The U.S. Navy has ordered 444 fully functional Blackbeard hypersonic missiles from Castelion Corporation. The government has assigned 80% of the contract work to be done in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, where Project Ranger is nearing completion. Project Ranger is a 1,000-acre hypersonic manufacturing campus, designed to support production of solid rocket motors, static testing of those motors and final assembly of hypersonic weapons. https://www.castelion.com/project-ranger/

The work is moving forward before the public has had the opportunity to weigh in on the permitting processes for the release of hazardous air emissions, the discharge of water contaminants, and the generation of hazardous waste, among others. Nor has information about the impacts of testing explosives, fire-safety implementation, or approvals to conduct static weapons testing been made available.

This is not an isolated local failure. It is part of a national project to remove communities from environmental decision-making.

Project Ranger serves as the blueprint for congressional action on the newly introduced Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, or the AAJA, sponsored by Senators Martin Heinrich, Sheldon Whitehouse, Shelley Moore Capito and Mike Lee. It was introduced on September 30, 2026, but does not have a number yet. https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/9/capito-lee-whitehouse-and-heinrich-introduce-bipartisan-american-affordability-and-jobs-act-of-2026

If the AAJA became law, it would impose accelerated environmental review schedules, restrict litigation, alter Clean Water Act and historic-preservation reviews, and give approved projects greater protection against later permit cancellation. Its authors call this “affordability” and “certainty.” For affected communities, such as Rio Rancho, it means less time to uncover concealed risks, narrower grounds for challenging unlawful decisions and more pressure on agencies to approve projects before the full consequences are known.  https://www.energy.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BipartisanAmericanAffordabilityandJobsAct.pdf See Section 1110, Judicial Review – amending the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, beginning on p. 67.

The Senate package does not merely exist alongside the House-passed Streamlining Procurement for Effective Execution and Delivery, or the SPEED, Act. H.R. 4776. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr4776#google_vignette

It carries forward the same deregulatory architecture: narrower National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, review, compressed deadlines, restricted judicial remedies and “permit certainty” for developers. Additional amendments are expected before the post-election vote, creating another opportunity to attach even more industry written exemptions and limitations. These bills threaten to make the Project Ranger model—build first, disclose later and deny the public meaningful review—the national rule.

Common Ground Rising provides the following information at https://commongroundrising.org/

Yes—key restrictions from H.R. 4776 [SPEED Act] appear in the new Senate AAJA package. That verifies that the provisions were carried forward; “buried” describes their presentation, not a proven intent to conceal them.

In the 417-page Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (AAJA), Section 1110, printed pages 67–74, would:

A limited preliminary-injunction exception requires a likely violation of another federal law; NEPA and the specified historic-preservation law cannot supply that basis. 

IMPORTANT!  H.R. 4776 can remain stalled while central restrictions advance inside a differently named bill.

CALL SENATORS HEINRICH AND WHITEHOUSE: STOP THIS BILL AS WRITTEN.

Call Senator Martin Heinrich: 202-224-5521, or heinrich.senate.gov
Call Senator Sheldon Whitehouse: 202-224-2921. (heinrich.senate.gov⁠, whitehouse.senate.gov⁠)

Tell their offices: Remove the provisions that weaken communities’ ability to challenge unlawful environmental review in the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026.

Find them in Section 1110, printed pages 67–74 of the published bill:

• Page 68 — proposed §111(b)(1): A 150-day deadline for covered NEPA lawsuits.
• Page 68 — §111(b)(2): When comments were invited, challengers must have submitted a substantive comment identifying the particular issue.
• Pages 69–70 — §111(c)(5)(A): Courts finding NEPA violations must return authorizations to agencies without canceling them or issuing an injunction, subject to the limited exception below.
• Pages 70–71 — §111(c)(5)(B): Preliminary injunctions require a likely violation of another federal law; NEPA and the specified historic-preservation law cannot provide that basis.
• Page 71 — §111(c)(6): Authorizations remain effective, and project activity may continue while agencies correct violations.
• Pages 73–74 — §111(d): Courts must give agencies substantial deference on environmental documents’ scope and contents. (epw.senate.gov⁠)

These are the page numbers printed on the bill; they also match the PDF viewer pages.

ASK for the staff member handling environmental permitting. Give your name and ZIP code and request a written response addressing each provision.

A community that proves an environmental-review violation needs an effective remedy. Stop this bill as written. Remove these restrictions before advancing it.

Please share with various organizations to make the calls. 

Further, the health stakes are not theoretical. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that static testing of solid rocket motors releases fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs and aggravate cardiovascular and respiratory disease, among other impacts.

For more information about Project Ranger, please visit Common Ground Rising.org at https://commongroundrising.org/.

1. Friday, October 9^th from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

2. Saturday, October 3^rd through Saturday, October 10^th– Keep Space for Peace Week – Space is a Global Commons – Not to be Dominated! For more information: https://space4peace.org/keep-space-for-peace-week/ and https://nuclearactive.org/peace-week-outer-space-as-a-global-commons/

3. Friday, October 9^th – Final day to tell EPA – No further rollbacks on clean water protections! The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have released a supplemental proposal to further narrow Clean Water Act protections for streams, wetlands and other waters. This proposal is a “gutting of a gutting” – effectively removing all protections from the vast majority of wetlands and streams that do not flow year-round. This builds on the administration’s earlier effort to narrow the definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) and is now open for public comment.

Please consider submitting a comment here. It was prepared by New Mexico Interfaith Power & Light. You can use either of the templates attached in a word document here. Just copy and paste the written text you choose into the comment section of the EPA portal linked here and add your personalization. Additionally, for those who identify with Christian traditions, you can sign the following letter from our national partners. 

