[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 139 (Monday, July 21, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43104-43108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18099]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

National Nuclear Security Administration


Los Alamos Site Office Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands 
Involvement for Two Monitoring Wells at Los Alamos National Laboratory, 
Los Alamos, NM

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

ACTION: Notice of floodplains and wetlands involvement.

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SUMMARY: The Los Alamos Site office of the National Nuclear Security 
Administration (NNSA), United States Department of Energy (DOE) plans 
to install and operate two groundwater monitoring wells within two 
separate canyon floodplain locations. Monitoring well CdV-16-1 (i) 
would be located within Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in Canyon 
del Valle (see Figure 1), and monitoring well R-2 would be located near 
the LANL boundary within the Incorporated County of Los Alamos in 
Pueblo Canyon (see Figure 2). The installation process for the wells 
will include the placement of small cement pads around the wells, along 
with a gravel-covered area, and road improvements, culverts and erosion 
control materials and mechanisms as needed. The wells would be operated 
and monitored periodically after installation was completed. 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 floodplains.

DATES: Comments are due to the address below no later than August 5, 
2003.

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.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Enz, Department of Energy, 
National Nuclear Security Administration, Los Alamos Site Office, 528 
35th Street, Los Alamos, NM 87544. Telephone (505) 667-7640, 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, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington DC 20585-0119. Telephone (202) 
586-4600 or (800) 472-2756, facsimile (202) 586-7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOE is installing a network of 
monitoring wells around and within LANL to characterize the 
hydrogeological setting of the Pajarito Plateau. These monitoring wells 
will be installed at varying depths and used to provide information on 
the groundwater aquifers present and to monitor various characteristics 
of the aquifers over time. The two subject monitoring wells would be 
installed in canyon-bottom settings chosen by the New Mexico 
Environment Department, which is the local regulator for water quality 
appointed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
    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 
available by contacting Elizabeth Withers at the previously identified 
addresses, phone and facsimile numbers. The floodplain/wetland 
assessment is available for review at the DOE Reading Room at the Los 
Alamos Outreach Center, 1619 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM 87854; 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 August 5, 2003.

    Issued in Los Alamos, NM on July 7, 2003.
E. Dennis Martinez,
Acting Manager, Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security 
Administration, Los Alamos Site Office.
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P

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[FR Doc. 03-18099 Filed 7-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-C