NEW NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY:Draft Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Stockpile Stewardship and Management for a Modern Pit Facility (DOE/EIS-0236-S2)(June 6, 2003). The Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is responsible for the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, including production readiness to maintain that stockpile. Since 1989, the DOE has been without the capability to produce certified plutonium pits, which are an essential component of nuclear weapons. The NNSA, the Department of Defense, and Congress have highlighted the lack of long-term pit production capability as a national security issue requiring timely resolution. While a small interim capability is currently being established at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), classified analyses indicate that long-term support of the nuclear stockpile, which is a cornerstone of U.S. national security policy, will require a long-term pit production capability. Accordingly, the NNSA has prepared a Draft Supplement to the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Stockpile Stewardship and Management (SSM) for a Modern Pit Facility (MPF) [hereafter, that document will be referred to as the MPF Draft EIS], which is now available, in order to decide: (1) Whether to proceed with the MPF; and (2) if so, where to locate the MPF. This Notice of Availability also sets forth the dates, times, and locations for public meetings on the MPF Draft EIS.

OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS: NNSA is inviting comments related to the MPF Draft EIS. Comments should be submitted by August 5, 2003, and will assist the NNSA in finalizing the MPF Draft EIS. Comments submitted after August 5, 2003 will be considered to the extent practicable. Public meetings to discuss issues and receive comments on the MPF Draft EIS will be held in the vicinity of sites associated with the proposed action, as well as in Washington, DC. The public meetings will provide the public with an opportunity to present comments, ask questions, and discuss issues with NNSA officials regarding the MPF Draft EIS. The locations, dates, and times for these public meetings are as follows:

The NNSA will publish additional notices on the dates, times, and locations of the public meetings in local newspapers in advance of the scheduled meetings. Any necessary changes will be announced in the local media. General questions concerning the MPF Draft EIS, including requests for the document, can be asked by calling 1-800-832-0885, ext. 65484, or by writing to: Mr. Jay Rose, MPF EIS Document Manager, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy/NNSA, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585. Comments can be submitted at the address above; faxed to: 1-202-586-5324; electronic mail to: James.Rose@nnsa.doe.gov; or submitted via the World Wide web at: http://www.mpfeis.com. Please mark correspondence as "MPF Draft EIS Comments." For general information on the NNSA NEPA process, please contact: Mr. James J. Mangeno, NNSA NEPA Compliance Officer, NA-3.6, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy/NNSA, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585; or telephone 1-800-832-0885, ext. 68395. [For additional details, see the DOE Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, 68 FR 33487, June 4, 2003, and the EPA Notice of Availability in the Federal Register 68 FR 33934, June 6, 2003].