The Department of Energy (DOE) published in the Federal Register (July 12, 2001) a Notice of Intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) on the disposition of scrap metals across the complex.

The PEIS will address policy options for managing those metals located in radiological areas on DOE sites, and any other scrap metals at DOE sites that might have some potential for residual surface radioactivity.

The Notice of Intent proposed four disposition alternatives to be evaluated: (1) continuation of an existing suspension on the release of scrap metals from DOE radiological areas for unrestricted use in recycling (No Action Alternative); (2) release of scrap metals for recycling under existing DOE requirements; (3) release of scrap metals for recycling under alternative requirements; and (4) no release for recycling of scrap metals with any potential for residual surface radioactivity. The department conducted public scoping meetings at a variety of locations across the country and received written scoping comments during the scoping period for the Draft PEIS that was open from July 12, 2001 until November 9, 2001.