NNSA NEWS RELEASE

The Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration’s (DOE/NNSA) Los Alamos Field Office has issued a Floodplain Statement of Findings for proposed installation of three gates at the all-terrain vehicle/pedestrian walkway bridges and a permanent replacement gate at the main entrance to Los Alamos National Laboratory’s live firing range.  These four gates will be used to control vehicle access to individual firing ranges and add a visual aid to deter pedestrians from walking into individual firing ranges.

The three proposed gates at the all-terrain vehicle/pedestrian bridges will be approximately 10 feet in length and 4 feet in height made of steel tubing (e.g., agricultural/farm style gates). Each gate will be mounted on one side to an approximately 4-inch diameter, 5 foot tall metal pole set in a base of concrete.

DOE/NNSA has reevaluated the Proposed Action and found that there are no alternatives that would locate the Proposed Action outside a floodplain and identified mitigation measures that would avoid or minimize impacts to the floodplain.

DOE/NNSA did not receive any public comments during the 15-day Floodplain Assessment public review and comment period. Upon completion of the Proposed Action the floodplain will retain the same values and functions as present prior to the fence installation. The Statement of Findings can be accessed online at https://www.energy.gov/nepa/articles/los-alamos-national-laboratory-floodplain-statement-findings-technical-area-72-0