Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Enhanced Plutonium Facility Utilization at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, 2678-2681 [2025-00451]
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recommendations on any EM program
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Tentative Agenda:
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• Public Comments
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Signed in Washington, DC, on January 7,
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Jennifer Hartzell,
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U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2025–00476 Filed 1–10–25; 8:45 am]
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National Nuclear Security
Administration
Notice of Intent To Prepare a
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for Enhanced Plutonium
Facility Utilization at Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory in
Livermore, California
National Nuclear Security
Administration, Department of Energy.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Written and oral comments
will be given equal weight and NNSA
will consider all comments received or
postmarked by the end of the comment
period in preparing the draft SEIS.
Comments received or postmarked after
the comment period will be considered
to the extent practicable. Written
comments on the scope of the SEIS or
requests for information related to the
SEIS should be sent to: Alan Chen,
NEPA Document Manager, National
Nuclear Security Administration,
Livermore Field Office, 7000 East
Avenue, L–293, Livermore, CA 94550–
9234 or email to: LLNLSEIS@
nnsa.doe.gov. Before including your
address, phone number, email address,
or other personally identifiable
information in your comment, please be
advised that your entire comment—
including your personally identifiable
information—may be made publicly
available. If you wish for NNSA to
withhold your name and/or other
personally identifiable information,
please state this prominently at the
beginning of your comment. You may
also submit comments anonymously.
Information related to the virtual
public scoping meeting, including
internet and telephone access details,
and instructions on how to participate
will be available at the following
website: https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/
nnsa-nepa-reading-room and
announced in local media outlets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information about this
Notice, please contact Alan Chen, NEPA
Document Manager, National Nuclear
Security Administration, Livermore
Field Office, 7000 East Avenue, L–293,
Livermore, CA 94550–9234; telephone:
833–778–0508; or email to: LLNLSEIS@
nnsa.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of intent.
The National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA), a
semi-autonomous agency within the
United States (U.S.) Department of
Energy (DOE), announces its intent to
prepare a Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (SEIS) for Enhanced
Plutonium Facility Utilization at
Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory (LLNL or Laboratory) in
Livermore, California (DOE/EIS–0547–
S1), tiered from the 2023 LLNL SiteWide Environmental Impact Statement
(SWEIS) (2023 LLNL SWEIS)(DOE/EIS–
0547). The Record of Decision (ROD) for
the 2023 LLNL SWEIS was published on
February 20, 2024. The ROD
implemented the Proposed Action
Alternative in the SWEIS and is the
baseline for this SEIS. NNSA will
prepare the SEIS and will analyze the
potential environmental impacts of
enhanced plutonium facility utilization,
other reasonable alternatives that may
be identified, and the baseline
operations as discussed in the 2023
LLNL SWEIS. The purpose of this
Notice is to invite public participation
in the SEIS process and to encourage
public involvement on the scope, any
environmental issues, and alternatives
that NNSA should consider in the draft
SEIS.
Background
NNSA invites other Federal
agencies, Native American Tribes, State
and local governments, industry, other
organizations, and members of the
public to review and submit comments
on the scope and alternatives of the
LLNL SEIS through February 12, 2025.
Comments received after this date will
be considered to the extent practicable.
NNSA will hold one virtual public
scoping meeting. The date of the
meeting will be provided in a future
notice posted on the following website:
https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsanepa-reading-room. NNSA will hold the
meeting no earlier than 15 days from the
posting of the notice. Public scoping
meeting dates and details will also be
announced in local media outlets.
The Nuclear Security Enterprise is
currently performing the highest
throughput of work in over 30 years,
which includes plutonium (Pu) research
and development (R&D). As the
weapons in the Nation’s nuclear
stockpile continue to age beyond their
original design lifetime, an increased
amount of experimental data developed
through Pu R&D is necessary to
continue NNSA’s science-based
stewardship of the nuclear weapons
stockpile. NNSA has a need for
additional R&D space or enhanced
utilization of existing R&D space due to
new and evolving international security
concerns. This enhanced utilization is
critical to NNSA’s Stockpile
Stewardship and Management Program
SUMMARY:
DATES:
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(SSMP), to preventing the spread and
use of nuclear weapons worldwide, and
to many other areas that may impact
national security and global stability.
