Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

Nambé Pueblo

Board Meeting Minutes

JANUARY 27, 1999

6:00 P. M.

I. OPENING

A. Call to Order

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

B. Lt. Governor Mirabel offered a prayer. Pueblo Secretary Denise Perez read a
letter from Governor Perez. George Chandler stated that the Board will enter the Governor's letter into the Board's minutes and thanked the Pueblo for their hospitality.

C. MJ Byrne introduced LANL's Deputy Director, Mr. Richard Burick.

D. The Board approved the agenda as presented approved.

II. PUBLIC COMMENT

Joni Arends, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, 107 Cienga Street, Santa Fe, 87501 505-986-1973

Ms. Arends supported the proposed recommendation made by Michael Smith regarding the creation of a WIPP Advisory Board.

John Bartlit, 113 N. Monte Rey Drive, Los Alamos, NM 87544 505-672-9792

Mr. Bartlit read a written statement supporting the proposed recommendation for a WIPP
Advisory Citizen's Board.

Janet Gerwin, 50 Tesque, Los Alamos, NM 87544 505-662-9568

Ms. Gerwin asked about the presence of strontium 90 in the Los Alamos canyons.

Tony Vigil, Nambé Pueblo

Mr. Vigil is the WIPP Coordinator for Nambé Pueblo and serves on the Tribal Council. He requested a WIPP tour for Tribal Council. He attended the Site-Specific Advisory Boards' Low Level Waste Conference and is concerned about the legacy waste at LANL.

Carmen Rodriguez, LANL Mail Stop M707, Los Alamos, NM 87544 505-665-6770

Ms. Rodriguez invited people to the Environmental Restoration Project public meeting on February 4 at the Northern New Mexico Community College.

Dave Bouquin, 2290 39th Street, Apt. C, Los Alamos, NM 87544 505-662-3741

Mr. Bouquin thought the New Mexico Environment Department should permit WIPP because a public agency should monitor how DOE ships the waste and increase public confidence in LANL. The LANL Site-wide Environmental Impact Statement admits to contamination in the environment. He supported the creation of an advisory board for WIPP.

III. REPORT

A. Mr. Charlie Nylander, LANL, distributed a written report to the Board on groundwater and monitoring wells.

B. Mr. Dave Broxton, ER Project, reported that high explosives compounds have been found in the groundwater but not near the public drinking wells that are three miles away.

Michael Smith asked if the runoff in canyons is sampled and characterized? Mr. Broxton said that samples are taken and analyzed.

Anthony Armijo asked Mr. Nylander if the Board could be more directly involved in the drilling program. Mr. Nylander said that at the March annual meeting, NMED and the Review Committee will look at what happened during the previous year and what will happen next year. Mr. Chandler asked if the Review committee could add a Board member to their committee. Mr. Nylander invited the Board to send some representatives to this meeting.

Catherine Rivera-Lyons asked if outfall 260 is still active? Mr. Nylander said that it had not been active for a year and a half. Ms. Rivera-Lyons asked the Environmental Restoration Committee to look at Building 260 and the outfall. Mr. Smith said that the Committee would do this task. Ms. Rivera-Lyons was concerned that high explosives might be moving toward San Ildefonso. Mr. Nylander said that LANL would drill more wells to see what is happening. Mr. Richard Burick, LANL, said that LANL used building 260 for the production of nuclear weapons.

Bill Wyatt was concerned that water was found at 700 ft. not at 1350 feet as expected. Mr. Nylander said that the drinking water wells met safe standards. Mr. Nylander said that LANL would drill more upstream wells and then we would know if other contaminants are present. Steve Rae, LANL, said that strontium 90 had been found in two production wells but the findings were below drinking water standards. However, LANL will take these wells off line.

MJ Byrne thanked the Water Quality staff for making this presentation before releasing this information to the press. Mr. Chandler urged Board members to read the Hydrological Work Plan that is in the Board library.

C. Chair Report - Mr. George Chandler asked each Committee Chair to describe the function of their committee and invited new Board members to sign up.

Mr. Chandler said that Connie Thompson-Ortega, Vice Chair and MJ Byrne, will attend the SSAB Chair meeting in Savannah River.

Mr. Chandler announced the New Mexico Environment Department Hearing on WIPP on February 22, the February 4 public meeting on LANL's Environment Restoration program and the Sandia Board meeting on February 24.

Catherine Rivera-Lyons stated that next month will be her last Board meeting.

Tom Baca suggested that George Chandler share with the Board his paper on safety.

D. DOE Report - MJ Byrne said that the final draft of the Los Alamos Site-wide Environmental Impact Statement is now available and suggested a briefing for the Board. She encouraged the Board to produce an annual report. The Community Outreach Committee accepted the task to produce an annual report by the end of the fiscal year. Ms. Byrne offered a tour of LANL's Water Treatment Plant. Several new Board members and the Monitoring & Surveillance Committee expressed interest in this tour.

E. Michael Smith reported that the Environmental Restoration Committee met on
January 11 with Ted Taylor and Julie Canepa. They distributed the 1999 work schedule. When LANL decides that a site has been cleaned up, they send a report to the New Mexico Environment Department. Julie Canepa promised a condensed report of these sites to the Committee.

Mr. Smith distributed the agenda for the Risk Assessment Workshop. The workshop's purpose is to inform Board members and the public about the risk assessment process. ICF/Kaiser, Radian and Johnnye Lewis reduced their usual fees for the workshop. Sandia may jointly sponsor the next workshop with this Board.

Mr. Smith introduced his recommendation, seconded by Catherine Rivera-Lyons that DOE create a citizens' advisory board for WIPP. MJ Byrne said that the Mayor of Carlsbad appointed three citizen advisory groups. Menice Manzanares made the motion, seconded by Anthony Armijo, to table this recommendation. The Board voted 8 Yes 1 No to table the recommendation.

Mr. Smith made a motion, seconded by Catherine Rivera-Lyons, that Secretary Richardson delay WIPP's opening until a permit is secured from the New Mexico Environment Department. Ms. Rivera-Lyons asked Tom Baca about the sampling of the 100 drums designated for WIPP. Mr. Baca responded that a statistical sampling was done and not every drum was opened. Ms. Rivera-Lyons said that Area G came under the purview of the Waste Committee. Bill Wyatt requested that the Board tour Area G.

F. Menice Manzanares reported for the Bylaws Committee that the Board's bylaws are in place and suggested that the new members review them.

G. Catherine Rivera-Lyons reported that the Waste Management Committee is concerned with transportation issues, program operations producing waste, the Stockpile Stewardship program, and the disposal and treatment of waste.

H. Anthony Armijo reported that the Monitoring and Surveillance Committee has eight members who are not on the Board. The Committee invited Board members to attend the special workshop on March 24 before the Board meeting.

I. Connie Thompson-Ortega reported for the Budget Committee that the budget is within limits.

J. Menice Manzanares reported that the Community Outreach Committee needs new members.

K. Comments from Board Members.

Catherine Rivera-Lyons suggested that the Board discuss at the February meeting the seventeen recommendations developed by the Site Specific Advisory Boards' Low Level Waste Seminar.

Anthony Armijo announced that the Four Accord Pueblos, the Board's Monitoring and Surveillance Committee and LANL scheduled a public meeting for April 29 at the Northern New Mexico Community College in Española.

Jim Johnston suggested that the Board create a separate Transportation
Committee. Mr. Chandler said the Board will discuss this possibility at the February meeting.

IV. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 9:00 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 January 27, 1999.

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