This week's news:

New Environmental Impact Statement for Sandia National Laboratories in Process - 30 Day Extension of Time Granted for Public Comments

Long overdue, the Department of Energy (DOE) began a National Environmental Policy Act process to prepare a new site-wide environmental impact statement for Sandia National Laboratories, located in Albuquerque on Kirtland Air Force Base. http://nnsa.energy.gov/nepa/sandiasweis The initial step involves asking for public comment about what topics the environmental impact statement should cover. The comments were originally due on Monday, August 8th, but under pressure from non-governmental watchdog organizations, DOE granted a 30-day extension of time. Comments are now due Wednesday, September 7th. Citizen Action New Mexico states, "A comprehensive [site-wide environmental impact statement] is essential to the safe operation of Sandia and the protection of the public and the environment." www.radfreenm.org The Albuquerque-based NGO provided a list of possible topics for the scope of the new site-wide statement. They include the need for detailed reporting about the radioactive, toxic, and hazardous contamination that has been transported, both on-site and off-site, through air, soil, surface water and to ground water. In addition, the site-wide statement should inform the public about the wastes generated from both biohazardous and nanotechnology operations. The annual production and disposal pathways for hazardous waste, estimated at 120,000 pounds, and radioactive waste, should be described for the public. The toxic and radioactive wastes from prior Sandia operations are contaminating the groundwater that provides drinking water to Albuquerque residents and pose great threats to public health and the environment. Dave McCoy, Executive Director of Citizen Action, said, "The site-wide statement is important for the public to understand Sandia's environmental role as a key facility in the DOE nuclear weapons complex. Sandia Labs, which is operated by Lockheed-Martin, generates and stores extremely large amounts of hazardous and radioactive wastes. Sandia should explain why it has excessively high tritium inventories." Already, DOE has paid $42 million in compensation to sick and contaminated Sandia workers. Citizen Action reports that a Sandia nuclear research reactor is located in a building that cannot survive the large earthquake that can occur for this region. There is no containment for the ventilation system, or for the reactor. As a result, DOE needs to explain the possible large release of radiation to 20,000 personnel at Sandia and Kirtland, and surrounding Albuquerque residents, from the reactor in a strong earthquake. DOE predicts that seven people per 1,000 would die from cancer within a 50-mile radius of the reactor. DOE also needs to explain why no emergency plan exists for the public. For more information and sample comments you can use to compose your own, please contact Citizen Action New Mexico at (505) 262-1862 or visit their website at www.radfreenm.org Public comments may be submitted to: Jeanette Norte NNSA Sandia Site Office SWEIS Document Manager P.O. Box 5400 Albuquerque NM 87185-5400 Email: Sandia.sweis@doeal.gov By fax: (505) 284-7197 Local telephone (505) 845-4808 or Out of area toll free telephone number 1-855-766-4651

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