The National Nuclear Security Administration still has made no decisions about the two main construction options—deep or shallow excavation—for the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement-Nuclear Facility (CMRR-NF), according to a Nov. 18 letter to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. The shallow excavation option “will save money and result in lesser environmental impacts without undermining the ability of the facility to meet all of its geotechnical performance requirements,” according to the letter, signed by NNSA Defense Programs chief Don Cook. The two options are under consideration to help deal with seismic safety issues at the site. While the shallow option might appear preferable now, Cook’s letter says the agency wants to wait until more detailed engineering studies are completed before making a final call on the issue.
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