Notice2022-24069
Notice of Availability for the Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 4, 2022
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentNational Nuclear Security Administration
Abstract
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi- autonomous agency within the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE), announces the availability of a Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Draft LLNL SWEIS) (DOE/EIS-0547) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). NNSA is also announcing a 60-day public comment period and three public hearings to receive comments on the Draft LLNL SWEIS. NNSA prepared the Draft LLNL SWEIS to analyze the potential environmental impacts associated with continuing LLNL operations and foreseeable new and/or modified operations and facilities for approximately the next 15 years.
Full Text
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 213 (Friday, November 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66686-66687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24069]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Notice of Availability for the Draft Site-Wide Environmental
Impact Statement for Continued Operation of the Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory
AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearings.
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SUMMARY: The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-
autonomous agency within the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy
(DOE), announces the availability of a Draft Site-Wide Environmental
Impact Statement for Continued Operation of the Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory (Draft LLNL SWEIS) (DOE/EIS-0547) in compliance
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). NNSA is also
announcing a 60-day public comment period and three public hearings to
receive comments on the Draft LLNL SWEIS. NNSA prepared the Draft LLNL
SWEIS to analyze the potential environmental impacts associated with
continuing LLNL operations and foreseeable new and/or modified
operations and facilities for approximately the next 15 years.
DATES: NNSA invites other Federal agencies, Native American Tribes,
state and local governments, industry, other organizations, and members
of the public to review and submit comments on the Draft LLNL SWEIS
through January 3, 2023. NNSA will hold three public hearings (two in-
person and one virtual) to receive comments on the Draft LLNL SWEIS.
Dates, locations, and times for the public hearings are listed in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this Notice of Availability. Any
changes or updates to the public hearing will also be published in
local newspapers and on social media platforms at least 15 days before
the hearings.
ADDRESSES: Written and verbal comments will be given equal weight and
NNSA will consider all comments received or postmarked by the end of
the comment period in preparing the Final LLNL SWEIS. Comments received
or postmarked after the comment period will be considered to the extent
practicable. Written comments on the Draft LLNL SWEIS or requests for
information related to the Draft LLNL SWEIS should be sent by email to:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c18d8d8f8d929684889281afafb2a0efa5aea4efa6aeb7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c08c8c8e8c939785899380aeaeb3a1eea4afa5eea7afb6">[email protected]</span></a> or to Ms. Fana Gebeyehu-Houston, LLNL SWEIS
Document Manager, DOE/NNSA, 1000 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC
20585. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personally identifiable information in your comment, please be
advised that your entire comment--including your personally
identifiable information--may be made publicly available. If you wish
for NNSA to withhold your name and/or other personally identifiable
information, please state this prominently at the beginning of your
comment. You may also submit comments anonymously.
The Draft LLNL SWEIS is available online at: <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room">https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room</a> and <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nepa/listings/latest-documents-and-notices">https://www.energy.gov/nepa/listings/latest-documents-and-notices</a>. Copies of the Draft LLNL
SWEIS will also be available for review at the Livermore Public
Library, 1188 South Livermore Avenue, Livermore, California, and the
Tracy Public Library, 20 East Eaton Avenue, Tracy, California.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this
notice, please contact Ms. Fana Gebeyehu-Houston, LLNL SWEIS Document
Manager, DOE/NNSA, 1000 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20585;
call 833-778-0508 to leave a message or via email at:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8ec2c2c0c2ddd9cbc7ddcee0e0fdefa0eae1eba0e9e1f8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0f434341435c584a465c4f61617c6e216b606a21686079">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NNSA is responsible for meeting the national
security requirements established by the President and Congress to
maintain and enhance the safety, reliability, and performance of the
U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. The continued operation of LLNL is
critical to NNSA's Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program, to
prevent the spread and use of nuclear weapons worldwide, and to many
other areas that may impact national security and global stability. The
Draft LLNL SWEIS analyzes two alternatives: (1) the No-Action
Alternative and (2) the Proposed Action. The Draft LLNL SWEIS also
analyzes the new hybrid work environment under both alternatives due to
increases in remote work at LLNL. Under the No-Action Alternative, NNSA
would
[[Page 66687]]
continue current facility operations throughout LLNL in support of
assigned missions. The No-Action Alternative includes previously
approved construction of new facilities; modernization, upgrade, and
utility projects; and decontamination, decommissioning, and demolition
of excess and aging facilities through 2022.
