B4.2 Export of electric energy. B4.3 Electric power marketing changes, within normal operating limits. B4.4 Power marketing services within normal operating limits

B4.5 Temporary adjustments to river operations within existing operating constraints

Additions/modifications

to electric

B4.6 power transmission facilities within previously developed area.

B4.7 Adding/burying fiber optic cable B4.8 New electricity transmission agreements for transfer of power

B4.9 Multiple use of DOE transmission line rights-of-way

B4.10 Deactivation, dismantling and removal of electric powerlines and substations. B4.11 Construction or modification of electric power substations.

B4.12 Construction of electric powerlines approximately 10 miles in length or less, not integrating major new sources.

B4.13 Reconstruction and minor relocation of existing electric powerlines approximately 20 miles in length or less.

B5 Categorical exclusions applicable to conservation, fossil, and renewable energy activities

B5.12 Workover of existing oil/gas/geothermal well

B6 Categorical exclusions applicable to environmental restoration and waste management activities

B6.1 Small-scale, short-term cleanup actions under RCRA, Atomic Energy Act, or other authorities

B6.2 Siting/construction/operation of pilotscale waste collection/treatment/stabilization/containment facilities

B6.3 Improvements to environmental control systems

B6.4 Siting/construction/operation/decommissioning of facility for storing packaged hazardous waste for 90 days or less B6.5 Siting/construction/operation/decommissioning of facility for characterizing sorting packaged waste. overpacking waste

B6.6 Modification of facility for storing. packaging, repacking waste (not highlevel, spent nuclear fuel)

B6.7 Granting/denying petitions for allocation of commercial disposal capacity B6.8 Modifications for waste minimization/ reuse of materials

B6.9 Small-scale temporary measures to reduce migration of contaminated groundwater

B6.10 Siting/construction/operation/decommissioning of small upgraded or replacement waste storage facilities

B7 Categorical exclusions applicable to international activities

B7.1 Emergency measures under the International Energy Program

B7.2 Import/export of special nuclear or isotopic materials

B. CONDITIONS THAT ARE INTEGRAL ELEMENTS OF THE CLASSES OF ACTIONS IN APPENDIX B

B. The classes of actions listed below include the following conditions as integral elements of the classes of actions. To fit within the classes of actions listed below, a proposal must be one that would not:

(1) Threaten a violation of applicable statutory, regulatory, or permit requirements for environment, safety, and health, including requirements of DOE and/or Executive Orders.

(2) Require siting and construction or major expansion of waste storage, disposal. recovery, or treatment facilities (including incinerators), but the proposal may include categorically excluded waste storage, disposal, recovery, or treatment actions.

(3) Disturb hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, or CERCLA-excluded petroleum and natural gas products that preexist in the environment such that there would be uncontrolled or unpermitted releases; or

(4) Adversely affect environmentally sensitive resources. An action may be categorically excluded if, although sensitive resources are present on a site, the action would not adversely affect those resources (e.g., construction of a building with its foundation well above a sole-source aquifer or upland surface soil removal on a site that has wetlands). Environmentally sensitive resources include, but are not limited to:

(1) Property (e.g., sites, buildings, structures, objects) of historic, archeological, or architectural significance designated by Federal, state, or local governments or property eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places;

(ii) Federally-listed threatened or endangered species or their habitat (including critical habitat), Federally- proposed or candidate species or their habitat, or state-listed endangered or threatened species or their habitat;

(iii) Wetlands regulated under the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1344) and floodplains;

(iv) Areas having a special designation such as Federally- and state-designated wilderness areas, national parks, national natural landmarks, wild and scenic rivers, state and Federal wildlife refuges, and marine sanctuaries;

(v) Prime agricultural lands;

(vi) Special sources of water (such as solesource aquifers, wellhead protection areas, and other water sources that are vital in a region); and

(vii) Tundra, coral reefs, or rain forests.

B1. Categorical Exclusions Applicable to
Facility Operation

B1.1 Rate increases for products or services marketed by parts of DOE other than Power Marketing Administrations and approval of rate increases for non-DOE entities that do not exceed the change in the overall price level in the economy (inflation), as measured by the Gross National Product (GNP) fixed weight price index published by the Department of Commerce, during the period since the last rate increase. (Also see B4.3.)

B1.2 Training exercises and simulations (including, but not limited to, firing-range training, emergency response training, fire fighter and rescue training, and spill cleanup training).

