REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM HELLO, I'M LORENE MILLS, WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA F.<br/> I'M DELIGHTED TO PRESENT OUR GUEST TODAY, SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, DEMOCRAT FROM DONA ANA COUNTY.

HE IS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE IMPORTANT RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE, HE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE AND A MEMBER OF SENATE FINANCE AND HE HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT NEW MEXICO FROM BECOMING A REPOSITORY FOR HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE.

SO, WELCOME TO THE SHOW, SENATOR.

>>JEFF: HONOR TO BE WITH YOU, LORENE, ALWAYS.

THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: ALWAYS, IT'S A PLEASURE.

WELL, WE HAVE SUCH BIG NEWS TO BREAK, SO I'M GOING TO LET YOU TELL WHAT THE FIFTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS JUST DECIDED THIS WEEK, IT'S A REALLY BREAKING NEWS STORY.

>>JEFF: INDEED, MASSIVE, MASSIVE NEWS HERE FOR NEW MEXICO.

THE U.S. 5TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS, ONE STEP BELOW THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, ISSUED A RULING THAT THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION LACKED AUTHORITY TO GIVE HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL A LICENSE TO OPEN A CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY IN NEW MEXICO TO STORE ALL THE NATION'S HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE.

AND THEY VACATED, TO USE THEIR WORD, THEY ELIMINATED, THEY THREW OUT THEIR LICENSE, SO IT'S A HUGE DEAL BECAUSE THESE REPOSITORIES ARE FEDERALLY LICENSED AND THEIR LICENSE HAS BEEN THROWN OUT BY THE U.S. COURTS.

AND WHAT COULD BE A PRECEDENT SETTING DECISION REGARDING THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION AND THEIR ABILITY TO PERMIT MORE OF THESE IN THE FUTURE.

>>LORENE: WELL, ALSO, YOU WERE AMONG THE VISIONARY LAWMAKERS WHO IN 2023 PASSED LEGISLATION BY MAKING IT ILLEGAL TO STORE THIS WASTE IN NEW MEXICO, I THINK YOU CALLED IT, WHAT, CERTAIN MATERIAL, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN, WAS THERE A HOUSE BILL AND A SENATE BILL, TELL ME HOW YOU PROACTIVELY PROTECTED US IN 2023?

>>JEFF: YES, WELL WE PASSED A LAW, SENATE BILL 53, SAYING IT WAS ILLEGAL TO OPERATE, DISPOSE OR STORE A HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE FACILITY IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO AND THAT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO WAS PROHIBITED FROM ISSUING PERMITS NEEDED FOR SAID CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION, UNTIL THERE WAS A FEDERAL PERMIT REPOSITORY IN OPERATION IN THE COUNTRY AS DEFINED BY LAW, WHICH IS A DEEP GEOLOGICAL YUCCA MOUNTAIN STYLE REPOSITORY AND ONLY IF THE STATE SUPPORTED, CONCURRED OR CONSENTED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE LAW DID AND WE WERE SUCCESSFUL.

IT WAS QUITE THE DRAMATIC MOMENT THERE IN THE LEGISLATURE THE DAY BEFORE THE SESSION ENDED, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE FIGHTING FOR THE BILL, AND A LOT OF GREAT ADVOCATES AND OTHERS, AND PEOPLE LIKE HOLTEC, WHO HAD A TEAM OF LOBBYISTS, INCLUDING SOME HIGH POWERED FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS IN NEW MEXICO, TRYING TO STOP MY BILL AND TRYING TO PUT THIS ON US.

SO WE WON, LAW PASSED AND THEN JUST MONTHS LATER, THEY WERE GIVEN, HOLTEC, WAS GIVEN THIS LICENSE BY THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TO CONSTRUCT THIS FACILITY.

NOW, EVEN WITH THAT LICENSE, OUR LAW WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO OPERATE SAID FACILITY IN NEW MEXICO, IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL WITH THE LAW THAT WE PASSED, BUT THAT WAS THE LAY OF THE LAND THEN AND NOW, OF COURSE, FLASH FORWARD HERE, THE FEDERAL COURTS HAS JUST THROWN OUT THAT LICENSE.

