NNSA NEWS

The Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Los Alamos Field Office completed its Draft Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Forest Health Improvement Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico.

The SEA evaluates and documents changes in the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) management of forest health and wildfire mitigation procedures since the publication of the 2000 Environmental Assessment for the Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Forest Health Improvement Program at Los Alamos National Laboratory.  It identifies changes to the affected environment since 2000; analyzing the potential effects associated with the implementation of new forest health strategies that emphasize LANL wildfire risk reduction practices; and assessing the potential natural resource management strategies that take into account evolving global climate changes in the northern New Mexico montane region.

The SEA analyzes two alternatives: (a) the Proposed Action which is to implement the 2019 Wildland Fire Mitigation and Forest Health Plan and (b) the No Action Alternative that is a continuation of the wildland fire program as it was identified and analyzed in the 2000 EA.

The purpose of the SEA is to provide sufficient evidence and analysis for determining whether NNSA should prepare a new environmental assessment or environmental impact statement or issue a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and proceed with the Proposed Action. NNSA is providing stakeholders and the public with a 14-day opportunity to review and comment on the draft SEA prior to issuance of the final SEA and decision document. The public review period begins today, April 29. The document is located online at https://www.energy.gov/nepa/ea-1329-s1-wildfire-hazard-reduction-and-forest-health-improvement-program-los-alamos-national.