Draft Complex Transformation Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, 2023-2025 [E8-365]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
• National Nuclear Security Administration

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 8 (Friday, January 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2023-2025]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-365]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

National Nuclear Security Administration


Draft Complex Transformation Supplemental Programmatic 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. 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 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announces 
the availability of the Draft Complex Transformation Supplemental 
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Draft Complex 
Transformation SPEIS, DOE/EIS-0236-S4). The Draft Complex 
Transformation SPEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of 
reasonable alternatives to continue the transformation of the U.S. 
nuclear weapons complex to one that is smaller, more efficient, more 
secure, and better able to respond to changes in national security 
requirements. While NNSA has revised the document title from that 
indicated in the Notice of Intent, it remains a supplement to the 
Stockpile Stewardship and Management Programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement. NNSA has prepared this document in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental 
Quality (CEQ) regulations that implement the procedural provisions of 
NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and DOE procedures implementing NEPA (10 
CFR Part 1021).

DATES: NNSA invites comments on the Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS 
during the 90-day public comment period, which ends on April 10, 2008. 
NNSA will consider comments received after this date to the extent 
practicable as it prepares the Final Complex Transformation SPEIS. NNSA 
will hold 19 public hearings on the Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS. 
The locations, dates, and times are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section.

ADDRESSES: Requests for additional information on the Draft Complex 
Transformation SPEIS, including requests for copies of the document, 
should be directed to: Mr. Theodore A. Wyka, Complex Transformation 
SPEIS Document Manager, Office of Transformation, NA-10.1, Department 
of Energy/NNSA, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, 
toll free 1-800-832-0885 ext. 63519. Written comments on the Draft 
Complex Transformation SPEIS should be submitted to the above address, 
by facsimile to 1-703-931-9222, or by e-mail to complextransformation@
nnsa.doe.gov. Please mark correspondence ``Draft Complex Transformation 
SPEIS Comments.''
    For general information regarding the DOE NEPA process contact: Ms. 
Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance, GC-
20, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20585, telephone 202-586-4600, or leave a message at 1-
800-472-2756. Additional information regarding DOE NEPA activities and 
access to many of DOE's NEPA documents are available on the Internet 
through the DOE NEPA Web site at https://www.eh.doe.gov/nepa.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Hearings and Invitation to Comment. 
NNSA will hold 19 public hearings on the Draft Complex Transformation 
SPEIS. The hearings will be held at the following locations, dates, and 
times:

North Augusta, South Carolina, North Augusta Community Center, 495 
Brookside Avenue, North Augusta, SC, Thursday, February 21, 2008 (11 
a.m.-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, New Hope Center, 602 Scarboro Road (Corner of New 
Hope and Scarboro Roads), Oak Ridge, TN, Tuesday, February 26, 2008 (11 
a.m.-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Amarillo, Texas, Amarillo Globe-News Center, Education Room, 401 S. 
Buchanan, Amarillo, TX, Thursday, February 28, 2008 (11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 
6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Tonopah, Nevada, Tonopah Convention Center, 301 Brougher Avenue, 
Tonopah, NV, Tuesday, March 4, 2008 (6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Las Vegas, Nevada, Atomic Testing Museum, 755 E. Flamingo Road, Las 
Vegas, NV, Thursday, March 6, 2008 (11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Socorro, New Mexico, Macey Center (at New Mexico Tech), 801 Leroy 
Place, Socorro, NM, Monday, March 10, 2008 (6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 2nd Street 
NW, Albuquerque, NM, Tuesday, March 11, 2008 (11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 6 
p.m.-10 p.m.)
Los Alamos, New Mexico, Hilltop House, 400 Trinity Drive at Central, 
Los Alamos, NM, Wednesday, March 12, 2008 (6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Los Alamos, New Mexico, Hilltop House, 400 Trinity Drive at Central, 
Los Alamos, NM, Thursday, March 13, 2008 (11 a.m.-3 p.m.)
Santa Fe, New Mexico, Genoveva Chavez Community Center, 3221 Rodeo 
Road, Santa Fe, NM, Thursday, March 13, 2008 (6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Tracy, California, Holiday Inn Express, 3751 N. Tracy Blvd., Tracy, CA, 
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 (6 p.m.-10 p.m.)
Livermore, California, Robert Livermore Community Center, 4444 East 
Avenue, Livermore, CA, Wednesday, March 19, 2008 (11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 6 
p.m.-10 p.m.)
Washington, DC, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Ave, SW., 
Washington, DC, Tuesday, March 25, 2008 (11 a.m.-3 p.m.)

