The following letter opposes DOE/ NNSA/ LANL as a Santa Fe Midtown Master Developer or tenant. Succinctly written, it provides solid talking points for those interested in challenging the reach of the nuclear/military industrial complex into our daily lives-- including educational, recreational, and community activities.

January 17, 2020

Dear Mayor and Evaluation Committee Members: 

I am voicing my opposition to the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration/Los Alamos National Laboratory (DOE/NNSA/LANL) participation as a Master Developer or tenant at the Santa Fe Midtown District Campus. I have reviewed all the guidelines and public input to date and do not find anything that would support LANL being considered for a part of this development. The potential to have this project rooted in creativity and innovation and designed with solar, renewal energy, water catchment and other forward thinking objectives is what will make this a successful and meritorious project. 

LANL’s ongoing mission of developing nuclear weapons and now it’s governmental mandate to produce plutonium pits is neither creative nor innovative in any sense. We know that LANL wants and needs housing for new workers and will probably spin a convincing story about how this fits with the Midtown District project in terms of STEM education and economic development. However it is not an institution of higher learning and will not provide education beyond it’s own shortsighted goals. None of the economic arguments for weapon research and development include real projections of the costs of waste treatment and human health concerns. In all our long history dealing with Los Alamos, we have never found the Laboratory to be truthful or to put public or worker safety first. Therefore,  we do not want to see their presence and mission promoted in this project, or to have them, under the guise of STEM education,  harvesting our youth to work at the lab. 

Nuclear weapons and war are counter to the history and culture of Santa Fe. With Santa Fe being The City of Faith and with St Francis of Assisi at its core, this instead should be a district promoting peace, international diplomacy and the innovative sciences and arts.  Santa Fe is one of the premier art hubs of the country and the world and promoting that aspect will anchor the project with the cultural ethics inherent in Santa Fe’s history and reputation. A cutting edge film and media emphasis fits well with this. Promoting education of all available and cutting edge renewable technologies will also give Santa Fe increased standing throughout the country and the world and act as a much needed balance to the legacy of Los Alamos since 1945. Keep in mind that much of our land and our values come from our Indigenous tribes and their presence and values need to be included in this district.  

Please reject the Dept of Energy, NSA and LANL’s inclusion in this project and instead choose a developer that our City and State can be proud of and that points to a world beyond our current US agenda of military might and endless wars. I realize that you have a serious responsibility and obligation and that it may not be immediately clear and obvious who to vote for. I would suggest that you seek and include wisdom from indigenous leaders in any decision.

Thank you,

Jean Nichols, MAS Comunidad

www. penasconm.org