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 >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

YOU KNOW WE ARE TAPING CLOSE TO THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE 30-DAY SESSION AND THERE ARE SO MANY IMPORTANT ISSUES AND SO MANY DEDICATED LAWMAKERS, BUT WE TRY, SINCE THERE IS SO LITTLE TIME WE TRY TO SPOTLIGHT TIMELY TALK PICKS AND URGENT LEGISLATION.

THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES AT PLAY IN THIS JAM-PACKED SESSION THAT I WANTED TO LOOK AT SOME OF THEM WITH OUR DISTINGUISHED GUEST, SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN FROM DONA ANA COUNTY, THANK YOU.

>>JEFF: HI, LORENE, AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU.

>>LORENE: I LOVE HAVING YOU ON AND THE DEPTH AND THE BREADTH OF YOUR BILLS MADE YOU THE PERFECT PERSON TO GIVE KIND OF A BROAD LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.

SO YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT FROM DONA ANA COUNTY, YOU REPRESENT THEM IN THE NEW MEXICO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM 2007 TO 2010 AND THEN AGAIN FROM 2013 TO 2016, YOU HAD SOME TIME OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR.

BUT YOU BECAME A SENATOR IN 2017 AND YOU HAVE REALLY EXCELLED AS A SENATOR SO WELCOME.

YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE POWERFUL SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, REALLY WHERE THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD IN THE SENATE, BUT YOU ARE CHAIR OF A CRUCIAL COMMITTEE, THE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WE HAVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES TO TALK ABOUT WITH THAT.

YOUR OCCUPATION IS LAND CONSERVATION, WHAT IS THAT, WHAT DO YOU DO?

>>JEFF: YEAH, SO I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A NEW ORGANIZATION THAT WE JUST STARTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO CALLED OUTDOOR NEW MEXICO AND FOCUS ON DOING CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND KIND OF A CONTINUATION OF THE WORK I HAD DONE FOR 15 YEARS, PRIOR TO THAT WITH A DIFFERENT NONPROFIT CONSERVATION GROUP IN THE STATE.

AND SO JUST YOU KNOW TRYING TO PRESERVE THIS SPECIAL LAND OF ENCHANTMENT AND EDUCATE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND ALSO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT FLOW FROM PROTECTING OUR GOLDEN GOOSE OF OUR GREAT OUTDOORS.

>>LORENE: WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS AGO, BUT YOU PUT IN A BILL THAT CREATED THE OUTDOOR RECREATION DIVISION.

>>JEFF: I DID.

>>LORENE: AND PEOPLE JUST THOUGHT, "OH MY GOSH, THAT'S BRILLIANT, WE NEED THAT."

SO HOW IS IT DOING?

>>JEFF: WOW, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT OUR NEW OUTDOOR RECREATION DIVISION.

IT IS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, IT IS HEADED UP BY THE FIRST AND ONLY DIRECTOR IT HAS HAD, AXIE NAVAS, WHO IS JUST WONDER WOMAN IF I CAN SAY THAT.

I NEVER CEASE TO BE AMAZED AT HOW, WITH A VERY SMALL STAFF, SHE IS TACKLING ALL THESE ISSUES FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE STATE TO DEALING WITH CONSERVATION AND REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE OUTDOOR EQUITY FUND, WHICH WE CREATED IN THE OUTDOOR OFFICE, WHICH WAS THE FIRST PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY TO ACTUALLY GIVE GRANTS TO GET DISADVANTAGED KIDS OUTDOORS.

>>LORENE: OH.

>>JEFF: AND AXIE IS SUPER PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT.

SO SHE IS A ONE-PERSON ARMY AND SHE HAS A GREAT STAFF AS WELL, ALYESSA, WHO WORKS WITH HER.

BUT THE DIVISION IS DOING GREAT AND IT IS ALL THAT WE THOUGHT IT COULD BE AND WE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE TO GIVE IT MORE FIREPOWER TO DO BETTER, WHICH WE ARE DOING THIS SESSION.

>>LORENE: WELL ANOTHER THING THAT YOU INSTIGATED WAS THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL.

IT IS A 500-MILE TRAIL THAT GOES FROM COLORADO TO TEXAS.

>>JEFF: IT WILL BE, YEAH.

>>LORENE: YEAH, WILL BE, WHERE ARE WE NOW?

>>JEFF: WELL WE ARE ABOUT 80 SOME ODD MILES INTO THE PROJECT AND IT IS A LONG-TERM PROCESS.

