TESTIMONY OF NORBERT T. REMPE, March 4, 1999.

Mr. Rempe received a B.S. and a M.S. in Geology. Mr. Rempe has 25 years of professional geological experience-- including 10 years at WIPP.

Mr. Rempe compared WIPP to two analogs in Germany. Mr. Rempe discussed in detail the HERFA/UTE, a hazardous waste repository in an old potash mine in Germany. The HERFA/UTE is mined at about the same depth as WIPP in bedded salt and potash. Mr. Rempe stated that salt in Germany has successfully contained waste for up to 25 years. However, the German sites are regulated by a combination of state mining authorities and environmental authorities. They are not regulated under the U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) or the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act.

There was no cross-examination of Mr. Rempe.