Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices 78421 

1 18 CFR 385.2001–2005 (2014). 

385.214. Any motions to intervene must 

be received on or before the specified 

deadline date for the particular 

proceeding. 

Filing and Service of Responsive 

Documents: All filings must (1) bear in 

all capital letters the ‘‘COMMENTS 

CONTESTING QUALIFICATION FOR A 

CONDUIT HYDROPOWER FACILITY’’ 

or ‘‘MOTION TO INTERVENE,’’ as 

applicable; (2) state in the heading the 

name of the applicant and the project 

number of the application to which the 

filing responds; (3) state the name, 

address, and telephone number of the 

person filing; and (4) otherwise comply 

with the requirements of sections 

385.2001 through 385.2005 of the 

Commission’s regulations.1 All 

comments contesting Commission staff’s 

preliminary determination that the 

facility meets the qualifying criteria 

must set forth their evidentiary basis. 

The Commission strongly encourages 

electronic filing. Please file motions to 

intervene and comments using the 

Commission’s eFiling system at http://

www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. 

Commenters can submit brief comments 

up to 6,000 characters, without prior 

registration, using the eComment system 

at http://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/

ecomment.asp. You must include your 

name and contact information at the end 

of your comments. For assistance, 

please contact FERC Online Support at 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 

208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659 

(TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, please 

send a paper copy to: Secretary, Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 

First Street NE., Washington, DC 20426. 

A copy of all other filings in reference 

to this application must be accompanied 

by proof of service on all persons listed 

in the service list prepared by the 

Commission in this proceeding, in 

accordance with 18 CFR 4.34(b) and 

385.2010. 

Locations of Notice of Intent: Copies 

of the notice of intent can be obtained 

directly from the applicant or such 

copies can be viewed and reproduced at 

the Commission in its Public Reference 

Room, Room 2A, 888 First Street NE., 

Washington, DC 20426. The filing may 

also be viewed on the web at http://

www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/elibrary.asp 

using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the 

docket number (e.g., CD15–17) in the 

docket number field to access the 

document. For assistance, call toll-free 

1–866–208–3676 or email 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov. For TTY, 

call (202) 502–8659. 

Dated: December 18, 2014. 

Kimberly D. Bose, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30424 Filed 12–29–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

National Nuclear Security 

Administration 

Record of Decision for the Continued 

Operation of the Department of 

Energy/National Nuclear Security 

Administration Nevada National 

Security Site and Off-Site Locations in 

the State of Nevada 

AGENCY: National Nuclear Security 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Energy. 

ACTION: Record of Decision. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of 

Energy/National Nuclear Security 

Administration (DOE/NNSA) is issuing 

this Record of Decision (ROD) for the 

continued management, operation, and 

activities of the Nevada National 

Security Site (NNSS) and Off-Site 

Locations in the State of Nevada 

pursuant to the Final Site-Wide 

Environmental Impact Statement for the 

Continued Operation of the Department 

of Energy/National Nuclear Security 

Administration Nevada National 

Security Site and Off-Site Locations in 

the State of Nevada, DOE/EIS–0426 

(Final NNSS SWEIS) issued on February 

22, 2013. In making its decision, DOE/ 

NNSA considered potential 

environmental impacts of operations 

and activities, current and future 

mission needs, technical and security 

considerations, availability of resources, 

and public comments on the Draft and 

Final NNSS SWEIS. The Final NNSS 

SWEIS analyzes ongoing and reasonably 

foreseeable future operations and 

activities at the NNSS and other DOE/ 

NNSA facilities in Nevada, including 

the Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) at 

Nellis Air Force Base (NAFB), the North 

Las Vegas Facility (NLVF), the Tonopah 

Test Range (TTR), and environmental 

restoration sites located on the Nevada 

Test and Training Range (NTTR) 

(formerly the Nellis Air Force Range). 

DOE/NNSA has decided to implement 

the Preferred Alternative, which is 

identified in the Summary, Table S–1, 

and Chapter 3, Section 3.4, of the Final 

NNSS SWEIS. The capabilities, projects, 

and activities that comprise the 

elements of DOE/NNSA’s decision, and 

the original alternative from which each 

is derived, are described in the 

‘‘Decision’’ section below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information on this ROD, or 

other NNSS National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) documents, contact 

Ms. Linda M. Cohn, SWEIS Document 

Manager, NNSA Nevada Field Office, 

U.S. Department of Energy, P.O. Box 

98518, Las Vegas, Nevada 89193–8518, 

(702) 295–0077. For information on the 

DOE NEPA process, contact Ms. Carol 

M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA 

Policy and Compliance (GC–54), U.S. 