SO I PASSED A BILL BACK IN 2014 OR IT WAS 2015 TO CREATE THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL COMMISSION MADE UP OF DIFFERENT STATE AGENCY PARTNERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, TO PLAN THIS TRAIL FROM THE TEXAS BORDER ALL THE WAY TO COLORADO, WHICH CROSSES, YOU KNOW, ALONG THE RIO GRANDE, ROUGHLY ALONG THE RIO GRANDE, WHICH CROSSES A LOT OF DIFFERENT LAND JURISDICTIONS, GEOGRAPHIES.

SO IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU CREATE A PLANNING MECHANISM THAT SPANS THOSE JURISDICTIONS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO PLAN THE TRAIL AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO GET IT DESIGNATED.

SO IT IS GOING GREAT, I AM WORKING REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN THAT MOMENTUM BECAUSE WE HAVE DESIGNATED ABOUT OVER 80 MILES, WE CREATED A MASTER PLAN AND NOW WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS THAT WE KEEP OUR FOOT ON THE PEDDLE.

COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF IT AND TO HAVE THEIR TRAIL BE PLUGGED INTO IT, MY COUNTY, DONA ANA COUNTY, SUNLAND PARK DOWN ON THE BORDER IS REFASHIONING THEIR COMMUNITY TO REALLY EMBRACE OUTDOOR RECREATION, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

THEY ARE CREATING EVEN A NEW LOGO, PART OF THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL THAT WILL BE LIKE THEIR OWN CO-BRANDED LOGO WITH THE RIVER AND TRAIL LOGO, BUT ALL THE WAY UP TO HATCH, WHERE MY DISTRICT IS, IS EMBRACING OUTDOOR RECREATION, THEY HAVE A NEW MAYOR AND THEY WANT TO CREATE A NEW OUTDOOR CAMPGROUND PARK TO ACCOMMODATE HIKERS.

BUT THAT GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO TAOS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE, SO IT IS EXCITING WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP MOMENTUM UP AND CONTINUE TO URGE OUR LEADERS TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT BECAUSE IT HAS GREAT ECONOMIC AND QUALITY LIFE POTENTIAL FOR THE STATE.

>>LORENE: SO ARE THESE 80 MILES CONTIGUOUS, ARE THEY 40 HERE, 20 HERE OR 30 THERE?

>>JEFF: YEAH, THOSE 80 MILES ARE NOT CONTIGUOUS, THEY WERE DESIGNATED ON A TRAIL THAT GOES ALONG THE RIO GRANDE IN STATE PARKS, THE LAST GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR MARTINEZ DESIGNATED THE RIO GRANDE ALONG IN THE STATE PARKS.

WE, THE CITY OF LAS CRUCES, ACTUALLY WAS THE FIRST URBAN TRAIL SEGMENT THAT WE GOT DESIGNATED AND THEY HAVE A SIX-MILE TRAIL ALONG THE RIO GRANDE CALLED LA LLORONA PARK AND THEY HAVE GOT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

>>LORENE: OH NO, LA LLORONA.

>>JEFF: YEAH.

IT IS PART OF THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL AND SO AND THEN IN TAOS, THEY HAVE DESIGNATED TRAIL AND IN FACT WE EVEN HAD A FORMER DEPUTY ASSISTANT INTERIOR SECRETARY WHO DID A PROCLAMATION WITH A FORMER ENERGY SECRETARY IN TAOS WHERE THEY DID THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL DESIGNATION UP THERE.

SO IT IS ALL OVER AND WE NOW JUST HAVE TO KEEP AT IT, BUT THERE IS A LOT OF LOW HANGING FRUIT SEGMENTS THAT ARE READY TO BE DESIGNATED.

>>LORENE: AND WHAT A TOURIST DESTINATION THAT IS, THE RIO GRANDE IS FAMOUS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.

>>JEFF: YEAH.

>>LORENE: AND THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL AND ALL OF THAT THE RIO GRANDE TRAIL IS GOING TO BE RIGHT UP THERE, CONGRATULATIONS.

>>JEFF: THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: ONE OTHER INDIGENOUS TO LOCAL TO DONA ANA COUNTY YOU HAVE A BILL SB157 TO RENEW THE CHILE LABOR INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THAT, IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, IT MIGHT HAVE SAVED THE CHILE.

>>JEFF: PROBABLY ABSOLUTELY SAVED AND RESULTED IN SOME OF OUR CROPS BEING HARVESTED THAT OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE.

