Congresswoman Heather Wilson, First Congressional District of New Mexico
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| Wilson Secures Independent Study of the SNL Mixed Waste Landfill |
October 20, 2000 |
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| WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson announced today that the final Department of energy Budget proposal moving through the Congress includes a provision she requested that will authorize and fund an independent review of the mixed waste land fill at Sandia National Lab. The bill includes $25,000 to pay for the study.
“While Sandia National Labs has done studies to assure that there is no danger to posed to the public health and safety by the Mixed-Waste Landfill, public confidence continues to be low,” said Wilson. “My hope is that this study will answer the questions and concerns that have been raised by members of the community regarding the condition of the landfill.”
Sandia National Laboratories contains a Mixed-Waste Landfill that has both high and low level wastes. From 1958 to 1988 the Department of Energy has filled large underground drums with both classified and unclassified waste products.
In the summer of 2000 an independent analysis of previous DOE studies was conducted by a voluntary citizen’s group to determine the threat that the Mixed-Waste Landfill may have to public health and safety. However, the results of that independent report have been disputed widely in the community. The study authorized by this bill will provide new soil samples and analysis of the landfill.
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