94-18781. Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Safe Interim Storage of Hanford Tank Wastes at the Hanford Site, Richland, WA, and Announcement of Public Hearings

[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 147 (Tuesday, August 2, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18781]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 2, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Safe Interim Storage 
of Hanford Tank Wastes at the Hanford Site, Richland, WA, and 
Announcement of Public Hearings

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of 
the Safe Interim Storage of Hanford Tank Wastes Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0212), prepared jointly with the Washington 
Department of Ecology (Ecology). The draft EIS was prepared in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 
and its implementing regulations and the Washington State Environmental 
Policy Act (SEPA) guidelines. DOE and Ecology have identified the need 
to resolve near-term tank safety issues associated with Watchlist tanks 
identified pursuant to Section 3137 of P.L. 101-510, the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991, ``Safety Measures for 
Waste Tanks at Hanford Nuclear Reservation,'' while continuing to 
provide safe storage for other Hanford wastes. This would be an interim 
action pending other actions that could be taken to convert waste to a 
more stable form based on decisions resulting from the Tank Waste 
Remediation System (TWRS) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The 
purpose for this action is to resolve safety issues concerning the 
generation of unacceptable levels of hydrogen in two Watchlist tanks, 
101-SY and 103-SY. Current planning considers retrieval in dilute form 
of waste from Tanks 101-SY and 103-SY, hydrogen-generating Watchlist 
double shell tanks (DSTs) in the 200 West area, to be the highest 
priority action.

DATES: The Department invites comments on the Draft Statement from all 
interested parties. Written comments or suggestions regarding the 
adequacy, accuracy, and completeness of the Draft Statement will be 
considered in preparing the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final 
Statement) and should be received by September 19, 1994. Written 
comments received after that date will be considered to the degree 
practicable.
    The Department will also hold three public hearings at which 
agencies, organizations, and the general public are invited to present 
oral comments or suggestions on the Draft Statement. Locations, dates, 
and times for the public hearings are provided in the sections of this 
notice entitled ``PUBLIC HEARINGS.'' Written and oral comments will be 
given equal weight and will be considered in preparing the Final 
Statement. Requests for copies of the Draft Statement and/or Final 
Statement or questions concerning the project, should be sent to: Dr. 
Don Alexander, U.S. Department of Energy; or Mr. Geoff Tallent, 
Washington Department of Ecology at the addresses noted below.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the Draft Statement should be received 
by September 19, 1994, for incorporation into the public hearing 
record. Oral comments will be accepted at the public hearings. Written 
comments, requests to speak at the hearings, or questions concerning 
the Safe Interim Storage of Hanford Tank Wastes EIS, should be directed 
to:

Dr. Donald H. Alexander, U.S. Department of Energy, P.O. Box 550, MSIN 
S7-51, Richland, WA 99352, [phone]
Mr. Geoff Tallent, Washington Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, 
Olympia, WA 99352, [phone]

    If you request to speak, please indicate at which hearing(s). 
Envelopes should be labeled ``Safe Interim Storage of Hanford Tank 
Wastes, Draft Environmental Impact Statement.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the 
Department's EIS process and other matters related to the National 
Environmental Policy Act, please contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, 
Director, Office of NEPA Oversight (EH-25), U.S. Department of Energy, 
1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, D.C. 20585, Telephone: (202) 
586-4600 or [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background, Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

    DOE has instituted numerous actions directed toward resolving 
safety concerns regarding the Watchlist tanks. In addition to tank-
specific safety evaluations, DOE is currently mitigating near-term risk 
of fire or explosion involving hydrogen gas generation from Tank 101-SY 
by operating a mixer pump which modifies the rate and mechanism of 
hydrogen releases. Mixer pump installations in other hydrogen-
generating Watchlist tanks may also mitigate the near-term risks of 
accidents. However, DOE has identified retrieval and dilution of the 
wastes in flammable gas-generating Watchlist tanks as the primary 
mechanism for resolving safety issues which would assure safe storage 
of these wastes during the interim time frame prior to implementing 
decisions based on the TWRS EIS that might change the form of the 
waste. Retrieval of the waste and storage in a dilute form would be 
considered remediation, the final step in safety issue resolution of 
the hydrogen under this strategy, while installation and operation of 
mixer pumps would be considered mitigation. Dilution would eliminate 
the generation of unacceptable levels of hydrogen by altering the 
reactions that result in hydrogen build up. Mitigation by mixer pumps 
would eliminate the mechanisms by which hydrogen gas concentrates to 
unacceptable levels.
    Because most of the Watchlist tanks are at or near capacity, 
dilution can best be accommodated through the use of other tank space 
rather than dilution in place. Upon review of available tank space and 
considering the potential for chemical incompatibility if existing DSTs 
were to be used as receiver tanks for Watchlist wastes, DOE is 
proposing to construct additional tank space to meet the need in the 
near term for storage of diluted wastes that would be retrieved from 
Watchlist Tanks 101-SY and 103-SY.

