

CCNS UpdateMay 25, 2023

G7 Summit in Hiroshima Fails to Contribute Meaningfully to Nuclear Disarmament
In response to the lack of concrete progress on nuclear disarmament by the G7
leaders in Hiroshima last week, Ivana Nikolić Hughes, Ph.D., and President of the
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, wrote the following op-ed in Common Dreams. We
provide excerpts:

Four Archbishops Urge G7 Leaders to Undertake Concrete Steps Toward Nuclear Disarmament
On May 15 th , four Archbishops, including Archbishop John C. Wester of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, sent a letter to the Group of Seven leaders gathering for
a three-day summit in Hiroshima, Japan to urge the leaders to take concrete steps toward nuclear disarmament.

WQCC Denies CCNS and HOPE Standing to Challenge DP-1132
The New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission not only denied Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE) and CCNS standing to challenge the groundwater
discharge permit DP-1132, but also denied the public any opportunity to provide comment during
Tuesday’s hearing.

What’s at Stake at Tuesday’s WQCC Hearing on HOPE and CCNS Standing?
The health of the Rio Grande watershed in the area of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is at stake. The protection of the 3,000 square mile sole source
drinking water aquifer is at stake. LANL has contaminated it with hexavalent chromium and the plume is migrating towards the Pueblo de San Ildefonso, the Rio
Grande, and the Buckman wells and diversion facility. Every drop of water is precious and must be free from contamination. Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE)
and CCNS work to ensure that every drop is protected.

May 9 th New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission Hearing about CCNS and HOPE Standing
Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE) and CCNS will be before the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission on Tuesday, May 9 th at the New Mexico
State Capitol to argue that they have standing to challenge the groundwater discharge permit, DP-1132, for the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The Hearing Officer, who reports to the Commission, recommended to the Commission that the non-governmental
organizations do not have standing.

Seismic Analyses Needed for LANL’s Two New Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facilities
There has not been an adequate examination of the seismic vulnerabilities and increasing risk of seismic activity in the area of Valles Caldera, with Los Alamos
National Laboratory on the eastern slope.

DOE Tries to Hire Away Another New Mexico WQCC Decision Maker
It was revealed at the Tuesday, April 11 th monthly meeting of the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission that the Department of Energy (DOE) had
approached Kelsey Rader, an at-large member of the Commission, on Good Friday about a job with DOE. If Commissioner Rader took a position with DOE, she
would be the third official who was hired away by DOE during the Commission’s review of DOE’s
New Mexico Environment Department ground water discharge permit.

NMED’s Permit Allows LANL Loopholes for Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility
It’s time to break the silence about the permitting of the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Since 1963, the Facility
has handled, treated and stored radioactive and hazardous liquid waste generated at the Plutonium Facility, where the triggers, or plutonium pits, for nuclear
weapons are fabricated.

NNSA and DOE Officials Will Be in Santa Fe on Tuesday, April 4 th to Answer Your Questions
The National Nuclear Security Administrator Jill Hruby and Senior Advisor to the Department of Energy Office of Environment Management Ike White will be in
Santa Fe next week for a public town hall. It is essential that they hear from you!

Santa Fe County Commission Chair Anna Hansen to Moderate Public Q&A with NNSA and DOE Officials on Tuesday, April 4 th in Santa Fe
For nearly three years, the public has requested a town hall type of event in which officials from the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA) would answer questions about the plans to expand operations at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

Get Your Surplus Plutonium Draft EIS Comments Into DOE ASAP
As if there is not enough going on, it’s time to get your personalized comments into the Department of Energy (DOE). It has published its unsupported draft
environmental impact statement about DOE’s proposal for handling more than 48 metric tons of surplus plutonium – and maybe more – for decades to come.

DOE Must Withdraw the Unsupported Surplus Plutonium Draft EIS
A review of the Department of Energy (DOE) National Environmental Policy Act website shows that it is behind schedule in providing the public with up-to-date
site-wide environmental impact statements, or SWEISs, for the four main sites involved in DOE’s
proposed surplus plutonium plans.

Public Comments Needed about DOE’s Surplus Plutonium Plans
What would you do with more than 30 metric tons of “surplus” plutonium in the form of triggers for nuclear weapons? The Department of Energy (DOE) has been working to find a solution for at least 30 years.