Department of Energy, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586–4600, 

or leave a message at (800) 472–2756. 

Additional information regarding DOE 

NEPA activities and access to many 

DOE NEPA documents, including the 

Final NNSS SWEIS, are available on the 

Internet through the DOE NEPA Web 

site at http://energy.gov/nepa. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

DOE/NNSA prepared the Draft and 

Final NNSS SWEIS and this ROD 

pursuant to the regulations of the 

Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) for implementing NEPA (40 CFR 

parts 1500–1508) and DOE’s NEPA 

Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 

1021). 

The DOE/NNSA missions and 

associated programs in Nevada are (1) 

the National Security/Defense Mission, 

which includes the Stockpile 

Stewardship and Management Program; 

Nuclear Emergency Response, 

Nonproliferation, and Counterterrorism 

Program; and Strategic Partnership 

Program (previously Work for Others); 

(2) the Environmental Management 

Mission, which includes the Waste 

Management and Environmental 

Restoration Programs; and (3) the 

Nondefense Mission, which includes 

the General Site Support and 

Infrastructure, Conservation and 

Renewable Energy, and Other Research 

and Development Programs. These 

missions and programs are carried out at 

the NNSS, RSL, NLVF, and NTTR/TTR. 

The U.S. Air Force, U.S. Bureau of Land 

Management, and Nye County, Nevada, 

were cooperating agencies in the 

preparation of the NNSS SWEIS. In 

addition, the Consolidated Group of 

Tribes and Organizations, which 

includes representatives from 16 

culturally affiliated American Indian 

Tribes, participated in the preparation 

of this SWEIS by providing text in the 

document that gave their perspectives of 

the land and activities conducted and 

proposed by the Federal government. 

The NNSS occupies approximately 

1,360 square miles of desert and 

mountain terrain in southern Nevada. It 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

78422 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices 

is a multi-disciplinary, multi-purpose 

facility primarily engaged in work that 

supports national security, homeland 

security initiatives, waste management, 

environmental restoration, and defense 

and nondefense research and 

development programs for DOE/NNSA 

and other government entities. 

RSL is located on 35 acres at NAFB 

in North Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Radiological emergency response, the 

Aerial Measuring System, radiological 

sensor development and testing, Secure 

Systems Technologies, nuclear 

nonproliferation capabilities, and 

information and communication 

technologies are supported at RSL. 

NLVF, located on approximately 78 

acres, comprises 29 buildings that 

include office buildings, a high bay, 

machine shop, laboratories, 

experimental facilities, and various 

other mission-support facilities. 

The TTR consists of a 280-square-mile 

area north of the NNSS on the U.S. Air 

Force NTTR. Activities conducted at 

TTR include flight-testing of gravity 

weapons (bombs); research, 

development, and evaluation of nuclear 

weapons components and delivery 

systems; and national security-related 

work for other agencies and 

organizations. Environmental 

restoration activities are also conducted 

on the NTTR. 

DOE/NNSA analyzed various 

radioactive waste shipping routes 

through and around metropolitan Las 

Vegas, Nevada, in the Draft and Final 

NNSS SWEIS. DOE/NNSA has taken 

into consideration the comments and 

concerns expressed by state, county, 

and local government officials and the 

public during the review and comment 

period for the Draft and in preparation 

of the Final NNSS SWEIS. Shipments of 

low-level radioactive waste (LLW) and 

mixed low-level radioactive waste 

(MLLW) to the NNSS for disposal will 

continue to be done in accordance with 

commitments made to the State of 

Nevada and provisions of the NNSS 

waste acceptance criteria regarding 

routing and related matters associated 

with such shipments. 

Alternatives Considered 

In the Draft and Final NNSS SWEIS, 

DOE/NNSA analyzed the potential 

environmental impacts of three 

alternatives: (1) No Action, (2) 

Expanded Operations, and (3) Reduced 

Operations. These alternatives 

considered current and reasonably 

foreseeable missions, programs, 

capabilities, and projects at the NNSS 

and the three offsite locations. 