Environmental Impact Statement Preparation

    The Draft Statement has been prepared in accordance with Section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as 
implemented in regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental 
Quality (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and by the Department's Implementing 
Procedures (10 CFR Part 1021). The Draft Statement has been prepared to 
assess the potential impacts of both the proposed action, and 
reasonable alternatives to the proposed action, on the human and 
natural environment.
    A Notice of Intent (Notice) to prepare the Environmental Impact 
Statement and hold public scoping meetings in Spokane, Richland, and 
Seattle, Washington, Hood River and Portland, Oregon, was published by 
the Department in the Federal Register on January 28, 1994. The Notice 
invited oral and written comments and suggestions on the proposed scope 
of the Environmental Impact Statement, including environmental issues 
and alternatives, and invited pubic participation in the NEPA process. 
Overall, scoping comments were received that assisted in identifying 
major issues for subsequent in-depth analysis in the Draft Statement. 
As a result of the scoping process, an Environmental Impact Statement 
Implementation Plan was developed to define the scope and provide 
further guidance for preparing the Environmental Impact Statement.
    The Draft Statement considers the proposed action and the no-action 
alternative, which includes a scenario that reasonably could be 
expected to result as a consequence of the no-action alternative. 
Impacts to the affected environment, geologic resources, seismology, 
water resources and hydrology, physical environment, radiation, sound 
level and noise, ecology including threatened and endangered species 
(plant and animal), and socioeconomic resources (including 
environmental justice) from construction of the proposed new tanks have 
been analyzed.
    The Draft Statement provides an analysis of information prepared to 
evaluate the potential environmental impacts of the proposed 
construction and operation of six new tanks, an initial tank retrieval 
system and cross-site transfer system, and associated facilities.

Comment Procedures

Availability of Draft Statement

    Copies of the Draft Statement are being distributed to 
organizations, environmental groups, and individuals known to be 
interested in or affected by the proposed project. Additional copies of 
either the main document or appendices to the main volume may be 
obtained by contacting the Department as provided in the section of 
this notice entitled Address.
    Copies of the Draft Statement, and major documents referenced in 
the Draft Statement, are available for inspection at the locations 
identified below:

(1) U.S. Department of Energy, Headquarters, Freedom of Information 
Reading Room, 1E-190 Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 10585, [phone], Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(2) U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, Public 
Reading Room, Washington State University Tri-Cities, 100 Sprout Road, 
Room 130W, Richland, WA 99352, [phone], Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 
12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
(3) Suzzallo Library, SM25, University of Washington Libraries, 
University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98185, [phone], Monday-
Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 12 midnight, Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; 
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. to 12 midnight.
(4) Foley Center, Gonzaga University, East 502 Boone Avenue, Spokane, 
WA 99258, [phone], Extension 3125, Summer Hours: Monday-Friday: 
8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(5) Portland State University, Branford Price Millar Library, SW., 
Harrison and Park, Portland, OR 97207, [phone].

    You may also receive a copy of the Draft Statement by calling the 
Hanford Cleanup Hotline toll-free at 1-800-321-2000. If you have 
special accommodation needs, contact Michelle Davis at [phone] 
or [phone] Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD).
    Written Comments. Interested parties are invited to provide 
comments on the content of the Draft Statement to the Department as 
indicated in the section of this notice entitled ADDRESS. Envelopes 
should be labeled ``Safe Interim Storage of Hanford Tank Wastes, Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement.'' Comments received after September 19, 
1994, will be considered to the extent practicable.

Public Hearings

Procedures

    The public is invited to provide oral comments on the Draft 
Statement to the Department at the scheduled public hearings. Advance 
registration for presentation of oral comments at the hearings will be 
accepted up to the day prior to the scheduled meeting by calling 1-800-
500-1660 (prior to 3 p.m.). Requests to speak at a specific time will 
be honored if possible. Registrants are allowed only to register 
themselves to speak and must confirm the time they are scheduled to 
speak at the registration desk the day of the hearing. Persons who have 
not registered in advance may register to speak when they arrive at the 
hearings to the extent that time is available. To ensure that as many 
persons as possible have the opportunity to present comments, five 
minutes will be allotted to each speaker. Persons presenting comments 
at the hearings are requested to provide the Department with written 
copies of their comments at the hearing, if possible. Written comments 
sent by mail at the office listed in the ADDRESS section above, must be 
received no later than September 19, 1994. Envelopes should be labeled 
``Safe Interim Storage of Hanford Tank Wastes, Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement.''
    Hearing Schedules and Locations. Public Hearings will be held at 
the following locations, times, and dates:

1. Portland, OR--Tuesday, August 30, 1994, Red Lion/Lloyd's Center, 
1000 N.E. Multnomah, Portland, OR 97204, Phone: [phone], Walter 
Thayer
2. Pasco, WA--Thursday, September 1, 1994, Pasco Red Lion, 2525 North 
20th Pasco, WA 99302, Phone: [phone], Robin
3. Spokane, WA--Wednesday, September 7, 1994, Spokane Sheraton, N. 322 
Spokane Falls Court, Spokane, WA 99201, Phone: [phone] or 
[phone].

    Conduct of Hearings. The Department's rules and procedures for the 
orderly conduct of the hearings will be announced by the presiding 
officer at the start of the hearings. The hearings will not be of an 
adjudicatory or evidentiary nature. Speakers will not be cross-
examined, although the presiding officer and the Department of Energy 
hearing panel members will respond to comments and questions from the 
public. In addition, the Department of Energy's representatives will be 
available to discuss the project in informal conversations. A 
transcript of the hearing will be prepared, and the entire record of 
each hearing, including the transcript, will be placed on file by the 
Department for inspection at the public locations given above in the 
COMMENT PROCEDURES section.

    Signed in Richland, WA this 20th day of July 1994, for the 
United States Department of Energy.
Paul F.X. Dunigan, Jr.,
NEPA Compliance Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-18781 Filed 8-1-94; 8:45 am]
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