This panel focused on the LANL 3706 Campaign, a voluntary Framework Agreement to accelerate TRU disposal and shipments to WIPP. The Agreement was initiated as a result of the June 2011 Las Conchas wildfire, the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s history, which raged on the perimeter LANL Technical Area-54, where thousands of TRU waste drums are stored above ground. New Mexico’s Governor Susana Martinez, responded to the disaster and called upon the US DOE/NNSA and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) to reprioritize disposal of the highest risk, above ground TRU wastes. Perspectives of the drivers, challenges, milestones and hurdles of this aggressive initiative were presented.
Panelists included: F. David Martin, Secretary, New Mexico Environment Department; David Nickless, Project Manager, US DOE, Los Alamos Site Office; Joe Franco, Manager, Carlsbad Field Office, US DOE; Dan Cox, Director of TRU Programs, Los Alamos National Laboratory; and Ralph Phelps, Chairman, Northern New Mexico Citizen's Advisory Board.