Northern New Mexico Citizens’ Advisory Board

Agenda: Mat Johansen called the meeting to order. At Elmer Torres' request, Hank Daneman acted as Chair until the meeting break after which Elmer Torres' acted as Chair.

The Board approved the agenda as presented. The Board approved the meeting minutes for November 18, 1998; January 27, 1999; February 23, 1999; March 24, 1999.

Anthony Armijo requested to postpone the Hydrological Work Plan report to the May Board meeting.

Anne W. Callison, Barbour Communications Inc./ITRC, 437 South Pontiac Way, Denver, CO 80224-1337

Ms. Callison announced a DOE-funded project on the transfer of environmental restoration technology.

Ralph Ford-Schmid, New Mexico Environment Department, 2044A Galisteo Street, Santa Fe, NM 87502 505-827-1536

Mr. Ford-Schmid announced the April 29 Monitoring and Surveillance workshop at the Northern New Mexico Community College. The Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board is jointly sponsoring this workshop.

Ms. Quintana said that she organized land grants and she is interested in talking about this topic with the Board.

Jim Johnston gave a presentation on the May 20-23 Transportation Seminar. He
identified the following issues:

· WIPP
· Rail v. surface transportation
· LANL's "self-insured" policy
· Better packaging including packaging for climatic conditions
· Develop a validation and approval process for vendors and subcontractors to include any contractors' evaluations, violations or penalties
· Include contractors in carrier evaluations to determine if the carriers should continue with the contracts
· Coordinate Transportation Benchmarking data

George Chandler asked about the use of contractors to transport hazardous wastes. Ken Aragon from the Westinghouse Corporation said that DOE owned the WIPP trucks.

Jim Johnston moved, seconded by Menice Manzanares, that the issues identified above be presented at the Seminar. The motion passed 8-1 with 1 abstention.

Bob Clark recommended that if Albuquerque had a problem with a contractor that the contractor should lose the contract for some time. Jim Johnston said that a database tracked each contractor's performance and they could lose the right to bid. Bob Clark recommends that this suggestion be added to the issue list. George Chandler asked about the discipline of contractors.

The Board named the delegation to attend the Seminar. The Board members are: James Leach, Jim Johnston, Connie Thompson-Ortega and George Chandler. The community representatives interested in attending are: Tom Gorman, the New Mexico State Emergency Preparedness. The NNMCAB cannot fund the community representatives. We are sending information about the seminar to a representative of the Carlsbad Mayor's Citizens' Task Force.

George Chandler described the DOE Integration Program Manual. He will give it to Ann DuBois for the Board library.

Mr. Chandler identified the document prepared by the Center for Risk Management in Chicago. Albuquerque Operations cooperated with the Center and generated the risk profile without local stakeholder input. At the SSAB Chairs' National meeting in February, DOE committed to send out a copy of the current draft to each SSAB. The current draft of the profiles is based on last year's Accelerating Cleanup: The Paths to Closure document. The Risk Profiles will accompany the Paths to Closure document. The Risk Profiles should be considered a "work in progress." They focus on hazards versus risk. However, through hazard management, risk is reduced. In the future, after incorporation of comments from SSAB's and DOE field sites across the complex, the Center will expand the profiles to include worker and environmental risk. Stakeholders will get a second comment opportunity during the fall 1999 for review of the Paths to Closure document.

Mr. Chandler asked the Board to develop a process for making recommendations. He requested that committees inform him in advance so he can make time for the recommendation. He suggested that Committees introduce a recommendation at one meeting and then the Board would vote at the next meeting. Fran Berting suggested that the recommendation could go out with the Board mailing packet. If the recommendation is not controversial, the Board could act at that meeting if the Board needs to act quickly. Bob Clark suggested that if the recommendation were significant the Board could have a special meeting for that purpose. George Chandler said that the Board must have a quorum to take any action.

MJ Byrne thanked Julie Canepa and her staff, including Carmen Rodriguez for the Board tour on April 24. Ms. Byrne referred to the letter from Dennis Martinez included in the Board mailing packet. Mr. Martinez's letter reinforces the letter sent by Ms. Byrne regarding the reimbursement of travel expenses. Board members must call Ann DuBois at least two days in advance for permission to stay overnight in a hotel. Call Ann DuBois at least eight days in advance for any long distance travel.

Ms. Byrne asked the Board members give Ann DuBois feedback on the biographical sketches distributed in the Board mailing packet and requested their permission for DOE to make limited distribution of them.

Ms. Byrne reported that the Non-Rad In-Situ Verification Pilot Project at TA-21 went very well. The Board might request a presentation in December. Tours are currently available. The contractor has scheduled the rad test in August. Tom Baca said that the test proved the technology for LANL and he is looking at other applications at other cleanup sites on Lab property.

Jim Johnston moved, seconded by Fran Berting, that the Cities of Gold Hotel be the selected hotel site for the Retreat. Bob Clark amended the motion to name the Plaza Hotel as second choice location. The amendment passed 8-1. The main motion passed 9-0.

Menice Manzanares moved, seconded by Bob Clark, to ask DOE to hire a facilitator for the Retreat. The motion passed 9-0. Ms. Byrne asked for volunteers to plan the retreat. George Chandler suggested that the four Committee Chairs plan the Retreat. Bob Clark suggested that the Retreat look at the strategic issues and Fran Berting recommended that the Board look at the FY99 WorkPlan. George Chandler said that an outcome would be a revised WorkPlan for FY2000.

