SENATE RULES COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE MEMORIAL 2

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2012

A MEMORIAL

EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR THE POSITIVE WORK THAT THE KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, THE ALBUQUERQUE-BERNALILLO COUNTY WATER UTILITY AUTHORITY, THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE AND THE STATE HAVE DONE IN PARTNERSHIP TO CLEAN GROUND WATER IMPACTED BY THE BULK FUEL FACILITY SPILL AND RECOGNIZING THE CONTINUING NEED FOR ADDITIONAL WORK.

     WHEREAS, the bulk fuel facility on Kirtland air force base in Bernalillo county, adjacent to Albuquerque, is located in the northwestern portion of the base; and

     WHEREAS, the facility and associated infrastructure has been in operation since 1952, during which time the fueling area was separated into a tank holding area, where bulk shipments of fuel were received, and a fuel loading area, where individual fuel trucks were filled; and

     WHEREAS, Kirtland air force base removed the fuel loading area from service in 2000 due to line leakage; and

     WHEREAS, the exact history of the leaks or releases is unknown, and initially it was thought that the leaks only affected the zone above the water table; and

     WHEREAS, investigations in 2007 demonstrated that the leaked fuel had reached the water table; and

     WHEREAS, Kirtland air force base installed the first soil vapor extraction unit in 2003 to begin treating soil contamination related to the fuel spill and continued from 2004 to the present; and

     WHEREAS, in 2007, fuel was detected in the ground water table off the air force base and additional vapor extraction units were installed at various points above the fuel plume; and

     WHEREAS, further investigation shows that the fuel contamination has migrated north of Kirtland air force base; and

     WHEREAS, in order to comply with the department of environment's hazardous waste management regulations and to understand the extent of contamination, including how far contamination has migrated from the original site, ground water and soil vapor monitoring wells have been installed both on and off the base; and

     WHEREAS, new wells will be installed in the Siesta Hills and Elder Homestead neighborhoods, and these wells will be sampled quarterly to fill in information gaps so a final remedy can be identified to address the fuel leak;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that appreciation be expressed for the positive work that the air force, the Albuquerque-Bernalillo county water utility authority, the city of Albuquerque and the state have done in partnership to clean ground water and for the community's and neighbors' patience during the testing phase; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the parties be requested to continue their cooperative work until every last drop of ground water and every last air vapor is ameliorated; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of the United States air force, the secretary of defense, the New Mexico congressional delegation, the secretary of environment, the mayor of Albuquerque and the executive director of the Albuquerque-Bernalillo county water utility authority.

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