SO, VERY INTERESTING, BUT WE'RE NOT DONE YET, I MEAN, THERE'S BIG THINGS I'M SURE THAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

>>LORENE: SO, IT BRINGS UP THE LONG AND STORIED HISTORY OF THE WIPP, WHICH IS THE WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PROJECT IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO BECAUSE IT WAS JAMES SCHLESINGER WHO WAS SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND THEN BECAME SECRETARY OF ENERGY IN WHAT, I THINK 1978, WHO PUT THAT ASIDE.

BUT IT WAS OUR LEGISLATION IN 2023 SAID, YOU CAN'T STORE THIS WASTE HERE UNTIL THERE IS A PERMANENT FEDERAL REPOSITORY, A DEEP GEOLOGICAL REPOSITORY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

WE CAN'T BE THE ONLY PLACE THAT TAKES THIS HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE FROM POWER PLANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT HERE OURSELVES.

>>JEFF: RIGHT, IT'S TRUE AND THAT'S WHAT THE LAW WOULD DO.

AND REALLY, I MEAN, IT WAS THE PROVERBIAL TAIL WAGGING THE DOG.

YOU HAD A PRIVATE COMPANY AND A COUPLE OF CITIZENS IN NEW MEXICO SAYING, HEY, WE'LL TAKE IT AND THEN TRIGGERING A LICENSE APPLICATION PROCESS THAT SEEMINGLY, ACCORDING TO THEM, STATE HAD NO SAY OVER, CITIZENS HAD NO SAY OVER, NOT JUST US, BUT CITIZENS ACROSS AMERICA WHERE THIS WASTE WOULD BE TRAVELING BY NOT JUST ONCE, BUT TWICE WHEN THERE WAS A PERMANENT REPOSITORY.

SO IT WAS REALLY A STUPID WAY TO PROMULGATE SUCH A PROFOUND POLICY DECISION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A PERMANENT STORAGE FACILITY OF WHAT CAN BE DEADLY WASTE, JUST BASICALLY DRIVEN BY A PRIVATE COMPANY AND A FEW CITIZENS.

AND THAT'S WHERE YOU KNOW, FEDERAL COURTS HAVE NOW SAID, SORRY, FEDERAL LAW DOESN'T GIVE THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, THIS KIND OF AUTHORITY, AND THAT CONGRESS HAS TO BE THE ONE TO DECIDE THIS.

SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE DONE, YOU KNOW, HOLTEC JUST CAME OUT YESTERDAY SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO APPEAL THIS DECISION TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, SO, I MEAN, WE COULD END UP SEEING A HIGH COURT SHOWDOWN ON THIS ISSUE, BUT UNTIL THEN, THIS IS NOW THE LAW OF THE LAND, HOLTEC HAS LOST ITS LICENSE AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME, REGARDLESS ALMOST, WHICH IS THAT CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY.

LORENE, YOUR SHOW IS WIDELY WATCHED AND WIDELY RESPECTED AND HOPEFULLY THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, MAYBE WE'LL SEE THIS INTERVIEW, IT'S REALLY INCUMBENT, I THINK, UPON THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF AND HIS CABINET TO CONVENE A PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL COMMISSION TO MAKE THIS A HIGH PRIORITY ABOUT FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THIS WASTE AND FIGURE OUT A MORE INTELLIGENT APPROACH THAT WILL YIELD SUCCESS, UNLIKE WHAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND TEXAS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WITH YUCCA MOUNTAIN.

>>LORENE: WELL, EVEN BACK IN '78 WHEN THEY FIRST SET THIS UP, THEY SAID THAT NEW MEXICO WOULD HAVE VETO POWER OVER THIS.

