You are on page 1of 13

Affidavit

Robert (Stu) Dinwiddie, Ph.D., hereby submits this Affidavit to the New Me i!o "ourt of A##ea$s in su##ort of the a##ea$ brou%ht by "iti&en A!tion New Me i!o. 'f !a$$ed

u#on to testify in this matter, ' !ou$d !om#etent$y testify to the fo$$owin% fa!ts of my own (now$ed%e) 1. *his affidavit is to su##ort the re+uest for the A##ea$ of "iti&en A!tion New Me i!o to enfor!e the duty for #rodu!tion of a five,year re#ort as set forth in the May -., -//0, 1ina$ 2rder of the New Me i!o 3nvironment

De#artment (NM3D) at #a%e 0 ("ondition 0). 2. Durin% the #eriod from 4556 to 4550, ' was the Su#ervisor for De#artment of 3ner%y Permittin% 7 "orre!tive A!tion Pro8e!ts for the NM3D 9a&ardous 7 Radioa!tive Materia$s :ureau. 3. Durin% the #eriod from 4550 to 4555, ' was the Mana%er for the Resour!e Mana%ement "onservation Pro%ram for and the Re!overy NM3D (R"RA) 7

Permits

9a&ardous

Radioa!tive Materia$s :ureau. 4. ' am !om#$ete$y fami$iar with the state and federa$ R"RA re+uirements for #ub$i! #arti!i#ation in the State of New Me i!o and the federa$ R"RA #ermittin% and enfor!ement #ro!edures for ha&ardous waste fa!i$ities.

5. *he e istin% a$most four,year de$ay and the NM3D a##roved additiona$ five,year de$ay for #erforman!e of "ondition 0 vio$ates the 1ina$ 2rder, R"RA #ermittin% #ro!edures and re+uirements for #ub$i! #arti!i#ation, as wi$$ be further e #$ained be$ow. 6. Durin% the #eriod of o#eration of the M;< from 4505 to De!ember 45==, Sandia did not obtain a R"RA #ermit for the M;< as was re+uired by R"RA. 6/ "1R > -?/.4(b). *he

M;< was not $isted on a Part A or Part : a##$i!ation and o#erated in vio$ation of federa$ $aw. 'n Se#tember of

45=., Sandia had not fi$ed the ne!essary #a#erwor( with the @.S. 3nvironmenta$ Prote!tion A%en!y or the New

Me i!o 3nvironment De#artment to retain interim status for the M;<. 'nterim status terminates for fa!i$ities

that fai$ to !om#$y with the a##$i!ab$e #rovisions of 6/ "1R >> -?/.?A(a) throu%h (%), whi!h estab$ish dead$ines for the submission of #ermit a##$i!ations. Sandia missed

what we !a$$ the dro#,dead date by whi!h date they had to fi$e a Part A a##$i!ation for de!$arin% ha&ardous

waste o#erations at the M;<. status.

*he M;< thus $ost interim

:e!ause the M;< $ost interim status and was a

re%u$ated unit re!eivin% waste after the effe!tive date of Bu$y -., 45=-, for $andfi$$s, the M;< must then !$ose under the re+uirements of 6/ "1R > -.6 Sub#art 1 and C. 2

7. @nder interim status !$osure, 6/ "1R > -.0, there !an be $itt$e or no !han!e of re$ease from the unit. ;hen a

unit has $ost interim status it must !$ose under the more strin%ent 6/ "1R > -.6 standards. @nder 6/ "1R > -.6.44!$osure, there must be a des!ri#tion of a$$ the ste#s needed to remove or de!ontaminate a$$ ha&ardous waste residues and soi$s and a s!hedu$e set forth. Post,

!$osure #ermits a##$y to owners and o#erators of surfa!e im#oundments, $andfi$$s, $and treatment units, and waste #i$es that re!eived waste after Bu$y -., 45=-, or that !ertified !$osure after Banuary -., 45=A, un$ess they demonstrate !$osure by remova$ #ursuant to > -?/.4(!)(0) and (.). Sandia did not fi$e a #ost,!$osure #ermit

a##$i!ation for the M;<. 8. 2n!e a%ain the M;< obtained interim status under R"RA when mi ed waste was brou%ht under R"RA Re%u$atory

