The Department of Energy (DOE) proposes the installation of a fiber optic cable at the Savannah River Site. A 15-day public comment period from April 27 to May 12, 2023.
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
April 28, 2023
minute read time
Savannah River Site (SRS) Floodplain and Wetland Assessment for the Installation of a Fiber Optic Cable from U.S. Forest Service - Savannah River Headquarters to the Advanced Tactical Training Area at SRS
The Department of Energy (DOE) proposes the installation of a fiber optic cable at the Savannah River Site from U.S. Forest Service – Savannah River headquarters to the Advanced Tactical Training Area. A bulldozer-mounted mole plow will be used to bury the fiber optic cable at least 48 inches below the ground surface. The installation route crosses Upper Three Runs (UTR) and Tinker Creek (TC); there are floodplains and wetlands associated with both streams. The proposed action will not result in a loss of floodplain function or storage volume. The installation will occur in the shoulder of existing road fill, avoiding impacts to UTR and TC wetlands. Directional boring will be used to install the fiber optic cable under UTR and TC, avoiding impacts to the streambeds. The no-action alternative fails to meet project objectives. The trenching machine alternative also avoids floodplain and wetland impacts but increases project costs by at least a factor of three.