CCNS and HOPE Petition for Mandamus from New Mexico Supreme Court
CCNS and Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE) filed a Verified Petition for An Original Writ of Mandamus with the New Mexico Supreme Court about the improper regulation by the Water Quality Control Commission of the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

On Ninth Anniversary of WIPP Explosion, Neighborhoods Along Transportation Routes Offer Roses to Governor Lujan Grisham
On February 14 th , 2014, radioactive waste exploded at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant underground disposal site. To raise public awareness of the
Valentine’s Day anniversary and the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) expansion plans, individuals and organizations held a press conference at the New Mexico
State Capitol.

On Ninth Anniversary of WIPP Explosion, Join Us at New Mexico’s Capitol on Tuesday, February 14th at 1:15 pm
On February 14 th , 2014, one or more drums of radioactive and hazardous waste exploded in the deep underground disposal site of the Waste Isolation
Pilot Plant (WIPP). To raise public awareness, non-government organizations are joining together on Tuesday, February 14 th at 1:15 in the Rotunda at the New
Mexico State Capitol for a press conference.

CCNS Urges Santa Fe City Council to Use Its Emergency Powers to Install Tent Over Eberline Facility on Airport Road
On Wednesday night, the Santa Fe City Council heard from dozens of people, both in person and virtually, about the proposed rezoning of 22 acres of
open space on South Meadows to housing. Dave Englert, a retired New Mexico Environment Department geologist, and Joni Arends, CCNS Executive Director,
urged the City Council to prioritize cleanup of the Eberline site that borders the 22 acres to the south. Arends asked the Council to use its emergency powers to
install a tent with HEPA filtration over the building now.

Santa Fe City Council Must Consider Impacts of Eberline Operations on the South Meadows Open Space.
The Santa Fe City Council will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, February 1 st at 7 pm to consider the proposed rezoning of the 22 acres of open
space on South Meadows. CCNS urges you to contact your city councilors and encourage them to vote no on the rezoning proposal. There are too many
unanswered questions about possible contamination of the open space remaining from decades of operations of the industrial Eberline / ThermoFisher
radiation detection manufacturing facility to the south.

It’s Time to Speak Out at DOE’s Surplus Plutonium Hearings in Carlsbad and Los Alamos
On Tuesday, January 24 th and Thursday, January 26 th , the Department of Energy will hold in-person public hearings in Carlsbad and Los Alamos,
respectively, about their plans to handle, treat and dispose of surplus plutonium in New Mexico.

DOE’s Dramatic Plan to Move Tons of Surplus Plutonium for Processing at LANL and Disposal at WIPP
Two in-person public hearings in New Mexico and one virtual public hearing will be held about the Department of Energy’s plan to ship more than 30
tons of surplus radioactive plutonium for processing at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

CCNS and HOPE Return to Water Quality Control Commission for Justice in the Discharge Permit DP-1132 Matter
On Tuesday, January 10 th , CCNS and Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE) will return to the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission to ask it
to vacate the decisions in which former Commission Chair Stephanie Stringer was involved. CCNS and HOPE have appealed the issuance of the groundwater
discharge permit, DP-1132, for the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to the Commission.

EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board Remands LANL’s Outfall 051 Permit Back to Region 6 for More Public Input and Action
In May 2022, CCNS, Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE), and Veterans
for Peace appealed the federal Clean Water Act discharge permit for Outfall 051,
which is connected to the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at Los
Alamos National Laboratory, to the EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board (EAB).
On December 28 th , the three-judge panel in Washington, DC ruled unanimously
to remand the federal permit, or send it back, to EPA’s Region 6 office in Dallas.

Please Support CCNS and HOPE Request for Sanctions in the LANL DP-1132 Appeal before the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission
CCNS and Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE) request your support of our request for sanctions in the appeal of the groundwater discharge permit DP-
1132, issued to Los Alamos National Laboratory for operation of the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility. The appeal is before the New Mexico Water
Quality Control Commission, which has the authority to order sanctions. We seek sanctions requiring the Permittees, the Department of Energy / National
Nuclear Security Administration, to pay our expenses caused by DOE/NNSA’s unethical behavior.