Alternative descriptions are organized 

under three missions, each with two or 

more associated programs. Missionrelated capabilities, projects, and 

activities are identified by program area 

for each of the alternatives. The three 

alternatives include similar types of 

programs, capabilities, projects, and 

activities, but differ primarily in their 

levels of operations and facilities 

requirements. The Final NNSS SWEIS 

identified a Preferred Alternative, which 

incorporates elements from the analyzed 

alternatives. 

The No Action Alternative reflects the 

use of existing capabilities to maintain 

operations at levels consistent with 

those experienced since 1996. The 

Expanded Operations Alternative differs 

from the No Action Alternative in that 

the levels of operations would be 

enhanced or accelerated; some new 

activities would be implemented; and 

new facilities would be constructed to 

support increased levels of operations 

and activities. In addition, under the 

Expanded Operations Alternative, DOE/ 

NNSA would modify land use zones at 

the NNSS to better reflect the kinds of 

activities that would be undertaken in 

those zones. Under the Reduced 

Operations Alternative, DOE/NNSA 

would conduct some activities at a level 

similar to that of the No Action 

Alternative, but for other activities, the 

levels of operations would be reduced 

or would cease altogether. 

All three alternatives include 

consideration of potential commercial 

solar power generation at the NNSS at 

varying levels of generating capacity 

(i.e., 240 megawatt [MW]-No Action, 

1,000 MW-Expanded Operations, and 

100 MW-Reduced Operations). The 

Final NNSS SWEIS also indicated, and 

the Preferred Alternative incorporates, a 

number of conceptual or potential 

activities for which there is insufficient 

information available to conduct a 

project-specific NEPA review (marked 

with footnote ‘‘a’’ in Tables S–1 and 3– 

3 of the Final NNSS SWEIS). Because 

the solar power generation scenarios 

and other identified conceptual or 

potential activities have not yet been 

adequately addressed for purposes of 

NEPA, DOE/NNSA is not making any 

decision regarding them. When 

sufficient information becomes available 

regarding any one or more of these 

conceptual or potential activities, DOE/ 

NNSA will conduct an appropriate 

NEPA review before making any 

decision(s). 

Preferred Alternative 

At the time the Draft NNSS SWEIS 

was published, DOE/NNSA had not 

selected a Preferred Alternative. The 

Final NNSS SWEIS identified DOE/

NNSA’s Preferred Alternative (described 

in the Summary, Table S–1 and Chapter 

3, Section 3.4) as a hybrid alternative 

comprising mission-supporting 

programs, capabilities, projects, and 

activities selected from among the three 

alternatives, based upon current and 

projected mission needs. In some cases, 

DOE/NNSA identified preferences from 

each of the three original alternatives 

within a single program area. 

Environmentally Preferable Alternative 

After considering the potential 

impacts to each resource area by 

alternative, DOE/NNSA identified the 

Reduced Operations Alternative as the 

environmentally preferable alternative. 

The operational level of this alternative 

would be reduced for most programs, 

and most activities would cease in the 

northwestern portion of the NNSS 

(Areas 18, 19, 20, 29, and 30), with the 

exception of environmental restoration 

and monitoring, site security operations, 

military training and exercises, and 

maintenance of certain critical 

infrastructure systems. This reduced 

level of activities, as well as closure of 

some older and less efficient facilities, 

would result in lower levels of water, 

fuel, and electricity use; less physical 

disturbance of land; and reduced onsite 

generation of some types of wastes. The 

pace of environmental restoration 

activities, as well as other requirements 

for environmental monitoring and 

protection, would generally remain 

unchanged from current levels. 

