♪ MUSIC 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 THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

>>LORENE: HELLO.

I'M LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE HAVE A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT SHOW TODAY AND OUR GUEST IS SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN A DEMOCRAT FROM DONA ANA COUNTY.

HE WAS A REPRESENTATIVE FROM 2007 TO 2010 AND THEN AGAIN FROM 2013 TO 2016, HE'S BEEN A NEW MEXICO STATE SENATOR SINCE 2017.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>JEFF: YOU'RE SO WELCOME, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>LORENE: WELL, ONE OF THE REASONS YOU'RE HERE IS FOR, OF COURSE, YOUR ONGOING WORK WITH RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, BECAUSE YOU ARE THE CHAIR OF THE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND WE ARE HAVING A REAL SITUATION.

NOW I WOULD CALL THIS PRETTY URGENT BREAKING NEWS ON JULY 13TH, THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION PUT OUT A LITTLE PRESS RELEASE THAT SAYS NRC, NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, ISSUES FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY ON PROPOSED NEW MEXICO SPENT FUEL STORAGE FACILITY AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, THEY HAVE GIVEN HOLTEC INTERNATIONAL, A LICENSE TO CONSTRUCT AND OPERATE A CONSOLIDATED, INTERIM SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL STORAGE FACILITY IN LEA COUNTY.

AND SO, THEY ARE GOING TO BE TAKING SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, TRANSURANIC WASTE, HIGH LEVEL, FROM EVERY NUCLEAR PLANT IN THE COUNTRY AND IT'S ALL GOING TO COME TO NEW MEXICO.

SO, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS?

>>JEFF: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU AGAIN, THIS IS, AS I CALLED IT THE OTHER DAY, A FOUR-ALARM FIRE MOMENT FOR CONSIDERING THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS OF ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE, THIS DECISION WILL IMPACT NEW MEXICO FAR INTO THE FUTURE AND IT'LL HAVE RAMIFICATIONS THAT WE'LL GET INTO TODAY SO PEOPLE CAN BE AWARE OF IT.

I WANT TO MAKE ONE LITTLE CLARIFICATION, WHICH IS THAT WHAT THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION HAS JUST DONE IS ACTUALLY GIVEN, THEY'VE ISSUED THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, WHICH IS PART OF THE REVIEW, THEY ANTICIPATE GIVING A LICENSE IN JANUARY OF THIS NEXT YEAR.

SO THEY ACTUALLY HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN A LICENSE YET AND THAT'S A GOOD THING ONLY BECAUSE THERE'S A LITTLE MORE TIME WINDOW AHEAD, BEFORE HOLTEC'S GIVEN THE ABSOLUTE GREEN LIGHT, BUT YOU KNOW WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, A LOT OF FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW A PROCESS OF CONSIDERING AN OFFICIAL ACTION AND ONE OF THOSE IS CALLED AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR THIS.

THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT OF COURSE IS BEING PROPOSED IS A PRIVATE COMPANY CALL HOLTEC, TRYING TO GET A LICENSE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FROM AN ENTITY CALLED THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, THE NRC, WHICH IS AN INDEPENDENT BODY WITH PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS THAT REGULATES BY LAW, FEDERAL LAW, THE NRC REGULATES SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, WHICH IS WHAT'S CONSIDERED HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE.

SO THIS PRIVATE COMPANY HAS APPLIED FOR A LICENSE FOR WHAT'S CALLED A CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY TO BE THE ENTIRE NATION'S REPOSITORY FOR HIGH LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE TO SHIP IT ACROSS OUR STATE, SHIP IT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THEN STORE IT HERE WITH NO END DATE REALLY.

IT'S A LICENSE FOR 40 YEARS, BUT ALL RECOGNIZE THERE NEEDS TO BE A PERMANENT REPOSITORY, EVEN THOUGH THIS EIS ITSELF CONTEMPLATES STILL TALKS ABOUT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, EVEN THOUGH YUCCA MOUNTAIN HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS A PERMANENT REPOSITORY SITE IN DEVELOPMENT.

