AT LOS ALAMOS ...... STUDY GROUP FORMALLY DROPS CMRR-NF LAWSUIT

The Los Alamos Study Group, which sued the National Nuclear Security Administration in 2010 and 2011 to halt work on the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement- Nuclear Facility, has officially dropped its lawsuit now that the NNSA has dropped its plans for the multi-billion-dollar facility. In its lawsuits, the group argued that the NNSA hadn’t adequately performed an environmental review of the planned facility required by the National Environmental Policy Act, but the lawsuit has been dormant as the agency deferred work on the facility. “That particular NEPA litigation is not needed any more,” Study Group Director Greg Mello said in a March 21 statement. “We will decide on any future litigation depending on what is proposed next, if anything, and with what quality of environmental compliance. We believe NNSA has been on a learning curve with respect to its plutonium needs and facility plans, as well as its construction plans generally. We believe no new facilities are needed. We hope no further litigation is necessary.” The NNSA is currently pursuing a plan to meet its plutonium needs that would involve using more of existing lab facilities as well as construction of several modular facilities.