Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Nuclear Facility Portion of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Building Replacement Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 24018-24020 [2011-10406]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 83 / Friday, April 29, 2011 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
[Project No. 14147–000]
srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Storage Development Partners, LLC;
Notice of Preliminary Permit
Application Accepted for Filing and
Soliciting Comments, Motions To
Intervene, and Competing Applications
On April 1, 2011, Storage
Development Partners, LLC, filed an
application for a preliminary permit,
pursuant to section 4(f) of the Federal
Power Act (FPA), proposing to study the
feasibility of the Camp Pendleton
Project (project) to be located at Camp
Pendleton Marine Corps Base, in San
Diego County, California. The sole
purpose of a preliminary permit, if
issued, is to grant the permit holder
priority to file a license application
during the permit term. A preliminary
permit does not authorize the permit
holder to perform any land-disturbing
activities or otherwise enter upon lands
or waters owned by others without the
owners’ express permission.
The proposed project would be a
pumped storage project and consist of
the following: (1) A new 30-foot-high
earthen dam with a crest length of 3,881
feet; (2) an upper reservoir having a total
storage capacity of 5,399 acre-feet at a
normal maximum operating elevation of
1,700 feet mean sea level (msl); (3) five
10,500-foot-long, 25-foot-diameter steel
lined penstocks extending between the
upper reservoir’s inlet/outlet and the
pump/turbines below; (4) a breakwater
area within the Pacific Ocean, serving as
the lower reservoir; (5) an underground
powerhouse with approximate
dimensions of 250-feet-long by 75-feetwide by 100-feet-high and containing
five reversible pump/turbine-motor/
generator units with a rated capacity of
254,237 kW each; (6) an 1,000-foot-long,
800-foot-wide concrete lined tailrace
connecting the pump/turbine draft tubes
with the lower inlet/outlet; (7) a lower
inlet/outlet structure 100-feet-below
msl; (8) a 5-mile-long, 230-kilovolt (kV)
transmission line extending from the
powerhouse to an existing substation;
and (9) appurtenant facilities. The
estimated annual generation of the
proposed Camp Pendleton Project
would be 3,714 gigawatt-hours.
Applicant Contact: Mr. James
Petruzzi, Managing Partner, Storage
Development Partners, LLC., 4900
Woodway, Suite 745, Houston, Texas
77056; Telephone: 713–840–9994.
FERC Contact: Kenneth Hogan 202–
502–8434.
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Deadline for filing comments, motions
to intervene, competing applications
(without notices of intent), or notices of
intent to file competing applications: 60
days from the issuance of this notice.
Competing applications and notices of
intent must meet the requirements of 18
CFR 4.36. Comments, motions to
intervene, notices of intent, and
competing applications may be filed
electronically via the Internet. See 18
CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the
instructions on the Commission’s Web
site https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
efiling.asp. Commenters can submit
brief comments up to 6,000 characters,
without prior registration, using the
eComment system at https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
ecomment.asp. You must include your
name and contact information at the end
of your comments. For assistance,
please contact FERC Online Support at
FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or toll
free at 1–866–208–3676, or for TTY,
(202) 502–8659. Although the
Commission strongly encourages
electronic filing, documents may also be
paper-filed. To paper-file, mail an
original and seven copies to: Kimberly
D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, 888 First
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.
More information about this project,
including a copy of the application, can
be viewed or printed on the ‘‘eLibrary’’
link of Commission’s Web site at
https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/
elibrary.asp. Enter the docket number
(P–14147) in the docket number field to
access the document. For assistance,
contact FERC Online Support.
Dated: April 22, 2011.
Kimberly D. Bose,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2011–10311 Filed 4–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security
Administration
Notice of Availability of the Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Nuclear Facility
Portion of the Chemistry and
Metallurgy Research Building
Replacement Project at Los Alamos
National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
National Nuclear Security
Administration, U.S. Department of
Energy.
AGENCY:
Notice of availability and public
hearings.