SO LAST YEAR WE HAD AN ACUTE SHORTAGE OF WORKERS IN THE CHILE FIELDS AND FRANKLY THE CHILE INDUSTRY NEEDED TO INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND DO THAT BACK-BREAKING HARD WORK OF HARVESTING THOSE CROPS DURING A CHALLENGING TIME.

AND SO THE GOVERNOR WITH SUPPORT FROM THE LEGISLATURE LAUNCHED THIS PROGRAM CALLED THE CHILE INCENTIVE PROGRAM, CHILE HARVESTING INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

>>LORENE: CLIP ACT.

>>JEFF: YEAH, USING THEN FEDERAL FUNDS TO SUPPORT INCREASED WAGES FOR WORKERS.

IT WAS SUCCESSFUL, IT WAS ABOUT A FIVE MILLION DOLLAR PROGRAM AND ABOUT HALF OF THAT FUNDING WAS USED.

BUT THEN WHEN THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT THE LEGISLATURE IS THE SOLE APPROPRIATOR OF THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS, THAT PROGRAM HAD TO BASICALLY SUSPEND AND SO WHAT I DID AS A LEGISLATOR WAS I INTRODUCED AN APPROPRIATIONS BILL TO RESUME IT.

>>LORENE: YEAH.

>>JEFF: AND SO THAT'S WHAT I AM DOING AND I AM WORKING WITH THE CHILE PRODUCERS AND OF COURSE, MY DISTRICT I AM SO BLESSED TO REPRESENT GOES THROUGH HATCH VALLEY AND ALL THE WAY TO SIERRA COUNTY.

SO I AM SO LUCKY TO BE AN AMBASSADOR FOR THIS VALUABLE CROP OF OURS AND WE WILL CHALLENGE ANY PERSON TO A CHILE EATING CONTEST ANY TIME, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THIS ON MYSELF I COULD PROBABLY HOLD MY OWN, BUT, ANY RATE THE BILL PASSED ITS FIRST COMMITTEE TODAY AND WE WILL BE FIGHTING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING.

>>LORENE: SO GOING FROM YOUR OUTDOOR RECREATION AND YOU HAVE PASSED A LOT OF VERY IMPORTANT KIND OF GREEN BILLS, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE GREEN AMENDMENT SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION TWO, THAT WAS TABLED.

YOU KNOW I LISTEN TO ALL THESE FIVE-HOUR LONG DISCUSSIONS, THE HYDROGEN HUB, THE GREEN AMENDMENT, PUBLIC BANKING AND THEY ALL END UP BEING TABLED, BUT I FIGURE I WILL EDUCATE MYSELF, I TAKE NOTES ON THEM, BUT IT IS A GOOD EDUCATION.

SO THE GREEN AMENDMENT I THOUGHT WAS A WONDERFUL IDEA AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THEM BEING TABLED IS THAT THEY WILL COME BACK AGAIN, MAYBE NOT THIS SESSION, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE THE MORE THEY HEAR ABOUT THEM THE LEAST PARANOID THEY ARE.

I WAS SURPRISED WITH YOUR HB75 WHICH YOU CO-SPONSORED, THE PUBLIC BANKING ACT, INTELLIGENT PEOPLE ARE VERY PARANOID ABOUT THIS AND THEY HAVE TO GET CHAPTER AND VERSE AGAIN WHILE THIS IS A STATE FUNDED INSTITUTION, IT IS CHARTERED AS A BANK, YOU KNOW WHY THIS WORKS AND THE ADVANTAGES AND THEN IT GETS TABLED BUT IT WILL RISE AGAIN.

>>JEFF: THAT'S FOR SURE.

>>LORENE: AT SOME POINT.

>>JEFF: THAT'S FOR SURE, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE TENACIOUS.

THAT IS ONE THING ABOUT THIS JOB IS YOU HAVE TO A, BE AN OPTIMIST, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE, OTHERWISE YOU WILL GIVE UP I SUPPOSE.

YOU HAVE TO STICK WITH IT AND THE OTHER THING IS YOU JUST GOT TO FIGURE IT OUT, TOO.

I THINK THE PROCESS DEFINITELY MAKES YOU SCRUTINIZE THESE IDEAS, I MEAN WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, WE START OFF, THE BILL STARTS OFF AS AN IDEA BUT THEN IT HAS TO BE MOLDED INTO A WORKABLE PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

I THINK THE BIGGER THE IMPLICATIONS ARE, THE HARDER WORK IT TAKES, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT IT'S PRETTY FUNNY I WAS HOME FOR THE WEEKEND AND I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PUBLIC BANK WITH A FRIEND OF MIND AND HE GOES, "WELL, ANOTHER 10 YEAR BILL FROM YOU JEFF."

