Northern New Mexico Citizens' Advisory Board Meeting Minutes

Hotel Santa Fe

Board Meeting Minutes

June 20, 2001

1. OPENING

Ted Taylor, DDFO, called the meeting to order at 6:06 p.m. A quorum was established. Mr. Taylor turned the meeting over to Menice S. Manzanares, Chair

who moderated the meeting. Mr. Taylor introduced Barbara Harrellson, ATA Services who will be working with the SSAB Chairs Conference.

The Board approved as amended the agenda sent to the Board. The motion was passed.

The Board approved as amended the May Board meeting minutes.

II. Board Comments

Ms. Hoard requested that the Board members receive copies of the letter from Governor Gachupin of the Jemez Pueblo describing the Pueblo’s environmental concerns.

2. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Hank Daneman, fill in address and phone number

Mr. Daneman commented on the Board’s efforts to communicate with the surrounding communities. He discussed the work of the City of Santa Fe Task Force on Water Quality appointed by the City Council. Mr. Daneman is concerned about the strontium 90 that has been found in the perched water zone under LANL. He said that these samples show strontium 90 that is ten times above the legal limit. The water in the perched water zones recharges the regional acquifer. Mr. Daneman is concerned that this contamination may show up in the Espanola wells.

Mr. Daneman wanted the Board to be involved in setting the prioritization of the Environmental Restoration projects. He is particularly interested in the contamination found in Acid and Mortendad Canyons. Mr. Daneman is concerned about the strontium 90 contamination in the MCO3 well. This contamination may be coming from the Waste Treatment plant.

Mr. Daneman said that three years ago Mr. Taylor wrote a summary report on the 600 Potential Release Sites. At that time, three sites had been cleaned up. Most of the work that had been done was characterization studies. Several years ago, the Inspector General audited the Environmental Restoration program. On June 20, Mr. Daneman spoke with Mr. Vozella, DOE Assistant Area Manager for Environmental Programs. Mr. Vozella will ask Mr. Taylor to update his report and share it with the Board.

Mr. Daneman said that the monitoring and surveillance sampling data for the past twelve months is incomplete. The sampling data showed strontium 90 was found in wells MCO-4 and 4b. These data from these wells were omitted and no reason was given. Mr. Daneman suggested that the Board have oversight of these sampling data reports. He was also concerned about the nine-month delay in giving these reports to the public. Mr. Daneman thought that this data should be publicly released in four weeks after it was collected. He thought the laboratory analysis should be done by LANL rather than sending it out to other labs. Mr. Daneman said that important sampling data on these wells that was collected in 1999 was wiped out. The reason that was given for its omission was that LANL decided that the quality control was not acceptable.

Mr. Daneman observed that the LANL webpage had tables on the contaminants found at LANL. Dr. Rogers listed these tables. Mr. Daneman felt that the public could not understand these tables. He suggested that the Board might suggest a way to interpret this table.

Mr. Daneman thought that the public wanted to know more about the Waste Management programs. He said that the Waste Management Program Manager’s budget was diverted to tasks other than shipping waste.

Mr. Daneman wanted to know about the effect of the change in the Stockpile Stewardship program. Recently President Bush announced his intention to reduce nuclear weapons to one tenth of the current inventory. Mr. Daneman said that this plan meant that the country does not need to maintain a surplus of weapons. He said that the manufacture of plutonium pits at Rocky Flats involved some major accidents that should concern the Board.

Mr. Daneman said that 150 waste cylinders are stored at Area G. The LANL staff drilled small holes in the cylinders and found nickel hydroxide, which is the most poisonous element on earth. Mr. Daneman said that LANL should remove toxic materials rather than burying them.

Mr. Daneman said that LANL is manufacturing biological weapons. He is concerned that LANL does not have a good safety record. An example is the accident that resulted in Efrem Martinez being in comma for almost five years. He thought there were too many accidents at LANL. Ms. Salazar, a former Board member, expressed concern for family and then LANL took action to care for them. The four scientists on this project did not follow procedures. These scientists were important to the plutonium pit production program. Instead of being punished, these scientists were promoted and given raises. Mr. Daneman said that the public would like to be assured that people who violate safety procedures would be fired.