4. October 14^th at 5:30 pm – Webinar for “A Data Center Moratorium for NM – Because an Executive Order Can’t Protect Our Air or Water” with NM Representatives Micaela Lara Cadena and Angelica Rubio. Register at: https://bit.ly/nmdata-center-moratorium

AI developers may be in a headlong rush, but we don’t have to be. Making good law requires time and community input. New Mexico needs to slow down and get data center guardrails right. With guest speakers from NM Water Advocates, Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA) and New Energy Economy.

5. Saturday, October 17^th – the 2026 White Mesa Spiritual Walk will be held at the White Mesa Community Center, with a pre-conference in the evening of the 16^th at the same location. https://protectwhitemesa.org/saturday-october-17-2026-10th-annual-white-mesa-ute-community-spiritual-walk-and-protest-against-energy-fuels-uranium-mill-dump-and-uranium-mines/

6. Saturday, October 17^th, Early Voting Day of Action – Nationwide NO KINGS: VOTE EARLY – No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings nonpartisan events designed to increase participation from all eligible voters. For more information, https://www.nokings.org/

7. Tuesday, October 20^th from 1 pm to 2:30 pm Mountain Time – webinar about Nuclear Weapons and the Responsibility of Scientists: A Conversation with Carlo Rovelli, organized by The Physicists Coalition for Nuclear Threat Reduction. Learn more and register: https://physicistscoalition.org/webinars-and-trainings/

From Saturday, October 3^rd through Saturday, October 10^th, people around the world are organizing local events to bring outer space to greater public attention by proclaiming “Keep Space for Peace.” However, on Monday, September 14^th, the Trump administration announced it had placed weapons in orbit around the Earth in a major effort to militarize space. U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink followed up by saying the United States, “now has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the joint force against hostile adversary action.”  He refused to say what the weapons are, how many there are or when they were launched.  https://breakingdefense.com/2026/09/space-force-has-space-control-weapons-on-orbit-air-force-secretary-says/

Importantly, on that Monday, Victoria Samson, chief director of space security and stability at the Secure World Foundation, a research group, told Defense One, “I don’t think any U.S. government official has ever said that before. The U.S. also now has to accept [that] the Chinese and Russians are doing/saying the same.”  She continued, “What this does is normalize weaponizing space.”  https://www.swfound.org/

The Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space is asking groups and concerned citizens of the global community to organize events and share information about the growing dangers of the U.S. program to “control and dominate space and to deny others the use of space.” https://space4peace.org/

Protests will be held outside military bases, military weapons production sites, and various government installations, and along busy streets.

According to the Global Network, the public must be informed of the cost of preparing for war in space, resulting in the theft of trillions of taxpayer dollars that could otherwise be used for the needs of health care, education, environmental remediation, public transportation, infrastructure repair and so much more.

There are many reasons to oppose the weaponization of space. The Global Network has posted educational videos on its YouTube page.  https://space4peace.org/videos/

It is important to remember that the pollution from each rocket launch knocks a larger hole in the Earth’s ozone layer, which keeps life on the planet from burning up. Lower Earth Orbit, or LEO, is now so cluttered with satellites and space minefield waste that scientists fear cascading collisions. https://www.britannica.com/technology/low-Earth-orbit

The U.S. Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, said on his recent Arsenal of Freedom Tour in Texas, “The fight for space is the fight for the future of the world as we know it. We cannot afford to have a fair fight in space – I’m not interested in orbital equity or orbital parity.  We demand orbital dominance plain and simple. Whoever controls space controls the fight.” https://www.war.gov/News/Speeches/Speech/Article/4606768/secretary-of-war-pete-hegseth-speech-on-the-arsenal-of-freedom-in-austin-tx-as/

1. Friday, October 2^nd from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

2. Saturday, October 3^rd through Saturday, October 10^th – Keep Space for Peace Week – Space is a Global Commons – Not to be Dominated! For more information: https://space4peace.org/keep-space-for-peace-week/

3. Saturday, October 3^rd from 1 pm to 3 pm at Southside Library (6599 Jaguar Drive, Santa Fe, NM) – Nonviolent Santa Fe workshop, “Exploring Nonviolence: Tools for Managing Conflict in Everyday Life.”

4. Tuesday, October 6^th from 1 pm to 4 pm or 6 pm to 8 pm – the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE) and the Red Water Pond Road Community Association are hosting a public comment workshop on the Community Impacts Assessment for the water discharge permit for the proposed Churchrock Crownpoint Uranium Project. The event will be a drop by to learn about how to make public comments on-line or by mail. Come by the Churchrock chapter house. https://swuraniumimpacts.org

5. October 14^th at 5:30 pm – Webinar for “A Data Center Moratorium for NM – Because an Executive Order Can’t Protect Our Air or Water” with NM Representatives Micaela Lara Cadena and Angelica Rubio. Register at: https://bit.ly/nmdata-center-moratorium

AI developers may be in a headlong rush, but we don’t have to be. Making good law requires time and community input. New Mexico needs to slow down and get data center guardrails right. With guest speakers from NM Water Advocates, Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA) and New Energy Economy.

6. Saturday, October 17^th, Early Voting Day of Action – Nationwide NO KINGS: VOTE EARLY – No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings nonpartisan events designed to increase participation from all eligible voters. For more information, https://www.nokings.org/

On Monday, September 14^th, Veterans for Peace lit their new electronic billboard featuring Uncle Sam pointing his finger at the reader and saying, “I want you to refuse unlawful orders.” The billboard is located on the south side of the I-40 exit at Wyoming Boulevard in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a main artery that serves Kirtland Air Force Base. The billboard will be up for eight weeks, through the Midterm elections, and until approximately November 10th

Veterans for Peace, Chapter 63, which covers Albuquerque and Central and Southern New Mexico, sponsored the billboard.

