LANL Responds to New Mexico Environment Department Administrative Compliance Orders – Requests Public Hearings

On Friday, March 13th, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Newport NewsNuclear BWXT--Los Alamos, LLC, known as “N3B,” answered the February 11, 2026Administrative Compliance Orders issued by the New Mexico Environment Departmentabout the hexavalent chromium plume that has migrated across the boundary of LosAlamos National Laboratory (LANL) onto Pueblo de San Ildefonso. When a new wellwas drilled on the Pueblo, the migration was discovered to reach the top of the deepdrinking water aquifer approximately 1,000 feet below ground surface. The release hasbrought the plume to a new level of regulatory oversight by the EnvironmentDepartment that now includes the New Mexico Water Quality Act and the New MexicoHazardous Waste Act. DOE and N3B have requested the New Mexico EnvironmentDepartment hold public hearings about the Orders.

On November 18th, 2025, the New Mexico Environment Department withdrew itstemporary authorization to the U.S. Department of Energy and ordered it to cease theinjection of “treated” groundwater back into the regional sole source drinking wateraquifer. Elevated levels of hexavalent chromium above regulatory standards had beendetected for the first time in the deep regional drinking water aquifer beneath Pueblo deSan Ildefonso. It had migrated through the complex geology of the Pajarito Plateau,where Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is located, to deep groundwater belowthe Pueblo’s lands. The discovery was made during the drilling of a new monitoring well,known as SIMR-3, or San Ildefonso Mortandad Regional – 3, located just south of theboundary between LANL and the Pueblo.

Jacqueline Cabasso, Executive Director of the Western States Legal Foundation,and Board member, John Burroughs, provide analyses of the current situation in theMiddle East. Read the entire OpEd at nuclearactive.org.

After a careful review of the inconsistent public notices for the proposed DoñaAna County East and West Microgrids Air Quality Construction Permits for ProjectJupiter, CCNS found them to be defective. The discrepancies require a restart of thepublic comment periods for the proposed $165 billion microgrid facilities that will emit upto 13 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually – more than yearly emissionsgenerated by Las Cruces, Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Currently, public comments aredue on Monday, March 2, 2026 to the New Mexico Environment Department.

Today’s Update is continuation of our reporting on the diligent and thorough workdone by the New Mexico Environment Department to hold Los Alamos NationalLaboratory (LANL) accountable for not responsibly addressing the hexavalent chromiumplume beneath LANL that has now spread beneath Pueblo de San Ildefonso.

On Tuesday, February 11 th , the New Mexico Environment Department took boldactions to hold the Department of Energy (DOE) and Los Alamos National Laboratory(LANL) accountable for the release and distribution of hexavalent chromiumcontamination into the regional drinking water aquifer and onto Pueblo de San Ildefonsolands. The Environment Department released two administrative compliance orders,both with civil penalties, totaling over $15,775,000.00.

Last week, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a legislative message forHouse Bill 207, which calls for the discharge of “produced water” to New Mexico’srivers, streams and groundwater. Produced water is a highly toxic waste byproduct ofoil and gas operations. No treatment technologies currently exist that might allow for thesafe discharge of produced water to water resources.

We have just a few days to ensure the last remaining arms control treatybetween the United States and Russia continues with its numerical cap of 1,550deployed strategic nuclear weapons for each country. The New START treaty is set toexpire after Wednesday, February 4 th . Please contact Republican U.S. Senators.Request that President Trump respond to President Putin’s proposal to informallyextend the treaty for one year.

The last remaining arms control treaty between the United States and Russia willexpire on Wednesday, February 4 th . Without this treaty, there will be nothing stopping anew, dangerous and wasteful nuclear arms race. Now is the time to demand that bothcountries agree to Save New START.

On Thursday, January 22 th , the world and New Mexicans will mark five yearssince the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons became international law.Nuclear weapons are now illegal.