Members of N.M. Congressional Delegation Urge National Nuclear Security Administration to Extend Comment Period for Caja Del Rio Transmission Line

WASHINGTON –U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) wrote to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) requesting an extension for the comment period for the agency’s draft Environmental Assessment of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Electrical Power Capacity Upgrade project.As part of the project, NNSA is proposing a new power transmission line that will run through the Caja del Rio but is only seeking public comment for 30 days that commenced on December 19th, ending on January 17.

The comment period falls on numerous federal and religious holidays, and overlaps with multiple Pueblo feasts. This letter calls on NNSA to extend the comment period by 60 days to March 17, 2024, allowing all stakeholders the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the public comment process and fully evaluate NNSA's proposal.

“As members of the New Mexico congressional delegation, we have heard from numerous stakeholders in our state that the current 30-day comment period provides insufficient opportunity for NNSA to gather feedback on its proposal and consult with Pueblos who have cultural and spiritual ties to the Caja del Rio,” wrote the lawmakers. “All stakeholders deserve a chance to meaningfully engage in the Environmental Assessment process, but the current comment period falls on numerous federal and religious holidays and overlaps with multiple Pueblo feast days. In addition, the All Pueblo Council of Governors is in the midst of a leadership transition, and incoming Pueblo representatives should have an opportunity to comment on the proposal and engage directly with NNSA.”

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Administrator Hruby,

As members of the New Mexico congressional delegation, we write to request the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) extend the comment period for the agency’s draft Environmental Assessment of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Electrical Power Capacity Upgrade project. We have heard from numerous stakeholders in our state that the current 30-day comment period, ending on January 17, 2024, provides insufficient opportunity for NNSA to gather feedback on its proposal and consult with Pueblos who have cultural and spiritual ties to the Caja del Rio.

The draft Environmental Assessment analyzes upgrades to modernize LANL’s electrical infrastructure, including the construction of a proposed power transmission line that will run through the Caja del Rio. All stakeholders deserve a chance to meaningfully engage in the Environmental Assessment process, but the current comment period falls on numerous federal and religious holidays and overlaps with multiple Pueblo feast days. In addition, the All Pueblo Council of Governors is in the midst of a leadership transition, and incoming Pueblo representatives should have an opportunity to comment on the proposal and engage directly with NNSA.

NNSA is designated as the lead agency to conduct this Environmental Assessment. Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations provide broad authority when defining lead agency roles and responsibilities in the Environmental Assessment process, including the setting of Environmental Assessment timelines. It is therefore our determination that NNSA has sufficient authority to reset the comment period closing date and establish a timeline that allows for comprehensive consultation.

We appreciate your consideration of our request, and we urge you to act quickly to extend the deadline to March 17, 2024. This new deadline would provide all stakeholders, and especially the incoming Pueblo leaders, the opportunity to evaluate NNSA’s proposal and fully participate in the public comment process.