The broad concerns of Veterans for Peace include —

• The President may unlawfully, unconstitutionally and immorally use the U.S. military, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to interfere in the Midterm Election, placing heavily armed U.S. military, FBI and ICE at the polls.
• The President may fear a new Congress being seated, particularly in the House of Representatives, where committees could release the other half of the Epstein files.
• The President may also fear a new Congress will investigate the corruption by him, his family and his friends.
• The President may not want a new Congress seated after the November election.
• He may possibly confiscate ballots.
• He may confiscate voting machines.
• He may impose martial law under the Insurrection Act.
• Finally, the President has singularly made war. He has ignored the War Powers clause found in Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress the exclusive authority to declare war.
• In this war, he threatens to “obliterate” Iran. Obliteration implies the unlawful and immoral use of nuclear weapons, which are illegal under international law, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
• The President continues to authorize, without probable cause or due process, deadly strikes on small fishing boats in the Pacific and Caribbean waters.
• The President’s administration confirms that active “on-orbit” weapons have been deployed and are circling the Earth, a major step to militarize space.

A reminder from Veterans for Peace: Don’t be disoriented if there is a military coup on Trump in the near future. Basic political theory says such an event is possible in any governing structure where there is no adherence to social contracts and established law.

Please also note that Kirtland AFB is the third largest nuclear weapons entity in the world, as there are over 3,000 nuclear warheads and bombs stored there. The New Mexico National Guard is located nearby, as is the Air Force Research Lab, and the Sandia National Weapons Design Lab, with over 21,000 employees and contractors will view the billboard regularly.

For more information, please email vfpabq@mailman.swcp.com or visit Veterans for Peace (National) at https://www.veteransforpeace.org/

In response to these concerns, Veterans for Peace funded the electronic billboard until after the Midterm Elections, asking the U.S. Active Duty Military, the FBI, and ICE to refuse unlawful, unconstitutional and immoral orders.

To support the billboard effort, you can mail a check to:

Veterans for Peace, Chapter 63

1. Friday, September 25^th from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

2. Saturday, September 26^th – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. Gathering of Creatives for Peace: Open Mic at Somos, 108 Civic Plaza Drive, Taos from 2 to 4 pm.

3. Saturday, September 26^th from 2 to 3:30 pm – Word -> Art -> Word: Starfabric Domes Spindle – Opening Reception with Artist’s Talk with C Pirloul-Broshi, Sawnie Morris, and David Mutshlecner at 2:30 pm.

 Ekphrastic poems inspired by Brian Shields’ paintings. Poets: Mary Cisper, Charlie Kalogeros-Chattan, Jane Lin, Sawnie Morris, C Pirloul-Broshi at Step Up Gallery at Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Avenue, Los Alamos. https://stepupgallery.org/next-exhibit/

4. Saturday, October 3^rd through Saturday, October 10^th – Keep Space for Peace Week – Space is a Global Commons – Not to be Dominated! For more information: https://space4peace.org/keep-space-for-peace-week/

5. Saturday, October 17^th, Early Voting Day of Action – Nationwide NO KINGS: VOTE EARLY – No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings nonpartisan events designed to increase participation from all eligible voters. For more information, https://www.nokings.org/

Last week residents of Ypsilanti Township expressed their anger over a proposed high-performance computing facility near the Huron River in a partnership between the University of Michigan and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Residents are concerned that the proposed project would fuel research into the nuclear arms race.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE0fycQix-Q,   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1EVU54Zwbs

The proposed plan involves a $1.2 billion dollar computing facility of almost 300,000 square feet for classified federal research and non-classified university research in science and technologies. The Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Stockpile Stewardship Program would dedicate most of the space to LANL work that includes nuclear weapons research. The Stockpile Stewardship Program was developed after the end of the Cold War, has expanded and the NNSA has taken it over.  https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/articles/stockpile-stewardship-and-management-plan-ssmp

Michiganders point out that the proposed research would go beyond maintaining the existing weapons stockpile.

Dylan Spaulding, a senior scientist at the Global Security Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said it is not unusual for LANL to collaborate with the University of Michigan. He said, “There is a long history of collaboration between universities and the [DOE], or the [NNSA], as well as [the] Department of Defense.”  https://www.ucs.org/about/people/dylan-spaulding

He continued, “What appears to separate this collaboration may be the level of classification attached to this new data center.” Handling classified information “suggests that it may be sort of taking a more aggressive approach towards weapons-related science than fundamental science that you would find in the open literature.” He noted it is unusual for such a facility to handle such a large amount of classified research.

When asked by reporters, the University and LANL seemed to trade off the questions about their plans to each other.  It is important to know that LANL was unable to provide answers.

Stewart Prager, a professor of astrophysics at Princeton University, has concerns about how the Stockpile Stewardship Program has changed over the last 30 years. He said, “When the stockpile stewardship program was initiated, it was explicitly stated in documents in those days that this will not be used to develop any new capabilities. Period.” https://sgs.princeton.edu/node/19

Michigan students are opposed to the proposal and have formed a grassroots organization called “Stop the Data Center,” circulated a petition in opposition, and made yard signs and films.

Like the Michiganders, New Mexicans are also concerned about LANL’s expansion plans in both Michigan and New Mexico.

