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Title: Climate Change and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Adaptation Challenge

Abstract

The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has been adapting to climate change related impacts that have been occurring on decadal time scales. The region where LANL is located has been subject to a cascade of climate related impacts: drought, devastating wildfires, and historic flooding events. Instead of buckling under the pressure, LANL and the surrounding communities have integrated climate change mitigation strategies into their daily operations and long-term plans by increasing coordination and communication between the Federal, State, and local agencies in the region, identifying and aggressively managing forested areas in need of near-term attention, addressing flood control and retention issues, and more.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  3. U.S. Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1194301
Report Number(s):
PNNL-24097; LA-UR 14-27161
HU1002000
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
climate change; adaptation

Citation Formats

Fowler, Kimberly M., Hjeresen, Dennis, and Silverman, Josh. Climate Change and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Adaptation Challenge. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.2172/1194301.
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Fowler, Kimberly M., Hjeresen, Dennis, & Silverman, Josh. Climate Change and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Adaptation Challenge. United States. doi:10.2172/1194301.
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Fowler, Kimberly M., Hjeresen, Dennis, and Silverman, Josh. Sun . "Climate Change and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Adaptation Challenge". United States. doi:10.2172/1194301. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1194301.
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@article{osti_1194301,
title = {Climate Change and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Adaptation Challenge},
author = {Fowler, Kimberly M. and Hjeresen, Dennis and Silverman, Josh},
abstractNote = {The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has been adapting to climate change related impacts that have been occurring on decadal time scales. The region where LANL is located has been subject to a cascade of climate related impacts: drought, devastating wildfires, and historic flooding events. Instead of buckling under the pressure, LANL and the surrounding communities have integrated climate change mitigation strategies into their daily operations and long-term plans by increasing coordination and communication between the Federal, State, and local agencies in the region, identifying and aggressively managing forested areas in need of near-term attention, addressing flood control and retention issues, and more.},
doi = {10.2172/1194301},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}
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Technical Report:
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DOI:  10.2172/1194301
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  • Incidents involving release of nuclear materials stored in containers of convenience such as food pack cans, slip lid taped cans, paint cans, etc. has resulted in defense board concerns over the lack of prescriptive performance requirements for interim storage of nuclear materials. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has shared in these incidents and in response proactively moved into developing a performance based storage container design, the SAVY-4000. The SAVY-4000 is the first vented general use nuclear material container demonstrated to meet the requirements of DOE M 441.1-1, Nuclear Material Packaging Manual. The SAVY-4000 is an innovative and creative design demonstratedmore » by the fact that it can be opened and closed in a few seconds without torque wrenches or other tools; has a built-in, fire-rated filter that prevents the build-up of hydrogen gas, yet retains 99.97% of plutonium particulates, and prevents release of material even in a 12 foot drop. Finally, it has been tested to 500C for 2 hours, and will reduce the risk to the public in the event of an earthquake/fire scenario. This will allow major nuclear facilities to credit the container towards source term Material at Risk (MAR) reduction. The container was approved for nuclear material storage in theTA-55 Plutonium Facility on March 15, 2011, and the first order of 79 containers was received at LANL on March 21, 2011. The first four SAVY-4000 containers were packaged with plutonium on August 2, 2011. Key aspects ofthe SAVY-4000 vented storage container design will be discussed which include design qualification and testing, implementation plan development and status, risk ranking methodology for re-packaging, in use implementation with interface to LANMAS, surveillance strategy, the design life extension program as enhanced by surveillance activities and production status with the intent to extend well beyond the current five year design life.« less

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