WIPP News Releases

CARLSBAD, N.M., December 18, 1998 - At the direction of Secretary Bill Richardson, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today issued notification letters to states, tribes and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that the first shipment of transuranic waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) could occur in mid-January. The shipments will depend on litigation in U.S. District Court, and a ruling could be issued by the court as early as mid-January.

The letters sent to states and tribes are required by agreements DOE entered into with these entities to provide advance notification and information about any shipments going to WIPP. The letters were sent based on the Department's estimate of the earliest date that WIPP could receive non-mixed transuranic waste.

The New Mexico Environment Department recently determined that 116 drums of waste at Los Alamos National Laboratory were accurately characterized as non-mixed transuranic waste (not hazardous waste) and could be disposed of at WIPP prior to issuance of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit. DOE will not begin shipments of mixed waste (a mixture of radioactive and hazardous wastes) until the New Mexico Environment Department issues a RCRA permit.

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE's national clean-up strategy, is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste generated by defense activities.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (almost one-half mile) underground.Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, mostly plutonium.

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International Scientists, Engineers Make Stop in Carlsbad To Tour WIPP, Environmental Monitoring Center

CARLSBAD, N.M., November 19, 1998 - More than 80 scientists and engineers representing the United States and 10 other countries are scheduled to arrive in Carlsbad Friday, November 20, to tour the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center (CEMRC).

Throughout this week (November 15-19), the group attended the 44^th Annual Conference on Bioassay, Analytical, and Environmental Radiochemistry in Albuquerque at the Marriott Hotel. More than 350 experts from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Israel, Russia, France and other countries shared knowledge and experiences while exploring technological advancements in radiochemistry and radiation measurement.

"These are some of the leading experts in the field of radiochemistry," said Joe Epstein, General Manager of the Westinghouse Electric Company's Waste Isolation Division. "Having scientists and engineers of this caliber in Carlsbad emphasizes the high level of international focus on solving the problem of nuclear waste disposal by opening and operating the WIPP."

Epstein opened the conference on Tuesday, welcoming participants from the DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, utility organizations, state agencies, research institutions and commercial organizations. Westinghouse's Dr. Chuan-Fu Wu served as chairman for the conference. Sixty-two papers and 15 workshops were presented during the five-day event.

The DOE's Carlsbad Area Office and Albuquerque Operations Office, Westinghouse, Sandia National Laboratories, CEMRC, and the New Mexico Environmental Evaluation Group sponsored the event.

Tours of WIPP and CEMRC will provide conference participants an opportunity to explore the technical advances made by New Mexico scientists and engineers in the fields of radiochemistry and radiation measurement.

"This is a great opportunity for the Carlsbad Area Office and Westinghouse to showcase the radiation monitoring techniques that have been used to collect baseline information for the WIPP," said Epstein.

Westinghouse serves as the management and operating contractor for the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office at the WIPP. The CEMRC, established in 1991 through New Mexico State University, provides independent environmental research and monitoring in the vicinity of the WIPP.

For more information on the conference, please go to http://www/sandia.gov/RPSD/Bio98.htm on the Internet, or call the WIPP Information Center at 1-800-336-WIPP (9477).

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WIPP Transportation Exercise Termed Success By Utah, DOE Officials

CARLSBAD, N.M., November 16, 1998 - Emergency personnel from Tremonton, Utah, have successfully demonstrated in a training exercise that they are prepared to respond should an accident occur involving a shipment of transuranic radioactive waste headed for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

The training exercise was held November 14 at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds near Tremonton. Several dozen firefighters, police officers and medical personnel took part in the three-hour event.

"This training exercise clearly illustrates that emergency responders are prepared to provide aid should an accident occur involving a WIPP shipment," said Ralph Smith, spokesman for the DOE's Carlsbad Area Office. "The city of Tremonton and the state of Utah ensured that local emergency responders are properly trained and prepared to react to any accident involving hazardous or radioactive materials."

Emergency responders along transportation routes for WIPP shipments are offered training through the DOE's States and Tribal Education Program (STEP). The program, initiated in 1988, offers courses in responding to potential incidents involving shipments of waste to the WIPP.

Shipments of radioactive waste from the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory and the Hanford reservation in Washington State are tentatively scheduled to begin in 1999 and would travel U.S. Interstates 15 and 84 through Utah, en route to the WIPP.

After initially reviewing and certifying STEP courses in 1993, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration recertified the program in 1997. More than 12,000 emergency response personnel have been trained through STEP.

Initial response to an actual incident would most likely come from local "first responders," such as state or local police departments, fire departments, and other emergency response personnel. State and local governments have emergency response plans that outline specific procedures for handling a hazardous materials transportation accident safely and effectively.

Local first responders are trained in material identification, regulations, response procedures, and personal protection. In the event of an accident, local responders would usually contact state public health agencies, and, if necessary, the first response team would be followed by the appropriate DOE Radiological Assistance Team and eventually augmented by the DOE Carlsbad Area Office's Incident/Accident Response Team, which would be on standby while transuranic waste shipments are in progress.

The DOE Albuquerque Operations Office Emergency Operations Center would take the lead role in any accident involving a shipment of transuranic waste, regardless of where the accident occurs. Response would be automatic and not contingent on a state request for assistance. The DOE maintains regional offices that can receive calls for assistance 24 hours a day and are prepared to send trained personnel and equipment to incident sites.

The Tremonton exercise simulated an accident that involved a WIPP truck, a van carrying pesticide, and a passenger vehicle. As part of the exercise, emergency responders were required to follow strict radioactive/hazardous materials training procedures while administering mock medical aid to the injured.

"The exercise did exactly what it was designed to do - show local responders their strengths and weaknesses," said Bill Craig, WIPP Coordinator for the State of Utah. "From that aspect, it was a total success."

A cornerstone of the DOE's national clean-up strategy, the WIPP is designed to permanently dispose of radioactive transuranic waste generated by defense-related activities.

Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, mostly plutonium.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated 2,150 (almost half a mile) underground in an ancient, stable salt formation.

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WIPP Contractor To Participate In Lea County Procurement Workshop

CARLSBAD, N.M., November 12, 1998 -- Employees from Westinghouse Electric Company's Waste Isolation Division will take part in the Lea County Procurement Workshop, scheduled for 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday (November 14) in Bob Moran Hall at New Mexico Junior College, 5317 Lovington Highway in Hobbs.

Westinghouse, the management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), will provide Lea County companies with information on how to do business with WIPP, including how to fill out applications to become a qualified vendor. A team of procurement specialists will be on hand to provide information and answer questions.