1. Friday, September 18^th from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

2. Friday, September 11^th through September 21^st – 11 Days of Global Unity – From Fear to Peace Through Unity – Broadcasts on each Theme begin every day of the 11 Days at 12 pm USA Eastern Time. OnYouTube https://www.youtube.com/wetheworldorg or OnFacebook https://www.facebook.com/thewecampaign

3. Saturday, September 19^th from 1 pm to 3 pm at Taos Public Library – FREE film showing of The World Is My Country and An Ordinary Insanity.    Note: Taos is the First Global Peace Zone (1995 to 2026).

4. Monday, September 21^st – International Day of Peace – There will be events around the world on or about September 21^st. https://worldbeyondwar.org/international-day-of-peace-2026

5. Wednesday, September 23^rd – In 1992, the United States conducted “Divider,” an underground nuclear weapons test at the Nevada Test Site. Divider was designed and executed by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory. It was the nation’s 1,054^th and final nuclear weapons test. The US Senate had voted for a nine-month testing moratorium. The day after the test, President George H.W. Bush signed the moratorium into law.

6. Saturday, September 26^th – nternational Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.  Gathering of Creatives for Peace: Open Mic at Somos, 108 Civic Plaza Drive, Taos from 2 to 4 pm.

7. Saturday, September 26^th from 2 to 3:30 pm – Word -> Art -> Word: Starfabric Domes Spindle – Opening Reception with Artist’s Talk with C Pirloul-Broshi, Sawnie Morris, and David Mutshlecner at 2:30 pm. Ekphrastic poems inspired by Brian Shields’ paintings. Poets: Mary Cisper, Charlie Kalogeros-Chattan, Jane Lin, Sawnie Morris, C Pirloul-Broshi at Step Up Gallery at Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Avenue, Los Alamos. https://stepupgallery.org/next-exhibit/

From 1946 to 1969, the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard was used as the station for top-secret nuclear tests in the Pacific Ocean. It was also the place where decontamination was done on the ships used in hydrogen bomb tests. Radioactive and toxic waste was disposed there.

In 1989 the shipyard was declared to be a Superfund site as a result of the high levels of toxic and radioactive waste from those operations.  The engineering firm, Tetra Tech EC, submitted false reporting to the U.S. Navy about the contamination.  https://www.tetratech.com/

In late August, a federal judge approved a $57 million settlement, plus interest, against Tetra Tech for breach of contract and for reporting false test results. Tetra Tech, a U.S. Navy contractor, was accused of widespread fraud in the cleanup of a 400-acre site where homes were razed to construct more than 10,000 homes in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood. https://missionlocal.org/bayview/

In 2018, two Tetra Tech supervisors were charged with falsification of records and each were sentenced to eight months in federal prison.

In March 2013, four Tetra Tech whistleblowers filed a lawsuit on behalf of the federal government. In 2016, three additional workers filed similar whistleblower lawsuits alleging they were told by Tetra Tech to replace potentially contaminated soil samples with “clean” soil. Under the federal False Claims Act, an individual can sue those defrauding the government. If the suit is successful, the individual can receive a reward.  https://www.whistleblowers.org/protect-the-false-claims-act/

In 2018, the federal government intervened in the case, took over the main prosecutorial duties and made claims under the Superfund laws.

In 2018, Assistant Attorney General Joseph Hunt said, “It was of critical importance to the United States Navy, and the public, that Tetra Tech perform accurately and fully the radiological testing and remediation at the Hunters Point site for which it was hired. The Department of Justice will vigorously pursue action against those who obtain federal funds based on promises they knowingly fail to keep.”

The Navy was forced to re-test much of the shipyards after allegations that large swaths of the site were still contaminated.  Despite additional cleanup, this spring more radioactive materials were found at the shipyard.

Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Merkal of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office, said, “By falsifying work claims and manipulating critical data, Tetra Tech put its own financial interests ahead of its commitments to the Department of the Navy, potentially placing the health and safety of the American people at risk.”

Tetra Tech EC is a cleanup contractor at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).

1. Read the Informative New Article by Ryan Sorrell, of The Kansas City Defender, about Nuclear Guinea Pigs: How a Small Kansas Town Became the Site of a Nuclear Experiment to Power AI and their resistance. It is an excellent read! https://kansascitydefender.com/justice/investigation/nuclear-guinea-pigs-parsons-kansas/

2. Watch “DOWNWIND – The Toxic Consequences following 928 Nuclear Detonations on American Soil” or “The Dark Legacy of Nevada’s Bomb Tests,” a documentary, on YouTube

3. Defend the Chama Basin! No Uranium Exploration or Mining Near Canjilon! A Canadian mining company wants to explore for uranium in the headwaters of the Rio Chama, threatening the water source for acequia farmers, land grants, tribal nations, ranchers, and thousands of families across Northern New Mexico. For more information and to take action:  https://protectriochama.org/

4. Friday, September 11^th at 7:30 am to 9 am MT – “Mitigating the Risks of AI in Nuclear Operations: An Arms Control Association Briefing,” with Lt. Gen. (retd.) Jack Shanahan, along with Herb Lin, a Senior Research Scholar; Matthew Sharp, a senior nuclear fellow at the Center for Nuclear Security Policy at MIT; and Erin Dumbacher, Stanton Nuclear Security Senior Fellow and Director of the Defense and National Security Program at the Council of Foreign Relations. To register for the hybrid event, https://www.armscontrol.org/events-and-remarks/2026-08/mitigating-risks-ai-nuclear-operations

5. Friday, September 11^th from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

6. Friday, September 11^th through September 21^st – 11 Days of Global Unity – From Fear to Peace Through Unity – Broadcasts on each Theme begin every day of the 11 Days at 12 pm USA Eastern Time. OnYouTube https://www.youtube.com/wetheworldorg or OnFacebook https://www.facebook.com/thewecampaign

7. Saturday, September 12th at 2 pm – Join the Memorial Gathering to Honor the Life of Founding Visionary and Executive Director (1988 – 2015) Brian James Shields, Artist, at the Sagebrush Inn, 1508 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, in Taos, in Chamisa II Conference Room. It is located on the north side of the Inn, towards the back, in a separate building.  Brian loved color. Feel free to wear colors!