SO AT ANY RATE... >>LORENE: I DON'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU.

I HAVE A COPY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, IT IS 736 PAGES LONG.

>>JEFF: YEP.

YOU CAN GOOGLE IT AND PULL IT UP AND MAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH IT AND UNDERSTAND THIS A LITTLE BETTER THEIR PROCESS ANYWAY AND WE'LL GO INTO SOME OF WHAT I THINK ARE THE DEFICIENCIES.

SO THEY'VE APPLIED FOR THIS, WHAT'S CALLED A CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY, A LICENSE AND THEY HAVE PASSED, THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN A STAMP OF APPROVAL ON AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT PROCESS, WHICH IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT SAYING THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T DEEM THERE TO BE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS BASED UPON THE PROJECT ITSELF.

AND SO WE'LL GO INTO WHAT I THINK ARE INCONSISTENCIES THERE AND REALLY BLIND SPOTS THAT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH EFFECTIVE ANALYSIS THAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED HISTORY OF DRY CASK STORAGE IN THE COUNTRY AND WHAT'S BEING CONTEMPLATED HERE, BUT NONETHELESS THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TRAIN MOVING DOWN THE TRACKS AND YOU KNOW, THE REAL SCARY THING IS THAT WE HAVE A REAL WEAKNESS IN FEDERAL LAW WHERE OUR STATE DOES NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, YES, WE'LL TAKE THIS OR NO, WE WON'T, UNLIKE THE LAW ALLOWS FOR A FEDERAL FACILITY BECAUSE IT'S A PRIVATE FACILITY OF HIGH LEVEL WASTE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS THAT IT IS THEIR EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION TO DO THIS.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE GOVERNOR AND COMMUNITIES REPRESENTING 40% OF THE STATE HAVE SAID, WE DO NOT WANT THIS MATERIAL COMING THROUGH OUR STATE OR STORED HERE, THIS COMPANY DOESN'T CARE AND THE NRC DOESN'T SEEM TO CARE.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

>>LORENE: JUST A LITTLE WORD ABOUT THAT WHEN THEY OPENED UP WIPP, SECRETARY OF THE ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, WHICH IS WHAT IT WAS CALLED BACK THEN, JAMES SCHLESINGER PROMISED THAT NEW MEXICO COULD HAVE A VETO OVER THE WIPP PROJECT, WHICH AS WE KNOW IS LOW LEVEL WASTE, NOW WE'RE GETTING SPENT FUEL RODS, THE MOST DANGEROUS OF THEM ALL AND WE HAVE NO VOICE OVER IT.

COULD I READ JUST WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID ABOUT THIS AND THEN YOU CAN, YES, OKAY.

THE NRC HAS UNILATERALLY DECIDED TO HOUSE THE NATION'S SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL IN NEW MEXICO DESPITE THE FACT THAT OUR STATE HAS NOT ONE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WITHIN ITS BORDERS.

THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, SAYS THE GOVERNOR, WILL NOT BECOME A DUMPING GROUND FOR THE NATION'S SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL DUE TO CONGRESS'S FAILURE TO IDENTIFY A PERMANENT DISPOSAL SOLUTION FOR COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR WASTE.

MY MESSAGE TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS CLEAR, DELIVER A PROPOSAL TO MY DESK THAT PROTECTS NEW MEXICO FROM BECOMING THE DE FACTO HOME OF THE COUNTRY'S SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL AND IT WILL HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT.

>>JEFF: ABSOLUTELY AND THAT'S WHAT THE LEGISLATURE MUST DO IF WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE OUR FUTURE IN THIS STATE.

YOU KNOW, I HAD A PIECE OF LEGISLATION LAST SESSION THAT WOULD'VE DONE EXACTLY THIS, IT WOULD'VE PROHIBITED THE STATE FROM GRANTING ANY PERMITS NEEDED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FACILITY LIKE THIS UNTIL AND UNLESS THERE WAS A PERMANENT REPOSITORY IN OPERATION.

