Notice2023-08459
National Nuclear Security Administration; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico
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Published
April 21, 2023
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi- autonomous agency within the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE), announces its intent to prepare a new Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) for the Continued Operation of Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM SWEIS; DOE/EIS-0556). NNSA will prepare the SNL/NM SWEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and DOE regulations implementing NEPA. The SNL/NM SWEIS will analyze the potential environmental impacts of the reasonable alternatives for continuing operations of SNL/NM for approximately the next 15 years. While SNL has operations outside of New Mexico, the SNL/ NM SWEIS is limited to activities at SNL/NM within the Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB) and the Albuquerque area. The purpose of this Notice is to encourage public participation in the SNL/NM SWEIS process and to invite comments on the scope of analysis, including the range of alternatives, associated actions, and environmental issues that should be considered in the SNL/NM SWEIS. Following completion of the SNL/NM SWEIS, NNSA will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) announcing any decisions associated with the SNL/NM SWEIS.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 77 (Friday, April 21, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 77 (Friday, April 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24607-24610]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08459]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration; Notice of Intent To
Prepare a Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued
Operation of Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico
AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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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 its intent to prepare a new Site-Wide Environmental
Impact Statement (SWEIS) for the Continued Operation of Sandia National
Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM SWEIS; DOE/EIS-0556). NNSA will
prepare the SNL/NM SWEIS in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and the Council on Environmental Quality
(CEQ) and DOE regulations implementing NEPA. The SNL/NM SWEIS will
analyze the potential environmental impacts of the reasonable
alternatives for continuing operations of SNL/NM for approximately the
next 15 years. While SNL has operations outside of New Mexico, the SNL/
NM SWEIS is limited to activities at SNL/NM within the Kirtland Air
Force Base (KAFB) and the Albuquerque area. The purpose of this Notice
is to encourage public participation in the SNL/NM SWEIS process and to
invite comments on the scope of analysis, including the range of
alternatives, associated actions, and environmental issues that should
be considered in the SNL/NM SWEIS. Following completion of the SNL/NM
SWEIS, NNSA will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) announcing any
decisions associated with the SNL/NM SWEIS.
DATES: NNSA invites federal agencies, tribes, state and local
governments, industry, organizations, public interest groups, local
businesses, and members of the general public to submit comments on the
scope of the SNL/NM SWEIS through June 5, 2023 (the Comment Period).
NNSA will consider all comments on the scope of the SNL/NM SWEIS
received or postmarked during the Comment Period. Comments received or
postmarked after the Comment Period ends will be considered to the
extent practicable. NNSA will accept public comments on the proposed
scope of the SNL/NM SWEIS in written and verbal form, and it will give
equal weight to comments provided by either method. NNSA will conduct
two public scoping meetings at which verbal comments may be provided,
including one in-person meeting with a virtual link for listen-in only
and one virtual meeting, scheduled as follows:
<bullet> In-person Meeting: Tuesday, May 9, 2023; 6:30-8:50 p.m.,
Mountain Daylight Time, preceded by a poster session starting at 5:30
p.m., at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial, Museum & Conference Center,
1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108. Listen-in for May 9:
<a href="https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1618755753">https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1618755753</a>, toll-free 833-568-8864, Meeting
ID: 161 875 5753.
<bullet> Virtual Meeting: Thursday, May 11, 2023, 6:30-8:50 p.m.,
Mountain Daylight Time, Listen-in and Participation for May 11: <a href="https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1608652437">https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1608652437</a>, toll-free 833-568-8864, Meeting ID: 160
865 2437.
<bullet> Further information about the public scoping meetings,
including any changes in dates, places, or times, will be posted on the
NNSA NEPA Reading Room website at: <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room">https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room</a>.