Authority in 45=.. fai$ed to identify

2n!e a%ain Sandia Nationa$ <aboratory the Mi ed ;aste <andfi$$ as an

o#eratin% unit within the re+uired time $imit of 4=/ days by fi$in% an amended Part A A##$i!ation $istin% the M;<. 9. 'n 455A the 3PA desi%nated the M;< as a So$id ;aste Mana%ement @nit (S;M@) that re+uired "orre!tive A!tion. @nder R"RA, a$$ ha&ardous waste mana%ement units by

definition are S;M@s be!ause a$$ ha&ardous waste is as 3

so$id waste by definition. *he desi%nation as a S;M@ in need of !orre!tive a!tion was based on the indi!ation of a re$ease of ha&ardous !onstituents #ast the #oint of !om#$ian!e of the unit. Notwithstandin%, Phase 4 and -

R"RA 1a!i$ity 'nvesti%ations under !orre!tive a!tion were re+uired to be #erformed for the M;< under a modifi!ation to Modu$e 'D of the Sandia 9a&ardous ;aste Permit. 10. 2n Se#tember 44, 455?, as mana%er of the R"RA #ro%ram, ' denied a re+uest from Sandia Nationa$ <aboratoriesE for the Mi ed ;aste <andfi$$ to re!eive a No 1urther A!tion status. *he M;< was and is not +ua$ified or e$i%ib$e to

re!eive that N1A status be!ause it is a re%u$ated unit. :y $e%a$ definition under R"RA, owners and o#erators of $andfi$$s that re!eived waste after Bu$y -., 45=- are re%u$ated units. (6/ "1R > -.6.5/(a)(-)). As a re%u$ated

unit, ' re+uired that Sandia obtain a #ost,!$osure #ermit for the M;< fa!i$ity, un$ess !$osure by remova$ of the wastes was demonstrated. "1R > -?/.4(!). (-/ NMA" 6.4, Sub#art 'F, 6/

Sandia did not submit a !$osure #$an or

a #ost,!$osure a##$i!ation to meet the re+uirements of -/ NMA" 6.4, Sub#art D', 6/ "1R > -.0.44/,4-/ and > -.0.A4/. Sandia did not remove wastes from the M;<. -//6, Sandia submitted a R"RA "$ass A 'n or about modifi!ation

re+uest for the 455A 3PA Modu$e 'D for "orre!tive A!tion 4

that resu$ted in a #ub$i! hearin% and then the -//0 1ina$ 2rder. 11. *here have been re$eases from the M;<. were identified a$on% in an 2!tober A/, *hese re$eases 455=, of the Noti!e of

Defi!ien!y

with

dis!ussion

defe!tive

%roundwater monitorin% networ(.

*he #oint of !om#$ian!e

for determinin% a re$ease is defined as the bottom of the tren!h or #it and the verti!a$ sides of the tren!h or #its. *here are re$eases from the M;< of tritium, !esium, heavy meta$s and so$vents. *herefore, in order to !om#$y

with the 6/ "1R > -.6 standards for !$osure uti$i&in% the !urrent so$id waste mana%ement unit !orre!tive a!tion, those re$eases must be remediated or removed, and Sandia has been re!a$!itrant in doin% that. NM3D has been

re!a$!itrant in orderin% them to meet the re+uirements of the re%u$ations to #rote!t the re$eases. *he refusa$ to

enfor!e and !om#$y with "ondition 0 of the 1ina$ 2rder is further eviden!e of fai$ure to !om#$y with R"RA

!orre!tive a!tion for the M;<. 12. ' have read of the the 1ina$ 1ina$ 2rder 2rder in is its entirety. s#e!ifi! *he and

$an%ua%e

very

unambi%uous that Sandia sha$$ #erform a feasibi$ity study for e !avation and other matters every five years. *he

re+uirement is mandatory for !om#$ian!e by Sandia and for 5

enfor!ement by the NM3D.

