[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 169 (Friday, August 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55829-55831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-22184]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Office of Los Alamos Site Operations, National Nuclear Security 
Administration; Notice of Floodplain Involvement for the Proposed 
Access Control and Traffic Improvements at Los Alamos National 
Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM

AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, Office of Los Alamos 
Site Operations, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of floodplain involvement.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security 
Administration (NNSA), Office of Los Alamos Site Operations proposes to 
construct and operate access control and traffic improvement measures 
at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) that would include 
construction and demolition activities and soil disturbance. The 
proposed action would include the construction and operation of four 
access control stations within Technical Areas (TAs) 3, 36, 61 and 48; 
the closure of four streets leading into TA-3 from West Jemez Road; the 
construction and operation of two, short by-pass roads around the core 
portion of TA-3; and intersection improvements at two street 
intersections located within the core portion of TA-3. Some of the 
action would occur near canyons with floodplains and wetlands; however, 
canyons would be bridged over from either side of the canyons and few 
construction-related activities would take place within the floodplains 
along the canyon bottoms. Direct and indirect effects to floodplains 
and wetlands nearby would be minimal. In accordance with 10 CFR Part 
1022, DOE has prepared a floodplain/wetland assessment and will perform 
this proposed action in a manner so as to avoid or minimize potential 
harm to or within the affected floodplain.

DATES: Comments are due to the address below no later than September 
16, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to: Elizabeth Withers, 
Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Los 
Alamos Site Office, 528 35th Street, Los Alamos, NM 87544, or submit 
them to the Mail Room at the above address between the hours of 8 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Written comments may also be sent 
electronically to: [email protected] or by facsimile to (505) 667-
9998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lloyd Smith, Department of Energy, 
National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos Site Office, 528 
35th Street, Los Alamos, NM 87544. Telephone (505) 667-4325, facsimile 
(505) 667-9998.
    For Further Information on General DOE Floodplain Environmental 
Review Requirements, contact: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of 
NEPA Policy and Compliance, EH-42, Department of Energy, 100 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0119. Telephone (202) 
586-4600 or (800) 472-2756, facsimile (202) 586-7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NNSA is proposing to improve its capability 
to meet physical security requirements at LANL by establishing a 
permanent physical security framework at LANL. Additionally, NNSA also 
is proposing to improve its street intersections at two locations 
within LANL to facilitate traffic safety. To meet the needs of the 
daily DOE and NNSA imposed security conditions at LANL, NNSA is 
proposing to construct and operate four access control stations and 
support structures within Technical Areas (TAs) 3, 36, 61 and 48; to 
construct and operate two, short by-pass roads around the core portion 
of TA-3; and to close four streets leading into TA-3 from West Jemez 
Road to vehicle traffic. Additionally, NNSA would also make 
intersection improvements at two street intersections located within 
the core portion of TA-3; construct two additional new parking areas 
and two, short access roads to existing parking lots; and construct a 
new Radio Shop to replace the existing building, which would have to be 
demolished to facilitate the construction of the new roadway at the 
east side of TA-3. Various additional structure would need to be 
removed, relocated or demolished; these would mostly be non-permanent 
buildings, with the exception of the aforementioned Radio Shop and the 
high bay portion of Building 3-40, which would likely need to be 
demolished as well. Most of the activities would take place along the 
mesa tops and not within floodplains; no activities are planned to 
occur in wetlands. Best management practices would be installed to 
control erosion and storm water runoff. Bridges would be constructed to 
span over canyons and floodplains.
    In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain 
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR Part 1022), NNSA 
has prepared a floodplain/wetland assessment for this action, which is 
part of the NEPA EA. The EA (containing the floodplain/wetland 
assessment) is available by contacting Elizabeth Withers at the 
previously identified addresses, phone and facsimile numbers. The EA 
(containing the floodplain/wetland assessment) is also available for 
review at the DOE Reading Room at the Los Alamos Outreach Center, 1619 
Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM 87544; and the DOE Reading Room at the 
Zimmerman Library, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131. The 
NNSA will publish a floodplain statement of findings for this project 
in the Federal Register no sooner than September 16, 2002.

    Issued in Los Alamos, NM on August 23, 2002.
Ralph E. Erickson,
Director, U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security 
Administration, Los Alamos Site Office.
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[FR Doc. 02-22184 Filed 8-29-02; 8:45 am]
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