The LLNL Plutonium Facility has
been in operation since the 1960s. Its
mission is to support the nuclear
weapons program through research in
the physical, metallurgical, and
chemical properties of Pu, including
aging, dismantlement, and disposition
in support of stockpile stewardship, as
well as fabrication, testing, and
assembly of plutonium device parts in
support of experimental activities. The
Pu Facility is part of the LLNL
Superblock, which includes several
supporting R&D facilities within the
770-acre laboratory site in Livermore,
California (Livermore Site). The
Livermore Site is situated about 50
miles east of San Francisco in
southeastern Alameda County.
Mission
The 21st century presents a growing
set of challenges that are the focus of the
Laboratory’s mission as an NNSA
national security laboratory. National
security policies require DOE, through
NNSA, to maintain the U.S. nuclear
weapons stockpile and the Nation’s core
competencies in nuclear weapons.
NNSA has the mission to maintain and
enhance the safety, security, and
effectiveness of the nuclear weapons
stockpile. The 2022 Nuclear Posture
Review stated that an effective,
responsive, and resilient nuclear
weapons infrastructure is essential to
the U.S. capacity to adapt to shifting
requirements, and to support the
sustainment of its nuclear forces to
protect the homeland, assure allies,
deter adversaries, and hedge against
adverse developments.
LLNL’s defining responsibility is
ensuring the safety, security, and
reliability of the Nation’s nuclear
deterrent. LLNL’s mission is broader
than stockpile stewardship and also
includes missions that respond to
national security and global security
concerns that range from nuclear
proliferation and terrorism to energy
shortages and climate change. The
Laboratory’s science and engineering
capabilities are applied to these
challenges. Programs at LLNL support
DOE; NNSA; the Department of Defense;
the Department of Homeland Security;
other Federal, State and local agencies;
private and academic sponsors; and
other scientific institutions.
The Strategic Deterrence Program
(previously the Weapons and Complex
Integration or WCI Program in the 2023
LLNL SWEIS) at LLNL works to ensure
that the Nation’s nuclear deterrent
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remains safe, secure, and reliable. The
program accomplishes this through the
SSMP—an ongoing effort to apply a
science-based fundamental
understanding of nuclear weapons
performance—from the development of
enhanced warhead surveillance tools
that detect the onset of problems to
manufacturing capabilities that produce
critical components and the use of highperformance computational capabilities.
Purpose and Need for Agency Action
As U.S. nuclear weapons continue to
age beyond their original design
lifetime, an increased amount of
experimental data developed through
Pu R&D is necessary to continue the
science-based stewardship of the
nuclear weapons stockpile. NNSA has a
need for additional R&D space due to
new and evolving international security
concerns. NNSA is constrained in Pu
R&D space, and the Pu Facility R&D
capabilities at LLNL could be better
optimized in support of mission areas
including designs of the nuclear
explosives package for Life Extension
Programs, Modification Programs, and
Alteration programs, as well as
certifications of weapons as they enter
the stockpile. There is a need to perform
enhanced utilization of Pu R&D
operations at the LLNL Plutonium
Facility from Security Category (CAT) III
operational levels to CAT II operations.
The LLNL Pu Facility was originally
built and operated as a Security CAT I
facility and is the only immediately
available facility with the capacity and
capability to conduct this required
Security CAT II work. Increasing Pu
R&D floorspace through construction of
a new Security CAT I or II facility could
take decades, while re-establishment of
Security CAT II operations at the LLNL
Plutonium Facility may take
approximately five years.
By the end of 2012, NNSA removed
excess Pu inventories as part of the DeInventory Project, resulting in the LLNL
Pu Facility operating at Security CAT III
operational levels as this appeared to be
an effective level of support for that
time. However, the limitations of
Security CAT III operations at LLNL are
now insufficient for NNSA’s Pu R&D
requirements. NNSA will be able to
fulfill its current and potential future
national security requirements in a
timely manner by enhancing the
utilization of the LLNL Pu Facility to
Security CAT II operational levels.