B1.3 Routine maintenance activities and custodial services for buildings, structures, rights-of-way, infrastructures (e.g.. pathways, roads, and railroads), vehicles and equipment, and localized vegetation and pest control, during which operations may be suspended and resumed. Custodial services are activities to preserve facility appearance, working conditions, and sanitation, such as cleaning, window washing, lawn mowing, trash collection, painting, and snow removal. Routine maintenance activities, corrective

(that is, repair), preventive, and predictive, are required to maintain and preserve buildings, structures, infrastructures, and equipment in a condition suitable for a facility to be used for its designated purpose. Routine maintenance may result in replacement to the extent that replacement is in kind and is not a substantial upgrade or improvement. In kind replacement includes installation of new components to replace outmoded components if the replacement does not result in a significant change in the expected useful life, design capacity, or function of the facility. Routine maintenance does not include replacement of a major component that significantly extends the originally intended useful life of a facility (for example, it does not include the replacement of a reactor vessel near the end of its useful life). Routine maintenance activities include, but are not limited to:

(a) Repair of facility equipment, such as lathes, mills, pumps, and presses;

(b) Door and window repair or replacement; (c) Wall, ceiling, or floor repair; (d) Reroofing;

(e) Plumbing, electrical utility, and telephone service repair;

(f) Routine replacement of high-efficiency particulate air filters;

(g) Inspection and/or treatment of currently installed utility poles;

(h) Repair of road embankments;

(i) Repair or replacement of fire protection sprinkler systems;

(j) Road and parking area resurfacing, including construction of temporary access to facilitate resurfacing;

(k) Erosion control and soil stabilization measures (such as reseeding and revegetation);

(1) Surveillance and maintenance of surplus facilities in accordance with DOE Order 5820.2, "Radioactive Waste Management";

(m) Repair and maintenance of transmission facilities, including replacement of conductors of the same nominal voltage, poles, circuit breakers, transformers, capacitors, crossarms, insulators, and downed transmission lines, in accordance, where appropriate, with 40 CFR part 761 (Polychlorinated Biphenyls Manufacturing, Processing, Distribution in Commerce, and Use Prohibitions);

(n) Routine testing and calibration of facility components, subsystems, or portable equipment (including but not limited to, control valves, in-core monitoring devices, transformers, capacitors, monitoring wells, lysimeters, weather stations, and flumes);

and

(0) Routine decontamination of the surfaces of equipment, rooms, hot cells, or other interior surfaces of buildings (by such activities as wiping with rags, using strippable latex, and minor vacuuming), including removal of contaminated intact equipment and

other materials (other than spent nuclear fuel or special nuclear material in nuclear reactors).

B1.4 Installation or modification of air conditioning systems required for temperature control for operation of existing equipment.

to cooling

B1.5 Minor improvements water systems within an existing building or structure if the improvements would not: (1) Create new sources of water or involve new receiving waters; (2) adversely affect water withdrawals or the temperature of discharged water; or (3) increase introductions of or involve new introductions of hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants, or CERCLA-excluded petroleum and natural gas products.

B1.6 Installation or modification of retention tanks or small (normally under one acre) basins and associated piping and pumps for existing operations to control runoff or spills (such as under 40 CFR part 112). Modifications include, but are not limited to, installing liners or covers.

B1.7 Acquisition, installation, operation, and removal of communication systems, data processing equipment, and similar electronic equipment.

B1.8 Modifications to screened water intake and outflow structures such that intake velocities and volumes and water effluent quality and volumes are consistent with existing permit limits.

B1.9 Placement of airway safety markings and painting (but excluding lighting) of existing electrical transmission lines and antenna structures in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration standards.

B1.10 Routine, onsite storage at an existing facility of activated equipment and material (including lead) used at that facility, to allow reuse after decay of radioisotopes with short half-lives.

B1.11 Installation of fencing, including that for border marking, that will not adversely affect wildlife movements or surface water flow.

B1.12 Detonation or burning of explosives or propellants that failed in outdoor tests (i.e., duds) or were damaged in outdoor tests (e.g., by fracturing) in outdoor areas designated and routinely used for explosive detonation or burning under an existing permit issued by state or local authorities.

B1.13 Construction, acquisition, and relocation of onsite pathways and short onsite access roads and railroads.

B1.14 Refueling of an operating nuclear reactor, during which operations may be suspended and then resumed.

B1.15 Siting, construction (or modification), and operation of support buildings and support structures (including, but not limited to, trailers and prefabricated buildings) within or contiguous to an already developed area (where active utilities and currently

used roads are readily accessible). Covered support buildings and structures include those for office purposes; parking; cafeteria services; education and training: visitor reception; computer and data processing services; employee health services or recreation activities; routine maintenance activities; storage of supplies and equipment for administrative services and routine maintenance activities; security (including security posts); fire protection; and similar support purposes, but excluding facilities for waste storage activities, except as provided in other parts of this appendix.

