Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) — State regulators have fined the U.S. Department of Energy $420,000 for what they say is flawed hazardous waste storage at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Environment Department wrote in a notice of violation to federal on-site managers stating, the Los Alamos Field Office is responsible for three sets of violations involving waste kept in outdoor areas without adequate weather protection. Scott Kovac, Nuclear Watch New Mexico’s operations director, said having storage defects linger for 18 months after state inspectors first uncovered them indicates waste management is a lesser concern at the lab. Adding, federal entities can pay fines from their waste management funds, which not only softens the blow of a penalty, but also leaves less money for actual cleanup.
