MISSION: Southwest Research and Information Center is a multi-cultural organization working to promote the health of people and communities, protect natural resources, ensure citizen participation, and secure environmental and social justice now and for future generations

Additional SRIC Nuclear Waste Documents

Information about the February 14, 2014 WIPP Radiation Leak can be found here.

On November 15, 2024, SRIC's Don Hancock presented a written statement and powerpoint regarding STOP Forever WIPP to the State Legislature Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee. Documents from that meeting are at:
https://www.nmlegis.gov/Committee/Handouts_List?CommitteeCode=RHMC&Date=11/15/2024

On September 13, 2024, SRIC's Don Hancock presented a written statement and powerpoint regarding STOP Forever WIPP to the State Legislature Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee. Documents from that meeting are at:
https://www.nmlegis.gov/Committee/Handouts_List?CommitteeCode=RHMC&Date=9/13/2024

On August 5, 2022, SRIC's Don Hancock presented a written statement and powerpoint regarding STOP Forever WIPP to the State Legislature Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee. Documents from that meeting are at:
https://www.nmlegis.gov/Committee/Handouts_List?CommitteeCode=RHMC&Date=8/5/2022

On March 18, 2022, SRIC's Abstract and Powerpoint "WIPP: The Only TRU Waste Repository?" was presented virtually in the American Physical Society Session on "Radioactive Waste - A Problem Not Going Away."

Don Hancock on WIPP's New Mission, an interview for New Mexico People Places and Ideas, hosted by Stephen Spitz, and airing on KUNM 01/07/2022.

On November 16, 2021, SRIC's Don Hancock was interviewed by Lorene Mills for the PBS weekly show, Report from Santa Fe.
http://www.reportfromsantafe.com/episodes/view/675/don-hancock-southwest-research-and-information-center/

On July 14, 2021, SRIC's Don Hancock presented a written statement and powerpoint regarding STOP Forever WIPP to the State Legislature Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee. Documents from that meeting are at: https://nmlegis.gov/Committee/Handouts_List?CommitteeCode=RHMC&Date=7/14/2021

On October 21, 2020, the New Mexico Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee is holding a virtual meeting to discuss WIPP and other issues. SRIC's Don Hancock provided a powerpoint and written statement.

DOE's Plan to Exceed WIPP Waste Limits
On August 22, 2019, DOE issued its Draft WIPP Strategic Plan.
https://wipp.energy.gov/pdfs/DOE-CBFO-19-3605_CBFO%20Strategic%20Plan%202019-2023-Rev%200-DRAFT%20A.pdf
 
SRIC and many other groups oppose the "WIPP Forever" plan and submitted comments. SRIC also submitted more detailed comments.

SRIC opposes DOE's Plan to keep WIPP open until 2050 and dramatically exceed the legal limits of waste allowed. That 2016 Plan was publicly released in response to SRIC's Freedom of Information Act request. (DOE's FOIA response and the Plan.) DOE is in the process of updating the Plan and there should be opportunities for public comment.

NAS WIPP Committee.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), at the request of DOE regarding congressional appropriations provisions, has established a new committee on "Disposal of Surplus Plutonium in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant." As part of its first meeting on November 29, 2017 SRIC's Don Hancock was invited to briefly address the committee (presentation). On March 12, 2018, SRIC's Don Hancock was invited to make an additional presentation. On April 30, 2020, the Committee issued its final report.

Don Hancock, Soutwest Research and Information Center by Paul DeRienzo. The Torch Sundays 1PM on PRN.fm Don Hancock is a leading expert on nuclear waste generated by the United States Nuclear Weapons Complex. Based in New Mexico he is watchdog over the Los Alamos National Lab which has designed and built nuclear weapons for the military since 1942. We discuss the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and the explosive nature of nuclear waste. (03/06/2017)

NEPA needed before WIPP re-opens — On November 21, 2016, the Natural Resources Defense Council and SRIC wrote to DOE regarding new NEPA documents required before WIPP can re-open to handle more nuclear waste. DOE responded on February 6, 2017. NRDC and SRIC replied on February 15.

Current DOE Proposals to Expand WIPP — Hign-Level Waste,Surface Storage, GTCC, Mercury, and Commercial Waste being considered, among other means to expand the types and amounts of waste. (9/15/2017).

Among the last activities conducted by EEG was a workshop on March 16, 2004 related to technical issues regarding some of the high-level waste tanks at DOE's Hanford, Washington site and whether some of the wastes could be disposed at WIPP. Because EEG funding was terminated shortly after the workshop, the planned report of the workshop was not completed. However, in 2013 DOE again proposed sending some of that tank waste to WIPP.
Two of the EEG scientists in charge of the workshop - George Anastas and James Channell - compiled a summary of the workshop to enhance public understanding of those issues. (June 2013)

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Rising Carbon Tetrachloride Levels at WIPP:

• Dec 23, 2009 -- SRIC letter to WIPP Manager re: Rising Carbon Tetrachloride levels
• Jan 14, 2010 -- WIPP Manager Response
• Jan 15, 2010 -- SRIC letter with additional requests
• Mar 3, 2010 -- Joint Letter from SRIC & Snake River Alliance
  re: Idaho Nation Laboratory as source of rising Carbon Tetrachloride levels at WIPP

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Documents

WIPP Weekly Status Report, as of March 30, 2024, data on the first 25 years of operations.