8. Monday, September 21^st – International Day of Peace – There will be events around the world on or about September 21^st. https://worldbeyondwar.org/international-day-of-peace-2026

9. Wednesday, September 23^rd – In 1992, the United States conducted “Divider,” an underground nuclear weapons test at the Nevada Test Site. Divider was designed and executed by scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory. It was the nation’s 1,054^th and final nuclear weapons test. The US Senate had voted for a nine-month testing moratorium. The day after the test, President George H.W. Bush signed the moratorium into law.

10. Saturday, September 26^th – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

Why does it matter whether plutonium pits are “aging” before their time?  We all age. We get old and we die. But that’s not what the Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) want for their plutonium pits. They want to make sure that they will “live” forever. 

DOE has always done experiments about the “lifetime” of the plutonium pits in the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.

The recently released two-page Executive Summary of the unclassified “Plutonium Aging” report outlines DOE’s plans to keep an eye on pit aging until at least 2040. https://nukewatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026-JASON-Plutonium-Aging-Executive-Summary.pdf  That work is done at the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS), formerly the Nevada Test Site, by conducting subcritical nuclear weapons experiments there. https://nnss.gov/

An October 2025 DOE one-page fact sheet, “Why Subcritical Experiments?”, on their work at the Enhanced Capabilities for Subcritical Experiments, or the ECSE facility, reports:

“In the absence of full-scale nuclear testing, the U.S. relies on the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to certify the effectiveness of its nuclear deterrent: the U.S. nuclear weapon stockpile. To do this, NNSA must assess issues which may affect the stockpile, including the effects of aging, the impact of evolving manufacturing processes on weapon safety and performance, approaches to stockpile life-extension programs, and the results of significant finding investigations. Subcritical experiments at the NNSS fulfill these responsibilities and ‘test’ nuclear weapons without achieving criticality. Combined with advanced theory, modeling and simulation tools, subcritical experiments certify our nation’s nuclear deterrent in the absence of nuclear testing and are essential for NNSA to maintain and modernize the stockpile.  https://nnss.gov/wp-content/uploads/NNSS-ECSE-U-0053.pdf

Don’t we know enough? Plutonium is dangerous, it causes cancer, it is radioactive for approximately 240,000 years, once it is released into the environment, it is impossible to clean it up, etc., etc., etc. Will more experiments reveal any new information?

DOE hid important information during the recent public review and comment opportunity for the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Plutonium Pit Production, the Draft PEIS. Will they continue to keep information from the public? https://www.energy.gov/nepa/articles/doeeis-0573-draft-environmental-impact-statement-april-2026

Nuclear Watch New Mexico had to sue DOE for the release of the Plutonium Aging Executive Summary. It was made available days after the end of the PEIS comment period, which ended on July 16, 2026.  DOE withheld it and is still withholding critical documents.

Over this long weekend, please take a few minutes to submit a supplemental Draft PEIS public comment. A sample public comment letter is available at https://nukewatch.org/ Thank you!

1. Friday, September 4^th from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

2. Watch “DOWNWIND – The Toxic Consequences following 928 Nuclear Detonations on American Soil” or “The Dark Legacy of Nevada’s Bomb Tests,” a documentary, on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcKDuqzUWAY

3. Defend the Chama Basin! No Uranium Exploration or Mining? Near Canjilon! A Canadian mining company wants to explore for uranium in the headwaters of the Rio Chama, threatening the water source for acequia farmers, land grants, tribal nations, ranchers, and thousands of families across Northern New Mexico. For more information and to take action:  https://protectriochama.org/

4. Tuesday, September 8^th at 5 pm Mountain Time – Back from the Brink Community & Action Hour about gaining additional cosponsors for federal House Resolution 317: Urging the United States to lead the world back from the brink of nuclear war and halt and reverse the nuclear arms race, and Senate Resolution 323: A resolution urging the United States to lead a global effort to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race. For more information and to register – https://preventnuclearwar.org/take-action/

5. Wednesday, September 9^th from 5 to 6:30 pm Mountain Time – Three Mile Island: Legacy and Resistance to Reopening: A Public Forum, hosted by the Clamshell Alliance. Speakers include: Eric Epstein, Patricia Longenecker and Aaron Datesman, moderated by Joseph M. Hunt.  For more information and registration – https://clamshellalliance.com/

6. Friday, September 11^th from 7:30 am to 9 am Mountain Time – “Mitigating the Risks of AI in Nuclear Operations,” An Arms Control Association Briefing with Lt. Gen. (retd.) Jack Shanahan, Herb Lin, Matthew Sharp, and Erin Dumbacher. It is a hybrid meeting. For more information and registration: https://www.armscontrol.org/events-and-remarks/2026-08/mitigating-risks-ai-nuclear-operations

7. Saturday, September 12th at 2 pm – Please join the Memorial Gathering to Honor the Life of Founding Visionary and Executive Director (1988 – 2015) Brian James Shields, Artist, at the Sagebrush Inn, 1508 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, in Taos, in Chamisa II Conference Room. It is located on the north side of the Inn, towards the back, in a separate building.

Brian loved color. Feel free to wear colors!

After working for nearly five years, Los Alamos County and the Department of Energy updated their original 1985 Electric Coordination Agreement (ECA) for the interconnected electric system that has powered homes, businesses and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) for over 40 years. After months of painstaking work, the new ECA was approved by the Los Alamos County Council on Tuesday, August 25th. DOE has until Monday, August 31st to also sign.

