Take Action Now: Stop Toxic Waste in Our Water and Radioactive Gas in Our Air

We're standing at a critical moment for New Mexico's future.

Across the state, young people and frontline communities are organizing to protect our lands, air, water, and health – and it's making a huge impact. But the fight is far from over. From a proposed rule that would allow oil and gas to dump their toxic waste problem onto our communities, to Los Alamos National Lab's plans to release radioactive tritium gas into our air, our political leaders and state institutions are still siding with polluters over the people.

Read on for two important calls to action from YUCCA and our allies – and take action to join us in the fight to defend our future.

CALL TO ACTION: PACK THE MAY 13TH WATER QUALITY CONTROL COMMISSION HEARING!

Over the past few weeks, we've kept you updated on the Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC)'s debate of an alarming proposed rule that would allow the oil and gas industry to dump toxic liquid fracking waste (otherwise known as "produced water") into our groundwater – without real safety standards or public input on pilot projects.

We've been fighting back against this rule since last summer, when we joined our allies to deliver over 1,000 signatures to the Governor and the New Mexico Environment Department. Together, we won a key victory during the Commission's hearing last month when the WQCC prohibited the use of produced water for industrial and demonstration projects. 

But the fight isn't over.

The rule still allows pilot projects to discharge up to 2,000 barrels of treated waste into our groundwater even though standards for quality are non-existent. Even worse, so-called “closed loop” pilot projects can move forward under a flimsy “Notice of Intent” procedure without public input or opposition, despite evidence that these projects can spill toxic waste during operations.

Fracking waste is dangerous – full of toxic chemicals, radioactive materials, and other harmful substances. Experts have made it clear that we do not have the science or the technology to treat this waste safely – and discharging it into our water would put the health and wellbeing of our lands, waters, and communities at risk.

Instead of listening to the science, the Commission is still pushing forward – but we have one last chance to stop this.

📢 On Tuesday, May 13th at 9:00 am, WQCC will reconvene for a final vote on the proposed rule. YUCCA and our allies at Defend NM Water will be showing up at the State Capitol in Room 322 – and we need you with us to help us pack the room and show our collective power!

Show up, bring signs, and send a resounding message to the WQCC: No discharge of fracking waste! ✊

SIGN THE PETITION: STOP LANL FROM POISONING OUR AIR AND WATER WITH RADIOACTIVE TRITIUM GAS!

🚨 Los Alamos National Laboratory is planning to release 100,000 curies of radioactive tritium gas into our air over the span of a few days – three times the amount that Japan is dumping into the Pacific over 30 years as a result of the tsunami & nuclear reactor explosions at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. 🚨

The only thing stopping them? In order to proceed with venting tritium gas, LANL needs a "Temporary Authorization" from the New Mexico Environment Department, which is expected to be approved in the coming days.

There is no safe level of exposure to tritium, which is extremely dangerous when inhaled and has been shown to cause cancer, genetic mutations, birth defects, and a host of other adverse health impacts. Just one teaspoon of tritiated water will contaminate 100 billion gallons.

To make matters worse, independent scientific reports commissioned by our friends at Tewa Women United indicate that venting the concentration of tritium found in the most loaded of LANL's four radioactive containers during unfavorable weather conditions could lead to radiation doses that significantly exceed the annual regulatory limit set by the EPA.

In addition, infants and small children have a potential radiation exposure three times that of adults – a risk that LANL's compliance calculations fail to take into account.

We need all hands on deck to stop this.

That's why YUCCA is joining our friends at Tewa Women United, Nuclear Watch New Mexico, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, and Communities for Clean Water to sign onto their petition calling on Governor Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Environment Department to deny LANL's request to vent radioactive tritium into the air.

Sign on to the petition today and spread the word – together, we can stop this.

SIGN ON TO THE PETITION TODAY