Mr. Gale asked Mr. Daneman if his reference to the manufacture of biological weapons was the proposed Biosafety lab Level 3. Mr. Daneman confirmed that he was concerned that this might be a weapons production facility. Mr. Gale requested that staff send the proposed Biosafety lab presentation sides from the March 2001 Board meeting to Mr. Daneman.

Tim Michael, NMED 428-2557

Mr. Michael invited Board members to participate in the public meetings associated with NMED’s independent contract with Risk Assessment Corporation. The Risk Assessment Cooperation is doing a risk assessment on the Cerro Grande fire impact. The task is to ascertain if there is any risk to the public and to the fire fighters.

NMED will host on August 22 a general meeting for the public. The time has not yet been set. The place will be Fuller lodge in Los Alamos. The final report is due in April 2002. The progress meetings are for public input as the process goes along. Mr. Johnston offered to announce the August 22 meeting on the Board’s webpage.

Ms. Hoard asked if the tasks and reports on the risk assessment were available on the NMED website. Mr. Michaels said that NMED’s website is not accessible to the public. Ms. Hoard requested that Board receive a presentation when the final report is available in April 2002.

Mr. Brannon said that the final report was purchased from public funds so the product belongs to the public. He asked about how NMED plans to publish these documents. Mr. Michaels said that Barbara Hodicheck is the project manager. Some draft materials on the NMED website. The State libraries and the UNM library also have NMED’s reports. Ms. Herzlich said that the Board wants this information available to the public.

END OF PUBLIC COMMENT

III. REPORTS

A. Chair’s Report

Ms. Manzanares reminded Board members about the SSAB Chairs conference to be held from August 26 to 29. The tour on Wednesday may include San Ildefonso Pueblo. The Planning Committee is working hard on this event. Ms. Manzanares asked that the Board members receive the agenda survey for the SSAB Chairs meeting and give their input to Ms. Herzlich, Who will consolidate the NNMCAB response.

Ms. Manzanares reminded the Board that there would be an election for officers in September. There will be no Board meeting in August.

B.  DOE Report

Mr. Taylor distributed a written report. The new Santa Fe office is now open. Board members will be invited to walk through the office to see if more equipment is needed

Mr. Taylor discussed the new staffing pattern. DOE decided to consolidate the administrative under ATA Services. The staff will expand to include an Office Manager and a Secretary. PWT will provide the technical consulting services. For the next few months, two temporary secretaries will work with the Board. Karren Suesz will cover while Ann DuBois is on vacation. Barbara Harrelson will work with the SSAB Chairs conference. The staffing decisions should be made by July 15. Mr. Jordan asked for Board members’ input into the future office needs.

Mr. Taylor reported on the SSAB Chairs Planning Committee meeting on June 14.

Mr. Taylor drafted a Board recruitment plan and sent it for comment to Ms. Manzanares and Mr. Johnston. Mr. Taylor talked with Ms. Crosland, Acting Director of the DOE Office of Intergovernmental and Public Accountability. She prefers that the Board send more than one nominee at a time. Mr. Taylor said that Mr. Gurule, Los Alamos Area Manager, might temporarily appoint a proposed new Board member, Rey Morales, if a vacancy exists.

Mr. Taylor reported that the Environmental Restoration and Monitoring and Surveillance Committees have completed the first draft of the FY2002 workplan. Ms. Herzlich asked if the Committees will be asked to identify their issues and when the Board will address these issues. At the Board Retreat, some items were identified for the Board meeting planning calendar.

Mr. Taylor said that on May 31, Dr. Fabryka-Martin, Mr. Taylor and Ms. Nash participated in a conference call to plan the SSAB Groundwater Conference. Dr. Fabryka-Martin plans to attend this conference. The Committee is reviewing the Hydrogeological Work Plan.

Ms. Manzanares thanked Mr. Taylor for his part in the smooth transition from MJ Byrne as Deputy Designated Federal Official.

