A key environmental document and Record of Decision (ROD) issued Thursday by the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) clears the way for expanding operations for Sandia National Laboratories over the next 15 years.
The “expanded operations alternative” endorsed the NNSA’s final Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement and ROD should allow Sandia to build or upgrade its facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., according to an NNSA press release.
It would also allow Sandia to proceed with the Combined Radiation Environments for Survivability Testing (CREST) Complex. CREST would replace the Annular Core Research Reactor facility and other related structures.
“After fully considering public scoping comments, comments received from regulators, cooperating and collaborating entities, and the NNSA’ s mission needs and drivers, the NNSA has selected to implement the expanded operations alternative,” according to the ROD signed May 18 by NNSA Administrator Brandon Williams.
“This decision provides a reasonable and appropriate path forward for SNL/NM [Sandia National Laboratories-New Mexico] to continue operations, facility construction (i.e., upgrades, replacement, and/or new), DD&D [decontamination, decommissioning and demolition] facilities, and expand existing programs and capabilities to best meet statutory missions and responsibilities,” according to the decision.
Overall, the National Environmental Policy Act documents would allow Sandia to expand its programs in New Mexico to “respond to national security challenges and meet increasing requirements,” according to the NNSA release.
The final Environmental Impact Statement and related document would replace earlier ones from 2011. The public scoping and comment period for the current process began more than three years ago.
Key resources that support many NNSA and other DOE priorities are found only at Sandia’s New Mexico facilities. NNSA needs to continue Sandia’s operations to meet its core mission requirements, according to the environmental document.
Sandia also “oversees national security-related research, development, and testing programs, and conducts work for other entities, including other federal and state government agencies, industry, and academic institutions,” according to the document.
Sandia underwent a round of federal job cuts last summer.