[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 169 (Wednesday, September 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47780-47782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-22671]


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

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Management of Certain Plutonium Residues and Scrub Alloy Stored 
at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

AGENCY: U. S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Amendment to a record of decision.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) has decided to revise the 
approach to be used to dispose of approximately 3,360 kg of sand, slag 
and crucible plutonium residues (containing approximately 130 kg of 
plutonium) that is currently stored at the Rocky Flats Environmental 
Technology Site. In an earlier Record of Decision on Management of 
Certain Plutonium Residues and Scrub Alloy Stored at the Rocky Flats 
Environmental Technology Site (63 FR 66136, December 1, 1998), DOE 
decided that the sand, slag and crucible residues would be shipped to 
the Savannah River Site for processing and storage pending disposition. 
With the opening of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New 
Mexico on March 26, 1999, DOE has now decided instead to prepare the 
sand, slag and crucible residues for direct shipment to the repository 
for disposal. This will result in final disposition of this material 
several years earlier than the previous approach and would be more cost 
effective. The environmental impacts of alternative approaches for 
management of these residues are presented in the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement on Management of Certain Plutonium Residues and Scrub 
Alloy Stored at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (the EIS, 
DOE/EIS-0277F, August 1998).

ADDRESSES: Copies of the EIS, the first and second Records of Decision 
published by DOE on this subject, and this Amended Record of Decision 
are available in the public reading rooms and libraries identified in 
the Federal Register notice that announced the availability of the EIS 
(63 FR 46006, August 28, 1998), or please write or call: Center for 
Environmental Management Information, P.O. Box 23769, Washington, DC 
20026-3769, telephone 1-800-736-3282 (in Washington, DC: 202-863-5084). 
These documents may also be accessed on the DOE Office of Environmental 
Management's World Wide Web site at http://www.em.doe.gov/em60/
documents.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on management 
of plutonium residues and scrub alloy currently stored at the Rocky 
Flats Environmental Technology Site, contact: Ms. Patrice M. Bubar, 
Acting Director, Rocky Flats Office (EM-64), Office of Nuclear Material 
and Facility Stabilization, Environmental Management, U.S. Department 
of Energy 1000 Independence Avenue, SW,

[[Page 47781]]

Washington, DC 20585, Telephone: 301-903-7130.
    For information concerning the EIS, the first or second Records of 
Decision, or this Amended Record of Decision, contact: Mr. Charles R. 
Head, Senior Technical Advisor, Office of Nuclear Material and Facility 
Stabilization, Environmental Management, U.S. Department of Energy, 
1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, Telephone: 202-586-
5151.
    For further information on DOE's National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) process, contact: Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA 
Policy and Assistance (EH-42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, Telephone (202) 586-
4600, or leave a message at 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement on Management of Certain Plutonium Residues and Scrub 
Alloy Stored at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (EIS, 
DOE/EIS-0277F) in August 1998. In this EIS, DOE assessed the potential 
environmental impacts of processing certain plutonium residues and 
scrub alloy currently stored at the Rocky Flats Environmental 
Technology Site (Rocky Flats) near Golden, Colorado in preparation for 
disposal or other disposition. These materials were produced during 
nuclear weapons production activities conducted by DOE during the Cold 
War, and are no longer needed. DOE is currently conducting activities 
to safely manage, clean up, and dispose (where appropriate) such 
intermediate products of its prior nuclear weapons production 
activities. The plutonium residues analyzed in the EIS include 
approximately 3,360 kg of sand, slag and crucible residues (containing 
approximately 130 kg of plutonium).
    The EIS evaluated four alternatives for management of the sand, 
slag and crucible residues, as shown in Table 1.

    Table 1.--Alternatives for Management of Sand, Slag and Crucible
                           Plutonium Residues
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternative 1--No Action:
     Calcination/Cementation at Rocky Flats, followed by storage
     at Rocky Flats.
Alternative 2--Processing without Plutonium Separation:
     Vitrification at Rocky Flats, in preparation for disposal
     in WIPP 1, or
     Calcination & Blend Down at Rocky Flats, in preparation for
     disposal in WIPP
Alternative 3--Process with Plutonium Separation:
     Purex Process at the Savannah River Site, in preparation
     for disposition of the plutonium as either mixed oxide nuclear fuel
     or immobilized in highly radioactive waste in a mined geologic
     repository.
Alternative 4--Combination of Processing Technologies:
     Calcination/Cementation at Rocky Flats, in preparation for
     disposal in WIPP, or
     Repackaging at Rocky Flats, in preparation for disposal in
     WIPP.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The ``Waste Isolation Pilot Plant'' is DOE's mined geologic
  repository for disposal of transuranic radioactive wastes. WIPP is
  located near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Transuranic is a term for any
  element whose atomic number is higher than that of uranium (i.e.,
  atomic number 92). All transuranic elements are produced artificially.