As a former re%u$ator for the

R"RA #ermits #ro%ram, ' !on!$ude that "ondition 0 !annot be read in re$ation to the other terms and !onditions in the 1ina$ 2rder so as to a$$ow the inter#retation that a de$ay wou$d be #ossib$e. *he de$ay of "ondition 0 for

any reason is a vio$ation of the 1ina$ 2rder and of the 455A Modu$e 'D of the Sandia R"RA fa!i$ity #ermit. 13. No <eve$ A in by R"RA a!!ord Sandia #ermit with and a modifi!ation 6/ "1R > by re+uest has and been

#ro!eedin% submitted !omment,

-?/.6NM3D

issued #ub$i!

for

#ub$i! the *he wou$d

res#onse

and

hearin%

before

a##rova$ issued to modify 1ina$ 2rder "ondition 0. vio$ation of "ondition 0 of the 1ina$ 2rder

inva$idate the entire 1ina$ 2rder be!ause the 1ina$ 2rder !ontains no severabi$ity !$ause and no savin%s !$ause and wou$d re+uire reo#enin% the entire "$ass A #ro!eedin% for the 1ina$ 2rder for !orre!tive a!tion for the M;<. 14. *he e istin% a$most four,year de$ay for #rodu!tion of the five,year feasibi$ity re#ort was im#ro#er$y a!!om#$ished without a re+uest for de$ay of !om#$ian!e with "ondition 0. NM3D is re+uired by the R"RA #ro%ram to enfor!e the

minimum re+uirements of the 3PA #ermittin% re%u$ations. *he -//0 1ina$ 2rder was a modifi!ation of the 455A

Sandia ha&ardous waste #ermit issued by the 3PA Re%ion .. 6

*o modify terms or !onditions of the 1ina$ 2rder, a $eve$ A re+uest for #ermit modifi!ation must be submitted in writin% by Sandia as the #ermittee. "han%es to Permit). Sandia (6/ "1R Sub#art D ,, not submit any

did

modifi!ation re+uest for the 1ina$ 2rder to a!hieve an e tension or !han%e in the s!hedu$e for !om#$ian!e that re+uires A##endi 15. An a $eve$ A modifi!ation. (6/ "1R > -?/.6-

' A.0.b.). 46, A!tion -/44 NM3D a##rova$ Re#ort $etter ("M' for the

2!tober

"orre!tive

'm#$ementation

Re#ort)

im#ro#er$y inserted an a##rova$ for another five years of de$ay for the five,year reeva$uation and feasibi$ity

re#ort after NM3D a##rova$ of the <on% *erm Monitorin% and Maintenan!e P$an (<*MMP). 9owever, the "M' Re#ort

did not #resent the #ub$i! any o##ortunity to !omment on or re!eive a #ub$i! hearin% on any #rovision to de$ay the five,year feasibi$ity of the re#ort. de$ay *he in!$usion in the of the *erm

modifi!ation

#rovision

<on%

Monitorin% and Maintenan!e P$an (<*MMP) re+uired a #ub$i! hearin% but that was not a!!om#$ished. 16. *he "$ass A -//0 1ina$ 2rder was thereby modified without any #ub$i! #arti!i#ation whatsoever, in vio$ation of

R"RA.

:y this re%u$atory s$ei%ht of hand, the #ub$i! was

denied any ri%ht to #arti!i#ation in the de!ision ma(in% 7

#ro!ess re+uired by R"RA for #ermit modifi!ations.

(6/

"1R > -?/.6- ,, Permit modifi!ations at the re+uest of the #ermittee.) 17. *here has been si%nifi!ant #ub$i! !on!ern re%ardin% the M;< for we$$ over a de!ade. *he !om#$e nature of

!han%in% the five,year !om#$ian!e s!hedu$e of the 1ina$ 2rder, es#e!ia$$y %iven new te!hni!a$ information for the M;<, re+uires the more e tensive #ro!edures of a <eve$ ("$ass) A modifi!ation. 6/ "1R > -?/.6-(b).