AND THEN THERE'S BEEN SO MANY BROKEN PROMISES AND BROKEN AGREEMENTS IN THIS LONG, LONG PROCESS AND NOW, RIGHT NOW, I THINK WIPP IS LICENSED UNTIL 2024, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IF THEY'RE EXTENDING IT TO 2050, 2050, OF ALL THIS NUCLEAR WASTE, AND THEN THEY SAID, WELL, IT JUST MIGHT AS WELL BE FOREVER, WIPP, BECAUSE THEY CAN KEEP EXTENDING IT AS LONG AS THEY WANT.

>>JEFF: WELL, THAT'S THE CONCERN, AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY JUST GIVEN A 10-YEAR LICENSE EXTENSION, SO I'M NOT LOOKING AT A DATE RIGHT NOW, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS IN ESSENCE.

SO, YOU KNOW, CONGRESS, THIS WAS ALWAYS DESIGNED, AS I UNDERSTAND, TO BE A 35-YEAR FACILITY AND WE WERE PROMISED THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE THE NATION'S ONLY REPOSITORY AND IT WOULD NOT BE A FOREVER FACILITY, BUT IN FACT, THERE IS NO PLAN FOR ANOTHER FACILITY.

NATIONAL SCIENTISTS ASSOCIATION HAS DETERMINED THAT THIS FACILITY IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO STORE ALL THE WASTE IN THE COUNTRY AND NOW WE KNOW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S POLICY IS TO GREATLY EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF NUCLEAR PITS BEING DEVELOPED, AND THIS IS DEFENSE WASTE THAT'S BEING STORED, WHAT THEY CALL TRU WASTE BEING STORED AT WIPP.

SO YEAH, THE COUNTRY HAS A PROBLEM AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE A NEW MEXICO AND THIS WAS PART OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO'S REQUIREMENTS TO GIVE THIS 10 YEAR EXTENSION WAS THAT WE WANT ANNUAL REPORTS ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PROGRESS TO DEVELOP ANOTHER REPOSITORY, BECAUSE THEY NEED ONE.

NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT WIPP THEY HAVE A STORAGE CAPACITY ISSUE THAT THEY'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST AND AS YOU SAID, IT WAS JUST LIKE WITH HOLTEC, IF WE DO NOT FIGURE OUT A REAL PLAN, THEN, IN ABSENCE OF A REAL PLAN, YOU'LL BE LEFT WITH THE CURRENT SITUATION BEING THE DE FACTO PLAN.

SO THE COUNTRY REALLY NEEDS TO GET ON WITH FINDING A NEW REPOSITORY SITE AS WELL FOR THAT WASTE.

>>LORENE: AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT UNTIL WE DO FIND, CREATE, A PERMANENT REPOSITORY, PROBABLY A DEEP GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY, WE SHOULD QUIT PRODUCING THIS WASTE UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

I REMEMBER THAT NORTON BRADBURY, WHO STARTED THE LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LAB, SAID, OH, I KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THAT NUCLEAR WASTE, SHOOT IT INTO THE SUN ON ROCKETS, AND IT WILL BE CONSUMED IN THE SUN.

WELL, THAT'S A LITTLE IMPRACTICAL, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE REALIZED THAT WE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE END PRODUCT AND HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS AND HOW LONG WILL IT, IT SAYS THAT THIS WASTE WILL REMAIN LETHAL LONGER THAN THE 300,000 YEARS THAT MAN HAS WALKED ON EARTH, THAT'S FROM WWW.WORLD-NUCLEAR.ORG AND IT BRINGS UP A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PUT OUT A CALL FOR ARTISTS.

SO, IF WE ARE GOING TO PUT THIS STUFF SOMEWHERE THAT WILL BE RADIOACTIVE FOR 300,000 YEARS, AND MAYBE MAN HAS HAD LANGUAGE AND THE LANGUAGE FOR 10,000 YEARS, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE FIGURES, BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO LET THE CIVILIZATIONS AND CULTURES IN THE FUTURE KNOW THAT THIS IS DANGEROUS, THAT THIS IS BAD.

SO THEY HELD A CONTEST, A CALL FOR ARTISTS TO COME UP WITH WAYS TO SYMBOLIZE THIS THING AND THEY WERE SO INTERESTING.