BECAUSE THESE THINGS TEND TO TAKE 10 YEARS SOMETIMES THAT I GET INVOLVED IN WHETHER THE DESIGNATION OF THE ORGAN MOUNTAIN DESERT PEAKS MONUMENT OR GROWING THE FILM INDUSTRY IN LAS CRUCES.

>>LORENE: BUT HAS DONE VERY WELL, MY GOODNESS.

>>JEFF: IT HAS TAKEN OFF BUT THESE THINGS TAKE LONGER THAN I ALWAYS HOPE THAT THEY WILL, BUT THINK THE PUBLIC BANK IS THE BIG IDEA THAT HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.

THE GREEN AMENDMENT IS ANOTHER VERY PROFOUND IDEA THAT IT IS JUST GOING TO TAKE MORE TIME FOR PEOPLE GETTING USED TO AND GETTING THE LEGISLATION REALLY SHAPED TO THE POINT.

BUT THANK YOU TO THE ADVOCATES OUT THERE, BECAUSE REALLY... >>LORENE: SENATOR ANTOINETTE SEDILLO LOPEZ HANDLED THAT FIVE-HOUR HEARING.

SHE DID GREAT, ABSOLUTELY, GRACE UNDER PRESSURE, SHE WAS PHENOMENAL.

>>JEFF: SHE DID REALLY WELL.

>>LORENE: AND SHE WINS PEOPLE OVER, YOU KNOW SHE REBUTS WHATEVER ARGUMENTS THEY HAVE, HEY IT IS NOT THAT HARD THIS CAN WORK.

SO YOU HAVE DONE SOME HEALTH BILLS, I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU PUT IN A BILL ABOUT UNM'S PROJECT ECHO WHICH HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR TELEMEDICINE AND TELEHEALTH, JUST PHENOMENAL.

AND YOU HAVE SOME OTHER BILLS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, A BEHAVIOR HEALTH BILL AND MASKS AND TESTINGS.

SO YOU HAVE GOT SO MANY CARDS IN THE GAME, AND THE HEALTH CARD, OUTDOOR RECREATION, THE GREEN ENERGY, THE BANKING.

BUT WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH JEFF STEINBORN THE SENATOR FROM DONA ANA COUNTY.

AND I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU IN YOUR ROLE AS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE RADIOACTIVITY AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COMMITTEE BECAUSE YOU HAVE COME UP WITH SOME VERY IMPORTANT AND AWESOME IN BOTH SENSES OF THE WORD.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS I FIRST WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE URANIUM MIND CLEANUP SB89.

HOW LONG HAS IT TAKEN, CAN YOU ACTUALLY GET DECENT URANIUM TAILINGS AND WASTE PILES ALL OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE?

>>JEFF: YEAH, IT IS REALLY HEARTBREAKING, YOU KNOW NEW MEXICO I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE ROLE WE PLAYED IN OUR COUNTRY'S NATIONAL SECURITY.

WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLY RICH DEPOSIT OF URANIUM THAT THEY BORE AND ENRICHED AND TURNED IT INTO PLUTONIUM AND MAKE NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLY RICH DEPOSIT IN THE STATE IN THE GRANTS/GALLUP AREA, IT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE GRANT'S MINERAL BELT.

AND DURING THAT RAMP UP OF THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS KIND OF RENAISSANCE ERA NEW MEXICO PRODUCED I WANT TO SAY 30 TO 40 PERCENT OR MAYBE MORE OF THE COUNTRY'S SUPPLY AND THEY HAD THESE MINES EVERYWHERE.

OBVIOUSLY RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCE, TOXIC, CANCER CAUSING, DETRIMENTAL TO HEALTH, AND MANY IN NATIVE COMMUNITIES.

PEOPLE WERE NOT TOLD ABOUT THE RISKS AND WHAT UNFORTUNATELY HAS HAPPENED, THE LEGACY OF THAT IS WE HAVE IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO ABOUT 500 ABANDONED URANIUM MINE SITES WHERE LITERALLY THERE IS NOBODY THAT OWNS IT ANYMORE, THERE IS NO COMPANY THAT OWNS IT ANYMORE, THERE IS NO ONE WITH TITLE, YOU JUST HAVE A COMMUNITY LEFT WITH POLLUTED LAND AND WHERE ONCE THEY HAD ORCHARDS AND THEY HAD THIS GREAT HISTORY OF THEIR FOREFATHERS AND FOREMOTHERS, YOU KNOW THEY HAD DIFFERENT LIVES AND DIFFERENT PRODUCTIVITY OF THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES, YOU KNOW NATIVE COMMUNITIES ARE VERY CONNECTED TO THEIR LAND AND THEN THAT WAS COMPLETELY CHANGED WHEN IT WAS MINED FOR URANIUM.

