Water Quality
Water quality of the Rio Grande has been THE focus of the design process. Water quality is at the heart of the design of every water treatment plant that diverts surface water and produces drinking water that meets all federal and state standards and regulatory requirements. The PowerPoint presentation that was presented at the Water Quality Town Hall on Aug. 26, 2008 summarizes the water quality issues for the Buckman Direct Diversion. It shows how these issues and concerns have been addressed. A recently completed New Mexico Environment Department Study found that the BDD will be constructed in sediments that are free of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) contaminants.
The six year process for preparation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and the Record of Decision by two federal agencies examined the issue of contamination from Los Alamos National Laboratory in detail. A host of other state and federal regulatory agencies were involved. The EIS evaluation considered historic data and detailed evaluations of contaminants in the Rio Grande, risk analyses following the Cerro Grande fire when the transportation of contaminants to the Rio Grande increased, and recent studies of the LANL contamination issue by NMED’s Department of Energy Oversight Bureau.
Three entities, each of whom was actively engaged during the entire EIS process, appealed the Record of Decision. The appeal to the Forest Service Regional Office was filed in March 2008. The Buckman Direct Diversion Board project manager sent a detailed letter to the Appeal Deciding Officer to provide the Board’s perspective on the issues raised by the appellants. The Forest Service affirmed the decision on April 25, 2008.
The same three entities also appealed the Record of Decision to the Department of the Interior, Board of Land Appeals in March 2008. The Board of Land Appeals affirmed the decision and dismissed the appeal on July 10, 2008.