By Abbas Nazil
The New Mexico Environment Department has issued three compliance orders against the United States Department of Energy, imposing a combined $16 million in penalties over delays in cleaning up radioactive and hazardous waste linked to nuclear weapons production at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
The enforcement actions were announced on Wednesday and reflect the state’s growing frustration with what officials described as a long-standing lack of urgency in addressing legacy contamination at the laboratory.
In addition to the fines, the state agency informed federal authorities of its intention to overhaul the operating permit for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico.
The proposed permit modification is aimed at prioritizing the disposal of radioactive waste generated at Los Alamos, ensuring that long-delayed cleanup materials are moved more quickly to permanent storage.
State environmental officials said the measures are necessary to accelerate progress on sites that have remained contaminated for decades.
The compliance orders focus on several major problem areas, including the spread of hexavalent chromium contamination in groundwater and the stalled cleanup of Material Disposal Area C, a site containing buried hazardous and radioactive waste.
The chromium plume, which has migrated through groundwater near Los Alamos, has raised serious concerns about long-term environmental and public health risks.
The Environment Department said the Department of Energy has repeatedly failed to meet cleanup milestones and timelines previously agreed upon.
According to the agency, continued delays threaten surrounding communities and undermine efforts to protect water resources and ecosystems in northern New Mexico.
Officials emphasized that the state has attempted for years to work cooperatively with federal agencies to speed up remediation efforts.
However, they said enforcement action became necessary after progress remained slow and commitments were not fulfilled.
The decision to revisit the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant permit represents a rare and significant regulatory step intended to shift cleanup priorities.
By restructuring the permit, the state hopes to ensure that legacy waste from Los Alamos is no longer sidelined in favor of other disposal projects.
Environmental advocates have long called for stronger oversight of cleanup operations at the nuclear laboratory, citing decades of contamination from Cold War-era weapons research.
The Department of Energy has previously argued that technical challenges and funding constraints have complicated cleanup efforts.
State officials counter that delays have persisted for far too long and that stronger accountability is essential to protect public health and the environment.
The latest actions signal a tougher stance by New Mexico regulators toward federal agencies responsible for managing nuclear waste.
They also highlight rising tensions between state authorities and the Department of Energy over the pace and priorities of environmental remediation.
With millions of dollars in penalties now imposed and regulatory changes underway, New Mexico is seeking to force faster progress on one of the nation’s most complex and long-running nuclear cleanup efforts.