Regulacje i polityka gospodarcza · 15.09.1999

Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Accomplishing Expanded Civilian Nuclear Energy Research and Development and Isotope Production Missions in the United States, Including the Role of the Fast Flux Test Facility (DOE/EIS-0310)

DOE's civilian nuclear research and isotope production infrastructure has diminished significantly since the early 1990s. As a result, DOE is no longer able to accommodate new and expanding missions for nuclear research and development and isotope production. The Department does not have sufficient steady-state neutron resources to meet all of its projected irradiation needs for: (1) The production of isotopes for medical and industrial uses, (2) the production of plutonium-238 for use in advanced radioisotope power systems for future National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) space missions, and 3) the Nation's nuclear research and development needs. Therefore, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Secretary of Energy recently announced DOE's intent to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) on accomplishing these new missions through the proposed enhancement of the existing infrastructure, including the possible role of the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF), located at DOE's Hanford Site near Richland, Washington. This PEIS will analyze the potential environmental impacts of alternative ways to meet the projected irradiation nee