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A Historic Context and Mitigation Documentation for a Portion of the U12n Tunnel Ventilation and Containment Systems, Area 12, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) has proposed repurposing the U12n Vent Hole #2 (SHPO Resource S2488) and the U12n.10 Vent Hole (S2489) for water sampling in the U12n Tunnel. The vent holes are part of the historic ventilation system for the tunnel and are contributing elements to the U12n Tunnel Historic District (D84). In consultation with the SHPO, NNSA/NFO determined the undertaking will have an adverse effect on the vent holes. The NNSA/NFO and the SHPO negotiated a memorandum of (MOA) with stipulations to mitigate adverse effects. This submission is to comply with the stipulations in the executed Memorandum of Agreement Between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office, Environmental Management Nevada Program Office, and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Repurposing of Portions of the Ventilation System of the U12n Tunnel Complex Located in Area 12 at the Nevada National Security Site. In accordance with the MOA, the manuscript provides a historic context that describes the development and functioning of the historic U12n Tunnel ventilation system for underground nuclear tests (Stipulation III.C). High resolution digital color images of the vent hole containment doors, nearby elements, and overviews were obtained and keyed to a map and a photo index (Stipulation III.A) (Appendix A). Lastly, Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) forms were completed for each of the vent holes and Historic District D84 (Stipulation III.B) (Appendix B). The documentation including the historic context report, photographs, image files, and resource forms produced to fulfill the terms of the MOA will be archived with the Nuclear Testing Archive in Las Vegas (Stipulation III.D).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

An Architectural Survey of the REECo Maintenance Compound, Area 6, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to install a 26.45-mile-long 138-kilovolt (kV) transmission line on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. This new transmission line will upgrade the electrical transmission system and provide reliable power between Mercury Switching Station in Area 23 and the U1a Facility in Area 1. The proposed upgrade to the power transmission system constitutes an undertaking subject to review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 United States Code [USC] § 306101) and its implementing regulations, 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 800. A portion of this new transmission line will cross the western perimeter of the Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECo) Maintenance Compound located in Area 6 of the NNSS. This compound with its trade shops, storage sheds, and yards served as a general construction facility that supported nuclear testing activities on the NNSS from 1967 to 1992. Although three architectural resources in the compound have previously been recorded and evaluated for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), other resources within it have not, nor has the compound been recorded and evaluated as a potential district. The State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) concurred with NNSA/NFO’s determination that the unevaluated REECo Maintenance Compound will be adversely affected by the proposed undertaking (Reed 2021). The NNSA/NFO, in consultation with the SHPO, then developed the Memorandum of Agreement DE-GM58-22NA25553 between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Installation of a 138-kilovolt Transmission Line from the Mercury Switching Station to the U1a Facility and the Removal of the Historic 138-kilovolt Transmission Line from the Mercury Switching Station to the U1a Facility in Areas 1, 3, 5, 6, and 23 of the Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, hereafter referred to as the MOA. This architectural survey report was prepared in accordance with MOA Stipulation III.B. It describes the origins, history, layout, and functions of the REECo Maintenance Compound during the Cold War and identifies contributing and noncontributing resources. The report defines a district boundary based on archival research and the field survey and concludes with an appendix that presents digital color images of the compound with descriptions and a map key showing image viewpoints and directions. Although none of the architectural resources are recommended individually eligible, the district evaluation concludes the REECo Maintenance Compound is eligible as a historic district for listing in the NRHP under the Secretary of the Interior’s Significance Criteria A and C at the local level. The historic district retains all seven aspects of integrity and conveys its significance under the abovementioned criteria.

138 kV↗

A Section 110 Evaluation of Three Sites Associated with the Grable Test, Area 5, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

This report presents the results of a Section 110 recordation of the 280mm Atomic Gun emplacement and command post (CP) (26NY16244), an associated Flash Observation Point that was used to refine the gun’s firing range (26NY16243), and troop trenches used for Exercise Desert Rock V (26NY16242). All three of these resources are directly associated with the Grable test, a specific test in the Upshot-Knothole series of aboveground nuclear detonations. The Grable test occurred at 8:30 a.m. on May 25, 1953, in Area 5 of the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS). Desert Research Institute (DRI) recommends 26NY16244 and 26NY16242 eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under a combination of the Secretary of the Interior’s Significance Criteria A and D at the national level of significance and related to the era of Nuclear Testing and the Cold War. All three of these resources are recommended as contributing elements to the Frenchman Flat Historic District (SHPO Resource No. D204).

