• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

4.18 IRREVERSIBLE AND IRRETRIEVABLE COMMITMENTS OF RESOURCES

This section describes the major irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources that can be identified at a site-specific level of analysis. A commitment of resources is irreversible when its primary or secondary impacts limit the future options for a resource. An irretrievable commitment refers to the use or consumption of a resource that is neither renewable nor recoverable for use by future generations.

This section discusses three major resource categories that are committed irreversibly or irretrievably under the Proposed Action: water, materials, and energy.

4.18.1 Water

There are no streams or rivers at or near Pantex Plant; all site water needs are met by groundwater. Regional demand on the Ogallala aquifer continues to exceed recharge. As such, a large portion of the water resources that support the plant represents expenditure of a nonrenewable resource. Taking the difference between the projected water usage and wastewater volumes for the 2,000 weapons scenario and those for FY 1995, this expenditure is estimated to be at least 300 million liters (80 million gallons).

4.18.2 Materials

The irreversible and irretrievable commitment of material resources during the entire life cycle and operation of Pantex Plant in support of assembly and disassembly facilities, high explosive manufacturing and processing facilities, plutonium storage, and operational support facilities includes construction materials (e.g., roofing materials), maintenance materials (e.g., paint), and operational support materials (e.g., chemicals). Consumption of these irretrievable materials is not expected to result in critical shortages.

4.18.3 Energy

The irretrievable commitment of resources during construction and operation of the facilities would include nonrenewable fuels to generate heat and power. Energy would be expended in the form of electricity and natural gas. The maximum consumption of electricity at Pantex Plant from continued operations at the 2,000 weapons level is estimated at 90,400 megawatt-hours per year. Corresponding natural gas consumption is estimated at 16.2 million cubic meters (573 million cubic feet) per year.