NMED Releases WIPP Fact Sheet; draft Hazardous Waste Permit to be Released Tuesday, December 20th
On Thursday, December 8th, the New Mexico Environment Department released its fact sheet for the draft Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Hazardous
Waste Permit. The draft fact sheet is a way to let New Mexicans and the Department of Energy (DOE) know about the Environment Department plans for
the ten-year renewal of the permit.

Diplomacy is the Path to Peace” Events for the Week of December 19 th
Under the banner of “Diplomacy is the Path to Peace,” diverse organizations are holding nationwide activities the week of December 19 th to end
the war in Ukraine, not life on Earth.

What is the Los Alamos Seismic Network and Why Is It Not Working Properly?
The Earth has been rocking and rolling with large earthquake and volcanic activity lately. It makes us wonder how seismic activity along the north – south
running Pajarito Fault System and the massive Valles Caldera is being monitored and where the data is posted for easy public access.

Please Support CCNS on Giving Tuesday
For over 34 years, CCNS has been a leader for nuclear safety. We began in 1988 to address community concerns about the proposed transportation of
plutonium contaminated hazardous waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory, or LANL, to the proposed Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP, for disposal in
the deep geologic repository. At that time, the proposal was to ship the waste through Santa Fe on Saint Francis Drive, near traditional neighborhoods, seven
schools and the hospital.

A Clear Case of Disqualification of NMED Deputy Cabinet Secretary Stephanie Stringer
This week the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) provided evidence to CCNS and Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE) that Stephanie
Stringer, a New Mexico Environment Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Chair of the New Mexico Water Quality Commission, made adjudicatory decisions against
the non-governmental organizations while she was applying for NNSA employment. This is the second time NNSA has hired an adjudicatory decision-maker
during an ongoing proceeding addressing the groundwater discharge permit, DP-1132, for the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at Los Alamos
National Laboratory.

What Does LANL Ship to WIPP—Legacy or Newly-Generated Transuranic Waste?
On Wednesday, November 16 th , during the first virtual and in-person public hearing session, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board will hear from three
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) officials about the stored and buried transuranic waste at the Area G dump. The Board wants to understand LANL’s
plans to “remove legacy transuranic waste while minimizing the amount of aboveground transuranic waste.” Let’s break down that description.

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board to Hold Public Hearing at Santa Fe Convention Center on November 16th
On Wednesday, November 16th, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) will hold a virtual and in-person public hearing at the Santa Fe
Community Convention Center from noon to 9:45 pm Mountain Time. The DNFSB’s goal is to gather information regarding legacy cleanup activities,
nuclear safety, and increased production of plutonium pits, or triggers, for nuclear weapons at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). There will be two
opportunities for oral public comments. Written comments will also be accepted.

CCNS and HOPE Request the Water Quality Control Commission Lift its Stay on Review of DP-1132 for LANL
On May 5, 2022, the New Mexico Environment Department issued discharge permit DP-1132 under the New Mexico Water Quality Act for the
Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Facility manages hazardous waste and the Water Quality Act is expressly
limited so that it does not apply to a hazardous waste facility. Nevertheless, the Environment Department issued LANL the Water Quality Act permit.

WIPP Community Forum on Monday, October 24 th at 5:30 pm at Buffalo Thunder
It is essential for folks to attend – either virtually or in person - the WIPP Community Forum on Monday, October 24 , beginning at 5:30 pm at Buffalo
Thunder Resort Casino. The Department of Energy (DOE), which owns both Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP),
has plans to greatly expand both facilities.

LANL SWEIS Scoping Comments due on Tuesday, October 18 th
It’s time again to submit comments about what the scope of a new Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Los Alamos National Laboratory should
be as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Comments are due on Tuesday, October 18 th , 2022 by 11:59 pm Mountain Time to
LANLSWEIS@nnsa.doe.gov .

McGinty to United Nations: “A broken system allows nine nations to hold the world hostage”
On September 26 th , Molly McGinty, Associate Program Director of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, spoke at the United
Nations.Listen to a portion here.

The New Hazardous Waste Facilities at LANL
On May 5 th , 2022, the New Mexico Environment Department issued a new groundwater discharge permit for the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment
Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory under the New Mexico Water Quality Act. It is discharge permit DP-1132. The facility, located near the Plutonium
Facility, handles, treats and stores radioactive and hazardous liquid wastes from operations across the LANL site.