ACTION:
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The National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA)
announces the availability of the Draft
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Nuclear Facility
Portion of the Chemistry and Metallurgy
Research Building Replacement Project
at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los
Alamos, New Mexico (Draft CMRR–NF
SEIS) (DOE/EIS–0350–S1), and the dates
and locations for public hearings to
receive comments on the Draft CMRR–
NF SEIS. The Draft CMRR–NF SEIS
analyzes the potential environmental
impacts of alternatives for constructing
and operating the nuclear facility (NF)
portion of the Chemistry and Metallurgy
Research Building Replacement (CMRR)
Project. The CMRR Project was first
analyzed in the 2003 Final
Environmental Impact Statement for the
Proposed Chemistry and Metallurgy
Research Building Replacement Project
at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los
Alamos, NM (the CMRR EIS) (DOE/EIS–
0350), and NNSA issued a Record of
Decision for the CMRR Project in
February 2004 (68 FR 6420) announcing
its decision to construct and operate a
two building CMRR facility within
Technical Area-55 (TA–55) at Los
Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in
order to meet its need to sustain
mission-critical specialized nuclear
chemistry and metallurgy capabilities at
LANL in a safe, secure and
environmentally sound manner. Since
that time, NNSA has constructed one of
the two buildings for the CMRR Project
(the Radiological Laboratory/Utility/
Office Building, also called the RLUOB),
and has engaged in project planning and
design processes for the second
building, the CMRR–NF. The planning
and design processes for the CMRR–NF
have identified the need for various
changes to the original design for the
structure and additional project
elements not envisioned in the 2003
NEPA analyses. These proposed
changes, identified subsequent to the
ROD, are the subject of the CMRR–NF
SEIS analyses.
The Draft CMRR–NF SEIS considers a
No Action Alternative (the 2004 CMRR–
NF), and two action alternatives (the
Modified CMRR–NF Alternative, and
the Continued Use of CMR Building
Alternative). Under the No Action
Alternative, NNSA analyzes
construction and operation of the
CMRR–NF as it was originally
envisioned in 2004, although it has been
determined that the structural design in
this alternative would not meet current
nuclear facility design safety
requirements. Thus, this alternative no
longer meets NNSA’s purpose and need.
SUMMARY:
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The Modified CMRR–NF Alternative
incorporates currently identified
construction and operational
requirements for the CMRR–NF, and
meets NNSA’s purpose and need. The
Continued Use of CMR Building
Alternative analyzes continued use of
the CMR Building for as long as it may
be safe to do so, together with the
RLUOB, although this alternative would
not fully meet NNSA’s purpose and
need. The Modified CMRR Alternative
is NNSA’s preferred alternative.
DATES: NNSA invites stakeholders and
members of the public to submit
comments on the Draft CMRR–NF SEIS
during the public comment period,
which starts with the publication of the
Environmental Protection Agency’s
Notice of Availability in the Federal
Register and extends for 45 days until
June 13, 2011. NNSA will consider
comments received after this date to the
extent practicable as it prepares the
Final CMRR–NF SEIS.
NNSA will hold three public hearings
on the Draft CMRR–NF SEIS at the
following dates, times, and locations:
• Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at 5 p.m. to
9 p.m., Holiday Inn Express, 60 Entrada
Drive, Los Alamos, NM.
• Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at 5 p.m.
to 9 p.m., Santa Claran Hotel, 464 N.
˜
Riverside Drive, Espanola, NM.
• Thursday, May 26, 2011, at 5 p.m.
to 9 p.m., Santa Fe Community College,
Jemez Rooms, 6401 Richards Avenue,
Santa Fe, NM.
The first half hour of each hearing
will be conducted as an open housestyle session with subject matter experts
available to discuss the project and
answer questions; the remainder of the
hearing will be devoted to receiving oral
and written comments.
