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Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Ground Water Project
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Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Ur
[Federal Register: May 17, 1995 (Volume 60, Number 95)] [Notices]
[Page 26417-26419]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Ground Water Project
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
SUMMARY: The Department of Energy announces the availability of the draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Ground Water Project. The proposed action is to conduct the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Ground Water Project using appropriate ground water compliance strategies at the 24 uranium processing sites based on a health and environmental risk-based framework that provides a consistent and flexible approach. The three other alternatives analyzed in the programmatic environmental impact statement are: No action, active remediation to background levels at all processing sites, and passive remediation at all processing sites. Separate site-specific National Environmental Policy Act documentation will be prepared to address site-specific ground water compliance activities.
DATES: The public comment period extends through July 17, 1995. Written comments should be postmarked by that date to ensure consideration in preparation of the final document. Comments postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent practicable. Comments may also be submitted orally or in writing at public hearings to be held at the times, places, and dates listed below.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the draft programmatic environmental impact statement should be directed to Mr. Rich Sena, Acting Director, Environmental Restoration Division, Department of Energy, Suite 4000, 2155 Louisiana N.E., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110. Addresses of Department of Energy Public Reading Rooms and public libraries where the draft [[Page 26418]] document will be available for review are listed below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for copies of the draft programmatic environmental impact statement and requests for further information concerning this draft document may be directed to Mr. Rich Sena at the address above. Requests for copies of the draft programmatic environmental impact statement or requests for more information may also be made by leaving a message at 1-800-523-6495 (outside New Mexico) and 1-800-423-2539 (within New Mexico). For general information on the procedures followed by the Department of Energy in complying with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585, Telephone 1-202-586- 4600 or leave a message at 1-800-472-2756. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Public concern regarding the potential human health and environmental effects from uranium mill tailings led to passage of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (Public Law 95-604, 42 USC Sec. 7901 et seq.) in 1978, wherein Congress acknowledged the potentially harmful health effects associated with uranium mill tailings at 24 abandoned uranium mill processing sites. Pursuant to the Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed standards (40 CFR Part 192) which include exposure limits for surface contamination and concentration limits for ground water, to protect the public and the environment from potential radiological and nonradiological hazards from the abandoned mill processing sites. Final ground water protection standards were published in the Federal Register [60 FR 2854 (Jan. 11, 1995)]. The Department of Energy is responsible for performing remedial action to bring the surface and ground water contaminant levels at the abandoned mill processing sites into compliance with these standards. The Department of Energy is accomplishing this function through the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project. Remedial action will be conducted with the concurrence of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the full participation of affected States and Indian tribes.
Uranium processing activities at most of the 24 mill processing sites resulted in the formation of contaminated ground water beneath and, in some cases, downgradient of the sites. The purpose of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Ground Water Project is to protect human health and the environment by meeting the Environmental Protection Agency standards in areas where ground water has been contaminated with hazardous constituents, such as uranium and nitrate, as a result of former uranium processing activities. A major first step in the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Ground Water Project is the preparation of the Ground Water Project programmatic environmental impact statement which assesses the potential programmatic impacts of conducting the Ground Water Project, provides a method for determining the site-specific ground water compliance strategies, and supplies data and information that can be used to tier off site-specific environmental impact analysis documents to eliminate repetition. The proposed action and the alternatives in the document are considered programmatic in that they broadly address the overall plans for conducting the Ground Water Project.Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Preparation
The Department of Energy published a Notice of Intent [57 FR 54374, Nov. 18, 1992)] to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement and commence the scoping process. The public scoping process was completed on April 15, 1993. Public scoping meetings were held in Falls City, Texas; Durango, Colorado; Moenkopi Village, Arizona; Shiprock, Arizona; Tuba City, Arizona; Window Rock, Arizona; Grand Junction, Colorado; Gunnison, Colorado; Rifle, Colorado; Bowman, North Dakota; Lakeview, Oregon; Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; Halchita, Utah; Salt Lake City, Utah; St. Stephen, Wyoming; and Riverton, Wyoming. The Department of Energy received over 500 comments on the proposed scope of the programmatic environmental impact statement which were considered in preparation of the draft programmatic environmental impact statement.
Availability of Copies of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
Copies of the draft programmatic environmental impact statement have been distributed to Federal, State, and local agencies, and to organizations, environmental groups, and individuals known to be interested in or affected by the Ground Water Project. Additional copies of the document may be obtained by contacting the Uranium Mill Tailings Project Office at the address or telephone numbers listed above. Copies of the draft programmatic environmental impact statement and applicable documents referenced in the document are available for inspection at the Department of Energy's reading rooms and at the public libraries in the vicinity of the 24 former uranium processing sites listed below.
