N.M. Senators: Labs Get Boost in Senate Spending Bill

Press Release

U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today said a spending bill working its way through the Senate contains a major boost for New Mexico's two national laboratories. The bill passed the Senate Appropriations Committee today and is ready for full Senate action.

As part of President Obama's commitment to the new START Treaty with Russia for a smaller safe and secure stockpile, the bill increases the National Nuclear Security Administration's stockpile budget to $7.01 billion - a 10 percent increase over this year's budget. Overall, the NNSA budget grew by 12 percent to $11.1 billion.

"The spending bill working its way through the Senate gives unprecedented support to Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories. President Obama has plans to shrink our stockpile deterrent, and that means the stockpile stewardship programs at our two labs will be more important than ever," Bingaman said.

"This bill recognizes the critical role Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories play in protecting our country in the face of today's changing national security threats," Udall said. "This funding further underscores the laboratories vital role in President Obama's long-term strategy for the national stockpile deterrent."

Sandia and LANL will share the funding increase in the following two key areas:

* a 36 percent jump in funding for Directed Stockpile Work, which is proposed to increase to a combined total of $951 million from the current combined level of $697 million; and

* a 23 percent increase in Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities, which is proposed to increase to $722 million from $593 million, this includes $30 million for the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center upgrade, which the President had proposed zeroing. Other items specifically include:

* $20 million for Los Alamos' TA-55 complex to ensure facilities continue to operate safely;
* $11 million for the Sandia test capability revitalization program to ensure our stockpile can operate safely in a wide range of environments; and
* $225 million for the Los Alamos Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement Facility.

This increase is part of an $36 billion five-year plan for the NNSA; over the next 10 years the Obama Administration projects investing $80 billion in ensuring the weapons complex (including Sandia and LANL) is state-of-the art and fully-capable of supporting a smaller safe and secure stockpile, thus reversing a trend of the prior administration, where the stockpile program was held essentially constant.

The 2011 budget request also contains a 22 percent increase, or more than $475 million in new funding, for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation activities throughout the Department of Energy.

Other highlights for New Mexico:
* Waste Isolation Pilot Plan- $230 million;
* LANL cleanup-$197 million;
* Navajo Electrification for installing solar panels in remote tribal locations- $900,000
* Technology Ventures Corporation - $500,000 for technology transfer

With regard to key water projects in New Mexico, the spending bill contains $10 million for the Navajo-Gallup pipeline for planning, design, and construction, and $2 million for the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System for design and construction of intake structure at Ute Reservoir for the Ute pipeline project. Both projects were authorized last year.

"Under this bill, we're off to a very good start in funding two major pipeline projects -Navajo-Gallup and Ute. It also sets aside millions more dollars to invest in other essential New Mexico water projects," Bingaman said.

"The Navajo-Gallup and Ute pipeline projects have been two top priorities for us over the past few years," Udall said. "This funding will bring us one step closer to providing area residents with a quality, adequate water supply, while also funding dozens of additional critical water projects across the state."

The bill also funds the following water projects through the Bureau of Reclamation:

Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Reuse -- $500,000 to continue progress on the water reuse project.

Animas-La Plata Project - $12,462,000 to continue progress on the project components that benefit New Mexico, including the Navajo Nation.

Carlsbad Project -- $4,780,000 for ongoing operations of the Carlsbad Project which benefits the Carlsbad Irrigation District.

Eastern New Mexico Investigations Program - $23,000 for planning associated with improved water management in the Pecos and Canadian River basins in Colfax, Mora, Harding, San Miguel, Quay, Guadalupe and DeBaca counties.

Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System - $2,000,000 for design and construction of intake structure at Ute Reservoir for the Ute pipeline project.

Jicarilla Apache Rural Water Project - $500,000 to continue to repair and replace the drinking water delivery and wastewater system on the Jicarilla Reservation.

Middle Rio Grande Project $650,000 + $25,745,000 to continue work on project operations relating to water delivery and continued participation in the Middle Rio Grande Endangered Species Act Collaborative Program.

Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project - $10.0 million for planning, design, and construction of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, including the Cutter Lateral Regional System and the Gallup Regional System.

Navajo Nation Investigations Program - $114,000 to support water supply planning efforts within the Navajo Nation in cooperation with other agencies.

Pecos River Basin Water Salvage Project - $485,000 for continued removal of invasive plants and for an analysis of the effects of such removal.

Rio Grande Project - $7,363,000 for the ongoing operations of the Rio Grande Project which benefits the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico.

San Juan River Basin Investigations Program -- $91,000 to support investigations involving the San Juan river basin water supplies.

Southern New Mexico/West Texas Inv. Program - $91,000 to analyze water supply options for irrigation and municipal uses in the Las Cruces, El Paso and Juarez areas.

Tucumcari Project - $41,000 for expenses associated with operation of Conchas Dam and Reservoir northwest of Tucumcari.

Upper Colorado River Operations Program - $252,000 to support the ongoing activities relating to management of the Colorado River system which benefits the San Juan Basin of New Mexico and the San Juan - Chama Project which serves water users such as the City of Albuquerque and Santa Fe and the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.

Upper Rio Grande Basin Investigations - $75,000 to support investigations involving the Rio Grande water supplies in coordination with the States of Colorado and New Mexico and other water users.

Corps of Engineers projects

Abiquiu Dam - $2,891,000 - for continued management activities at Abiquiu Dam and Reservoir.

Acequias Irrigation System - $2,770,000 to continue construction and rehabilitation work for acequias throughout the State.

Alamogordo - $4,200,000 to construct and repair diversion channels and prevent flood damage.

Central New Mexico (593) - $1,000,000 for construction projects in Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia Counties.

Cochiti Lake - $3,546,000 for continued management activities at Cochiti Lake.

Conchas Lake - $2,972,000 for continued management activities at Conchas Lake.

Galisteo Dam - $927,000 to operate and maintain Galisteo Dam.

Jemez Canyon Dam - $1,398,000 to operate and maintain Jemez Canyon Dam.

Middle Rio Grande ESA Collaborative Program -- $2,500,000

Middle Rio Grande Flood Protection, Bernalillo to Belen - $500,000 to repair and replace existing levees and create wetlands.

Rio Grande Basin, NM, CO & TX - $500,000 to improve water conveyance efficiencies and address ecosystem degradation and flooding throughout the Rio Grande Basin which includes over 160,000 square miles from Colorado, through New Mexico to Texas.

Rio Grande Floodway, San Acacia To Bosque Del Apache - $1,500,000 for maintenance and restoration of the Rio Grande floodway.
Santa Rosa Dam and Lake - $1,220,000 for operation and maintenance of Santa Rosa Dam and Lake.

Southwest Valley Albuquerque - $5,809,000 million to repair drains and prevent flooding in the South Valley of Albuquerque.

Two Rivers Dam - $601,000 for repairs and maintenance of the Two Rivers Dam in the Roswell area.

Upper Rio Grande Water Operations Model Study - $1,000,000 to continue work developing and utilizing the model to assist with Rio Grande operations.

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