ADDRESSES: The Draft CMRR–NF SEIS
and its reference material are available
for review on the NNSA NEPA Web site
at: https://nnsa.energy.gov/nepa/
cmrrseis. Copies of the Draft CMRR–NF
SEIS are also available for review at: the
Los Alamos National Laboratory,
Oppenheimer Study Center, Building
TA3–207, West Jemez Road, Los
Alamos, New Mexico; the Office of the
Northern New Mexico Citizens
Advisory Board, 1660 Old Pecos Trail,
Suite B, Santa Fe, New Mexico; and the
Zimmerman Library, University of New
Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The
Draft CMRR–NF SEIS or its Summary
may be obtained upon request by
leaving a message on the Los Alamos
Site Office (LASO) CMRR–NF SEIS
Hotline at (toll free) 1–877–427–9439; or
by writing to: U.S. Department of
Energy, National Nuclear Security
Administration, Los Alamos Site Office,
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3747 West Jemez Road, TA–3 Building
1410, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87544,
Attn: Mr. John Tegtmeier, CMRR–NF
SEIS Document Manager; or by
facsimile ((505) 667–5948); or by e-mail
at: NEPALASO@doeal.gov.
Questions or Comments concerning
the Draft CMRR–NF SEIS can be
submitted to the NNSA Los Alamos Site
Office at the same postal and electronic
addresses given above. Additionally, the
LASO CMRR–NF SEIS Hotline will have
instructions on how to record
comments. Please mark all envelopes,
faxes and e-mail: ‘‘Draft CMRR–NF SEIS
Comments’’.
For general information about the
DOE NEPA process, please contact: Ms.
Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of
NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC–54),
U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585, (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://nepa.energy.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
NNSA has prepared the Draft CMRR
SEIS 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 regulations
implementing NEPA (10 CFR 1021).
These regulations require the
preparation of a supplement to an
environmental impact statement (EIS)
when there are substantial changes to a
proposal or when there or significant
new circumstances or information
relevant to environmental concerns. An
agency may also supplement an EIS to
further the purposes of NEPA.
Background. LANL is located in
north-central New Mexico, 60 miles
north-northeast of Albuquerque, 25
miles northwest of Santa Fe, and 20
˜
miles southwest of Espanola in Los
Alamos and Santa Fe Counties. It is
located between the Jemez Mountains to
the west and the Sangre de Cristo
Mountains and Rio Grande to the east.
LANL occupies an area of about 40
square miles (104 square kilometers). It
is a multidisciplinary, multipurpose
institution engaged in theoretical and
experimental research and
development. LANL performs scientific
research and development, and
production mission support activities
that are critical to the accomplishment
of the NNSA’s national security
objectives as reflected in previous NEPA
decisions based on the Stockpile
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24019
Stewardship and Management
Programmatic EIS (DOE/EIS–0236) and
the Complex Transformation
Supplemental Programmatic EIS
(SPEIS) (DOE/EIS–0236–S4). LANL’s
role in NNSA mission objectives
includes a wide range of scientific and
technological capabilities that support
nuclear materials handling, processing
and fabrication; stockpile management;
materials and manufacturing
technologies; nonproliferation
programs; research and development
support for national defense and
homeland security programs; and DOE
waste management activities.
The CMR facility, located in TA–3 at
LANL, houses unique analytical
chemistry (AC) and material
characterization (MC) support
capabilities needed to execute NNSA
mission activities. However, CMR is
nearly 60 years old. A 1998 seismic
study identified two small parallel
faults beneath the northernmost portion
of the CMR Building. The presence of
these faults has given rise to operational
and safety concerns related to the
structural integrity of the building
should a seismic event affecting LANL
take place. CMR Building operations
and capabilities are currently restricted
in scope due to both safety and security
constraints; it cannot be operated to the
full extent needed to meet NNSA
operational requirements. In the late
1990s, NNSA began to develop plans to
relocate the CMR Building capabilities
elsewhere at LANL to ensure its ability
to provide AC and MC support for
national security and other NNSA
missions. The CMRR EIS was prepared
and issued in 2003, followed by a ROD
in 2004.