The new 10-year contract accommodates on-going changes to the contemporary electricity markets, the federal procurement rules, and long-term resource commitments, such as for the 170 megawatt Foxtail Flats Solar + Battery Energy Storage System Project in San Juan County. The new contract may be extended for an additional 10 years.  Importantly, new language identifies the handling of the Foxtail Flats contracts in the event DOE exercises its right to “terminate for convenience.”

At the same time, the draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Plutonium Pit Production (PEIS) states LANL’s electrical power consumption will increase  from 651 to 1,100 million kilowatts per hour per year. The baseline average has remained at 440 million kilowatts per hour per year for some time  Regardless, that is a lot of electrical power.

Why is this important? Large amounts of electricity are needed to power the LANL facilities used for plutonium pit production. Plutonium pits are the triggers for nuclear weapons.

The contrast is stark. The agency is called the Department of Energy. It claims the energy is needed to make more nuclear weapons. To what end? More harm? More destruction? More destroyed lives?

Communities are being held hostage to the “needs” of DOE.  Together, communities require affirmations of life, not death and destruction. System change is needed now.

Following the Council’s discussion about the new ECA at Tuesday meeting, Joni Arends, of CCNS, reminded the Council during the public comment opportunity:  “We must hold DOE accountable.” [We don’t need new plutonium pits. There are thousands stored at DOE’s Pantex Plant, located north of Amarillo, Texas. There are hundreds stored in the Manzano Mountain east of Albuquerque.]

She continued, “CCNS is all too familiar with DOE tactics to run roughshod over the People of New Mexico. Some current examples include: stepping away from working with the New Mexico Environment Department to address the hexavalent chromium plume to the detriment of water quality in the regional Española Basin Sole Source Drinking Water Aquifer.” Other recent examples include: the delayed release of the Plutonium Aging Study until after the draft PEIS public comment period ended; delays in moving transuranic waste stored at Area G off the Hill to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant; the venting of four Flanged Tritium Waste Containers when it was not necessary, and the increased number of worker injuries, among many others.”

1. REMINDER! The release of the NNSA’s Plutonium Life Study revealed that Plutonium Aging is Not Affecting Existing Nuclear Weapons.  Thus, opening the door for you to submit Supplemental Comments on the Draft Plutonium Pit Production Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS).  Nuclear Watch NM posted a sample letter you can download and edit at https://nukewatch.org/ Then email your supplemental comments to PitPEIS@nnsa.doe.gov Please also submit your comments to info@pitpeis.com  If you are so inspired, share your comments with your congressional delegation.  Thank you!  Together we are making a difference!

2. Thursday, August 27^th at 6 pm Mountain Time – Join Night with the Experts: The Generational Impact of Nuclear War with Japanese Atomic Bomb Survivors, Peace Activists, Legacy Successors and Peace Educators for a panel discussion on Zoom. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/le67EG8XRLGmDKpcPPq7mg#/registration For more information at https://neis.org/

3. Friday, August 28^th from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

4. Saturday, August 29^th at 1 pm – Exploring Nonviolence: Tools for Managing Conflict in Everyday Life – A Workshop Presented by Nonviolent Santa Fe – at the Downtown Santa Fe Library. See https://ilasantafe.org/nonviolent-santa-fe/ for details.

5. Monday, August 31^st – ACT NOW to oppose the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s plans to allow more exposures to radiation through the use of recent Executive Orders. Learn how experts from around the world view the NRC’s proposed changes, how U.S. standards compare internationally, and why global concern is growing at Protect Better at https://www.protectbetter.org/ You’ll find more information, webinar videos with presentations by doctors and other experts, and sample comments you may modify and submit. Join a growing international campaign to protect our health and wellness!

6. Defend the Chama Basin! No Uranium Exploration or Mining? Near Canjilon!   https://lajicarita.wordpress.com/2026/08/24/defend-the-chama-basin-exploration-or-mining/

Once again, the Department of Energy and its semi-autonomous National Nuclear Security Administration has denied the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board access to nuclear weapons facilities, including at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).  At a time when LANL is ramping up production of plutonium pits, the triggers for nuclear weapons, the DOE is restricting access to the Board and its resident inspectors preventing them from fulfilling critical oversight and public reporting responsibilities.  As a result, the public is no longer informed about potential issues of adequate protection at defense nuclear facilities.

The Board provides oversight of DOE and is independent in the execution of its mission.  It is part of the Executive Branch of government.

Further, the five-member Board has been eviserated because neither the recent Democratic nor Republican administrations have filled positions on the Board. Currently there is one Board member, which means the Board cannot issue formal recommendations without a quorum – all to the detriment of the public.

The Board is governed by the Atomic Energy Act which requires that the Energy Secretary “shall fully cooperate with the Board and provide prompt and unfettered access to such facilities, personnel, and information as the Board considers necessary to carry out its responsibilities.”

Based upon a lack of jurisdiction argument, DOE falsely claims that it has the authority to deny the Board access to facilities, personnel and information among other improper denials – again, all to the detriment of the public.

In response to similar arguments in 2018 and 2024, the public rose up and successfully demanded that DOE follow the law.  It is time to do that again!  A sample public comment letter is available here – 260820 Public Constituent Ltr to NM Congressional Delegation Members

Please contact your congressional members and demand that the President appoint new members to the DNFSB Board to ensure a quorum; that DOE comply with the Atomic Energy Act and provide the Board “unfettered access” to the nuclear weapons facilities, and provide the public with the latest public Board information and reports.

