May 21, 2001
Mr. Lake Barrett, Acting Director
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
1000 Independence Avenue SW, Room #5A085
Washington DC 20585
RE: Request to Extend Public Review and Comment Period for the Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a Geologic Repository for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain, Nye County, Nevada
Dear Mr. Barrett:
Eureka County, Nevada is an affected unit of local government under Section 116 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act as amended. On behalf of the Eureka County Board of Commissioners, I am requesting that the Department of Energy provide a comment period of at least 90 days for the Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), rather than the 45 day period announced in DOE's letter of May 4.
Review of EIS material is a time-consuming and procedural process for a county government, and 45 days is not adequate time to review this new information, prepare comments, and have them approved by our governing body. Additionally, the citizens of Eureka County should be allowed sufficient time to read and review the Supplement to the DEIS in conjunction with the Science and Engineering report so that they may formulate their conclusions and prepare comments.
We are pleased that DOE provided a 180 day review period for the Draft EIS, hope that by providing the public and the county with adequate time to review this Supplement to the DEIS that DOE will affirm its commitment to full public involvement.
On behalf of Eureka County and its residents, I request that the public review period be extended from 45 days to 90 days, and that comments continue to be formally received by the Department until August 9, 2001.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Pete Goicoechea, Chairman
cc: AULGs
Congressional delegation
Nevada Nuclear Waste Project Office
Jane Summerson, DOE EIS Document Manager
Leonard Fiorenzi, Eureka County
Abby Johnson, Eureka County
