[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 197 (Thursday, October 12, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53172-53173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-25219]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
Disposal of The S1C Prototype Reactor Plant
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Naval Reactors (Naval
Reactors) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq., in accordance with the Council on Environmental
Quality regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and
the DOE NEPA regulations (10 CFR Part 1021), and to conduct a public
scoping meeting. This Environmental Impact Statement will address final
disposal of the S1C Prototype reactor plant, located in Windsor,
Connecticut. Naval Reactors is preparing this Environmental Impact
Statement to focus on the potential for significant environmental
impacts and to consider reasonable alternatives.
The preferred alternative is prompt dismantlement of the S1C
Prototype reactor plant and disposal of the resulting radioactive waste
at a DOE radioactive waste disposal site. Naval Reactors also will
evaluate a deferred dismantlement alternative, where the reactor plant
would be maintained in protective storage for 30 years to allow most of
the radioactivity in the reactor plant to decay before it is
dismantled, and the ``no action'' alternative, where the reactor plant
would be maintained in protective storage indefinitely.
Naval Reactors also will examine several other alternatives. These
alternatives include permanent on-site entombment or burial, and
removal and offsite disposal as a single large reactor compartment
package.
Naval Reactors invites interested agencies, organizations, and the
general public to submit written comments or suggestions concerning the
scope of the issues to be addressed, alternatives to be analyzed, and
the environmental impacts to be addressed in the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement. The public also is invited to attend a scoping
meeting in which oral comments and suggestions will be received. Oral
and written comments will be considered equally in preparation of the
Environmental Impact Statement. Those not desiring to submit comments
or suggestions at this time, but who would like to receive a copy of
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for review when it is issued,
should write to Mr. C.G. Overton at the address below. When the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement is complete, its availability will be
announced in the Federal Register and in the local news media. A public
hearing will be held, and comments will be solicited on this document.
DATES: Written comments postmarked by November 6, 1995 will be
considered in preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
Comments postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent
practicable. Oral and written comments will be received at a public
scoping meeting to be held at the following location and time: Ramada
Inn--Bradley, October 18, 1995, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., 5 Ella Grasso Turnpike,
Windsor Locks, CT.
The meeting will be chaired by a presiding officer but will not be
conducted as an evidentiary hearing; speakers will not be cross
examined although the presiding officer and Naval Reactors
representatives present may ask clarifying questions. To ensure that
everyone has an adequate opportunity to speak, five minutes will be
allotted for each speaker. Depending on the number of persons
requesting to speak, the presiding officer may allow more time for
elected officials, or speakers representing multiple parties, or
organizations. Persons wishing to speak on behalf of organizations
should identify the organization. Persons wishing to speak may either
notify Mr. Overton in writing at the address below or register at the
meeting. As time permits, individuals who have spoken subject to the
five minute rule will be afforded additional speaking time. Written
comments also will be accepted at the meeting.
ADDRESSES: Written comments, suggestions on the scope of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement, or requests to speak at the public
scoping meeting should be submitted to Mr. C.G. Overton, Chief, Windsor
Field Office, Office of Naval Reactors, U.S. Department of Energy, P.O.
Box 393, Windsor, CT 06095; telephone (860) 687-5610.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The S1C Prototype reactor plant is located on the 10.8 acre Windsor
Site in Windsor, Connecticut, approximately 5 miles north of Hartford.
The S1C Prototype reactor plant first started operation in 1959 and
served for more than 30 years as both a facility for testing reactor
plant components and equipment and for training Naval personnel. As a
result of the end of the Cold War and the downsizing of the Navy, the
S1C Prototype reactor plant was shut down in 1993. Since then, the S1C
Prototype reactor plant has been defueled, drained, and placed in a
stable protective storage condition.
Preliminary Description of Alternatives
1. Preferred Alternative--Prompt Dismantlement
Because the S1C Prototype reactor plant is the only activity at
this small site and there is no further need for this plant, the
preferred alternative is to
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proceed with prompt dismantlement of the S1C Prototype reactor plant.
All structures would be removed from the Windsor Site, and the Site
would be released for unrestricted use. To the extent practicable, the
resulting low-level radioactive metals would be recycled at existing
commercial facilities that recycle radioactive metals. The remaining
low-level radioactive waste would be disposed of at the DOE Savannah
River Site in South Carolina. The Savannah River Site currently
receives low-level radioactive waste from Naval Reactors sites in the
eastern United States. Both the volume and radioactive content of the
S1C Prototype reactor plant waste would be within the range of impacts
of low-level radioactive waste that is currently received at Savannah
River from Naval Reactors sites. The DOE Hanford Site in Washington
State also will be evaluated as an alternate disposal site for the low-
level radioactive waste.
2. Deferred Dismantlement
This alternative would involve keeping the defueled S1C Prototype
reactor plant in protective storage for 30 years before dismantling it.
Deferring dismantlement for 30 years would allow nearly all of the
cobalt-60 radioactivity to decay away. Nearly all of the gamma
radiation within the reactor plant comes from cobalt-60.
3. No Action
This alternative would involve keeping the defueled S1C Prototype
reactor plant in protective storage indefinitely. Since there is some
residual radioactivity with very long half lives such as nickel-59 in
the defueled reactor plant, this alternative would leave this
radioactivity at the Windsor Site indefinitely.
4. Other Alternatives
These alternatives include permanent on-site disposal. Such onsite
disposal could involve building an entombment structure over the S1C
Prototype reactor plant or developing a below ground disposal area at
the Windsor Site. Another alternative would be to remove the S1C
Prototype reactor plant as a single large reactor compartment package
for offsite disposal.
Preliminary Identification of Environmental Issues
The following issues, subject to consideration of comments received
in response to public scoping, have been tentatively identified for
analysis in the Environmental Impact Statement. This list is presented
to facilitate public comment on the scope of the Environmental Impact
Statement. It is not intended to be all inclusive nor is it intended to
be a predetermination of impacts.
1. Potential impacts to the public and on-site workers from
radiological and non radiological releases caused by activities to be
conducted within the context of the proposed action and alternatives.
2. Potential environmental impacts, including air and water quality
impacts, caused by the proposed action and alternatives.
3. Potential transportation impacts as a result of the proposed
action and alternatives.
4. Potential effect on endangered species, floodplain/wetlands, and
archeological/historical sites as a result of the proposed action and
alternatives.
5. Potential impacts from postulated accidents as a result of the
proposed action and alternatives.
6. Potential socioeconomic impacts to the surrounding communities
as a result of implementing the proposed actions and alternatives.
7. Potential cumulative impacts from the proposed action and other
past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions.
8. Potential irreversible and irretrievable commitment of
resources.
Issued at Arlington, VA this 29th day of September 1995.
B. DeMars,
Admiral, U.S. Navy, Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.
[FR Doc. 95-25219 Filed 10-11-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