C. Waste Management Committee

Mr. Gale, Committee Chair Pro Tem, reported that the Committee met on June 18. Dr. Mark Perkrill presented some information on cost optimization and LANL’s efforts on quality assurance. LANL is making progress in computerization for the calculation and analysis of reports. These efforts have considerably reduced the workload and cost by 80%. These changes also mean a reduction in the time to get the waste off the hill to WIPP. The certification and characterization processes have also accelerated.

One method that has assisted this process is the use of the Arrow-Pak for shipping high wattage drums. These drums will be place in Arrow-Pak containers and then in TRU Pak containers. If this process can be accomplished without repackaging, it will result in a $350 million cost reduction. Reducing the number of barrels will reduce the time to ship. This will be a safer process for the public. It is also a big improvement in worker safety when they do not have to repackage. The waste will not have to be put into glove boxes and segregated. If this process works, it will save money and time. The demonstration project has not been funded. Approximately $1.75 million for testing and proving the technology. The Waste Management Committee drafted a recommendation on this topic. The recommendation was distributed for the first reading.

Mr. Brannon asked if the WIPP permit would be effected by this technology change. Mr. Gale said that there would be no impact. Steve Zapp from NMED is aware of this change and involved in the meeting on June 18. Mr. Zappe confirmed that use of ArrowPak would require modification of the permit, but that its use as proposed does not appear to raise any significant issues. Mr. Brannon suggested that Westinghouse TRU Solutions must be involved if this technology can be used. Mr. Gale said that this information would not effect this recommendation.

Mr. Johnston added that this technology is significant for the volume reduction too. He added that DOE has given Research and Demonstration money for this project.

The second reading for this recommendation will be at the July Board meeting. Mr. Jordan suggested that the recommendation be put in the newspaper advertisements for the July Board meeting.

D. Monitoring and Surveillance Committee

Dr. Fabryka-Martin, Committee Chair, was on vacation. Mr. Taylor reported that the Committee met on June 13. The Committee is preparing fact sheets for ten topics. These fact sheets will be two kinds: Informational and issue. The Committee is also drafting the scope of work and the calendar for next year.

E. Environmental Restoration Committee

Dr. Berting, Committee Chair, reported on the June 11 meeting. The Committee worked on the general outline for the work plan that will be further developed at the July 9 meeting at the Johnson Controls office in Espanola.

Dr. Berting announced the June 27 Workshop 27 on Material Disposal Area H. This is a pilot project for the prioritization and cleanup process for other Material Disposal Areas. LANL, DOE and NMED staff members have formed a High Profile Team to work on this project. The public is invited to this workshop. LANL mailed out over 2000 invitation letters. The documents related to this project are on the Environmental Restoration Project webpage. The workshop was advertised in the Journal North, the New Mexican, the Rio Grande Sun, the Los Alamos Monitor and radio interviews, and the LANL newsbulletin. There will be joint presentations with Board members, NMED and LANL staff. The June 27 workshop will begin with a poster session at 4:00 to 4:30 and the workshop ends at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Taylor thanked Sandra Martinez, LANL Community Relations Office, who assisted the Committee with this workshop.

Other Committee activities include a discussion of LANL’s cleanup priorities given the new federal budget. A presentation on this topic and the Environmental Restoration Project prioritization process will be given at the July 9 Committee meeting.

The Long-Term Stewardship conference will be held from July 30 to August 2 in Grand Junction. The Environmental Protection Agency and state regulators will discuss what they are thinking about Long-term Stewardship. The conference is entitled "The Future through the Past". Long –term stewardship will be a future activity of the Committee and Dr. Berting invited Board members to attend. The website that is helpful for participants is www.doe.gjpo.com/programs/ltsm. Mr. Brannon and Dr. Berting would like to attend the conference.

F. Community Outreach Committee –

Mr. Johnston, Committee Chair, made the report. The Committee did not meet this month. He designed a SSAB Chairs conference webpage on the Board’s website.

Mr. Taylor drafted a plan for community outreach. One of Mr. Taylor’s high priorities is the recruitment of new Board members. Mr. Johnston said that the Bylaws Committee is exploring the addition of a student member. Ms. Manzanares suggested that a college student contest would be a good idea to reduce the liability issue of a minor child traveling to Board meetings. Mr. Johnston announced that he will participate in a radio show interview on KRSN to talk about the June Board meeting.

