CCNS Submits Comments about the Need to Excavate the Mixed Waste Landfill at Sandia National Laboratories

September 26th, 2024 in Action Alerts / Events / Weekly News Updates
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The Mixed Waste Landfill at Sandia National Laboratories is a 2.6-acre dump that is leaking radioactive, hazardous and toxic wastes from unlined pits and trenches that threaten Albuquerque’s drinking water aquifer.  The public has been asking the New Mexico Environment Department for nearly 25 years to order Sandia to excavate the dump.  Evidence of migrating contamination, such as the detection of volatile organic compounds 400 feet below the dump in 2015, verifies the public’s concern.   https://www.radfreenm.org/index.php/sandia-national-laboratories-mixed-waste-lanfill

Last December, Sandia stepped forward and declared in the required five-year review of the dump that, “Complete excavation with offsite and onsite disposal are remedial alternatives that could be implemented, if necessary.” https://www.env.nm.gov/hazardous-waste/snl-mwl-2/ , scroll down to Mixed Waste Landfill (MWL), under Mixed Waste Landfill (MWL) Second Five-Year Report, click on green Mixed Waste Landfill (MWL) Second Five-Year Report (December 1, 2023) link.

Sandia explained that there had been significant changes over time that made excavation a reasonable option.  For example, the decay of radioactive Cobalt-60 in the dump had decreased to levels where it no longer poses a threat to workers and the public.  Use of conventional excavation practices and robotics could assist in the removing the threat.

The Environment Department opened up a public comment period to review Sandia’s plan, which ended on September 12th.  https://www.env.nm.gov/hazardous-waste/snl-mwl-2/

CCNS submitted its comments urging the Environment Department to support Sandia’s recommendation to excavate the dump.  240912 CCNS Comments re SNL MWL Second Five-Year Report (Dec. 2023)  

CCNS recommended that it’s time for excavation, processing and removal of the waste to appropriate onsite and offsite regulated facilities in full and transparent consultation with Tribes and communities located at or near the facilities and along the transportation routes.

In that regard, CCNS cited President Biden’s April 2023 Executive Order No. 14096 on Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All, which is part of the Justice 40 Initiative.  The Department of Energy (DOE), which owns Sandia, is one of the Justice 40 agencies.  In fact, DOE has 167 Justice 40 programs.  Within those programs, there are conditions that exist at Sandia, such as the proximity of the International District to the dump, for DOE’s active community engagement in cooperative agreements and grants related to soil and groundwater remediation.

But Sandia did not explore Justice 40 in its five-year review report submitted to the Environment Department in December 2023, seven months after the Executive Order was signed.  The omission requires the Environment Department to take a deep dive into the current status of the dump and the use of robotic technologies to reduce worker exposures during excavation.

This is the time to support the use of Justice 40 as a powerful tool to get the dump excavated.

  1. And the award for the Fossil Fuel Profiteer du Jour goes to…

Thursday, Sept. 26th … Chevron

Friday, Sept. 27th … ExxonMobil

Saturday, Sept. 28th …Koch Industries     

Sunday, Sept. 29th … Energy Transfer [Partners] in Albuquerque

      Congratulations to All!

 

TAKE ACTION: Pressure the Profiteers Campaign continues! Divest from Fossil Fuels!

Please do take at-home actions as you are able.

You can go to https://warheadstowindmills.org/fossil-fuel-map/  Scroll down to:

 

Contact the Companies

Then select the “Chevron” tab for the email address(es), plus links to the RTX social media pages, plus templates for messaging. The social media actions are the easiest; just tell ’em it’s time to switch to peaceful work!

Consider submitting your email to the CEO as an open letter to an editor too.

Let’s get ’em! Shame on war profiteering!