How did we get here? Putin Threatens Use of Nuclear Weapons
On Wednesday, September 21 st , the International Day of Peace, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to use nuclear weapons in the Ukrainian
War. His threats to use nuclear weapons surpass Russia’s official nuclear doctrine. As posted on en.kremlin.ru, Putin said, “In the event of a threat to the
territorial integrity of our country and to defend Russia and our people, we will certainly make use of all weapon systems available to us. This is not a bluff.”

LANL Grants a Whopping 15-Day Extension of Time until October 18 th to Provide Scoping Comments
The privileges of the rich and powerful Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and its plans to expand the fabrication of plutonium pits, or triggers, for
nuclear warheads continue. After 115 non-governmental organizations and individuals requested a two-month extension of time for preparation of informed
scoping comments for a long-delayed draft sitewide environmental impact statement (SWEIS), LANL granted a whopping 15-day extension. Scoping
comments are now due by Tuesday, October 18 th . If you plan to email your comments, submit them before 11:59 pm Mountain time.

LANL Virtual NEPA Scoping Meetings September 13 th and 14 th ; Release of LANL Campus Master Plan
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will host two virtual meetings to gather public comments about the scope of a draft
environmental impact statement for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). If you think these scoping meetings are not important, please check out the
recently released 2021 LANL Campus Master Plan. The plan was obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

One Hundred and Fifteen NGOs and Individuals Ask for LANL SWEIS Comment Extension; LANL Virtual Scoping Meetings on September 13 th and 14 th
This week 63 non-governmental organizations and 52 individuals requested that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant a two-month
extension of time to provide informed public comments about the scope of the Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement for Continued Operations of Los
Alamos National Laboratory (LANL SWEIS). On August 19 th , DOE announced a 45-day comment period. Currently, comments are due on Monday, October 3rd , 2022.

Kotowski’s “Sacred Trust: BROKEN” at Ink & Clay 45 Exhibit at Cal Poly Pomona
Taos ceramic artist Serit Kotowski’s beautiful Sacred Trust: BROKEN is an educational installation that focuses on the impact of the nuclear weapons
industry in New Mexico. Using a traditional potter’s repertoire Kotowski created two sets of dinnerware to demonstrate that, if ingested, radioactive
substances are harmful, if not deadly. The plates and cups are labeled “NOT FOOD SAFE.”

“Limited” Nuclear War Would Result in Abrupt Climate Disruption and Global Starvation
New scientific work demonstrates that even a “limited” nuclear war would cause abrupt climate disruption and global starvation. A limited nuclear war is
defined as a conflict confined to one region and involving a small fraction of the world’s nuclear arsenals. But such a conflict would be neither limited nor
regional and despite statements to the contrary, it would be an event on a planetary scale of death and destruction.

Elected Officials Question DOE Plans to Keep WIPP Operating Forever
Did you know that the current hazardous waste permit for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) states that waste disposal operations will end in
2024, followed by a ten-year period to close the underground waste disposal site?

CCNS and HOPE Petition to Remand Permit for LANL’s Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility
On Tuesday, August 9 th the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission will hear virtually a petition for review of the groundwater discharge permit, DP-1132, filed by non-governmental organizations CCNS and Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE). DP-1132 allows Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to handle, store and discharge treated radioactive and hazardous waters from the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility into Effluent Canyon, a tributary of Mortandad Canyon.

August 6 th and 9 th Events to Commemorate the U.S. Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945
August 6 th and 9 th were the days in 1945 when the U.S. bombed the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atomic bombs 77 years ago. Every year community members gather at to commemorate those events, to recognize the harm done, and to recommit to working for peace. You are invited to participate in these commemoration events.

WIPP Hazardous Waste Permit Renewal Coming Soon
Did you know the hazardous waste permit for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) is up for its ten-year renewal? In August, the New Mexico
Environment Department may release a draft permit for public review and a 60-day comment period.

Support Representative Garamendi’s NDAA Amendment for Plutonium Pit Accountability
In the face of continuing problems and escalating costs for expanded production of plutonium “pit” bomb cores for nuclear weapons, U.S.
Congressman John Garamendi, of California, has offered a common sense amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for
plutonium pit accountability.