SO IT BASICALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NOT OR AT LEAST THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION HAS NOT, THAT THE WHOLE THING OF INTERIM STORAGE IS REALLY A MISNOMER IF THERE IS NO PERMANENT STORAGE FACILITY IN SIGHT, IN FACT, IT'S RECKLESSLY, IRRESPONSIBLE, IT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO TO, IT'S LIKE JUMPING OVER A CLIFF AND SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A NET, DON'T WORRY ON THE WAY DOWN.

AND TRUST US, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S CLEARLY NO NET, THERE'S NO ONE EVEN BUILDING THE NET, SO THAT IS THE SITUATION.

WE HAVE BEEN THROWN OVER THE EDGE OF A CLIFF AND THIS IS THE MOMENT WE'RE IN.

NOW WE CAN CHOOSE TO LAUNCH A PARACHUTE AND STOP OUR FALL AND SAY NO, WE'RE GOING TO CONTROL OUR OWN DESTINY.

SO THERE IS LEGISLATION, I WILL ABSOLUTELY BE INTRODUCING IT AGAIN IN JANUARY.

MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT THE LEGISLATURE IN ITS WISDOM WOULD SAY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS PRIORITY, FRANKLY, PASS THAT BILL THE THIRD WEEK IN JANUARY AND GET IT TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK THAT WEEK.

WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE USUAL DANCE OF THE SESSION AND, YOU KNOW, PLAY OUT THE WHOLE TWO MONTH DRAMA AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT PASSES, MAYBE DOESN'T, RECOGNIZING THAT WE WILL PROBABLY BE IN A MOMENT THAT THE NRC WILL HAVE JUST GIVEN A LICENSE, BUT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY CONSTRUCTION HAS NOT BEGUN AND THERE'S STILL LOTS OF ISSUES THAT HOLTEC WILL HAVE TO WORK OUT WITH REGARDS TO RAIL ROUTES AND BEEFING THOSE UP.

IT IS A GOOD FINAL MOMENT THAT OUR STATE CAN SAY WE ARE GOING TO NOT ALLOW THIS ACTIVITY IN OUR STATE.

>>LORENE: YOU HAVE BEEN SUCH, SUCH A WARRIOR IN THESE CAUSES, ESPECIALLY GIVEN YOUR JOB AS CHAIR OF THE RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE.

IIN THE LAST SESSION YOU WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN FIRST YOU HAD A BILL TO BAN THE STORAGE OF CERTAIN RADIOACTIVE WASTE TO BE DEPOSITED HERE, BUT YOU ALSO HAD THE BILL ABOUT THE URANIUM TAILINGS WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, EXPLAIN TO THEM, I HAD THE BILL NUMBER HERE, BUT EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT YOU HAD DONE WITH THAT BILL AND IT PASSED AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS ONE DIDN'T.

>>JEFF: NEW MEXICO HAS GIVEN SO MUCH TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR NUCLEAR SECURITY AND OF COURSE WE PRODUCED AT LEAST HALF OF THE NATION'S SUPPLY OF URANIUM FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLY RICH DEPOSIT OF THAT MATERIAL IN THE GRANTS AREA, KNOWN AS THE GRANT'S MINERAL BELT, YOU CAN LOOK THAT UP TOO.

AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE WERE DEVELOPING OUR NUCLEAR DEFENSE AND OUR NUCLEAR STOCKPILE WAS WE MINED THE HECK OUT OF NEW MEXICO AND THEY SET UP ALL THESE COMPANIES AND THEY MINED ALL THIS RADIOACTIVE ORE, WHICH OF COURSE WAS HARMFUL TO PEOPLE'S HEALTH, WATER SUPPLY, ENVIRONMENT, DESTROYED ORCHARDS, A LOT OF NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN THAT MATERIAL WAS MINED AND WHEN THE MARKETS CHANGED FOR URANIUM AND WE HAD BUILT UP THAT STOCK PILE, THEN THOSE MINES WENT AWAY AND A LOT OF THOSE SITES WERE NEVER REMEDIATED.

