Plan to Cover-Up Toxic Waste Dump Places Communities at Risk

Wednesday, December 03 2003 @ 07:16 PM Contributed by: Admin FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact Citizen Action: 280-1844 Date: December 4, 2003

Domenici in Cahoots with Sandia Nat Labs: Plan to Cover-Up Toxic Waste Dump Offers No Financial Guarantees, Places Communities at Risk An Omnibus bill scheduled to be rammed through the House and Senate next week contains language created by Senator “St. Pete” Domenici that will result in increased health risks to communities located near the Mixed Waste Landfill, a 2.6-acre toxic waste dump located in a growing urban area of Albuquerque. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to cover the dump that contains over 300,000 cubic feet of Cold War radioactive and hazardous waste in unlined pits and trenches with 2-ft. of dirt under a low-cost program known as “stewardship.” Called "Accelerated Clean Up," it is DOE's newest attempt to deal with toxic waste dumps as a result of nuclear weapons production. The program has been criticized by both the National Academy of Sciences and by the New Mexico Environmental Evaluation Group, a DOE-funded group. Independent scientists have concluded that due to the location, nature and amounts of waste, the Mixed Waste Landfill poses a threat to the health of nearby communities if it is not eventually cleaned up.

Senator Domenici added the language to the Omnibus after he received a call from Cory Cruz of SNL asking the Senator to prevent the state from requiring SNL from posting a trust bond or other financial guarantee for long-term monitoring of the toxic waste site. If it is passed the bill will make SNL, its contractor Lockheed Martin, and DOE exempt from posting any type of financial guarantee to ensure the landfill will continue to be monitored as Sandia/DOE says it will. Sue Dayton, Director of Citizen Action, a 17-member coalition of groups advocating for clean up of the Mixed Waste Landfill, said the "behind-the-door" move by Mr. Cruz and Senator Domenici will prevent the New Mexico Environment Department from ensuring that the landfill will be monitored responsibly through the establishment of a trust bond or other financial assurance, and is proof that Sandia, Lockheed Martin and DOE have no intention of monitoring this waste site or any others. “Obviously Sandia believes it does not have to work with either the state or stakeholders in this case. Senator Domenici has once again slapped the state’s hands for requiring financial guarantee to ensure that DOE and its contractors provides long-term monitoring of dumps that contain radioactive and hazardous wastes. Funny thing is, Sandia and DOE can’t even find the money now to fund their “stewardship” program less guarantee that a continuous stream of money will be available to monitor the Mixed Waste Landfill in perpetuity." Dayton added that DOE's promises to monitor these waste sites "forever" without dedicated funding in place is only one small part of a much larger problem, and if that doesn't happen DOE's plan is destined to fail before it even gets off the ground. "The provision in the Omnibus, which is opposed by the State of New Mexico, will set an extremely dangerous precedent for responsible long-term management of the Mixed Waste Landfill and other waste sites in New Mexico and at federal facilities around the country.”

For more information contact Citizen Action: (505) 280-1844 or www.radfreenm.org.