SO IT HAS BEEN A VERY SAD THING IN MY 14 YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE, IT IS ALMOST LIKE ONE OF THESE TIME CAPSULES THAT NEVER SEEMS TO CHANGE.

YOU KNOW WE HAVE HAD THESE BRIEFINGS THROUGHOUT TIME OF URANIUM MINES AND US POINTING THE FINGER AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY REALLY NEED TO COME AND WRITE A CHECK AND CLEAN UP THESE PLACES THAT WE DID FOR THE COUNTRY.

IT IS TRUE, THEY NEED TO DO RIGHT BY NEW MEXICO ABSOLUTELY, BUT THEY HAVEN'T AND I FINALLY HAD A KIND OF EPIPHANY BREAKING POINT, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, THIS LAST YEAR WE HAD A HEARING IN GALLUP AND WE HAD THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE AND SO I WANTED TO HAVE A HEARING THERE AND I WANTED TO HAVE AN UPDATE FOR ALL THE NEW MEMBERS TO HEAR ABOUT THIS ISSUE, RIGHT SO THEY COULD GET EDUCATED ABOUT IT.

>>LORENE: DID YOU TAKE THEM OUT TO SOME OF THESE SITES?

>>JEFF: THERE WAS A TOUR, IN FACT, WE HAD A TOUR OF THE CHIMNEY ROCK, ONE OF THE LARGEST SPILLS IN THE COUNTRY, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE LARGEST SPILL LIKE A TAILINGS POND, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF GALLONS, RADIOACTIVE STILL TO THIS DAY.

HEARTBREAKING AND WE HEARD FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENTS AND THERE WAS KIND OF DESPERATE WORK KIND OF GOING ON THIS, SO WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA AS A COMMITTEE THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO INVEST MORE MONEY INTO A CONCENTRATED STATE EFFORT TO WORK ON CLEANING UP THESE SITES AND PARALLEL TO THAT WE NEED TO ALSO WORK TOGETHER TO DO A MORE MUSCULAR JOB OF DEMANDING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WRITE A CHECK.

I KNOW SENATOR HEINRICH IS WORKING ON, HE'S GOT A SIXTEEN-BILLION-DOLLAR AMENDMENT RIGHT NOW IN CONGRESS TO TRY TO DO SOME OF THIS WORK NATIONALLY AND I AM WORKING WITH THEM.

SO GOT A BILL, SENATE BILL 89, TO TASK THE STATE ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT TO HIRE A URANIUM MINE REMEDIATION COORDINATOR AND HIRE A TEAM TO DOCUMENT ALL OF THESE SITES, TO CREATE A PLAN FOR IT, TO BE THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE, AGAIN, THESE ARE ABANDONED SITES, WE HAVE A LOT OF OWNERSHIP ISSUES AND YOU KNOW SCATTERED OWNERSHIP.

SO THEN WE ARE WORKING WITHIN THE BUDGET PROCESS TO GET THIS WORK FUNDED.

SO WHETHER OR NOT THE BILL EVEN PASSES I AM VERY HOPEFUL AS I SIT HERE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET DONE THIS SESSION, BUT I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO GET THIS BILL DONE BECAUSE IT CODIFIES IN LAW OR WOULD CODIFY IN LAW THE HIRING OF THIS POSITION, THE PLAN THE STEPS THEY HAVE TO TAKE AND I THINK NEW MEXICO NEEDS TO TAKE THIS VERY AFFIRMATIVE BOLD STEP FORWARD ON PUTTING THIS ON A DIFFERENT PATH, A LONG TERM PATH OF CLEANUP.

AND THEN LET'S ALL GO ARM IN ARM TO WASHINGTON, DC AND DEMAND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WRITE A CHECK.

>>LORENE: YEAH, RIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR THAT.

IT HAS BEEN SUCH A SORE SPOT FOR EVERYONE IN THAT PART OF THE STATE AND TO FEEL ORPHANED AND PILES OF DANGEROUS MATERIALS LYING AROUND AND HARD TO GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, SO THIS IS WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

BUT THE OTHER ONE THAT YOU ARE DOING THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME ALSO, YOU PUT IN A BILL SB54, IT IS ALSO IN THE HOUSE AS HB127 WITH SOME HOUSE CO-SPONSORS BUT THE TITLE IS THE STORAGE OF CERTAIN RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROHIBITED.