The Proposed Action includes the scope of the No-Action Alternative
and an increase in current facility operations or enhanced operations
that may require new or modified facilities and that are reasonably
foreseeable over the next 15 years. Continued re-investment in site
infrastructure would allow LLNL to meet mission deliverables and
sustain science, technology, and engineering excellence to respond to
future national security challenges. The Proposed Action includes 75
new projects, totaling 3.3 million square feet, between 2023 and 2035.
This comprises 61 proposed projects, totaling 2.9 million square feet,
at LLNL's main site in Livermore, California and 14 proposed projects,
totaling 385,000 square feet, at LLNL's remote testing site, Site 300,
near Tracy, California. In addition, NNSA proposes 20 types of
modernization, upgrade, and utility projects, each involving several
facilities. Under the Proposed Action, NNSA would also decontaminate,
decommission, and demolish 150 facilities, totaling 1,170,000 square
feet. NNSA proposes operational changes that would increase the tritium
emission limits in the National Ignition Facility (Building 581) and
the Tritium Facility (Building 331), decrease the administrative limit
for fuels-grade-equivalent plutonium in the Superblock (Building 332),
increase the administrative limits for plutonium-239 at Building 235,
and revise the National Ignition Facility radioactive materials
administrative limits to be consistent with DOE's Facility Hazard
Categorization Standard (DOE-STD-1027).
NNSA will hold three public hearings (two in-person and one
virtual) to receive comments on the Draft LLNL SWEIS:
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Date and time Location Address
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December 7, 2022; 6:00-8:30 p.m. Garr[eacute] 7986 Tesla Road,
p.s.t. Vineyard & Winery. Livermore, CA
94550.
December 8, 2022; 6:00-8:30 p.m. Tracy City Hall, 333 Civic Center
p.s.t. City Council Drive, Tracy, CA
Chambers. 95376.
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For the in-person hearings, NNSA will hold an Open House from 6:00
p.m. until 6:30 p.m. to provide the public with an opportunity to
engage with NNSA personnel and ask questions about the Draft SWEIS and
NNSA activities at LLNL. Following the Open House, NNSA will make a
presentation on the Draft SWEIS lasting approximately 20-minutes, then
answer any clarifying questions on the presentation. Following this
presentation, NNSA will receive formal public comments with
transcription by a court stenographer. NNSA will not answer questions
during the formal public comment period.
In addition to the two in-person hearings, NNSA will hold an on-
line virtual public hearing. The date and time of the virtual public
hearing will be announced at least 15 days before the hearing, access
instructions will be published in local newspapers, posted on social
media platforms, and available on the following websites: <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room">https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room</a> and <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nepa/listings/latest-documents-and-notices">https://www.energy.gov/nepa/listings/latest-documents-and-notices</a>.
Following the public comment period, and after consideration of
comments received, NNSA will prepare a Final LLNL SWEIS. NNSA will
announce the availability of the Final LLNL SWEIS in the Federal
Register and local media outlets. Following completion of the Final
LLNL SWEIS, NNSA intends to decide how operations will be conducted at
LLNL, including construction and operation of new facilities,
modification and upgrade of existing facilities and utilities,
operational changes, and/or decontamination, decommission and
demolition of excess and aging facilities. These decisions will be
provided in an NNSA Record of Decision published in the Federal
Register, which would be issued no sooner than 30 days after
publication by the Environmental Protection Agency of the notice of
availability of the Final LLNL SWEIS.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on October 24,
2022 by Jill Hruby, Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration, pursuant to
delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. That document with
the original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For
administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of
the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal
Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the
document in electronic format for publication, as an official document
of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way
alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the
Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on November 1, 2022.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2022-24069 Filed 11-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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