Nuclear Lab Finally Gets Busted For Dirty Stormwater After Decade
Published Date: 1/17/2025
Notice
Summary
The EPA has decided that stormwater runoff from Los Alamos County, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory, is polluting local waters and must now follow Clean Water Act permit rules. This means local government and lab operators will need to manage their stormwater better to protect water quality. The new rules were finalized in December 2024 and could mean some new costs and efforts to keep water clean.
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Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Los Alamos Stormwater Now Needs NPDES Permits
On December 9, 2024, EPA Region 6 decided that stormwater runoff from the Los Alamos Urban Area and Los Alamos National Laboratory property in Los Alamos County and Santa Fe County, New Mexico is causing water quality violations and must have National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits under the Clean Water Act. Small municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) operators including the County of Los Alamos, the New Mexico Department of Transportation, and Los Alamos National Laboratory (including Triad National Security, LLC and DOE's NNSA) will be regulated and must manage stormwater to protect water quality, which could mean new costs and efforts to comply.
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