AND ONE THING YOU WANT TO DO IS AMEND THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS A DISPOSAL FACILITY, SO CAN YOU TELL US WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THIS BILL DOESN'T PASS?

>>JEFF: RIGHT NOW THERE IS AN APPLICATION, THERE IS A LICENSE APPLICATION PENDING WITH THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION TO CREATE WHAT IS CALLED A CONSOLIDATED INTERIM STORAGE FACILITY IN SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO IN LEA COUNTY BETWEEN CARLSBAD AND HOBBS TO LITERALLY SHIP THE ENTIRE COUNTRY'S SUPPLY OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, WHICH IS CONSIDERED HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, TO SHIP IT ALL TO NEW MEXICO AND STORE IT HERE, A PRIVATE COMPANY CALLED HOLTEC.

AND BY FEDERAL LAW, SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL IS REGULATED BY THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, WHICH IS A BIG TIME FEDERAL OUTFIT, SO WE HAVE A BILL TO PROHIBIT THE STORAGE OF THAT MATERIAL IN THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS FACILITY, THERE IS VERY BIG TECHNICAL RISKS, QUESTION MARKS, THIS IS A PRIVATE COMPANY THAT, FRANKLY, HAS ITS OWN SAFETY ISSUES, THE PLACE THEY WANT TO PUT IT AT IN NEW MEXICO HAS GOT TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH IT, GEOLOGICALLY AND WHERE IT IS AT.

IN FACT THIS COMPANY HAS NOT GIVEN THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION THE ANSWERS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR TO ANSWER CERTAIN TECHNICAL QUESTIONS THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY HAVE ASKED THEM.

AND SO THEY HIRE LOBBYISTS EVERY SESSION TO FIGHT BILLS THAT I HAVE INTRODUCED FOR A LITTLE MORE TRANSPARENCY, SO IT IS A VERY LONG TERM PROJECT BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN WORKING ON A PERMANENT REPOSITORY FOR THIS WASTE WHICH IS GOING TO BE YUCCA MOUNTAIN IN NEVADA.

THEY HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY POTENTIALLY BUILDING THAT OUT DEEP INTO A MOUNTAIN AND THEN PRESIDENT OBAMA PULLED THE PLUG ON IT BECAUSE THE TECHNICAL CONCERNS ABOUT THAT AND DEEP CONCERN FROM NEVADA.

SO IN SPITE OF THERE NOT BEING A PERMANENT SOLUTION, IT IS BEING HOISTED UPON NEW MEXICO AT THIS MOMENT IS AN APPLICATION TO MAKE US THE DE FACTO PERMANENT SOLUTION AND TO STORE IT HERE AND SHIP IT ALL HERE FOR A "40 YEAR LICENSE" BUT THERE IS NOTHING IN PLACE AFTER THAT.

AND THESE CASTS HAVE NEVER EVEN IN THE HISTORY OF DRY CAST STORAGE WHERE THIS RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL IS, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE NATIONAL EXPERIENCE OR INTERNATIONAL OF CASTING AROUND LONGER MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

SO IT IS RELATIVELY NEW TECHNOLOGY AND THEY ARE ASKING NEW MEXICO TO BE THE GUINEA PIG TO GO AND STORE IT ALL IN THE DESERT BY A PRIVATE COMPANY AND SHIP IT BY RAIL THROUGH ALL PARTS OF NEW MEXICO.

SO IT IS REALLY JUST A BAD IDEA FOR OUR FUTURE AND WE SHOULD STAND UP AND SAY, "NO" AND THAT IS WHAT THIS BILL DOES.

>>LORENE: I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THIS BECAUSE YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE SETTING UP WIPP, MY LATE HUSBAND, ERNIE MILLS A JOURNALIST HERE FOR 50 YEARS, SPOKE WITH JAMES SCHLESINGER WHO WAS WITH THE ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION, WHICH HAS NOW BECOME DOE, WHO SAID THAT NEW MEXICO WOULD HAVE VETO POWER OVER WHATEVER THE FEDS WERE PLANNING TO PUT HERE.

YOU POINTED OUT TO ME, YEAH BUT CONGRESS CAN OVERRIDE THAT VETO, SO ONE-STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK.

THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HOW THE FEDS WOULD RUN THE DISPOSAL FACILITY AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY RUNNING IT AND THAT IS ANOTHER THING THAT HAS TO BE... >>JEFF: ABSOLUTELY.