The RLUOB portion of the CMRR
project has been completely planned
and constructed at TA–55 over the past
7 years. During this same time period,
project planning and design for the
CMRR–NF has progressed. The CMRR–
NF planning process has identified
several project requirements that were
not envisioned when the CMRR EIS was
prepared and issued in 2003. Various
facility modifications to address current
DOE and NNSA nuclear facility design
requirements and sustainable design
principals have been identified by
NNSA. Several ancillary and support
project requirements in addition to
those previously analyzed in the CMRR
EIS have also been identified. The
modifications to the proposed CMRR–
NF structural design would allow the
building to be operated to the full extent
needed to meet NNSA objectives for the
CMRR Facility.
NNSA conducted a public scoping
process that began with the publication
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 83 / Friday, April 29, 2011 / Notices
of a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the
Federal Register on October 1, 2010, in
which NNSA announced its intention to
prepare the CMRR–NF SEIS and invited
public comment on the scope of the
NEPA analysis. The NOI also
announced the schedule for public
scoping meetings that were held on
October 19, 2010, and on October 20,
2010, in White Rock and Pojoaque, New
Mexico, respectively. In addition to the
public meetings, the public was
encouraged to provide comments via
mail, e-mail, and fax. All scoping
comments received were considered by
NNSA in preparing the Draft CMRR
SEIS.
Alternatives. The Draft CMRR–NF
SEIS analyzes the following three
alternatives:
No Action Alternative. The No Action
Alternative (also referred to as the 2004
CMRR–NF) reflects the CMRR–NF as it
was described and analyzed in the 2003
CMRR EIS and selected in the 2004 ROD
(69 FR 6967) and the 2008 Complex
Transformation SPEIS ROD (73 FR
77656).
This alternative also includes two
additional project activities that were
not included in the 2003 CMRR EIS but
were analyzed in the 2008 Final SiteWide Environmental Impact Statement
for Continued Operation of Los Alamos
National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New
Mexico (the LANL SWEIS, DOE/EIS
–0380), which analyzed the CMRR
Facility as part of on-going and future
LANL operations. These additional
project elements are the transportation
and storage of up to 150,000 cubic yards
(115,000 cubic meters) per year of
excavated soil and spoils from the
construction site, and the installation of
a new 115-kilovolt electric substation on
the existing power distribution loop in
TA–50. The 2004 CMRR–NF would
have been constructed at TA–55,
adjacent to the RLUOB. It is now
known, however, that the 2004 CMRR–
NF design would not be able to be
constructed to meet the nuclear facility
design standards required for NNSA to
safely conduct the full suite of AC and
MC mission work needed by NNSA and
DOE. Under the No Action Alternative,
the 2004 CMRR–NF would have been
constructed as a two-storied building
with one above ground level and one
below ground level, together with
connecting tunnels, material storage
vaults, utility structures and trenches,
security structures, parking area(s) and
a variety of other support areas (such as
material laydown areas, concrete batch
plant, and equipment storage and
parking areas). The building would have
comprised about 200,000 square feet
(18,600 square meters) of solid floor
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space, while the total amount of
laboratory workspace where missionrelated AC and MC operations would be
performed would have been about
22,500 square feet (2,100 square meters)
in size.
Modified CMRR–NF Alternative. The
Modified CMRR–NF would be
constructed at the same TA–55 location
adjacent to the RLUOB which is
identified for the No Action Alternative
and would enable NNSA to safely
conduct the full suite of AC and MC
mission work needed by NNSA and
DOE. The Modified CMRR–NF would be
constructed with additional structural
and reinforcing concrete and steel;
additional soil excavation, soil
stabilization, and foundation work
would also be necessary. The building
would comprise about 344,000 square
feet (31,000 square meters) of useable
floor space divided between four stories
and a partial roof level. The total
amount of laboratory workspace where
mission-related AC and MC operations
would be performed would be about
22,500 square feet (2,100 square meters)
in size. Additionally, a set of dedicated
fire suppression water storage tanks
would be located within the Modified
CMRR–NF building. This proposed
project would differ from the 2004
CMRR–NF in that it would include
facility modifications to address DOE
and NNSA nuclear facility design
standards including seismic safety,
nuclear safety basis requirements,
security needs, and sustainable design
principals and would also include
certain additional infrastructure
enhancements and construction support
activities.
