[Federal Register: May 1, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 84)] [Notices] [Page 24197-24198] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr01my98-118] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 72-22] Private Fuel Storage, L.L.C., Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation, Skull Valley Indian Reservation, Tooele County, UT, Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Conduct Scoping Process Description of Proposed Action Private Fuel Storage, L.L.C. (the applicant) submitted an application, dated June 20, 1997, for a license to construct and operate an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI) at the Skull Valley Indian Reservation in Tooele County, Utah. The license, under the provisions of Part 72 to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR part 72), would authorize the applicant to receive, possess, store, and transfer spent nuclear fuel from licensed commercial U.S. nuclear power reactors in dry storage systems. A notice of consideration of issuance of a materials [[Page 24198]] license for the proposed Private Fuel Storage Facility (PFSF) was published in the Federal Register on July 31, 1997 (62 FR 41099). Environmental Report In connection with this proposed action, the applicant submitted an Environmental Report in accordance with the requirements specified in 10 CFR part 51 and pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The Environmental Report is available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room in the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC, and the Local Public Document Room at the University of Utah, Marriott Library, Documents Division, 295 S. 1500 East, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112-0860. Environmental Impact Statement In accordance with NRC regulations specified in 10 CFR 51.20(b)(9), NRC has determined that the proposed action is a major federal action that warrants the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the construction and operation of the proposed ISFSI. NRC will first conduct a scoping process and, as soon as practicable thereafter, prepare a draft EIS for comment by the public and other agencies. The draft EIS will be the subject of a separate notice in the Federal Register. After receipt and consideration of comments, the NRC will prepare a final EIS. Public Scoping Process The scoping process for the EIS will be used to: (1) Define the scope of the proposed action which is to be the subject of the EIS. (2) Determine the scope of the EIS and identify the significant issues to be analyzed in depth. (3) Identify and eliminate from detailed study issues which are peripheral or are not significant. (4) Identify any environmental assessments and other EIS which are being or will be prepared that are related to but are not part of the scope of the EIS under consideration. (5) Identify other environmental review and consultation requirements related to the proposed action. (6) Indicate the relationship between the timing of the preparation of the environmental analyses and the Commission's tentative planning and decision making schedule. (7) Identify any cooperating agencies, and as appropriate, allocate assignments for preparation and schedules for completion of the EIS to the NRC and any cooperating agencies. (8) Describe the means by which the EIS will be prepared, including any contractor assistance to be used. The NRC invites the following persons to participate in the scoping process: (1) The applicant, Private Fuel Storage, L.L.C.; (2) Any person who has petitioned for leave to intervene or who has been admitted as a party to the proceeding on the license application; (3) Any other Federal agency which has jurisdiction by law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact involved or which is authorized to develop and enforce relevant environmental standards; (4) Affected State and local agencies, including those authorized to develop and enforce relevant environmental standards; (5) Any affected Indian tribe; and (6) Any person who has requested an opportunity to participate in the scoping process. Participants should submit written comments on the EIS scoping process to Dr. Edward Y. Shum, Environmental Project Manager, Spent Fuel Licensing Section, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. To be considered in the scoping process, comments should be postmarked by June 19, 1998. Participation in the scoping process does not entitle participants to become parties to the proceeding to which the EIS relates. Participation in the adjudicatory proceeding is governed by the procedures specified in 10 CFR 2.714 and 2.715, and in the aforementioned Federal Register Notice (62 FR 41099). Public Scoping Meeting In accordance with 10 CFR 51.26, the scoping process may include a public scoping meeting to help identify significant issues related to a proposed activity and to determine the scope of issues to be addressed in an EIS. As part of the EIS scoping process related to the applicant's proposed action, NRC will conduct a public scoping meeting at The Ballroom of the Little America Inn, 500 South Main Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101, on June 2, 1998, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will include a briefing by Private Fuel Storage, L.L.C. on the proposed ISFSI, a briefing by the NRC on the environmental review process and the proposed scope of the EIS, and the opportunity for interested agencies, organizations, and individuals to submit comments or suggestions on the environmental issues or proposed scope of the EIS. Persons may register to present oral comments by writing to Dr. Edward Y. Shum, at the aforementioned address, or may register at the meeting. Individual oral comments may be limited in time, depending on the number of persons who register. Comments presented at the meeting will be considered in the EIS scoping process. Summary At the conclusion of the scoping process, NRC will prepare a concise summary of the determinations and conclusions reached, including the significant issues identified, and will send a copy of the summary to each participant in the scoping process. For additional information about the proposed action, the EIS, or the scoping process, contact Dr. Edward Y. Shum at the aforementioned address or by telephone at (301) 415-8545. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 24th day of April 1998. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Charles J. Haughney, Acting Director, Spent Fuel Project Office, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. 98-11620 Filed 4-30-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P