280mm Atomic Gun↗

Finding of Adverse Effect and Mitigation Documentation for the Stormwater Drainage and Street Systems, Substation Foundations, and the Bus Parking Lot in Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) proposes to grade the block on the southeast corner of Mercury Highway and Ranger Avenue and demolish an adjacent street segment in the town of Mercury at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The purpose of this letter report is to submit documentation related to the finding of effect for the undertaking and mitigation of four resources on and adjacent to the block that will be affected by planned activities to modernize parking and infrastructure in central Mercury. Two of these resources are portions of the street system and the stormwater drainage system, which are elements of the town’s infrastructure. The foundations of an old electrical substation and the bus parking lot will also be replaced by new parking or landscaping. This submission is intended to comply with the stipulations in the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been designated the Mercury Historic District (SHPO Resource #D230), which is a property eligible to the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria A and C for its importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992. During the initial architectural survey (Reno et al. 2018), all four resources were identified as contributing to the eligibility of the district.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Finding of Effect and Mitigation Documentation for the Power and Communications System in Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) proposes to make multiple upgrades and additions to the power and communications (P&C) system related to modernization activities in the town of Mercury at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The purpose of this letter report is to submit documentation related to the finding of effect and mitigation for the undertaking of modifications to and mitigation of the P&C system in Mercury. This submission is intended to comply with the stipulations in the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been designated the Mercury Historic District (MHD; SHPO Resource #D230), which is a property eligible to the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria A and C for its importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992. During the initial architectural survey (Reno et al. 2018), the P&C system was identified as contributing to the eligibility of the district.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Section 110 Documentation of a Douglas AD-2 Skyraider Crash Site, Area 1, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Field Office has undertaken a Section 110 current condition assessment of the unanticipated discovery of an aviation crash site in Nye County, Nevada. Because no undertaking is planned, an area of potential effect (APE) was not defined. A study area of 0.55 acres was established to delineate the general extent of the debris scatter and establish a boundary for the cultural resource documentation of the site by Desert Research Institute (DRI). The Douglas AD-2 Skyraider drone crash site (26NY17011) is recommended eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) under Significance Criterion A, as a physical remnant of Project 5.1 “Atomic Weapons Effects on AD Type Aircraft in Flight,” one of the series of military effects studies conducted as part of Shot Simon during Operation Upshot-Knothole in 1953. Furthermore, the site is eligible under Criterion D because closer examination of the debris could address research questions concerning the Type 1 Remote Control Equipment developed by the Naval Air Experimental Station that was onboard to remotely pilot the aircraft.

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Finding of Effect, And Mitigation Documentation for Building 23-620, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to demolish Building 23-620 in the town of Mercury (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15283), which is on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada (see Figure 1). The purpose of the undertaking is related to the modernization of Mercury for future mission needs. The NNSA/NFO will implement this undertaking in accordance with the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. Building 23-620 was built in 1968 as office space for the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), who worked on the design and engineering of nuclear weapons. In the 1990s, it became a maintenance facility for Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Company (REECo), and eventually, it became the Real Estate Services building in 2004. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register, NRHP) as the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230) under Criteria A and C for its importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992. Building 23-620 was identified as a contributing element to the MHD in a 2018 architectural survey of the district (Reno et al.) and recorded on a Nevada Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) form (Reno et al. 2017). Building 23-620 was also identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category I contributing element, indicating that it might be individually eligible for the NRHP. It is a historic property for the purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA. Mitigation Report: The purpose of this letter report is to submit documentation related to the mitigation of the demolition of Building 23-620 (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15283) in the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230). This submission is intended to comply with the stipulations in the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA.

