NEW MEXICO'S WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT NEAR CARLSBAD HAS A NEW PROJECT MANAGER NOW. THE CONTRACTOR THAT RUNS THE NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP, URS CORPORATION, HAS REPLACED FAROK SHARIF WITH BOB MCQUINN. MCQUINN WAS FORMERLY WITH LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABS.
MEANWHILE, SOME OF THE CONCLUSIONS FROM A REPORT ON THE ACCIDENT AND RADIATION LEAK AT THE WIPP SITE LAST MONTH ARE BEING RELEASED. ONE OF THOSE IS THAT THE TRUCK THAT CAUGHT FIRE A HALF A MILE UNDERGROUND THE NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP NEAR CARLSBAD WAS 29 YEARS OLD ,, IMPROPERLY MAINTAINED … AND OPERATING WITHOUT AN AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM.
SENATORS TOM UDALL AND MARTIN HEINRICH SAY A REPORT RELEASED TODAY (FRI) ON PROBLEMS AT SOUTHEAST NEW MEXICO'S WIPP SITE IS "DEEPLY DISTURBING". THE REPORT ALSO DETAILS DEFICIENCIES IN EMERGENCY TRAINING AND RESPONSES TO THE TWO INCIDENTS IN FEBRUARY. 17 WIPP WORKERS WERE EXPOSED TO THE RADIATION LEAK THAT FOLLOWED THE TRUCK FIRE.