    Individuals who would like to present comments orally at these 
hearings must register upon arrival at the hearing. NNSA will allot 
three to five minutes, depending upon the number of speakers, to each 
individual wishing to speak so as to ensure that as many people as 
possible have the opportunity to speak. More time may be allotted by 
the hearing moderator as circumstances allow. NNSA officials will be 
available to discuss the Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS and answer 
questions during the first hour. NNSA will then hold a plenary session 
at each public hearing in which officials will explain the Draft 
Complex Transformation SPEIS and the analyses in it. Following the 
plenary session, the public will have an opportunity to provide oral 
and written comments. Oral comments from the hearings and written 
comments submitted during the comment period will be considered by NNSA 
in preparing the Final Complex Transformation SPEIS.
    The Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS and additional information 
regarding complex transformation are available on the Internet at 
https://www.ComplexTransformationSPEIS.com and https://www.nnsa.doe.gov. 
The Draft

[[Page 2024]]

Complex Transformation SPEIS and referenced documents are available to 
the public at the DOE Reading Rooms and public libraries listed below:

California

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NNSA/LSO Public Reading Room, 
LLNL Discovery Center (Visitors Center), Building 651, East Gate 
Entrance, Greenville Road, Livermore, CA 94550, Phone: (925) 422-4599.
Livermore Public Library, 1188 S. Livermore Avenue, Livermore, CA 
94550, Phone: (925) 373-5500.
Tracy Public Library, 20 East Eaton Avenue, Tracy, CA 95376, Phone: 
(209) 937-8221.

Georgia

Southeastern Power Administration, Technical Library, 1166 Athens Tech 
Road, Elberton, GA 30635, Phone: (706) 213-3815.

Missouri

Kansas City Public Library, 14 West 10th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105, 
Phone: (816) 701-3400.
North-East Branch of the Kansas City Library, 6000 Wilson Road, Kansas 
City, MO 64123, Phone: (816) 701-3485.

Nevada

NNSA Nevada Site Office, Public Reading Room, 755 E. Flamingo Road, Las 
Vegas, NV 89119, Phone (702) 295-3521.
Tonopah Public Library, 167 S. Central Street, Tonopah, NV 89049, 
Phone: (775) 482-3374.

New Mexico

Los Alamos National Laboratory, Research Library, West Jemez Road, Los 
Alamos, NM 87545, Phone: (505) 667-5809.
NNSA Service Center, Zimmerman Library, Government Documents, 
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, Phone: (505) 277-5441.
Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM 87544, Phone: 
(505) 662-8240.
Santa Fe Public Library, 145 Washington Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501, 
Phone: (505) 955-6780.
Socorro Public Library, 401 Park Street, Socorro, NM 87801, Phone: 
(505) 835-1114.

South Carolina

U.S. Department of Energy, Public Reading Room, University of South 
Carolina, 471 University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801, Phone: (803) 641-
3320.

Tennessee

Oak Ridge Site Operations Office, DOE Information Center, 475 Oak Ridge 
Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, Phone: (865) 241-4780.

Texas

Amarillo Central Library, 413 E. 4th, Amarillo, TX 79101, Phone: (806) 
378-3054.
Amarillo North Branch Library, 1500 NE 24th, Amarillo, TX 79107, Phone: 
(806) 381-7931.