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the SNL/NM SWEIS or
requests for information related to the SNL/NM SWEIS may be sent via
postal mail to SNL/NM SWEIS Comments, National Nuclear Security
Administration, Sandia Field Office, P.O. Box 5400, Albuquerque, NM
87185, or by email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#10435e5c3d4347555943507e7e63713e747f753e777f66"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="97c4d9dbbac4c0d2dec4d7f9f9e4f6b9f3f8f2b9f0f8e1">[email protected]</span></a>. 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--might 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 submit comments
anonymously.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this
Notice, please contact Dr. Adria Bodour, NEPA Compliance Officer,
Sandia Field Office, by postal mail at National Nuclear Security
Administration, Sandia Field Office, P.O. Box 5400, Albuquerque, NM
87185, by phone (505) 845-6314, or by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5a09141677090d1f13091a3434293b743e353f743d352c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e6b5a8aacbb5b1a3afb5a688889587c8828983c8818990">[email protected]</span></a>
or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d6b7b2a4bfb7f8b4b9b2b9a3a496b8b8a5b7f8b2b9b3f8b1b9a0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="442520362d256a262b202b3136042a2a37256a202b216a232b32">[email protected]</span></a>. This Notice, related NEPA documents, and
additional information about the NEPA process are available on the NNSA
NEPA Reading Room website at: https://
[[Page 24608]]
www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room. Information will also be
posted on the SNL/NM website at: <a href="https://www.sandia.gov/about/environment">https://www.sandia.gov/about/environment</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
SNL/NM is managed and operated as a Federally Funded Research and
Development Center (FFRDC), as defined in Federal Acquisition
Regulation 35.017, and a national security laboratory, as defined by 50
U.S.C. 2471, whose multidisciplinary research capabilities, tools, and
teams of experts focus on the nation's priorities in science, energy,
and national security. The purpose of FFRDCs is to bring scientific and
technical expertise to bear on pressing national challenges. SNL
personnel participate in the formal annual weapons certification
process of the nuclear weapons stockpile. Through routine surveillance
of the systems and annual stockpile assessment, weapons issues that
could lead to future performance degradation, such as aging effects,
are discovered and addressed. SNL/NM personnel also focus on developing
technologies to sustain, modernize, and protect the nuclear arsenal;
prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction; defend against
terrorism; protect the national infrastructure; ensure stable energy
and water supplies; and provide new capabilities to the Department of
Defense.
SNL personnel also perform research and development in science,
technology, and engineering programs. SNL/NM operations are primarily
sponsored by NNSA, but SNL personnel also do work for other
governmental agencies and partner with a wide variety of entities.
SNL/NM is located within KAFB to the southeast of Albuquerque, NM.
KAFB spans approximately 50,000 acres located at the foothills of the
Manzano Mountains. The SNL/NM campus covers approximately 16,000 acres
on KAFB and contains approximately 900 buildings with approximately
seven million square feet. The SNL/NM eastern boundary is U.S. Forest
Service land, and the southern boundary is Pueblo of Isleta land. The
new SNL/NM SWEIS will analyze SNL/NM operations within KAFB and the
City of Albuquerque area where SNL/NM has leased facilities. SNL/NM
contains five secure technical areas on DOE fee-owned land as well as
buildings and structures on properties permitted from KAFB, including
Coyote Test Field, National Solar Thermal Test Facility, Robotic
Vehicle Range, remote testing sites, and others.
SNL/NM currently operates under a SWEIS issued in 1999, Final Site-
Wide EIS for Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (1999 SNL/NM
SWEIS; DOE/EIS-0281), its four supplement analyses (SAs) (DOE/EIS-0281-
SA-01, 2001; DOE/EIS-0281-SA-02, 2002; DOE/EIS-0281-SA-03, 2004; and
DOE/EIS-0281-SA-04, 2006), and other project-specific NEPA documents.
The 1999 SNL/NM SWEIS examined existing and potential impacts to
the environment from ongoing and anticipated future NNSA operations
conducted over approximately a 10-year period for SNL/NM operations
within and around KAFB. Since issuance of the 1999 SNL/NM SWEIS and its
associated ROD (64 FR 69996; December 15, 1999), SNL/NM operations have
evolved and additional information about the SNL/NM environmental
setting has become available. Security requirements have also evolved
in response to changes in recognized threats.
An SA is a document prepared pursuant to DOE NEPA regulations (10
CFR 1021.314(c)) to determine whether a supplemental or new EIS should
be prepared, or whether no further NEPA documentation is required.
