96-15438. Notice of Wetlands Involvement for Effluent Reduction at Los Alamos National Laboratory

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30862-30863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15438]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Wetlands Involvement for Effluent Reduction at Los 
Alamos National Laboratory

AGENCY: Los Alamos Area Office, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of wetlands involvement.

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SUMMARY: DOE is proposing to reduce or eliminate the discharge of 
industrial and sanitary wastewater from 29 outfalls at Los Alamos 
National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos County, New Mexico. These 
measures are necessary to comply with federal and state water quality 
standards and directives issued by the Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA). The measures would consist of both rerouting and connecting 
wastewater discharges to an existing treatment facility and installing 
recirculation systems. Remaining discharges would be primarily from 
stormwater runoff. The objective of the proposed action is to insure 
that wastewater discharges are environmentally safe. The elimination of 
wastewater would reduce or terminate flows to approximately 25 wetlands 
that have likely been created

[[Page 30863]]

as a consequence of these long-term discharges.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 3, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to: Elizabeth Withers, NEPA 
Compliance Officer, Office of Environment and Projects, Department of 
Energy, Los Alamos Area Office, 528 35th Street, Los Alamos, NM 87544, 
[phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PROPOSED ACTION, CONTACT: Ken Zamora, 
Project Manager, Office of Environment and Projects, Department of 
Energy, Los Alamos Area Office, 528 35th Street, Los Alamos, NM 87544, 
[phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GENERAL DOE FLOODPLAIN/WETLANDS 
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW REQUIREMENTS, CONTACT: Carol M. Borgstrom, 
Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance, EH-42, U.S. Department 
of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 
586-4600 or [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Project Description

    DOE proposes to implement measures to reduce or eliminate the 
discharge of industrial and sanitary wastewater from 29 outfalls at 
various facilities at LANL, Los Alamos County, New Mexico. These 
measures are being taken as an integral part of an overall program of 
corrective action to insure that wastewater discharges are 
environmentally safe. Action is needed to comply with federal and state 
water quality standards and directives issued by EPA. Corrective 
measures would consist of both rerouting and connecting discharges to 
the existing sanitary wastewater treatment system and installing 
recirculation systems at the source of the wastewater. Only one of the 
corrective actions would involve construction work outside of a 
building. This action would consist of the excavation of a 82-foot-long 
trench in a non-wetland area. No construction would occur within a 
wetland. Remaining discharges would come primarily from stormwater 
runoff.

2. Wetlands

    The long-term discharge of wastewater has likely contributed to the 
development of small wetlands at several facilities. These wetlands 
have developed below outfalls and at various downstream locations in 
the receiving stream channel. Other facilities discharging wastewater 
have outfalls that are not thought to be associated with wetlands, and 
others have had outfalls associated with wetlands but no longer 
discharge wastewater to support them because of program changes. 
Currently, 33 wetlands supported by wastewater discharges remain at 
various locations at LANL. A small number of naturally occurring 
wetlands are also present. These wastewater and natural wetlands 
provide habitat for a diversity of wildlife on both a local and area-
wide scale.
    Reduction or cessation of wastewater flows at 29 outfalls would 
likely result in the gradual reversion of wetland plant communities at 
25 wetlands to plant communities adapted to drier conditions, with a 
resulting change in animal use. Some wetland communities could persist. 
Wetlands associated with the wastewater treatment facility receiving 
rerouted wastewater may experience a modest increase in size.
    In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain 
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR 1022), DOE will 
prepare a wetlands assessment for this proposed action. The wetlands 
assessment will be included as an integral part of the EA that will be 
prepared for this proposal in complying with NEPA.

    Issued in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 4, 1996.
Elizabeth Withers,
NEPA Compliance Officer, Los Alamos Area Office, Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 96-15438 Filed 6-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P