29744 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 114 / Wednesday, June 12, 1996 / Notices

will be issued this fall in accordance

with the reallocation procedures

contained in the Higher Education Act

of 1965, as amended (HEA). Under

section 442(e) of the HEA, unexpended

FWS funds returned to the Secretary

must be reallocated to eligible

institutions that used at least 10 percent

of the total FWS Federal funds granted

to the institution to compensate

students employed in community

services. Because reallocated FWS funds

will be distributed on the basis of fair

share shortfall criteria, institutions must

also have a fair share shortfall to receive

these funds. Institutions must use all the

reallocated FWS Federal funds to

compensate students employed in

community services. To ensure

consideration for supplemental FWS

Federal funds for the 1996–1997 award

year, an institution must submit the

Campus-Based Reallocation Form by

July 12, 1996.

Applicable Regulations

The following regulations apply to the

Federal Work-Study Program:

(1) Student Assistance General

Provisions, 34 CFR Part 668.

(2) Federal Work-Study Programs, 34

CFR Part 675.

(3) Institutional Eligibility Under the

Higher Education Act of 1965, as

amended, 34 CFR Part 600.

(4) New Restrictions on Lobbying, 34

CFR Part 82.

(5) Governmentwide Debarment and

Suspension (NonProcurement) and

Governmentwide Requirements for

Drug-Free Workplace (Grants), 34 CFR

Part 85.

(6) Drug-Free Schools and Campuses,

34 CFR Part 86.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For technical assistance concerning the

Campus-Based Reallocation Form or

other operational procedures of the

campus-based programs, contact Ms.

Judy Norris, Campus-Based Financial

Operations Branch, Institutional

Financial Management Division,

Accounting and Financial Management

Service, Student Financial Assistance

Programs, U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue,

S.W., (Room 4714, ROB–3), Washington,

D.C. 20202–5458. Telephone (202) 708–

9757. 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.

(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2752)

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Number: 84.033 Federal Work-Study

Program)

Dated: June 7, 1996.

David A. Longanecker,

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary

Education.

[FR Doc. 96–14936 Filed 6–11–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Intent To Prepare

Environmental Impact Statement;

Shutdown of the River Water System at

the Savannah River Site

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(DOE) announces its intent to prepare

an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS), pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of

1969, for the proposed shutdown of the

River Water System at the Savannah

River Site (SRS). The River Water

System was originally constructed to

pump large quantities of cooling water

from the Savannah River to five nuclear

reactors at SRS. Since all of the reactors

are shut down, no cooling water is

required. DOE invites the public,

organizations, and agencies to present

oral or written comments concerning (1)

the scope of the EIS, (2) the issues the

EIS should address, and (3) the

alternatives the EIS should analyze.

DATES: The public scoping period will

continue until July 12, 1996. Written

comments submitted by mail should be

postmarked by that date to ensure

consideration. DOE will consider

comments mailed after that date to the

extent practicable. On June 27, 1996,

DOE will conduct a public scoping

meeting to assist in defining the

appropriate scope of the EIS and

identifying significant environmental

issues to be addressed. This meeting

will be held at the following times and

location: June 27, 1996; 1–4 and 6–9

pm; North Augusta Community Center,

495 Brookside Drive, North Augusta,

S.C.

ADDRESSES: Please direct comments or

suggestions on the scope of the EIS,

requests to speak at the public scoping

meeting, and questions concerning the

project to: Mr. Andrew R. Grainger, U.S.

Department of Energy, Savannah River

Operations Office, P.O. Box A, Aiken,

S.C. 29802, 1–800–242–8269, E-mail:

nepa@barms036.br.com

Mark the envelopes: ‘‘River Water

System EIS Comments’’.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

general information on the DOE NEPA

process, please contact: Ms. Carol M.

Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA

Policy and Assistance (EH–42), U.S.

