Resumption of Nuclear-Explosive Testing: A Dangerous Path -- Editorial by Dr. John Burroughs

For over eighty years, the People of New Mexico have borne the burden of the1943 establishment of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Through theCongressional continuing resolution process, LANL may receive an additional $1 billiondollars to support expansion of the number of plutonium triggers, or plutonium pits,fabricated for nuclear weapons. The people of northern New Mexico are unaware of theeffects that this potentially may have on nearby communities. The effects of eightdecades of nuclear weapons development has had a cumulative impact on NewMexico, especially in Rio Arriba County, which borders Los Alamos County to the northand west.

Please allow us to state the obvious: 2025 has been a busy year in terms ofaddressing proposals for MORE to support the growing nuclear weapons complex inNew Mexico. From Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to the Waste Isolation PilotPlant (WIPP), the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administrationhave big plans. Specifically, we’ll continue to oppose them.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or the New START Agreement, is setto expire on Thursday, February 5 th , 2026 – in less than 50 days. The New STARTAgreement is the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the United Statesand the Russian Federation.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, is set to expire onThursday, February 5 th , 2026. In late September, President Putin proposed to extendthe treaty for one year. President Trump has yet to formerly respond. On October 5th,he said, “[It] sounds like a good idea to me.”

In a Truth Social post that reverberated around the world, on October 29President Donald Trump wrote: “Because of other countries’ testing programs,I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weaponson an equal basis.”

In a protective move, on Friday, November 18th, the New Mexico EnvironmentDepartment required the Department of Energy (DOE) to cease all injection operationsof treated waters back into the sole source regional drinking water aquifer shared byPueblo de San Ildefonso, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and others.

For over 25 years, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety (CCNS) has fought toprotect surface and groundwater from radioactive, toxic and hazardous contaminationfrom Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). In 2004, that campaign expanded tocontain the co-located perchlorate and chromium plume – contamination that migratedinto the top of the 1,000 foot deep aquifer below LANL, Pueblo de San Ildefonso andthe Española Basin Sole Source Drinking Water Aquifer. Despite federal assurancesand repeated promises of a solution, the plume remains unresolved.

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) continues to neglect its obligations tosafely operate its nuclear weapons facilities in a manner required by laws, orders,guidance and common sense.

In 1963 John Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev signed the ban on atmosphericnuclear weapons testing, which was extended to a moratorium in 1992 and secured asthe Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1996. The Treaty has been signed by 187states. On October 31 st , United Nations member states voted on a resolution in supportof the Treaty and the global nuclear test moratorium. The United States was the only“no” vote.

In response to the president’s call to resume testing of nuclear weapons, contactyour two United States Senators to support Senate Resolution 323 that urges theUnited States to lead a global effort to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race.