ONE ARTIST SUGGESTED THAT THEY GET 50 FOOT HIGH STAINLESS STEEL "PIPES OF PAN" THAT WHEN THE WIND BLEW, IT WOULD IT WOULD BLOW A D MINOR CHORD, WHICH, TO MOST CULTURES, AT LEAST HUMAN CULTURES, THAT'S A VERY MOURNFUL AND TRAGIC SOUND, TO WARN.

AND THEN THEY THOUGHT, WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO PUT SIGNS ON THIS PLACE, SAYING THIS IS NOT A PLACE OF HONOR, THERE'S NOTHING OF VALUE HERE, GO AWAY.

YOU KNOW, JUST WARNING PEOPLE IN SO MANY LANGUAGES THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A PLACE OF DANGER.

BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T FIGURED THAT OUT, WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT ON THAT?

>>JEFF: IT IS PROFOUND.

I MEAN, I REMEMBER TOURING A URANIUM MINING TAILING SITE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN OVER HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND I THINK THEY HAD PUT UP SOME SIGNS THAT WERE LIKE IN HIEROGLYPHICS OR SOMETHING.

IT WAS REALLY, IT'S NO JOKE THAT THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, AS YOU SAY, NOTIFY FUTURE CIVILIZATIONS THOUSANDS OF YEARS FROM NOW, THAT THIS IS DANGEROUS STUFF THAT'S BURIED IN THAT SPOT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND YOU'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS AND HEARD THESE DELIBERATIONS, IT DEFINITELY MAKES YOU APPRECIATE THAT WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH HERE WITH NUCLEAR WASTE AND WHILE IT MAY BE ZERO CARBON EMITTING, YOU'RE MINING A MATERIAL, AN ENERGY SOURCE THAT IS HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND YOU'RE KIND OF UNLEASHING THE PANDORA'S BOX, THERE WHERE YOU'RE WHERE YOU'RE MINING IT AND NOW LOOK, WE HAVE 1000 ABANDONED URANIUM MINE SITES IN NEW MEXICO FROM WHEN WE CREATED THE NATION'S NUCLEAR STOCKPILE AND THEN THEY JUST LEFT US HIGH AND DRY WHEN THEY DIDN'T, WHEN THE PRICES GOT TOO LOW, AND NOW WE POLLUTED ALL THIS NATIVE INDIGENOUS LAND.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST VERY PROFOUND LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES OF THIS WASTE THAT SHOULD HAVE US SEEK EVERY ALTERNATIVE POSSIBLE, BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE HAVE AS MUCH WASTE AS WE HAVE, WE NEED TO RESPONSIBLY DEAL WITH IT AND GET SOME SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT STATES LIKE NEW MEXICO AND CITIZENS AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AREN'T DONE WRONG IN THE PROCESS, WHICH WE HAVE, WHICH NEW MEXICO HAS ABSOLUTELY BEEN LEFT HOLDING THE BAG.

>>LORENE: WELL, ONE THING THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR, YOU HAD A BILL THAT WOULD START WORKING, ABOUT THE CLEANUP OF THE ABANDONED URANIUM MINE SITES ALL OVER, MOSTLY NATIVE LAND, BUT ALL OVER NEW MEXICO, AND THE FACT IS THAT THEY'RE STARTING IT IN THE SPRING, I THINK, BUT WHAT IS THE PROGRESS, AND, IS IT FUNDED ENOUGH, DO THEY HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO IDENTIFY, MOVE, NEUTRALIZE, DO SOMETHING WITH ALL THIS LAND.

AND THE FACT THAT SO MUCH OF IT IS A KIND OF SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE, OF COURSE IT WAS MINED ON, A LOT OF IT WAS MINED ON NATIVE LAND, BUT TO HAVE SO MANY OF THESE DANGEROUS, UNMARKED SITES, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST HOPE THAT WE HAVE THE WILL AND THE MONEY TO GO AND CLEAN IT UP.