Department of Energy Reading Rooms
Freedom of Information Reading Room, Room 1E-190, Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20585
National Atomic Museum Library, Public Document Room, Department of Energy, Albuquerque Operations, Albuquerque, NM 87115 Grand Junction Project Office, Department of Energy, 2597 B 3/4 Road, Grand Junction, CO 81302
Public LibrariesArizona
Tuba City Public Library, Tuba City, AZ 86045 Navajo Nation Library System, Window Rock, AZ 86515 Kykotsmovi Public Library, Community Development Director, Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039
Colorado
Cortez Public Library, 802 E. Montezuma, Cortez, CO 81321 Denver Public Library, 1357 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203 Rifle Branch Library, Second Street, Rifle, CO 81650 Mesa State College Library, Grand Junction, CO 81502 Dove Creek School Library, Dove Creek, CO 81324 Durango Public Library, Reference Department, Durango, CO 81301 Glenwood Springs Library, 413 9th Street, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 Gunnison Public Library, 307 N. Wisconsin, Gunnison, CO 81230 Naturita Public Library, 312 W. Second Street, Naturita, CO 81422 Montrose Public Library, 4349 First Street, Montrose, CO 81424
Idaho
Boise Public Library, 715 S. Capitol Bldg., Boise, ID 83805 [[Page 26419]]
New Mexico
Navajo Community College Library, Shiprock Branch, Shiprock, NM 87420 Mother Whiteside Memorial Library, 525 W. High Street, Grants, NM 87020 New Mexico State University Library, 1500 3rd St., Grants, NM 87020 University New Mexico Gallup Library, 200 College Road, Gallup, NM 87301
University New Mexico Zimmerman Library, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1466 New Mexico Environmental Department Library, 1190 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87502North Dakota
Bowman Public Library, 104 Main Street, Bowman, ND 58623 Dickinson Public Library, 139 West 3rd Street, Dickinson, ND 58601
Oregon
Lake County Library, 513 Center Street, Lakeview, OR 97630
Pennsylvania
Canonsburg Public Library, East Pike Street, Canonsburg, PA 15317 People's Library, 2889 Leechburg Road, Lower Burrell, PA 15068
Texas
Falls City Public Library, P.O. Box 325, Falls City, TX 78113
Utah
Bluff Public Library, Bluff, UT 84512
Marriott Library, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 San Juan County Library, 25 West 300 St., Blanding, UT 84511 Grand County Library, 25 S. 1st East, Moab, UT 84532 Green River Library, 85 South Lang St., Green River, UT 84525Wyoming
Riverton Branch Library, 1330 West Park, Riverton, WY 82501 Wyoming St. Library, Supreme Court Building, 24th & Capitol Street Cheyenne, WY 82002
University of Wyoming Library, University Station, Laramie, WY 82071 Opportunity to CommentInterested parties are invited to comment on the draft programmatic environmental impact statement. The Department of Energy will consider written and oral comments equally when preparing the final programmatic environmental impact statement. Written comments should be sent to Mr. Rich Sena, UMTRA Team, at the address given above. To be considered in the document, written comments should be postmarked by July 17, 1995; comments postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.
Public Hearings and Information Meetings
The public is invited to comment on the draft programmatic environmental impact statement to the Department of Energy in person at the scheduled public hearings. The purposes of the hearings are to receive comments on the subjects analyzed in the draft document; to provide information to the public concerning the content and adequacy of the programmatic environmental impact statement; and to respond to public questions on the analyses or the programmatic environmental impact statement process. Hearings will be set up to address these areas. Persons presenting oral comments at the hearings are encouraged to provide the Department of Energy with written copies of their comments.
Conduct of Hearings
Format for the conduct of the hearings will be announced by the presiding officer at the start of the hearings. The Department of Energy personnel conducting the hearings may ask clarifying questions regarding statements made at the hearings. Transcripts of the comments made at the hearings will be made available at Department of Energy reading rooms and public libraries listed above.
Hearing Schedules and Locations
Shiprock, New Mexico, June 7, 1995, Shiprock Chapter House, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Durango, Colorado, June 8, 1995, Durango City Hall, 7:00-10:00 p.m. Halchita, Utah, June 13, 1995, Mexican Hat Elementary School, 7:00- 10:00 p.m.
Moenkopi, Arizona, June 14, 1995, Moenkopi Community Center, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Tuba City, Arizona, June 14, 1995, Tuba City Chapter House, 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Grand Junction, Colorado, June 22, 1995, Grand Junction City Hall, 7:00-10:00 p.m.
Gunnison, Colorado, June 21, 1995, Gunnison County Court House, 7:00- 10:00 p.m.
Falls City, Texas, June 27, 1995, Falls City Community Center, 7:00- 10:00 p.m.
Riverton, Wyoming, June 28, 1995, St. Stephens School, 7:30-10:30 p.m.Issued in Washington, D.C., on May 10, 1995. James M. Ownedoff,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Restoration. [FR Doc. 95-12041 Filed 5-16-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P