Radiation Releases at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico: Recently Reported Radiation Releases and Other Potential Sources of Radiation Release

About Sandia National Laboratories: Sandia was established as “Z Division” on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1945 during the Manhattan Project as a division of the Los Alamos Laboratory to provide engineering design, production, assembly, and field testing of non-nuclear components of nuclear weapons. On request of President Harry Truman, Sandia became an independent laboratory on Nov. 1,1949. Since 1949, Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) has developed science-based technologies that support our national security. Sandia is a government-owned/contractor-operated facility “managed by a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Sandia also works for and partners with other DOE agencies, the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), other federal, state, and local agencies and governments, private industry, and academic institutions to accomplish our missions. As of Fall 2005, SNL/NM employed the equivalent of 8,600 full time employees and projected an annual budget of $2.7 billion for Fiscal Year 2006. This research was completed money allocated during Round 3 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/albcenter/1002/thumbnail.jp

Review of Environmental Monitoring for Radionuclides in Air at the Sandia National Laboratory

The Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is a major laboratory of the Department of Energy (DOE) in the nuclear weapons complex. Past and present operations have resulted in the contamination of air, soil, biosphere, groundwater and surface water with radioactive and other pollutants that pose a risk to human health and the environment. This report focuses on the monitoring of radioactive pollutants that are or could be present in ambient air, i.e. outside breathable air. Ambient air monitoring can be conducted either close to potential sources of emissions on the property of Sandia National Laboratory itself, on the perimeter of the plant, or in greater distance. This report provides an assessment of the current monitoring system for radionuclides in ambient air at SNL. The following issues are addressed: (a) whether monitoring at SNL is at par with state-of-the-art systems, and (b) whether it provides for detection of unmonitored and/or short-term releases from sources at the site. Chapter 2 describes existing and potential sources for airborne radionuclides at and around SNL and presents the official estimates of radionuclide releases and resulting radiation exposures to members of the public. Chapter 3 compares the existing monitoring system for radionuclides in air at SNL with the systems that exist at other DOE sites. Chapter 4 evaluates the adequacy of the monitoring system with respect to detect unmonitored and/or short-term releases and the compliance with regulatory requirements. Chapter 5 provides recommendations based on the analysis. This research was completed money allocated during Round 3 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/albcenter/1001/thumbnail.jp

The Nukes Next Door

Welcome to the SLAP booklet, “The Nukes Next Door: Shedding Light on A Nuclear Neighbor, Sandia National Laboratories.” SLAP stands for Sandia Labs Awareness Project. This booklet attempts to provide concise information to people who do not have a technical background on the potential dangers to human health posed by three nuclear projects operated by Sandia National Labs on Kirtland Airforce Base property on the city of Albuquerque’s south side in New Mexico. In this booklet we explore the possible contamination of surrounding communities’ air, water and soil by the radiation associated with nuclear waste disposal, nuclear production processes, and weapons testing at the Labs over the past 50 years. We also raise questions about what we still need to know and what actions we as citizens and residents of the area need to take to ensure the safety of ourselves, our neighbors and future generations. This research was completed money allocated during Round 1 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/albcenter/1000/thumbnail.jp