Requirements To Fulfill DOE NEPA
Compliance
The SEIS will be prepared pursuant to
the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C.
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4321 et seq.), the Council on
Environmental Quality’s NEPA
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through
1508), the DOE NEPA Implementing
Procedures (10 CFR part 1021), and
NNSA policy document NAP 451.1,
National Environmental Policy Act
Compliance Program. The DOE
regulations (10 CFR 1021.314,
Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statements) require preparation of a
supplement to an EIS if there are
substantial changes or significant new
circumstances and information relevant
to environmental concerns. The SEIS
will be prepared in the same manner as
a draft or final EIS and will provide the
public with an analysis of the potential
environmental impacts from reasonable
alternatives. The SEIS would utilize the
2023 LLNL SWEIS for baseline data for
ongoing Security CAT III operations.
The NEPA process allows for all
interested agencies (Federal, State, and
local), Native American Tribes, public
interest groups, local businesses, and
members of the general public to
participate in the environmental review
process. Although the scoping process is
optional for an SEIS per 10 CFR
1021.314(d), NNSA has decided to
include scoping to inform interested
members of the public.
Preliminary Alternatives
The NEPA public scoping process is
an opportunity for the public to assist
NNSA in determining a reasonable
range of alternatives and potential
environmental issues for analyses.
NNSA welcomes specific comments or
suggestions on the content of these
alternatives, or on other alternatives that
could be considered. A preliminary set
of alternatives and environmental issues
for evaluation in the SEIS are identified
below. Additionally, during the
development of the SEIS, NNSA may
consider other alternatives that are
reasonable and that fulfill the purpose
and need for agency action.
Proposed Action Alternative (Enhanced
Plutonium Facility Utilization)
The SEIS would continue ongoing
operations at the LLNL Superblock and
would add several new actions to
support the enhanced Pu facility
utilization. These include: (1) increasing
the amount of fissile materials for R&D
activities, (2) upgrading the security
categorization of the LLNL Pu Facility
from Security CAT III to Security CAT
II, (3) conducting infrastructure
construction activities, (4) increasing
materials shipments and waste
generation/shipments during
operations, and (5) adding operational
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and security personnel to support
Security CAT II operations.
No Action Alternative (Continuing
Present Operations)
The No Action Alternative would
continue current facility (CAT III)
operations at the Superblock as
described in the 2023 LLNL SWEIS.
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Other Potential Reasonable
Alternatives
NNSA welcomes input on alternatives
to be analyzed in the SEIS that the
public thinks are reasonable and that
fulfill the purpose and need for agency
action. Alternatives that NNSA will not
consider as reasonable are closure of the
Superblock and transfer of current
missions/operations from Superblock to
other NNSA sites, as those actions
would be inconsistent with the purpose
and need defined by NNSA. NNSA will
identify the environmentally preferrable
alternative from the list of alternatives
analyzed in the SEIS.
Preliminary Environmental Analysis
The following issues have been
identified for analysis in the SEIS. The
list is tentative and intended to facilitate
public comment on the scope of the
SEIS. It is not intended to be allinclusive, nor does it imply any
predetermination of potential impacts.
The NNSA specifically invites
suggestions for the addition or deletion
of items on this list.
1. Potential effects on the public and
workers from exposures to radiological
and hazardous materials during normal
operations, construction, reasonably
foreseeable accidents, and intentional
destructive acts.
2. Impacts on water resources,
including floodplains and wetlands.
3. Impacts on air quality, climate, and
greenhouse gases.
4. Impacts to plants and animals and
their habitat, including species which
are federally- or State-listed as
threatened or endangered, or of special
concern.
5. Impacts on soil.
6. Impacts to cultural resources such
as those that are historic and
paleontological.
7. Socioeconomic impacts to affected
communities.
8. Environmental justice, including
impacts to minority and low-income
populations.
9. Potential impacts on land use and
applicable plans and policies.
10. Impacts from traffic and
transportation of radiological and
hazardous materials and waste to and
from the LLNL Site.