Environmental Impacts of Alternatives 

The NNSS SWEIS analyzed the 

potential impacts of each alternative on 

Land Use, Infrastructure and Energy, 

Transportation and Traffic, 

Socioeconomics, Geology and Soils, 

Hydrology (Groundwater and Surface 

Water), Biological Resources, Air 

Quality and Climate, Visual Resources, 

Cultural Resources, Waste Management, 

Human Health, and Environmental 

Justice. Under each alternative, the 

potential impacts are described in 

relation to the three major missions 

(National Security/Defense, 

Environmental Management, and 

Nondefense) and the DOE/NNSA 

facility with which they are associated 

(NNSS, RSL, NLVF, and TTR). DOE/

NNSA also evaluated the potential 

impacts of each alternative as to 

irreversible and irretrievable 

commitments of resources, and the 

relationship between short-term uses of 

the environment and the maintenance 

and enhancement of long-term 

productivity. In addition, DOE/NNSA 

evaluated the impact of potential 

accidents during transportation of LLW 

on workers and surrounding 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices 78423 

populations. These analyses and results 

are described in the Summary and 

Chapter 5 of the Final NNSS SWEIS. 

Table 3–4 of the Final NNSS SWEIS 

provides a summary of potential 

environmental impacts associated with 

the Preferred Alternative, as well as a 

means for comparing the potential 

impacts of the Preferred Alternative 

with each of the analyzed alternatives. 

Comments on the Final Site-Wide 

Environmental Impact Statement 

DOE/NNSA distributed the Final 

NNSS SWEIS to Congressional members 

and committees; State and local 

governments; other Federal agencies; 

culturally affiliated American Indian 

Tribes; non-governmental organizations; 

and other stakeholders, including 

members of the public who requested 

direct distribution of the document. The 

Final NNSS SWEIS also was made 

available to the public via the Internet. 

Within 30 days following publication of 

the Final NNSS SWEIS in February 

2013, DOE/NNSA received comment 

letters from the Nuclear Project Office of 

the State of Nevada, Clark and Nye 

Counties, and the City of Las Vegas. 

Also within 30 days following the 

publication of the Final NNSS SWEIS, 

a fifth letter was received from the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA). DOE/NNSA has concluded that 

these letters do not identify a need for 

further NEPA analysis. The Appendix to 

this ROD summarizes DOE/NNSA’s 

consideration of these letters. 

Decision 

DOE/NNSA has decided to implement 

the Preferred Alternative, which is 

identified in the Summary, Table S–1, 

and Chapter 3, Section 3.4 of the Final 

NNSS SWEIS. The capabilities, projects, 

and activities that comprise the 

elements of DOE/NNSA’s decision, and 

the original alternative from which each 

is derived, are described below. 

National Security/Defense Mission 

Decisions 

Stockpile Stewardship and Management 

Program 

From the No Action Alternative, DOE/ 

NNSA will continue to maintain 

readiness to conduct underground 

nuclear tests but will not conduct such 

a test unless directed by the President 

in the interest of national security. DOE/ 

NNSA will conduct up to 10 dynamic 

experiments (including sub-critical 

experiments at U1a) per year within any 

one or more of the following NNSS 

Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 

and 16; conduct up to 500 criticality 

operations (training and other activities) 

per year at the National Criticality 

Experiments Research Center at the 

Device Assembly Facility in Area 6 of 

the NNSS; conduct up to 600 plasma 

physics and fusion experiments each 

year at NLVF and up to 50 each year in 

Area 11 of the NNSS; conduct up to five 

post-shot drill-back operations at the 

NNSS; and disposition damaged U.S. 

nuclear weapons on an as-needed basis. 

(Appendix A, A.1.1.1) 

From the Expanded Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will conduct 

