Nuclear Weapons Lab Asks Public Opinion on Next Decade Plans
Published Date: 1/10/2025
Notice
Summary
The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration is sharing a draft report about how the Los Alamos National Laboratory will operate for the next 15 years. They want everyone—local communities, Native American tribes, and the public—to check it out and share their thoughts by March 11, 2025. This plan could affect the environment and local life, so they’re holding public meetings and asking for feedback before finalizing it.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Modernized operations include large solar buildout
The Modernized Operations Alternative would add 139 new projects totaling over 3.4 million square feet between 2025 and 2038 and implement 27 projects affecting about 925 acres of the LANL site. Of those 925 acres, up to 795 acres are proposed for installation of up to 159 megawatts of solar photovoltaic arrays, and the alternative includes projects to reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions.
No‑Action includes pit production and chromium cleanup
Under the No‑Action Alternative, NNSA would implement 87 new projects totaling almost 1.5 million square feet between 2024 and 2038, implement 11 projects affecting about 216 acres, perform about 1.6 million square feet of decontamination/demolition, and examples of operational changes include increased plutonium pit production and remediation of a chromium plume in Mortandad Canyon.
Public comment period and hearings
You can review the Draft Site‑Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Los Alamos National Laboratory and submit written or verbal comments through March 11, 2025. Four public hearings are scheduled February 11–13, 2025 (two hearings include a virtual option); comments received or postmarked by March 11, 2025 will be considered when preparing the Final SWEIS.
Expanded operations add projects and land uses
The Expanded Operations Alternative would add 18 additional new projects totaling about 947,000 square feet between 2025 and 2038 and implement 4 additional projects affecting about 46 acres. This alternative also includes changes in operations such as revised wildland fire risk reduction treatments and management of feral cattle.
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