To learn more, please see the Board’s Technical Director Jonathan Plaue’s August 13, 2026 webcasted presentation to the New Mexico Legislature’s Interim Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee on DNFSB’s activities in New Mexico at nmlegis.gov.

Joni Arends, of CCNS, asked, “The contradiction is severe. How can DOE prevent the Board from doing its mandated oversight work and at the same time ramp up plutonium pit production without the Atomic Energy Act safeguards provided to the public?”

1. TODAY! The release of the NNSA’s Plutonium Life Study revealed that Plutonium Aging is Not Affecting Existing Nuclear Weapons.  Thus, there is an opportunity for you to submit Supplemental Comments on the Draft Plutonium Pit Production Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS).  Nuclear Watch NM posted a sample letter you can download and edit at https://nukewatch.org/  Then email your supplemental comments to PitPEIS@nnsa.doe.gov  Please also submit your comments to info@pitpeis.com  Thank you!  Together we are making a difference!

2. TIME CHANGE! Friday, August 21^st from 10:30 am to 11:30 am – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

3. Friday, August 21^st at noon – Join people at NMED headquarters (1190 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe between West Cordova and Alta Vista – near the Rail Runner train tracks) to demand that the New Mexico Environment Department protect the People, not AI profiteers! Stand with NM legislators who are taking leadership roles in demanding accountability and proposing solutions to prevent more fast-tracking of destructive data center deals. Stand with the People of Sunland Park and Santa Teresa who have the most to lose in this zero-sum game. Life itself is at stake.  Source: New Energy Economy.

4. Tuesday, August 25^th, Los Alamos Nuclear Forum: Where History Powers What’s Next – Built in New Mexico, Deployed for the Nation. Hosted by New Mexico Nuclear Alliance. For more information, visit losalamosnuclearforum.com.

5. Tuesday, August 25^th at 10 am Mountain Time – Join the United Steelworkers (USW) Nuclear Sector – Proposed Changes in Radiation Protection: This webinar will examine proposed changes to radiation protection standards and policies affecting the nuclear sector. https://usw.org/industries/atomic/   Join us for an informative webinar on proposed changes to radiation protection standards and the science and policy behind these developments. As regulators consider updates that could affect the nuclear sector, it is important to understand the scientific evidence and what these changes could mean for workers and the public. Our panel will discuss the history of ALARA, current proposals, the research and science that informs radiation protection standards, and the potential impact on occupational health and public health.

Moderator Steven Markowitz, MD, DrPH is a Professor at the Barry Commoner Center for Health and the Environment at Queens College, City University of New York. He is an internationally recognized expert in occupational and environmental medicine.

Speaker Mark Griffon, ScD is an occupational health consultant with expertise in radiation protection and worker health.

Speaker David Richardson, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the University of California, Irvine. His research focuses on the health effects of ionizing radiation and occupational exposures.

Register today, and spread the word widely. This webinar is designed to educate United Steelworkers members, health and safety advocates, and the public through a science based discussion of proposed changes in radiation protection and what they could mean for workers and their communities.

6. Wednesday, August 26^th from 5:30 pm to 7 pm – Rose Gottemoeller, former U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control & International Security, talk titled, “The End of Nuclear Deterrence?” at Center for Contemporary Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe. Hosted by Global Santa Fe: Connecting Our World. For more information and tickets:  https://globalsantafe.org/

7. Wednesday, August 26^th from 6 pm to 7:30 pm – Protect Better Webinar Series: An International Perspective. Learn how experts from around the world view the NRC’s proposed changes, how U.S. standards compare internationally, and why global concern is growing. The webinar will also include guidance on submitting comments to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission before the August 31, 2026 deadline.  https://www.protectbetter.org/

8. Saturday, August 29^th at 1 pm – Exploring Nonviolence: Tools for Managing Conflict in Everyday Life – A Workshop Presented by Nonviolent Santa Fe – at the Downtown Santa Fe Library. See https://ilasantafe.org/nonviolent-santa-fe/ for details.

In compliance with the Trump administration Executive Orders 14300 and 14154, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to scrap long-standing radiation exposure standards for the general public and nuclear workers. The proposed rulemaking is called “Reforming and Modernizing the NRC’s Radiation Protection Framework,” which will result in more radiation exposures, not less. With cuts to medical assistance for so many in the U.S., the proposed changes will be even more harmful. And people will die as a result. https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NRC-2025-1140

Many health organizations and non-governmental organizations have requested extensions of the 47-day comment period in order to fully examine the draft Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Rule.  NRC has not responded positively to the requests.  Yet NRC states that the final rule will be published in the Federal Register in December 2026. https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NRC-2025-1140/document

On Monday, August 10th, the NRC held a virtual public meeting about the proposed changes. The slides are available at: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2622/ML26223A303.pdf  Take a look at the NRC’s unacceptable plans allowing for more occupational and public exposures, not less.

Under the Executive Orders 14300, Ordering the Reform of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (May 23, 2025) at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-202500633/pdf/DCPD-202500633.pdf and 14154, Unleashing American Energy (January 20, 2025) at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/DCPD-202500121/pdf/DCPD-202500121.pdf, the NRC is reconsidering the more protective linear no-threshold, or the LNT, model for radiation exposure, and the as low as reasonably achievable standard, or ALARA. NRC is working to eliminate both protective standards. https://www.protectbetter.org/learnmore

The planned occupational dose limit extension, or DLE, would allow NRC to double the annual occupational dose from 5 rem to 10 rem over a five-year period.  The suggested increase raises concerns about accurate exposure reporting and how those records would be handled over the five-year period. NRC does not examine the estimated health issues that would result from the increased doses.