FOR ONE THING, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS, ACCORDING TO THIS COMPANY, HOLTECH, IF THERE WERE TO BE AN ACCIDENT, AND I PRESENTED IT AT COMMITTEE AND BY THE WAY, THE BILL AS WE SPEAK TODAY, THIS BILL JUST PASSED ITS FIRST COMMITTEE TODAY.

>>LORENE: OH GOOD.

>>JEFF: BY THE TIME IT AIRS, IT WILL HAVE ALSO HAD A HEARING IN THE HOUSE ENERGY COMMITTEE ON THURSDAY AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL HAVE PASSED THERE, SO HOPEFULLY THIS BILL WILL BE PICKING UP SOME MOMENTUM.

BUT I PRESENTED A MAP OF THE RAIL ROUTES COMING IN THROUGH NEW MEXICO THAT WAS ACTUALLY GIVEN TO US BY THIS COMPANY.

THIS HIGH-LEVEL WASTE, WOULD IF IT HAPPENS, WOULD COME INTO NEW MEXICO VIA RAIL THROUGH ALL PARTS OF NEW MEXICO, VIA ARMED GUARD AND THAT SAME PRESENTATION WHERE THEY SHOWED US THAT MAP THEY ALSO TOLD US THAT IF THERE WERE TO BE AN ACCIDENT, EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.

>>LORENE: WHAT DO THEY KNOW ABOUT HAZARDOUS MATERIALS?

IN VAUGHN?

>>JEFF: THAT'S GREAT, SEND CLOVIS THE MEMO.

THEN WHEN THEY HAVE A MAJOR ACCIDENT INVOLVING HIGH LEVEL RAIL SHIPMENT AND SO IT IS PREPOSTEROUS AND IT IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING FEDERALLY OWNED IF IT WAS OWNED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE.

AND SO THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY DEFICIENCIES BESIDES FROM THE FACT THAT WHEN WE CREATED THE WIPP THE WASTE ISOLATION PLANT IN CARLSBAD, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS AND THAT'S LOW-LEVEL WASTE AND IT IS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE.

>>LORENE: ITS BOOTIES AND GLOVES.

>>JEFF: YEAH.

>>LORENE: AND IT'S NOT... >>JEFF: IT IS STORED A MILE UNDERGROUND AND... >>LORENE: IN SALT CAVERNS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO IMPLODE.

>>JEFF: WHEN THAT HAPPENED, THAT WAS DONE IN CONSULTATION WITH NEW MEXICO.

THE PLAN AND FEDERAL LAW DID GIVE US A VETO OVER THAT BUT THE STATE WAS VERY INVOLVED.

WE PASSED A LAW THAT ACTUALLY CREATES A RADIOACTIVE CONSULTATION TASKFORCE WITH THE STATE WITH THE POWER TO WORK OUT PERMITTING AND NEGOTIATING.

THIS IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT, WE ARE BEING JAMMED BASICALLY BY A PRIVATE COMPANY AND A FEW POLITICIANS IN SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO BECAUSE THE LAWS ARE INADEQUATE ON THIS CONSOLIDATED STORAGE AND ON A PRIVATE FACILITY WHERE THERE ARE ALMOST MAKING US THE DE FACTO FACILITY, SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY NOT IN OUR INTERESTS AT ALL.

SO CONGRESS IT IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE ISSUES LIKE THE URANIUM MINE, CONGRESS AND WASHINGTON NEEDS TO GET ON WITH FIGURING OUT A REAL PERMANENT REPOSITORY.

WE NEED A NATIONAL SOLUTION FOR THIS WASTE AND MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT MOVING IT ANY MORE THAN NECESSARY AND THAT IT IS GOING TO SOME PLACE SAFE AND THAT THE LOCAL REGION SUPPORTS IT.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

SO THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF ANTI-SCIENCE IN OUR WORLD TODAY.

AND THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WE MUST FOLLOW THE SCIENCE BECAUSE WE CAN'T GO INTO ALL OF THE SCIENCE NOW.

I JUST WANT TO REFER PEOPLE TO A SITE CALLED WORLD-NUCLEAR.ORG.

IT IS AN INTERNATIONAL STORAGE AND DISPOSAL INFORMATION SITE ABOUT NUCLEAR WASTE, SO PLEASE I WANT EVERYONE TO DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS RESEARCH, THAT THE HALF-LIVES OF SOME OF THESE ELEMENTS, THESE RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS, THEY WILL REMAIN LONGER THAN MAN HAS WALKED THE EARTH - 300,000 YEARS.

THEY WILL BE LETHAL FOR THAT AMOUNT OF TIME AND THEN, OH I HAVE GOT TO HURRY UP.