up to 100 conventional explosives 

experiments per year within any one or 

more of the following NNSS Areas 1, 2, 

3, 4, 12, and 16, using up to 120,000 

pounds TNT-equivalent per experiment 

of explosive charges in support of both 

the Stockpile Stewardship and Work for 

Others Programs (up to 50 of these 100 

experiments will be conducted at the 

Big Explosives Experimental Facility 

[BEEF] with a TNT-equivalent 

limitation of 70,000 pounds per 

experiment); establish a second firing 

table and high-energy x-ray capability at 

BEEF to support conventional 

explosives experiments; establish up to 

three areas at the NNSS for conducting 

explosive experiments with depleted 

uranium, and conduct up to 20 of these 

experiments per year; conduct up to 36 

shock physics experiments per year at 

the NNSS using actinide targets at the 

Joint Actinide Shock Physics 

Experimental Research facility in Area 

27 of the NNSS and up to 24 such 

experiments per year using the LargeBore Powder Gun at the U1a facility in 

Area 1 of the NNSS; test weapons 

components for quality assurance under 

the Limited Life Component Exchange 

Program; transfer special nuclear 

material, including nuclear weapon pits, 

to and from other locations in the DOE/ 

NNSA complex for staging and use in 

experiments at the NNSS; and continue 

to conduct Stockpile Stewardship 

operations at the TTR (e.g., tests and 

experiments, including flight test 

operations for gravity weapons; ground/ 

air-launched rocket and missile 

operations; impact testing; passive 

testing of joint test assemblies and 

conventional weapons; and fuel-air 

explosives testing). Certain safeguards, 

security, and other administrative 

functions at the TTR may be turned over 

to the U.S. Air Force. (Appendix A, 

A.2.1.1) 

From the Reduced Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will 

decommission and disposition the Atlas 

Facility (a facility designed to support 

pulsed power experiments); conduct 

training for the Office of Secure 

Transportation up to four times per year 

at various locations on NNSS roads; and 

conduct Stockpile Stewardship and 

Management Program activities, 

including dynamic experiments, which 

will continue in any one or more of the 

following NNSS Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 

8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 16, but will no 

longer be conducted in Areas 19 and 20. 

(Appendix A, A.3.1.1) 

Nuclear Emergency Response, 

Nonproliferation, and Counterterrorism 

Programs 

From the No Action Alternative, DOE/ 

NNSA will continue to provide support 

for the Nuclear Emergency Support 

Team, the Federal Radiological 

Monitoring and Assessment Center, the 

Accident Response Group, and the 

Radiological Assistance Program; 

conduct Aerial Measuring System 

activities from RSL at NAFB; conduct 

weapons of mass destruction (WMD) 

emergency responder training at various 

Nevada Field Office venues, as well as 

support the DOE Emergency 

Communications Network. (Appendix 

A, A.1.1.2) 

From the Expanded Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will continue 

to be prepared to disposition 

improvised nuclear devices and deploy 

the DOE/NNSA Disposition Forensic 

Program to the NNSS for training and 

exercises or for an actual event, as 

needed, and will additionally 

disposition radiological dispersion 

devices as needed. DOE/NNSA will 

continue to integrate existing activities 

and experimental facilities (primarily at 

NNSS) to support U.S. efforts to control 

the spread of WMDs, particularly 

nuclear WMDs, including arms control, 

nonproliferation activities, nuclear 

forensics, and counterterrorism 

capabilities. (Appendix A, A.2.1.2) 

Strategic Partnership Program (Work for 

Others) 

From the No Action Alternative, DOE/ 

NNSA will, on behalf of other agencies 

and organizations, continue to host 

treaty verification activities; conduct 

nonproliferation projects and research 

and development at the NNSS, 

including conventional weapons effects 

and other explosives experiments; 

support development of capabilities to 

detect and defeat military assets in 

deeply buried hardened targets; conduct 

up to 20 controlled chemical and 

biological simulant release experiments 

per year (each experiment will include 

multiple releases by a variety of means, 

including explosives); and continue to 

support training, research, and 

development of equipment, specialized 

munitions, and tactics related to 

counterterrorism. (Appendix A, A.1.1.3) 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

78424 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices 

From the Expanded Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will continue 

to conduct Work for Others Program 

activities in all approved zones on the 

NNSS, RSL, and NLVF, and redesignate 

land use at Area 15 of the NNSS from 

‘‘Reserved Zone’’ to ‘‘Research, Test, 

and Experiment Zone’’; develop and 

construct new facilities to support 

counterterrorism training and research 

and development activities; continue to 

support the National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration’s deep space 

power source development by 

conducting criticality experiments and 

emission sequestration experiments 

using surrogates for rocket motors; 

increase use of various aerial platforms 

(such as airplanes, unmanned aerial 

systems, and helicopters) for research 

and development, training, and 

exercises, including constructing 

additional hangars, shops, and buildings 

at existing airports at the NNSS; 

conduct up to 3 underground and 12 

open-air radioactive tracer experiments 

per year; support increased research and 

development of active interrogation 

equipment, methods, and training; and 

conduct Work for Others Program 

activities at the TTR, including robotics 

testing, smart transportation-related 

testing, smoke obscuration operations, 

infrared tests, and rocket development. 