Holtec Buys Shutdown Nuclear Power Plants to Create New Spent Fuel Supply Chain for Proposed New Mexico Facility
Holtec International recently purchased two shutdown nuclear power plants in Michigan to create a supply chain of spent fuel rods for its proposed consolidated interim storage facility in southeastern New Mexico’s Permian Basin. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is expected to issue a Final Environmental Impact Statement this month and an operating license in early 2023 for the proposed “temporary” storage facility for spent nuclear fuel.

WIPP to Stay Open Forever? Speak Up at the July 7 th WIPP Community Forum
Did you know that the Department of Energy (DOE) plans to continue disposing of plutonium-contaminated radioactive and hazardous waste in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) essentially forever? In filings submitted to the New Mexico Environment Department on Monday, DOE stated, “[the] final facility closure could begin no earlier than [Calendar Year] 2083.”

Ralph Hutchinson on U.S. Absence from First Meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
This week before the start of the First Meeting of States Parties for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna, three countries
deposited their ratification documents with the United Nations. Grenada, Cabot Verde, and Timor Leste joined 62 countries to ratify the treaty,
for a total of 65. One-third of the world’s 195 countries have now ratified the Treaty.

U.S. Spent $84,094 Dollars Per Minute on Nuclear Weapons Last Year
If you were in charge of allocating U.S. taxpayer money, would you invest $84,094 [dollars] per minute for nuclear weapons? What would your priorities be?

Take Action! Support the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and Encourage the Media to Cover It
While you may not be able to travel to Vienna, Austria for the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, you can sign the online Statement on the Existential Threat of Nuclear Weapons.

Texas Says Take Your LANL Waste Away
Decisions being made by federal and state agencies about the plutonium-contaminated waste stored at the Waste Control Specialists facility located on the Texas-New Mexico border may foreshadow how non-compliant waste may be stranded in the future.

No Tritium Monitoring Required for LANL Plutonium Liquid Waste Treatment Facility
In November 2021, Los Alamos National Laboratory applied to the Environmental Protection Agency to begin construction of a new radioactive
liquid waste treatment facility for transuranic, or plutonium contaminated, liquid waste from the Plutonium Facility.

Ongoing Seismic Concerns at LANL and Expanded Plutonium Pit Production
Plutonium operations at Los Alamos National Laboratory's Technical Area 55 are centered in the middle of the 36 square mile national nuclear weapons facility.

No additional money will guarantee 80 pits per year according to the Nuclear Weapons Council
Recently released Biden Administration budget documents reveal that for Fiscal Year 2023, beginning on October 1st, the Administration is proposing a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) budget of $4.6 billion, an overall increase o 21 percent.

Cerro Pelado Fire and Los Alamos National Laboratory
As of Wednesday evening May 4th, the Cerro Pelado wildland fire was about five miles from the "back gate" of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

DOE Fails to Bring LANL's Plutonium Facility Ventilation System into Legal Compliance
Nearly 30 years ago, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board began communications with the DOE about ventilation systems in nuclear facilities, saying that they must contain or confine radioactive materials during an accident or seismic event that might be followed by a fire.

Proposed Funding Increases for DOE Operations in New Mexico
Exploding Biden Administration budgets for the three Department of Energy (DOE) sites in New Mexico fully support the dangerous trend to develop more provocative nuclear weapons.

Another Leaking Container at WIPP
Eight years after the 2014 explosion of one or more waste containers disposed in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) underground, on Saturday,
April 9 th , WIPP announced that one or more waste containers had leaked radioactive liquids while being unloaded from a TRUPACT-II shipping container
in the Waste Handling Building.

Action Steps for the Planetary Nuclear Wake-Up Call
Last week we quoted Cynthia Lazaroff about the nuclear dangers in Ukraine and her call to come forward that "Our work is more important now that ever."
This week we quote the call to come forward from Ralph Hutchison, Coordinator of the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, to all those working for the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, that this is our time.

