SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE DECADES OLD UNDERGROUND FUEL LEAK AT KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE. DENNIS MCQUILLAN IS A GEOLOGIST WITH THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT. HE SAYS IT APPEARS TWO OF THE WELLS THEY THOUGHT WERE IN THE PATH OF THE CONTAMINATION, WILL NOW BE BYPASSED BY THE CONTAMINATION.
MCQUILLAN SAYS IT’S STILL UNCLEAR IF A THIRD WELL COULD BE ENDANGERED AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.
BY JUNE, THE AIR FORCE INTENDS TO START PUMPING CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER FROM THE AQUIFER. THE SIZE OF THE SPILL, DISCOVERED IN 1999, IS ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN 6 MILLION AND 24 MILLION GALLONS.