Three of the four SNL/NM SAs based on the 1999 SNL/NM SWEIS dealt with
implementing new or changed operations and replacing facilities; the
fourth SA (DOE/EIS-028-SA-04, August 2006), prepared pursuant to 10 CFR
1021.330(d), assessed whether potential environmental impacts from site
operations remained within those projected in the 1999 SNL/NM SWEIS for
the level of operations selected in the ROD. Based on each of these
SAs, NNSA determined that a new SWEIS was not necessary.
Subsequently, given the length of time since the previous SWEIS was
issued, new information, and the evolution of mission needs, NNSA
determined that preparation of a new SWEIS was appropriate. On June 24,
2011, NNSA issued a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare a new SWEIS for
SNL/NM (76 FR 37100). NNSA's completion of that SWEIS, however, was
delayed by competing program and resource priorities. Since the NOI was
issued in 2011, mission needs have continued to evolve and further
information has become available. Consequently, NNSA has now determined
that preparation of a new SWEIS with a fresh scoping process would best
serve the purposes of NEPA by providing NNSA and the public with the
most current environmental and programmatic information. Accordingly,
NNSA has administratively canceled the SWEIS originally announced in
2011 and will prepare a new SWEIS, DOE/EIS-0556.
Purpose and Need for Agency Action
The purpose and need for continued operation of SNL/NM has not
changed from those identified in the 1999 SNL/NM SWEIS and continues to
include supporting NNSA and other DOE missions as directed by Congress
and the President. Currently, facilities and capabilities that support
many NNSA and other DOE mission priorities are found only at SNL/NM.
NNSA needs to continue SNL/NM operations to meet its core mission
requirements. A further purpose of the continued operation of SNL/NM is
to provide capabilities available at the site in support of strategic
partnership projects, under which SNL/NM oversees national security-
related research, development, and testing programs, and conducts work
for other entities, including other federal and state government
agencies, industry, and academic institutions.
SNL/NM operations support the following NNSA mission priorities:
(1) to enhance U.S. national security through the military application
of nuclear energy, (2) to maintain and enhance the safety, reliability,
and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, including the
ability to design, produce, and test, in order to meet national
security requirements, (3) to promote international nuclear safety and
nonproliferation, (4) to reduce global danger from weapons of mass
destruction; and (5) to support U.S. leadership in science and
technology (50 U.S.C. 2401).
SNL/NM operations support NNSA national security objectives through
the engineering of nuclear weapons components and other nuclear and
non-nuclear activities. NNSA missions for SNL/NM have evolved over time
in response to national needs, and NNSA expects that evolution will
continue for the foreseeable future. NNSA, on behalf of the U.S.
Government, requires SNL/NM management and operating contractor to
continue providing support for NNSA mission lines, programs, and
projects in national security, energy resources, environmental quality,
and science and technology. SNL personnel maintain specific core
competencies in activities associated with research, development,
design, and surveillance of nuclear weapons; supports the assessment
and certification of their safety, reliability, and performance; and
produces components for the stockpile. The continued operation of SNL/
NM is
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critical to NNSA's ability to meet its missions.
SNL/NM operations also include non-weapons research and science
services in multiple areas, including waste management, environmental
restoration, hazardous and radioactive material transportation, energy
efficiency and renewable energy, nuclear energy, fossil energy,
magnetic fusion, basic energy sciences, supercomputing, and biological
and environmental research. SNL/NM operations are needed to support
other important DOE missions, including energy security and long-term
energy needs, transportation research and development, homeland
infrastructure security and resiliency, and advanced science and
technology. Much of the same infrastructure used to support national
security supports these other missions.
Preliminary Alternatives
The scoping process is an opportunity for the public to assist NNSA
in determining the alternatives, issues, and analyses that should be
included in the SNL/NM SWEIS. NNSA welcomes specific comments or
suggestions on the content of these alternatives or on other
alternatives that should be considered. NNSA has identified a
preliminary set of alternatives and issues for evaluation in the SNL/NM
SWEIS below; during the development of the SWEIS, NNSA could identify
and include other reasonable alternatives.