War in Ukraine Creates a Planetary Nuclear Wake-Up Call
This week the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation held a virtual presentation by Cynthia Lazaroff and Richard Falk about the nuclear dangers in Ukraine.
www.wagingpeace.org

Nuclear Watch New Mexico Settlement Moves Cleanup at LANL Forward
This week Nuclear Watch New Mexico announced the successful settlement of its lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) about its slow cleanup of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

Celebrate the Bob Alvarez Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, March 19th
Please join the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service to acknowledge Robert Alvarez, one of the bedrock founders of the national movement to unmask the human and environmental carnage that resulted directly from the U.S. effort to create a massive nuclear arsenal. The live virtual event runs from 1 to 2:30 pm Mountain Daylight Time this Saturday March 19th.

Victories for Clean Water in New Mexico
Last week, the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission met to deliberate and make final decisions about the state's Surface Water Quality Standards.

Why You Should Care about the Expanding WIPP Mission
Excerpts from Cindy Wheeler's speech during the March 1,2022 press conference at the New Mexico Capitol explains why you should care about the expanding mission for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Immediate Public Comments Needed about Two Proposed Beryllium Lathes at LANL
If you are concerned about proposed expansion of beryllium machining operations at LANL, now is the time to express your interest to the New Mexico Environment Depart Air Quality Bureau!
Find sample public comment letter on our website http://nuclearactive.org

New Mexico Environment Department Permits More Expansion of WIPP Underground
Despite receiving comments from 19 non-governmental and business organizations representing tens of thousands of New Mexicans, the New Mexico Environment Department has permitted the use of the underground disposal Panel 8 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) with 16-foot high ceilings.

Confusion Reigns over Draft Discharge Permit for LANL’s Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility
This week Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety (CCNS) asked the New Mexico Environment Department to withdraw its draft groundwater permit DP-1132 for the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) because of the confusing, incomplete and defective documents released for public review and comment.

LANL's Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility Needs Proper Regulation Now
The NMED is again trying to skirt proper regulation of the Radioactive Liquid Waste Treatment Facility at LANL as required by the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act.

Triad Wants DOE to Accept Increased Risk from Plutonium-238 Stored in Uncertified Containers at LANL
The independent Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board recently reported that Triad National Security LLC, the nuclear weapons contractor at LANL, wants the DOE to accept the risk of bringing large shipments of plutonium-238 in uncertified containers for repackaging in the Plutonium Facility.

Celebration in Los Alamos on First Anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
Saturday January 22, 2022, marks the first anniversary of the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Join us for a wonderful event from 1 to 3pm at Ashley Pond in Los Alamos.

Pastoral Letter from Santa Fe's Archbishop: Living in the Light of Christ's Peace: A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament.
January 11th, Archbishop of Santa Fe John C Wester released his historic pastoral letter Living in the Light of Christ's Peace: A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament.

Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. on the First Anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Saturday January 22nd from 1 - 3 PM at Ashley Pond in Los Alamos join CCNS, Veterans for Peace, Nuclear Watch New Mexico and others for a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. and the first anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Visit Nuclear Ban Treaty Days of Action facebook Page for information. ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/336042507972854 )
For information on Dr. King and the Treaty visit Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. ( https://orepa.org/ )

January 6th Environment Dept. Virtual Meeting for LANL Consent Order
The New Year will begin with the NM Environment Department's virtual public meeting about the annual cleanup plan for legacy waste at LANL.

Will Construction be Delayed on the New Shaft at WIPP?
Two appeals have been filed in the NM Court of Appeals to challenge the decision by NM Environment Dept. Secretary James Kenney to approve the new shaft at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

Santa Fe Archbishop to Hold an Unveiling and Blessing of a Sign of Peace December 19th
At 1:00p.m. Mountain Time Sunday December 19th, the Archbishop of Santa Fe, John C Wester, will hold an Unveiling and Blessing of a Sign of Peace at The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico.

RECA Amendments Pass House Judiciary Committee 25 to 8 Dec 9
In a stunning bipartisan vote, this week the U.S. House Judiciary Committee passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2021 on a vote of 25 to 8.

A Third Attempt at Consent-Based Siting for High-Level Radioactive Waste
Tuesday November 30th, the DOE held a press conference to announce a third attempt to find communities, sovereign tribal nations, or local or state governments to host an interim federal storage facility for high-level radioactive waste from commercial nuclear reactors.

