2014-04 from Nuclear Information and Resource Center [http://www.nirs.org], posted at [http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5502/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=17253]:
Two months ago, something happened at the Department of Energy's Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico--something that resulted in a radiation release from deep under the earth that found its way outside the site, including the release of plutonium.
What that something was, however, remains unknown. Even though Department of Energy investigators have managed to enter WIPP in recent days (although not to the actual area where the release is believed to have occurred), there has been essentially zero publicly-released information on what happened or whether it could happen again, or conceivably whether something worse could happen.
The Department of Energy (DOE) is in charge of investigating what happened at WIPP. And it makes sense for them to conduct such an investigation--after all, it is responsible for the site.
But the DOE's track record--and trustworthiness--on radioactive waste issues is, at best, dismal. Even a fully transparent DOE investigation, and so far it has been far from transparent, would be suspect. Indeed, there remain far more unanswered questions than answered ones.
An independent investigation into what happened and what actions need to be taken to prevent a recurrence, or something worse, is needed. But that won't happen on its own; DOE is certainly not going to call for one.
So we're asking you to contact your Congressmembers and insist that an independent investigation to examine the WIPP travesty be formed.