(Appendix A, A.2.1.3) 

Environmental Management Mission 

Decisions 

Waste Management Program 

From the No Action Alternative, DOE/ 

NNSA will continue to operate the Area 

5 Hazardous Waste Storage Unit and 

store up to 170,000 cubic feet of onsitegenerated hazardous waste as needed, 

pending offsite treatment or disposal; 

continue to operate the Area 11 

Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit 

(treating up to 41,000 pounds of 

explosives over the next 10 years); and 

continue to operate the Area 6 

Hydrocarbon Landfill within permitted 

conditions. (Appendix A, A.1.2.1) 

From the Expanded Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will dispose of 

up to 48,000,000 cubic feet of LLW and 

up to 4,000,000 cubic feet of MLLW at 

the Area 5 Radioactive Waste 

Management Complex (RWMC); store 

MLLW (received from both on- and offsite generators) at the Area 5 RWMC 

pending treatment by 

macroencapsulation and 

microencapsulation (i.e., repackaging); 

and conduct sorting and segregating of 

MLLW, bench-scale mercury 

amalgamation of MLLW, and/or dispose 

of this waste at the Area 5 RWMC, as 

appropriate. In the future and as 

needed, DOE may use disposal space in 

Area 3, subject to detailed discussions 

with the State of Nevada. This space 

may be needed for disposal of LLW, 

large onsite remediation debris or soils 

from cleanup of DOE/NNSA sites within 

the State of Nevada and would be 

limited to in-state generated waste. 

DOE/NNSA will store up to 19,000 

cubic feet of onsite-generated 

transuranic (TRU) waste at the TRU pad 

at the Area 5 RWMC pending offsite 

disposal. DOE/NNSA will continue to 

operate the Area 23 Solid Waste 

Disposal Site and the U10c Solid Waste 

Disposal Site, disposing of up to 

8,500,000 cubic feet of sanitary solid 

waste expected to be generated at the 

NNSS. Subject to regulatory permitting, 

DOE/NNSA will construct new sanitary 

solid waste disposal facilities as needed 

in Area 23 and develop a new solid 

waste disposal facility in Area 25 to 

support environmental restoration 

activities. (Appendix A, A.2.2.1) 

Environmental Restoration Program 

From the No Action Alternative, DOE/ 

NNSA will continue, in compliance 

with the Federal Facility Agreement and 

Consent Order (FFACO) to identify, 

characterize, remediate, and 

decontaminate and decommission 

industrial sites as necessary; continue to 

monitor and remediate sites that are the 

responsibility of the Defense Threat 

Reduction Agency at the NNSS, in 

accordance with the FFACO; and 

continue to conduct the Borehole 

Management Program. (Appendix A, 

A.1.2.2) 

From the Expanded Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will, as part of 

its Underground Test Area Activity, 

continue to monitor groundwater from 

existing wells, drill new groundwater 

characterization and monitoring wells, 

develop groundwater flow and transport 

models, and continue to evaluate 

closure strategies at an accelerated pace; 

and as part of its Soils Project, in 

compliance with the FFACO, identify 

and characterize areas with 

contaminated soils and perform 

corrective actions with potentially 

stricter cleanup standards (resulting in 

larger volumes of waste). (Appendix A, 

A.2.2.2) 

Nondefense Mission Decisions 

General Site Support and Infrastructure 

Program 

From the Expanded Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will continue 

to maintain and repair its infrastructure 

at the NNSS, RSL, NLVF, and the TTR; 

maintain the existing infrastructure, 

provide site security, and manage all 

applicable existing permits and 

agreements and will additionally 

construct a new, approximately 85,000- 

square-foot, consolidated security 

building in Area 23 of the NNSS and 

evaluate and either demolish or 

repurpose the existing security facilities; 

replace at the same operating voltage the 

existing NNSS 138-kilovolt electrical 

transmission system between Mercury 

Switching Center in Area 23 and Valley 

Substation in Area 2 to increase the 

capacity of the system from about 40 

MW to 100 MW; and upgrade the 

telecommunication system on the NNSS 

to better integrate wired and wireless 

systems. (Appendix A, A.2.3.1) 

From the Reduced Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will maintain 

only critical infrastructure within NNSS 

Areas 18, 19, 20, 29, and 30 (including 

certain communications facilities, 

electrical transmission lines and 

substations, and Well 8), maintaining 

roads within these areas only to provide 

access to the infrastructure and 

environmental restoration sites. 