B1.16 Removal of asbestos-containing materials from buildings in accordance with 40 CFR part 61 (National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants), subpart M (National Emission Standard for Asbestos); 40 CFR part 763 (Asbestos), subpart G (Asbestos Abatement Projects); 29 CFR part 1910, subpart I (Personal Protective Equipment), §1910.134 (Respiratory Protection); subpart Z (Toxic and Hazardous Substances), § 1910.1001 (Asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite and actinolite); and 29 CFR part 1926 (Safety and Health Regulations for Construction), subpart D (Occupational Health and Environmental Controls), § 1926.58 (Asbestos, tremolite, anthophyllite, and actinolite). other appropriate Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards in title 29. chapter XVII of the CFR, and appropriate state and local requirements, including certification of removal contractors and technicians.

of

B1.17 Removal polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-containing items, such as transformers or capacitors, PCB-containing oils flushed from transformers, PCB-flushing solutions, and PCB-containing spill materials from buildings or other aboveground locations in accordance with 40 CFR part 761 (Polychlorinated Biphenyls Manufacturing. Processing, Distribution in Commerce, and Use Prohibitions).

B1.18 Siting, construction, and operation of additional water supply wells (or replacement wells) within an existing well field, or modification of an existing water supply well to restore production, if there would be no drawdown other than in the immediate vicinity of the pumping well, no resulting long-term decline of the water table, and no degradation of the aquifer from the new or replacement well.

B1.19 Siting, construction, and operation of microwave and radio communication towers and associated facilities, if the towers and associated facilities would not be in an area of great visual value.

B1.20 Small-scale activities undertaken to protect, restore, or improve fish and wildlife habitat, fish passage facilities (such as fish ladders or minor diversion channels), or fisheries.

B1.21 Noise abatement measures, such as construction of noise barriers and installation of noise control materials.

B1.22 Relocation of buildings (including, but not limited to, trailers and prefabricated buildings) to an already developed area (where active utilities and currently used roads are readily accessible).

B1.23 Demolition and subsequent disposal of buildings, equipment, and support structures (including, but not limited to, smoke stacks and parking lot surfaces).

B1.24 Transfer, lease, disposition or acquisition of interests in uncontaminated permanent or temporary structures, equipment therein, and only land that is necessary for use of the transferred structures and equipment, for residential, commercial, or industrial uses (including, but not limited to, office space, warehouses, equipment storage facilities) where, under reasonably foreseeable uses, there would not be any lessening in quality, or increases in volumes, concentrations, or discharge rates, of wastes, air emissions, or water effluents, and environmental impacts would generally be similar to those before the transfer, lease, disposition, or acquisition of interests. Uncontaminated means that there would be no potential for release of substances at a level, or in a form, that would pose a threat to public health or the environment.

B1.25 Transfer, lease, disposition or acquisition of interests in uncontaminated land for habitat preservation or wildlife management, and only associated buildings that support these purposes. Uncontaminated means that there would be no potential for release of substances at a level, or in a form, that would pose a threat to public health or the environment.

B1.26 Siting, construction (or expansion, modification, or replacement), operation, and decommissioning of small (total capacity less than approximately 250,000 gallons per day) wastewater and surface water treatment facilities whose liquid discharges are externally regulated, and small potable water and sewage treatment facilities.

B1.27 Activities that are required for the disconnection of utility services such as water, steam, telecommunications, and electrical power after it has been determined that the continued operation of these systems is not needed for safety.

B1.28 Minor activities that are required to place a facility in an environmentally safe condition where there is no proposed use for the facility. These activities would include, but are not limited to, reducing surface contamination, and removing materials, equipment or waste, such as final defueling of a reactor, where there are adequate existing facilities for the treatment, storage, or disposal of the materials, equipment or waste. These activities would not include conditioning, treatment, or processing of spent

nuclear fuel, high-level waste, or special nuclear materials.

B1.29 Siting, construction, operation, and decommissioning of a small (less than approximately 10 acres) onsite disposal facility for construction and demolition waste which would not release substances at a level, or in a form, that would pose a threat to public health or the environment. These wastes, as defined in the Environmental Protection Agency's regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, specifically 40 CFR 243.101, include building materials, packaging, and rubble.

B1.30 Transfer actions, in which the predominant activity is transportation, and in which the amount and type of materials, equipment or waste to be moved is small and incidental to the amount of such materials, equipment, or waste that is already a part of ongoing operations at the receiving site. Such transfers are not regularly scheduled as part of ongoing routine operations.

B1.31 Relocation of machinery and equipment, such as analytical laboratory apparatus, electronic hardware, maintenance equipment, and health and safety equipment, including minor construction necessary for removal and installation, where uses of the relocated items will be similar to their former uses and consistent with the general missions of the receiving structure.

B1.32 Traffic flow adjustments to existing roads at DOE sites (including, but not limited to, stop sign or traffic light installation, adjusting direction of traffic flow, and adding turning lanes). Road adjustments such as widening or realignment are not included.

B2. Categorical Exclusions Applicable to Safety and Health

B2.1 Modifications of an existing structure to enhance workplace habitability (including, but not limited to: improvements to lighting, radiation shielding, or heating/ventilating/air conditioning and its instrumentation; and noise reduction).

