RSS
BPA's underlying need for action is to ensure that regional fish and wildlife managers (the Working Group) have adequate information to assess the impacts of managed and unmanaged bird populations (i.e., terns, cormorants, and gulls) on the survival of juvenile salmonids from the Columbia River Basin, particularly ESA-listed stocks, to help determine effective future management initiatives that will reduce predation impacts.
This environmental assessment (EA) evaluates the proposed action to open and operate the Device Assembly Facility (DAF). Since the DAF has already been constructed, this EA focuses on potential impacts resulting from operation of the facility. The alternative of no action, i.e., continuing current operations at the Area 27 facilities, is also considered. The proposed action and the no-action alternative are compared with respect to their potential environmental impacts, their effect on the safety of
operations, and their security concerns.
operations, and their security concerns.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected a ground water compliance strategy for the Tuba City Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site (Tuba City site). This compliance strategy must meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground water standards defined in Title 40, Part 192 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 192) entitled “Health and Environmental Protection Standards for Uranium and Thorium Mill Tailings.” Contamination in the ground water consists of residual radioactive material, which is defined in the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA) (42 U.S. Code, Section 4321 et seq.) as “waste in the form of tailings or other material that is present as a result of processing uranium ores at any designated processing site.”
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to decontaminate and decommission the Zero Power Reactor (ZPR) facilities located in Building 315 at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in Argonne, Illinois.
The proposed action is the decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of Building 301. This includes activities such as equipment and systems disassembly, size reduction by mechanical saws or torches, removal of contaminated paint from building surfaces by grit blasting or scabbling coupled with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)-filtered recovery system, and all packaging and disposal of resultant waste. This work would be performed indoors in Building 301. The D&D would leave Building 301 in a safe lay-up condition. There are no current plans to reuse this structure for other ANL-E operations. Although DOE’s original proposal had been to demolish Building 301 following the building’s D&D, due to funding constraints there are no plans to demolish Building 301 within the next five to ten years. Thus demolition is no longer part of the proposed action analyzed in this environmental assessment. An additional NEPA review would be done at the time there is a proposed action concerning the disposition of the building.
The DOE proposes to construct and operate a new research facility at SLAC, the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), as a collaborative effort with other DOE facilities. The purpose and need for the LCLS is the creation of a new type of x-ray light source from a single pass free electron laser (FEL). The FEL would have a peak brightness 10 orders of magnitude greater and with faster pulses (in the sub-picosecond range), than the most intense synchrotrons currently available. The higher peak brightness would allow examination of much smaller particles, and the faster pulses would allow scientists to evaluate changes within a very short timeframe. As with the first microscope, the ability to explore our world on a finer scale will open up unforeseen frontiers. For example, the
synchrotron experiments have revealed the structure of proteins. The FEL would not only reveal structures of the smallest molecules, but would also provide scientists with a tool to evaluate how interactions occur on an atomic level. In a practical sense, the understanding gained may lead to diverse applications ranging from new drugs for combating diseases to understanding how planets form. The LCLS would be the most powerful FEL in the world contemplated at this time.
synchrotron experiments have revealed the structure of proteins. The FEL would not only reveal structures of the smallest molecules, but would also provide scientists with a tool to evaluate how interactions occur on an atomic level. In a practical sense, the understanding gained may lead to diverse applications ranging from new drugs for combating diseases to understanding how planets form. The LCLS would be the most powerful FEL in the world contemplated at this time.
Development, operation, and management of Columbia River Basin Federal
hydroelectric facilities have had far-reaching effects on many species of fish and wildlife within the basin. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is responsible for protecting, mitigating, and enhancing these affected species and their habitats (see Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 [Northwest Power Act]2, 16 U.S.C. 839 et seq., Section 4 (h)(10)(A)). Additionally, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., BPA shares responsibility for protecting and conserving listed threatened and endangered species. One measure that may help mitigate for the loss of anadromous fish populations is the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) Captive Rearing Initiative for Salmon River Chinook Salmon Program (IDFG Program). The proposed captive rearing initiative is a research program designed to assist the recovery of Salmon River spring/summer3 chinook salmon. By extension, the IDFG Program may contribute to the overall health of the Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU)4. This Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzes alternatives for achieving IDFG.
hydroelectric facilities have had far-reaching effects on many species of fish and wildlife within the basin. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is responsible for protecting, mitigating, and enhancing these affected species and their habitats (see Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 [Northwest Power Act]2, 16 U.S.C. 839 et seq., Section 4 (h)(10)(A)). Additionally, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq., BPA shares responsibility for protecting and conserving listed threatened and endangered species. One measure that may help mitigate for the loss of anadromous fish populations is the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) Captive Rearing Initiative for Salmon River Chinook Salmon Program (IDFG Program). The proposed captive rearing initiative is a research program designed to assist the recovery of Salmon River spring/summer3 chinook salmon. By extension, the IDFG Program may contribute to the overall health of the Snake River spring/summer chinook salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU)4. This Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzes alternatives for achieving IDFG.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposes to construct a new vehicle bridge across the American River Downstream about 800 feet east and 1,100 feet west of Folsom Dam, which will be located in an existing right-of-way currently occupied by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District double-circuit Orangevale-Lake/Whiterock-Orangevale 230-kilovolt and 12-kilovolt transmission lines.
This document is the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed action to address ground water contamination at the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site in Grand Junction, Colorado. This site is also known as the former Climax uranium millsite. The purpose of this EA is to present the proposed action and alternatives and discuss their environmental effects. The EA presents a strategy for achieving compliance with requirements established in the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (42 United States Code 7901 et seq.) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency' (EPA's) "Health and Environmental Protection Standards for Uranium and Thorium Mill Tailings" (Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 192).
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) prepared this environmental assessment (EA) to analyze the potential environmental impacts of the proposed construction and operation of new biomass cogeneration and heating facilities at the Savannah River Site (SRS).