5 January 1999 ------------------------------------------------- Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces002.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Federal Register: January 5, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 2)] [Notices] [Page 486-487] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05ja99-51] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Notice of Availability; Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of a DOE report to Congress entitled Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain. The Viability Assessment is essentially a technical status report of the ongoing DOE scientific investigations concerning the potential for locating a geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. It brings together data drawn from 15 years of scientific investigation and design work at Yucca Mountain and identifies what the DOE has learned about the site and what it believes are the critical areas for additional investigation. Submission of this report to the President and the Congress was directed in the Fiscal Year 1997 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act. ADDRESSES: Any written requests for information or copies of the Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain should be directed to: Allen Benson, Director, Institutional Affairs, Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Office, M/S 523, U.S. Department of Energy, 1261 Town Center Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89134. The Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain is available in both printed and CD ROM formats. Persons wishing to request copies or receive information by telephone should call 1-800- 225-6972. Electronic requests for copies may be made on the Internet at: . Electronic copies of the Viability Assessment or DOE supporting documents are available for viewing and downloading on the Internet at . Information to assist in locating non-DOE reference documents may also be obtained at that address. The Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain may also be obtained at DOE Reading Rooms located at: U.S. Department of Energy, 1141 S. Highway 160 No. 3, Pahrump, NV 89048, 702-727-0896 U.S. Department of Energy, 100 North E Avenue & State Route 374, Beatty, NV 89003, 702-553-2130 U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave, SW, Room 1E-190, Washington, DC 20585 (Document viewing only, for copies call 1-800-225- 6972.) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the Viability Assessment of a Repository at Yucca Mountain please contact: Allen Benson, Director of Institutional Affairs, Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Office, at the above address, by telephone at 1-800- 225-6972, or by e-mail through our Website at http://www.ymp.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Viability Assessment summarizes a large technical body of work from field investigations, laboratory tests, models, analyses, and engineering that is described in cited references. The Viability Assessment identifies the uncertainties relevant to the technical defensibility of the DOE analyses and designs, the approach to managing these uncertainties, the status of work toward the site recommendation and license application, plans for the remaining work, and the estimated costs of completing a license application and constructing and operating a repository. The Viability Assessment is not intended to be a decision document, but rather, was developed as a program management tool and milestone. The Viability Assessment in no way constrains further DOE investigations. If new or different issues are identified in response to the Viability Assessment that are important to the evaluation of the suitability of the site, DOE will undertake any necessary investigation into those issues. The Viability Assessment In the Fiscal Year 1997 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act Congress required the DOE to produce a Viability Assessment of the work being done to characterize the site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, approximately 100 miles from Las Vegas, Nevada. Congress stipulated that the Viability Assessment include: ``(1) the preliminary design concept for the critical elements for the repository and waste package; (2) a total system performance assessment, based upon the design concept and the [[Page 487]] scientific data and analysis available by September 30, 1998, describing the probable behavior of the repository in the Yucca Mountain geological setting relative to the overall system performance standards; (3) a plan and cost estimate for the remaining work required to complete a license application; and (4) an estimate of the costs to construct and operate the repository in accordance with the design concept.'' (Public Law 104- 206-September 30, 1996) The Viability Assessment is presented in five volumes. Volume 1 provides an introduction to the assessment and a description of site characteristics. This includes the purpose and scope of the assessment; a description of the radioactive waste forms destined for geologic disposal; discussion of the technical challenges posed by permanent geologic disposal; a historical perspective of the disposal program; and, a description of the site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Volume 2 presents a preliminary design concept for the repository and waste package. The discussion and descriptions include: design process and design bases; the preliminary design concept for repository surface and subsurface facilities, and the waste package with associated engineered barriers; concepts for construction, operation, monitoring, and closure of a repository; design flexibility considerations; and, major design alternatives. Volume 3 is a total system performance assessment of a repository at Yucca Mountain. The analyses and discussion include: a definition of total system performance assessment; the objectives, approach, methodology and base case results of the performance assessment; description of the development of the components of the technical model used; and, sensitivity analyses of the components of the performance assessment. Volume 4 is the license application plan and cost for licensing a repository at Yucca Mountain. This includes: a rationale for the technical work needed to complete the license application; a description of technical work plans for further site investigations, design and performance assessment analyses; and, a discussion of statutory, regulatory and support activities needed to complete a license application process. In addition, the costs and schedule to complete the work are described. Volume 5 is a description of the costs to construct and operate a repository at Yucca Mountain. This volume includes discussion and tables on: cost elements; project phases; major assumptions; and an integrated cost summary. An Overview will accompany the Viability Assessment. The Overview is intended to summarize the over 1,400 pages of material contained in the Viability Assessment in a less technical format. All five volumes contain citations to references used to prepare the document. These references, or supporting documents, may be found through the following Internet address