Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

The Department of Energy is targeting late July for resumption of transuranic waste shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M. In a Wednesday email to Exchange Monitor, the DOE Office of Environmental Management said it intends to start disposing of waste again by the end of July. Although the schedule could […]

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) last week approved the Department of Energy’s request extending how long the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) can hold certain drums of transuranic waste in temporary storage areas pending underground disposal. Meanwhile, the comment period on a separate WIPP issue, where the state of New Mexico is seeking to […]

The Department of Energy is targeting late July for resumption of transuranic waste shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M. In a Wednesday email to Exchange Monitor, the DOE Office of Environmental Management said it intends to start disposing of waste again by the end of July. Although the schedule could […]

The Department of Energy is targeting late July for resumption of transuranic waste shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M. In a Wednesday email to Exchange Monitor, the DOE Office of Environmental Management said it intends to start disposing of waste again by the end of July. Although the schedule could […]

The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) last week approved the Department of Energy’s request extending how long the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) can hold certain drums of transuranic waste in temporary storage areas pending underground disposal. Meanwhile, the comment period on a separate WIPP issue, where the state of New Mexico is seeking to […]

Underground operations at the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico are being suspended until probably mid-August, DOE told the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) this week. WIPP, the nation’s only deep disposal site for defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste, is pausing underground emplacement while it repairs a pair of hoists. In […]

Transuranic (TRU) waste shipments to the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M. were cut short in May, after issues with both of the facility’s hoists led to a temporary shutdown. Prior to the shutdown, WIPP received 23 TRU waste shipments in May, according to the facility’s receipt database. By comparison, […]

Transuranic (TRU) waste shipments to the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M. were cut short in May, after issues with both of the facility’s hoists led to a temporary shutdown.  Prior to the shutdown, WIPP received 23 TRU waste shipments in May, according to the facility’s receipt database. By comparison, […]

Underground operations at the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico are being suspended until probably mid-August, DOE told the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) this week. WIPP, the nation’s only deep disposal site for defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste, is pausing underground emplacement while it repairs a pair of hoists. In […]

The state of New Mexico has rejected the latest hazardous waste permit renewal application for the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, citing among other things deficiencies related to oversight of PFAS, sometimes called “forever chemicals.”  Concerns over explosive waste treatment operations and legacy waste management, were also cited by the New Mexico Environment […]

Stevan Pearce, a former Republican congressman who represented the area around the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), was confirmed by the Senate last month to be director of the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Pearce was among a large bloc of GOP nominees narrowly confirmed by the Senate 46-to-43 on […]

The Washington, D.C.-based Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) said this week there is no need for New Mexico to revamp the latest state permit for the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M., only two years after it was issued. “It is important to continue and accelerate shipping TRU ]transuranic] waste from […]

Stevan Pearce, a former Republican congressman who represented the area around the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), was confirmed by the Senate last month to be director of the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Pearce was among a large bloc of GOP nominees narrowly confirmed by the Senate 46-to-43 on […]

The governing board for Benton County, Wash., home to the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site, has urged New Mexico officials not to restrict interstate shipments of transuranic waste to DOE’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M. “The Benton County Board of Commissioners writes to express our concern that the draft permit modification for […]

The governing board for Benton County, Wash., home to the Department of Energy’s Hanford Site, has urged New Mexico officials not to restrict interstate shipments of transuranic waste to DOE’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, N.M. “The Benton County Board of Commissioners writes to express our concern that the draft permit modification for […]

Shipments to the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) appear to be back in full swing, with the facility receiving 55 waste shipments in April.  That’s the highest total since the 61 shipments of defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste that WIPP received in September 2025. It was also higher than the 47 it received […]

Shipments to the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) appear to be back in full swing, with the facility receiving 55 waste shipments in April.  That’s the highest total since the 61 shipments of defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste that WIPP received in September 2025. It was also higher than the 47 it received […]

Shipments to the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) appear to be back in full swing, with the facility receiving 55 waste shipments in April.  That’s the highest total since the 61 shipments of defense-related transuranic (TRU) waste that WIPP received in September 2025. It was also higher than the 47 it received […]

The Department of Energy said Tuesday the Idaho National Laboratory recently made its first shipment of remote-handled transuranic (TRU) waste to DOE’s underground disposal site in New Mexico for the first time since 2014. Workers from Amentum-led contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition made the remote-handled transuranic waste shipment on April 21, according to DOE. The shipments […]

The Department of Energy said Tuesday the Idaho National Laboratory recently made its first shipment of remote-handled transuranic (TRU) waste to DOE’s underground disposal site in New Mexico for the first time since 2014. Workers from Amentum-led contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition made the remote-handled transuranic waste shipment on April 21, according to DOE. The shipments […]

The Department of Energy said Tuesday the Idaho National Laboratory recently made its first shipment of remote-handled transuranic (TRU) waste to DOE’s underground disposal site in New Mexico for the first time since 2014. Workers from Amentum-led contractor Idaho Environmental Coalition made the remote-handled transuranic waste shipment on April 21, according to DOE. The shipments […]

During a public meeting Tuesday in Carlsbad, N.M., most local residents voiced support for current operations of the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and argued a state agency’s proposal to modify WIPP’s permit is unnecessary. Further, most said if the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) thinks too few shipments of legacy transuranic […]

Carlsbad, N.M. — A proposed overhaul of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) hazardous waste permit drew mixed reactions at Tuesday’s community forum, with stakeholders clashing over whether the changes would ease or create a bottleneck in federal cleanup efforts. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is proposing revisions that would require DOE to prioritize […]

Carlsbad, N.M. — A proposed overhaul of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) hazardous waste permit drew mixed reactions at Tuesday’s community forum, with stakeholders clashing over whether the changes would ease or create a bottleneck in federal cleanup efforts. The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is proposing revisions that would require DOE to prioritize […]

During a public meeting Tuesday in Carlsbad, N.M., most local residents voiced support for current operations of the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and argued a state agency’s proposal to modify WIPP’s permit is unnecessary. Further, most said if the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) thinks too few shipments of legacy transuranic […]

A North Wind Group company said this week it has landed a share of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers business worth $275 million. North Wind Site Services said in an April 27 news release it has been awarded a seat on the Corps’ Northwestern Division Regional Pre-Placed Remedial Action Contract Multiple Award Task Order Contract […]

During a public meeting Tuesday in Carlsbad, N.M., most local residents voiced support for current operations of the Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and argued a state agency’s proposal to modify WIPP’s permit is unnecessary. Further, most said if the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) thinks too few shipments of legacy transuranic […]

Here are events related to nuclear matters that Exchange Monitor staff are tracking:  APRIL: 28: Meeting: The Department of Energy and its Bechtel-led prime for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) host a community meeting starting at noon Mountain Time at the Skeen-Whitlock Building, Wendell Weart Auditorium, 4021 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, NM.  27-29: Conference: […]

In the latest sign of friction between the state of New Mexico and the Department of Energy, a state agency Thursday proposed restrictive changes to the hazardous waste permit for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad. Among other things the draft permit changes announced by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) would set […]

Here are events related to nuclear matters that Exchange Monitor staff are tracking:  APRIL: 20: Conference: The Nuclear in New Mexico Conference presented by the Clean Energy Association of New Mexico gets underway starting at 9 a.m. Mountain Time at the Hyatt Regency Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.  21: Conference: The Energy Communities Alliance sponsors […]