The Modified CMRR–NF Alternative
includes two construction options, the
Deep Excavation Option and the
Shallow Excavation Option. The two
construction options consider
excavation depths that would allow
NNSA to construct the building either
below or above a layer of poorly welded
volcanic tuff (ash) present at the TA–55
site. The Modified CMRR Alternative is
NNSA’s preferred alternative; however,
NNSA has not identified a preferred
construction option at this time.
Continued Use of CMR Building
Alternative. Under this alternative,
NNSA would continue to carry out
laboratory operations in the existing
CMR Building at TA–3, with
radiological laboratory and
administrative support operations
moving into the newly constructed
RLUOB at TA–55. The continued
operation of the CMR Building over an
extended period of time would result in
continued reduction of laboratory space
as operations are further consolidated,
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or eliminated. It may also include
further reductions in operations that
could be identified as necessary over
time based on the limited ability of the
CMR Building to be safely operated and
maintained in a physically prudent
fashion. This alternative would not meet
NNSA’s need to carry out AC and MC
operations at a level that would support
the entire range of DOE and NNSA
mission needs.
Public Hearings and Invitation to
Comment. NNSA will hold three public
hearings on the Draft CMRR–NF SEIS as
described in this Notice under DATES.
Individuals who would like to present
comments orally at these hearings must
register upon arrival at the hearing.
Speaking time will be allotted by the
hearing moderator to each individual
wishing to speak so as to ensure that as
many people as possible have the
opportunity to speak. NNSA
representatives will be available during
the open house portion of these hearings
to discuss the Draft CMRR–NF SEIS and
the analyses in it. Following the plenary
session, the public will have an
opportunity to provide oral and written
comments.
Following the end of the public
comment period on the Draft CMRR–NF
SEIS described above, the NNSA will
consider and respond to the comments
received during the comment period on
the Draft CMRR–NF SEIS in the Final
CMRR–NF SEIS, and issue the Final
CMRR–NF SEIS. NNSA decision-makers
will consider the environmental impact
analysis presented in the Final CMRR–
NF SEIS, along with other information,
in making decisions related to CMRR–
NF.
Signed in Washington, DC, on April 21,
2011.
Thomas P. D’Agostino,
Administrator, National Nuclear Security
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011–10406 Filed 4–28–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
[FRL–9293–7]
Cross-Media Electronic Reporting:
Authorized Program Revision
Approval, State of Illinois
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice announces EPA’s
approval of the State of Illinois’ request
to revise its EPA-authorized program to
allow electronic reporting.
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 83 (Friday, April 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24018-24020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10406]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Notice of Availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement for the Nuclear Facility Portion of the Chemistry and
Metallurgy Research Building Replacement Project at Los Alamos National
Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, U.S. Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability and public hearings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announces
the availability of the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for the Nuclear Facility Portion of the Chemistry and
Metallurgy Research Building Replacement Project at Los Alamos National
Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico (Draft CMRR-NF SEIS) (DOE/EIS-0350-
S1), and the dates and locations for public hearings to receive
comments on the Draft CMRR-NF SEIS. The Draft CMRR-NF SEIS analyzes the
potential environmental impacts of alternatives for constructing and
operating the nuclear facility (NF) portion of the Chemistry and
Metallurgy Research Building Replacement (CMRR) Project. The CMRR
Project was first analyzed in the 2003 Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Building
Replacement Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
(the CMRR EIS) (DOE/EIS-0350), and NNSA issued a Record of Decision for
the CMRR Project in February 2004 (68 FR 6420) announcing its decision
to construct and operate a two building CMRR facility within Technical
Area-55 (TA-55) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in order to
meet its need to sustain mission-critical specialized nuclear chemistry
and metallurgy capabilities at LANL in a safe, secure and
environmentally sound manner. Since that time, NNSA has constructed one
of the two buildings for the CMRR Project (the Radiological Laboratory/
Utility/Office Building, also called the RLUOB), and has engaged in
project planning and design processes for the second building, the
CMRR-NF. The planning and design processes for the CMRR-NF have
identified the need for various changes to the original design for the
structure and additional project elements not envisioned in the 2003
NEPA analyses. These proposed changes, identified subsequent to the
ROD, are the subject of the CMRR-NF SEIS analyses.
