County News:
Today, the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities held a press conference in which they called on Congress to provide full funding for the Los Alamos National Laboratory to protect jobs and to remediate legacy waste at LANL.
The organization released the following statement:
“Adequate funding is needed to ensure environmental liabilities are addressed. Funding cuts are undermining DOE’s commitment to a safe and timely cleanup. The hazardous materials incident that occurred last week at TA-21 raises serious questions about the challenges that the site faces in remediating legacy waste, and reinforces the urgent need to fund clean up efforts. Funding for high-priority risk-reduction activities such as stabilizing material and moving high-risk waste from Area G to WIPP is needed to protect human health, water supplies, and the environment.
Further, funding cuts are destabilizing the regional economy. LANL is the largest employer in the region, and funding cuts are leading to a reduction in jobs, which directly undermine our regional economy. Working together, the Regional Coalition will fight for its citizens by pressing for a compliant cleanup, modernization of facilities to accomplish the national security missions, and steady funding that will result in job retention and creation.”
The Regional Coalition’s board of directors includes:
- Mayor Alice Lucero, City of Española
- Council Chair Sharon Stover, Los Alamos County
- Commissioner Alfredo Montoya, Rio Arriba County
- Commissioner Danny Mayfield, Santa Fe County
- Mayor David Coss, City of Santa Fe
- Commissioner Andrew Chavez, Taos County
The Regional Coalition is comprised of six cities and counties 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.