11. Materials and waste management
activities.
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12. Impacts on visual aesthetics and
noise levels from the Superblock on the
surrounding communities and ambient
environment.
13. Impacts to community services,
including fire protection, police
protection, schools, and solid waste
disposal in landfills.
14. Impacts from use of utilities,
including water and electricity
consumption, fuel use, sewer
discharges, and resource conservation.
15. Impacts from site contamination,
characterization, and remediation.
16. Unavoidable adverse impacts due
to natural phenomena (e.g., floods,
earthquakes, etc.).
17. Environmental compliance and
inadvertent releases.
18. Short-term uses and long-term
productivity.
19. Irreversible and irretrievable
commitment of resources.
20. Cumulative effects of past,
present, and future operations.
21. Mitigation commitments.
SEIS Process
The SEIS scoping process is intended
to involve all interested agencies
(Federal, State, and local), Native
American Tribes, public interest groups,
local businesses, and members of the
general public. Interested parties are
invited to participate in the SEIS
process and to refine the preliminary
alternatives and environmental issues
that are reasonable. An SEIS scoping
meeting will be scheduled, and all
interested parties will be invited to
assist the NNSA in refining alternatives
and defining the scope of the SEIS
analyses.
Following the scoping process
announced in this Notice, and after
consideration of comments received
during scoping, NNSA will prepare a
Draft SEIS. NNSA will announce the
availability of the Draft SEIS in the
Federal Register and local media
outlets. NNSA will hold one or more
public hearings for the Draft SEIS. Any
comments received on the Draft SEIS
will be considered and addressed in the
Final SEIS. NNSA will then issue a ROD
no sooner than 30 days after publication
by the Environmental Protection Agency
of a Notice of Availability of the Final
SEIS.
Relationship to Existing and Other
NEPA Analyses
The following references provide
previous NEPA analyses; these are
related to Plutonium Facility operations:
• The ROD for the 2023 LLNL SWEIS
(DOE/EIS–0547; 89 FR 12831) for
continued operations of LLNL was
issued in February 2024. This was the
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conclusion of a process involving
detailed analysis, public involvement,
and document preparation. In
particular, the 2023 SWEIS analyzed
Superblock operations at Security CAT
III operations and Hazard Category 2
levels.
• In 2011, NNSA prepared a
Supplement Analysis (SA) (DOE/EIS–
0348–SA–03) to the 2005 LLNL SWEIS
(DOE/EIS–0348; DOE/EIS–0236–S3)
which stated the ongoing De-Inventory
Project would decrease the amount of
Special Nuclear Material (SNM) in longterm storage onsite and continue the
transfer of Security Category I/II SNM
from LLNL to receiver sites through the
end of 2012.
• In 2008, NNSA completed the
Complex Transformation Supplemental
Programmatic EIS (DOE/EIS–0236–S4)
which stated that NNSA would
continue on-going activities to transfer
Security CAT I/II SNM from LLNL
under the No Action Alternative and
phase out Security CAT I/II operations
at LLNL by the end of 2012.
• In 2007, NNSA completed a
Supplement Analysis and an amended
ROD (72 FR 51807) on the Storage and
Disposition of Weapons-Usable Fissile
Materials EIS (DOE/EIS–0229, DOE/
EIS–0229–SA–04), which analyzed
consolidating storage of surplus, non-pit
weapons usable plutonium from LLNL,
Los Alamos National Laboratory, and
Hanford to Savannah River Site.
• The 2005 LLNL SWEIS (DOE/EIS–
0348) and its corresponding ROD (70 FR
71491) analyzed the impacts of
continued operations at LLNL,
including Superblock operations at
Security CAT I levels (NNSA 2005).
• In 2024, NNSA completed an SA
(DOE/EIS–0426–SA–01) and an
amended ROD (89 FR 61104) on the
SWEIS for the Continued Operation of
the DOE/NNSA Nevada National
Security Site (NNSS) and Off-Site
Locations in the State of Nevada. NNSS
provides Pu target material shipments to
and from the LLNL Superblock for R&D
experiments.
