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EPA Public Meetings about Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Expansion: August 26th in Carlsbad and August 28th in Santa Fe

Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety

Aug 9, 2024,  https://nuclearactive.org/

EPA Public Meetings about WIPP Expansion:  August 26th in Carlsbad and August 28th in Santa Fe

The Department of Energy (DOE) wants to expand its operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) for plutonium-contaminated waste from the fabrication of nuclear weapons.  In March, DOE submitted a Planned Change Request to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking permission to mine and operate two underground disposal panels in the WIPP underground disposal facility.  EPA wants to hear from you and is hosting public meetings in Carlsbad and Santa Fe the week of August 26th.  https://www.epa.gov/radiation/wipp-news#WIPP-PCR

EPA has one of two ways to decide whether to grant permission.  One is through an internal administrative process.  The second is through a legal rulemaking that allows the public to present legal challenges to the decision.  A full rulemaking and a comprehensive review of the risks from DOE’s proposed changes is the only way to ensure nuclear safety.    

Further, DOE wants to significantly expand the WIPP underground with Panels 11 and 12 and eventually mine seven additional panels – Panels 13 through 19 – to bring new types of waste to WIPP, including surplus plutonium.  As a result EPA requested additional scientific data and information about how seven new panels and new types of waste would affect WIPP’s ability to contain the waste for 10,000 years. 

To help you prepare public comments, the Stop Forever WIPP Coalition is hosting a virtual educational webinar on Wednesday, August 21^st from 6 to 8 pm.  Don Hancock, the Director of the Southwest Research and Information Center Nuclear Waste Program http://sric.org/ , and Doug Meiklejohn, the Water Quality and Land Restoration Advocate at Conservation Voters of New Mexico https://cvnm.org/ , will present about the DOE Planned Change Request, EPA’s decision making process, and how you can help stop WIPP expansion.  Zoom registration link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZckdu2urzovG9HUHimFBKcTho4p_amGvt8L#/registration

The informational webinar will prepare you to provide public comments at the in-person and virtual EPA meeting on Monday, August 26^th from 2 to 4 pm at the DOE’s Carlsbad Field Office, 4021 National Parks Highway.  Zoom registration link: 

https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdeiqrTwpHUkjZ1z_djiz7fqgYMDqcc8

On Wednesday, August 28^th from 1 to 3 pm in Santa Fe, EPA will host an in-person and virtual technical meeting among experts about planned changed request.  The public is invited to observe.  Zoom registration link:  https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdOyqqjosG2w3uwOoOk4UNSxZwyXxE2s

From 6 to 8 pm EPA will host an in-person and virtual public meeting and receive comments about DOE’s Planned Change Request.  https://usepa.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsdumqrzIvHZWmhyQ_Jh7EBe1EcgTmi5Y

Both Santa Fe meetings will take place in the Canyon Ballroom at the Hilton Santa Fe-Historic Plaza, 100 Sandoval Street.

August 10, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | wastes