Members of Westinghouse's Technology Transfer Program will also be available to explain how businesses, educational institutions and taxpayers can obtain WIPP-developed technology at no cost.

The Technology Transfer Program is designed to promote economic development and competitiveness in the private sector, improve the quality of organizational operations, enhance education and training, and ensure maximum return on taxpayer investment. The technology, which consists mainly of managerial assessment tools, training materials, and technical manuals developed at the WIPP, is available at no cost to organizations.

Additionally, a person from the Westinghouse Program Management group and a representative of Quality New Mexico are scheduled to attend. Westinghouse is heavily involved in the Quality New Mexico organization, which recognizes companies for leadership, information and analysis, strategic planning, human resource development and planning, process management, business results, and customer focus and satisfaction.

The day-long workshop, titled "How to Grow Your Business and Survive the Oil Slump," is sponsored by Westinghouse, New Mexico Junior College, Hobbs Chamber of Commerce, Lovington Chamber of Commerce, Southwestern Public Service Company, Economic Development Corporation of Lea County, and Lovington Economic Development Corporation.

For more information about any of the Westinghouse programs, please call the WIPP Information Center, toll free, at 1-800-336-WIPP (9477). Janet Seagrave of the Lea County Economic Development Corporation (397-2039) can answer questions about the workshop.

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WIPP Crews Complete One Maintenance Project, On Schedule to Finish Second by Mid-December

CARLSBAD, N.M., November 10, 1998 - Underground operations crews at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) have completed one major maintenance project at the facility and are on schedule to complete a second project by mid-December.

Both projects are in the underground, 2,150 feet below the earth's surface, and involve maintenance of the facility's waste shaft. The waste shaft and waste conveyance (elevator) are used to transport people and equipment to the underground. When the WIPP opens, the system will transport transuranic radioactive waste to the underground for permanent disposal.

The first maintenance project was in the waste shaft sump area 120 feet below the 2,150-foot underground level. The second project involves the underground waste shaft station just outside the boundaries of the waste shaft.

Workers began the waste shaft sump remediation project September 21 and completed it October 2. The sump, the deepest part of the shaft, allows space for some of the workings of the waste conveyance. The work included cleanup and maintenance of the sump area, as well as refurbishing components of the conveyance support system.

"The sump is a very difficult area in which to work and thus presents us with special safety challenges," said Kent Hunter, Assistant Manager for Disposal Operations at the Department of Energy's Carlsbad Area Office. "As always, the work was completed safely and also ahead of schedule."

The second project, which began in mid-October and requires two shifts, involves replacing the underground rail system that extends from the waste shaft to the east about 170 feet. The system is similar to that of a typical railroad track but is designed to adjust to the natural movement of the WIPP's underground salt formation. The rails are used to help unload equipment from a rail car that rides in the conveyance to the underground. In the future, the rail system will be used to unload transuranic waste.

"This is a significant project which had to be well-planned from start to finish. This major effort has to be squeezed in such a way as to not impact our normal operations or effect our readiness to begin waste disposal operations," said Hunter. "The project is on schedule for the mid-December completion date."

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE's national clean-up strategy, is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste generated by defense activities.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (almost one-half mile) underground.

Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, mostly plutonium.

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Energy Department Awards $300,000 to City of Carlsbad To Help Boost Region's Economic Planning

CARLSBAD, N.M., November 4, 1998 -- The U.S. Department of Energy today awarded $300,000 to the City of Carlsbad to prepare a strategic economic analysis and action plan for the Eddy County, N. M., area and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

"This is another example of the Department's investment in the communities that support our operations," said Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. "It presents an additional opportunity for the region to leverage the world-class science and technology resources of the Carlsbad Area Office and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and to expand its economic strengths, build new businesses and create new jobs."

The main goal of this plan is to coordinate public and private development efforts that will help ensure a strong economic future for Carlsbad and Eddy County. These efforts will seek to build on the region's strong and viable workforce, to further advance economic growth and job creation. The focus of the effort will be to help local businesses and industries keep their economic viability, while fostering additional business start-ups in Eddy County.

The strategic analysis will focus on the region's economic development capabilities, including:

Demographic structure and functioning of the regional economy

Industry clusters with significant competitive advantage and growth potential
Region's assets with the potential to support business expansion and new business development
Identification of barriers to economic development and suggested strategies for their removal
Identification of new policies, programs and partnerships to promote regional economic development, and drawing upon best practices.

The results of will form the basis of an action plan that will help define a new and more dynamic relationship between WIPP and the region's economy.

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Mansour Akbarzadeh Appointed WIPP Laboratories Manager

CARLSBAD, N.M., November 4, 1998 - Westinghouse Electric Company's Waste Isolation Division (WID) has appointed senior scientist and radiochemist Mansour Akbarzadeh as manager of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Laboratories.

Akbarzadeh, of Carlsbad, who joined Westinghouse in February 1997 as a senior scientist, oversees the day-to-day operations and radiochemical analysis in the laboratories. Radiochemistry analysis includes measuring background radiation from the environment and from WIPP employees.

Background radiation documented prior to the WIPP's opening provides a baseline to which scientists will compare radiation measurements after the WIPP opens. This further ensures the project will have no adverse impact on the public health or the environment.

"The staff in the WIPP Laboratories performs a vital function for the project," said Westinghouse General Manager Joe Epstein. "Mr. Akbarzadeh has the knowledge and experience to continue this important work."

Westinghouse is the management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office at the WIPP.

Akbarzadeh, who earned a chemistry degree from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, leads a staff of three scientists and three technicians.

He came to WIPP from Accu-Labs Research Inc. in Golden, Colo., where he worked as a radiochemist and supervisor from 1991 to 1997. During his tenure at Accu-Labs, Akbarzadeh developed many of the procedures for analyzing neptunium-237, nickel-63 and carbon-14. Elements radiochemists look for at the WIPP include plutonium, uranium, americium, strontium, cobalt and cesium.

The WIPP Laboratories program is a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). For acceptance to the national organization, WIPP laboratory scientists had to successfully identify and correctly measure samples tainted with radioactive isotopes. The WIPP program also participates in environmental measurement activities through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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WIPP Mine Rescue Team Members Bring Home Four Awards From Missouri Competition

CARLSBAD, N.M., November 2, 1998 - Members of mine rescue teams at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) brought home first, second, third and fourth place awards from a recent competition in Rolla, Mo.

The 16^th Annual Southeast Missouri Mine Rescue Competition included teams from Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico.

