Extensive Environmental Monitoring Under Way
In the aftermath of the February 14 event, the WIPP environmental sampling program was supplemented with additional sampling. Sampling is being done on air, soil, surface water and sediment, and vegetation.
Air Sampling
Sampling for airborne radioactive particles helps
determine if there has been an increase over background levels of
alpha-emitting radioactive material. There is a background level of
plutonium and other transuranic materials from the past atmospheric
testing of nuclear weapons.
Air sampling is performed weekly at seven monitoring
stations. A total of 47 air particulate filter samples have been
obtained since the February 14 event. Slight amounts of americium and
plutonium were briefly detected at four sampling locations. All air
filters since February 18 have shown no detectable americium or
plutonium. Click the following to view air sampling data.
Soil Sampling
Routine soil sampling occurs at the WIPP site in
areas around the air sample stations. Thirty-three soil samples have
been obtained since February 14. An additional 29 samples are planned
in the near future. All soil samples (except one) analyzed to date
have shown no detectable americium or plutonium. The one exception was a
detection of plutonium that is not considered to originate from the
February 14 release because the location is not in the downwind
direction, the sample shows no americium and the same location has
shown similar concentrations of plutonium in past years. Click the
following to view soil sampling data.
Surface Water and Sediment Sampling
WIPP has 14 locations for routine regional and local
surface water and sediment sampling that extend as far north as
Artesia, New Mexico, on the upper Pecos River, to as far south as
Pierce Canyon on the lower Pecos River.
Since February 14, six samples have been taken from
catchment basins at WIPP. An additional 17 samples will be taken by the
end of the month. All of these samples showed no detectable americium
or plutonium.
In addition, a rainwater sample was collected in
duplicate from puddles on site rooftops, a downspout, and a puddle on a
paved surface. Both duplicates showed detectable americium. One showed
detectable plutonium. The americium and plutonium maximum
concentrations combined represented about three percent of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s drinking water standard for
alpha-emitters. Click the following to view water and sediment sampling
data.
Vegetation Sampling
Vegetation samples are routinely taken at WIPP.
Since February 14, seven additional vegetation samples have been taken
from six locations near the air sampling stations. An additional 29
vegetation samples are being taken this month. All samples analyzed to
date show no detectable americium or plutonium. Click the following to
view vegetation sampling data.
Additional Sampling
Salt mined from the underground is kept in a large
pile on the northern side of the WIPP exclusive use area. As part of the
monitoring activities, WIPP is analyzing samples taken from various
areas around the salt pile. Sample results show no detectible levels of
radioactive contamination. Click the following to view salt pile
sampling data.
Other routine sampling continues at the WIPP site,
which includes trapping and analyzing quail and taking samples from
road-killed wildlife. No analytical data from this sampling is
available at present.
Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center
The Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center (CEMRC) is a division of the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University. The CEMRC facility and staff provide support to WIPP primarily through site and environmental monitoring, in vivo bioassay, and scientific and laboratory support.Media Contact for Recovery
Brad Bugger
U.S. Department of Energy
WIPP Recovery Communications
P.O. Box 3090
Carlsbad, NM 88221-2078
Phone: (575) 234-7545
E-mail: Bradley.Bugger@cbfo.doe.gov
U.S. Department of Energy
WIPP Recovery Communications
P.O. Box 3090
Carlsbad, NM 88221-2078
Phone: (575) 234-7545
E-mail: Bradley.Bugger@cbfo.doe.gov
Donavan Mager
Manager Communications
Nuclear Waste Partnership LLC
P.O. Box 2078 GSA-104
Carlsbad, NM 88221-2078
Phone: (575) 234-7586
E-mail: Donavan.Mager@wipp.ws
Manager Communications
Nuclear Waste Partnership LLC
P.O. Box 2078 GSA-104
Carlsbad, NM 88221-2078
Phone: (575) 234-7586
E-mail: Donavan.Mager@wipp.ws
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