Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee meeting scheduled

Submitted to the Carlsbad Current-Argus
Article Launched: 08/25/2008 08:38:59 PM MDT

SANTA FE — The Radioactive and Hazardous Materials Committee of the New Mexico State Legislature will meet at 10 a.m. Aug. 28 in Espanola at the Okay Conference Center and 9 a.m. Aug. 29 at the Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos.

"During these two days, we will continue our efforts to explore New Mexico's role in providing energy to its own citizens, the region and the nation in the future," said Chairman Representative John A. Heaton (D-Carlsbad). "In addition, because of the importance of nuclear power to the security, independence and climate of the United States, we will be given a tutorial on spent fuel recycling to help us understand what we must do to manage spent fuel as the nuclear power industry grows."

"Our State faces many of the issues related to the national debate about alternative energy. During this next Committee meeting we are going to spend some quality time looking at some of our state's issues related to alternative energy both because our state houses radioactive waste, and because we are making strides in the areas of wind and hydrogen energy production," said Senator Richard C. Martinez (D-Los Alamos, Rio Arriba and Santa Fe-5), vice chair of the Committee.

The focus of the Thursday morning meeting in Espanola will be an update on Los Alamos and Sandia National laboratories cleanup. The afternoon session begins at 1 p.m. with a report on the Waste Isolation Pilot Program presented by representatives of the Department of Energy and the Hazardous Waste Bureau. At 2 p.m., Rep. Heaton will review for the Committee the national energy strategy, followed by a panel discussion of the transmission process. The Committee recesses at 5 p.m.

On Friday, the Committee convenes at Fuller Lodge and begins with a LANL update. At 8:30 a.m., the Committee hears a report on options for interim storage and reprocessing of spent fuel, followed by reports on LANL's hydrogen technology program and fuel cell program. The Committee adjourns at 12:30 p.m.