In recent news, the New Mexico Environment Department has renewed the hazardous waste permit for the federal government's nuclear waste repository east of Carlsbad. The new permit for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant goes into effect Dec. 31. It is the first time the plant had received a permit renewal. The current permit was issued in 1999, the year it opened. The U.S. Department of Energy repository was excavated in salt beds 2,150 feet below the surface of the southeastern New Mexico desert. It buries waste such as gloves, tools, dried sludge and other debris contaminated, largely by plutonium, during weapons work. The material remains radioactive for tens of thousands of years.
The Environment Department's permit lets the plant dispose of mixed waste — items contaminated by chemicals as well as radioactivity. Such hazardous materials are regulated by the state, while the radioactive material is regulated by the federal government. The new permit makes a number of changes to the original one, including allowing higher levels of volatile organic compounds, said James Bearzi, chief of the Environment Department's Hazardous Waste Bureau. The new permit more than doubles the previous levels allowed, he said. It also expands public involvement and makes it easier for members of the public to stay informed about things at the plant as they happen, Bearzi said.
The plant is expected to receive about 28,000 shipments from DOE facilities around the nation through the year 2030.
What do you think about the Environment Department's permission to go through with this? Do you think there are any safety issues we should be concerned about? Do you think people will protest this renewel, like they did when the project was originally approved? What are your concerns regarding this?
-Noriega
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I think their permission is the best choice at the moment, but there are future risks we should be concerned about that may or may not happen. (There always some risk, even if it's a minimum one.) One of my concerns is whether there is a flaw in their experiment and analysis of their project and if there is, what will be the consequence(s)? So really, I'm more worried about how thoroughly the people planned their project and how they will carry it out. The permit lasts for only 10 years, so we can't rely on it forever. We should plan ahead in the meantime, which doesn't mean throwing waste around just because people don't like the idea of radioactive materials under their feet. They should understand the process first.
ReplyDelete--Ting Ting
I think that permit is currently the best thing. There are a ton of safety issues with radioactivity in general, so yes there are issues that we should be concerned about. Yes I do think that the people will protest. I'm concerned about the living things that probably die because of this process.
ReplyDeleteRebecka Nisbet
I belive that the Enviroment Department is doing the right thing granting this permit again. Just like with every other permit granted I believe that there must be some safety concerns, however we would never get anything done if we stopped because of safety concerns. People will protest this permit because people have been protesting everything that we as humans have done forever.
ReplyDelete3rd Period
-Katie Tye
i think that they shouldn't hav elet it get to this point. i mean they shuld've noticed that they needed space beofr it too late now that whole space is almost used up New mexico has no choci but to allow the permit.The people at the plant should've been more aware of the issues they have to deal with.
ReplyDeleteelvia medina
I think this permit is a good idea, but it is important to be aware of the potential safety hazards. Radioactive items can be very harmful, and is not something you mess around with. My biggest concern would be the future affect of these waste materials. I definitely think people will protest this renewal because everybody has their own opinion. In America you have the right to protest and voice your opinion. Another one of my concerns is have they done enough tests to prove this is the safest way to go about disposing of these materials?
ReplyDelete~Marissa Cordova
i think that its the best thing that happened.Also i think that people are not going to like this and that there are a lot of safety issues but we need to take risks
ReplyDeleteAsucena Rosales
I believe that the permit renewal is a good idea in terms of location due to its avoidance of towns and population, but the permits increase on allowed hazardous and radioactive material could be damaging to the surrounding area. Though it is placed in salt beds 2,150 feet below the earth, there is still the damage done with transporting the waste from all throughout the country to the disposal site. The hazardous and radioactive material is still damaging even when passing through a city due to possibility of delayed travel or an accident resulting in a waste spill throughout the city. I believe that people will protest whether they have a self-justifying reason to in their mind or simply enjoy protesting for the sake of protesting.
ReplyDelete- Halei Marshall; P.3
I think that permit is acually the best thing. There are alot of safety problems with radioactivity altogether, so yes there are issues that we should be worried about. and we also have to be very aware of all of our safety hazards so we can be as safe as possible. and i also thingk that people will protest and I'm worried about the living things that will probably die because of this
ReplyDeleteCassandra Tapia P.4
I think that the permit is a good idea. It is good that they want to try to fix this problem but now they have to really take precaution. Because it has chemicals and is radioactive that when they do try to go clean up, there is a chance that someone could get hurt. People will of course protest because that is just the way people are. I don’t think we will ever know for sure what the affect will have because it will be radioactive for tens of thousands of years. So yes, I am glad that they are trying to fix this problem, but I just hope that they will be very safe.
ReplyDelete-Alex Pena per. 4