>>JEFF: YES, SO WE DO NOT BEGIN TO HAVE THE FUNDS TO CLEAN UP THESE SITES, IT'S GOING TO BE BILLIONS, I BELIEVE, OF DOLLARS TO DO IT, WITH ABOUT 1000 SITES, MAYBE 300 MINES IN TOTAL.

BUT WE HAVE A FRAMEWORK THAT WE'VE CREATED LEGISLATIVELY TO BEGIN TO MOVE DOWN THIS PATH.

KEEP IN MIND, WE'VE GOT SITES WHERE LITERALLY THERE IS NO, WHAT THEY CALL RESPONSIBLE PARTY IN PLACE, WHO CURRENTLY OWNS THAT MINE, OWNS THAT LAND, IS RESPONSIBLE, LEGALLY, FOR CLEANING UP THAT WASTE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE CALL THEM ABANDONED SITES.

THERE WERE COMPANIES THAT FORM THAT WENT AWAY, THERE WERE NO FEDERAL PROCESSES, REQUIREMENTS, TO REQUIRE A BOND AND REAL DEFICIENCIES IN FEDERAL LAW, WHICH NOW HAVE BEEN STRENGTHENED, BUT NONETHELESS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHEN ALL THIS MINING OCCURRED AT A TIME WHEN THEY DIDN'T, SO WE WERE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG AND THIS WORK IS VERY EXPENSIVE.

AND SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE PASSED A LAW, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I DID IT WITH REPRESENTATIVE DEBBIE SARININA FROM ALBUQUERQUE, BASICALLY NUMBER ONE, SETTING UP YOUR STAFF POSITIONS, ABANDON URANIUM MINE REMEDIATION COORDINATORS AT THE ENERGY AND MINERALS DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT.

WE REQUIRED THEM TO START TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN AND DOCUMENT ON A DASHBOARD, A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DASHBOARD, ALL OF THESE SITES, AND ACTUALLY COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR REMEDIATING EACH OF THEM TO BEGIN TO WORK WITH FEDERAL PARTNERS, TRIBAL PARTNERS, OTHERS, TO FIGURE OUT A GAME PLAN, BEST POSSIBLE FOR REMEDIATING THEM AND THEN TO SEEK FUNDS FOR DOING SO.

SO, BUT AS I SAID AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS HALF OF IT.

THE STATE KIND OF SHOWING THE LEADERSHIP, GETTING OUR ARMS AROUND ALL THESE SITES IN NEW MEXICO, BUT IT'S REALLY INCUMBENT UPON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I BELIEVE PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE DID THIS FOR THE NATION'S NUCLEAR DEFENSE TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY, WRITE A VERY BIG CHECK, NOT JUST IN NEW MEXICO, BUT OTHER STATES, WHO CREATED THESE DEFENSE RELATED SITES.

AGAIN, THIS WAS FOR THE NATION'S NUCLEAR SECURITY THAT WE DID THIS.

I HAVE HELD MEETINGS WITH OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, I'VE REACHED OUT, I'VE SPOKEN TO OUR SECRETARY OF ENVIRONMENT, HE IS VERY AGGRESSIVELY WORKING WITH OTHER STATES.

SO WE ARE IN SEARCH OF A MORE AGGRESSIVE APPROACH TRYING TO GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

AGAIN, PRESIDENT BIDEN, IF YOU'RE LISTENING TO THIS, BECAUSE YOU LISTEN TO HOLTEC, NEW MEXICO, LET'S DO RIGHT BY THIS SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUE AND PROVIDE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS NEEDED TO CLEAN UP ALL THESE SITES.

BUT, YEAH, SO THAT WORK CONTINUES LORENE AND IT'S REALLY THAT, AND I ALSO THINK THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO SHOULD SET UP A VERY LARGE CLEANUP FUND TO ASSIST IN THIS WORK.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, WHO IS VICE CHAIR, THANK GOODNESS, OF THE RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES HERE, ONE OF WHICH IS, RECA, THE RADIOACTIVE EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT AND WHAT THEY'RE FINDING IS THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE, THE MINERS, WHO MINED THE URANIUM BACK IN THE DAY, NOBODY TOLD THEM IT WAS DANGEROUS, THEY WEREN'T WEARING HAZMAT SUITS.

