99-4135. Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8338-8339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4135]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation 
of the Los Alamos National Laboratory

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of 
the Final Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) for 
Continued Operation of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)(DOE/
EIS-0238). The LANL SWEIS evaluates the potential environmental impacts 
of continuing to operate LANL and incorporates public comments received 
on the Draft SWEIS. DOE's Preferred Alternative for LANL, as identified 
in the Final SWEIS, is the Expanded Operations Alternative, with 
plutonium pit production at a level of 20 pits a year in the near term 
(versus 50-80 pits per year as identified in the Expanded Alternative 
in the Draft SWEIS). The Final SWEIS also evaluates a No Action 
Alternative, a Reduced Operations Alternative, and a ``Greener'' 
Alternative.


[[Page 8339]]


ADDRESSES: Written requests for copies of the Final SWEIS or requests 
for information should be directed to: Mr. Corey Cruz, U.S. Department 
of Energy, Albuquerque Operations Office, P.O. Box 5400, Albuquerque, 
New Mexico, 87185-5400 or by calling [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: DOE has prepared this SWEIS pursuant 
to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). For information on 
DOE's NEPA process, please contact: Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, 
Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42), U.S. Department of 
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC, 20585, 202-586-
4600 or 1-800-472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: LANL, located in north-central New Mexico, 
is one of DOE's National Laboratories undertaking a variety of 
research, development, and applications work in support of DOE 
missions. The SWEIS analyzes four alternatives for the continued 
operation of LANL. The No Action Alternative would continue operation 
of LANL in accordance with existing plans. This alternative provides a 
baseline against which the impacts of the other alternatives can be 
compared. The Reduced Operations Alternative would reduce facility 
operations currently ongoing or planned to the minimum levels necessary 
to maintain the near term capability to perform work assigned to LANL. 
The Expanded Operations Alternative would expand operations at LANL, as 
the need arises, to the highest reasonably foreseeable levels 
appropriate to implement mission elements assigned to LANL. The 
``Greener'' Alternative would utilize the capabilities and competencies 
at LANL with an emphasis on basic science, waste minimization and 
treatment, dismantlement, non-proliferation, and other areas of 
national and international importance. Weapons applications of LANL 
capabilities would be at the Reduced Operations levels. DOE developed 
this alternative after soliciting input from members of the public in 
the communities surrounding LANL.
    All four alternatives describe the impacts of manufacturing 
plutonium triggers (known as ``pits'') for the United States nuclear 
weapon stockpile. The alternatives analyzed a range of production 
rates, including a maximum of 50 pits per year, single shift, 80 pits 
per year multiple shifts, in the Expanded Operations Alternative. The 
Expanded Operations Alternative also analyzed the expansion of the low-
level nuclear waste disposal site located in Technical Area-54 at LANL.
    In the Draft SWEIS, the DOE's Preferred Alternative was the 
Expanded Operations Alternative. In the Final SWEIS, the Expanded 
Operations Alternative remains the Preferred Alternative except that 
pit manufacturing would be implemented at a level of 20 pits per year 
in the near term (before 2007). DOE has determined that additional 
study of methods for implementing the 50 to 80 pits per year production 
capacity is warranted.
    The Final SWEIS incorporates comments received during the public 
comment period from May 15, 1998 through July 15, 1998. The SWEIS is 
available for public inspection at the following locations:
University of New Mexico, Government Document Collection, Zimmerman 
Library, Main Campus, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-1466, (505) 277-
5441
U.S. Department of Energy, Freedom of Information Reading Room, Room 
1E-190, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 
DC 20585, 202-586-6020
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Community Relations Office, 1619 
Central Avenue, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544, [phone], toll free 
1-800-508-4400

    Subsequent Document Preparation: DOE intends to issue a Record of 
Decision no earlier than 30 days following publication in the Federal 
Register of the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of 
Availability of the Final SWEIS. DOE will publish the Record of 
Decision in the Federal Register.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 11, 1999.
John C. Ordaz,
Program Manager LANL SWEIS, Defense Programs.
[FR Doc. 99-4135 Filed 2-18-99; 8:45 am]
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