Feds outline expansion options for Los Alamos National Laboratory in new environmental statement

The National Nuclear Security Administration has released a draft environmental impact statement for Los Alamos National Laboratory, the first since 2008. The statement outlines three future plans: no action, modernization, and expansion, with a preference for expanding operations. The expansion plan would increase LANL's footprint by up to 31% and significantly raise energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions. It also includes controversial projects like increased plutonium pit production and wildfire mitigation efforts. Critics argue that even the no-action plan leads to growth, with a projected 4% increase in LANL's footprint. Concerns have been raised about the lab's aging infrastructure and the environmental impact of its operations.