No-Action Alternative
Under the No-Action Alternative, current operations throughout SNL/
NM that support currently assigned missions would continue. NEPA
regulations require analysis of the No-Action Alternative to provide a
benchmark for comparison with the environmental effects of action
alternatives. This alternative represents maintaining the status quo
and would include the programs and activities for which NEPA reviews
have been completed and decisions have been made.
Modernized Operations Alternative
Under the Modernized Operations Alternative, existing programs and
activities would continue and be supported by modernizing facilities.
This alternative includes the scope of the No-Action Alternative, as
described above, plus additional modernization activities. This
alternative includes (1) construction of replacement facilities, (2)
upgrades to existing facilities and infrastructure, and (3)
decontamination, decommissioning, and demolition (DD&D) projects. Under
this alternative, NNSA would replace facilities that are approaching
their end-of-life, upgrade facilities to extend their lifetimes, and
improve work environments to enable NNSA to meet operational
requirements. The alternative would also include projects that would
reduce the carbon footprint of operations and/or are net zero
initiatives. The proposed DD&D of older facilities would eliminate
excess facilities and reduce costs and risks. This alternative would
not expand capabilities and operations at SNL/NM beyond those that
currently exist. Examples of projects that will likely be proposed and
analyzed in the SNL/NM SWEIS under this alternative include: (1)
Neutron Generator Enterprise Consolidation, which would consolidate
operations from existing facilities into a new facility that would have
improved workflow; and (2) Weapons Component Engineering Capability,
which would consolidate capabilities from existing facilities into a
new facility.
Expanded Operations Alternative (NNSA's Preferred Alternative)
The Expanded Operations Alternative would include the modernization
actions included in the Modernized Operations Alternative, as described
above. This alternative would expand operations and missions to respond
to future national security challenges and meet increasing
requirements. This alternative includes (1) construction and operation
of new facilities and (2) upgrades to existing facilities that result
in changing the nature and capabilities of these facilities. This
alternative would expand capabilities at SNL/NM beyond those that
currently exist. Examples of projects that will likely be proposed and
analyzed in the SNL/NM SWEIS under this alternative include: (1)
Combined Radiation Environments for Survivability Testing (CREST)
facility, which would replace the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR),
which is reaching its end-of-life. Because the CREST facility would
expand the capabilities and support additional missions compared to the
existing ACRR, it would be proposed under the Expanded Operations
Alternative; and (2) Next Generation Pulsed Power Facility, which would
address important nuclear weapon primary and secondary physics
questions and would produce large x-ray and neutron outputs that would
help certify weapons survivability in hostile environments in larger
test objects than possible today. Such a capability does not currently
exist at SNL/NM.
In the Draft SNL/NM SWEIS, NNSA will identify and analyze other
actions and specific projects that could expand the capabilities at
SNL/NM.
Other Alternatives
Although the 1999 SNL/NM SWEIS included a Reduced Operations
Alternative, NNSA does not plan to analyze such an alternative in the
new SNL/NM SWEIS. NNSA does not consider a reduction in operations to
be a reasonable alternative under NEPA because it does not meet the
purpose and need for agency action. That is, under a reduced operations
alternative, NNSA would not be able to meet its essential mission needs
for the foreseeable future. NNSA welcomes comments on this and any
other alternative the public thinks are reasonable and should be
analyzed in the SWEIS.
Preliminary Identification of Environmental Issues
The issues listed below have been identified for analysis in the
SNL/NM SWEIS. The list is tentative and intended to facilitate public
comment on the scope of the document. It is not intended to be all
inclusive, nor does it imply any predetermination of potential impacts.
NNSA invites suggestions for the addition or deletion of items on this
list.
