Ensuring safe operations at WIPP

New Mexico makes enormous contributions to our nation as the only state that hosts two national security laboratories and the only site in America to permanently dispose of defense-generated transuranic nuclear waste. Sites across the country like Los Alamos here in New Mexico, and Hanford and Oak Ridge in Washington and Tennessee, contributed to our nation’s defense. We have a responsibility to clean up the radioactive waste that was left behind. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP, is essential to meeting that enormous environmental challenge.

I am grateful to the entire Carlsbad community for all of their determination, patience and resilience during WIPP’s recovery process. Many workers logged long hours and extra shifts to make sure this site reopened in a safe manner.

I worked closely with Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz throughout the recovery process. Nearly every time the Secretary and I have talked over the last three years I have shared with him how important it is to the nation and to the people of Carlsbad that WIPP be restored to safe operation.

This recovery would not be possible without the $104 million of federal dollars Senator Tom Udall and I secured in the 2014 annual government spending bill and the $82 million of additional federal funds we secured in 2015 to pay for WIPP’s recovery. I will continue to fight in the Senate for full federal funding for the Department of Energy’s cleanup work and the operations here at WIPP.

In the wake of the radiation leak in 2014, there were serious safety concerns that needed to be addressed. It remains imperative that the Department of Energy and WIPP continue to work collaboratively with the State of New Mexico and the Carlsbad community to restore confidence and ensure that WIPP maintains the highest levels of safety and transparency.

I also strongly believe that our local businesses need a fair chance to compete for the opportunity to supply commodities and provide services to all of our state’s Department of Energy facilities like WIPP. In October I hosted an information session in Carlsbad with the Department of Energy’s Supply Chain Management Center to help regional small businesses learn more about subcontracting opportunities with WIPP and our state’s national laboratories.

Over the past few years of uncertainty, the Carlsbad community has provided WIPP with incredible support. I will continue to work alongside all of you to support the workers and jobs at WIPP as the site serves our nation in the years ahead.