[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20810-20811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11193]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Navy


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Disposal of Decommissioned, Defueled Cruiser, Ohio 
Class, and Los Angeles Class Naval Reactor Plants

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 [42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq] and in accordance with the Council on Environmental 
Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the 
National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Navy, with the Department of Energy as a cooperating 
agency, has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency the

[[Page 20811]]

Final Environmental Impact Statement for disposal of reactor plants 
from U.S. Navy nuclear-powered cruisers, OHIO Class submarines and LOS 
ANGELES Class submarines. The Department of Energy has participated as 
a cooperating agency and has adopted the Environmental Impact Statement 
to fulfill its environmental review obligations under NEPA.
    Requests for copies of the document and requests for further 
information should be directed to Mr. John Gordon (Code 1160), Puget 
Sound Naval Shipyard, 1400 Farragut Avenue, Bremerton, Washington 
98314-5001, telephone (360)476-7111.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final Environmental Impact Statement 
analyzes the alternative ways for disposing of decommissioned, 
defueled, reactor compartments from U.S. Navy nuclear-powered cruisers 
(BAINBRIDGE, TRUXTUN, LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA Class and VIRGINIA Class) 
and submarines (LOS ANGELES Class and OHIO Class). A disposal method 
for the defueled reactor compartments is needed when the cost of 
continued operation is not justified by the ship's military capability 
or when the ships are no longer needed. After a determination is made 
that a nuclear-powered ship is no longer needed, the ship can be: (1) 
placed in protective storage for an extended period followed by 
permanent disposal or recycling; or (2) prepared for permanent disposal 
or recycling.
    The alternatives examined in detail in the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement are the preferred alternative--land burial of the 
entire reactor compartment at the Department of Energy Low-Level Waste 
Burial Grounds at Hanford, Washington; the no action alternative--
protective waterborne storage for an indefinite period; disposal and 
reuse of subdivided portions of the reactor compartments; and 
indefinite storage above ground at Hanford.
    Several other alternatives are also examined in limited detail. 
These alternatives include sea disposal; land disposal of entire 
reactor compartments at other sites and permanent above ground disposal 
of entire reactor compartments at Hanford.
    Navy reactor plants constructed prior to the USS LOS ANGELES (SSN 
688)(referred to as pre-LOS ANGELES Class submarines) share many common 
design characteristics with reactor plants from cruisers, OHIO Class 
submarines and LOS ANGELES Class submarines. Pre-LOS ANGELES Class 
submarines are currently being disposed of at the Department of Energy 
Hanford Site in Eastern Washington by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in 
Bremerton Washington, consistent with the Secretary of the Navy's 1984 
Record of Decision on disposal of decommissioned, defueled Naval 
submarine reactor plants. Because of the negligible environmental 
impact, land burial of the reactor compartment at the Hanford Site is 
the preferred alternative for disposal of reactor compartments from 
cruisers, OHIO Class submarines and LOS ANGELES Class submarines.
    No new legislation would be required to implement any of these 
alternatives. In all of the alternatives considered in the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement there would be no spent nuclear fuel 
left in the reactor compartments. All the radioactive nuclear fuel 
would be removed before disposal. Management of the spent nuclear fuel 
is addressed in a separate Department of Energy Environmental Impact 
Statement, though there would be some other radioactive materials left 
within the reactor compartments. Therefore, the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement evaluates disposal of the reactor compartments after 
all the spent nuclear fuel has been removed. Types of U.S. Navy 
nuclear-powered ships that are expected to be decommissioned more than 
20 years in the future (e.g., aircraft carriers and SEAWOLF Class 
submarines) are not included in this Final Environmental Impact 
Statement.
    The Navy held public hearings on the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement in Bremerton, Richland, and Seattle, Washington; and 
Portland, Oregon. Comments from 20 individuals and agencies were 
received either in oral or written statements at the hearings or in 
comment letters. These comments and the Navy responses are included in 
an appendix to the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
    The Final Environmental Impact Statement has been distributed to 
various federal, state, and local government agencies, tribes, elected 
officials, and special interest groups. Requests for copies of the 
Final Environmental Impact Statement should be directed to the address 
listed above. In addition, copies of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement are also available for public inspection in the following 
libraries: Kitsap County Public Library, Main Branch, 1301 Sylvan Way, 
Bremerton, Washington, phone (360)377-7601; Public Reading Room for 
U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, Washington State 
University, Tri-Cities, 100 Sprout Road, Room 130 West, Richland, 
Washington, phone (509)376-8583; Suzallo Library, University of 
Washington, Seattle, Washington, phone (206)543-9158; Multnomah County 
Library, 801 Southwest 10th Avenue (Due to renovation work, temporarily 
relocated to 1407 SW 4th Avenue), Portland, Oregon, phone (503)248-
5234.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Gordon as noted above.

    Dated April 24, 1996.
M.A. Waters,
LCDR, JAGC, USN, Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-11193 Filed 5-7-96; 8:45 am]
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