The WIPP has two mine rescue teams, the Silver Team and the Blue Team. For the Missouri competition, members of both teams formed a third team. The change tested their abilities to work with colleagues other than those on their particular mine rescue teams. Such competitions also allow mine rescuers to hone their skills by responding to mock accidents, first-aid scenarios and other such tests.

The WIPP's Mike Proctor, Mitch Carter and Gary Kessler brought home the first place award in the first-aid competition.

The field exercise, a mock accident, involved an underground fire, three missing people, changes in ventilation and complex mapping. The WIPP team finished second out of eight teams in the field competition.

A third contest, called the bench competition, tests the "benchman's" ability to quickly, but thoroughly, inspect a self-contained breathing apparatus, find defects in the apparatus and repair them. The work is done while the apparatus sits atop a bench. The breathing apparatus, which provides four hours of protection from carbon monoxide poisoning, is inspected before rescue personnel respond to a mine disaster. The WIPP's Joe Baca finished third in the bench competition, while teammate Richard West finished fourth.

A cornerstone of the DOE's national clean-up strategy, the WIPP is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste generated by defense-related activities.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (almost half a mile) underground.

Transuranic waste consists primarily of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, mostly plutonium.

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WIPP Engineer James Hedin Receives Energy Engineering Certification

CARLSBAD, N.M., October 30, 1998 - An elite organization of engineers recently certified Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) engineer James Hedin as an energy manager, a designation given to those with proven knowledge and experience in the many aspects of energy systems, use and conservation.

Hedin, who is employed at the WIPP by Westinghouse Electric Company's Waste Isolation Division, is one of 4,000 engineers in the United States certified through the Association of Energy Engineers, based in Atlanta, Ga. The organization consists of professional engineers who work in energy-related fields such as utilities or architectural engineering, or, in Hedin's case, who oversee a facility's power systems.

Among the organization's certification criteria is proven success in energy- and cost-savings initiatives. Under Hedin's direction, the WIPP is on the leading edge of technology in high-bay lighting, which requires high-intensity lighting systems to illuminate the area below tall ceilings. The WIPP will be the first to use the new fluorescent technology, which will improve the lighting, as well as save energy and money. This is just one example of several energy programs at the WIPP that place cost-savings, energy conservation and safety as priorities.

"James Hedin is a valuable asset to this company and to this facility," said Westinghouse General Manager Joe Epstein. "His pledge to ensuring the WIPP uses high-quality and cost-efficient power systems is a benefit to this project and to taxpayers."

Westinghouse is the management and operating contractor at the WIPP for the U.S. Department of Energy's Carlsbad Area Office.

Hedin also studies and analyzes the systems used at the WIPP and performs long-range planning to ensure any equipment purchased meets demands for efficiency, quality and durability.

In addition to recognizing Hedin's foresight in energy conservation, the Association of Energy Engineers tested Hedin's education and experience. He successfully passed a four-hour exam that covered 16 topics ranging from knowledge of mechanical and electrical systems to various codes and standards, such as federal regulations.

Hedin's certification helps Westinghouse fulfill requirements that the WIPP employ energy managers knowledgeable about the fundamentals of energy systems, codes and professional standards.

This is not the first time Hedin has been recognized for his abilities. Last year, the Federal Energy Management Program and the DOE Albuquerque Operations Office honored Hedin for his energy-saving initiatives at the WIPP by naming him an energy champion and Energy Manager of the Year.

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Westinghouse Official Recognizes Community Programs With Contributions

CARLSBAD, N.M., October 30, 1998 - James L. Gallagher, president of Westinghouse Electric Company's Government and Environmental Services Company, visited Carlsbad October 27-28 to meet with city leaders and personally deliver contributions to several community programs.

"Westinghouse remains committed to Carlsbad and the welfare of its citizens," Gallagher said. "Our employees continually demonstrate their willingness to support the city's community programs through their generous donations of time and money. It is a pleasure to be able to supplement their gifts and visit some of the programs they support."

During his visit in Carlsbad, Gallagher presented approximately $130,000 to eight community organizations - the Carlsbad Municipal School District, the Girl Scouts, Family Hospice, Keep Carlsbad Beautiful, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Community Food Kitchen, the United Way of Carlsbad and South Eddy County, and the Carlsbad Association for Retarded Citizens.

The donations reflect a portion of the approximately $250,000 Westinghouse contributes annually to community programs in Carlsbad.

Westinghouse is the management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy's Carlsbad Area Office at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

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Westinghouse Official Presents $7,000 Check to Local United Way

CARLSBAD, N.M., October 28, 1998 - Westinghouse Electric Company official James L. Gallagher today presented a $7,000 check to the United Way of Carlsbad and South Eddy County.

The check represents slightly more than 10 percent of Westinghouse Waste Isolation Division (WID) employees' contributions to the agency for 1998. WID employees gave roughly $68,500 to the United Way in 1998 and are expected to donate about $69,000 in 1999.

"Westinghouse is a strong supporter of the United Way," said Gallagher, president of Westinghouse's Government and Environmental Services Company. "Our WID employees have consistently demonstrated great generosity in helping their community organizations. I am extremely proud of them and very pleased to present our largest matching amount to date."

The company began matching WID employees' contributions in 1989 and has since given $65,003, including today's $7,000 donation. WID employees began contributing to the local United Way in 1988 and have donated a total of $551,665 to date.

Westinghouse is the management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The company currently employs about 630 people at the WIPP.

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WIPP Pumps $13.8 Million Into New Mexico Businesses In Fiscal Year 1998

CARLSBAD, N.M., October 14, 1998 -- Westinghouse Electric Company's Waste Isolation Division (WID) today released figures showing that it spent more than $13.8 million with New Mexico businesses for goods and services in fiscal year 1998 to support its work at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

Westinghouse is the management and operating contractor at the WIPP for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office.

WID spent a total of $13,850,000 from October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998, on behalf of the DOE to purchase goods and services from suppliers located throughout New Mexico.

Among the items and services purchased were computer equipment, electrical and industrial supplies, office supplies and furniture, environmental monitoring equipment, exhibit materials, minor construction work, employee training programs, engineering consulting services, calibration services, waste management services, and environmental consulting services.

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE's national clean-up strategy, is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste generated by defense-related activities.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (almost half a mile) underground.

Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, mostly plutonium.