(Appendix A, A.3.3.1) 

Conservation and Renewable Energy 

Program 

From the No Action Alternative, DOE/ 

NNSA will continue to identify and 

implement conservation measures and 

renewable energy projects in accordance 

with applicable Executive Orders and 

DOE Orders in areas including energy 

efficiency, water conservation, 

transportation and fleet management, 

and high-performance and sustainable 

buildings. (Appendix A, A.1.3.2) 

From the Expanded Operations 

Alternative, DOE/NNSA will construct a 

photovoltaic solar power system up to 5 

MW near the Area 6 Construction 

Facilities, which will provide electrical 

power for onsite consumption. 

(Appendix A, A.2.3.2) 

Other Research and Development 

Programs 

From the No Action Alternative, DOE/ 

NNSA will continue to support the DOE 

National Environmental Research Park 

Program and other non-DOE/NNSA 

research and development activities in 

all areas of the NNSS. (Appendix A, 

A.1.3.3) 

Basis for Decision 

In making its decision, DOE/NNSA 

considered potential environmental 

impacts of operations and activities, 

current and future mission needs, 

technical and security considerations, 

availability of resources, compatibility 

with current and future missions of the 

DOE/NNSA, and public comments on 

the Draft and Final NNSS SWEIS. In 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 249 / Tuesday, December 30, 2014 / Notices 78425 

doing so, DOE/NNSA considered 

mission requirements established by 

law; contemporary goals and objectives 

identified in site-level planning 

documents; as well as anticipated 

funding levels for DOE/NNSA and other 

users of the NNSS and offsite locations, 

such as the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security. Through the NNSS 

SWEIS, DOE/NNSA considered the 

potential environmental impacts that 

could result from the implementation of 

each proposed program, capability, 

project and activity, and how it might 

accomplish its underlying current and 

future mission requirements in a 

manner that minimizes adverse 

environmental impacts. 

Mitigation Measures 

All practicable means to avoid or 

minimize environmental harm have 

been and will continue to be adopted 

and employed in the continued 

operation of the NNSS and other offsite 

DOE/NNSA facilities in the State of 

Nevada. DOE/NNSA will follow Federal 

environmental laws and DOE Orders 

and regulations, and utilize its 

Environmental Management System to 

ensure that environmental impacts are 

systematically identified, controlled, 

and monitored. Whenever possible, 

mitigation measures will be 

implemented to minimize those 

impacts. DOE/NNSA will implement 

mitigation strategies through habitat 

conservation measures such as 

revegetation; protection of cultural 

resources with early planning and 

avoidance; waste minimization and 

energy conservation; and greater 

inclusion of culturally affiliated 

American Indian Tribes in monitoring 

and conducting traditional ceremonies 

to benefit the health of the land. DOE/ 

NNSA considers all of these measures to 

be viable means to mitigate adverse 

environmental impacts, and will apply 

the applicable strategies as specific 

programs, capabilities, projects, and 

activities are conducted. 

Issued at Washington, DC, this 15th day of 

December 2014. 

Frank G. Klotz, 

Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, 

Administrator/National Nuclear Security 

Administration. 

Appendix: Public Comments Received 

After the Publication of the Final NNSS 

SWEIS 

DOE/NNSA received four comment letters 

regarding the Final NNSS SWEIS. These 

letters were received from the State of 

Nevada Nuclear Project Office, Clark County, 

Nye County, and the City of Las Vegas. A 

letter from the EPA was also received after 

the completion of the NNSS SWEIS. 

DOE/NNSA considered all comments 

contained in these letters. DOE/NNSA 

determined that none of these comments 

identify or present new information that 

would warrant a supplement to the Final 

NNSS SWEIS or other additional NEPA 

analysis. Most of these comments are similar 

to, and in many cases the same as, comments 

submitted on the Draft NNSS SWEIS, to 

which DOE/NNSS responded in the Final 

NNSS SWEIS (Volume 3, Comment Response 

Document). Regarding transportation impact 

comments submitted by the State, county and 

local governments on the Final NNSS SWEIS, 

shipments of low-level radioactive waste 

(LLW) and mixed low-level radioactive waste 

(MLLW) to the NNSS for disposal will 

continue to be done in accordance with 

commitments made to the State of Nevada 

and provisions of the NNSS waste acceptance 

criteria regarding routing and related matters 

associated with such shipments. The 

discussion below summarizes comments 

from these letters not raised on the Draft 

NNSS SWEIS and presents DOE/NNSA’s 

responses. 