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Finding of No Adverse Effect for the Façade Alteration of Building 23-117, Administration Building, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to update the façade of Building 23-117 in the town of Mercury (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15256), which is on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The purpose of the undertaking is to incorporate Building 23-117 into the new Mercury campus in accordance with the master plan for the modernization of Mercury. The NNSA/NFO will implement this undertaking in accordance with the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. Building 23-117 was built in 1982 as the architect-engineer Administration Building1 for Holmes & Narver, a government contractor who helped design and engineer the town of Mercury and other areas on the NNSS from its inception until the termination of their contract in 1990. The building continued to be used by subsequent government contractors and is currently still in use by MSTS. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register, NRHP) as the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230) under Criteria A and C for its importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992. Building 23-117 was identified as a contributing element to the MHD in a 2018 architectural survey of the district (Reno et al.) and recorded on a Nevada Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) form (Reno et al. 2017). It is a historic property for the purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and is subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA. The NNSA/NFO requested that Desert Research Institute (DRI), cultural resource subject matter experts, analyze the effects of the proposed project on historic properties in the Area of Potential Effect (APE) and make a recommended finding for the undertaking in accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA and the Mercury PA. The purpose of this letter report is to submit documentation related to the mitigation of the façade alteration of Building 23-117 (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15256) in the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230). This submission is intended to comply with the stipulations in the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA.

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Finding Of Adverse Effect and Proposed Mitigation for the Removal of Joshua Trees at Building 23-210, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) recently removed two fallen Joshua trees that were part of an Accessory Resource (AR) to the former Department of Defense (DOD) Motor Pool Maintenance Compound in Mercury (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. C307) on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada (Figure 1). The Joshua trees were part of AR3, a landscaped feature at the entrance to the compound. There are two remaining Joshua trees at risk of falling which may require removal in the future. The NNSA/NFO is proactively consulting with the SHPO regarding the potential removal of the remaining two trees. The purpose of the undertaking is to ensure that dead or dying Joshua trees do not cause damage to the remaining landscape elements, nor injury to NNSS employees. The NNSA/NFO will implement this undertaking in accordance with the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. Building 23-210 was the DOD’s motor vehicle maintenance compound constructed in 1951. The compound included its own repair shop and fuel station. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register, NRHP) as the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230) under Criteria A and C for their importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992. The former DOD Motor Pool Compound was identified as a contributing element to the MHD in a 2018 architectural survey of the district (Reno et al. 2018) and recorded on a Nevada Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) form (Reno et al. 2017). The foundation for Building 23-210 was also identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category III contributing element with three contributing ARs. Category III properties are those that may include elements for which there are several representatives in the MHD, such as foundations, and those elements which possess characteristics that are not unique to the MHD and are commonly found in other non-NNSS facilities. The former DOD compound, which is identified by the foundation for the Building 23-210 and its ARs, is a historic property for the purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA.

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Finding of Adverse Effect and Proposed Mitigation for the Demolition of Building 23-530, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to demolish Building 23-530 in Mercury (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15270), which is on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The purpose of the undertaking is related to the modernization of Mercury for future mission needs. The NNSA/NFO will implement this undertaking in accordance with the Programmatic Agreement Between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. Building 23-530, a dormitory called Freedom Hall, was constructed in Mercury in 1982 and served as a support facility for nuclear testing for the last decade of the Cold War. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230) under Criteria A and C for their importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992 (Reed 2019). Building 23-530 was identified as a contributing element to the MHD in a 2018 architectural survey of the district (Reno et al. 2018) and recorded on a Nevada Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) form (Reno et al. 2017). Building 23-530 was also identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category II contributing element. Category II properties are those that have several representatives in the MHD but may possess different engineering or architectural characteristics that distinguish them from other classes of similar elements. Building 23-530 is a historic property for the purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA. The purpose of this letter report is to submit documentation related to the mitigation of the demolition of Building 23-530 (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15270) in the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The dormitory is considered contributing to the significance of the district both for its historic importance in relation to nuclear testing under Criterion A and as a part of the distinctive design and construction of the district under Criterion C. This submission is intended to comply with the stipulations in the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Report Series: Finding of Effect and Mitigation Documentation for Building 23-153, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

Finding of Effect: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to demolish Building 23-153, the Mechanical Calibration Laboratory (Calibration Lab), in Mercury (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15271), which is on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The purpose of the undertaking is related to the modernization of Mercury for future mission needs. The NNSA/NFO will implement this undertaking in accordance with the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. Building 23-153 was constructed in Mercury in 1982 as the Mechanical Calibration Laboratory and served as a support facility for nuclear testing throughout the last decade of the Cold War. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) as the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230) under Criteria A and C for their importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992. Building 23-153 was identified as a contributing element to the MHD in a 2018 architectural survey of the district (Reno et al. 2018) and recorded on a Nevada Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) form (Reno et al. 2017). Building 23-153 was also identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category II contributing element. Category II properties are those that have several representatives in the MHD but may possess different engineering or architectural characteristics that distinguish them from other classes of similar elements. Building 23-153 is a historic property for the purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA. Mitigation: The purpose of this letter report is to submit documentation related to the mitigation of the demolition of Building 23-153, the Mechanical Calibration Laboratory (Calibration Lab, Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15271), in the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The Calibration Lab is considered contributing to the significance of the district both for its historic importance in relation to nuclear testing under Criterion A and as a part of the distinctive design and construction of the district under Criterion C. This submission is intended to comply with the stipulations in the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Macroalgae farming including attaching seaweed to a line