 

 

  1. Thursday, Sept. 26th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm – virtual and in-person New Mexico’s Environment Department (NMED) will host a community engagement meeting on September 26, 2024 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to share the modifications made to the Los Alamos National Laboratory 2016 Compliance Order on Consent (CO). The meeting will be held at the New Mexico Environment Department Harold Runnels Building Auditorium, 1190 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, NM 87505 and will also be available via Microsoft Teams. Teams Information  Public notice at: https://www.env.nm.gov/events-calendar/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D177660984

 

 

  1. Thursday, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Sept. 28 – Join Three Sisters Collective to create the new monumental mural “I am Life, Creator of Worlds,” a community project at the Lena Wall, at 1805 Second Street, at the corner of Second Street and Lena Street, O’Ga P’ogeh Owingeh/Santa Fe. https://threesisterscollective.org/murals/

 

Thursday, Sept. 26        12 – 4 pm

Friday, Sept. 27              10 – 4 pm

Saturday, Sept. 28         10 – 1 pm

 

The “I am Life, Creator of Worlds” mural name is made to be in conversation with Chip Thomas’ artwork, referencing and inverting Oppenheimer’s quote from the Bhagavad Gita “I am become death, destroyer of worlds.”

“The new mural honors and prioritizes local Pueblo/Indigenous culture and values.  It elucidates the differences between these values and the settler colonial nuclear bomb production currently happening in Los Alamos, which is increasing soon. Additionally, it highlights the ever-expanding nuclear industry, such as the nuclear corridor in southeastern New Mexico, a source of job creation and economic stability for New Mexicans.”

 

 

  1. Friday, September 27th at noon at the intersection of West Alameda and Sandoval for the weekly one-hour peaceful protest for nuclear disarmament. Join the weekly peaceful protest with Veterans for Peace, CCNS, Nuclear Watch NM, Loretto Community, New Mexico Peace Fest, Pax Christi and others. Bring your flags, signs and banners!

 

NEW! Enjoy lunch at the Manko Food Truck with award-winning chef, Ray Naranjo. Manko is a verb for “come and eat.” The truck will be parked in the Santa Fe Dispensary: Cannabis Dispensaries Owned and Operated by the Picuris Pueblo at the corner of Alameda and Sandoval.  https://www.ediblenm.com/ray-naranjo/

 

  1. Saturday, September 28th from 2 pm to 5 pm – Convivio Third Annual Southside Community Day at Zona del Sol Campus, 6600 Valentine Way, Santa Fe, NM. https://www.instagram.com/sfnmpl/p/C_8SmG3Bj3j/?img_index=1

 

 

  1. Monday, September 30th at 6 to 7:30 pm – The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Petroleum Storage Tank Bureau is holding a public informational meeting about the proposed installation of groundwater monitoring wells associated with the former PNM Santa Fe Generating Station plume of diesel fuel located in the Baca Street area. The meeting will be held at the Harold Runnels Building (NMED and NM Dept. of Health Building) at 1190 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe.  https://www.env.nm.gov/events-calendar/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D177639815 and https://www.env.nm.gov/petroleum_storage_tank/

 

 

  1. September 1st through September 30th – the Sierra Club Grassroots Network Nuclear Free Team concludes its first Nuclear FREE Film Series with the powerful independent film – ATOMIC BAMBOOZLE: THE FALSE PROMISES OF A NUCLEAR RENAISSANCE. Watch the film – FREE OF CHARGE – followed by a live webinar on September 30th with the filmmaker and stellar panel moderated by Mike Carberry, Co-Chair, Sierra Club Nuclear Free Team. The 46-minute film available on Eventive – free with registration.  https://scnuclearfree.eventive.org/welcome#!

 

 

  1. Friday, August 30 through September – 58 years: a retrospective of works by Cathie Sullivan at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, 555 Camino de La Familia, Santa Fe.  Opening on August 30 from 5 to 7 pm.  The exhibit includes 57 oil paintings, drawings and limited edition silkscreen prints, three bronzes, 20 animal carvings and hand and digitally printed note cards. 80% of sale proceeds will be donated to Amigos Del Parque, Nuclear Watch NM and El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe.  https://www.elmuseocultural.org/exhibit/csretro-24
 

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