Tri-Valley CAREs would like to thank everyone in the community who submitted comments on the Livermore Lab Draft Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS).
The SWEIS process is intended to provide the public with analysis of the potential environmental impacts of ongoing operations, as well as proposed new or expanded operations over the coming decade. Further, a SWEIS analysis is supposed to look at reasonable alternatives, particularly ones that may be safer. The goal of a SWEIS is to not only inform the public, but to incorporate their comments in the planning process.
Livermore Lab is one of two locations that design all US nuclear weapons. Much of Livermore’s work occurs at the Lab’s Main Site. The Lab also operates Site 300, a high explosives testing range located between Livermore and Tracy, which also supports the nuclear weapons development mission.
Work at both these sites has resulted in toxic and radioactive releases to our air, land and water. Documents show that workers have been sickened.
As a result of this contamination, the US EPA listed both locations as “Superfund” cleanup sites. Remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater is expected to take generations to complete.
Preventing future contamination – and achieving cleanup of toxic and radioactive materials that have already leaked – is important to ensuring community health. We believe this should be the priority of the SWEIS planning process.
Following on the heels of the government’s announced end of the Draft SWEIS public comment period, three East Bay Members of Congress, Rep. Eric Swalwell, Rep. John Garamendi, and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, submitted a letter to the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). They requested that NNSA make every effort to provide additional opportunity for comment on the SWEIS, since the initial comment period was scheduled during the holiday season.
Consequently, Tri-Valley CAREs sent the SWEIS Document Manager a follow-up communication supporting the letter from Congress. Our letter suggested that the public hearing period be reopened for 30 days.
We have not heard back from NNSA. The public can check the government’s website for updates or check https://trivalleycares.org/ where we will publicize any reopening of the Draft SWEIS comment period.
Again, thank you to all who have participated so far in this important process.