Public Comments Needed for Public Hearing on WIPP Panel 8
DOE has raised the height of the underground waste disposal Panel 8 from 13 feet to 16 feet in violation of the Permit.

Appeal Filed Against NMED Approval of the New Shaft at WIPP
On October 27th, New Mexico Environment Department Secretary James Kenney granted the DOE and its contractor, Nuclear Waste Partnership, the latest approval requested to expand WIPP.

N3B Puts Profits before the Public's Concerns about Permit Renewal at LANL
The public learned this week that DOE asked the LANL cleanup contractor, N3B, to request that the NM Environment Department move 19 hazardous wast sites from one part of the hazardous waste permit to another.

COP26 and Nuclear Power: Direct Support for Nuclear Weapons
Our colleague, Linda Pentz Gunter, has written a brilliant piece about the connections between nuclear power and nuclear weapons.

DOE's Santa Came Early: NMED Approves FOREVER WIPP
NMED granted the Department of Energy approval to excavate and use new Shaft No. 5 and its associated drifts in the WIPP Underground. Essentially ensuring Forever WIPP.

WIPP Shipments Stopped Due to Maintenance Problems at Site
Due to on-going maintenance problems in the underground disposal facility, WIPP requested an extension of time from NMED to store waste in the Waste Handling Building.

Santa Fe County Nuclear Waste Emergency Response Town Hall Tuesday October 19th
In response to community concerns about the proposed increased shipments of more dangerous forms of plutonium along New Mexico State Road 599, Santa Fe County District 2 Commissioner Anna Hansen will host a Nuclear Waste Emergency Response Town Hall Tuesday October 19th from 6 - 7:30 PM.

New Mexico Governor's WIPP Task Force Holds Meeting
For the first time in 3 years, the New Mexico Governor's WIPP Task Force met October 6th.
WIPP = Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
DOE = Department of Energy
NAS = National Academies of Science
GAO = Government Accountability Office

WIPP Expansion Continues; Public Comments on Proposed Panels 11 and 12 Due Monday, October 4th
When will the New Mexico Environment Department acknowledge the DOE's proposals for WIPP as expansion?

Now Before Congress: Bills to Extend and Expand RECA to Trinity Downwinders and Post '71 Uranium Workers
A deadline of July 10th, 2022 is looming for continuing the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) and associated programs.

Texas Bans High Level Nuclear Waste Storage; NRC Approves Radioactive Waste Dump There
In a rare bi-partisan effort, the Texas legislature passed a nearly unanimous bill prohibiting the future storage or disposal of high-level radioactive waste, however, the NRC licensed construction and operation of a Consolidated Interim Storage Facility in Andrews County, Texas.

DOE's Latest Plan for Expanding WIPP-Three New Drifts and Two New Waste Disposal Panels
DOE's plan to expand WIPP without public comment underway.
https://stopforeverwipp.org/home
http://nuclearactive.org

Public Hearing for Groundwater Discharge Permit at WIPP Begins Tuesday September 7th
Beginning at noon on Tuesday September 7th, the New Mexico Environment Department will hold a virtual public hearing for a groundwater discharge permit for WIPP.

Another Example of NMED's Staff Support of WIPP Expansion
NMED is holding a virtual public hearing for a groundwater discharge permit that would allow the construction and use of a Salt Cell 5 and Salt Storage Pond 5, It is scheduled for Tuesday September 7th at noon.

DOE Continues Its Push for WIPP Expansion
Publicly denying plans to double the size of WIPP, the DOE continues to ask for a new "west wing"

Northern New Mexico Activists Hold Events Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
On August 6th and 9th, 1945 the U.S. Government dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Commemoration events were held in Los Alamos and Taos.
To listen to the panel discussion, courtesy of KCEI-FM go to - https://culturalenergy.org/listenlinks.htm#aug2021

DOE's Planned Expansion Could Mean that "It ain't your Daddy's WIPP anymore"
Over 60 people attended a town hall to learn about Santa Fe County's emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration Events in Los Alamos and Taos August 7th and 8th
Near the end of WWII on August 6th, the U.S. Government dropped a uranium atomic bomb on Hiroshima and 3 days later on August 9th dropped a plutonium atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan.