EIS Preparation and Schedule
NNSA expects to issue the Draft SEIS
by the end of summer 2025.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of
Energy was signed on this 16th day of
December 2024, by Jill Hruby, Under
Secretary for Nuclear Security and
NNSA Administrator, pursuant to
delegated authority from the Secretary
of Energy. That document with the
original signature and date is
maintained by DOE. For administrative
purposes only, and in compliance with
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requirements of the Office of the Federal
Register, the undersigned DOE Federal
Register Liaison Officer has been
authorized to sign and submit the
document in electronic format for
publication, as an official document of
the Department of Energy. This
administrative process in no way alters
the legal effect of this document upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on January 7,
2025.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S.
Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2025–00451 Filed 1–10–25; 8:45 am]
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Filed Date: 1/6/25.
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Dated: January 6, 2025.
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Acting Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025–00447 Filed 1–10–25; 8:45 am]
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E:\FR\FM\13JAN1.SGM
13JAN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 7 (Monday, January 13, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2678-2681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00451]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement for Enhanced Plutonium Facility Utilization at Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California
AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-
autonomous agency within the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy
(DOE), announces its intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental
Impact Statement (SEIS) for Enhanced Plutonium Facility Utilization at
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL or Laboratory) in
Livermore, California (DOE/EIS-0547-S1), tiered from the 2023 LLNL
Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) (2023 LLNL SWEIS)(DOE/
EIS-0547). The Record of Decision (ROD) for the 2023 LLNL SWEIS was
published on February 20, 2024. The ROD implemented the Proposed Action
Alternative in the SWEIS and is the baseline for this SEIS. NNSA will
prepare the SEIS and will analyze the potential environmental impacts
of enhanced plutonium facility utilization, other reasonable
alternatives that may be identified, and the baseline operations as
discussed in the 2023 LLNL SWEIS. The purpose of this Notice is to
invite public participation in the SEIS process and to encourage public
involvement on the scope, any environmental issues, and alternatives
that NNSA should consider in the draft SEIS.
DATES: NNSA invites other Federal agencies, Native American Tribes,
State and local governments, industry, other organizations, and members
of the public to review and submit comments on the scope and
alternatives of the LLNL SEIS through February 12, 2025. Comments
received after this date will be considered to the extent practicable.
NNSA will hold one virtual public scoping meeting. The date of the
meeting will be provided in a future notice posted on the following
website: https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room. NNSA will
hold the meeting no earlier than 15 days from the posting of the
notice. Public scoping meeting dates and details will also be announced
in local media outlets.
ADDRESSES: Written and oral comments will be given equal weight and
NNSA will consider all comments received or postmarked by the end of
the comment period in preparing the draft SEIS. Comments received or
postmarked after the comment period will be considered to the extent
practicable. Written comments on the scope of the SEIS or requests for
information related to the SEIS should be sent to: Alan Chen, NEPA
Document Manager, National Nuclear Security Administration, Livermore
Field Office, 7000 East Avenue, L-293, Livermore, CA 94550-9234 or
email to: [email protected]. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in
your comment, please be advised that your entire comment--including
your personally identifiable information--may be made publicly
available. If you wish for NNSA to withhold your name and/or other
personally identifiable information, please state this prominently at
the beginning of your comment. You may also submit comments
anonymously.
Information related to the virtual public scoping meeting,
including internet and telephone access details, and instructions on
how to participate will be available at the following website: https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsa-nepa-reading-room and announced in local media
outlets.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about this
Notice, please contact Alan Chen, NEPA Document Manager, National
Nuclear Security Administration, Livermore Field Office, 7000 East
Avenue, L-293, Livermore, CA 94550-9234; telephone: 833-778-0508; or
email to: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Nuclear Security Enterprise is currently performing the highest
throughput of work in over 30 years, which includes plutonium (Pu)
research and development (R&D). As the weapons in the Nation's nuclear
stockpile continue to age beyond their original design lifetime, an
increased amount of experimental data developed through Pu R&D is
necessary to continue NNSA's science-based stewardship of the nuclear
weapons stockpile. NNSA has a need for additional R&D space or enhanced
utilization of existing R&D space due to new and evolving international
security concerns. This enhanced utilization is critical to NNSA's
Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program
[[Page 2679]]
(SSMP), to preventing the spread and use of nuclear weapons worldwide,
and to many other areas that may impact national security and global
stability.
