DOE, state sign cleanup agreement for Los Alamos lab

By: Associated Press | Tuesday, March 1, 2005 10:28 PM PST ∞

SANTA FE, N.M. -- The U.S. Department of Energy and the state Environment Department signed off Tuesday on a formal agreement for what they call "fence-to-fence" cleanup at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The agreement requires comprehensive investigation and cleanup of environmental contamination at the northern New Mexico lab, including remediation of disposal areas and contaminated ground water. It also sets a cleanup completion date of 2015.

"After many years of tough negotiation, this legal order puts New Mexicans in control of LANL cleanup and gives us the power to make sure this important work is completed," New Mexico Environment Secretary Ron Curry said.

Lab director Pete Nanos said the order fosters trust between the lab and the state. The lab is managed by the University of California.

"This order represents a clear path forward for a measured cleanup of laboratory sites and helps meet our ongoing commitment to protecting the safety of our people and the surrounding environment," Nanos said.

State officials said the cleanup requirements spelled out in the agreement are based on information that past handling, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes at the lab caused waste to be released into the environment.

The order states that metals such as arsenic and beryllium have been detected in the soil and sediment at the lab over the years, while organic compounds such dichloroethylene and dichloroethane have turned up in the groundwater.

According to the state, more than 1,900 sites at the lab require corrective action.

Los Alamos officials said they had been meeting required timetables and using the required processes listed in a draft order issued last year while negotiations were underway to reach a final agreement.

The general requirements of the order were first announced in March 2004 by Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and Gov. Bill Richardson. It resolved a 16-month deadlock between the state, LANL, the Energy Department and the University of California.

The order, called a federal facility compliance agreement, was supposed to be released last May but it was delayed because the state and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were trying to negotiate oversight of surface water pollution, which is currently regulated by the regional EPA office in Dallas.

The Environment Department decided to release a draft of the order in September and work on the oversight issue later. The state hopes to have full oversight authority by 2006.

On the Net:

New Mexico Environment Department: http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us

Los Alamos National Laboratory: http://www.lanl.gov

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