Will EPA Recertify the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)? Presentation by Don Hancock (06/09/2015)

Presentation materials for the Interim Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee of the New Mexico Legislature, Carlsbad, NM meeting. (10/8/2013)

WIPP Transportation Accidents 2002 - 2009 (5/8/2012)

Letter to USEPA re: Los Alamos National Laboratory Plutonium and shipments to WIPP (3/22/2006).

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant: How Well is "Accelerated Cleanup" Working? (large 2 M .pdf) (8/16/2005)

Cumulative WIPP Shipments (10/25/2004)

SRIC asks New Mexico Environment Department to continue delay in shipments from Idaho to WIPP (8/30/2004)

Letter to EPA Regarding Flaws in Recertification Application for WIPP (8/21/2004)

Letter to EPA Opposing Remote Handled Waste at WIPP (1/30/2004)

Site Breakdown of Curies in WIPP Shipments(9/3/02)

Letter to DOE, concerns about WIPP Waste Truck Accident (08/29/02)

Letter to DOE, RE: the Performance Management Plan "accelerated cleanup" regarding transuranic waste and WIPP (6/24/02)

Letter to DOE, RE: concerns about WIPP Waste Information System (1/28/02)

WIPP SHIPMENT PROBLEMS 12/21/01

Site by Site Breakdown of WIPP Shipments (UPDATED 1/16/2002)

SRIC Comments to EPA re: Waste Characterization Program and Protesting Inadequacy of Comment Time 8/13/2001

Information on Shipments to WIPP (UPDATED 2/15/2001)

Proposed Truck Shipment Routes to WIPP

Brief Chronology of Major WIPP Events from 1972 to 2000

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The Ambushed Grand Jury is the true story of four Citizen Investigators who uncover the Justice Department’s cover-up of deadly radioactive contamination at Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant.

Deceived by the Justice Department’s cover-up, relying on false assurances that Rocky Flats wasn’t as contaminated as everyone had thought, public officials now plan to open the former nuclear weapons plant to recreation. Children will play in these radioactive fields ... unless the Citizens’ Investigation – with the reader's help - can stop these dangerous plans. All authors' profits will be donated to environmental and nuclear activist groups around the country to help them carry on their important work. You will be asked during checkout to pick the organization of your choice. Read more.

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Updates of our Nuclear Waste Program activities can be found in the Nuclear Waste Issue and the Nuclear West Issue of Voices from the Earth

Voices from the Earth

• Will 2004 Bring Major Changes to WIPP?, Spring 2004
• More Nuclear Waste for New Mexico?, Spring 2004
• Just Say "NO!" (Again) to High-Level Waste at WIPP, Fall 2004
• New Mexico Says No to High-Level Waste at WIPP, Winter 2004
• New Mexico-Texas...Nuclear Waste Connection?, Winter 2004
• What Will Congress Do about Yucca Mountain?, Spring 2002
• More Money=Less Performance at WIPP, Spring 2002
• Congress Begins Action on Yucca Mountain, Summer 2002
• Congress Approves Yucca Mountain, Fall 2002
• More Waste at WIPP, Winter 2001

Additional information can be found in The Workbook (discontinued):

The Workbook

• Feature Articles
  • WIPP — The next chapter in the nuclear waste storage dilemma. Don Hancock. Citizen Groups continue to fight WIPP; cleanup issues at other national laboratories. 1999, 9pp.
  • WIPP - Why It's Still Unsafe. Don Hancock. Why WIPP is unsafe and won't solve the nations nuclear waste problems. 1997, 11pp.
  • "Where is Nuclear Waste Going —Or Staying? Don Hancock. Overview of efforts in Congress to weaken health and safety standards for nuclear waste storage and disposal. Also, the effort to halt a radioactive waste dump in the Mojave Desert. 1995, 13 pp. (Cited by Project Censored, "25 Best Censored Stories of 1995.")
  • FOR SALE: Nuclear Waste Sites — Anyone Buying? Don Hancock. Why the federal government's program to sell surface storage facilities and to promote Yucca Mountain, Nevada is failing; steps needed for a successful nuclear waste program. 1992, 10 pp.
  • Getting Rid of the Nuclear Waste Problem: the WIPP Stalemate. Don Hancock. How the world s first repository has been delayed and a program for solving the problem. 1989, 11 pp.
  • The Wasting of America: Target/Nevada Target/New Mexico. Don Hancock. Problems at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, proposed site of the first high-level nuclear waste repository, and implications for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), a military waste repository in New Mexico. 1988, 11 pp.
  • Nuclear Waste: Another Washington Scandal. Don Hancock. The Department of Energy s (DOE) policies and practices in developing WIPP explain the agency s troubles as it tries to develop a second repository. 1987, 5 pp.
  • How Not to Find A Nuclear Waste Site. Don Hancock. Why the DOE chose unsuitable sites as candidates for the high-level nuclear waste repository. 1986, 10 pp.
  • The Nuclear Legacy: How Safe Is It? Don Hancock. Problems with implementing the federal nuclear waste repository program. 1983, 23 pp.
• Center Notes
  • WIPP Update: Waste Shipments to WIPP Violate Safety Requirements, Spring 2000.
  • Experts testify at WIPP hearings, Spring 1999.
  • Nuclear Weapons Testing Still Affects Human Health, Fall/Winter 1998.

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