National Laboratory

LANL Reopens Trails Temporarily Closed for Environmental Sampling and Cleanup

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A Los Alamos National Laboratory worker removes a “closed” sign from a trail south of Trinity Drive. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

Los Alamos National Laboratory has reopened trails located on U.S. Department of Energy property near the Timber Ridge and Ridge Park condominiums south of Trinity Drive near Oppenheimer Drive.

The trails were closed temporarily while the Laboratory conducted environmental sampling and cleanup work in the area, which is south of Trinity Drive and west of Oppenheimer Drive.

The trails will remain open while the Laboratory and the New Mexico Environment Department Read More

NNSA, DOE Office of Science Award $14M in Grants

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Courtesy/NNSA

NNSA/DOE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and Office of Science (SC) today announced that 46 research grants totaling $14 million have been awarded as part of the Joint Program in High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas (HEDLP).

Contemporary advances in laser, particle beam and pulsed power technologies have made possible the creation of increasingly high energy density states in the laboratory. Studies of such states of matter are providing insights into fields ranging from astrophysics Read More

Cold War Heroes Overcome Major Hurdle in Battle for Just Compensation

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., Tuesday applauded a federal advisory panel’s approval of a petition that could pave the way for hundreds of sick Los Alamos National Laboratory workers to receive compensation for their service.
 
The panel, called the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health, approved a petition Tuesday granting “Special Exposure Cohort” (SEC) status to all LANL workers who developed radiogenic cancers after having been employed for at least 250 days from Jan. 1, 1976 to Dec. 31, 1995.
 
A previous LANL SEC petition covering workers from March 15,
Read More

Bandelier Assesses Paint Spill Effects on Park

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A tractor-trailer rig traveling eastbound on N.M. 4, northwest of the junction of N.M. 4 and 501, missed a sharp curve and fell about 200 feet down a steep slope into Bandelier Tuesday spewing paint in all directions. CourtesyNPS

BANDELIER News:

Bandelier National Monument Park staff is in the process of identifying the toxicity of the paint and assessing its impacts to the environment that was splattered in the forest Tuesday when a tractor-trailer rig traveling eastbound on New Mexico State Highway 4, northwest of the junction of N.M. 4 and 501, missed a sharp curve and fell about 200 feet down Read More

Luján: Decision … Step in Right Direction

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Photo: U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

Santa Fe – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District called a decision Tuesday by the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health a step in the right direction to help workers at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) who have suffered illnesses as a result of their work at the Lab.

The board’s 12 to one decision to recommend compensation for all workers, contractors, and subcontractors who were employed at LANL between 1976 and 1995 is a vital step in the process that has dragged on since the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) petition was submitted in 2008. Read More

AUDIO: Udall Talks Burn Pits & Senate Business

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – On his weekly radio call Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall discussed the Senate Veterans Committee’s unanimous passage of his legislation to create an open burn pits registry and this week’s Senate business.

 
 
Below are highlights from Udall’s remarks:
 
0:00 – Udall expresses his support for Americans serving in the Middle East and discusses the loss of four Americans in Libya last week, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.
 
0:28 – “Ambassador Stevens
Read More

LANL Taps Mousseau for Associate Director of Environmental Programs

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Jeffrey Mousseau has been named the new associate director for Environmental Programs at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News

Mousseau Will Oversee Transuranic Waste Disposal and Environmental Cleanup Projects

Los Alamos National Laboratory today announced that Jeffrey Mousseau has been hired as the new associate director for Environmental Programs.

Mousseau currently works as a senior project manager for the Laboratory’s transuranic waste disposal program.

In his new position, he will oversee this program as well as other key environmental cleanup and monitoring Read More

International Dignitaries Tour NEDO Smart House

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Dignitaries from Japan join officials from Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos County, Gov. Susana Martinez and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan in Monday’s NEDO Smart House Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., Los Alamos County Council Chair Stover, NEDO Chairman Kazuo Furukawa and other dignitaries tour the NEDO Smart House Monday. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com

Local, state, national and international officials tour the NEDO Smart House including this garage area. Photo by Greg Read More

First of Six LANL Protesters Set to Face Judge

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Los Alamos National Laboratory protesters from left, Catherine Euler, Cathie Sullivan, Janet Greenwald, Benjamin (Summer) Abbott, Barbara Grothus and Pamela Gilchrist following their release from the Los Alamos County Detention Center Aug. 6 after being issued criminal citations to appear in court. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com

 

Editor’s Note Sept. 17: Due to a scheduling conflict, the hearing has been postponed. A new date has not been set yet.  

 

Staff report

 

The first of six protesters arrested Aug. 6 during an anti-nuke
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Washington Post Columnist Claims Los Alamos in Disrepair

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ON THE MESA FACING NORTH
Column by Greg Kendall

In the Washington Post’s National Security section is a two-part report, “Aging U.S. nuclear arsenal slated for costly and long-delayed modernization,” published on Saturday, Sept. 15.

 

 

 

A frontal view of four B-61 nuclear free-fall bombs on a bomb cart. Courtesy/DoD

Dana Priest writes:

“… parts of Los Alamos are in serious disrepair. Inside one critical building, pipes carrying dangerous wastewater are duct-taped together at the joints to plug leaks; plastic bags have been wrapped around Read More