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August 6, 2003 The Honorable Bill Richardson,
Governor Re: We request cessation of nuclear waste disposal at Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL's) "Area G" landfill and formal closure of the site, as required by law. Dear Governor Richardson - On January 15, 2002, some 27 environmental organizations wrote Pete Maggiore, then Secretary of the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), requesting closure of LANL's "Area G" chemical and nuclear waste landfill, which was then operating outside the regulatory framework required under the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act and the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This situation remains unchanged today. That letter, which summarizes the history, environmental setting, and regulatory context of Area G, is attached. No substantive reply to this letter has been received. In addition to these organizations, at least 3,000 individual New Mexicans have petitioned the Governor's office to enforce existing law and close this dump. We are writing you today to respectfully remind you of the State's long-standing obligation to close Area G to further nuclear waste disposal and begin a process of selecting remedies for the site that meet, in process and substance, all the applicable legal requirements of the above laws. While the regulatory context of "cleanup" at Los Alamos has become increasingly complex, neither the physical situation nor the core of our concern has changed. Especially given the multiple negotiating forums open between the NMED and the laboratory's owners and managers, it is important for you to provide clear overall policy direction, lest state and federal resources be squandered in continued temporizing and distractions. Certainly, as long as large-quantities of newly-generated nuclear waste, as well as chemical waste (specifically, polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs) are being permanently buried in unlined shallow pits at Los Alamos, there is no real "cleanup" going on. We would be delighted to discuss this matter in greater detail with you and your staff at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, [signatures follow]
cc: Patricia Madrid, Attorney General Senator Jeff Bingaman Senator Pete Domenici Congressman Tom Udall Governor John Gonzales, San Ildefonso Pueblo Governor Simon Suina, Cochiti Pueblo Secretary Spencer Abraham, Department of Energy George Rael, Acting Manager, Environmental Programs, NNSA AL Ralph Erickson, Federal Manager, Office of Los Alamos Site Operations (OLASO) Joe Vozella, OLASO Robert Dynes, President, University of California Pete Nanos, Director, Los Alamos National Laboratory Ron Curry, Secretary, New Mexico Environment Department Mary McInerny, Los Alamos County Administrator
Signatories of August 6, 2003 letter: NON-PROFITS: Dorelen F. Bunting, Coordinator Albuquerque Peace & Justice Center Jill Felice Assistance Dogs of the West PO Box 31027 SF 87594 Ph 986-9748 Terry Schleder, MPH, Coordinator Bernalillo County Maternal & Child Health Planning Council Sue Dayton, Director/Coordinator Citizen Action of Albuquerque Elaine Cimino Citizens for Environmental Safeguards 48 Camino Montoya Ph 424-3630 Fax 424-9593 Coila Ash, Director, Executive Director Creative Commotion,
Voices for Social Change Caron Balkany, Director Eco-Ed 17 Paseo
Vista Ph 989-1563 Eulynda Toledo Benalli (from the Dine' Nation) on behalf of First Nations
North and South John Horning, Conservation Director Forest Guardians Ted Cloak 1613 Fruit Ave NW Albuquerque, NM 87104 Ph 505-243-5069 Joe Lacyo & Lydia Clark, Co-Chairs New Mexico Green Party Tom Knoblauch, Co-Chair Santa Fe County Green
Party Greg Mello, Director Los Alamos Study Group Peter Neils, Director Native Forests Network Monika Steinhoff New Mexico Artists Billboard Project and aSEA, Association
of Socially Engaged Artists Carol Miller, Founder Peace Economy Linda Hibbs People for Peace Scott Pittman Permaculture Institute PO Box 3702 Ph 455-0514 Marsha Mason, President Resting in the River 528 Don Gaspar SF 87505 888-465-0563 Penny McMullen Sisters of Loretto David Bacon, President Southwest Energy Institute Michael Guerrero, Executive Director Southwest Organizing
Project Don Hancock Nuclear Waste Program Coordinator Southwest Research & Information Center Kenneth Mayers Veterans for Peace - Santa Fe Chapter 7 Avenida Vista Grande SF 87508 Ph 466-6954 Sam Hitt, Founder Wild Watershed ******************************************* BUSINESSES: David Jacoby Back Street Bistro 513 Camino de las Marquez SF 87505 Ph 982-3561 Carmen Blue, owner Blue Moon Books & Video 329 Garfield SF 87501 Ph 982-3035 Clif Perry Chocolate Smith 1807 Second St #31 SF 87505 Ph 473-2111 Deborah Garlin, Attorney PO Box 32642 SF 87594 Ph 954-4950 Matthew Kelley, M.D. 1114 Hickox SF 87505 Ph 982-9961 Nancy Oliver 1299 Vegas Verdes, Spc 28 SF 87507 Kari Andri Kopoulos, owner One Heart Pilates Studio 1419 Miracerros Lp South SF 87505 Ph 986-1479 Katie Mehrer, owner Pilates for the People 1545 Cerro Gordo SF 87505 Ph 984-0836 Plants of the Southwest 3095 Agua Fria Rd Santa Fe, NM 87507 Ph 438-8888 Kathleen Savage, Owner Santa Fe Hemp 105 Water St Santa Fe, NM 87501 Ph 984-2599 Elaine Sullivan, member SFB&CA Ph 988-9708 Email: Elaine@cybermesa.com Kenneth Stoller, M.D. 404 Brun School Rd Santa Fe, NM 87505 Ph 820-6234 Bettina Raphael, owner SW Conservation Lab 611 Cortez St SF 87505 Ph 989-9065 Deborah Snyder, Publisher Synergetic Press #7 Silver Hills Rd Santa Fe, NM 87508 Ph 424-0237 Duke Klauck, Owner Ten Thousand Waves, Japanese Spa PO Box 10200 Santa Fe, NM 87504 Ph 992-5027 The Ark Bookstore Karin Arielle 133 Romero SF 87501 Jasmine Stewart The Pottery Studio 135 Sombrio Drive SF 87501 Ph 982-6787 Tropic of Capricorn 86 Old Las Vegas Hwy Santa Fe, NM 87505 Ph 983-2700 Video Library 120 E Marcy St Santa Fe, NM 87501 Ph 983-3321 Wild Mountain Outfitters John Asher 851 St. Michaels Dr Unit 1 SF 87505 Ph 986-1152 |
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