Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

San Ildefonso Pueblo

Board Meeting Minutes

MARCH 24, 1999

I. OPENING

A. Call to Order

MJ Byrne called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

II. PUBLIC COMMENT

Chris Mechels, Rt. 4, Box 2B, Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-982-7144
Mr. Mechels requested that the Board receive a copy of Dr. Sandman's paper on "Risk = Hazard+Outrage." Dr. Sandman observed that when risk is high the experts are upset and the public is not. When the risk is low, the public is upset. Mr. Mechels said that public trust was an important part of the picture. He requested that the Board pay attention to this issue.

Mr. Mechels reported that he met with LANL employees and tribal members, Elmer Torres and Gil Suazo. He said that they observed that the tribes do not trust LANL.

Mr. Mechels said that LANL had not yet installed an employee hotline. The hotline enables LANL employees to report Occupational Safety and Health Administration violations. He said that LANL was not in compliance with federal or University of California whistleblower protection laws.

Mr. Mechels suggested that the Board add an organized labor representative.

Felipe Martinez, Self-Reliance Foundation, P.O. Box 223, El Rito, NM 87530 505-581-9176
The Self-Reliance Foundation is preparing a survey on the relationships between DOE and the Northern New Mexico Hispanic community. They want to know if the partnerships are effective and then make recommendations to DOE.

III. REPORTS

A. MJ Byrne reported that DOE Headquarters EM-22 is sending the Board $25,000 for cross-site activities. She suggested that the Board hold a Retreat to review and revise the Board's FY99 WorkPlan. The Board selected the dates June 4 through 6 for the Retreat and suggested that we hold the event in Santa Fe. Ms Byrne recommended that the Board hold a special meeting to discuss the Environmental Restoration Report on Land Transfer before the comment period ends on April 12.

The Board changed the date of the December meeting in Taos to December 15. Ms. Byrne requested the Board give input on the TA-21 vitrification pilot project scheduled between April 15 and 22. She invited the Boards from Rocky Flats and Idaho to tour the site along with our Board members.

The workbooks for all Board members are now available. Ann DuBois described the contents and encouraged Board members to use the reference materials.

Ms. Byrne announced that DOE is looking for new Board office space and she wants to involve the Board in the selection process. She asked if the Board wanted to release to the public the Board's mailing list and the Board agreed.

Ms. Byrne said that WIPP was now open and the first shipment was tonight.

B. Mr. Chandler made the Chair's report. He described on the Center for Disease Control Dose Reconstruction Project. This three-year project is in the historical document retrieval and assessment phase. Mr. Chandler hoped that the Board will maintain close contact with this project.

Mr. Chandler asked if the committees had recruited all the new Board members. He said the LANL Water Quality Group invited three Board members to attend their annual meeting on the Hydrological Work Plan. Mr. Chandler announced the Site-Specific Advisory Boards' fall workshop on Environmental Justice.

C. Fran Berting reported that Royallynn Allen, Tina Kulinivitch and George Chandler are now members of the Environmental Restoration Committee. Mr. Chandler clarified that committee membership is open to the public. The written report on the Risk Assessment Workshop is available. The Committee's recommendation on a communication process between LANL and the Pueblos is still with San Ildefonso's Pueblo Council.

D. Anthony Armijo reported that the Monitoring and Surveillance Committee met last Thursday to complete plans for today's workshop. Mr. Chandler congratulated the Committee for holding an excellent workshop. At the Committee meeting, Mr. Daneman presented the work of the prior Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Committee. Mr. Armijo encouraged Board members to take the Rad Worker Training and call Jean Dewart at 665-0239 to schedule the training.

E. Connie Thompson-Ortega said that the Waste Management Committee did not meet this month because Catherine Rivera-Lyons did not transfer the committee's materials. The Committee members include Moises Gonzales, and Jim Johnston. Jim Johnston announced the May 20-23 Transportation Workshop. The Board can invite five Board and five community members to attend. The selected participants must send in their registrations by April 23. The Board members expressed their openness to including representatives from Carlsbad and Northern New Mexico communities in the delegation. The Board asked Ray Armenta to contact local governments and Pueblos and find representatives.

F. Menice Manzanares reported for the Bylaws Committee. Anthony Armijo moved, seconded by Fran Berting, adoption of recommendation #1 that the Board membership expand to twenty one members. The motion passed 6-5.

Menice Manzanares moved, seconded by Connie Thompson-Ortega, adoption of recommendation #2 that the Board make recommendations to the Department by consensus. Patrick Freehan moved, seconded by Fran Berting, that the words be added "to prepare separate reports before the next meeting" to the motion. The amendment to the main motion passed 11-0. The main motion passed 11-0.

Menice Manzanares moved, seconded by Fran Berting adoption of amendment #3 that term limits be eliminated. The motion passed 11- 0.

G. Connie Thompson reported that the Budget Committee recommends that $5,000 be administratively transferred from the Waste Management to the Travel line item.

Ms. Byrne announced that at least eight days before departing on any Board trip, Board members must contact Ann DuBois to make the necessary arrangements. Board members must return travel vouchers to Ann DuBois within 20 days after a meeting or DOE will assume that they do not want reimbursement. If Board members need to spend the night after a Board meeting, they must give Ann DuBois prior notice.

H. Menice Manzanares reported that Jeanne Marie Crockett, Elmer Torres, Jim Johnston, Domingo Martinez, and John Alejandro are members of the Community Outreach Committee. Jim Johnston reported on the proposed Board website. Tom Baca, LANL-ER, offered to pay $1,180 for setting-up the website. The proposed maintenance cost of $560 for subsequent years would come from the budget for Board expenses. Jim Johnston moved, seconded by Fran Berting, adoption of the bid from Merlet webmasters. The motion passed 10-1 pending consultation with the DOE Business Office.

The Committee described their outreach efforts to Hispanic and Native American communities.

IV. BOARD COMMENTS

The Board requested tours of the Radiation Liquid Waste Treatment Plant, the Rocky Flats site, TA-54, and TA-21. DOE will offer the tours on both weekends and weekdays. DOE will offer the in-situ vitrification Pilot Project tour on April 3 and 10.

V. ADJOURNMENT

The Board adjourned at 8:15 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 24, 1999.

PDF Version - Click Here
Files are in Adobe Acrobat format
To get a free copy of Acrobat click on the banner below

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