Comment form for the Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Yucca
Mountain Repository Environmental Impact Statement
The U.S. Department of Energy (Department)
has issued a notice of intent for
60 days of public comment beginning
October 13, 2006. The comment period
has been extended to December 12,
2006.
The Department invites comments
on the scope of the Supplemental
YM Repository EIS to ensure that
all relevant environmental issues
are addressed. Since publication
of the Yucca Mountain Final EIS,
DOE has continued to develop the
repository design and associated
plans. As now planned, the proposed
surface and subsurface facilities
would allow DOE to operate the repository
following a primarily canistered
approach in which most commercial
spent nuclear fuel would be packaged
at the commercial sites in multipurpose
transport, aging and disposal canisters
(TADs), and all DOE materials would
be packaged in disposable canisters
at the DOE sites. Waste packages
would be arrayed in the repository
underground to achieve what is referred
to as a higher-thermal operating
mode, and most spent nuclear fuel
and high-level radioactive waste
would arrive at the repository by
rail.
To evaluate the potential environmental
impacts of the current repository
design and operational plans, DOE
has decided to prepare a Supplement
to the Yucca Mountain Final EIS.
Scoping will help define the scope
of the Supplemental YM Repository
EIS.
To facilitate the scoping process,
DOE has identified a preliminary
list of issues and environmental
resources that it may consider in
the Supplemental Yucca Mountain EIS.
The list is not intended to be all-inclusive,
but should be used as a starting
point for public input on the scope
of the Supplemental Yucca Mountain
EIS.
- Radiological releases.
The potential impacts (i.e., latent
cancer fatalities) to the public
and workers from potential radiological
releases during routine loading
of canisters and transportation
casks at the commercial sites,
and from handling and disposal
operations at the repository.
- Worker
safety and health. Potential health
and safety impacts (i.e., injuries
and fatalities) to workers during
handling and disposal operations
at the commercial and DOE sites
and the repository.
- Transportation.
The potential radiological and
non-radiological impacts (i.e.,
traffic injuries and fatalities)
to the public and workers associated
with the shipment of materials
to the repository under the mostly
rail scenario.
- Accidents. The potential
radiological impacts to workers
and the public from reasonably
foreseeable accidents during loading
of canisters at the sites, transportation
and repository operations, including
any accidents with low probability
but high potential consequences.
- Sabotage. The potential radiological
impacts to workers and the public
from sabotage of transportation
and repository operations.
- Waste
isolation. Potential radiological
and non-radiological impacts (e.g.,
chemically toxic materials) associated
with the long-term performance
of the repository.
- Socioeconomic
conditions. Potential local regional
socioeconomic impacts to the surrounding
communities from construction,
operation and closure of the repository.
- Water
and air resources. Potential impacts
to air resources, and water quality
and use.
- Cultural resources. Potential
impacts to archaeological and historic
resources and American Indian issues
of concern.
- Biological resources.
Potential impacts to plants, animals
and their habitats, including impacts
to endangered and threatened species.
- Cumulative
impacts from the Proposed Action
and other past, present and reasonably
foreseeable future actions.
- Environmental
justice. Potential for disproportionately
high and adverse impacts on minority
or low-income populations.
Please submit your comments using the form below.
|
 |
