2023-08459: National Nuclear Security Administration; Notice of Intent To Prepare a Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico

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 new Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) for the Continued Operation of Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico (SNL/NM SWEIS; DOE/EIS-0556). NNSA will prepare the SNL/NM SWEIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and DOE regulations implementing NEPA. The SNL/NM SWEIS will analyze the potential environmental impacts of the reasonable alternatives for continuing operations of SNL/NM for approximately the next 15 years. While SNL has operations outside of New Mexico, the SNL/ NM SWEIS is limited to activities at SNL/NM within the Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB) and the Albuquerque area. The purpose of this Notice is to encourage public participation in the SNL/NM SWEIS process and to invite comments on the scope of analysis, including the range of alternatives, associated actions, and environmental issues that should be considered in the SNL/NM SWEIS. Following completion of the SNL/NM SWEIS, NNSA will issue a Record of Decision (ROD) announcing any decisions associated with the SNL/NM SWEIS.

The agency’s own summary, as published.