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Westinghouse Recognized for Safety Practices at WIPP

CARLSBAD, N.M., October 13, 1998 - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has once again recognized Westinghouse Electric Company's Waste Isolation Division for outstanding safety practices at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

A six-member team from various DOE offices nationwide recently completed an intense review of the Waste Isolation Division's safety procedures, concluding that a strong safety culture exists at the WIPP. Based on this observation, the team verified that the company's Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS) is intact and effective.

"There is a strong safety culture in place at the WIPP," said Roy Schepens, Team Leader of the ISMS Review Team. "The management team and employees were found to be competent and highly aware of safety and safety integration issues."

Since becoming the management and operating contractor at the WIPP in 1985, Westinghouse has been recognized on numerous occasions for its outstanding safety record, including - most recently - recommendation for re-certification as a "Star" site under the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).

Patterned after a similar program sponsored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the VPP was established by the DOE in 1993 to recognize superior performance in the field of safety and health by contractor management and their employees. "Star" status is the highest level that can be achieved under VPP guidelines.

"The objective of Integrated Safety Management System is to systematically integrate safety considerations into management and work practices at all levels to accomplish the company's mission while protecting the public, the worker, and the environment, said Joe Epstein, Waste Isolation Division General Manager.

"Simply put, it means to perform work safely. I believe that this comprehensive look at our safety culture, and the resulting comments from the DOE team, are testimonials to the outstanding group of people we have working here."

Other awards and recognition for Westinghouse include:

Two awards of "honor" from the National Safety Council;
A no-lost-time three million work hour record in 1992;
The state of New Mexico Inspector of Mines "Operator of the Year" award for 12 consecutive years;
Outstanding Mine Safety and Health Administration inspection results; and
Inspector comments lauding the plant as a "model of safety."

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE's cleanup effort, is designed to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste left from the research and production of nuclear weapons.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet underground.

Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues, and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, including plutonium.

Westinghouse employs about 630 people at the WIPP.

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Westinghouse Receives Mine Safety Awards for Exceptional Underground Operations

CARLSBAD, N.M., October 12, 1998 - For the twelfth consecutive year, Westinghouse Electric Company's Waste Isolation Division (WID) received recognition for "excellence in underground operations" at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

On September 21, New Mexico State Inspector of Mines Gilbert Miera and the New Mexico Mining Association presented Westinghouse the "Mine Operator of the Year Award." The presentation took place at the state mining association's annual convention in Grants. The "Mine Operator of the Year" award recognizes Westinghouse's close attention to safety in a mining environment. Westinghouse serves as the management and operating contractor for the DOE at the WIPP.

"The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is an exceptional operation," said Miera. "I commend the Westinghouse team for continuing to maintain a safe working environment and for sharing their safety expertise with the mining community."

In addition, Westinghouse received the state's first-ever Exceptional Safety Accomplishment Award at the New Mexico State Mine Inspector's Safety and Health Conference in Socorro September 3. The award is based on a mine's safety record. WID received the award in the category of non-producing mines.

"We have an extremely strong safety culture at the WIPP, as evidenced by the many safety awards we have earned over the years," said WID General Manager Joe Epstein. "Safety is the number one priority in everything we do."

The month of September ended with a successful U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) quarterly inspection of the WIPP. Mine inspectors complimented the surface and underground conditions.

MSHA has reported no significant negative findings at the WIPP since 1993. MSHA enforces federal safety and health regulations for the mining industry. Because of the nature of its underground facilities, the WIPP is considered a "mining operation" and is required by federal and state law to maintain the same safety standards as other mines.

A cornerstone of the DOE's national clean-up strategy, the WIPP is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste generated by defense-related activities.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (almost half a mile) underground.

Transuranic waste consists primarily of clothing, tools, rags, and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, mostly plutonium.

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Romanian Nuclear Officials Tour Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

CARLSBAD, N.M., October 6, 1998 - Romanian nuclear research officials visiting the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant WIPP) Wednesday hope to return home with useful information about how to safely dispose of spent nuclear fuel.

The Romanian National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control and the Institute for Nuclear Research are planning for long-term disposal of spent fuel from Romania's Cernovoda reactors.

The four Romanian officials will get a firsthand look at the WIPP, this nation's first licensed geologic repository for transuranic radioactive waste.

"Disposal of nuclear waste is an important issue in Romania," said Mark Matthews, international programs coordinator for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office. "The WIPP has much to offer the international community in terms of information about the safe geologic disposal of transuranic radioactive waste."

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE's national clean-up strategy, is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste generated by defense activities.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (almost one-half mile) underground.

Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, mostly plutonium.

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Business Officers, Educators Credit DOE Program For Increased Sales, Cost Savings, Enhanced Training

CARLSBAD, N.M., August 20, 1998 - Recipients of technology transferred free-of-charge from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office are hailing the program as "very useful" and "the best bargain in the training industry."

"I thought the materials were well put together and that this is a valuable program - and a good use of my tax dollars," said Business Information Systems Manager Julie Simmonds of ST Labs Inc. in Bellevue, Wash.

Since 1995, the Carlsbad Area Office has made more than 7,000 transfers of "soft" technology such as grant-writing guides, environmental safety and health manuals, self-assessment tools and training guides for professional and organizational development.

Recipients who responded to follow-up surveys said that since1995, the program has helped create or save 1,441 jobs, generated $16.5 million in commercial sales, and helped create $7.3 million in cost savings. One of the most popular technologies, "Writing Winning Grant Proposals," assisted participants in preparing grant proposals that generated $115 million in grant awards, survey respondents said.

"The Carlsbad Area Office Technology Transfer Program is a great success story for the Department of Energy," said Michael H. McFadden, Carlsbad Area Office Acting Manager. "The program allows us to return to taxpayers their initial investment into DOE programs."

In 1995, the Carlsbad Area Office transferred technology in disk-form, actually mailing computer disks to applicants. Today, most transfers are accomplished via the Internet.

The Carlsbad Area Office Technology Transfer Program is designed to promote economic development and competitiveness in the private sector, improve the quality of organizational operations, and enhance education and training.

"The transfer program is important to small business owners that do not have the resources to build such programs," said Michael Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer of SkillsNET Corp. in Waxahachie, Texas. "Keep the transfer program available for industry."

The Carlsbad Area Office administers the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and the National Transuranic Waste Program.

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE's cleanup effort, is designed to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste left from the research and production of nuclear weapons. Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (about one-half mile) underground.

Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, including plutonium.