An apparatus for attaching vegetative propagules to a longline that may include a clip portion having a curved area sized to receive a stem of a vegetative propagule and having an opening to the curved area smaller than the curved area to secure the vegetative propagule in the curved area; a tapered barrel that is inserted into a longline; and a rigid connection by a tower between the clip portion and the tapered barrel. Also disclosed is a macroalgae farm including the apparatus for attaching vegetative propagules to a longline.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

A section 110 evaluation of the huron king test chamber, area 3, nevada national security site, nye county, nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office tasked Desert Research Institute (DRI) with the identification and evaluation of the Huron King Test Chamber as part of their cultural resources program obligations under Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The Huron King nuclear test was a vertical line-of-sight weapons effects test that took place in Area 3 on June 24, 1980. Unique to this event was a specially designed aboveground test chamber that held a model defense communications satellite in a vacuum tank meant to replicate the space environment. Sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency, the purpose of the experiment was to understand the response of the satellite and its materials and equipment to an electromagnetic pulse and attendant radiation. Between July and August 2022, DRI conducted an archival review on the Huron King experiment and its associated test chamber. Subsequently, pedestrian fieldwork was undertaken at the Huron King Test Chamber by DRI on September 29, 2022. During fieldwork, the outside of the test chamber was documented using a Nevada State Historic Preservation Office Architectural Resource Assessment form. This effort included verifying the substructures that compose the test chamber as determined by the archival review, as well as obtaining a detailed photographic recordation of the exterior and assessing its current condition. Notably, the site where the Huron King test took place has been abandoned and almost entirely naturalized. All of the portable instrumentation trailers, communications and data cabling, and winch systems used to retract the test chamber following the detonation were removed after completion of the experiment in 1980. Only the subsidence crater and the test chamber remain as physical evidence of this experiment. Based on these findings, DRI recommends that the Huron King Test Chamber is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) at the local level under Significance Criteria A and C and that it meets Criteria Consideration G for properties less than 50 years old.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Report Series: Finding of Effect and Mitigation Documentation for Building 23-W10, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

Finding of Effect: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to demolish Building 23-W10 in Mercury (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15228), which is on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada (Figure 1). The purpose of the undertaking is related to the modernization of Mercury for future mission needs. The NNSA/NFO will implement this undertaking in accordance with the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA. Building 23-W10, a supply warehouse, was installed in Mercury in 1962 (NNSS GIS Database) and served as a support facility for nuclear testing throughout much of the Cold War. It was likely produced during World War II (WWII) and previously installed at Camp Desert Rock. The town of Mercury and the immediate surrounding area have been formally determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (National Register, NRHP) as the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource #D230) under Criteria A and C for their importance in supporting nuclear testing and scientific research from 1951 through 1992. Building 23-W10 was identified as a contributing element to the MHD in a 2018 architectural survey of the district (Reno et al. 2018) and recorded on a Nevada Architectural Resource Assessment (ARA) form (Reno et al. 2017). Building 23-W10 was also identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category II contributing element. Category II properties are those that have several representatives in the MHD, such as warehouses, but may possess different engineering or architectural characteristics that distinguish them from other classes of similar elements. Building 23-W10 is a historic property for the purposes of compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA. Mitigation: The purpose of this letter report is to support the mitigation of the demolition of Building 23-W10 (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15228) in the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource #D230) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The warehouse is considered contributing to the significance of the district both for its historic importance in relation to nuclear testing under Criterion A and as a part of the distinctive design and construction of the district under Criterion C. This submission is intended to comply with the stipulations in the Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer Regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada, hereafter referred to as the Mercury PA.

