In response to requests for additional time based on disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) has extended by 15 days the public comment period for the draft Supplement Analysis to the 2008 Site-wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) for Continued Operations of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).
The document examines whether the environmental impacts associated with expanded plutonium pit production at LANL require preparation of a new or supplemental EIS for LANL.
The draft Supplement Analysis was initially released for a 45-day comment period, which started March 10. The extended comment period ends May 9.
During the comment period, NNSA will accept comments from all interested agencies (Federal, State, and local), public interest groups, Native American Tribes, businesses, and members of the public.
Pit production at LANL is required in light of national policy and Federal law that directs NNSA to begin producing a minimum of 30 pits a year at LANL no later than during 2026. Resources needed for expanded pit production at LANL include construction of additional infrastructure, expansion of the work force, waste management operations, and transportation.
To meet military requirements, NNSA is also proposing to begin producing a minimum of 50 pits per year no later than during 2030 at the proposed Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina.
A separate EIS is being conducted for pit production at SRS, as NNSA has not previously analyzed the environmental impacts of pit production at the site level for SRS.
NNSA has made this SA available for public review and comment on the NNSA NEPA reading room at: https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room.
Comments on the Supplement Analysis may be provided to NNSA by US mail or email at the following addresses:
Mail:
NNSA Los Alamos Field Office
Comments: LANL SWEIS SA
3747 West Jemez Road
Los Alamos, NM 87544
Or email: [email protected], Subject line LANL SWEIS SA comment