Washington, DC

U.S. Department of Energy, Public Reading Room, 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, Phone: (202) 586-3142.
    Background. The national security of the United States requires 
NNSA to maintain a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear weapons stockpile 
and core competencies in nuclear weapons. The Nation's national 
security requirements are established by the President and funded by 
the Congress, which have assigned to NNSA the responsibility of 
maintaining a nuclear arsenal and a complex of nuclear facilities 
capable of supporting this highly technical mission. The Draft Complex 
Transformation SPEIS is a Supplement to the 1996 Stockpile Stewardship 
and Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, which 
analyzed programmatic alternatives for the weapons complex in the 
absence of nuclear testing. NNSA maintains the safety, security, and 
reliability of nuclear weapons through the Stockpile Stewardship 
Program. This program currently involves integrated activities at three 
NNSA national laboratories, four industrial plants, and a nuclear 
weapons test site. The effects of old facilities, aging weapons, and 
evolving national security requirements have led NNSA to propose 
further changes to the Complex in order to create a smaller and more 
responsive, efficient, and secure infrastructure, especially with 
regards to special nuclear materials (SNM).\1\
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    \1\ As defined in Section 11 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, 
SNM is: (1) Plutonium, uranium enriched in the isotope 233 or in the 
isotope 235; or (2) any material artificially enriched by any of the 
foregoing and any other material which the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission determines to be special nuclear material.
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    Today's Complex consists of eight major sites located in seven 
states, and the Tonopah Test Range (TTR). It enables NNSA to design, 
develop, manufacture, and maintain nuclear weapons; certify their 
safety, security, and reliability; conduct surveillance on them; store 
Category I/II \2\ quantities of SNM; and dismantle and disposition 
retired weapons. The major sites within the Complex are the Y-12 
National Security Complex (Y-12), Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Savannah River 
Site (SRS), Aiken, South Carolina; Pantex Plant (Pantex), Amarillo, 
Texas; Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, New Mexico; 
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, California; 
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and other 
locations; Nevada Test Site (NTS), 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas, 
Nevada; and the Kansas City Plant (KCP), Kansas City, Missouri.
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    \2\ Special nuclear materials are grouped into Security 
Categories I, II, III, and IV based on the type, attractiveness 
level, and quantity of the materials. Categories I and II require 
the highest level of security.
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    NNSA conducted a public scoping process that began with the 
publication of a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on 
October 19, 2006 (71 FR 61731), in which NNSA announced it intended to 
prepare a SPEIS and invited public comment on the scope of the 
environmental review. In the NOI, NNSA's proposed action was referred 
to as Complex 2030. NNSA now believes that the term Complex 
Transformation better reflects the proposed action and alternatives 
evaluated because NNSA anticipates that it would be able to accomplish 
much of the proposed transformation in the next decade (i.e., well 
before 2030). The NOI also announced the schedule for public scoping 
meetings that were held in November and December 2006, near sites that 
might be affected by continued transformation of the Complex and in 
Washington, DC. In addition to the meetings, the public was encouraged 
to provide comments via mail, e-mail, and fax. More than 33,000 comment 
documents were received from individuals, interested groups, Federal, 
state, and local officials, and Tribes during the scoping period. All 
comments received during the 90-day public scoping period were 
considered by NNSA in preparing the Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS. 
All late comments received were also reviewed and, in general, 
determined to be similar to comments submitted within the 90-day 
period. NNSA's development and analysis of alternatives for the SPEIS 
reflect consideration of these comments.
    The Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS analyzes two proposed 
actions. The first proposed action would restructure SNM facilities 
(facilities that use plutonium and highly enriched uranium to produce 
components for the nuclear weapons stockpile). The second

[[Page 2025]]