AND THEN ALL THE WAY ALONG THE LINE, THAT NOBODY HAS BEEN WARNING OR PROTECTING OR REALIZING HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS.

AND ONE OF THE NEW PLANS IS TO MOVE ALL OF THIS NUCLEAR WASTE TO PANTEX IN TEXAS, SHIP IT TO THE SAVANNAH RIVER PROJECT, AND THEN SHIP IT BACK, AEROSOLIZED.

WELL, THE MOST DANGEROUS FORM OF THIS RADIOACTIVE WASTE IS AN AEROSOLIZED FORM, WHEREAS IF YOU INHALE THESE RADIOACTIVE MOLECULES, THERE'S A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT THEY WILL START A LUNG CANCER.

SO, IT'S INCUMBENT ON US TO AND LIKE YOU SAY, THE FEDS HAVE GOT TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS BECAUSE IT'S CALLED AGAIN, THE RADIOACTIVE EXPOSURE COMPENSATION ACT AND THEY'RE LIABLE FOR A HUGE AMOUNT, A HUGE AMOUNT OF THESE CASES.

BUT EVEN PEOPLE LIKE THE DOWNWINDERS, NOW, WHEN BIDEN WAS HERE, HE SPOKE WITH A WOMAN NAMED CORDOVA WHO REPRESENTS TULAROSA BASIN DOWNWINDERS ASSOCIATION, AND THEY WERE ALL AFFECTED BY ALL THE NUCLEAR TESTING THAT HAPPENED ON WHITE SANDS AND HE SAID THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT, SO WE HAVE A LOCAL CONTACT, A WOMAN WHO'S DONE REALLY AMAZING WORK, AND WE HOPE THAT WASN'T JUST A GETTING ON THE PLANE PROMISE OF DON'T WORRY, I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT, BECAUSE I THINK HE KNOWS THAT THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND NEW MEXICO HAS BEEN THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB IN SO MANY PARTS OF THIS AND WE DON'T WANT TO NOW BE THE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO EXPAND WIPP AND MAKE IT THE REPOSITORY FOR ALL THE NATION'S HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE, AND WE JUST CAN'T HAVE IT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK IN PROTECTING US FROM THIS.

>>JEFF: WELL, YOU'RE WELCOME, THE WORK CONTINUES.

THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR EDUCATING NEW MEXICANS ABOUT IT, LORENE, VERY IMPORTANT.

>>LORENE: YES, YES.

DO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GO, ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT THOSE ABANDONED TAILINGS, PILES OF RADIOACTIVE URANIUM WILL BE DEALT WITH, THAT THERE'S A PROJECT FOR THAT AND THEN, SINCE SPRING IS HERE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL AND ALL THE WORK YOU'VE DONE FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION.

>>JEFF: YES, WELL, JUST TO CLOSE UP ON THE ABANDONED URANIUM MINES, YOU KNOW, MY ENTIRE LEGISLATIVE LIFE, I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THESE SITES AND HEARING PEOPLE POINT FINGERS SAYING SOMEBODY OUGHT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT, WE OUGHT TO SEND A LETTER, NOTHING'S HAPPENED AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE FINALLY, I'M WORKING MY HARDEST TO CHANGE THAT DYNAMIC AND ACTUALLY NOT ONLY PUT FORTH A PLAN AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT SAY TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, CHECK IS PAYABLE, DUE NOW, IT'S TIME, LET'S GET GOING WITH THIS.

SO, BUT OTHERWISE, YEAH, THESE, THIS CONTAMINATION IS JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO FESTER THERE ON THOSE LANDS AND POLLUTE THOSE INDIGENOUS LANDS, VERY, VERY SAD CASE UNTIL WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND IT'S INCUMBENT ON ALL OF US IN OFFICE TO DO OUR VERY BEST TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

SO THE WORK WILL CONTINUE, BUT YES, MOVING ON TO THE OUTDOOR ECONOMY.

NOW, THE GOOD STUFF, RIGHT?