BUT THEY WONDERED HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY TELL THE FUTURE THAT THIS IS A BAD PLACE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T USE CEMENT, YOU CAN'T USE STAINLESS STEEL.

THAT IS NOT GOING TO LAST 10,000 YEARS AND SO THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED "NUCLEAR SEMIOTICS" WHERE THEY ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH LANGUAGE AND SYMBOLS TO WARN PEOPLE THAT THIS IS BAD STUFF.

THERE WAS ONE THAT CAME UP FOR WIPP AND I AM JUST GOING TO READ IT, OH, I DON'T HAVE TIME.

"THIS IS NOT A PLACE OF HONOR.

NO HIGHLY ESTEEMED DEED IS COMMEMORATED HERE, NOTHING VALUED IS HERE."

THIS IS A WARNING ABOUT DANGER" AND THEY WOULD TRY TO CREATE A SIGN, SOME SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION TO WARN PEOPLE TO NOT COME NEAR THIS.

IT IS ALMOST LIKE A CURSE OF A BURIAL GROUND AND MAY BE IN A WAY IT IS.

SO, THERE WERE OTHER CONTESTS, TOO, WHERE THE DOE ASKED ARTISTS TO COME UP WITH A REPRESENTATION AND THEY WERE BRILLIANT.

THERE WERE PIPES OF PANS WHEN THE WIND BLEW IT WOULD DO A D MINOR CHORD WHICH IS A SAD CHORD FOR MOST HUMANS AND SYMBOLS AND IMAGES, BUT I THINK UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THIS MATERIAL, MAYBE WE SHOULD BACK OFF ON TAKING EVERYBODY'S AND ON CREATING MORE OF IT.

>>JEFF: YEAH, SOME HUMILITY IS IN ORDER AND ABSOLUTE CARE AND THAT IS NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

>>LORENE: RIGHT.

SO WE HAVE GOT A MINUTE, HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED WITH ALL OF THE THINGS YOU ARE DOING AND WHAT DID I FORGET TO MENTION?

AND THANK YOU FOR THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

>>JEFF: YOU ARE WELCOME, YOU ARE WELCOME.

WELL, LISTEN ON THESE BILLS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, GO TO THE NMLEGIS.GOV.

IT IS THE NEW MEXICO LEGISLATURE WEBSITE NMLEGIS.GOV.

YOU CAN GO TO MY PAGE, SENATOR STEINBORN, LOOK ME UP, AND THEN CLICK AND SEE ALL THESE BILLS.

YOU WILL SEE EXACTLY WHERE THESE BILLS ARE HEADING AND YOU SHOULD SEND A CLICK EMAIL FRANKLY TO THE MEMBERS ON THAT COMMITTEE, BECAUSE BILLS MOVE AT A COMMITTEE AT A TIME AND THEN ON TO THE FLOORS, TRACK A BILL, LOOK IT UP, SEE WHERE IT IS AT.

IT WILL SAY THERE WHERE THE COMMITTEE IS AND THEN SEND AN EMAIL, GET INVOLVED IN YOUR GOVERNMENT, NEW MEXICO.

IT IS REALLY EASY TO DO, WE ARE VERY ACCESSIBLE, OUR PHONE NUMBERS ARE LISTED THERE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT IF YOU CARE ABOUT THIS AND YOU ARE LISTENING TO THIS TODAY, PICK UP THE PHONE, CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE OR SENATOR, SEND THEM A NOTE, TELL THEM IT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU AND YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>>LORENE: WELL THAT IS WHAT NEW MEXICAN CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW, THIS IS A STATE WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL CAN REALLY MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND SO MANY LAWMAKERS WORK SO LONG AND HARD LIKE YOU AND THAT IS WHY I AM SO GLAD YOU GOT TO SHARE ALL THESE PROJECTS WITH US.

AND I JUST WISH YOU WERE HALFWAY THROUGH THE SESSION.

>>JEFF: THANK YOU.

>>LORENE: IT IS GOING TO GET EVEN CRAZIER, BUT I AM REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK AND THE THOUGHT THAT YOU PUT INTO YOUR WORK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>JEFF: THANK YOU, LORENE, IT IS ALWAYS SUCH AN HONOR TO BE WITH YOU.

>>LORENE: IT IS A PLEASURE FOR ME, TOO.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS SENATOR JEFF STEINBORN, DEMOCRAT FROM DONA ANA COUNTY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>>JEFF: YOU GOT IT.

>>LORENE: I AM LORENE MILLS AND I WOULD 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