The Draft CMRR-NF SEIS considers a No Action Alternative (the 2004
CMRR-NF), and two action alternatives (the Modified CMRR-NF
Alternative, and the Continued Use of CMR Building Alternative). Under
the No Action Alternative, NNSA analyzes construction and operation of
the CMRR-NF as it was originally envisioned in 2004, although it has
been determined that the structural design in this alternative would
not meet current nuclear facility design safety requirements. Thus,
this alternative no longer meets NNSA's purpose and need.
[[Page 24019]]
The Modified CMRR-NF Alternative incorporates currently identified
construction and operational requirements for the CMRR-NF, and meets
NNSA's purpose and need. The Continued Use of CMR Building Alternative
analyzes continued use of the CMR Building for as long as it may be
safe to do so, together with the RLUOB, although this alternative would
not fully meet NNSA's purpose and need. The Modified CMRR Alternative
is NNSA's preferred alternative.
DATES: NNSA invites stakeholders and members of the public to submit
comments on the Draft CMRR-NF SEIS during the public comment period,
which starts with the publication of the Environmental Protection
Agency's Notice of Availability in the Federal Register and extends for
45 days until June 13, 2011. NNSA will consider comments received after
this date to the extent practicable as it prepares the Final CMRR-NF
SEIS.
NNSA will hold three public hearings on the Draft CMRR-NF SEIS at
the following dates, times, and locations:
Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Holiday Inn
Express, 60 Entrada Drive, Los Alamos, NM.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Santa Claran
Hotel, 464 N. Riverside Drive, Espa[ntilde]ola, NM.
Thursday, May 26, 2011, at 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Santa Fe
Community College, Jemez Rooms, 6401 Richards Avenue, Santa Fe, NM.
The first half hour of each hearing will be conducted as an open
house-style session with subject matter experts available to discuss
the project and answer questions; the remainder of the hearing will be
devoted to receiving oral and written comments.
ADDRESSES: The Draft CMRR-NF SEIS and its reference material are
available for review on the NNSA NEPA Web site at: https://nnsa.energy.gov/nepa/cmrrseis. Copies of the Draft CMRR-NF SEIS are
also available for review at: the Los Alamos National Laboratory,
Oppenheimer Study Center, Building TA3-207, West Jemez Road, Los
Alamos, New Mexico; the Office of the Northern New Mexico Citizens
Advisory Board, 1660 Old Pecos Trail, Suite B, Santa Fe, New Mexico;
and the Zimmerman Library, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New
Mexico. The Draft CMRR-NF SEIS or its Summary may be obtained upon
request by leaving a message on the Los Alamos Site Office (LASO) CMRR-
NF SEIS Hotline at (toll free) 1-877-427-9439; or by writing to: U.S.
Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Los
Alamos Site Office, 3747 West Jemez Road, TA-3 Building 1410, Los
Alamos, New Mexico, 87544, Attn: Mr. John Tegtmeier, CMRR-NF SEIS
Document Manager; or by facsimile ((505) 667-5948); or by e-mail at:
NEPALASO@doeal.gov.
Questions or Comments concerning the Draft CMRR-NF SEIS can be
submitted to the NNSA Los Alamos Site Office at the same postal and
electronic addresses given above. Additionally, the LASO CMRR-NF SEIS
Hotline will have instructions on how to record comments. Please mark
all envelopes, faxes and e-mail: ``Draft CMRR-NF SEIS Comments''.
For general information about the DOE NEPA process, please contact:
Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
(GC-54), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585, (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://nepa.energy.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NNSA has prepared the Draft CMRR SEIS 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
regulations implementing NEPA (10 CFR 1021). These regulations require
the preparation of a supplement to an environmental impact statement
(EIS) when there are substantial changes to a proposal or when there or
significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental
concerns. An agency may also supplement an EIS to further the purposes
of NEPA.