The LLNL Plutonium Facility has been in operation since the 1960s.
Its mission is to support the nuclear weapons program through research
in the physical, metallurgical, and chemical properties of Pu,
including aging, dismantlement, and disposition in support of stockpile
stewardship, as well as fabrication, testing, and assembly of plutonium
device parts in support of experimental activities. The Pu Facility is
part of the LLNL Superblock, which includes several supporting R&D
facilities within the 770-acre laboratory site in Livermore, California
(Livermore Site). The Livermore Site is situated about 50 miles east of
San Francisco in southeastern Alameda County.
Mission
The 21st century presents a growing set of challenges that are the
focus of the Laboratory's mission as an NNSA national security
laboratory. National security policies require DOE, through NNSA, to
maintain the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile and the Nation's core
competencies in nuclear weapons. NNSA has the mission to maintain and
enhance the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nuclear weapons
stockpile. The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review stated that an effective,
responsive, and resilient nuclear weapons infrastructure is essential
to the U.S. capacity to adapt to shifting requirements, and to support
the sustainment of its nuclear forces to protect the homeland, assure
allies, deter adversaries, and hedge against adverse developments.
LLNL's defining responsibility is ensuring the safety, security,
and reliability of the Nation's nuclear deterrent. LLNL's mission is
broader than stockpile stewardship and also includes missions that
respond to national security and global security concerns that range
from nuclear proliferation and terrorism to energy shortages and
climate change. The Laboratory's science and engineering capabilities
are applied to these challenges. Programs at LLNL support DOE; NNSA;
the Department of Defense; the Department of Homeland Security; other
Federal, State and local agencies; private and academic sponsors; and
other scientific institutions.
The Strategic Deterrence Program (previously the Weapons and
Complex Integration or WCI Program in the 2023 LLNL SWEIS) at LLNL
works to ensure that the Nation's nuclear deterrent remains safe,
secure, and reliable. The program accomplishes this through the SSMP--
an ongoing effort to apply a science-based fundamental understanding of
nuclear weapons performance--from the development of enhanced warhead
surveillance tools that detect the onset of problems to manufacturing
capabilities that produce critical components and the use of high-
performance computational capabilities.
Purpose and Need for Agency Action
As U.S. nuclear weapons continue to age beyond their original
design lifetime, an increased amount of experimental data developed
through Pu R&D is necessary to continue the science-based stewardship
of the nuclear weapons stockpile. NNSA has a need for additional R&D
space due to new and evolving international security concerns. NNSA is
constrained in Pu R&D space, and the Pu Facility R&D capabilities at
LLNL could be better optimized in support of mission areas including
designs of the nuclear explosives package for Life Extension Programs,
Modification Programs, and Alteration programs, as well as
certifications of weapons as they enter the stockpile. There is a need
to perform enhanced utilization of Pu R&D operations at the LLNL
Plutonium Facility from Security Category (CAT) III operational levels
to CAT II operations.
The LLNL Pu Facility was originally built and operated as a
Security CAT I facility and is the only immediately available facility
with the capacity and capability to conduct this required Security CAT
II work. Increasing Pu R&D floorspace through construction of a new
Security CAT I or II facility could take decades, while re-
establishment of Security CAT II operations at the LLNL Plutonium
Facility may take approximately five years.
By the end of 2012, NNSA removed excess Pu inventories as part of
the De-Inventory Project, resulting in the LLNL Pu Facility operating
at Security CAT III operational levels as this appeared to be an
effective level of support for that time. However, the limitations of
Security CAT III operations at LLNL are now insufficient for NNSA's Pu
R&D requirements. NNSA will be able to fulfill its current and
potential future national security requirements in a timely manner by
enhancing the utilization of the LLNL Pu Facility to Security CAT II
operational levels.