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Report Series: Evaluation, Finding Of Effect, And Mitigation Documentation For Building 23-109, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to demolish Building 23-109, the Mercury Fire Station/Maintenance/Housing Office (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15235) at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. The NNSA/NFO is implementing a long-term project to modernize the town of Mercury for future mission needs. The project is considered an undertaking subject to review under Title 54 of United States Code (USC) § 306108, commonly known as Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Title 54 USC § 300101, et seq., and its implementing regulations, Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR) Part 800. In 2018, Desert Research Institute (DRI) completed an architectural survey of the town of Mercury. This effort resulted in the identification, recordation, and evaluation of the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230), including the identification of its contributing elements (Reno et al. 2018). The MHD was recommended eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP, National Register) under the Secretary of the Interior’s (SOI) Significance Criteria A and C, as defined in 36 CFR Part 60.4, as a significant concentration of buildings and structures with a direct and important association with Cold War-era nuclear testing from 1951 through 1992. It has not been evaluated under Criteria B and D to date. As part of a larger modernization program for Mercury, the NNSA/NFO and the SHPO executed the 2018 Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada (Mercury PA). The Mercury PA includes streamlined Section 106 procedures for undertakings in the MHD based on contributing element categories. Building 23-109 is identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category I contributing element, indicating that it might be individually eligible for the NRHP. It is a historic property for the purposes of Section 106 compliance and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA. Per Stipulation VI of the Mercury PA, when the Area of Potential Effect (APE) for an undertaking includes Category I elements, the NNSA/NFO must evaluate the Category I elements for individual NRHP eligibility under all of the SOI Significance Criteria prior to initiating any activity that may affect the elements. The purpose of this report is to evaluate Building 23-109 as a potential individually eligible historic property in fulfillment of Stipulation VI of the Mercury PA. The evaluation detailed herein concludes that Building 23-109 is not individually eligible for listing in the NRHP. Although it retains some aspects of integrity and continues to contribute to the MHD, it is not individually significant under any of the SOI Significance Criteria.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Report Series: Evaluation, Finding Of Effect, And Mitigation Documentation For Building 23-113, Mercury, Area 23, Nevada National Security Site, Nye County, Nevada

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office (NNSA/NFO) plans to demolish Building 23-113 in Mercury (Nevada State Historic Preservation Office [SHPO] Resource No. B15236), which is on the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) in Nye County, Nevada. Demolition of Building 23-113 is part of the long-term project to modernize the town of Mercury on the NNSS for future mission needs. The project is considered an undertaking subject to review under Title 54 of United States Code (USC) § 306108, commonly known as Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Title 54 USC § 300101, et seq., and its implementing regulations, Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR) Part 800. In 2018, Desert Research Institute (DRI) completed an architectural survey of the town of Mercury. This effort resulted in the identification, recordation, and evaluation of the Mercury Historic District (MHD, SHPO Resource No. D230), including the identification of its contributing elements (Reno et al. 2018). The MHD was recommended eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP, National Register) under the Secretary of the Interior’s (SOI) Significance Criteria A and C, as defined in 36 CFR Part 60.4, as a significant concentration of buildings and structures with a direct and important association with Cold War-era nuclear testing from 1951 through 1992. It has not been evaluated under Criteria B and D to date. As part of a larger modernization program for Mercury, the NNSA/NFO and the SHPO executed the 2018 Programmatic Agreement between the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Field Office and the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer regarding Modernization and Operational Maintenance of the Nevada National Security Site, at Mercury in Nye County, Nevada (the Mercury PA). The Mercury PA includes streamlined Section 106 procedures for undertakings in the MHD based on contributing element categories. Building 23-113 is identified in Appendix C of the Mercury PA as a Category I contributing element, indicating that it might be individually eligible for the NRHP. It is a historic property for the purposes of Section 106 compliance and subject to the stipulations of the Mercury PA. Per Stipulation VI of the Mercury PA, when the Area of Potential Effect (APE) for an undertaking includes Category I elements, the NNSA/NFO must evaluate the Category I elements for individual NRHP eligibility under all of the SOI Significance Criteria prior to initiating any activity that may affect the elements. Therefore, the purpose of this report is to evaluate Building 23-113 as a potential individually eligible historic property in fulfillment of Stipulation VI of the Mercury PA. The evaluation detailed herein concludes that although Building 23-113 is significant at the local level for its important role as a recreational facility on the NNSS, the building lacks sufficient integrity to convey its significance. It is not individually eligible for listing in the NRHP at any level. The building remains eligible as a contributing element to the MHD.

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