AIKEN, South Carolina – The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) has released for public comment the Draft Savannah River Site (SRS) Pit Production Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

The SRS Pit Production EIS evaluates the environmental impacts of producing 50 pits per year at SRS. NNSA proposes to repurpose the partially built Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility for this mission. Repurposing it for pit production would include installation of equipment, construction of additional infrastructure, expansion of the workforce, waste management operations, and transportation.

Pit production at SRS would allow NNSA to achieve production of no fewer than 80 pits per year no later than during 2030, as required by national policy and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.

To meet military requirements, NNSA is also planning to begin producing no fewer than 30 pits per year during 2026 at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). NNSA has prepared a Supplement Analysis to the 2008 LANL Site-Wide EIS to determine if a new or supplemental EIS is required to evaluate the proposed LANL production.

To allow the public an opportunity to comment on the Draft EIS, there will be a 45-day public comment period starting April 3 (and ending no earlier than May 18), beginning with publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The Draft EIS will be available for public review and comment on the NNSA NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) reading room website.

In light of recent public health concerns, NNSA will be hosting a telephone- and internet-based virtual public hearing in place of an in-person meeting. It is tentatively scheduled for April 30, but information will be updated on the NNSA NEPA reading room website . Written and oral comments will be given equal weight.

NNSA will consider all comments received or postmarked by the end of the comment period in preparing the Final EIS. Comments received or postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent practicable. Written comments on the Draft EIS or requests for information related to the EIS should be sent to:

U.S. mail:

Ms. Jennifer Nelson, NEPA Compliance Officer

National Nuclear Security Administration

Savannah River Field Office

P.O. Box A

Aiken, SC 29802

Email:

NEPA-SRS@srs.gov . Please use the subject line: Draft SRS Pit Production EIS Comment