APPENDIX WIPP
|
Gaston and Richards know the WIPP site intimately. It was Bob Gaston’s
territory when he did seismographic work for the oil industry, and they
have spent countless hours exploring the region.
They have been advocates of the area for many years and have taken
more than 15 groups on the “Bob and Betty tour,” which includes
portions of a five-mile karst nature trail. Groups have included
other international delegations, such as a recent group from Japan.
For the Mexican delegation, “karst” was a word that had tour guides
momentarily puzzled as they tried to come up with a Spanish equivalent.
Long a focus of environmental groups, karst refers to underground
erosion, caverns and subsidence formed as salt is dissolved by water.
Southeastern New Mexico has one of the largest karst regions in the
world.
“Don’t give up on karst,” Janet Greenwald, a CARD representative on
the tour, remembered a scientist whispering to her at an early WIPP
hearing.
Groups such as CARD are concerned because underground karst channels
carry water quickly with little or no filtering of contaminants, which
makes it vulnerable to groundwater contamination.
If karst exists on the WIPP site itself, it could take over 100 years
for any escaped radioactive elements or hazardous chemicals to reach
the Pecos River, which is about 15 miles downslope from the site,
according to CARD scientists.
“If contaminated water gets in the Pecos, the people in Texas and
Mexico will suffer, and that’s wrong,” said Greenwald.
“It’s not if, but when,” added Betty Richards, who is interested in
conducting water sampling.
Lira was curious as to why the Carlsbad population had not openly
opposed the site if it would be a danger to Mexico.
“It’s dangerous to oppose WIPP here,” said Greenwald, noting reports
of job loss and ostracization, which would be more difficult for those
already disenfranchised. “There’s more risk here than up north.”
The federal Energy Department agrees there are karst features in
the area but has said they do not exist on the WIPP site, said
CARD representatives.
In its literature, the Energy Department notes the possibility for
radioactive elements to dissolve in the brine, or salt water, that
flows slowly around and into the repository.
2
|
|