B2.2 Installation of, or improvements to, building and equipment instrumentation (including, but not limited to, remote control panels, remote monitoring capability, alarm and surveillance systems, control systems to provide automatic shutdown, fire detection and protection systems, announcement and emergency warning systems, criticality and radiation monitors and alarms, and safeguards and security equipment).

B2.3 Installation of, or improvements to, equipment for personnel safety and health, including, but not limited to, eye washes, safety showers, radiation monitoring devices, and fumehoods and associated collection and exhaust systems, provided that emissions would not increase.

B2.4 Development and implementation of Equipment Qualification Programs (under

DOE Order 5480.6, "Safety of DOE-owned Nuclear Reactors") to augment information on safety-related system components or to improve systems reliability.

B2.5 Safety and environmental improvements of a facility, including replacement and upgrade of facility components, that do not result in a significant change in the expected useful life, design capacity, or function of the facility and during which operations may be suspended and then resumed. Improvements may include, but are not lim

ited

to: Replacement/upgrade of control valves, in-core monitoring devices, facility air filtration systems, or substation transformers or capacitors; addition of structural bracing to meet earthquake standards and/or sustain high wind loading; and replacement of aboveground or belowground tanks and related piping if there is no evidence of leakage, based on testing that meets performance requirements in 40 CFR part 280, subpart D (40 CFR part 280.40). This includes activities taken under RCRA, subtitle I; 40 CFR part 265, subpart J; 40 CFR part 280, subparts B, C, and D; and other applicable state, Federal and local requirements for underground storage tanks. These actions do not include rebuilding or modifying substantial portions of a facility, such as replacing a reactor vessel.

B2.6 Packaging, transportation, and storage of radioactive materials from the public domain, in accordance with the Atomic Energy Act upon a request by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or other cognizant agency, which would include a State that regulates radioactive materials under an agreement with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or other agencies that may, under unusual circumstances, have responsibilities regarding the materials that are included in the categorical exclusion. Covered materials are those for which possession and use by Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensees has been categorically excluded under 10 CFR 51.22(14) or its successors. Examples of these radioactive materials (which may contain source, byproduct or special nuclear materials) are density gauges, therapeutic medical devices, generators, reagent kits, irradiators, analytical instruments, well monitoring equipment, uranium shielding material, depleted uranium military munitions, and packaged radioactive waste not exceeding 50 curies.

B3. Categorical Exclusions Applicable to Site Characterization, Monitoring, and General

Research

B3.1 Onsite and offsite site characterization and environmental monitoring, including siting, construction (or modification), operation, and dismantlement or closing (abandonment) of characterization and monitoring devices and siting, construction, and

associated operation of a small-scale laboratory building or renovation of a room in an existing building for sample analysis. Activities covered include, but are not limited to. site characterization and environmental monitoring under CERCLA and RCRA. Specific activities include, but are not limited to:

(a) Geological, geophysical (such as gravity, magnetic, electrical, seismic, and radar), geochemical, and engineering surveys and mapping, including the establishment of survey marks;

(b) Installation and operation of field instruments, such as stream-gauging stations or flow-measuring devices, telemetry systems, geochemical monitoring tools, and geophysical exploration tools;

(c) Drilling of wells for sampling or monitoring of groundwater or the vadose (unsaturated) zone, well logging, and installation of water-level recording devices in wells;

(d) Aquifer response testing;

(e) Installation and operation of ambient air monitoring equipment;

(f) Sampling and characterization of water, soil, rock, or contaminants;

(g) Sampling and characterization of water effluents, air emissions, or solid waste streams;

(h) Installation and operation of meteorological towers and associated activities, including assessment of potential wind energy

resources;

(i) Sampling of flora or fauna: and

(j) Archeological, historic, and cultural resource identification in compliance with 36 CFR part 800 and 43 CFR part 7.

B3.2 Aviation activities for survey, monitoring, or security purposes that comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

B3.3 Field and laboratory research, inventory, and information collection activities that are directly related to the conservation of fish or wildlife resources and that involve only negligible habitat destruction or population reduction.

B3.4 Drop. puncture, water-immersion. thermal, and fire tests of transport packaging for radioactive or hazardous materials to certify that designs meet the requirements of 49 CFR §§ 173.411 and 173.412 and requirements of severe accident conditions as specified in 10 CFR §71.73.

B3.5 Tank car tests under 49 CFR part 179 (including, but not limited to, tests of safety relief devices, pressure regulators, and thermal protection systems).

B3.6 Siting, construction (or modification), operation, and decommissioning of facilities for indoor bench-scale research projects and conventional laboratory operations (for example, preparation of chemical standards and sample analysis); small-scale research and development projects; and small-scale pilot projects (generally less