97-25317. Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Proposed Decommissioning of the Babcock & Wilcox Shallow Land Disposal Area in Parks Township, PA

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 185 (Wednesday, September 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49999-50000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25317]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 70-3085]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Proposed Decommissioning 
of the Babcock & Wilcox Shallow Land Disposal Area in Parks Township, 
PA

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Draft Environmental Impact Statement--Decommissioning of the 
Babcock & Wilcox Shallow Land Disposal Area in Parks Township, 
Pennsylvania; withdrawal of notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is withdrawing a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) (NUREG-1613) regarding the 
proposed decommissioning of the Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) Shallow Land 
Disposal Area (SLDA) in Parks Township, Pennsylvania. A notice of 
availability for the DEIS was published on September 4, 1997 (62 FR 
46780). The NRC is taking this withdrawal action in order to develop 
additional information regarding the alternatives described in the 
DEIS.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 24, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Phyllis Sobel, Low-Level Waste and 
Decommissioning Projects Branch, Mail Stop T7F-27, Division of Waste 
Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001. Telephone 
301-415-6714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 4, 1997 (62 FR 46780), the NRC 
published a notice of availability for a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the proposed decommissioning of the Babcock & 
Wilcox (B&W) Shallow Land Disposal Area (SLDA) in Parks Township, 
Pennsylvania. The DEIS described and evaluated the potential 
environmental impacts of B&W's proposed approach to decommission the 
radiologically contaminated waste which would involve the stabilization 
of waste in place at the site. The DEIS also contained information 
regarding alternatives to B&W's proposal, including an NRC staff 
recommended alternative that would involve a modified stabilization in 
place option.
    The NRC is withdrawing the DEIS in order to develop additional 
information regarding the alternatives presented. The NRC will provide 
further consideration to the merits of the various alternatives in 
light of any

[[Page 50000]]

additional information that is developed. As a result of this 
withdrawal action, the NRC is postponing the public meeting announced 
in the notice published on September 4. In addition, the opportunity 
for a hearing that was published as part of the notice is withdrawn 
pending further NRC action on the matter.

    Dated at Rockville, Md., this 18th day of September 1997.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
John W.N. Hickey,
Chief, Low-Level Waste and Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of 
Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 97-25317 Filed 9-23-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P