NMED Holds LANL Accountable for Hexavalent Chromium Plume

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.

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.

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.