WE TALKED ABOUT POLLUTION, SPOILING OUR BEAUTIFUL LAND OF ENCHANTMENT, NOW WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE GOOD STUFF, GROWING THE OUTDOOR ECONOMY, WHICH I'M EQUALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT AND HAVE DONE, YOU KNOW, BEEN ABLE TO DO SOME GOOD STUFF, HELP WITH SOME GOOD STUFF IN LEGISLATURE.

ONE PROJECT IS THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL, WHICH, THANKS FOR ASKING ABOUT, WHICH IS A STATEWIDE PROPOSED TRAIL THAT WOULD ROUGHLY TRAVERSE THE RIO GRANDE FROM COLORADO TO TEXAS, BE A 500 PLUS MILE TRAIL, AND IT WOULD BE AKIN TO, YOU KNOW, THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL OR THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL OR PACIFIC COAST CREST TRAIL, AND WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE WAY TO BRIDGE LANDS, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENT, HISTORY INTO ONE TAPESTRY GOING THROUGH THE HEART OF NEW MEXICO.

THAT WOULD BE A TRUE NEW MEXICO STATE TRAIL, UNLIKE THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THAT GOES THROUGH MULTIPLE STATES AND THESE OTHER LONG DISTANCE TRAILS THAT DO.

THIS WOULD BE A STATE TRAIL AND THERE IS ARIZONA, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS AN ARIZONA TRAIL, THAT'S AN 800 PLUS MILES TRAIL THAT'S INCREDIBLE AND THEN CONGRESS DESIGNATED A NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL.

SO THIS WOULD BE A NEW MEXICO TRAIL AND WE'RE ABOUT 80 MILES INTO IT, PRIMARILY DESIGNATED UNDER THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SPUR MORE PROGRESS IN THIS ADMINISTRATION TO MAYBE EVEN, I MEAN, THEY HAVE TIME LEFT IN THIS ADMINISTRATION IF THEY WANTED TO, TO DANG NEAR COMPLETE THE TRAIL, WHICH WOULD BE A WONDERFUL LEGACY FOR THIS GOVERNOR, IF SHE SO CHOSE THAT.

YOU KNOW, BUT WE, THIS LAST SESSION, WE INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE PLANNING OF IT, WE ALSO APPROPRIATED 10 MILLION DOLLARS FOR TRAILS IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, TRAIL PROJECTS, WHICH HAS BEEN A GREAT THING, WE'VE STARTED DOING THE LAST FEW YEARS.

AND WE DESIGNATED IN THE BUDGET THAT 2 MILLION OF THAT 10 MILLION NEEDED TO BE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUTDOOR INFRASTRUCTURE, ALONG THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL.

SO WE'RE, AS A LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, REALLY TRYING TO PUSH THIS PROJECT FORWARD AND NEEDING THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TO REALLY ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND GET TO PLANNING AND DESIGNATING THE REMAINDER OF THIS TRAIL.

>>LORENE: SO BY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THIS TRAIL, YOU'RE REFERRING TO A STABLE SERVICE WHERE YOU WON'T BE SLIPPING INTO THE RIVER, BUT ALSO CAMPING PLACES ALONG THE WAY, SO THAT IF PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE THIS WONDERFUL HIKE, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO HIKE THE WHOLE RIO GRANDE TRAIL IF WE HAVE IT?

>>JEFF: GREAT QUESTION.

SO, AND WHEN I USE THE WORD OUTDOOR INFRASTRUCTURE, I DO NOT MEAN PHYSICAL HARD SURFACE TRAILS, BECAUSE IN SOME COMMUNITIES, IT MAY MEAN THAT, WE DESIGNATE ACTUALLY IN THE LAW THAT IN REAL PRIMITIVE PLACES OF OPEN SPACE, IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE TWO TRACK DIRT TRAIL, WHICH IS HOW IT IS IN OTHER LONG DISTANCE TRAILS, IT'S NOT A PAVED TRAIL.