18. *here are (nown re$eases of R"RA !ontaminants from the M;< to the %roundwater and R"RA re+uirements for a S;M@ or a re%u$ated unit that re+uire remediation and the

!$eanu# of !ontamination. 19. *he 1ina$ 2rder "ondition 0 re!o%ni&es the !ontinuin% need to address and re#ort every five years on the feasibi$ity for e !avation of the waste and eva$uatin% whether the dirt !over over the waste is #rote!tive. 20. Sandia did not !ondu!t the %roundwater monitorin% (6/

ne!essary for a re%u$ated unit to !om#$y with R"RA. "1R > -.6.54,4//). NM3D and 3PA

Sandia was re#eated$y informed by the . in the 455/s that the M;<

Re%ion

%roundwater monitorin% we$$ networ( was inade+uate for dete!tion of %roundwater !ontamination. we$$s were im#ro#er$y $o!ated 8 to *he monitorin% determine the

%roundwater f$ow dire!tion and the hydrau$i! %radient. 2ther features #revented the monitorin% we$$s from

#rovidin% re$iab$e sam#$in% data.

"orrosion was #resent

and :entonite !$ay was used in dri$$in% the we$$s so that eviden!e of !ontamination was hidden. 21. Monitorin% ;e$$ M;6 was insta$$ed to 4) reso$ve

un!ertainty as to the hydrau$i! %radient, -) the f$ow dire!tion and A) whether -?4,/// %a$$ons of radioa!tive rea!tor waste water dum#ed into *ren!h D had rea!hed the %roundwater. M;6 was insta$$ed -- feet too dee# be$ow

the water tab$e !om#ared to the other monitorin% we$$s to measure %radient. the %roundwater f$ow dire!tion or hydrau$i!

*he u##er and $ower we$$ s!reens of M;6 were

not sea$ed off from ea!h other by a #a!(er for over a year and radioa!tive waste water may have drained to the a+uifer. 22. Pum#in% tests for the monitorin% we$$s fai$ed and !ou$d not determine hydrau$i! !ondu!tivity and transmissivity. 23. Monitorin% insta$$ed. we$$s M;0 and M;. were ordered to be

M;. was insta$$ed too distant from the M;< to

meet the R"RA #oint of !om#$ian!e re+uirement (6/ "1R > -.6.50) and insta$$ed too dee# to reso$ve the issues of hydrau$i! !ondu!tivity and %roundwater f$ow dire!tion in the fine,%rained sediments. 9 M;0 was a$so insta$$ed too

distant and its we$$ s!reen was insta$$ed a!ross both the fine,%rained strata and the dee#er An!ient Rio Crande strata whi!h vio$ates the R"RA re+uirement a%ainst !ross !ontamination. 24. *he eviden!e of !ontamination to the %roundwater that was indi!ated from the im#ro#er$y $o!ated and inade+uate

%roundwater we$$ monitorin% networ( was i%nored in the De!ember -//6 #ub$i! hearin%s that !onsidered and

a##roved the eva#o,trans#irative (dirt) !over remedy for the M;<. that there ;itnesses for Sandia and the NM3D testified was no *his eviden!e was of !ontamination to the

%roundwater.

fabri!ated,

resu$t,oriented

eviden!e that !an now on$y be remedied by !onsideration of "ondition 0 of the 1ina$ 2rder. 25. *here is mu!h new eviden!e !onfirmin% the defe!tive M;< %roundwater 455/s and monitorin% that identified to by the the NM3D in the A

!ontinues

#resent.

"onfidentia$ 2versi%ht Re#ort written by 3PA Re%ion . hydro$o%ists and a %eo$o%ist re!a$$s many of the

defi!ien!ies of the 3PA Re%ion . N2D and the NM3D 455. denia$ and 455= N2D. *his wou$d in!$ude the need for

additiona$ %roundwater monitorin% we$$s to be #$a!ed both to the north and south of the M;<. New te!hni!a$

information sin!e the 1ina$ 2rder de!ision for the M;< 10

a$so

in!$udes

the

-//.

