702–295–

0197.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose of

the Board: The purpose of the Advisory

Board is to make recommendations to

DOE and its regulators in the areas of

environmental restoration, waste

management, and related activities.

April Agenda

5:30 p.m.—Call to Order

5:40 p.m.—Presentations

7:00 p.m.—Public Comment/Questions

7:30 p.m.—Break

7:45 p.m.—Review Action Items

8:00 p.m.—Approve Meeting Minutes

8:10 p.m.—Committee Reports

8:45 p.m.—Public Comment

9:00 p.m.—Adjourn

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 Kevin Rohrer, at the 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 Official is

empowered to conduct the meeting in a

fashion that will facilitate the orderly

conduct of business. This notice is being

published less than 15 days in advance

of the meeting due to programmatic

issues that needed to be resolved.

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

a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday–Friday, except

Federal holidays. Minutes will also be

available by writing to Kevin Rohrer at

the address listed above.

Issued at Washington, DC on March 19,

1997.

Rachel M. Samuel,

Acting Deputy Advisory Committee

Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 97–7474 Filed 3–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Environmental Management SiteSpecific Advisory Board, Oak Ridge

Reservation

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of open meeting.

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), Oak Ridge

Reservation.

DATES: Wednesday, April 2, 1997; 6

p.m.–9:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Information Resource

Center, 105 Broadway, Oak Ridge,

Tennessee.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sandy Perkins, Site-Specific Advisory

Board Coordinator, Department of

Energy Oak Ridge Operations Office,

105 Broadway, Oak Ridge, TN 37830,

(423) 576–1590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose of the Board: The purpose of

the Board is to make recommendations