HOUSE MEMORIAL 21

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2010

INTRODUCED BY

Brian F. Egolf

A MEMORIAL

URGING THE NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY TO ACTIVELY WORK WITH THE BUCKMAN DIRECT DIVERSION BOARD TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF SANTA FE'S DRINKING WATER.

     WHEREAS, the proposed Buckman direct diversion project is planned to provide a sustainable supply of drinking water for Santa Fe; and

     WHEREAS, the Buckman direct diversion board and area residents have expressed concern about potential water contamination from Los Alamos and Pueblo canyons, which discharge into the Rio Grande approximately three miles upstream of the Buckman direct diversion project site; and

     WHEREAS, in November 2007, the Buckman direct diversion board communicated specific concerns about drinking water safety and asked for a written commitment to ensure the safety of the drinking water supply of Santa Fe; and

     WHEREAS, substantial progress has been made on many, though not all, of the issues covered in the November 2007 Buckman direct diversion board letter request; and

     WHEREAS, staff from the Buckman direct diversion board has been working for more than a year with regional representatives of the national nuclear security administration and Los Alamos national laboratory on a memorandum of agreement to identify actions and responsibilities to address these issues; and

     WHEREAS, after repeated requests and efforts to begin negotiations on a memorandum of agreement, in January 2010, regional representatives of the national nuclear security administration and Los Alamos national laboratory indicated their intent to begin negotiations on the memorandum of agreement; and

     WHEREAS, significant time has been spent on the technical issues of the environmental monitoring that is necessary to ensure a safe water supply for the residents of Santa Fe and its environs; and

     WHEREAS, the most important unresolved issue in the November 2007 Buckman direct diversion board letter request is the implementation and operation of an early notification system; and

     WHEREAS, time is of the essence because construction of the diversion project is underway and is expected to be completed by the spring of 2011;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that, to ensure the safety of Santa Fe's drinking water, the national nuclear security administration of the United States department of energy be urged to actively work with the Buckman direct diversion board and Los Alamos national laboratory on a memorandum of agreement regarding issues of water quality and, specifically, on the implementation and operation of an early notification system; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that representatives of the national nuclear security administration of the United States department of energy and the Buckman direct diversion board report to the appropriate New Mexico interim legislative committee dealing with water and natural resource issues before July 1, 2010 on the progress of their negotiations on a memorandum of agreement; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico congressional delegation join the New Mexico house of representatives to urge the national nuclear security administration of the department of energy to engage in this work; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that regional representatives of the national nuclear security administration immediately resume negotiations regarding the memorandum of agreement so that a resolution can be reached to address these critical issues; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the chair of the Buckman direct diversion board, the Los Alamos office of the national nuclear security administration of the United States department of energy and the members of the New Mexico congressional delegation.

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