[1st-mile-nm] More info. re: Fiber Line to Los Alamos ?

[Richard Lowenberg]

Additional information.

DOE: Notice Of Draft EA For Construction And Operation Of Second Fiber 
Optic Circuit Route To LANL

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on December 23, 2019
https://ladailypost.com/content/doe-notice-draft-ea-construction-and-operation-second-fiber-optic-circuit-route-lanl

DOE News:
This notice is to inform the public that the Department of Energy (DOE) 
National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Los Alamos Field 
Office has published for public review and comment the Draft 
Environmental Assessment for the Construction and Operation of a Second 
Fiber Optic Circuit Route to Los Alamos National Laboratory (EA).

The purpose of the EA is to provide sufficient evidence and analysis for 
determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement or to 
issue a Finding of No Significant Impact.

NNSA is providing stakeholders and the public with a 30-day opportunity 
to review and comment on the draft EA (closes Jan. 24, 2020) prior to 
issuance of the final EA and decision document. The draft EA is posted 
online at https://www.energy.gov/node/4357684 .

Printed copies of the Draft EA may be requested from the NNSA Los Alamos 
Field Office NEPA Compliance Officer at the address and email listed 
below. Comments on the draft EA may be provided to NNSA by U.S. mail or 
email at the following addresses:

Mail: NNSA Los Alamos Field OfficeATTN: NEPA Compliance Officer – Fiber 
Optic Draft EA Comments3747 West Jemez RoadLos Alamos, NM 87544
Email: NA-LA_NCO at NNSA.DOE.GOV ... Subject line: Fiber Optic Draft EA 
Comments

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On 2019-12-24 09:08, Richard Lowenberg wrote:
> LANL assessing environmental impacts of fiber optic line
> 
> By Scott Wyland
> swyland at sfnewmexican.com
> Dec 23, 2019
> 
> https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/lanl-assessing-environmental-impacts-of-fiber-optic-line/article_3d7b4710-25de-11ea-834f-ab67ee898740.html
> 
> A federal agency is assessing possible environmental impacts of a
> proposed 18-mile fiber-optic cable that would stretch from Santa Fe
> across national forest land, a canyon and up to Los Alamos National
> Laboratory.
> 
> The public has until Jan. 24 to weigh in on the National Nuclear
> Safety Administration’s draft environmental assessment for a second
> fiber-optic cable to back up the lab’s main line providing internet,
> data and voice services.
> 
> The lab’s telecommunications, which are vital to its nuclear mission
> and collaborative research, are dependent on a single fiber-optic line
> that’s susceptible to outages and other interruptions, according to an
> agency statement. The second line would provide the same level of
> service to the lab and Los Alamos County as the current line does.
> 
> This environmental assessment will be used to gather opinions,
> analysis and evidence to determine whether the agency should prepare
> an environmental impact statement or issue a finding of “no
> significant impact.”
> 
> CenturyLink would own the line. Its new cable and supporting
> infrastructure would be installed on tracts controlled by the Bureau
> of Land Management, Department of Energy, U.S. Forest Service, Santa
> Fe County and the White Rock community.
> 
> The underground portion of the cable would originate and tie into the
> existing fiber-optic infrastructure at the Marty Sanchez Links de
> Santa Fe golf course on the southwestern edge of Santa Fe, according
> to the draft assessment.
> 
> From there, it would run parallel to Caja del Rio Road, then continue
> alongside County Road 62 across BLM lands until reaching the Santa Fe
> National Forest. Then it would snake mostly within a forest roadbed
> and end at a vault near a power-line structure.
> 
> The cable would be strung up as an overhead line spanning White Rock
> Canyon to the lab’s property. Two steel single-pole structures would
> be installed on each side of the canyon to hold the line.
> 
> When it reaches Technical Area 71, it would be buried again and run
> alongside N.M. 4 until arriving at the fiber-optic facilities at
> Piedro Loop and Sherwood Boulevard in White Rock.
> 
> Steps would be taken to minimize impacts, including to soil, wildlife,
> vegetation or water, the assessment says. The project would be subject
> to state and federal anti-pollution rules.
> 
> Monopoles would be colored in such a way as to prevent reflective
> glare yet not be so camouflaged as to cause birds to fly into them,
> the proposal says. Crews would fix any construction-scarred landscape
> and return it to its original contours.
> 
> Construction work would create temporary impacts, such as noise, air
> pollution from trucks and equipment, and relatively minor traffic
> disruptions, the assessment said.
> 
> The underground portion would take 16 to 18 weeks to finish, and the
> aerial potion would require six to eight weeks to complete.
> 
> 
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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute     505-603-5200
Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504,
rl at 1st-mile.org     www.1st-mile.org
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