BUT IT WILL BE STITCHED TOGETHER OF PAVED TRAILS AND LIKE THE BOSQUE IN ALBUQUERQUE OR MESILLA IN LAS CRUCES AND, YOU KNOW, CAN LOOK LIKE DIFFERENT THINGS IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

BUT, YES, IT WOULD BE FOR SHELTERS SO PEOPLE CAN CAMP UNDER IT, IT COULD BE FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, SO PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD HAVE WATER DURING STRETCHES, I THINK THAT'D BE A GOOD THING FOR US TO DO IN NEW MEXICO, PARTICULARLY IN SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO.

PARK BENCHES, SIGNAGE, ALL THE ABOVE, WE CALL THAT OUTDOOR INFRASTRUCTURE.

AND YEAH, HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE, WELL, IF YOU SO CHOOSE TO ENDEAVOR TO DO THE WHOLE 500 PLUS MILES, IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE YOU UP TO A COUPLE MONTHS TO DO THAT, TO THROUGH-HIKE THE WHOLE THING.

IT DEPENDS UPON HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, HIKERS THAT DO THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, OUT OF SHAPE FOLKS, YOU KNOW, LIKE MYSELF, THEY COULD DO ANYWHERE FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, THREE TO FIVE, SEVEN MILES A DAY.

YOU HAVE THESE ELITE ATHLETES THAT WILL GO 20 TO 30 MILES A DAY, EVERY SINGLE DAY UNTIL THEY DO IT, IF YOU COULD IMAGINE THAT, HARDCORE THRU HIKERS, WHO ARE LIKE GREYHOUNDS MOVING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, IT IS UNBELIEVABLE.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A GUY, WHO'S AN ULTRA-LONG DISTANCE MARATHONER IN THE STATE WHO DID DO, WHO'S THE ONLY PERSON WHO'S DONE THE PLANNED, CAUSE IT'S NOT CREATED, RIO GRANDE TRAIL AND HE DID IT IN ABOUT A MONTH, HIS NAME IS PETER LIVINGSTON.

THAT WAS QUITE HARDCORE, BUT IN REALITY, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO BE WHAT THEY CALL A THRU HIKER AND HIKE THE ENTIRE RIVER AND PROBABLY TAKE UP TO A COUPLE OF MONTHS, I WOULD THINK, BUT, YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE JUST DO WHAT THEY CALL SEGMENT, SEGMENT HIKERS, AND THEY MIGHT CHOOSE TO DO, YOU KNOW, A 10 MILE STRETCH OR A 20 MILE STRETCH OR YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU COULD CREATE INFINITE COOL TRAILS FROM, YOU KNOW, LAS CRUCES TO THE HATCH CHILE FESTIVAL, RIGHT?

YOU COULD COME INTO TOWN AND GET A LITTLE BIT OF THE BOSQUE, YOU COULD DO THE SAME THING BY THE RIO GRANDE DEL NORTE NATIONAL MONUMENT, GO THROUGH THE RIO GRANDE NORTHERN HERITAGE AREA, LEARN ABOUT NATIVE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, AND AT THE SAME TIME, SEE BIGHORN SHEEP, AND I MEAN, IT'S JUST INFINITE EXPERIENCES WE CAN CREATE ALONG THIS TRAIL, STORIES WE CAN TELL THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE FOR COMMUNITIES IN NEW MEXICO, NEW MEXICANS, BUT ALSO FOR TOURISM AND RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

SO, SEE WHY I'M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GONE FROM ALPHA OMEGA TO THE SPECTER OF NUCLEAR WASTE TO THESE WONDERFUL OUTDOOR ADVENTURES AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR NEW MEXICO.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, A DEMOCRAT FROM DONA ANA COUNTY, VICE CHAIR OF THE RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE, AND A WONDERFUL NEW MEXICAN.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR US.

>>JEFF: IT IS MY HONOR AND PLEASURE, THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO AS WELL, LORENE.

THANKS FOR THE TIME TODAY.

>>LORENE: OKAY.

BYE-BYE, SEE YOU SOON.

AND I'M LORENE MILLS, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU, OUR AUDIENCE, FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM