Copies Of Federal Energy Department Recommendations Available For Review
WEST VALLEY - The federal Department of Energy has issued a Record of Decision for the West Valley Demonstration Project and Western New York Nuclear Service Center in West Valley that will implement a phased decision making process to continue the decommissioning and cleanup efforts at the site.
Department of Energy officials worked in partnership with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to review the environmental impacts of the cleanup alternatives before reaching the decision.
"This Record of Decision is a result of incredible teamwork with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, oversight from our regulatory agencies, and substantial input from our community and stakeholders," said Bryan Bower, Department of Energy federal project director. "The completion of the site's environmental impact statement will put the West Valley Demonstration Project on a path to closure."
The Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Decomissioning and/or Long-Term Stewardship at the West Valley Demonstration Project and Western New York Nuclear Service Center, DOE-EIS-0226 examined three alternatives for moving forward and chose a two-phased decision making process.
Under Phase 1, DOE will remove the Main Plant Process Building, the Vitrification Facility, the Remote Handled Waste Facility, the lagoon areas, a number of unneeded facilities and the contaminated soils under and around these facilities, including the source of the contaminated groundwater plume.
Decisions on Phase 2 decommissioning will be made within the next 10 years, including decommissioning on the underground high-level waste tanks and the NRC-licensed Disposal Area. NYSERDA will manage the Statelicensed Disposal Area in place. The Department of Energy will continue to safely manage the site's few remaining facilities while conducting Phase 1 cleanup efforts and undertaking a number of studies to evaluate the final decommissioning and long-term management plans for the underground tanks and the disposal areas.
The Department of Energy will continue to seek public input and participation as it undertakes a National Environmental Policy Act review and decision making process for Phase 2 of the cleanup.
The Record of Decision for the final Environmental Impact Statement will be published in the Federal Register on Monday. Copies are available at the following reading rooms:
Concord Public Library, 18 Chapel Street, Springville, NY 14141
WVDP Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Ashford Office Complex, 9030 Route 219, West Valley, NY 14171
U.S. Department of Energy, FOIA Reading Room, Room1E-190, Forrestal Bldg., 1000 Independence Avenue, Washington, DC 20582
The ROD and Final EIS are also available at: www.westvalleyeis.com and www.gc.energy.gov/NEPA.