*e!h<aw,

'n!.

re#ort

and

an

3nvironmenta$ Prote!tion A%en!y (3PA) Re%ion . 2versi%ht Re#ort (-//?) and 3PA 2ffi!e of 'ns#e!tor Cenera$ Re#ort (A#ri$ 46, -/4/). *hese re#orts !hroni!$e te!hni!a$

defi!ien!ies for the M;< !over !onstru!tion, defe!tive %roundwater monitorin%, refusa$ to #rovide information, vio$ation of a%en!y #ro!edures and denia$ of #ub$i!

#arti!i#ation. 26. *he defi!ien!ies in %roundwater monitorin% ma(es further de$ay ina##ro#riate for the !onsideration of e !avation and the dirt !over. 27. *here are re$eases of dan%erous radioa!tive and ha&ardous waste !ontaminants 'n from and the un$ined the M;< #its and and

tren!hes.

455.

455=,

9a&ardous

Radioa!tive ;aste :ureau (now !a$$ed the 9a&ardous ;aste :ureau) res#e!tive$y issued a <etter of Denia$ and a

Noti!e of Defi!ien!ies for SandiaEs R"RA Phase - 1a!i$ity 'nvesti%ation. Re!ords of the ty#es and amounts of waste

dis#osed of at the M;< were never !om#$ete. Croundwater monitorin% was who$$y inade+uate. :e!ause the site

!hara!teri&ation was inade+uate, the resu$ts of the ris( assessment mi%ht not be va$id and institutiona$ !ontro$s wou$d be re+uired. *he 1ina$ 2rder #rovision for 0 year

11

reviews is a form of institutiona$ !ontro$ to e !avate the M;<. 28. Pits SP,6, SP,A0, and SP,A. showed hi%h surfa!e $eve$ readin%s of radioa!tivity that e !eeded ba!(%round

radiation $eve$s by near$y three times.

*here is a very

$ar%e amount of radioa!tivity at the M;< in!$udin% annua$ re$eases of tritium and radon %as to the air. P":s, and

so$vents su!h as *o$uene, P"3, *"3 are #resent in the M;<. R"RA meta$s were dis#osed of in the M;< in!$udin%

!admium, !o##er, vanadium, !oba$t, &in!, and bery$$ium and are ha&ardous !onstituents for %roundwater. 6.4. *ha$$ium and thorium was dete!ted. -/ NMA"

9i%h dete!tions

of nitrate were in the %roundwater. Ni!(e$ was dete!ted in M;4 and $ater e !eeded 3PA ma imum !ontaminant $imit for drin(in% water. 445 barre$s of P$utonium

!ontaminated waste is in the M;<. de#$eted uranium ris(s is in from the M;<.

2ver .=,/// #ounds of 9uman hea$th and were

e!o$o%i!a$

these

!ontaminants

inade+uate$y eva$uated.

Many of the !ontaminants wi$$

remain dan%erous for tens of thousands of years. 29. Civen the fa!tors stated above, time$y enfor!ement of the 1ina$ 2rder "ondition 0 by a !om#$ian!e s!hedu$e is the startin% !$osure #oint by to be%in the !onsideration M;<. *he for fa!t !$ean that

e !avation

for 12

the

"ondition 0 is in the 1ina$ 2rder is a stron% indi!ator that the radioa!tive and ha&ardous wastes in the M;< were not intended to be $eft under a dirt !over. "$ean

!$osure is re+uired for the M;< as a re%u$ated unit that $ost interim status not on!e, but twi!e.

' hereby swear under #ena$ty of #er8ury under the $aws of the @nited States of Ameri!a and the State of New Me i!o that the above statement is true and !orre!t to the best of my (now$ed%e. Dated this GGG day of GGGGGGGG, -/46.

GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG Robert S. (Stu) Dinwiddie, Ph.D. P.O. Box 308 Rowe, N 8!"#$ %e&e'hone( "0")*!0)3#!3

13

You might also like