There’s a petition circulating around town in support of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant that we hope you’ll consider signing. Copies may be available through the Carlsbad Department of Development and the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, and at several local businesses. 

The CDOD has also passed a supporting resolution, and the Chamber is looking to do the same. Specifically, this resolution supports both WIPP and the plan to dispose down-blended plutonium at the underground waste repository. This plutonium meets all of the approved waste acceptance criteria for WIPP and is essentially the same as tons of contact-handled defense transuranic waste that has previously been disposed at WIPP. The National Academy of Sciences has reviewed the plan to dispose of this plutonium at WIPP and recognizes it as the most viable alternative.

A few months ago, a northern New Mexico group opposed to WIPP presented a petition to the governor opposing this plan. Their petition received quite a bit of media response. It is our hope to remind the governor and everyone else that there is also a lot of support for this plan. If there are people new to town who would like more information about WIPP, please let us know how we can help answer any questions you might have. 

From the office of Mayor Dale Janway