SO AS A CONSEQUENCE, SADLY, NEW MEXICO HAS BEEN LEFT WITH UP TO, I WANT TO SAY A THOUSAND DIFFERENT SITES OF ABANDONED URANIUM MINE SITES, SOME OF WHICH ARE INCLUDED ON THE SAME LARGE MINE SITE, BUT ABANDONED WHERE THERE IS NO OWNER, THERE'S NO CHAIN OF CONTROL, CUSTODY OR IMPORTANTLY RESPONSIBILITY TO CLEAN IT UP AND URANIUM IS RADIOACTIVE, IT HAS A LONG HALF-LIFE AND OF COURSE, LEGACIES OF CONTAMINATED WATER, CONTAMINATED LAND TO THIS DAY, YOU KNOW, POPULATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO GOT SICK FROM IT AND CANCER.

SO I'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE'VE GOT TO DO MORE ABOUT CLEANING UP THESE SITES.

WE'VE GOT TO GET CONGRESS TO ACT.

I DO BELIEVE IT IS A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEM TO HONOR NEW MEXICO'S SACRIFICE, REALLY FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY MISSION.

THIS WAS DONE TO SUPPORT NATIONAL DEFENSE, BUT AS A STATE WE HAVE A FRONTLINE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE AND CLEAN UP OUR LAND.

SO YES, WE PUT TOGETHER A PIECE OF LEGISLATION, ACTUALLY PUT SOME RESOURCES INTO CREATING STAFF POSITIONS AT BOTH THE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE ENERGY MINERALS, NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, URANIUM MINE REMEDIATION COORDINATOR POSITIONS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY THE SPECIFIC JOB TITLES, THEY'RE BOTH ANNOUNCING THOSE JOBS NOW BECAUSE THIS PASSED IN THE SESSION, SO IT'S FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.

AND WE REQUIRE THEM TO PUT TOGETHER A PLAN FOR EACH OF THESE SITES AND TO WORK WITH ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING TRIBAL GOVERNMENT, INTO MOVING A REMEDIATION PLAN FORWARD.

AND SO IT'S MY ATTEMPT TO KIND OF GET OUR ARMS AROUND THIS ISSUE AND START MOVING DOWN THE FIELD AND THEN BECOMING MORE EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES, FRANKLY, FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO WRITE A VERY BIG CHECK TO THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO TO CLEAN UP THESE SITES ONCE AND FOR ALL.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

>>LORENE: WELL, WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY WITH SENATOR JEFF SEINBORN, SENATOR FROM DONA ANA COUNTY AND ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE RADIOACTIVE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE.

YOU HAVE DONE A WONDERFUL THING FOR THOSE AREAS BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER MARKED, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR THEM WERE NOT TOLD DON'T GO NEAR THIS AND DON'T BUILD A FORT IN IT AND ALL OF THAT, SO WHILE WE WAITED FOR THE FEDS TO ACT FOR YEARS AND YEARS, I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR STEPPING UP AND GETTING THIS PART OF OUR HAZARDOUS AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TAKEN CARE OF, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW, WE HAVE A HUGE SHIFT THAT WE WOULD SOMEHOW BE THE REPOSITORY FOR ALL THE SPENT FUEL RODS IN THE NATION.

I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT AND IT HASN'T BEEN ON THE NEWS MUCH, THIS IS LIKE YOU SAY, A FOUR ALARM FIRE AND WE HAVE TO MOBILIZE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE.

AND COULD YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE ABOUT NOT ONLY THE HALF LIFE OF THIS TOXIC RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL BECAUSE, BUT IT CAN BE 300,000 YEARS, WHICH IS LONG AS MAN HAS WALKED ON THE PLANET.

SO WE HAVE TO REALLY EXPAND OUR THINKING, YOU KNOW, TO A VERY COSMIC TIMEFRAME.

AND SO, BUT ALSO THE TRANSPORTATION OF IT GOING, COMING ON TRAINS AND THERE ARE TRAIN ACCIDENTS, THERE COULD BE LOTS OF THINGS.

TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DANGERS THAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT.

>>JEFF: YEAH, SO IT DOES HAVE A LONG HALF-LIFE AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BABYSITTING THIS MATERIAL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME, SO MUCH SO THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEFINES, REALLY DEFINES DISPOSAL OF THIS WASTE IN TERMS OF CREATING A PERMANENT DEEP GEOLOGICAL REPOSITORY THAT CAN STORE THIS MATERIAL FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, YOU KNOW, FOREVER.

AND THAT IS THE STANDARD SUCH THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THE LAW TO ALLOW FOR FUNDING OF AN INTERIM SITE, FEDERALLY FUNDING, BECAUSE THE BAR HAS BEEN SET BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IT IS TO BE DISPOSED LONG TERM, DEEP UNDERGROUND, WHERE IT CAN'T HURT ANYONE.

THIS ISSUE OF AN INTERIM STORAGE IS REALLY A CONVENIENT SOLUTION FOR THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY AND FOR COMMUNITIES THAT DO HAVE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET RID OF IT.

AND SO THEY THINK IT'S OKAY TO COME UP WITH AN INTERIM SITE WHILE THEY WORK ON FIGURING OUT A PERMANENT SITE, BUT THE PLAN TO BRING IT INTO NEW MEXICO, IF THIS SITE MOVES FORWARD IS VIA RAIL, EVERY BIT OF IT VIA RAIL WITH ARMED GUARDS ON TOP SECRET ROUTES AND IN FACT, THIS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT THAT WAS JUST ISSUED, SAYS THEY ACKNOWLEDGE, THE NRC ACKNOWLEDGES, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE RAIL ROUTES WILL BE BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DETERMINED AND IT IS CLASSIFIED.

AND SO, ALTHOUGH IT'S ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BEEF THOSE UP BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT INVOLVED IN THESE CASKS, SO THAT WILL INHERENTLY BRING ITS OWN SAFETY ISSUES.

THEY JUST DID BASICALLY STANDARD SAFETY ANALYSIS BASED UPON PREVIOUS TRANSPORTATION OF PREVIOUS ROUTES.

BUT YEAH, IT WILL COME IN THROUGH ALL PARTS OF NEW MEXICO, BECAUSE WE HAVE RAIL COMING IN THROUGH ALL PARTS OF NEW MEXICO AND WE HAVE NUCLEAR WASTE AROUND THE COUNTRY ON BOTH SIDES OF US.

BUT AGAIN, IT'LL BE WITH ARMED GUARD BECAUSE THIS IS MATERIAL THAT COULD BE HIJACKED BY TERRORISTS, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE A TRAIN THAT COULD BE BLOWN UP INTENTIONALLY TO CREATE A, YOU KNOW, TERRORIST INCIDENT.

AND SO, SO THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT A RAIL ROUTE OF NEW MEXICO, WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT THIS RAIL REALLY COMES THROUGH MANY PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING SOUTHWESTERN NEW MEXICO, COMES RIGHT BY LAS CRUCES, COMES RIGHT DOWN, YOU KNOW, THROUGH ALBUQUERQUE, SANTA FE AND MCKINLEY COUNTY, BUT WHAT'S REALLY WILD IS THAT THE FINAL SPUR OF THIS RAIL WOULD COME FROM CLOVIS THROUGH ROSWELL TO THIS SITE.

AND I'VE TRIED TO TELL THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE YOU AWARE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE POTENTIALLY 10,000 CASKS GOING BY YOUR COMMUNITY, LIKE, HOW DO YOU REALLY FEEL YOUR COMMUNITY AND I'M GOING TO BE IN CLOVIS WITH OUR COMMITTEE, LORENE, ON AUGUST THE FIFTH, IT'LL BE WEBCAST FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO WATCH, AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT HOLTEC.

WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT PFAS CONTAMINATION FROM SOME OF OUR MILITARY BASES, WHICH IS ANOTHER CONTAMINATION ISSUE, BUT PART OF THE REASON WHY I'M GOING TO CLOVIS IS BECAUSE I WANT TO LET THE TOWN KNOW, I WANT TO GO TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A BULLSEYE WITH 10,000 CASKS DESTINED TO GO THROUGH THE TOWN OF CLOVIS.

SO IT'S REALLY PRETTY WILD TO THINK ABOUT AND BECAUSE IT'S PRIVATELY OWNED WASTE, ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY, IF THERE WERE TO BE A RAIL ACCIDENT, THE RESPONSIBILITY TO THEN CLEAN UP THAT ACCIDENT WOULD BE OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO AND THAT WAS JUST LIKE BLEW US AWAY, WHEN THE COMPANY TOLD US THAT THE VERY FIRST HEARING WE HAD ON THIS.

IT'S VERY DIFFERENT THAN FEDERAL WASTE AS YOU TALKED ABOUT WIPP AND LOW LEVEL WASTE, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWNS TITLE TO THAT WASTE IN A FEDERAL FACILITY, THE OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY IS ALL ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE THIS IS PRIVATE WASTE WE ALL, AS CITIZENS HAVE HUGE LIABILITY IF THERE'S AN ACCIDENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>>LORENE: BUT THOSE COMMUNITIES DON'T HAVE THE TRAINING, DON'T HAVE THE HAZMAT OUTFITS, I MEAN, IT'S NOT RIGHT, IT'S NOT RIGHT.

>>JEFF: IT'S WILD AND THEY WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW UNTIL LITERALLY, MAYBE A DAY OR TWO OR HOURS BEFORE A SHIPMENT WERE TO OCCUR BECAUSE IT WOULD BE TOTALLY TOP SECRET AND ONLY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WOULD BE NOTIFIED BEFORE A SHIPMENT WOULD COME THROUGH.

SO, IT'S HUGE EXPOSURE AND THEY'LL SAY, WELL, RAIL ACCIDENTS DON'T EVER HAPPEN, THAT'LL NEVER HAPPEN.

IN FACT, THEY DO HAPPEN AND AS RARE AS THEY ARE IT ONLY TAKES ONE ACCIDENT TO OCCUR TO RUIN A LOT OF PEOPLE'S DAY FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LARGEST TRANSPORTATION SHIPMENT OF HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY.

THIS PROJECT, BECAUSE IT'S ANTICIPATED TO TAKE UP TO 10,000 CASKS OF MATERIAL OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND METRIC TONS OF THIS MATERIAL BEYOND THE ENTIRE EXISTING NATION'S SUPPLY OF HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE AND THEN SOME, IT WILL INVOLVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF SHIPMENTS AND WILL BE PRECEDENT SETTING IN THE SCALE.

AND SO WHAT ERROR RATE YOU ARE WILLING TO BELIEVE EXISTS IN SHIPPING OF ANYTHING, INCLUDING HIGH LEVEL WASTE, LET ALONE THE STORAGE OF IT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL MULTIPLY THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IN THIS PROJECT.

SO ACCIDENTS ARE NOT A MATTER OF IF THEY'RE A MATTER OF WHEN, AND THAT'S JUST THE SHIPPING OF IT, THEN YOU HAVE THE ISSUE OF STORAGE.

>>LORENE: BUT LET'S COME BACK TO THE ACCIDENTS.

SAY A COUPLE OF THOUSANDS OF THESE CANISTERS ARE ON A TRAIN AND THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, WHAT WOULD BE RELEASED AND WHAT WOULD BE THE DANGER, NOT ONLY TO PEOPLE WHO INHALED IT, BUT ALSO THE LAND.

IF IT BLEW ACROSS A CORN FIELD.

>>JEFF: YEAH, WELL, THESE ARE REALLY KIND OF PELLETS.

