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News Releases NMED Secretary Curry issues ruling on LANL hazardous waste permit
Issues permit but denies open burning of high-explosive wastes
December 1, 2010—Tuesday afternoon, New Mexico Environment Department Secretary Ron Curry issued his final ruling on LANL's hazardous waste permit.
Curry granted the 10-year permit renewal, allowing storage and management of hazardous waste at certain Lab locations, but denied the Lab's application for open burning of high-explosive wastes.
“I am satisfied that the permit will protect New Mexicans, LANL workers, and the environment and provide the transparency and accountability that residents deserve," Curry said in a news release. "I’m particularly proud of the unprecedented public involvement that led to this final permit.”
The Lab issued the following statement to news media:
“The Lab agrees with the vast majority of the permit. We agree with Secretary Curry that it protects our neighbors, our workers, and the environment. While we are disappointed in the ruling on open burning, we’re pleased that Secretary Curry did not put an additional burden on the taxpayer by imposing financial assurance on the Lab. The Department of Energy is fully committed to meeting its environmental responsibilities at Los Alamos.
“We will carefully review Secretary Curry’s order, study our options and come to a decision on how best to proceed within the next 30 days.”
The permit was the subject of a lengthy hearing this spring, which drew more than 1,800 written and verbal comments from members of the public.
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Fast Facts
People
11,127 total employees
Los Alamos National Security, LLC 8,683
SOC Los Alamos (Guard Force) 419
Contractors 606
Students 1,101
Place
Located 35 miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 36 square miles of DOE-owned property.
More than 2,000 individual facilities, including 47 technical areas with 8 million square feet under roof.
Replacement value of $5.9 billion
Budget FY 2012: Approx. $2.2 billion
57% Weapons programs
9% Nonproliferation programs
7% Safeguards and Security
8% Environmental Management
4% DOE Office of Science
4% Energy and other programs
11% Work for Others
Workforce Demographics (LANS and students only)
34% of employees live in Los Alamos, the remainder commute from Santa Fe,
Española, Taos, and Albuquerque.
Average Age: 46
70% male, 30% female
43% minorities
63% university degrees
· 23% hold undergraduate degrees
· 16% hold graduate degrees
· 24% have earned a Ph.D.
Major Awards
121 R&D100 awards since 1978
31 E.O. Lawrence Awards
The Seaborg Medal
The Edward Teller Medal
The Nobel Prize in Physics, Frederick Reines