Background. LANL is located in north-central New Mexico, 60 miles
north-northeast of Albuquerque, 25 miles northwest of Santa Fe, and 20
miles southwest of Espa[ntilde]ola in Los Alamos and Santa Fe Counties.
It is located between the Jemez Mountains to the west and the Sangre de
Cristo Mountains and Rio Grande to the east. LANL occupies an area of
about 40 square miles (104 square kilometers). It is a
multidisciplinary, multipurpose institution engaged in theoretical and
experimental research and development. LANL performs scientific
research and development, and production mission support activities
that are critical to the accomplishment of the NNSA's national security
objectives as reflected in previous NEPA decisions based on the
Stockpile Stewardship and Management Programmatic EIS (DOE/EIS-0236)
and the Complex Transformation Supplemental Programmatic EIS (SPEIS)
(DOE/EIS-0236-S4). LANL's role in NNSA mission objectives includes a
wide range of scientific and technological capabilities that support
nuclear materials handling, processing and fabrication; stockpile
management; materials and manufacturing technologies; nonproliferation
programs; research and development support for national defense and
homeland security programs; and DOE waste management activities.
The CMR facility, located in TA-3 at LANL, houses unique analytical
chemistry (AC) and material characterization (MC) support capabilities
needed to execute NNSA mission activities. However, CMR is nearly 60
years old. A 1998 seismic study identified two small parallel faults
beneath the northernmost portion of the CMR Building. The presence of
these faults has given rise to operational and safety concerns related
to the structural integrity of the building should a seismic event
affecting LANL take place. CMR Building operations and capabilities are
currently restricted in scope due to both safety and security
constraints; it cannot be operated to the full extent needed to meet
NNSA operational requirements. In the late 1990s, NNSA began to develop
plans to relocate the CMR Building capabilities elsewhere at LANL to
ensure its ability to provide AC and MC support for national security
and other NNSA missions. The CMRR EIS was prepared and issued in 2003,
followed by a ROD in 2004.
The RLUOB portion of the CMRR project has been completely planned
and constructed at TA-55 over the past 7 years. During this same time
period, project planning and design for the CMRR-NF has progressed. The
CMRR-NF planning process has identified several project requirements
that were not envisioned when the CMRR EIS was prepared and issued in
2003. Various facility modifications to address current DOE and NNSA
nuclear facility design requirements and sustainable design principals
have been identified by NNSA. Several ancillary and support project
requirements in addition to those previously analyzed in the CMRR EIS
have also been identified. The modifications to the proposed CMRR-NF
structural design would allow the building to be operated to the full
extent needed to meet NNSA objectives for the CMRR Facility.
NNSA conducted a public scoping process that began with the
publication
[[Page 24020]]
of a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on October 1, 2010,
in which NNSA announced its intention to prepare the CMRR-NF SEIS and
invited public comment on the scope of the NEPA analysis. The NOI also
announced the schedule for public scoping meetings that were held on
October 19, 2010, and on October 20, 2010, in White Rock and Pojoaque,
New Mexico, respectively. In addition to the public meetings, the
public was encouraged to provide comments via mail, e-mail, and fax.
All scoping comments received were considered by NNSA in preparing the
Draft CMRR SEIS.
Alternatives. The Draft CMRR-NF SEIS analyzes the following three
alternatives:
No Action Alternative. The No Action Alternative (also referred to
as the 2004 CMRR-NF) reflects the CMRR-NF as it was described and
analyzed in the 2003 CMRR EIS and selected in the 2004 ROD (69 FR 6967)
and the 2008 Complex Transformation SPEIS ROD (73 FR 77656).
This alternative also includes two additional project activities
that were not included in the 2003 CMRR EIS but were analyzed in the
2008 Final Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued
Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico
(the LANL SWEIS, DOE/EIS -0380), which analyzed the CMRR Facility as
part of on-going and future LANL operations. These additional project
elements are the transportation and storage of up to 150,000 cubic
yards (115,000 cubic meters) per year of excavated soil and spoils from
the construction site, and the installation of a new 115-kilovolt
electric substation on the existing power distribution loop in TA-50.