THEY'RE SPENT FUEL, HIGH LEVEL, NUCLEAR WASTE SPENT FUEL, SO IT'S NOT LIQUID, IT'S A SOLID MATERIAL, SO THAT IN AND OF ITSELF, THEY WOULD CONTEND IS SAFER THAN IF IT WERE SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, LIQUID MATERIAL OR, YOU KNOW, POWDERY MATERIAL.

HAVING SAID THAT, WHAT I WORRY ABOUT IS OF COURSE, IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT, THERE IS FIRE AND YOU SUDDENLY CHANGE THE NATURE OF THAT ACCIDENT A LITTLE BIT AND YOU KNOW, THEY TALK ABOUT, WELL, IF A FUEL ROD SPILLS IN A STABLE STATE, WHAT HAPPENS, BUT, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU HAVE A CRITICALITY INCIDENT WHERE YOU'VE GOT RODS, SEE THESE RODS ARE SEPARATED WITHIN THE CANISTER AND SO SUDDENLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU JUST GET THE PERFECT CHEMICAL STORM OF FIRE AND MIXING THESE RODS TOGETHER AND WHAT COULD HAPPEN THEN.

SO I WORRY ABOUT NOT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE WHAT IF SCENARIOS OF WHAT'S NOT PLANNED, NOT THE ACCIDENTS YOU COULD ANTICIPATE, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THINGS HAPPEN THAT YOU CAN'T ANTICIPATE.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO KIND OF EXPECT IS THAT THINGS HAPPEN, NOT INTENDED THINGS HAPPEN, BUT ACCIDENTS HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, IN WIPP IN ROSWELL, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT WHERE THEY LOADED THE WRONG KIND OF KITTY LITTER INTO A DRUM AND THAT PUTTING THE WRONG KIND OF KITTY LITTER CAUSED A DRUM TO EXPLODE AND MIGHT HAVE COST US A BILLION DOLLARS TO FIX THAT.

>>LORENE: AND SHUT DOWN WIPP FOR THREE YEARS.

AND THERE WERE WORKERS THAT WERE CONTAMINATED, IT WAS A VERY SERIOUS EVENT.

>>JEFF: ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S NOT JUST WHAT YOU ANTICIPATE, BUT WHAT YOU CAN'T ANTICIPATE AND HAVE TO ANTICIPATE WHAT YOU CAN'T ANTICIPATE WILL HAPPEN.

>>LORENE: SO THE GOVERNOR MENTIONED ASKING THE LEGISLATORS HERE, I KNOW FOR THREE YEARS, YOU'VE TRIED TO GET THIS BAN ON THIS KIND OF MATERIAL BEING IMPORTED INTO OUR STATE.

WHAT CAN PEOPLE DO AND WHAT CAN THE LAWMAKERS AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, WHAT CAN BE DONE, IS IT TOO LATE TO BAN IT NOW?

>>JEFF: NO, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO BAN IT AT ALL.

YOU KNOW, THE STATE OF TEXAS PASSED A LAW AND I BELIEVE THEY PASSED IT AFTER, THERE'S A SIMILAR PROPOSAL IN TEXAS RIGHT ACROSS THE BORDER FROM US TO HAVE A PRIVATE COMPANY ALSO STORE THIS WASTE THERE.

TEXAS PASSED A LAW, I BELIEVE AFTER A LICENSE HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THAT COMPANY, IT ALSO HADN'T BEEN BUILT, BUT NO, WE CAN, THE FACILITY WILL NOT HAVE BEEN BUILT YET, IT'S A FEDERAL PROCESS THAT WE WERE NOT, WE DON'T HAVE ANY OFFICIAL STANDING IN, SO WE COULD ABSOLUTELY PASS A LAW BEFORE THE FACILITY IS BUILT, SAYING, WE DON'T WANT THIS MATERIAL HERE.

AND THEN WE CAN, YOU KNOW AT THAT POINT, THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, BECAUSE KEEP IN MIND A LICENSE, IF IT'S GIVEN WILL HAVE ONLY BEEN GIVEN LITERALLY WEEKS BEFORE WE ADJOURN.