<bullet> Potential effects on the public and workers from exposures
to radiological and hazardous materials during normal operations,
construction, reasonably foreseeable accidents (including from natural
phenomena hazards), and intentional destructive acts;
<bullet> Impacts on surface water, groundwater, floodplain and
wetlands, and on water use and quality;
<bullet> Impacts on air quality from potential releases of
radiological and non-radiological pollutants;
<bullet> Impacts associated with climate change, including
greenhouse gas emissions and reductions, potential effects of climate
change on analyzed alternatives, and potential mitigation measures;
<bullet> Impacts to plants and animals and their habitats,
including species that are federally or state listed as threatened or
endangered, or of special concern;
<bullet> Impacts on physiography, topography, geology, and soil
characteristics;
<bullet> Impacts to cultural resources, such as those that are
historic, prehistoric, archaeological, scientific, or paleontological;
<bullet> Socioeconomic impacts to affected communities;
<bullet> Environmental justice impacts, particularly whether or not
activities at SNL/NM would have a
[[Page 24610]]
disproportionately high and adverse effect on minority and/or low-
income populations;
<bullet> Impacts on land use and applicable plans and policies;
<bullet> Impacts from traffic and transportation of radiological
and hazardous materials/waste;
<bullet> Pollution prevention and materials, and waste management
practices and activities;
<bullet> Impacts of SNL/NM facilities on visual aesthetics of the
surrounding communities and ambient environment;
<bullet> Impacts of noise and vibration on the surrounding
communities and ambient environment;
<bullet> Impacts to community services, including fire protection,
police protection, schools, and solid waste disposal to landfills;
<bullet> Impacts from the use of utilities, including water and
electricity consumption, fuel use, sewer discharges, and resource
conservation;
<bullet> Impacts from site contamination and remediation;
<bullet> Unavoidable adverse impacts;
<bullet> Environmental compliance and inadvertent releases;
<bullet> Energy conservation, renewable energy, and sustainability;
<bullet> Short-term uses and long-term productivity;
<bullet> Irreversible and irretrievable commitment of resources;
<bullet> Cumulative effects of past, present, and reasonably
foreseeable future actions; and
<bullet> Mitigation commitments.
NEPA Requirements and the SWEIS Process
DOE NEPA implementing regulations at 10 CFR 1021.330(c), state:
``[A]s a matter of policy when not otherwise required, DOE shall
prepare site-wide EISs for certain large, multiple-facility DOE sites;
DOE may prepare EISs or EAs for other sites to assess the impacts of
all or selected functions at those sites.'' NNSA has determined that
preparation of a new SWEIS for SNL/NM is appropriate and is preparing
the SNL/NM SWEIS in accordance with NEPA, and CEQ and DOE regulations
implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508 and 10 CFR part 1021,
respectively).
NNSA will solicit public input at two points in the SNL/NM SWEIS
process: during the scoping process announced by this Notice, and after
issuance of a draft SNL/NM SWEIS. The scoping process is intended to
involve all interested parties, including agencies (federal, state, and
local), public interest groups, tribes, local businesses, industry,
organizations, and members of the public. Interested parties are
invited to participate in the SNL/NM SWEIS process to refine the
preliminary alternatives and identify environmental issues for
analysis. NNSA will consider all comments received during the Comment
Period in defining the scope of the SNL/NM SWEIS. Comments on the
proposed scope may be provided verbally at the two public scoping
meetings described under the DATES section, or in writing by any of the
means described under the ADDRESSES section. The scoping meetings will
provide the public with an opportunity to present comments, ask
questions, and discuss issues with NNSA officials regarding the SNL/NM
SWEIS.
Following the scoping process announced in this Notice, and after
consideration of comments received during scoping, NNSA will prepare a
Draft SNL/NM SWEIS. NNSA anticipates issuing the Draft SNL/NM SWEIS to
the public in 2024. NNSA will announce the availability of the Draft
SNL/NM SWEIS in the Federal Register and local media outlets. NNSA will
consider comments received on the Draft document and will address them
in the Final SNL/NM SWEIS, which the NNSA anticipates issuing to the
public in 2025. NNSA will then issue a ROD no sooner than 30 days after
publication by the Environmental Protection Agency of a Notice of
Availability of the Final SNL/NM SWEIS.
Preparation of the SNL/NM SWEIS will require participation of other
federal agencies. Accordingly, NNSA invites agencies with jurisdiction
by law or special expertise to participate in the SNL/NM SWEIS process.
NNSA has invited the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Forest Service to
participate as cooperating agencies in preparation of the document.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on April 17,
2023, by Jill Hruby, Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and
Administrator, NNSA, 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 April 18, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-08459 Filed 4-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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