II. Original Decision

    DOE issued a first Record of Decision (63 FR 66136, December 1, 
1998) that covered eight categories of Rocky Flats plutonium residues 
(including sand, slag and crucible residues) and the scrub 
alloy.2 The first Record of Decision stated in Section 
VII.A.1. that ``DOE has decided to preprocess the sand, slag and 
crucible residues at the Rocky Flats site and then transport them to 
the Savannah River Site for stabilization in the F-Canyon. The Purex 
process will be used to chemically separate the plutonium from the 
other residue constituents (i.e., Alternative 3). The separated 
plutonium will then be placed in storage at the Savannah River Site 
until it is dispositioned as determined by DOE after completion of the 
Surplus Plutonium Disposition Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-
0283, under preparation, draft issued in July 1998).''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The ``Waste Isolation Pilot Plant'' is DOE's mined geologic 
repository for disposal of transuranic radioactive wastes. WIPP is 
located near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Transuranic is a term for any 
element whose atomic number is higher than that of uranium (i.e., 
atomic number 92). All transuranic elements are produced 
artificially.
    \2\ DOE issued a second Record of Decision (64 FR 8068, February 
18, 1999) for the remaining seven categories of residues.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section VII.A.2. of the first Record of Decision explained that 
Alternative 3 (processing at the Savannah River Site) was selected 
because it would provide the most expeditious approach for 
stabilization of the sand, slag and crucible residues. Because 
repackaging at Rocky Flats under Alternative 4 (preparation of the 
sand, slag and crucible residues for disposal in WIPP) also appeared to 
be a desirable alternative, Section VII.A.2 went on to explain the 
following:
    ``Consideration of alternative processing technologies that would 
result in sending the Rocky Flats sand, slag and crucible residues 
directly to WIPP for disposal as transuranic waste revealed that 
significant further characterization of the material would be required 
to verify its suitability for disposal in WIPP, due to the presence of 
reactive calcium in the residues. Resolution of the issues raised by 
the reactive calcium would require (1) further testing to demonstrate 
that no more than 5 percent of the residues contain enough reactive 
calcium to be pyrophoric, (2) approval by the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission of a change to the WIPP TRUCON Shipping Code to change the 
allowable passivated calcium metal content from a trace (i.e., less 
than 1 percent) to a minor (i.e., 1 to 10 percent) constituent, and (3) 
obtaining WIPP certification of the material. This strategy, if 
successful, would take about one year longer to implement than 
processing at the Savannah River Site.''

III. Events Since Issuance of the First Record of Decision

    Since issuance of the first Record of Decision, sand, slag and 
crucible residues have been packaged in preparation for shipment to the 
Savannah River Site. A small quantity of these residues (approximately 
112 kg containing about 2.7 kg of plutonium) has been shipped to the 
Savannah River Site as test samples to determine how best to process 
the bulk of the sand, slag and crucible residues yet to be shipped. The 
shipping schedule for the remainder of the materials has been delayed, 
however, by approximately one year, while issues associated with 
certifying a new transportation package continue to be addressed. 
Meanwhile, the following activities regarding

[[Page 47782]]

sending the sand, slag and crucible residues to WIPP have been 
completed:
    A. In July 1999, DOE completed sampling and analysis of the sand, 
slag and crucible residues to a greater than 95 percent confidence 
level and has concluded that there would be no pyrophoric hazards with 
this material. The analysis also showed that the sand, slag and 
crucible residues are sufficiently passivated (i.e. made less 
chemically reactive) to be shipped to WIPP.
    B. DOE obtained Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval of Revision 
11 of the TRUCON Codes in June 1999. This revision allows shipment to 
WIPP of residues with a passivated calcium constituent greater than 
that present in the sand, slag and crucible residues.
    C. WIPP began disposal operations on March 26, 1999. In the process 
of preparing other transuranic wastes for shipment to WIPP, the Rocky 
Flats Site has developed a record keeping and management system that 
meets stringent WIPP certification requirements. This new record 
keeping and management system has passed several audits by both the DOE 
Carlsbad Area Office (the DOE organization that operates WIPP) and the 
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. The system provides the 
technical information needed to certify transuranic wastes for disposal 
in WIPP. Rocky Flats has obtained WIPP certification for several waste 
streams and is currently shipping these waste streams to WIPP for 
disposal. This proven system could be used to obtain WIPP certification 
for the sand, slag and crucible residues. These residues are not 
hazardous waste, subject to Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 
regulations.
    Completion of the activities discussed above resolves the three 
issues identified in the first Record of Decision as requiring 
resolution before disposal of the sand, slag and crucible residues at 
WIPP would be possible. Their resolution prompted DOE to reconsider its 
decision.

IV. Need to Change the Initial Decision

    Shipment of the sand, slag and crucible residues to the Savannah 
River Site for processing would result in separation of approximately 
130 kg of nuclear weapons usable plutonium from the other constituents 
of the sand, slag and crucible residues. While plutonium can be safely 
stored at the Savannah River Site, DOE prefers not to separate weapons 
usable plutonium unless such separation is required by health and 
safety concerns. With the resolution of the issues that led to DOE's 
original decision not to dispose of the sand, slag and crucible 
residues at WIPP, and the delay in shipping material to Savannah River 
Site, there is no longer any advantage in shipping the sand, slag and 
crucible residues to the Savannah River Site for processing.
    In addition, if the plutonium were separated from the sand, slag 
and crucible residues at the Savannah River Site, the separated 
plutonium would then have to be stored at the Savannah River Site for 
several years before it would be further dispositioned, e.g., by 
immobilization. If the plutonium were to be immobilized, it would 
likely be several additional years before the immobilized plutonium 
could be shipped to a geologic repository for disposal. Direct disposal 
at WIPP would require further repackaging at Rocky Flats, and shipment 
to WIPP for disposal would occur somewhat later than shipments to the 
Savannah River Site. Nevertheless, DOE has confirmed that this delay 
would not adversely affect DOE's plan to close Rocky Flats by 2006.

V. Environmental Impacts Analysis

    As indicated in the Records of Decision issued under the Final EIS, 
because of the small risks that potentially could result from 
implementation of any of the action alternatives and the absence of any 
clear basis for discerning an environmental preference, no one action 
alternative is clearly environmentally preferable over any other action 
alternative. On the other hand, because the residues would be left in 
storage at Rocky Flats with no defined disposal path under the No 
Action Alternative, all of the action alternatives are environmentally 
preferable to the No Action Alternative. Since the estimates of the 
impacts that could potentially occur under the various alternatives for 
management of the sand, slag and crucible residues have not changed 
since issuance of the Records of Decision, DOE believes that the 
conclusions it previously reached regarding the environmentally 
preferable alternative are still valid.

VI. Amended Decision

    After review of the potential impacts considered in the EIS and the 
new information discussed above, DOE has decided to dispose of the 
sand, slag and crucible residues at WIPP (i.e., DOE will implement the 
repackaging option of Alternative 4). Termination of safeguards (as 
discussed in Section III.D. of the first Record of Decision) will be 
accomplished through the continued use of an approved variance to the 
safeguards requirements, as is already being done for several other 
categories of Rocky Flats plutonium residues.

Basis for the Decision

    As discussed above, disposal at WIPP of the sand, slag and crucible 
residues will avoid separation of up to 130 kg of plutonium and result 
in permanent disposal of the plutonium several years sooner than it 
could be disposed of under the Savannah River Site plutonium separation 
alternative. DOE estimates that packaging the material for direct 
disposal is a more cost effective approach than processing at the 
Savannah River Site. Additionally, this would allow other materials 
from Rocky Flats, which would have been processed after the sand, slag 
and crucible residues, to be processed earlier in the F Canyon and F-B 
line facilities.

VII. Conclusion

    The decision specified in this Amended Record of Decision is 
effective upon being made public, in accordance with DOE's NEPA 
implementation regulations (10 CFR 1021.315). The goals of this 
decision remain as stated in the first Record of Decision, namely to 
prepare the sand, slag and crucible residues for disposal in a manner 
that addresses health and safety concerns associated with storage of 
the sand, slag and crucible residues and to support closure of the 
Rocky Flats Site.

    Issued in Washington, DC this 25th day of August, 1999.
Carolyn L. Huntoon,
Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management.
[FR Doc. 99-22671 Filed 8-31-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P