Requirements To Fulfill DOE NEPA Compliance
The SEIS will be prepared pursuant to the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the
Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 1500
through 1508), the DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR part 1021),
and NNSA policy document NAP 451.1, National Environmental Policy Act
Compliance Program. The DOE regulations (10 CFR 1021.314, Supplemental
Environmental Impact Statements) require preparation of a supplement to
an EIS if there are substantial changes or significant new
circumstances and information relevant to environmental concerns. The
SEIS will be prepared in the same manner as a draft or final EIS and
will provide the public with an analysis of the potential environmental
impacts from reasonable alternatives. The SEIS would utilize the 2023
LLNL SWEIS for baseline data for ongoing Security CAT III operations.
The NEPA process allows for all interested agencies (Federal,
State, and local), Native American Tribes, public interest groups,
local businesses, and members of the general public to participate in
the environmental review process. Although the scoping process is
optional for an SEIS per 10 CFR 1021.314(d), NNSA has decided to
include scoping to inform interested members of the public.
Preliminary Alternatives
The NEPA public scoping process is an opportunity for the public to
assist NNSA in determining a reasonable range of alternatives and
potential environmental issues for analyses. NNSA welcomes specific
comments or suggestions on the content of these alternatives, or on
other alternatives that could be considered. A preliminary set of
alternatives and environmental issues for evaluation in the SEIS are
identified below. Additionally, during the development of the SEIS,
NNSA may consider other alternatives that are reasonable and that
fulfill the purpose and need for agency action.
Proposed Action Alternative (Enhanced Plutonium Facility Utilization)
The SEIS would continue ongoing operations at the LLNL Superblock
and would add several new actions to support the enhanced Pu facility
utilization. These include: (1) increasing the amount of fissile
materials for R&D activities, (2) upgrading the security categorization
of the LLNL Pu Facility from Security CAT III to Security CAT II, (3)
conducting infrastructure construction activities, (4) increasing
materials shipments and waste generation/shipments during operations,
and (5) adding operational
[[Page 2680]]
and security personnel to support Security CAT II operations.
No Action Alternative (Continuing Present Operations)
The No Action Alternative would continue current facility (CAT III)
operations at the Superblock as described in the 2023 LLNL SWEIS.
Other Potential Reasonable Alternatives
NNSA welcomes input on alternatives to be analyzed in the SEIS that
the public thinks are reasonable and that fulfill the purpose and need
for agency action. Alternatives that NNSA will not consider as
reasonable are closure of the Superblock and transfer of current
missions/operations from Superblock to other NNSA sites, as those
actions would be inconsistent with the purpose and need defined by
NNSA. NNSA will identify the environmentally preferrable alternative
from the list of alternatives analyzed in the SEIS.
Preliminary Environmental Analysis
The following issues have been identified for analysis in the SEIS.
The list is tentative and intended to facilitate public comment on the
scope of the SEIS. It is not intended to be all-inclusive, nor does it
imply any predetermination of potential impacts. The NNSA specifically
invites suggestions for the addition or deletion of items on this list.
1. Potential effects on the public and workers from exposures to
radiological and hazardous materials during normal operations,
construction, reasonably foreseeable accidents, and intentional
destructive acts.
2. Impacts on water resources, including floodplains and wetlands.
3. Impacts on air quality, climate, and greenhouse gases.
4. Impacts to plants and animals and their habitat, including
species which are federally- or State-listed as threatened or
endangered, or of special concern.
5. Impacts on soil.
6. Impacts to cultural resources such as those that are historic
and paleontological.
7. Socioeconomic impacts to affected communities.
8. Environmental justice, including impacts to minority and low-
income populations.
9. Potential impacts on land use and applicable plans and policies.
10. Impacts from traffic and transportation of radiological and
hazardous materials and waste to and from the LLNL Site.
11. Materials and waste management activities.
12. Impacts on visual aesthetics and noise levels from the
Superblock on the surrounding communities and ambient environment.
13. Impacts to community services, including fire protection,
police protection, schools, and solid waste disposal in landfills.
14. Impacts from use of utilities, including water and electricity
consumption, fuel use, sewer discharges, and resource conservation.