Department of Energy, 1000

Independence Avenue, S.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20585, telephone:

202–586–4600 or leave a message at 1–

800–472–2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SRS is an

800-square-kilometer (300 square mile)

controlled area located in southwestern

South Carolina. The Site is

approximately 25 miles southeast of

Augusta, Georgia, and 20 miles south of

Aiken, South Carolina. Since its

establishment, the mission of SRS has

been to produce nuclear materials that

support the defense, research, and

medical programs of the United States.

Because of the end of the Cold War

and the reduction in the size of the U.S.

nuclear weapons stockpile, the need for

production of new nuclear materials has

been reduced dramatically. As a result,

activities at SRS have shifted from

nuclear material production to cleanup

and environmental restoration. DOE

developed the Savannah River

Operations Office Strategic Plan in order

to guide SRS in meeting this changing

mission. The Strategic Plan directs SRS

to identify excess infrastructure and

develop action plans for its disposition.

DOE has identified the River Water

System as potential surplus

infrastructure.

The River Water System was

originally constructed to pump large

quantities of cooling water from the

Savannah River to all five production

reactors at SRS. Heated discharge water

from the reactors was returned to the

Savannah River via several onsite

streams and creeks. In 1958, Par Pond

was constructed to dissipate the thermal

effluent from P- and R-Reactors. In 1984,

L-Lake was constructed to dissipate the

thermal effluent from L-Reactor.

However, all production reactors are

now shut down. Operationally, there is

no longer a need to provide cooling

water, except for some small air

conditioning and equipment cooling

loads in K-, L-, and P-Reactor Areas.

The River Water System maintains L

Lake and Par Pond water levels at their

normal operating values. As analyzed in

an Environmental Assessment

performed in 1995 (Environmental

Assessment for the Natural Fluctuation

of Water Level in Par Pond and Reduced

Water Flow in Steel Creek Below L Lake

at the Savannah River Site, DOE/EA–

1070), Par Pond water level is currently

allowed to fluctuate naturally, but the

River Water System is used to prevent

the water level from falling below 195

feet above mean sea level.

Proposed Action and Alternatives

The Department proposes to shut

down the River Water System and to
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 114 / Wednesday, June 12, 1996 / Notices 29745

place all or part of the system in standby

condition. Under the proposed

‘‘standby’’ alternative, portions of the

River Water System could be placed in

a variety of conditions. For example,

surplus portions of the River Water

System could be shut down and

deactivated. Those portions of the River

Water System that are deactivated

would not be capable of being restarted.

However, other portions of the River

Water System could be placed in a

‘‘layup’’ condition in order to support

potential future missions. In the layup

condition, equipment would be shut

down, but preserved so that restart

would be possible.

Alternatively, some portions of the

River Water System could be placed in

a higher state of readiness than in

‘‘layup’’ condition; such portions of the

River Water System could be restarted

in a relatively short period of time.

Short term cost savings would be

minimal, but this condition would

allow DOE to maintain a great degree of

flexibility. Unlike the ‘‘shutdown and

deactivate’’ alternative described below,

the River Water System could be

available to mitigate or even reverse the

impacts of the proposed action, if

deemed necessary.

Two alternatives to the proposed

action are under consideration. The first

alternative is to continue current River

Water System operation (this is the noaction alternative). Under this

alternative, the River Water System

would continue to provide water to

maintain L Lake and Par Pond water

levels. The second alternative is to shut

down and deactivate the entire River

Water System. Under this alternative,

alternative water sources (such as from

ground water) would be needed to

provide for minor non-reactor cooling

requirements (air conditioning, small

equipment cooling, etc.) The cessation

of river water input to L Lake would

result in the gradual disappearance of

the lake and its return to original creek

conditions over the next several years.

Preliminary Identification of

Environmental and Other Issues

The Department has identified the

following issues for analysis for

proposed and alternative actions in the

EIS. Additional issues may be identified

as a result of the scoping process.

(1) Public and Worker Safety and

Health Risk Assessment: radiological

and nonradiological impacts of the

proposed action and alternatives,

including projected effects on workers

and the public from expected and

potential conditions.

(2) Impacts from releases to air, water,

and soil.