In response, a new collaborative called the “Protect Better.org Campaign” has formed to educate the public about NRC’s ill-advised plans. https://www.protectbetter.org/ Two webinars will be held where you can learn more.

On Wednesday, August 19th from 6 to 7:30 pm Mountain Time, the first webinar about “In the Weeds” will be held on zoom.  https://www.protectbetter.org/nrc-comments

On Wednesday, August 26 from 6 to 7:30 pm the second webinar about “An International Perspective,” will be held on zoom. Register at ProtectBetter.Org to receive the zoom links. https://www.protectbetter.org/nrc-comments

As a bonus, also watch “How to submit comment to the NRC,” a three-minute zoom presentation about how to navigate the NRC comment process. https://www.protectbetter.org/nrc-comments

Your participation in this process is important!

1. The new film, An Ordinary Insanity, about the renowned whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and the Nuclear Threat is available for FREE at https://www.anordinaryinsanity.com/. To view the 29-minute film, go to the Screenings Page at https://www.anordinaryinsanity.com/screenings    The film is a powerful wakeup call about the global threat posed by nuclear weapons and advocates how we can dramatically reduce the real and present danger of nuclear annihilation.

PLEASE SHARE ONLINE and SCREEN AT PUBLIC EVENTS.

2. Michael Moore put his film, “Sicko,” about the unequal health care system in America on YouTube. Watch it here for free.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ4TQ9q8rPc

3. Friday, August 14^th from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Join with Veterans for Peace, CCNS, Nuclear Watch NM, Loretto Community, New Mexico Peace Fest, Pax Christi and others. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

4. Tuesday, August 25 – Los Alamos Nuclear Forum: Where History Powers What’s Next – Built in New Mexico, Deployed for the Nation. Hosted by New Mexico Nuclear Alliance. For more information, visit losalamosnuclearforum.com.

Did you know that the nuclear bomb the United States of America dropped on Nagasaki, Japan on August 9th, 1945 was fabricated at Los Alamos National Laboratory?  Or that the radioactive waste from that fabrication remains buried at LANL? This is a circle that needs to be closed by removing the waste to a place where it can do no harm.

Dr. Ivana Nikolić Hughes, the President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, will speak on Sunday, August 9th beginning at 10 am on the Santa Fe Plaza to commemorate the lives lost in Nagasaki 81 years ago. https://www.wagingpeace.org/ivana_nikolic_hughes/ Please join with the Veterans for Peace, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, Nuclear Watch New Mexico, the Santa Fe Raging Grannies and others for an informal gathering to honor the Hiroshima and Nagasaki hibakusha, sing-alongs, and short speeches.

Then at 10:45 am you are invited to attend the 11 am mass at the Cathedral Basilica where Father Ito of Japan will give a brief homily calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Father Ito currently serves as the Parochial Vicar, or Associate Pastor, of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Santa Fe, under the guidance of Pastor, Reverend Daniel Dupre. https://www.guadalupesantafe.org/

On Tuesday, August 11th at 11 am Mountain Time, two new billboards with the message “One Fire Away, Radioactive Santa Fe,” will be unveiled along Interstate 25 at the La Cienega exit, mile marker 272.

Raise your voice to end the nuclear weapons cycle and join us at the billboard site at Two Pablo Drive, Santa Fe.  See the directions and map at https://www.burythebarrels.org/ .

The Fire on the Mountain Coalition launched this effort  because public safety demands that the Department of Energy (DOE) remove the Cold War-era nuclear weapons waste from the forest at LANL to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). https://wipp.energy.gov/ DOE has failed to prioritize the waste removal and allowed it to sit in fabric tents bordering the community of White Rock.

The Governor and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) are serious about resolving this threat by changing the WIPP permit and allowing NMED to track DOE’s progress to move the plutonium-contaminated waste. WIPP and its contractors are fighting the common sense solution and have refused to participate in on-going negotiations. https://www.burythebarrels.org/articles

1. The new film, An Ordinary Insanity, about the renowned whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg and the Nuclear Threat is available for FREE at https://www.anordinaryinsanity.com/. To view the 29-minute film, go to the Screenings Page at https://www.anordinaryinsanity.com/screenings     The film is a powerful wakeup call about the global threat posed by nuclear weapons and advocates how we can dramatically reduce the real and present danger of nuclear annihilation.

PLEASE SHARE ONLINE and SCREEN AT PUBLIC EVENTS.

2. Michael Moore put his film, “Sicko,” about the unequal health care system in America on YouTube. Watch it here for free.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ4TQ9q8rPc

3. Friday, August 7^th from noon to 1 pm – Join the nuclear disarmament community at the intersection of East Alameda and Sandoval in Santa Fe for the weekly peaceful protest in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Join with Veterans for Peace, CCNS, Nuclear Watch NM, Loretto Community, New Mexico Peace Fest, Pax Christi and others. Bring your flags, signs and banners.

4. Wednesday, August 12^th from 5 to 6 pm at the Santa Fe Public Library – Southside Library Community Room, 6599 Jaguar Drive, Santa Fe – Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Meet and Greet. This meeting will be an informal gathering to learn more about the DNFSB’s role to protect public health and safety through independent oversight of the DOE’s defense nuclear facilities, including LANL, Sandia and WIPP. There will be a brief overview, followed by a Q&A and opportunity to speak with the team afterwards for continued discussion.  For more information, contact the DNFSB’s Chief of Staff, Kyle D. Johnson at 202-701-8964.

5. Thursday, August 13^th – New Mexico Legislature Interim Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee meeting in Los Alamos. For the most current information about this meeting, visit https://www.nmlegis.gov/Committee/Interim_Committee?CommitteeCode=RHMC