proposed action would restructure research and development (R&D) and 
testing facilities. These two proposed actions differ in their 
magnitude and timing. The alternatives for restructuring SNM 
facilities, which would take 10 years or more, are necessarily broad 
and address issues such as where to locate these facilities and whether 
to construct new facilities or renovate existing ones for these 
functions. As such, the Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS analysis is 
``programmatic'' for the proposed action of restructuring SNM 
facilities. Tiered, project-specific NEPA documents would likely be 
needed to inform decisions unless existing site-wide EIS's or other 
NEPA documents were sufficient.
    In comparison, NNSA proposes to pursue restructuring of R&D and 
testing facilities in the near-term, independent of decisions it may 
make as to restructuring of SNM facilities. The proposed action to 
restructure R&D and testing facilities would likely not require further 
NEPA documentation to implement decisions after NNSA issues the Final 
Complex Transformation SPEIS and Record of Decision.
    The alternatives for restructuring SNM facilities are: (1) No 
Action; (2) Distributed Centers of Excellence; (3) Consolidated Centers 
of Excellence; and (4) Capability-Based. Common to each of these are 
alternatives to consolidate storage of certain SNM. The No Action 
Alternative represents continuation of the status quo including 
implementation of decisions already made on the basis of prior NEPA 
analyses. Under the No Action Alternative, NNSA would not make major 
changes to the missions assigned to NNSA sites.
    The Distributed Centers of Excellence Alternative retains the three 
major SNM functions (plutonium, uranium, and weapon assembly/
disassembly) involving Category I/II quantities of SNM at up to three 
sites. This alternative would create a consolidated plutonium center 
for R&D, storage, processing, and manufacture of plutonium parts for 
nuclear weapons. The following sites are evaluated for the consolidated 
plutonium center: Los Alamos, NTS, Pantex, SRS, and Y-12. Uranium 
storage and operations (including the storage and use of highly 
enriched uranium) would remain at Y-12. Weapons assembly, disassembly, 
and high explosive fabrication would remain at Pantex.
    The Consolidated Centers of Excellence Alternative consolidates the 
three major SNM functions (plutonium, uranium, and weapon assembly/
disassembly) involving Category I/II quantities of SNM at one or two 
sites. The single site option is referred to as the Consolidated 
Nuclear Production Center option and the two site option is referred to 
as the Consolidated Nuclear Center option. Three major facilities are 
involved in this alternative: a Consolidated Plutonium Center, a 
Consolidated Uranium Center, and an assembly/disassembly/high 
explosives facility, which would assemble and disassemble nuclear 
weapons, and fabricate high explosives. The following sites are 
evaluated for these facilities: Los Alamos, NTS, Pantex, SRS, and Y-12.
    Under the Capability-Based Alternative, NNSA would maintain basic 
capabilities for manufacturing components for all stockpile weapons, as 
well as laboratory and experimental capabilities to support stockpile 
decisions, but would reduce production capabilities at existing or 
planned facilities. Under this alternative, pit production at LANL 
would not be expanded beyond a capability to provide 50 pits \3\ per 
year. Production capacities at Pantex, Y-12, and SRS (tritium 
production) would be reduced to capability-based levels.
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    \3\ A pit is the central core of a nuclear weapon, typically 
containing plutonium-239, that undergoes fission when compressed by 
high explosives.
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    To consolidate Category I/II quantities of SNM, NNSA proposes to 
remove Category I/II SNM from LLNL by approximately 2012, and phase-out 
operations at LLNL involving Category I/II quantities of SNM.\4\ NNSA 
is also proposing to transfer more than 10,000 pits currently stored at 
Pantex in Zone 4 to Zone 12, enabling all Category I/II quantities of 
SNM at Pantex to be consolidated into a central location, close to 
assembly, modification, and disassembly operations.
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    \4\ The LLNL Site-wide EIS (DOE/EIS-0348 and DOE/EIS-0236-S3, 
March 2005) assesses the environmental impacts of transporting SNM 
to and from LLNL and other sites as part of the proposed action, 
which NNSA decided to implement (70 FR 71491, November 29, 2005). 
That analysis includes consideration of transportation actions 
involving greater quantities of SNM and more shipments than are 
identified in this draft SPEIS.
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    For the proposed action to restructure R&D and testing facilities, 
the alternatives focus on immediate options to consolidate, relocate, 
or eliminate duplicative facilities and programs and to improve 
operating efficiencies. The following five functional capabilities are 
evaluated for this proposed action: tritium R&D; high explosives R&D; 
hydrodynamic testing; major environmental testing; and flight test 
operations. The sites potentially affected by decisions regarding these 
alternatives are: LANL, LLNL, SNL, NTS, Pantex, TTR, SRS, Y-12, and the 
White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). The WSMR, located in south-central 
New Mexico, is the largest installation in the Department of Defense. 
WSMR is being considered as a location for NNSA's flight test 
operations that are now conducted at TTR. Alternatives to relocate the 
current non-nuclear component design and engineering work at SNL/
California also are being evaluated in this proposed action.
    While NNSA has proposed to modernize its facilities that produce 
non-nuclear components in Kansas City, Missouri, this proposal is 
evaluated in a separate NEPA analysis. The General Services 
Administration (GSA), as the lead agency, and NNSA, as a cooperating 
agency, announced the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment 
on December 10, 2007 (72 FR 69690) that evaluates the potential 
environmental impacts of a proposal for GSA to procure the construction 
of a new facility to house NNSA's procurement and manufacturing 
operations for non-nuclear components. A recent analysis demonstrates 
that transferring non-nuclear operations outside of the Kansas City 
area is not cost effective. Whether non-nuclear operations remain at 
the current Kansas City Plant or move to a new facility in the vicinity 
of Kansas City would not affect nor be affected by decisions NNSA makes 
regarding alternatives evaluated in the Draft Complex Transformation 
SPEIS.
    Other Federal Agency Involvement. The Department of the Air Force 
and U.S. Army Garrison White Sands are cooperating agencies in the 
preparation of the Draft Complex Transformation SPEIS.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 7, 2008.
Thomas P. D'Agostino,
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-365 Filed 1-10-08; 8:45 am]
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