(3) Impacts to plants, animals, and

habitat, including impacts to wetlands,

and threatened or endangered species

and their habitat.

(4) The consumption of natural

resources and energy including water,

natural gas, and electricity.

(5) Socioeconomic impacts to affected

communities from operation labor

forces and support services in the SRS

area.

(6) Environmental justice:

disproportionately high and adverse

human health or environmental effects

on minority and low-income

populations.

(7) Impacts to cultural resources such

as historic, archaeological, scientific, or

culturally important sites.

(8) Status of compliance with all

applicable Federal, state, and local

statutes and regulations; required

Federal and state environmental

consultations and notifications; and

DOE Orders on waste management,

waste minimization initiatives, and

environmental protection.

(9) Cumulative impacts from the

proposed action and other past, present,

and reasonably foreseeable actions at

the Savannah River Site.

(10) Potential irreversible and

irretrievable commitments of resources.

Related NEPA Documentation

Completed and ongoing

environmental reviews may affect the

scope of this EIS. Background

information and documents, listed

below, on past, present, and future

activities at the Savannah River Site are

available in DOE public reading rooms.

Continued Operation of K-, L-, and PReactors (DOE/EIS–0147, 1990).

Interim Management of Nuclear

Materials (DOE/EIS–0220, 1995).

L-Reactor Operation (DOE/EIS–0108,

1984).

Environmental Assessment for the

Natural Fluctuation of Water Level in

Par Pond and Reduced Water Flow in

Steel Creek Below L-Lake at the

Savannah River Site (DOE/EA–1070,

1995).

Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel

Management (DOE/EIS–0203, 1995).

Proposed Nuclear Weapons

Nonproliferation Policy Concerning

Foreign Research Reactor Spent

Nuclear Fuel (DOE/EIS–0218, 1996).

Savannah River Site Waste Management

(DOE/EIS–0217, 1995).

Please direct written comments

assisting DOE in identifying significant

environmental issues and defining the

appropriate scope of the EIS to Mr.

Andrew R. Grainger at the address

indicated above. DOE also invites

agencies, organizations, and the general

public to present oral comments

pertinent to the preparation of this EIS

at the public scoping meeting on the

date indicated above. Organizations and

individuals wishing to participate in the

public meeting can call 1–800–242–

8269 between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM

(Eastern time zone) Monday through

Friday, or submit their requests to Mr.

Grainger at the address indicated above.

DOE requests that anyone who wishes

to speak at the scoping meeting

preregister by contacting Mr. Grainger,

either by phone or in writing.

Preregistration should occur at least two

days before the designated meeting.

Persons who have not preregistered to

speak may register at the meeting and

will be called on to speak as time

permits. In addition, DOE will accept

comments electronically via voice mail

or facsimile transmission by calling 1–

800–242–8269. DOE is committed to

providing opportunities for the

involvement of interested individuals

and groups in this and other DOE

planning activities; consequently, DOE

will give equal consideration to all

comments.

Issued in Washington, D.C., this 5th day of

June, 1996.

Peter N. Brush,

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Environment, Safety and Health.

[FR Doc. 96–14896 Filed 6–11–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP96–539–000]

Columbia Gulf Transmission

Company; Notice of Request Under

Blanket Authorization

June 6, 1996.

Take notice that on May 23, 1996,

Columbia Gulf Transmission Company

(Columbia Gulf), 2603 Augusta STE 125,

Houston, Texas 77057–5637, filed in

Docket No. CP96–539–000 a request

pursuant to Sections 157.205 and

157.211 of the Commission’s

Regulations under the Natural Gas Act

(18 CFR 157.205, 157.211) for

authorization to establish a new

interconnection in Louisiana, under

Columbia Gulf’s blanket certification

issued in Docket No. CP83–496–000

pursuant to Section 7 of the Natural Gas

Act, all as more fully set forth in the

request that is on file with the

Commission and open to public

inspection.

Columbia Gulf proposes to construct

and operate a new interconnection point