[Federal Register: June 15, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 114)]
[Notices]               
[Page 32032]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15jn99-47]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

 
Public Hearing on the Supplement to the Draft Surplus Plutonium 
Disposition Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) will hold a public hearing on 
the Supplement to the Surplus Plutonium Disposition Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (Draft SPD EIS). The hearing will be held on June 15, 
1999, in Washington, DC, and will focus on issues associated with the 
analysis of the specific commercial reactors that the Department 
proposes to use for the irradiation of mixed oxide fuel in addition to 
other changes to the Draft SPD EIS presented in the Supplement. The 
purpose of this hearing is to facilitate an exchange of information and 
to provide a forum for receiving public comments on the supplement. 
Members of the public are invited to attend.

DATES: The hearing will be held on June 15, 1999, in Washington, DC.

ADDRESSES: Questions about the hearing should be addressed to: Bert 
Stevenson (202-586-5368; bert.stevenson@hq.doe.gov); by mail to DOE, 
Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, P.O. Box 23786, Washington, DC 
20026-3786; or through the program web site at www.doe-md.com. 
Preregistration for the hearing is available by calling 1-800-820-5134 
or by fax at 1-800-820-5156. The hearing will be held at the Hotel 
Washington, 15th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC, (202) 
638-5900.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bert Stevenson, NEPA Compliance 
Officer, Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, Department of Energy. 
(202) 586-5368.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft Surplus Plutonium Disposition EIS 
(DOE/EIS-0283-D) was prepared in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and issued in July 1998. It identified 
the potential environmental impacts of reasonable alternatives for the 
proposed siting, construction and operation of three facilities for 
plutonium disposition. The draft also included the potential 
environmental impacts of using from three to eight commercial nuclear 
reactors to irradiate mixed oxide fuel. The potential impacts were 
based on a generic reactor analysis that used actual reactor data and a 
range of potential site conditions. Subsequently, six specific reactors 
at three sites have been selected through a competitive procurement 
process that included an environmental review specified in DOE's NEPA 
Regulations (10 CFR 1021.216). The Supplement describes the potential 
environmental impacts of irradiating mixed oxide fuel in these specific 
reactors. The proposed reactors are the Catawba Nuclear Station near 
York, South Carolina; the McGuire Nuclear Station near Huntersville, 
North Carolina; and the North Anna Power Station near Mineral, 
Virginia. Each of the proposed sites has two operating nuclear reactors 
that would be used to irradiate mixed oxide fuel assemblies.
    The public hearing will provide the public the opportunity to 
present comments, ask questions, and discuss concerns related to 
plutonium disposition by the irradiation of the surplus plutonium as 
mixed oxide fuel in the six commercial reactors at the three sites. The 
Department will receive oral and written comments on the Supplement to 
the Draft SPD EIS. Written and oral comments will be given equal weight 
in preparing the final SPD EIS. Input from this hearing along with 
comments received by other means (phone, mail, fax, website) will be 
used by the Department in preparing the final SPD EIS. The public 
hearing will be held in the Washington Room of the Hotel Washington, 
15th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC. Two sessions will be 
held on that date. The first session will start at 9 am and the second 
session will begin at 1:30 pm. Advanced registration for the hearing is 
requested but not required. Please call 1-800-820-5134 and leave your 
name and the session or sessions you plan to attend. This information 
will be used to determine the size and number of rooms needed for the 
hearing.

    Issued in Washington, DC on this 4th day of June 1999, for the 
United States Department of Energy.
Laura S.H. Holgate,
Director, Office of Fissile Materials Disposition.
[FR Doc. 99-15125 Filed 6-14-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P