Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

San Ildefonso Pueblo

Board Meeting Minutes

March 21, 1998

I. OPENING

A. Call to Order

MJ Byrne as the Deputy Designated Federal Official called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.

Agenda:  Mat Johansen, DDFO, opened the meeting and discussion for the selection of Interim Chair. With Board approval, Elmer Torres agreed to chair this meeting with one objection that was resolved through discussion. The Board approved the agenda as amended. The Board members introduced themselves during which the meeting was interupted by an individual wanting to read out loud a letter to Secretary Peña. The Chair restored order.

Public Comment:

Juan Montes, Director for the Rural Lands for Military Accountability,
P. O. Box 920, Questa, New Mexico 87556 505-586-1241
Mr. Montes said that the Department of Energy selected him and four other people to be on the Formation Committee for this Board. This Committee developed the charter, the bylaws, the guidelines and selected the members for the original Board. He read a copy of a letter that he sent to Secretary Peña.

Corrine Sanchez, Rt. 5, Box 442-B, Española, New Mexico 505-747-7100
Ms. Sanchez expressed concern that there were not more Board members who were under the age of 30. She talked about the dialogue with DOE that the original Board started.

Robert L. Chavez, P. O. Box 1385, Española, New Mexico 87532
Mr. Chavez expressed his concern that the Board was not representing the public very well. He described the March 21 Journal North article that said that the Board meeting would be interrupted today.

Ian Aeby, Rt. 1, Box 385-A, Española, New Mexico 87532 505-753-4239
Mr. Aeby spoke of his interest in the Board before the DOE formed it. Mr. Aeby served on the Board from 1996-1997. He expressed his concern that Mr. Carl Tsosie, a Board member, has not attended many Board meetings in the past year. Mr. Aeby asked about the status of the bylaws passed by the Board on June 10, 1997.

Manny Trujillo, Rt. 1, Box 367-A, Española, New Mexico 87532
505-753-4674
Mr. Trujillo served on the Board from 1995-1997. Mr. Trujillo was concerned about the Rio Grande Sun article that described an interview with Ray Armenta, a DOE consultant who works with the Board.

Joe Gutierrez, 334 Kimberly Lane, White Rock, New Mexico 87544
505-672-3182
Mr. Gutierrez would like the Homesteaders Association to participate in the land transfer negotiations. He urged the Board to learn about the case in Mississippi involving the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's attempt to place a plant in a primarily minority community.

Request to Board: Mr. Gutierrez requested that a document be produced that lists the Board's actions, proposals passed by the Board and requests for information since the Board began and DOE's responses. He requested that DOE report on the clean-up plans for the proposed land to be transferred.

Tom Switlik, Jr., P. O. Box 4949, Fairview, New Mexico 87533
505-747-9079
Mr. Switlik expressed an interest in serving on the Board. He offered to give the Board technical advice.

Jerry Lee Leyba, Sombrillo, New Mexico 87532 505-753-9853
Mr. Leyba is a member of Citizens' for LANL Employee Rights. He was concerned about the Waste Isolation Pilot Project. He suggested that to ensure safety and health, an escort service accompany the waste shipments. He asked the Board to support the mediation requested by the LANL employees who were laid off 28 months ago.

James Esparza, La Mesilla, New Mexico 87532 505-753-2432
Mr. Esparza is President of the Local 3279 Firefighters Association. He represents 4,000 firefighters throughout New Mexico. Mr. Esparza expressed his opinion that safety has increased in Los Alamos, especially for firefighters. Now he has proper equipment and training furnished by DOE. However, he is concerned about the chemical and petroleum trucks. He hopes that the Board will work cooperatively with DOE.

Gilbert Sanchez, Rt. 5, Box 442-B, Española, New Mexico 87532
505-747-7100
Mr. Sanchez is the Chair of the National Organization Health Coalition, a member of the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Committee and the EPA Water Quality and Air Quality groups. Mr. Sanchez is concerned about the San Ildefonso Pueblo's safety with the transportation of TRU packs coming through the Pueblo. He felt that DOE should compensate the Pueblo and the homesteaders for the land that the government took for LANL. Mr. Sanchez is concerned about the Board's membership composition.

Sarah Atencio, P. O. Box 591, Dixon, New Mexico 505-579-4061
Ms. Atencio was concerned about the way that DOE disbanded the Citizen's Advisory Board. She responded to the Rio Grande Sun article that was an interview with Ray Armenta. Ms. Atencio said that reaching out to the surrounding communities was important for DOE and LANL.

End of Public Comment

Action: The Board appointed a committee to make recommendations to revise the bylaws. The appointed committee members were: Kathy Sanchez, Orlando Arellano, Elmer Torres, and Menice Manzanares. Mat Johansen will serve as an ex-officio member. The Board asked that Corrine Sanchez serve as an ex-officio member without a vote and an invitation to Lupe Griego was to be made..

Action: The Board asked that Elmer Torres chair the next meeting on April 28 from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M.. Hank Daneman volunteered to be the co-chairperson for this meeting. The Board agreed that the meeting would be in Santa Fe.

Action: The meeting adjourned at 12:00 P.M..

The minutes are an accurate and complete summary of the matters discussed and conclusions reached at the Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board meeting held on March 21, 1998.

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