Santa Fe commissioners leery of LANL expansion into Northern New Mexico

In response to a recent environmental report, Santa Fe County commissioners reportedly plan to raise concerns about impacts of a potential expansion of the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory on regional resources.

According to an article last week in the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper, the county commissioners are preparing to respond to the draft site-wide environmental impact statement (SWEIS) from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). 

The commissioners’ draft letter says the board would not support an increased footprint by the lab into Northern New Mexico.

“We support the no action alternative that continues clean up of the site, but no growth of the site or the mission,” the letter said.

The commissioners are expected to approve the draft letter at a future meeting with potential specific language on lab expansion into the Northern New Mexico housing landscape. No date has been set to approve the letter and add it to the SWEIS public comment.

The letter cites concerns about the proposed power line that would go through Native land, and even quotes President Donald Trump saying that “there’s no reason for us to be building brand new nuclear weapons” as a reason to end expansion of pit production.