Notice2025-00265
Notice of Availability of the Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Published
January 10, 2025
Issuing agencies
Energy DepartmentNational Nuclear Security Administration
Abstract
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi- autonomous agency within the Department of Energy (DOE), announces the availability of the Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (Draft LANL SWEIS) (DOE/EIS-0552) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). NNSA also is announcing a 60-day public comment period and four public hearings to receive comments on the Draft LANL SWEIS. NNSA prepared the Draft LANL SWEIS to analyze the potential environmental impacts associated with continuing LANL operations and foreseeable new and/or modified operations and facilities for approximately the next 15 years.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 6 (Friday, January 10, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 6 (Friday, January 10, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1991-1993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00265]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Notice of Availability of the Draft Site-Wide Environmental
Impact Statement for Continued Operation of the Los Alamos 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 Department of Energy (DOE), announces the
availability of the Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for
Continued Operation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (Draft LANL
SWEIS) (DOE/EIS-0552) in compliance with the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). NNSA also is announcing a 60-day public
comment period and four public hearings to receive comments on the
Draft LANL SWEIS. NNSA prepared the Draft LANL SWEIS to analyze the
potential environmental impacts associated with continuing LANL
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 LANL SWEIS
through March 11, 2025. NNSA will hold four public hearings (two of
which will include a virtual component) to receive comments on the
Draft LANL SWEIS. Times, dates, and locations for the public hearings
are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this Notice of
Availability. Any changes or updates to the public hearings will be
published in local newspapers, posted on DOE and NNSA websites, and
distributed through notices to the GovDelivery mailing list at least 15
days before the hearings.
ADDRESSES: Written and verbal comments will be given equal weight.
[[Page 1992]]
NNSA will consider all comments received or postmarked by the end of
the comment period in preparing the Final LANL SWEIS. Comments received
or postmarked after the comment period will be considered to the extent
practicable. Written comments on the Draft LANL SWEIS or requests for
information related to the Draft LANL SWEIS should emailed to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#58141916140b0f1d110b1836362b39763c373d763f372e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="115d505f5d4246545842517f7f62703f757e743f767e67">[email protected]</span></a> or mailed to Mr. Stephen Hoffman, LANL SWEIS
Document Manager, DOE/NNSA, 3747 W. Jemez Road, Los Alamos, New Mexico
87544. 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 submit comments anonymously. The Draft LANL 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 LANL SWEIS are also available for review at the
LANL Public Reading Room at 94 Cities of Gold Road, Pojoaque, New
Mexico.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information about this
notice, please contact Mr. Stephen Hoffman, LANL SWEIS Document
Manager, DOE/NNSA, 3747 W. Jemez Road, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544;
call 505-665-8980 to leave a message or via email at:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1a565b5456494d5f53495a7474697b347e757f347d756c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ac6cbc4c6d9ddcfc3d9cae4e4f9eba4eee5efa4ede5fc">[email protected]</span></a>. Note that comments on the Draft SWEIS will not
be accepted via the voicemail system; only written comments or those
provided at a public hearing will be accepted. This notice and related
NEPA documents are available at: <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room">https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Los Alamos National Laboratory (Laboratory
or LANL) supports several NNSA missions, including enhancing U.S.
national security through the military application of nuclear energy;
maintaining and enhancing the safety, reliability, and effectiveness of
the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, including the ability to design,
produce, and test, in order to meet national security requirements;
promoting international nuclear safety and nonproliferation; reducing
global danger from weapons of mass destruction; and supporting U.S.
leadership in science and technology. The continued operation of the
Laboratory includes the DOE Office of Environmental Management legacy
cleanup efforts at the LANL Site, in accordance with the Compliance
Order on Consent between the State of New Mexico Environment Department
and the DOE (Consent Order).
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Public hearing dates and times Location Address
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Tuesday, February 11, 2025; 1:00- Santa Fe Community 201 W. Marcy St.,
4:00 p.m. MT; * Virtual Convention Santa Fe, NM
Meeting: 1:30-4:00 p.m. MT. Center, Sweeney 87501.
Ballroom.
Tuesday, February 11, 2025; 5:00- Santa Fe Community 201 W. Marcy St.,
8:00 p.m. MT; * Virtual Convention Santa Fe, NM
Meeting: 5:30-8:00 p.m. Center, Sweeney 87501.
Ballroom.