Comment. The impacts of DOE/NNSA’s 

Preferred Alternative, described in Section 

3.4 of the Final NNSS SWEIS, were not 

adequately analyzed. 

Response. As addressed in Section 3.4 of 

the Final NNSS SWEIS, the Preferred 

Alternative is a hybrid composed of elements 

of the three alternatives that were examined 

in detail in the Draft NNSS SWEIS. DOE/

NNSA determined, by resource area, that the 

potential environmental consequences of the 

Preferred Alternative would fall within the 

range of impacts reported in the NNSS 

SWEIS. 

Further, there would be no synergistic 

effects resulting in unique impacts stemming 

from the hybrid Preferred Alternative. The 

potential environmental impacts resulting 

from implementation of the Preferred 

Alternative are displayed in Table S–1 and 

3–3 of the Final NNSS SWEIS, including 

activities for which there is insufficient 

information available to conduct a projectspecific NEPA review. 

Comment. The Final NNSS SWEIS does 

not address the potential construction of a 

MLLW Treatment Facility at the NNSS. 

Response. Construction of a new MLLW 

treatment facility within the Area 5 RWMC 

is not envisioned at this time. If a need for 

such a facility is identified in the future, 

DOE/NNSA will complete the appropriate 

NEPA review. 

Comment. The Final NNSS SWEIS does 

not include estimates of criteria and 

hazardous air pollutants from rail and 

intermodal (train to truck) transportation in 

Tables 5–34, 5–39, and 5–42. 

Response. Tables 5–34, 5–39, and 5–42 

present detailed data that include analytic 

results on criteria and hazardous air 

pollutants. In addition, Tables 5–35, 5–40 

and 5–43 of the Final NNSS SWEIS present 

the data in a different format, including 

estimated emissions of criteria and hazardous 

air pollutants from both the all-truck 

transport scenario and the primarily-rail 

transport scenario (intermodal train to truck 

transport) that would occur under each of the 

alternatives. 

Comment. The Final NNSS SWEIS fails to 

evaluate impacts that would be associated 

with the proposed Greater-than-Class C 

Disposal Facility. 

Response. The cumulative impacts analysis 

(Section 6.2.1.1) of the Final NNSS SWEIS 

evaluated the potential environmental 

impacts associated with a Greater-than-Class 

C Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility at the 

NNSS should DOE select the NNSS site for 

such a facility. The data used were taken 

from the Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement for the Disposal of Greater-ThanClass C (GTCC) Low-Level Radioactive Waste 

and GTCC-Like Waste (DOE/EIS–0375–D), 

issued in February 2011. Prior to selecting a 

site for the disposal of GTCC low-level 

radioactive waste and GTCC-like waste, DOE 

will complete the appropriate NEPA review. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30594 Filed 12–29–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

[EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0743; FRL–9920–95– 

OAR] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request; Protection of 

Stratospheric Ozone: Critical Use 

Exemption From the Phaseout of 

Methyl Bromide (Renewal); EPA ICR 

No. 2031.07, OMB Control No. 2060– 

0482 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this 

document announces that the 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

is planning to submit a request to renew 

an existing approved Information 

Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB). This 

ICR, 2031.06, is scheduled to expire on 

June 30, 2015. Before submitting the ICR 

to OMB for review and approval, EPA 

is soliciting comments on specific 

aspects of the proposed information 

collection as described below. 

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before March 2, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– 

OAR–2014–0743 by one of the following 

methods: 

• www.regulations.gov: Follow the 

on-line instructions for submitting 

comments. 

• Email: a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov. 

• Fax: 202–566–1741. 

• Mail: EPA–HQ–OAR–2014–0743, 

Environmental Protection Agency, Mail 

Code: 6205T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. 

NW., Washington, DC 20460. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES