[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 245 (Wednesday, December 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 79813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32412]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Savannah River Operations Office; Savannah River Site, High-Level 
Waste Tank Closure Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DOE/EIS-0303D) 
Aiken, SC

AGENCY: Savannah River Operations Office, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) will hold public meetings to 
discuss issues and gather information related to the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposed closing of 
additional high-level waste (HLW) tanks at the Savannah River Site 
(SRS). All persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to attend 
and participate in these public meetings and to submit comments.

DATES: The Department will hold two public meetings--each with two 
sessions--to discuss the Draft EIS and receive comments. Dates and 
locations of those public meetings are listed below:

January 9, 2001,
North Augusta Community Center,
101 Brookside Drive,
North Augusta, South Carolina,
1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. (repeat sessions).
January 11, 2001,
Holiday Inn Coliseum,
630 Assembly Street,
Columbia, South Carolina,
1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. (repeat sessions).

ADDRESSES: Comments on the Draft EIS may be submitted orally or in 
writing to DOE at the January 2001 public meetings; sent by facsimile 
or voice mail to 1-800-881-7292; sent by electronic mail to 
[email protected]; or mailed to Mr. Andrew Grainger, NEPA Compliance 
Officer, DOE-Savannah River Operations Office (SR), Building 742-A, 
Room 185, Aiken, SC 29802 (ATTN: Tank Closure Draft EIS). In preparing 
the Final EIS, DOE will consider all comments transmitted or postmarked 
by January 23, 2001. Comments submitted after this date will be 
considered to the extent practicable.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request information about this 
Draft EIS and the public meetings, or to be placed on the EIS 
distribution list, use any of the methods listed in ADDRESSES above. 
For general information about the DOE NEPA process, contact: Carol 
Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (EH-42), U. 
S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 
20585-0119, Phone: 202-586-4600, Voice mail: 800-472-2756, Fax: 202-
586-7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The publication of the Notice of 
Availability of the Draft EIS in the Federal Register on November 24, 
2000, (65 FR 70567) began the public comment period, which extends 
through January 23, 2001. DOE-SR proposes to close the tank systems to 
protect human health and the environment. These proposed closures would 
be in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, DOE Orders, and the 
previously published document, Industrial Wastewater Closure Plan for 
F- and H-Area High-Level Waste Tanks Systems, prepared by DOE and 
approved by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental 
Control.
    The Draft EIS evaluates three alternatives regarding closure of the 
HLW tanks: (1) Clean and Stabilize Tanks, (2) Clean and Remove Tanks, 
and (3) No Action Alternative. Under the Clean and Stabilize Tanks 
alternative, DOE is considering three options for tank stabilization: 
fill with grout (preferred alternative), fill with sand, or fill with 
saltstone.

    Dated: December 12, 2000.
Angelia D. Adams,
Acting Director, Environment, Health, and Safety Evaluation and 
Performance Division.
[FR Doc. 00-32412 Filed 12-19-00; 8:45 am]
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