NNSA’s Kevin Smith, Manager of the Los Alamos Site Office. Courtesy photo
NNSA News:
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration’s Los Alamos Site Office has awarded the State of New Mexico $100,000 in funding for the Regional Coalition of Los Alamos National Laboratory Communities to help address environmental and other related issues at LANL that affect the Regional Coalition’s members.
Under the grant funding, one of the key roles of the Regional Coalition will be to understand and help address the various issues regarding the cleanup and long-term management of LANL, and to provide a forum to foster discussions among DOE, the regulatory agencies, and site contractors.
The Regional Coalition will work to educate and perform public outreach to DOE, Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS), and the State on LANL environmental issues.
“We are very pleased that local elected leaders can work with DOE to help promote clean up at Los Alamos as well as realize the job creation opportunities for our constituencies related to this environmental effort,” said Santa Fe Mayor David Coss, Chair of the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities.
“These are the type of local groups that are needed to make sure communities are fully engaged in decision making. I’m pleased to see the formation of the Regional Coalition and that we are able to offer a little help,” said Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management David G. Huizenga.
In releasing the funding, NNSA’s Kevin Smith, Manager of the Los Alamos Site Office stated, “We’re pleased to be able to fund this effort from our site office and work collaboratively to
ensure national decisions incorporate local needs and concerns. This provides just the forum we need to effectively discuss and pro-actively address environmental-cleanup and related issues
with regional elected officials.”
The grant was awarded as a sub-grant through the New Mexico Environment Department. David Martin, New Mexico Environment Secretary added, “The Regional Coalition will help
New Mexico develop strategies for meeting regional needs and is a unique forum to work with local leaders on New Mexico’s regional environmental issues. We are pleased to be able to
assist in this effort.”
The Regional Coalition’s Board of Directors includes one representative from eight local government jurisdictions surrounding the Los Alamos National Laboratory, including the
recently added Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh.
Los Alamos County Councilor Sharon Stover, who was instrumental in forming the Regional Coalition added, “The New Mexico Congressional Delegation has continued to press for
additional funding for DOE to continue this important environmental work and to make sure that LANL related site activities protect human health and the environment. The Regional Coalition’s
members are important stakeholders in this effort to assure adequate clean up funding for LANL.”
About the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities:
The Regional Coalition is comprised of eight cities, counties and pueblos surrounding the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Founded in 2011, the
Regional Coalition works in partnership to ensure national decisions incorporate local needs and concerns.
The organization’s focus is environmental remediation, regional economic development and site employment, and adequate funding for LANL.
The Board of Directors includes Chair, Mayor David Coss, City of Santa Fe; Vice-Chair, Mayor Alice Lucero, City of Española; Sect./Treas. Commissioner Danny Mayfield, Santa Fe County; County Councilor Sharon Stover, Chair of the Los Alamos County Council; Commissioner Alfredo Montoya, Rio Arriba County; Councilor Michael Silva, Town of Taos; Commissioner Andrew Chavez, Taos
County; and Governor Ron Lovato, Pueblo of Ohkay Owingeh.
