The "Get to Know Sandia" Survey

Public Comments

More about the Justice Department cover-up of government nuclear crimes.

Dear Interested Citizen: Citizen Action is expanding its mission from the clean up of nuclear waste sites at Sandia National Laboratories to include other areas of potential concern affecting human health and the environment. In order to help us to gauge public interest in these issues we ask that you take a moment to fill out the brief survey below. Thanks for your assistance. In Solidarity, Sue Dayton, Director Citizen Action New Mexico P.O. BOX 262 Sandia Park, NM 87047 (505) 262-1862 www.radfreenm.org Citizen Action New Mexico is a project of the New Mexico Community Foundation. All contributions to Citizen Action are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowable by law.

The "Get to Know Sandia" Survey Please check your sepecific issues of concern (Feel free to check more than one!). Nuclear Weapons - Sandia's Main Mission. The Department of Energy's FY06 weapons budget request for Sandia National Labs is $1.2 billion for maintenance of the existing nuclear weapons arsenal and engineering of new nuclear weapons such as the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrating Bunker Buster (RNEP). Nano-Nukes. Nano is Greek for dwarf. The MESA (Microsystems and Engineering Sciences Application) facility at Sandia is where small things are being engineered at a molecular level in order to achieve big results - like using nanoscience to upgrade the nation's aging nuclear weapons stockpile. Renewable Energy. Pretty bleak. The budget for renewable energy research at Sandia constitutes a woeful 1.5% of Sandia's overall budget for FY05 and an additional 10% cut is proposed for FY06. Mixed Waste Landfill. If you hadn't heard, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has given Sandia the green light to cover the radioactive and hazardous waste site with dirt and enforce land use restrictions to limit people's exposure to cancer-causing materials. Citizen Action has filed a lawsuit against the NMED on the grounds that its decision was "arbitrary and capricious," and unlawful under federal regulations that forbid shallow burial of transuranic waste. Depleted Uranium (DU). A highly controversial issue, DU is a mildly radioactive and chemically toxic heavy metal used during the Gulf War to make armor-piercing munitions and enhanced armor protection for American troops. About 22 metric tons of DU is currently being used for weapons research and testing purposes at Sandia. Air Pollution. There are 14 sites at Sandia where open burning of hazardous materials occurs, and 19 sites where various types of radionuclides are released into the air on a daily basis. Groundwater Pollution. To date, at least 5 sites at Sandia have released contaminants into Albuquerque's drinking water including TCE, a cancer-causing solvent. Other Concerns: Would you like to take action with Citizen Action concerning any of these issues? If so, just fill out the information below and then click the "SUBMIT this survey" button (below). It's an opportunity to become a part of some major efforts targeted at educating the public while working to protect our community. Thank you! Yes, I'd like to know more about what Sandia National Labs is doing and to join the efforts of Citizen Action to protect our community. No, I don't wish to become involved now, but I'm a concerned citizen, so here's my completed survey. Please keep me informed. Here's my contact information: Name: Mailing Address: City: State: Zip: Phone 1: Phone 2: E-mail Address: Issue of greatest concern: Additional comments? Please review your entries for accuracy before submitting this survey. Thanks!