Communities for Clean Water (CCW)
A network of community groups who have come together to address water issues at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). CCW was formally known as LANL Water Watch.

All people and our communities are intricately tied to the health of rivers, acequias and other waters. Historical and on-going activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) threaten our cultural, spiritual and ecological survival. To ensure the good health of watersheds downstream and downwind from LANL and the good health of the Rio Grande and its tributaries to provide safe drinking water, clean water for irrigation and pure natural water for sacred ceremony now and in the future, we acknowledge and assert the following:

1. All people that live downstream and downwind from LANL require and have a right to clean water for drinking, sacred ceremony, growing food, raising animals, recreating, and overall wellbeing.

2. Traditional, indigenous cultures that live downstream and downwind from LANL require and have a right to pure natural water for sacred ceremony.

3. Wildlife and ecosystems living downstream and downwind from LANL need and depend upon clean water for their survival.

4. Healthy communities require clean rivers, groundwater, and watersheds to achieve a strong economy and sustainable future.

5. Our local, state, and federal government agencies have a duty to protect the public health and welfare by setting and enforcing laws and regulations that protect water resources downwind and downstream from LANL.

6. Healthy communities and ecosystems require clean, innovative, and life-affirming science and technology that will benefit the economy, the future, and the health of all.

7. We recognize and respect that flowing water does not seek or uphold political, social, cultural or economical boundaries.

Endorsed by: Amigos Bravos, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, Embudo Valley Environmental Monitoring Group, Partnership for Earth Spirituality, Tewa Women United, Rio Grande Restoration, Don Gabino Andrade Community Acequia, Honor Our Pueblo Existence

Support LANL WW by signing on to the above Shared Values Statement. Click here to download the pdf and mail into: Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, 107 Cienega Street, Santa Fe NM, 87501

Water Issues At LANL

Studies by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and LANL itself show that New Mexico's future water supply is being threatened by a number of pollutants, including mercury, PCBs, perchlorate, selenium and gross alpha contamination.

According to LANL's own estimate, clean-up of contaminated sites is under-funded by $90 million. The shortfall is aggravated by proposed cuts to the 2007 Department of Energy (DOE) environmental clean-up budget. Under these circumstances, it will be extremely difficult for LANL to meet federal Clean Water Act requirements.

Evidence of LANL's pollution and its impact on our water continues to mount on a regular basis. We need to act now as the tip of this iceberg is emerging. It is easier to act before the pollution gets to our water.

ACTION

Many of the groups in Communities for Clean Water along with other local groups and individuals announced our intent to sue DOE and the Regents of the University of California on March 2007 for violations of the Clean Water Act at the LANL. Click here to read the press release. These violations include:

• Failure to conduct adequate monitoring;
  
• Failure to Report Violations;
  
• Failure to have pollution controls in place;
  
• Failure to comply with water quality standards; and
  
• Unauthorized discharges.

As a result of the lawsuit we hope to acheive:

• Zero contaminants discharged from LANL (a Clean Water Act goal).
• Clean up of over 1,400 contaminated sites.
  
• Federal and State regulators to hold LANL accountable.
  
• LANL to monitor and implement Best Management Practices for discharges and dumping.
  
• Total fines, which are possibly in the billions of dollars, from prior and on-going violations be vigorously pursued and allocated to complete and effective independent monitoring and remediation of the sites in question to prevent future contamination of our waters.

Support CCW by signing on to our Shared Values Statement. Click here to download the pdf and mail into: Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, 107 Cienega Street, Santa Fe NM, 87501.