The Trump administration appears to be backtracking on plans to end the lease for a Department of Energy office in Carlsbad, N.M., which manages the country’s only underground nuclear waste storage site.
Rachel Frazin reports for The Hill.
In short:
- The Department of Government Efficiency listed the Carlsbad office lease among 748 federal leases set for termination.
- Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) said Energy Secretary Chris Wright assured him the office will remain open.
- The General Services Administration said it is reviewing federal space needs but did not comment on the specific case.
Key quote:
“This week, @RepGabeVasquez, @SenatorLujan, and I demanded that the Carlsbad DOE office and [Waste Isolation Pilot Plant] stay open. I’m pleased to announce that on my call with Secretary Wright, he promised they will.”
— Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)
Why this matters:
The Carlsbad office oversees the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, a critical site for storing defense-related nuclear waste. While the lease cancellation wouldn’t have affected the waste site itself, it raised concerns about federal cost-cutting measures potentially disrupting key environmental and security functions. This is not the first time the administration has reversed a decision after initial pushback; the reversal underscores the tension between federal budget constraints and the need to maintain robust oversight of critical environmental and national security operations. WIPP’s continued operation remains a point of concern for local communities, environmental groups, and policymakers, who argue that any changes to its management could have long-term consequences for nuclear waste disposal and safety.
Related: Engineers grapple with building nuclear waste storage that lasts 100,000 years
