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The Department of Energy today selected electrometallurgical technology as the preferred alternative for treating spent nuclear fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) at its Argonne National Laboratory-West near Idaho Falls, Idaho. A final Record of Decision (ROD) by Secretary Richardson is expected in early September 2000.

The department's selection of a preferred alternative, which comes after eighteen months of analysis and public input, was contained in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Treatment and Management of Sodium-Bonded Spent Nuclear Fuel that was released earlier today. An independent review completed earlier this year by the National Research Council found no technical barriers to the use of this technology in treating the EBR-II fuel.

"Completing this environmental review is an important step forward in evaluating the viability of this and other technologies to address part of the department's inventory of sodium-bonded fuel," said William D. Magwood, IV, director of the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology. "The EIS confirms that the department can meet its obligations to the state of Idaho for removal of spent nuclear fuel."

The department issued the draft EIS for public comment in July 1999 and received nearly 500 comments which were considered in developing the final EIS. The preferred alternative decision was based on public comments as well as programmatic, environmental, nonproliferation, and cost issues.

The EIS analyzes the potential impacts of several options for treating the 60 metric tons of sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel and its disposal in a geologic repository, including a No Action alternative and various combinations of four technologies at two sites. The treatment technologies considered in the EIS include: the electrometallurgical treatment process; the plutonium-uranium extraction (PUREX) process; high-integrity can packaging; and the melt and dilute process. Treatment locations considered include the Energy Department's Argonne National Laboratory-West, near Idaho Falls, Idaho, and the Savannah River Site, near Aiken, South Carolina.

Treatment of sodium-bonded fuel stored at DOE's Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory from the Fermi-1 reactor, analyzed in the EIS, is not included in the preferred alternative. Rather, the department will investigate alternative treatment techniques and make a final decision on this fuel at a later date.

Copies of the final EIS summary or the complete final EIS may also be requested by calling (toll-free) at 1-877-450-6904. The final EIS will also be available at public reading rooms. Names and locations of these reading rooms are available on the web site above.

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R-00-202