The U.S. Energy Department has found that a proposed biological weapons laboratory at the Los Alamos National Laboratory complex would have no significant impact on the environment, the Associated Press reported yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 16).

Energy’s findings are “an important step forward” in the construction of a biosafety level-3 facility at Los Alamos, said Jill Trewhella, head of the biological science division at the laboratory. 

Corey Cruz, acting director of Energy’s Los Alamos operations office, said he issued the department’s findings after a review of an environmental assessment, other U.S. biosafety level-3 facilities and public comments.

“I’m convinced at this point we can do it safely and securely,” Cruz said.

The proposed project would construct a building housing two biosafety level-3 laboratories and a biosafety level-2 facility at Los Alamos, according to the AP.  A biosafety level-3 laboratory would allow researchers to work with live pathogens such as anthrax.  Construction of the new facility could be authorized by Oct. 1, Cruz said. 

Opponents of the proposed facility criticized the department’s findings, saying they were concerned about the risks to the community and the lack of scrutiny the laboratory would face by virtue of being at a secretive nuclear weapon facility.

“We feel that the decision of ‘no significant impact’ is precipitous, hasty and unwise,” Peace Action New Mexico Director Peggy Prince said.

Energy “has failed to address issues of security against terrorism, worker and public safety and methods for training local emergency response personnel who would be forced to respond should there be an accident at the facility,” according to Colin King, research director for Nuclear Watch of New Mexico (Sue Major Holmes, Associated Press, March 4).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top