Ms. Byrne made a report on the search for office space. DOE is looking at spaces in Los Alamos, Pojoaque, and Santa Fe. The Request for Proposals will close on May 7 with occupation scheduled for June 1.

Ms. Byrne asked if the Board wanted a tour of LANL facilities on May 26 when the next Board meeting will be in Los Alamos.

Ms. Byrne announced the June 8 LANL would hold a public meeting from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Fuller Lodge. The topic is the R-25 well data. LANL will send the data tables in advance to the Board. Ms. Byrne invited the Monitoring and Surveillance Committee members and other CAB members to the June 8 meeting. The Committee will have a special briefing on May 20. Anthony Armijo requested that he receive the data tables in advance. Paul Schumann announced that press releases in the Monitor and Journal North will be coming out on April 29.

Ms. Byrne announced DOE's National Stakeholder Forum meeting on June 3-4 in Columbia, Maryland. The Environmental Law Center is handling the logistics and limited travel funds are available. The purpose of the meeting is to receive stakeholder input into the development of the Internet national database on environmental contamination that DOE has identified at sites across the complex. The Environmental Law Center by May 14 must receive requests for financial assistance to attend. Registration and reservations for hotels close May 19. Interested individuals can either call Jim Werner at DOE 202-586-9280 or visit the following website for further information http:www.em.doe.gov/settlement.

The Board received a new copy of the Board's Bylaws in the mailing packet. Ms. Byrne requested that Board members put these copies in their Workbooks.

Fran Berting distributed the meeting minutes for the two Committee meetings on April 12 and April 19. Ms. Berting described the April 6 Special briefing on Land Transfer and the April 24 tour on Land Transfer sites. She referred to Action Item #5 asking the Board to list tour sites they want to see. Ms. Berting reported on Action Item #7 requesting a special meeting on risk levels and standards.

Fran Berting moved, seconded by Bob Clark, that the Board recommends to the DOE that the Los Alamos National Laboratory provide monthly briefings to the Los Alamos County Council, the Accord Pueblos, Santa Fe County, Santa Fe City, Española, Rio Arriba County and the press on any findings of significance to the environment during the previous month. Elmer Torres made a friendly amendment to include the wording "appropriate Pueblos" meaning more that the Eight Northern Pueblos. Anthony Armijo objected to the word "appropriate" and suggested just the word "Pueblo" be used in the amendment. The motion passed 9-0.

Bob Clark suggested that LANL have one spokesperson who has the overall responsible for the environment. Fran Berting moved, seconded by Bob Clark, that NNMCAB recommends that LANL appoint a single person for public contact on all environmental information. The motion was defeated 2-7.

Fran Berting distributed some suggested comments on the Environmental
Restoration Report and the Environmental Impact Statement on Land Transfer. Fran Berting moved, seconded by Anthony Armijo, that the NNMCAB sends these comments to DOE. The motion passed 9-0. MJ Byrne complimented Fran Berting on the work done to prepare these comments. Dr. Berting complimented Ann DuBois on her work also.

Anthony Armijo distributed the April 22 meeting minutes to the Board. He encouraged Board members to attend the April 29 workshop at the Northern New Mexico Community College. The Board is a sponsor of the workshop.

Mr. Armijo attended the annual Hydrological Work Plan meeting at Ghost Ranch.
The next Committee meeting is May 6 and the purpose is to look at EPA's data on the canyons. NMED and LANL will comment on these findings. Mr. Armijo invited Board members to attend this meeting.

Mr. Armijo reported on the Parliamentarian training that he attended and offered the training pamphlet to the Board. He said that the Monitoring and Surveillance Committee wants to link with the Outreach Committee to publicize the Board.
George Chandler said that he could draft a press release after each meeting. Since the next Board meeting is in Los Alamos, PAC 8 could rebroadcast the Board meeting. Bob Clark will ask PAC 8 and the Los Alamos radio station about announcing Board and committee meetings. Mr. Clark will also check whether PAC 8 can televise the May CAB meeting.

Menice Manzanares distributed the April 20 meeting minutes. The Committee decided to distribute the newsletter quarterly. The Committee suggested that the local high schools hold a logo contest for the newsletter. Ms. Byrne promised she would check on what DOE could offer as a prize.

Ms. Manzanares announced that the Board's new website is up and expressed her thanks to Jim Johnston. The website address is www.nnmcab.org. Ms. Manzanares thanked Tom Baca for funding the development of website. Ms. Byrne encouraged the Board members to identify linkages for our website. Jim Johnston is the point of contact. Mr. Paul Schumann, LANL-ER announced that they had a new website at http:erproject@lanl.gov.

The Community Relations Office mailing list will segment their mailing for the NNMCAB and then we can maintain our own database.

Ms. Manzanares suggested a joint meeting with the Sandia Board at some time in the future. Ms. Byrne said that the annual report was a DOE requirement and our Board might want to talk with the Sandia Board about how they did their report.

The Committee plans to hold regular meetings every second Friday of the
month from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The next meeting will be on May 13 at the Northern New Mexico Community College in Española.

Connie Thompson-Ortega was not present. She will make a report at the next Board meeting.

Jim Johnston asked all Board members to send to Ann DuBois their E-mail addresses.

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 April 28, 1999 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

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Northern New Mexico Citizens Advisory Board
1660 Old Pecos Trail, Ste B
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
(800) 218-5942
(505) 989-1662 FAX (505) 989-1752
E-Mail CAB

Los Alamos Citizens Advisory Board
P.O. Box 1665
Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544
(505) 662-1234 FAX (505) 662-4321
staff@lacab.org