15. Impacts from site contamination, characterization, and
remediation.
16. Unavoidable adverse impacts due to natural phenomena (e.g.,
floods, earthquakes, etc.).
17. Environmental compliance and inadvertent releases.
18. Short-term uses and long-term productivity.
19. Irreversible and irretrievable commitment of resources.
20. Cumulative effects of past, present, and future operations.
21. Mitigation commitments.
SEIS Process
The SEIS scoping process is intended to involve all interested
agencies (Federal, State, and local), Native American Tribes, public
interest groups, local businesses, and members of the general public.
Interested parties are invited to participate in the SEIS process and
to refine the preliminary alternatives and environmental issues that
are reasonable. An SEIS scoping meeting will be scheduled, and all
interested parties will be invited to assist the NNSA in refining
alternatives and defining the scope of the SEIS analyses.
Following the scoping process announced in this Notice, and after
consideration of comments received during scoping, NNSA will prepare a
Draft SEIS. NNSA will announce the availability of the Draft SEIS in
the Federal Register and local media outlets. NNSA will hold one or
more public hearings for the Draft SEIS. Any comments received on the
Draft SEIS will be considered and addressed in the Final SEIS. NNSA
will then issue a ROD no sooner than 30 days after publication by the
Environmental Protection Agency of a Notice of Availability of the
Final SEIS.
Relationship to Existing and Other NEPA Analyses
The following references provide previous NEPA analyses; these are
related to Plutonium Facility operations:
The ROD for the 2023 LLNL SWEIS (DOE/EIS-0547; 89 FR
12831) for continued operations of LLNL was issued in February 2024.
This was the conclusion of a process involving detailed analysis,
public involvement, and document preparation. In particular, the 2023
SWEIS analyzed Superblock operations at Security CAT III operations and
Hazard Category 2 levels.
In 2011, NNSA prepared a Supplement Analysis (SA) (DOE/
EIS-0348-SA-03) to the 2005 LLNL SWEIS (DOE/EIS-0348; DOE/EIS-0236-S3)
which stated the ongoing De-Inventory Project would decrease the amount
of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) in long-term storage onsite and
continue the transfer of Security Category I/II SNM from LLNL to
receiver sites through the end of 2012.
In 2008, NNSA completed the Complex Transformation
Supplemental Programmatic EIS (DOE/EIS-0236-S4) which stated that NNSA
would continue on-going activities to transfer Security CAT I/II SNM
from LLNL under the No Action Alternative and phase out Security CAT I/
II operations at LLNL by the end of 2012.
In 2007, NNSA completed a Supplement Analysis and an
amended ROD (72 FR 51807) on the Storage and Disposition of Weapons-
Usable Fissile Materials EIS (DOE/EIS-0229, DOE/EIS-0229-SA-04), which
analyzed consolidating storage of surplus, non-pit weapons usable
plutonium from LLNL, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Hanford to
Savannah River Site.
The 2005 LLNL SWEIS (DOE/EIS-0348) and its corresponding
ROD (70 FR 71491) analyzed the impacts of continued operations at LLNL,
including Superblock operations at Security CAT I levels (NNSA 2005).
In 2024, NNSA completed an SA (DOE/EIS-0426-SA-01) and an
amended ROD (89 FR 61104) on the SWEIS for the Continued Operation of
the DOE/NNSA Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) and Off-Site
Locations in the State of Nevada. NNSS provides Pu target material
shipments to and from the LLNL Superblock for R&D experiments.
EIS Preparation and Schedule
NNSA expects to issue the Draft SEIS by the end of summer 2025.
Signing Authority
This document of the Department of Energy was signed on this 16th
day of December 2024, by Jill Hruby, Under Secretary for Nuclear
Security and NNSA Administrator, pursuant to delegated authority from
the Secretary of Energy. That document with the original signature and
date is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in
compliance with
[[Page 2681]]
requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE
Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit
the document in electronic format for publication, as an official
document of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no
way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the
Federal Register.
Signed in Washington, DC, on January 7, 2025.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2025-00451 Filed 1-10-25; 8:45 am]
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