WIPP Stakeholder Engagement
EPA’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) oversight team considers public input when making decisions regarding recertification, approval of waste generator sites for shipment, and any decision to modify, suspend or revoke certification. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) staff often participate in stakeholder engagement alongside EPA.
For questions or additional information, please email radiation.questions@epa.gov.
On this page:
- Replacement Waste Panels 11 & 12 (2023-2024)
- WIPP Recertification (2019)
- Panel Closure Redesign (2014)
- Compliance Certification of WIPP (1998)
Replacement Waste Panels 11 & 12
August 2024 Stakeholder Meetings: Approval of the WIPP Planned Change Request for Replacement Panels 11 and 12
EPA held informal public meetings in Carlsbad and Santa Fe, New Mexico in August 2024 to provide the public with background on DOE’s planned change request (PCR) and to give the public the opportunity to raise any technical issues that EPA should consider in its decision. EPA received and addressed public comments relevant to the 12-panel Performance Assessment (PA) calculations submitted by DOE to support the PCR.
Recordings
- Monday, August 26, 2024 - Carlsbad Field Office, 1:00 PM - 3:00PM, WIPP Stakeholder Meeting Webinar Recording - Carlsbad (via YouTube)
- Wednesday, August 28, 2024 – Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM, WIPP Stakeholder Meeting Webinar Recording - Santa Fe Session 1 (via YouTube)
- Wednesday, August 28, 2024 – Santa Fe, New Mexico, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, WIPP Stakeholder Meeting Webinar Recording - Santa Fe Session 2 (via YouTube)
Presentations
- EPA Presentation (R. Lee and J. Santillan): Stakeholder Meeting on the WIPP Planned Change Request (pdf) (811.04 KB)
- DOE Presentation (A. Ward): Understanding the RPPCR PA: Inherent Conservatisms (Long Brief) (pdf) (1.9 MB)
- DOE Presentation (A. Ward): Understanding the RPPCR PA: Inherent Conservatisms (Abbreviated Brief) (pdf) (1.29 MB)
- DOE Presentation (S. Burnell): Summary of Changes to WIPP Performance Assessment for the Replacement Panels Planned Change Request (pdf) (1.95 MB)
December 2023 Informal Virtual Public Meeting: Upcoming Planned Change Request for Additional Panels
On Thursday, December 7, 2023, EPA held an informal, virtual public meeting with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) to provide information and discuss DOE’s planned change request for additional panels in the WIPP repository. The purpose of this meeting was to provide an early preview of the PCR. DOE presented a very general, high-level overview of what to expect in their future submission, and both EPA and DOE used this opportunity to gather preliminary questions, comments and feedback.
Recording
DISCLAIMER: Please note that due to technical difficulties, the first few minutes of the recording—including the opening remarks and introduction by EPA—were unrecoverable.
Presentations
- EPA Presentation (R. Lee, J. Santillan): Upcoming Planned Change Request for Additional Panels in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. (pdf) (636.23 KB)
- DOE Presentation (K. Day): Overview of Plan Change Request for the Use of Replacement Panels 11 and 12). (pdf) (607.07 KB)
- DOE Presentation (S. Brunell): Summary of Changes to WIPP Performance Assessment for the Replacement Panels Planned Change Request. (pdf) (1.92 MB)
WIPP 2019 Recertification: Informal Virtual Public Meeting
On August 17, 2021, EPA held an informal, virtual public meeting to provide information and discuss DOE’s 2019 WIPP Compliance Recertification Application (CRA) and recertification process. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the 2019 WIPP CRA, any significant changes at the facility since the previous recertification, as well as gather questions and comments from the public pertaining to recertification.
Slides and Summary of Key Issues
- Slideshow presented by EPA providing the introduction for the Informational Virtual Public Meeting, as well as a summary of key issues identified by the agency in reviewing the DOE’s 2019 WIPP CRA: WIPP Compliance Recertification Application: Virtual Public Meeting (pdf) (1.05 MB, August 17, 2021)
- Slideshow presented by Sarah Brunell of Sandia National Laboratories explaining the summary of changes to the performance assessment calculations in the DOE’s 2019 WIPP CRA: Summary of Changes to Performance Assessment for the 2019 WIPP Compliance Recertification Application (pdf) (1.64 MB, August 17, 2021)
- Slideshow presented by EPA covering general WIPP issues not related to the 2019 CRA. A focus was given on EPA’s April 2021 letter to DOE, which contained comments on several future WIPP issues: EPA WIPP Virtual Public Meeting: April 2021 Letter from EPA to DOE on Future Expectations (pdf) (753.06 KB, August 17, 2021)
- Letter from EPA to DOE on April 20, 2021 with comments, expectations and recommendations from the agency to the DOE on several future WIPP issues: EPA Letter/L. Veal to DOE/R. Knerr Regarding Future Expectations on WIPP Issues (pdf) (270.82 KB, April 20, 2021).
- Letter from DOE to EPA on August 12, 2021 with responses to the future WIPP issues raised by EPA in its April 20, 2021 letter: DOE Letter/R. Knerr to EPA/L. Veal Responding to April 20, 2021 Correspondence (pdf) (163.01 KB, August 12, 2021)
Panel Closure Redesign 2014
EPA held two public meetings in New Mexico in 2014 related to the Agency's proposed rule regarding U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) panel closure redesign planned change request. The purpose of these meetings was to gather comments from members of the public on the proposed rulemaking and to provide a facilitated forum for clarifying questions. Staff from DOE and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) were in attendance.
There were also two informal public meetings held in Carlsbad and Albuquerque, NM in 2012 to get preliminary comments and input from members of the public in advance of the rulemaking and its associated public meetings. Staff from DOE and NMED were on hand to answer questions.
Meeting notes from all four meetings are available in Docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0684.
Compliance Certification of WIPP 1998: Public Hearings and Comments
The following documents are official transcripts from public hearings and proceedings held in New Mexico regarding the certification of the WIPP.
- Public Comment on Certification of Waste Isolation Pilot Project (Carlsbad, NM, January 5, 1997) (pdf)
- Public Hearing Transcripts from Carlsbad, NM (January 6, 1998) (pdf)
- Public Hearing Transcripts from Albuquerque, NM (January 7, 1998) (pdf)
- Public Hearing Transcripts from Albuquerque, NM (January 8, 1998) (pdf)
- Public Hearing Transcripts from Santa Fe, NM (January 8, 1998) (pdf)
- Public Hearing Transcripts from Santa Fe, NM (January 9, 1998) (pdf)
- Public Hearing Transcript from Santa Fe, NM (September 24, 2002) (pdf)
- Public Hearing Transcript from Santa Fe, NM (September 25, 2002) (pdf)
Evaluation of EPA's Public Outreach Program during the 1998 Compliance Certification Process
EPA contracted with Phoenix Environmental and EnviroIssues to evaluate the effectiveness of our public outreach program during the 1998 certification of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad, NM.