BY LWV LOS ALAMOS OBSERVER CORPS
Editor’s note: Members of the League of Woman Voters of Los Alamos Observer Corps have been providing LWV members with reports on certain meetings in the County for many years. These reports have been included in the LWV’s monthly newsletter and now, at the invitation of the Los Alamos Reporter, will also be submitted to the Reporter for publication. The video of the full meeting may be seen at https://losalamos.granicus.com/player/clip/4403?view_id=2&redirect=true
The Sept. 16 work session of Los Alamos County Council was attended by Councilors Theresa Cull (Chair), Melanee Hand, Ryn Hermann, Beverly Neal-Clinton, David Reagor, and Randall Ryti. Councilor Suzie Havemann was absent.
National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Update
Ted Wyka, NNSA Los Alamos Field Office Manager, updated the County Council on various aspects of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL).
Mission impacts
LANL’s funding profile remains steady, with a slight upward trajectory related to the passage of the budget reconciliation process. LANL plans some modest hiring in addition to replacing its annual attrition of about 900 staff.
Electrical Power Capacity Upgrade (EPCU) Project
NNSA issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to its environmental assessment of the Lab’s EPCU Project, as did the Santa Fe National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Onsite infrastructure upgrades for the EPCU Project are scheduled to begin this fall Construction of the transmission line on BLM and Santa Fe National Forest lands is scheduled to begin in fall 2026.
Traffic safety.
Wyka felt that traffic safety issues are showing improvement. Based on internal telemetry data, van pool usage is up, taking more cars off the road. He said commuter bus ridership is also steadily increasing.
Traffic enforcement
NNSA continues to work with the Los Alamos Police Department (LAPD) to install police speed cameras along the Truck Route. LAPD is purchasing the cameras and LANL will install utility connections and pole structures for them. NNSA is also working with the County to establish a memorandum of understanding for the speed camera safety enforcement at the Lab.
Rendija Canyon cleanup.
NNSA is collaborating with the US Corps of Engineers to develop a cost estimate for cleaning up residual contamination from the Rendija Canyon site. The cleanup itself has notbeen budgeted.
For more information on the League of Women Voters of Los Alamos, go to https://my.lwv.org/new-mexico/los-alamos.The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. Watch local media for announcements pertaining to the LWV’s monthly “Lunch with a Leader” and other events.