3 Federal Register Notices Published (Pits and HLW)
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Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS for a Potential New Nuclear Weapon Facility
NNSA Releases New Intent to Prepare an EIS for Plutonium Pit Production at SRS
ECA Staff | 6/9/2019
On Monday June 10, the NNSA will publish a new Federal Register notice on NNSA's intent to prepare an EIS for a potential new plutonium pit production facility at SRS. This new facility would be la "repurpose" of the partially built MOX facility (which was recently cancelled by NNSA). The last NNSA EIS on a new plutonium pit facility was CMRR at Los Alamos in 2003 (the
project was cancelled by NNSA in 2014). This new notice of an intent to prepare an EIS is a first step of many to construct a potential new plutonium pit facility to meet the current NNSA goal of 80 plutonium pits produced per year (which is being debated in the House NDAA). Most of the communities around SRS have written City and County resolutions supporting a new pit production mission at SRS.
The Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) hereby announces its intent, consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for plutonium pit production at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina (the SRS EIS). NNSA anticipates that it will prepare at least three documents including: A supplement analysis (SA) to
the Final Complex Transformation Supplemental Programmatic EIS (Complex Transformation SPEIS); a site-specific EIS for the proposal to produce pits at SRS; and site-specific documentation for the proposal to authorize expanding pit production at LANL.
NNSA highlighted in the Notice that to achieve the nation's requirement of producing no fewer than 80 pits per year by 2030, NNSA is proposing to repurpose the MFFF at SRS to produce plutonium pits while also maximizing pit production activities at LANL. This two-pronged approach—with a minimum of 50 pits per year produced at SRS and a minimum of 30 pits per year at LANL—is proposed as the best way to manage the cost, schedule, and risk
of such a vital undertaking. This approach improves the resiliency, flexibility, and redundancy of our Nuclear Security Enterprise by reducing reliance on a single production site.
The one planned public hearing will be on June 27 (5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. EST) at the North Augusta Community Center, 495 Brookside Ave. North Augusta, SC 29841. ECA understands that the NNSA leadership will also brief the local elected officials directly on the plans. Written comments on the scope of the EIS, requests to be placed on the EIS distribution list, and comments or questions on the scoping process should be sent to: Ms. Jennifer Nelson,
NEPA Document Manager, National Nuclear Security Administration Savannah River Field Office, P.O. Box A, Aiken, SC 29802 or email to NEPA-SRS@srs.gov.
DOE Publishes the Two Federal Register Notices on its Proposed Interpretation of HLW
ECA Staff | 6/9/2019
Monday June 10, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is publishing the two new Federal Register notices:
ECA would like to commend DOE on the public outreach prior to the release of the federal register notices.
The Supplemental Notice Concerning U.S. Department of Energy Interpretation of High-Level Radioactive Waste provides additional explanation of DOE’s interpretation as informed by the input received during the 90-day public review and comment period that closed in January.
In the Supplemental Notice, DOE reiterates its interpretation of the statutory term “high-level radioactive waste (HLW) as defined in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended such that some reprocessing wastes may be classified as not HLW (non-HLW) and may be disposed of in accordance with their radiological characteristics.”
The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) believes DOE’s interpretation could speed up cleanup at several sites (Idaho National Laboratory, Hanford, West Valley and the Savannah River Site); develop a path forward for waste stranded in interim storage and tanks; and potentially save billions of taxpayer dollars.
DOE specifically notes, however, “…subsequent DOE action is required before the interpretation in this Supplemental Notice can be implemented. This Supplemental Notice, therefore, does not alter the Department’s current management of reprocessing waste for any specific waste stream. Each reprocessing waste stream has unique radiological characteristics and, accordingly, the interpretation will be implemented in subsequent actions on a
site-specific basis, following consideration of: evaluation and characterization of specific reprocessing waste streams in conjunction with the waste acceptance criteria and requirements of a specific waste disposal facility; input from affected stakeholders (e.g., federal, state, local and tribal officials; and members of the public); and compliance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and agreements. This interpretation does not, and will not be used to, abrogate DOE’s
responsibilities under existing laws, regulations, agreements, or permit requirements. Nor does it change DOE’s existing statutory authorities or those of its regulators at the federal, state, or local level. DOE anticipates continued engagement and productive involvement of members of the public and the regulatory community in subsequent activities that may follow this HLW interpretation, including the NEPA process…”
DOE also states, “This interpretation does not change or revise any current policies, legal requirements, or agreements with respect to HLW. Decisions about whether and how this interpretation of HLW will apply to existing wastes would be the subject of subsequent actions. No implementation actions will be taken without appropriate interactions with affected state and local officials.”
The second notice announced, the Environmental Assessment for the Commercial Disposal of Defense Waste Processing Facility Recycle Wastewater from the Savannah River Site (NOI), reflects the Department’s first step in determining whether and how to implement its HLW interpretation specific to a particular waste stream by initiating a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) action to analyze the
potential environmental impacts of the disposal of a Savannah River Site reprocessing waste stream as non-HLW at a commercial disposal site.
ECA supports DOE’s steps forward today to more fully evaluate the statutory definition of HLW. As the communities hosting DOE’s federal facilities, ECA is encouraged by DOE’s pursuit of safe, risk-based and nearer-term alternatives to move some of DOE’s legacy defense waste into safe storage and disposal facilities in the absence of Yucca Mountain or another deep geologic repository.
DOE has also created a HLW interpretation webpage with links to additional resources and information, including a new video on the
issues.
Energy Department says new rules could speed cleanup at SRS; critics see dangers
PNNL backs technical merits of fed’s controversial new radioactive waste policy
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Stay Current on Activities in the DOE World
Read the latest edition of the ECA Bulletin, a regular newsletter providing a detailed brief of ECA activities, legislative news, and major events from across the DOE complex. Have suggestions for future editions? Email bulletin@energyca.org.
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Read ECA's Latest Publication
Making Informed Decisions on DOE's Proposed High-Level Waste Definition:
A Guide for Communities and Recommendations for DOE
This paper was developed as a guide for communities to understand a new interpretation of the statutory definition of high-level nuclear waste proposed by DOE in October 2018. This new interpretation could speed up cleanup at several sites, develop a path forward for waste stranded in interim storage and tanks, and potentially save tens of billions of dollars. The paper provides local communities and other DOE
stakeholders with information needed to enable informed decisions and constructive input to the Department as it determines next steps and implementation.
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Learn More about Cleanup Sites with ECA's DOE Site Profiles
ECA's new site profiles detail DOE's 13 active Environmental Management cleanup sites and national laboratories, highlighting their history, missions, and priorities. The profiles are a key source for media, stakeholders, and the public to learn more about DOE site activities, contractors, advisory boards, and their surrounding local
governments.
NATIONAL CLEANUP WORKSHOP
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Attend the 2019 National Cleanup Workshop
"Advancing Goal-Oriented Nuclear Waste Cleanup, Today and Tomorrow"
September 10-12, 2019
Hilton Alexandria Mark Center
Alexandria, VA
DOE Under Secretary Paul Dabbar, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann to Speak at 2019 National Cleanup Workshop
WASHINGTON, DC – DOE Under Secretary Paul Dabbar and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) are the latest confirmed speakers for the 2019 National Cleanup Workshop, to be held Sept. 10-12 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in Alexandria, Va.
Advancing Goal-Oriented Nuclear Waste Cleanup, Today and Tomorrow
Join more than 700 attendees, including senior Department officials, Congressional leaders, DOE contractors, and state, tribal and local government leaders for the largest EM-focused gathering in the D.C. area.
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