The following are excerpts from a powerpoint presentation at a Public Hearing on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Disposition of Depleted Uranium Oxide Conversion Product Generated from DOE’s Inventory of Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride (DOE/EIS-0359-S1; DOE/EIS-0360-S1).
The maps and other details in the ppt were not accessible for coping.
Background
•DOE operates depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) conversion facilities at the Portsmouth and Paducah sites to convert the stored DUF6 into depleted uranium (DU) oxide, a more stable form for reuse or disposal.
•DOE has a large quantity (over 760,000 metric tons) of DUF6 stored in cylinders at Portsmouth and Paducah.
•The Portsmouth Site had approximately 21,000 DUF6cylinders, and the Paducah Site had approximately 46,000 DUF6cylinders at the start of conversion in 2011.
•Portsmouth DUF6inventory is expected to be processed in approximately 18 years and Paducah’s larger inventory within approximately 30 years.
Purpose & Need
To dispose of DU oxide resulting from converting DOE DUF6 inventory to a more stable chemical form and to dispose of other low level radioactive waste (LLW) and mixed LLW (MLLW) (i.e., empty and heel cylinders, calcium fluoride, and ancillary LLW and MLLW) generated during the conversion process.
If a beneficial use cannot be found for the DU oxide, all or a portion of the inventory may be characterized as waste and need to be dispositioned. This need follows directly from the decisions presented in the RODs for the 2004 EISs that deferred DOE’s decision related to the transport and disposition of DU oxide at potential off-site disposal facilities.
No Action Alternative
•Under No Action Alternative DU oxide would continue to be stored indefinitely at the Paducah and Portsmouth Sites.
•DU oxide would not be disposed of as LLW.
•Empty and heel cylinders, calcium fluoride, and ancillary LLW and MLLW would be shipped to off-site disposal facilities.
Analyzed Alternatives
Three disposal location alternatives are proposed:
•DOE-owned LLW disposal facility at Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada.
— Rail transportation requires intermodal transfer to truck for last leg of route
— Both rail and truck methods would be applied
•EnergySolutions, LLW disposal facility, Clive, Utah.
— Transportation options include both rail and truck routes
— Requires licensing by Utah, which would require a new post closure Stewardship Agreement, similar to WCS.
•Waste Control Specialists LLC LLW disposal facility, Andrews, Texas.
— Transportation options include both rail and truck routes
— Currently licensed for DU oxide disposal by Texas
Rail Transport Analyzed in Draft SEIS
Cylinder Disposal
•Approximately 46,150 cylinders of DU oxide generated at Paducah and 22,850 cylinders generated at Portsmouth
•7,700 railcar shipments from Paducah and 3,800 railcar shipments from Portsmouth
•Conversion process has empty and heel cylinders, CaF2, and ancillary LLW and MLLW that would be disposed of through existing means
Bulk Bag Disposal
•Approximately 41,061 bulk bags of DU oxide generated at Paducah and 18,142 bulk bags generated at Portsmouth
•5,130 railcar shipments from Paducah and 2,270 railcar shipments from Portsmouth
•Additionally, 69,000 volume-reduced empty and heel cylinders would also require disposal, therefore, another 2,460 railcar shipments from Paducah and 1,275 rail car shipments from Portsmouth
Truck Transport Analyzed in Draft SEIS
Cylinder Disposal
•One full cylinder per truck
•SEIS assumes 1,440 truck shipments each year, with six trucks leaving each day from each site
•Maintaining this rate, 32 years to transport cylinders from Paducah and 15 years from Portsmouth
Bulk Bag Disposal
•Two bulk bags would be loaded per truck
•20,510 truck shipments from Paducah and 9,071 truck shipments from Portsmouth
•Additionally, 69,000 volume-reduced empty and heel cylinders would also require disposal, therefore, another 4,970 truck shipments from Paducah and 2,550 truck car shipments from Portsmouth
Documents can be found at:
https://www.energy.gov/em/disposition-uranium-oxide-conversion-depleted-uranium-hexafluoride
Call 301-903-9466 or email DUF6_NEPA@em.doe.govfor troubleshooting.
Jaffet Ferrer-Torres, DU Oxide SEIS Document Manager
Dr. Justin Marble, Office of Waste Disposal, Moderator (1/22)
Doug Tonkay,Director, Office of Waste Disposal, Moderator (1/23-1/24)
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