01-2469. Notice of Schedule Change for Preparing the Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Relocation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory Technical Area 18 Missions

AGENCY:

Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration.

ACTION:

Notice of schedule change.

SUMMARY:

On May 2, 2000, the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), published a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Relocation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Technical Area 18 (TA-18) (hereafter that EIS will be referred to as the TA-18 EIS) (65 FR 25472). In that notice, the NNSA indicated that the TA-18 EIS process was scheduled to be completed by January 2001. The purpose of this notification is to inform the public that the schedule for completing the TA-18 EIS has changed. The NNSA now projects that the EIS process will not be completed before September 2001.

ADDRESSES:

General questions concerning the TA-18 Project can be asked by calling 1-800-832-0885, ext. 6-5484, or by writing to: Mr. Jay Rose, Document Manager, TA-18 Relocation EIS, U.S. Department of Energy/NNSA, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For general information on the NNSA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, please contact: Mr. Henry Garson, NEPA Compliance Officer for Defense Programs, U.S. Department of Energy/NNSA, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585; or telephone [phone], ext. 30470. For general information on the DOE NEPA process, please contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (EH-42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, telephone [phone], or leave a message at 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On April 11, 2000, Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson announced that the NNSA would begin preparation of an EIS on the proposed transfer to another location of TA-18's capabilities and up to approximately 2 tons of special nuclear materials. In the Notice of Intent, published on May 2, 2000, the NNSA solicited comments on the proposed scope of the TA-18 EIS from the public and conducted public scoping meetings as follows: May 18, 2000, in Albuquerque, New Mexico; May 23, 2000, in North Las Vegas, Nevada; May 25, 2000, in Idaho Falls, ID; and May 30, 2000, in Espanola, New Mexico.

Due primarily to budget constraints, funding for the TA-18 EIS was not available during the summer of 2000 and the schedule for completing the TA-18 EIS began to slip. The events associated with the Cerro Grande fire at LANL (see 65 FR 120, June 21, 2000) further disrupted TA-18 planning activities and added to the schedule slip. The revised EIS schedule is as follows:

Issue Draft EIS—May 2001

Draft EIS Public Hearings—June 2001

Issue Final EIS—August 2001

Record of Decision—September 2001

There have been no significant changes to the TA-18 EIS scope or alternatives, as described in the original TA-18 EIS Notice of Intent.

Issued in Washington, DC, this 18th day of January 2001.

T.J. Glauthier,

Deputy Secretary of Energy, Department of Energy.