Supplement Analysis for Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory -- Modification of Management Methods for Transuranic Waste Characterization at Los Alamos National Laboratory

Technical Report · Tue Aug 13 00:00:00 EDT 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/833781· OSTI ID:833781

This Supplement Analysis (SA) has been prepared to determine if the Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operations of Los Alamos National Laboratory (SWEIS) (DOE/EIS-0238) adequately addresses the environmental effects of a waste management proposal for installing and operating modular units for the characterization of transuranic (TRU) waste1 at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Technical Area (TA)-54, Area G, or if the SWEIS needs to be supplemented. Council on Environmental Quality regulations at Title 40, Section 1502.9 (c) of the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 1502.9[c]) require federal agencies to prepare a supplement to an EIS when an agency makes substantial changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns or there are circumstances or information relevant to concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts. This SA is prepared in accordance with Section 10 CFR 1021.314(c) of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) regulations for NEPA implementation stating that ''When it is unclear whether or not an EIS supplement is required, DOE shall prepare a Supplement Analysis.'' This SA specifically compares key impact assessment parameters of the waste management program evaluated in the SWEIS with those of a proposal that would change the approach of a portion of this management program. It also provides an explanation of any differences between the proposed action and activities described in the previous SWEIS analysis. DOE proposes to expedite the shipment of legacy TRU waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The Cerro Grande Fire in 2000 and events of September 11, 2001, have focused attention on the potential risk to the public and the credible security hazard posed by the amount of plutonium stored above ground at LANL and the increased necessity to safeguard our nation's nuclear waste. The safest place for defense-generated TRU waste has been determined to be DOE's permitted repository for TRU waste 2100 feet underground at WIPP. The proposed accelerated plan to dispose of TRU waste at WIPP would result in the complete disposition of LANL legacy TRU waste by 2010; this accelerated disposition would be 20 years ahead of schedule, at a savings of $500 million in life-cycle costs and result in 3,000 fewer shipments to WIPP. However, the current individual small facilities at LANL lack the buildings, equipment, and trained personnel to conduct efficient characterization activities on an increased scale. Installing new modular structures and equipment close to the drum storage location at TA-54 in housings designed for a large inventory and high throughput would support DOE's expedited shipment program by increasing the repackaging rate, and it would also decrease on-site transportation vulnerabilities.

• Research Organization: USDOE Office of ES& H, Office of National Environmental Policy Act; Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of NEPA Policy and Assistance (EH-42) (US)
• OSTI ID: 833781
• Report Number(s): DOE/EIS-0238-SA-02; TRN: US0406788
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 13 Aug 2002
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE WASTES, AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
ALPHA-BEARING WASTES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
LIFE-CYCLE COST
MANAGEMENT
MODIFICATIONS
MODULAR STRUCTURES
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
US CEQ
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WIPP
MANAGEMENT METHODS
CONTINUED OPERATIONS
LANL
TRANSURANIC WASTE
NNSA
SITE-WIDE EIS