Los Alamos Storm Water Runoff Agreement Signed

In a major step toward finalizing a state-ordered "fence-to-fence" cleanup of Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy have signed an agreement that will regulate storm water management at the 43-square-mile nuclear weapons research facility.

"By signing this agreement, DOE demonstrates its commitment to work with EPA and New Mexico to protect the state's valuable natural resources," EPA regional administrator Richard E. Greene said in a statement announcing the deal.

DOE's site manager at LANL, Ed Wilmot, said the agreement is an opportunity to address water quality and public concerns.

"How we manage this program is important— to all of us— and the Los Alamos community," he said.

State Environment Department director Ron Curry had said he would not sign a final LANL cleanup consent order— now in the works for more than three years— without a DOE and EPA agreement on monitoring laboratory storm water runoff.

Known as a Federal Facilities Compliance Agreement, the deal allows the state Environment Department authority to monitor and report surface water and storm water runoff to EPA, which maintains ultimate authority to penalize LANL and DOE for allowing runoff above federal standards.

"Through the agreement signed today, the state of New Mexico will play a strong role in surface water protection at Los Alamos," Curry said.

New Mexico is one of a handful of states which lacks authority to regulate surface water discharges, but is working to gain that authority by 2006.

State Environment Department spokesman Jon Goldstein said with the compliance agreement signed, the LANL cleanup order should be signed and finalized by the end of March.

Source: ABQJ