The 2004 CMRR-NF would have been constructed at TA-55, adjacent to the
RLUOB. It is now known, however, that the 2004 CMRR-NF design would not
be able to be constructed to meet the nuclear facility design standards
required for NNSA to safely conduct the full suite of AC and MC mission
work needed by NNSA and DOE. Under the No Action Alternative, the 2004
CMRR-NF would have been constructed as a two-storied building with one
above ground level and one below ground level, together with connecting
tunnels, material storage vaults, utility structures and trenches,
security structures, parking area(s) and a variety of other support
areas (such as material laydown areas, concrete batch plant, and
equipment storage and parking areas). The building would have comprised
about 200,000 square feet (18,600 square meters) of solid floor space,
while the total amount of laboratory workspace where mission-related AC
and MC operations would be performed would have been about 22,500
square feet (2,100 square meters) in size.
Modified CMRR-NF Alternative. The Modified CMRR-NF would be
constructed at the same TA-55 location adjacent to the RLUOB which is
identified for the No Action Alternative and would enable NNSA to
safely conduct the full suite of AC and MC mission work needed by NNSA
and DOE. The Modified CMRR-NF would be constructed with additional
structural and reinforcing concrete and steel; additional soil
excavation, soil stabilization, and foundation work would also be
necessary. The building would comprise about 344,000 square feet
(31,000 square meters) of useable floor space divided between four
stories and a partial roof level. The total amount of laboratory
workspace where mission-related AC and MC operations would be performed
would be about 22,500 square feet (2,100 square meters) in size.
Additionally, a set of dedicated fire suppression water storage tanks
would be located within the Modified CMRR-NF building. This proposed
project would differ from the 2004 CMRR-NF in that it would include
facility modifications to address DOE and NNSA nuclear facility design
standards including seismic safety, nuclear safety basis requirements,
security needs, and sustainable design principals and would also
include certain additional infrastructure enhancements and construction
support activities.
The Modified CMRR-NF Alternative includes two construction options,
the Deep Excavation Option and the Shallow Excavation Option. The two
construction options consider excavation depths that would allow NNSA
to construct the building either below or above a layer of poorly
welded volcanic tuff (ash) present at the TA-55 site. The Modified CMRR
Alternative is NNSA's preferred alternative; however, NNSA has not
identified a preferred construction option at this time.
Continued Use of CMR Building Alternative. Under this alternative,
NNSA would continue to carry out laboratory operations in the existing
CMR Building at TA-3, with radiological laboratory and administrative
support operations moving into the newly constructed RLUOB at TA-55.
The continued operation of the CMR Building over an extended period of
time would result in continued reduction of laboratory space as
operations are further consolidated, or eliminated. It may also include
further reductions in operations that could be identified as necessary
over time based on the limited ability of the CMR Building to be safely
operated and maintained in a physically prudent fashion. This
alternative would not meet NNSA's need to carry out AC and MC
operations at a level that would support the entire range of DOE and
NNSA mission needs.
Public Hearings and Invitation to Comment. NNSA will hold three
public hearings on the Draft CMRR-NF SEIS as described in this Notice
under DATES. Individuals who would like to present comments orally at
these hearings must register upon arrival at the hearing. Speaking time
will be allotted by the hearing moderator to each individual wishing to
speak so as to ensure that as many people as possible have the
opportunity to speak. NNSA representatives will be available during the
open house portion of these hearings to discuss the Draft CMRR-NF SEIS
and the analyses in it. Following the plenary session, the public will
have an opportunity to provide oral and written comments.
Following the end of the public comment period on the Draft CMRR-NF
SEIS described above, the NNSA will consider and respond to the
comments received during the comment period on the Draft CMRR-NF SEIS
in the Final CMRR-NF SEIS, and issue the Final CMRR-NF SEIS. NNSA
decision-makers will consider the environmental impact analysis
presented in the Final CMRR-NF SEIS, along with other information, in
making decisions related to CMRR-NF.
Signed in Washington, DC, on April 21, 2011.
Thomas P. D'Agostino,
Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-10406 Filed 4-28-11; 8:45 am]
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