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U.S.-Mexico Hazardous Waste Forum Results in Shared Commitment;Carlsbad Area Office Proposed as Technology Broker for Cleanup Effort

CARLSBAD, N.M., August 17, 1998 - Representatives from the United States and Mexico who turned out for a two-day hazardous waste conference here last week left with a shared commitment to investigate critical environmental issues where U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) environmental technologies can be commercialized. The by-product of this effort will be reduction of health risks in the border region.

In addition, U.S. Rep. Joe Skeen offered his support in designating the DOE’s Carlsbad Area Office as broker for federal technology that can be applied to hazardous waste management and environmental cleanup along the 2,000-mile-long border.

"The Carlsbad Area Office has the skills and the expertise to create, implement and promote both preventative measures and waste cleanup along the border region," said Skeen. "The men and women working here in the Carlsbad Area Office have over 20 years of technical and political experience working with hazardous waste."

Skeen and U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes of El Paso, Texas, were among the dignitaries who spoke to dozens of participants in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region Forum on Application of U.S. Department of Energy Technologies to Hazardous Waste Needs. Approximately 130 scientists, researchers, government and industry officials turned out for the conference. Primary objectives were to identify environmental issues along the border and to investigate the use of existing DOE technologies to solve many of the problems.

Over recent years, population along the border has grown far beyond expectations. In many cases, the infrastructure has not kept pace with the growth and adequately responded to subsequent environmental and health problems. Rep. Reyes indicated strong support and coupled El Paso with Carlsbad in the effort.

"These are very real issues for communities along the border," said Reyes. "We must work together to resolve these issues."

"There are several reasons why the Carlsbad Area Office is best suited for the job of technology broker," said Gary Scott, Deputy Manager of the Carlsbad Area Office. "It is the closest DOE facility to the U.S.-Mexico border, and it already has in place a high level of expertise in hazardous waste management including transportation, characterization and minimization."

In addition to the expertise, Scott said Carlsbad has the facilities to attract industry interested in commercializing the technology.

"The Department of Energy has a $37 million investment in Carlsbad," he said, referring to DOE funding of the Environmental Monitoring and Research Center, the Technology Training Center, the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Training Center — all products of the Southeastern New Mexico Economic Diversification Project. "We’re looking for a return on that investment," he said.

The Carlsbad Area Office and the City of Carlsbad, which co-sponsored the forum, have also developed wide-ranging support from local communities, academia and officials from Mexico and the four bordering states.

"This is a collaborative effort to do something good for the U.S. and Mexico through our (CAO) office and with our leadership," Scott said.

Mexican officials who attended the forum said they were pleased with the information, the dialogue, and the objectives, expressing an interest in moving forward with projects, implementation plans and targets for success.

"The forum surpasses my expectations," said Dr. Homero Jimenez Dominguez of Mexico City. Dominguez is manager of environmental sciences for the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, a scientific, basic and applied research laboratory similar to Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. Hazardous waste cleanup and management, he said, are "problems of foremost importance in Mexico."

"We have homework now — a lot of things to do," said Dr. Luis Wolf, director of industrial and special wastes for the Instituto Nacional de Ecologia in San Angel, Mexico. "We have to do it immediately. The border can’t wait. Human health has priority over everything."

With the forum now concluded, the Carlsbad Area Office will develop reports for the border region’s congressional delegation and DOE Headquarters. The report will provide the DOE with information and direction to establish policy to address these issues and initiatives. The offices of New Mexico Senators Jeff Bingaman and Pete Domenici expressed an interest in being briefed on the outcome and successes of the forum.

The Carlsbad Area Office administers the National Transuranic Waste Program and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

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Carlsbad Area Office Submits Comments to NMED On Draft Hazardous Waste Facility Permit for WIPP

CARLSBAD, N.M., August 14, 1998 - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today submitted comments to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) in response to a draft Hazardous Waste Facility permit for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

The DOE is required to obtain the permit for hazardous waste disposal under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

"Obtaining a RCRA permit for the WIPP is critical for allowing the department to clean-up its defense program facilities across the nation," said Michael McFadden, Acting Manager of the Carlsbad Area Office, which administers the WIPP program. "The DOE's fundamental goal is to ensure that the WIPP is a safe facility that effectively protects human health and the environment. We will continue to work diligently with the NMED to satisfactorily resolve points of disagreement on some of the conditions proposed in the draft permit."

Most of the radioactive waste identified for permanent disposal at the WIPP will contain small amounts of chemically hazardous constituents such as lead and cleaning solvents. A RCRA permit will allow the WIPP to accept this type of "mixed" waste for disposal.

Passed by Congress in 1976 and significantly amended in 1984, RCRA was established to track and regulate chemically hazardous wastes from the time of generation to disposal. The law requires safe and secure procedures for managing hazardous wastes.

The NMED issued a draft permit for the WIPP on May 15. The state agency is accepting comments on the draft permit until August 14. "The Department is confident that the WIPP will safely isolate hazardous wastes to the same degree as it will isolate the radioactive constituents of the waste," said McFadden.

For copies of the Carlsbad Area Office's comments on the draft RCRA Part B permit, call the WIPP Information Center toll-free at 1-800-336-WIPP (1-800-336-9477).

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE's cleanup effort, is designed to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste left from research on and production of nuclear weapons. On May 13, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency certified that the WIPP can safely isolate transuranic radioactive waste for the 10,000 year regulatory period.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet underground. Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues, and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, including plutonium.

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Carlsbad to Hold Technology Forum To Discuss Potential Applications of Department of Energy Cleanup Technologies

CARLSBAD, N.M., August 7, 1998 - The Department of Energy's Carlsbad Area Office and the City of Carlsbad, N.M., will hold a technology forum in Carlsbad August 12-13 to discuss potential applications of Department of Energy environmental monitoring and cleanup technologies along the United States-Mexico border.

Congressman Joe Skeen of New Mexico, Congressman Silvestre Reyes of Texas and Barbara Greenfield, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 Deputy Director for the Compliance Assurance and Enforcement Division, are delivering keynote speeches. EPA’s Region 6 covers Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas.

Participants from the United States and Mexico will take part in panel

discussions and workshops. Speakers and moderators include Carlsbad Mayor Gary Perkowski; Michael McFadden, Acting Manager of DOE's Carlsbad Area Office; Raul Ortega, Mexican Embassy, Washington, D.C.; and Dr. Luis Wolf, Instituto Nacional Ecología.

An objective of the forum is to determine which of DOE's existing monitoring and cleanup technologies could be used to improve the environment along the United States-Mexico border. These technologies were originally developed by the department to clean up the United States' nuclear weapons complex.

DOE-sponsored technologies potentially applicable to border environmental needs include waste minimization and pollution prevention, contaminant detection and mapping methods, use of mobile laboratories, and safe and secure transportation systems.

For example, the department's Chemical Analysis Automation (CAA) system that performs automated laboratory operations, analytical measurements and data interpretation for soil from mobile laboratories could be used to test soil for possible contamination. Other examples include:

Migration barrier covers for mixed waste landfills to contain waste in municipal landfills and uncontrolled dump sites.

Use of advanced grouting materials for on-site stabilization of contaminated soils and placement of impermeable highly durable subsurface barriers for landfills, dump sites and industry waste plume containment.

Use of standardized methods developed by the department's Chlorinated Solvent Substitution Program to reduce waste and prevent pollution where solvents are used for paint stripping, metal stripping and electroplating applications.

The City of Carlsbad and the Department of Energy's Carlsbad Area Office are sponsoring the forum. The Carlsbad Area Office administers the National Transuranic Waste Program and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

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Hershel "Budd" Lucus Named Manager of Underground Operations at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

CARLSBAD, N.M., July 29, 1998 - Hershel L. "Budd" Lucus was recently named Manager of Underground Operations for Westinghouse Electric Company’s Waste Isolation Division at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

Lucus will oversee the day-to-day activities of underground operations, which include seven miles of tunnels and shafts in the WIPP underground. Underground operations consist of such activities as mine excavation, ground control, distribution of underground utilities, and maintenance of ventilation, mechanical and electrical systems.

Lucus first worked at the WIPP in November 1981, when he served as shift superintendent for Cementation West Inc. At that time, WIPP was in the beginning phases of construction. Since then, he has worked as mine manager at a limestone mine in Pennsylvania, and mine superintendent and operations manager at an underground zinc mine in Honduras, Central America.

In 1992, Lucus earned his bachelor’s degree in computer information systems. He applied his computer skills in various positions at the WIPP including technical coordinator, manager of operations technical support and staff business specialist. He was most recently Deputy Manager of Underground Operations.

Lucus and his wife, Geraldine, live in Carlsbad. They have three children, George, Angela and Kristine.

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE’s cleanup effort, is designed to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste left from the research and production of nuclear weapons. Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (about one-half mile) underground.

Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues, and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, including plutonium.

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Subhash C. Sethi Named Deputy Manager of Operations at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

CARLSBAD, N.M., July 29, 1998 - Subhash C. Sethi of Carlsbad was recently named Deputy Manager of Operations for Westinghouse Electric Company’s Waste Isolation Division at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

In his new position, Sethi assists Operations Manager David Reber in supervising the day-to-day underground and surface activities at the WIPP site 26 miles east of Carlsbad. Most recently, Sethi was Manager of Underground Operations.

"Subhash is well-qualified for this position," said Joe Epstein, WID General Manager. "We are fortunate to have him on our team."

Sethi has more than 30 years mining experience, with 20 years in supervision and management of both surface and underground mine engineering and mine operations.

He came to the United States from India in 1980 and subsequently received his U.S. citizenship. He began working at the WIPP in 1985, holding positions of increasing responsibility including management of mine engineering, repository engineering and operations readiness. Operations readiness demonstrates the WIPP is ready to begin receiving and disposing of transuranic radioactive waste.

He is a graduate of the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad, India, where he earned honors degrees in mine engineering and geology. While in India, Sethi also received his Professional First Class Mine Manager Certificate required to serve in mine management positions.

His education in the United States has included numerous graduate level courses, both technical and management, at Southern Illinois University, the University of Colorado, New Mexico State University, and the American Management Association.

He has published and presented technical papers about mining operations at mining and waste management conferences. He is presently a member of the Society of Mining Engineers; American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers; and an executive committee member of the Holmes Safety Association.

Sethi and his wife, Sunena, live in Carlsbad. They have one daughter, Princy, who is a student at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues, and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, including plutonium.

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WIPP’s Joe Baca Wins National Competition

CARLSBAD, N.M., July 17, 1998 – Joe Baca, a member of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant’s (WIPP) Mine Rescue Blue Team, recently concluded a flawless year in mine rescue contests with a win at the National Mine Rescue Competition in Las Vegas, Nev.

Prior to winning the national award, Baca, of Carlsbad, won every regional competition held this year including locally and in Louisiana and Wyoming. In the national competition, miners traveled from as far away as Kentucky, Ohio, Montana and Louisiana.

"Joe is a very valuable asset to WIPP, a champion," said Joe Epstein, General Manager of the Westinghouse Waste Isolation Division, which manages and operates the WIPP for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Carlsbad Area Office. "His exceptional performance is a true measure of the quality of training and the quality of people we have at the WIPP."

Baca’s specialty is the bench contest, designated so because the breathing units that miners are challenged to test and repair are placed on a bench during the troubleshooting and repair process. Each mine rescue team has a bench person, who maintains the rescue equipment. In the bench competition, participants must thoroughly inspect breathing devices that have been purposely tampered with and must correct those defects as quickly as possible.

Each unit, officially termed a "self-contained breathing apparatus," provides the mine rescue member with four hours of oxygen. The units must be tested and, if necessary, repaired before rescue personnel are allowed to enter a dangerous area.

In the national competition, Baca competed against some 35 other miners on the Drager BG174-A breathing apparatus. The bench contest also included a 25-question written test about how the device functions.

This year’s national competition was more of a challenge to bench persons, because they had to find and repair defects. In the past, they were challenged only with finding the defects, which could include holes or faulty parts.

Baca, a hoist electrician at the WIPP, joined Westinghouse Electric Co. in 1991. He’s been in mining since 1975, but received all of his bench training while with Westinghouse. He is a member of one of two teams at the WIPP. Federal law requires each mine to have two mine rescue teams.

To become a bench person, an individual must attend a training course on the breathing apparatus and receive certification from the manufacturer. The bench person also devotes countless hours of his personal time to developing his speed, agility and personal technique in troubleshooting the apparatus. The bench person must test and certify all of the mine’s breathing units every month, as well as before use in an actual emergency.

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE’s cleanup effort, is designed to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste left from the research and production of nuclear weapons.

Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet (about one-half mile) underground. Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues, and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, mostly plutonium.

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Emergency Response Professionals Converge on Carlsbad For Specialized Radiological Training

CARLSBAD, N.M., July 15, 1998 – More than 18 emergency response professionals from eight states arrived here today to receive specialized radiological training through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office.

The class, titled "Train-The-Trainer: First Responder Radiological Transportation Emergency Course," provides emergency responders from state and local jurisdictions with the tools needed to teach their colleagues how to protect themselves, the public and the environment in the unlikely event of a transportation accident involving a shipment headed for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

"This course is extremely beneficial to trainers interested in passing on emergency radiological response information to first responders," said Tim Sweeney, Team Leader for the Carlsbad Area Office’s Transportation Program.

The course, offered through the Carlsbad Area Office’s States and Tribal Education Program (STEP), is taught by instructors from Westinghouse Electric Company’s Waste Isolation Division, the management and operating contractor for the DOE at the WIPP.

Students are instructed in material identification, regulations, response procedures, and personal protection.

First responders are individuals who arrive at the scene of an automobile accident first, including law enforcement personnel,

emergency medical technicians, firefighters, tow truck operators, or state and U.S. Department of Transportation representatives.

Since the inception of STEP in 1988, the DOE has trained more than 11,000 emergency response personnel in 11 states. In 1993 and again in 1997, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reviewed and concurred with all STEP courses. STEP courses include Train-The-Trainer: First Responder, First Responder Refresher, Command and Control, Incident Command System, Mitigation, and Medical Management.

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE’s cleanup effort, is designed to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste left from the research and production of nuclear weapons.

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Department of Energy Releases 1998 Environmental Cleanup Report

Paths to Closure Outlines Approach for World's Largest Environmental Cleanup

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 30, 1998 -- The Department of Energy today released the national Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure report which defines the scope, schedule and cost for cleanup of the nation's nuclear weapons complex. The report, to be updated annually, details 353 cleanup projects at 53 geographic sites in 22 states across the nation.

"Consistent with the Administration's initiative to make government work better, Paths to Closure focuses on finding ways to complete our cleanup work as quickly and efficiently as possible without compromising our commitment to maintain federal and state cleanup compliance standards or the health and safety of our workers. Securing sufficient resources to achieve our commitments will remain a challenge," said Secretary of Energy Federico Peña.

Paths to Closure provides information essential for better planning and management of the world's largest environmental cleanup program and tracks individual DOE sites' efforts to accelerate cleanup. The work scope, cost, and schedule projections in the report also provide critical information on technical activities, budgets, worker health and safety, and risk in order to inform regulators, state and local officials, stakeholders, Tribal Nations, and others of the cleanup's progress.

Today's report follows the release of a discussion draft in June 1997 and the release of a draft report February 1998, each of which solicited feedback from stakeholders, regulators and Tribal Nations. To reflect these views, the department added a chapter (Chapter 6) that summarizes comments received on the draft and describes changes made in this report. A new section (Section 1.3) has also been added to clarify the relationship between Paths to Closure and the department's Office of Environmental Management's decision-making process.

"Meeting the cleanup challenge requires an enduring national commitment. The environmental cleanup of our nation's nuclear weapons complex cannot be accomplished unless sufficient and consistent resources are available over the long term and unless the department continually seeks efficient and cost-effective ways of doing business. As Paths to Closure demonstrates, a long-term stable budget at current levels enables the department to accelerate the cleanup and closure of many of its sites," added Secretary Peña.

The underlying assumptions and basic work scope, cost and schedule data in Paths to Closure are the same as those used to develop the February draft. Given the funding levels assumed in Paths to Closure, the life-cycle cost estimate for the Environmental Management program-wide cleanup is approximately $147 billion through 2070.

Paths to Closure describes an evolving and dynamic cleanup program. The Department of Energy remains committed to maintaining a working partnership with stakeholders, regulators and Tribal Nations as the cleanup program in Paths to Closure evolves.

Copies of today's report can be obtained from the Center for Environmental Management Information at 1-800-736-3282. A full text version of the Paths to Closure report is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.em.doe.gov.

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Dr. Jim Mewhinney Named Assistant Manager for WIPP Office of Development and Research

CARLSBAD, N.M., June 25, 1998 – As the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) nears its long-awaited opening, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office is gearing up for an expanded mission -- that of research and development.

Leading the newly created Office of Development and Research is Dr. Jim Mewhinney, a 10-year veteran of the WIPP project. Prior to his appointment as Assistant Manager for Development and Research, Mewhinney worked as Compliance Team Leader in the Office of Regulatory Compliance and Assurance. As Compliance Team Leader, Mewhinney devoted several years to obtaining the federal certification to open the WIPP. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued that certification last month.

"With Dr. Mewhinney leading our research and development team, Carlsbad is one step closer to becoming an international center for scientific research," said Michael H. McFadden, Acting Manager of the Carlsbad Area Office.

In his new position, Mewhinney is responsible for area program development, technology development and deployment, and research.

Examples of WIPP-related programs Mewhinney is working on include international research programs focused on nuclear waste disposal issues and helping community leaders attract related research programs to Carlsbad.

Technology development and deployment efforts will focus on producing new technology and sharing it with DOE sites around the country. The Carlsbad Area Office took on the mission because of its contact, through the National TRU Waste Program, with all DOE nuclear waste generator sites.

The third area of focus, research, allows Mewhinney and his team to oversee programs dedicated to ensuring the WIPP continues to meet health and environmental regulations.

Mewhinney and his wife, Carla, came to Carlsbad about 10 years ago. Both worked for Lovelace Medical Center in Albuquerque, he as senior scientist with the center’s Inhalation and Toxicology Research Institute and she as senior technician in aerosol science. During their tenure with Lovelace, the Mewhinneys also contracted with Westinghouse to study salt aerosols in the WIPP underground and exhaust shafts. Carla Mewhinney is now administrative assistant at Sandia National Laboratory’s Carlsbad Operations Office. Sandia is the scientific and technical advisor for the WIPP.

Jim Mewhinney earned his undergraduate degree in biology at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., and went on to earn a doctorate degree in radiation physics at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. He worked for Lovelace Medical Center for 25 years before joining the Carlsbad Area Office.

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Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Gives WIPP ‘Green Light’ to Operate

CARLSBAD, N.M., June 22, 1998 -- The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) has informed President Clinton and Energy Secretary Federico Peña that the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) can be operated safely.

In a letter dated June 3, DNFSB Chairman John Conway said the Board’s staff conducted reviews of the nuclear safety procedures "for receiving, handling, and emplacing transuranic radioactive waste from defense nuclear facilities."

"Since January, the DNFSB observed an emergency preparedness exercise and the DOE’s Operational Readiness Review (ORR)," said Conway. "The ORR was thorough and professionally executed. Based on reviews by the Board’s staff, the Board believes WIPP can be operated safely."

"This recommendation by the DNFSB further supports the Department’s mission to safely and permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste at the WIPP," said Peña. "By opening and operating the WIPP, the Department will be able to clean up more than 23 temporary storage sites nationwide, removing potential risk to more than 50 million Americans."

The DNFSB is an independent federal agency providing recommendations and advice to the President and the Secretary of Energy regarding public health and safety issues at DOE defense nuclear facilities.

Beginning operations in October 1989, the DNFSB reviews and evaluates the content and implementation of health and safety standards, as well as other requirements, relating to the design, construction, operation, and decommissioning of the Department’s defense nuclear facilities.

"In performing its review, the Board has acted to complement, not duplicate or overlap, the reviews of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in certifying the [WIPP] site as suitable for long-term disposal, or the reviews of the State of New Mexico," said Conway.

"While the WIPP operation is crucial to transuranic cleanup complex wide, it is especially so for the achievement of the Department’s program for early closure of Rocky Flats," he said.

The WIPP, which received final approval from the EPA in May, is a cornerstone of the DOE's national cleanup strategy. It is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste left from the research and production of nuclear weapons. Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet underground. Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, residues, debris and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, including plutonium.

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DOE and New Mexico Environment Department Reach Agreement on WIPP

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., June 19, 1998 -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) have reached agreement on the schedule and process to be used in determining the readiness of the first shipment of transuranic waste from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).

The department has worked with NMED over the past week to understand and respond to NMED questions and concerns related to the characterization of non-mixed transuranic waste to WIPP for disposal. The DOE has provided extensive documentation to the NMED including a listing of all documents used in the waste stream certification process and a flow chart of the process used for characterization and certification of the first waste stream to be shipped to WIPP.

In addition, the DOE and NMED have agreed to the following schedule of activities:

Two NMED technical staff members began reviewing the waste characterization data on Thursday, June 18, 1998. The NMED staff are working at Los Alamos National Laboratory to expedite their review. NMED expects that the review process will last approximately 10 working days.
NMED has agreed that on or before July 10, 1998, it will notify DOE whether it believes the waste stream in question has been adequately characterized as non-mixed waste.
DOE agrees that it will not issue a 14-day notice of its intent to ship waste to WIPP prior to its receipt of notification from NMED on July 10, 1998, unless the DOE notice is expressly conditioned on DOE’s receipt of a favorable determination from NMED.

The DOE is also planning to ask the court to move back the proceedings in order to accommodate the agreement with NMED.

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Gary Scott Named Deputy Manager Of DOE’s Carlsbad Area Office

CARLSBAD, N.M., June 2, 1998 -- Gary Scott has been named Deputy Manager of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Carlsbad Area Office (CAO), where he will assist in the overall management of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and the CAO. He also will support the implementation and management of DOE’s National Transuranic Waste Program, based in Carlsbad.

"Gary brings to this organization a wide array of experience in the nuclear industry," said Michael H. McFadden, Acting Manager of the Carlsbad Area Office. "His knowledge and experience will benefit the WIPP in its role as the nation’s first nuclear waste repository."

Scott holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pa., and a master of science degree in energy resources from the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering. He also is earning a doctorate in political science focusing on international relations and economics from Idaho State University.

He comes to Carlsbad from the DOE’s Idaho Operations Office in Idaho Falls, Idaho. That office manages the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL), one of the 10 major transuranic waste generator sites to ship transuranic waste to the WIPP.

In Idaho, Scott held several DOE management positions in Nuclear Engineering and Reactor Operations. He was also director of the INEEL’s Test Area North, and director of the laboratory’s Radioactive Waste Management Complex.

His experience in the private sector includes a senior design engineer position with Westinghouse Electric Corporation. During his tenure with Westinghouse, Scott worked in the United States, Asia and Europe. His duties included nuclear power plant startups, reactor systems startup and control room simulator design. Westinghouse is the management and operating contractor for the DOE at the WIPP.

As a principal negotiation team member at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, Scott aided in an international agreement pertaining to the safe handling of radioactive waste. He also worked as senior analyst for the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Nuclear Energy Affairs in Washington, DC.

In 1995, Scott was a legislative fellow to U.S. Rep. Michael Crapo of Idaho and later was science advisor to the Congressional Task Force for Nuclear Clean-up and Tritium Production. He assisted U.S. Rep. Joe Skeen of New Mexico in developing the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act Amendment, a key measure in guiding the eventual opening of the WIPP. After completing his duties on Capitol Hill, Scott was appointed special assistant to Thomas Grumbly, DOE Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management.

Scott is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and camping. He also plays guitar, banjo and is classically trained on the piano.

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE’s cleanup effort, is designed to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic radioactive waste. Located in southeastern New Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, project facilities include disposal rooms excavated in an ancient, stable salt formation 2,150 feet underground. Transuranic waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, residues and other disposable items contaminated with trace amounts of radioactive elements, including plutonium.

The project is on schedule to begin disposal operations in June 1998.

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Westinghouse Releases Socioeconomic Study of the WIPP

CARLSBAD, N.M., May 29, 1998 -- Westinghouse Electric Company’s Waste Isolation Division has released an independent study about the socioeconomic impact of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) on Carlsbad.

Westinghouse commissioned the study in response to widespread interest about the WIPP’s influence on different aspects of the community. Until now, only reports of the DOE’s economic impact on the state existed. This study is specific to the WIPP and Carlsbad.

Carlsbad sociologist Terry Marshall began compiling data for "Carlsbad and the WIPP" about a year ago. The 225-page report "makes a concerted effort to look at WIPP in the context of the entire community," Marshall said.

Marshall used "scientifically defensible" procedures, he said, to assess the WIPP’s impact on local citizens, businesses and the economy. The report also describes institutional impacts of the WIPP on local government, schools, colleges and universities, and health care.

"In Carlsbad," Marshall said in his executive summary, "residents know intuitively that WIPP has had significant impact on the community. It clearly has brought jobs and dollars. It has brought an influx of newcomers with new ideas, new demands, new involvement in community activities. Conventional wisdom in Carlsbad credits the WIPP with jump-starting the local economy."

Marshall presented copies of the study last week to Carlsbad Mayor Gary Perkowski, the Eddy County Commission and the Mayor’s WIPP Task Force.

The report is available for reading at the Carlsbad Area Office Reading Room, 4021 National Parks Highway, and at the Municipal Library, 101 S. Halagueno St.

The WIPP, a cornerstone of the DOE’s cleanup effort, is designed to permanently dispose of defen