IF IT HAPPENS WEEKS BEFORE WE ADJOURN, WE COULD POSSIBLY PASS THE BILL BEFORE THE LICENSE IS EVEN ISSUED AND GET IT TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

SO NEW MEXICO, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY I WANT TO SAY SIX DIFFERENT PERMITS THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO HAS TO ISSUE OR WILL BE REQUESTED TO ISSUE TO ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF THIS SITE, TYPICAL CONSTRUCTION PERMITS.

BUT THIS LAW WOULD SAY WE CAN'T, WE'RE NOT AUTHORIZED TO ISSUE ANY OF THESE AND FURTHERMORE IT'S PROHIBITED IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, IT WOULD SET UP, IT WOULD SAY NO AND THEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE NRC AND THIS COMPANY WOULD HAVE SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE.

SO, IT'S NOT TOO LATE, IN FACT, IT'S URGENT, IT'S ONE OF OUR LAST BEST MOMENTS TO DO IT WHILE WE HAVE SOME LEVERAGE.

SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENING, WHICH IS JUST AMAZING IN PARALLEL TO THIS IS THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RIGHT NOW, STARTING LAST YEAR, ISSUED A VOLUNTARY PROCESS FOR CONSENT BASED, A CONSENT BASED APPROACH TO ACTUALLY ASK STATES AND COMMUNITIES, DO YOU WANT THIS MATERIAL, WHICH IS REALLY WHERE THE FEDERAL LAW SHOULD BE FIXED TO REQUIRE CONSENT BASED TO GIVE US A VETO, TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH PARTNERS WHO MAY ACTUALLY WANT THIS MATERIAL.

AND SO THEY LAUNCHED A CONSENT BASED PROCESS ALMOST AS TURNING THE PAGE ON SITUATION WE FIND OURSELVES IN NOW AND I WAS JUST LOOKING ONLINE, YOU CAN GOOGLE IT DOE CONSENT BASED PROCESS AND THEY HAVE A WEBSITE SET UP AND THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE RECEIVED OVER 200 RESPONSES TO THEIR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, FOR COMMUNITIES THAT WANT THIS, THAT THEY ARE NOW EVALUATING IT.

SO THINK ABOUT THAT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOW, YES.

>>LORENE: YES.

FINISH YOUR SENTENCE AND THEN WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME.

>>JEFF: WHILE WE HAVE THIS RUNAWAY ROGUE TRAIN CALLED THE NRC, YOU KNOW THAT'S TRYING TO PUT THE FEATHER IN THEIR CAPS ON ALL THEIR CAREERS AND JAM THIS MATERIAL DOWN NEW MEXICO'S THROAT, YOU HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, FEDERALLY, WHICH IS KIND OF THE PARENT AGENCY TO THE NRC SAYING WE'RE DOING A CONSENT BASED PROCESS, OR WE WANT TO EXPLORE THIS.

SO HOW BAD FAITH IS IT FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SAY WE'RE EVALUATING 200 PROPOSALS AND MEANWHILE, THEY'VE GOT THIS PARTNER OUT HERE SAYING, YOU'RE IT AND WE'RE GIVING YOU A LICENSE.

>>LORENE: YOU'RE IT, YOU'RE TAKING IT ALL FROM THE WHOLE NATION.

>>JEFF: IT'S COMPLETE BAD FAITH AND WE NEED TO STOP IT.

>>LORENE: WELL, I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR GOOD FAITH EFFORTS AS CHAIRMAN OF THE RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE AND FOR EXPLAINING HOW URGENT THIS IS.

AND, I KNOW THAT WE'LL DO A FOLLOW UP, BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOU, SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, DEMOCRAT OF DONA ANA COUNTY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR WORK WITH US AND KEEP US POSTED, RIGHT?

>>JEFF: THANK YOU, WE ABSOLUTELY WILL, LORENE AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EDUCATING THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE ABOUT THIS REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE.

>>LORENE: IT'S PRETTY SCARY.

YOU BET.

THANK YOU.

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

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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 THE HEALY FOUNDATION, TAOS, NM.

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