Environment Department Ignores Sandia's Plan to Excavate the Mixed Waste Landfill
Even though Sandia National Laboratory stated it could completely excavate the Mixed Waste Landfill, NMED replied sampling and monitoring would be sufficient to address potential risks.

This Weekend We Remember the Trinity Downwinders - Events in Tularosa and Mescalero
Three events are scheduled to commemorate the long-lasting harm done by the first atomic bomb test at the Trinity site in south central New Mexico on July 16th, 1945.

Virtual Public Hearing about New Mexico's Water Quality Standards Begins on Tuesday July 13th
If you live near or recreate on a New Mexico river, stream, or lake or irrigate from one, water quality should be a concern. Participate in the Public Hearing!

NGOs Sue DOE for Plutonium Pit Production Programmatic EIS
How many times do non-governmental organizations need to ask for the DOE and the NNSA to follow the law before they file a lawsuit, six!

New Mexico Governor Petitions EPA to List PFAS Chemicals as Hazardous Waste
New Mexico Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham petitions EPA to safeguard water in state from toxic chemicals.

Biden-Putin Geneva Summit and Future Arms Control Dialogue
The presidents of the United States and Russia met and discussed a number of matters including "Strategic Stability."

Clean Water Act Action Needed on Contaminants of Emerging Concern and Persistent Toxic Pollutants
The New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission will take up important regulatory water issues soon.

What Does DOE's Nuclear Weapons Budget Request Say?
The DOE released its Fiscal Year 2022 congressional budget request for nuclear weapons activities this past Friday.

Next Steps Following Public Hearing on New Shaft for WIPP Expansion
The Virtual Public hearings on the new shaft at WIPP ended last week. Here is a possible timeline.

Topics Limited during the Virtual Public Hearing for WIPP Expansion
Legal maneuvering by the New Mexico Environment Department and the
Department of Energy (DOE), and decisions made by the Hearing Officer, have limited
the scope of the virtual public hearing about whether the plan to dig a new $197 million
shaft at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) will be approved.
The hearing Clerk's email address: Madai.Corral@state.nm.us.

Many ways to comment during Public Hearing about Proposed WIPP Expansion
Monday May 17th begins a 5 day virtual public hearing by the Hazardous Waste Bureau. Plan to be a part of the event!

No DOE Employee testifying at Permit hearing about proposed WIPP expansion
No DOE employee will testify about the purpose and need for construction of a fifth shaft into the underground mine at WIPP.

This is what happens whe DOE gets in a hurry.
When DOE (Department of Energy) gets in a hurry to ship plutonium-contaminated waste, bad things happen.

Three Fabulous Free Virtual Public Education Events
Celebrating Earth Day and the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986, with 3 events.
https://taosenvironmentalfilmfestival.com/
https://tosavetheworld.ca/events-3/?event_id=433
http://www.nuclearban.us/

Incomplete Draft Permit Supporting WIPP Expansion Subject to a Public Hearing
Why is the Hazardous Waste Bureau processing an incomplete permit modification for WIPP?

LANL Sparking Drum Causes Suspension of Radioactive Waste Shipments to WIPP
A 55-gallon drum of plutonium-contaminated waste had sparks visible and caused an evacuation at LANL!

New Mexico Files Suit to Halt Two Proposed High-Level Nuclear Wast Storage Facilities
Long term waste storage licenses asked to be halted by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas.

Public Comments to EPA about LANL Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit
The EPA plans to renew the Clean Water Act permit for LANL, why?

Santa Fe City Council Committee Considers Leaving the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities
Members of the City of Santa Fe Quality of Life Committee discuss benefits of LANL Regional Communities.
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Los Alamos Proposed Expansion into Santa Fe
A new Plutonium pit for a proposed nuclear warhead would be fabricated at LANL. The W-87-1.
Also, proposed expansion of LANL into Santa Fe!

New Mexico Environment Dept. Sues DOE
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WIPP Radiation Release
Community Groups Oppose Next WIPP Radiation Release
Get more information at www.nuclearactive.org

LANL Must Comply with the Law
Currently LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory is failing to comply with the law. We want to know why.
Visit our website to learn more www.nuclearactive.org

CCNS News on why LANL’s Area G Waste Handling Lacks Proper Safety Documents
LANL stands for Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Find more information on our website!