Mr. Johnston suggested that the Board hold an Open House sometime in the fall to introduce the public to the new Santa Fe office and the staff.

G. Budget Committee

Mr. Jordan, Committee Chair, reported that the Budget Committee met on June 20. He distributed a written report and reviewed recent activities. The budget report will be amended and distributed at the July Board meeting. The Committee will suggest how to adjust line items. The new office move and equipment changed the budget. The Committee will meet in August. Mr. Jordan requested that the Committee draft their budget requests by July 31. At the September Board meeting, the FY2002 budget will be presented. He requested that the Executive Officers and staff review the projected equipment needs.

H. Followup on Board Retreat

Ms. Herzlich reported on issues that have already been discussed. These issues include changing the Board meeting format for longer meetings, on a bi-monthly basis; a process for formulating meeting agendas, experimenting with a shorter form for Committee minutes and deciding that the major work will be done in Committees.

Ms. Herzlich said that the Board has not yet discussed some items like Board composition and recruitment; staffing needs and rationale; communication channels; consensus decision-making; Board structure such as an Executive Committee; and engaging the public. 

Dr. Berting suggested that the Board discuss the possibility of creating an Executive Committee at July meeting. Ms. Manzanares suggested that the Board should discuss Board recruitment. She is also concerned that there is so little representation from the Pueblos. Mr. Brannon moved, seconded by Dr. Berting to create an Executive Committee. Ms. Manzanares amended the motion that the Executive Committee be composed of the Chair, the Vice Chair, and Committee Chairs. Dr. Berting suggested that the Executive Committee could meet in between Board meetings.

Mr. Brannon said that the purpose of the Executive Committee is to build the Board meeting agenda, take care of housekeeping items, have input into staffing, and make budget requests. This Executive Committee should act as an Ad Hoc Committee pending changes in the Bylaws. Ms. Manzanares asked that the amendments to the bylaws be ready for the September Board meeting. Mr. Gale asked the Executive Committee to define their responsibilities and for this definition Scope of authority to be put in the bylaws. The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Richard was concerned about needing to increase new Board members. Ms. Manzanares said DOE regulations require a balance of opinions. Ms. Herzlich suggested that the Board discuss these issues at the September meeting.

Mr. Taylor distributed a draft plan for how the Board and Committees could conduct public outreach. He suggested that the Board target groups rather than individuals for membership on the Board . Mr. Taylor requested that Board members consider these points. Mr. Taylor said that this agenda item can be discussed at the September Board meeting. He felt that some of these plans could be implemented at the staff level.

Mr. Brannon asked about what the Board wants to produce as part of this thinking about the community outreach plan. Mr. Jordan talked about the Board’s role in disseminating information to the public and try to reduce public misunderstanding of what is happening at LANL. Fact Sheets could distribute information and describe issues for the public. Mr. Taylor discussed the role of interest groups in relationship to the Board. Mr. Brannon volunteered to draft an openness plan and a further edition of the plan.

I. July Board Meeting Agenda

The Board gave input into the agenda. These items could include a report on the Environmental Restoration Program priorities under the new Department of Energy’s budget, the Second reading on Waste Management Committee’s recommendation, Budget review and adjustments, update on the SSAB Chairs meeting, a draft of the Openness Plan, and Board recruitment. Dr. Berting requested an updated presentation package on the Board.

J. Evaluation of Board Meeting

The Board members offered their observations that what worked is that the discussion stayed on time. Good discussion, Good food. Communicate better dialogue happening. Time to dialogue. Not having presentation at every meeting. Had some public comment. Mr. Gale appreciated Ms. Herzlich’s comments on the Waste Management Committee’s recommendation. All the Committees did not report. May need to look at whether each Committee needs to report at each meeting.

IV. ADJOURNMENT

The Board adjourned at 9:02 PM.

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 June 20, 2001.

Certified by:

Menice S. Manzanares, Chair

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