Wednesday, February 12, 2025; Mision y Convento. 405 N. Paseo de
5:00-8:00 p.m. MT. Onate,
Espa[ntilde]ola,
NM 87532.
Thursday, February 13, 2025; Fuller Lodge, 2312 Central Ave.,
5:00-8:00 p.m. MT. Pajarito Room. Los Alamos, NM
87544.
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For the in-person hearings, NNSA will hold an Open House for the
first 30 minutes to provide the public with an opportunity to engage
with DOE/NNSA personnel and ask questions about the Draft SWEIS and
DOE/NNSA activities at LANL. Following the Open House, NNSA will make a
presentation on the Draft SWEIS lasting approximately 30 minutes, then
answer any clarifying questions related to the comment process.
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. The two public
hearings on February 11 will also offer a virtual option for remote
participation in the presentation and public comment portions of the
hearings. Virtual hearing access instructions (e.g., website link or
phone number) will be announced at least 15 days before the hearing and
will be published in local newspapers, noticed to the GovDelivery
mailing list, 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/public-comment-opportunities">https://www.energy.gov/nepa/public-comment-opportunities</a>.
The Draft LANL SWEIS analyzes three alternatives: (1) the No-Action
Alternative, (2) the Modernized Operations Alternative, and (3) the
Expanded Operations Alternative. Under the No-Action Alternative, NNSA
would continue current facility operations throughout LANL in support
of assigned missions. The No-Action Alternative activities have
previously completed NEPA reviews and include construction of new
facilities; modernization, upgrade, and utility projects; and
decontamination, decommissioning, and demolition (DD&D) of excess and
aging facilities. The No-Action Alternative also includes the continued
legacy cleanup and environmental remediation in accordance with the
Consent Order and the recently signed Settlement Agreement. The No-
Action Alternative includes 87 new projects, totaling almost 1.5
million square feet, that would be implemented between 2024 and 2038.
Also, under No-Action, NNSA would implement 11 projects involving
facility upgrades, utilities, and infrastructure affecting about 216
acres of the LANL site. About 1.6 million square feet of excess or
aging facilities would undergo DD&D under the No-Action Alternative.
The No-Action Alternative also includes changes in operations, examples
of which include increased plutonium pit production and the remediation
of a chromium plume in Mortandad Canyon (which was the subject of a
recent environmental assessment).
The Modernized Operations Alternative includes the scope of the No-
Action Alternative plus additional modernization activities, including
(1) construction of replacement facilities; (2) upgrades to existing
facilities, utilities, and infrastructure; and (3) DD&D projects. Under
the Modernized Operations 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 Modernized Operations Alternative also
includes proposed projects to reduce greenhouse gases and other
emissions. The Modernized Operations Alternative
[[Page 1993]]
includes 139 new projects, totaling over 3.4 million square feet, that
would be implemented between 2025 and 2038. Under Modernized
Operations, NNSA would implement 27 projects involving facility
upgrades, utilities, and infrastructure affecting about 925 acres of
the LANL site. Of these 925 acres, up to 795 acres are proposed for
installation of up to 159 megawatts of solar photovoltaic arrays across
the site. An additional 1.2 million square feet of excess or aging
facilities would undergo DD&D under the Modernized Operations
Alternative.
The Expanded Operations Alternative includes the actions proposed
under the Modernized Operations Alternative, plus actions that would
expand operations and missions to respond to future national security
challenges and meet increasing requirements. This alternative includes
construction and operation of new facilities that would expand
capabilities at LANL beyond those that currently exist. The Expanded
Operations Alternative includes 18 additional new projects, totaling
about 947,000 square feet, that would be implemented between 2025 and
2038. Under Expanded Operations, NNSA would implement 4 additional
projects involving utilities and infrastructure affecting about 46
acres of the LANL site. Most of the utilities and infrastructure
projects would be directly related to proposed projects under the
Expanded Operations Alternative. The Expanded Operations Alternative
also includes changes in operations, examples of which include revised
wildland fire risk reduction treatments and management of feral cattle.
Following the public comment period, and after consideration of
comments received, NNSA will prepare the Final LANL SWEIS. Decisions
about future operations at the Laboratory 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 LANL
SWEIS.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on this 6
December 2024, by Jill Hruby, Under Secretary for Nuclear Security and
NNSA Administrator, 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 January 3, 2025.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2025-00265 Filed 1-8-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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