Laboratory staff no longer will provide upkeep for NEWNET equipment other than the pueblo stations. The stations require very little maintenance and were designed to be self-sufficient. Most NEWNET stations are equipped to monitor wind speed and direction, ambient air temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity and ionizing gamma radiation. The NEWNET stations on pueblo lands will be operated for educational purposes by a collaboration of the pueblo environment departments and the participants in the Northern New Mexico Community College Certificate in Environmental Monitoring program.
The laboratory uses better systems to monitor radiation and radioactivity in the atmosphere. The two primary systems, which are used for regulatory compliance and surveillance, are AIRNET and Direct Penetrating Radiation or DPRNET. Environmental measurements in Los Alamos and surrounding communities have been performed for more than 30 years with AIRNET and DPRNET systems.
"These monitoring systems are in place to confirm the safety of our operations," said Beverly Ramsey, leader of the laboratory's Risk Reduction and Environmental Stewardship Division, "and allow us to ensure our operations are safe not only for our employees but also for the communities in which we live and work."
AIRNET is a very accurate and precise monitoring system that measures alpha, beta and gamma radioactivity. Currently, there are approximately 50 AIRNET stations; most are located at the laboratory and in Los Alamos County. In addition, there are two in Santa Fe, two at neighboring pueblos, one in Espaola, and one in El Rancho. Samples from AIRNET are sent to independent, off-site analytical laboratories for analysis, and the final air concentration data are available to the public at http://www.airquality.lanl.gov/index.htm online. The analytical processes required to obtain the high accuracy and precision of the AIRNET system results in the data being available between 60 and 90 days after the sampling period.
The laboratory's primary concern for atmospheric releases includes transuranic radionuclides such as plutonium, americium, and tritium, which are more effectively monitored by AIRNET.
DPRNET is also an accurate and precise monitoring system, measuring gamma and neutron radiation. Currently, there are approximately 100 DPRNET monitoring locations; most are located at the laboratory and in Los Alamos County, one in Santa Fe, two at neighboring pueblos, one in Espaola, and one in El Rancho. The on-site Department of Energy Laboratory Analytical Program (DOELAP) certified laboratory analyzes samples from these networks; the final dose data are available to the public at http://www.airquality.lanl.gov/index.htm online. Data from this system are available approximately 60 days after the sampling period.
The NEWNET system consists of 20 stations: 14 located in Los Alamos County, four in neighboring pueblos, one at the Northern New Mexico Community College in Espaola and one at the New Mexico School for the Deaf in Santa Fe. Measurements from these stations are available to the public in near real-time at http://newnet.lanl.gov online. However, these measurements are not used by the laboratory for regulatory compliance or environmental surveillance. The NEWNET system, originally developed for use at the Nevada Test Site, was deployed locally in 1995.
"The money required to fully fund NEWNET is not available in the FY04 budget, especially when viewed against the priorities for meeting regulatory requirements," Ramsey said. Although NEWNET is not a key element of the Laboratory's environmental surveillance program, it is an important element of the pueblo environmental technical certification program as a training tool for environmental radiation measurements. Therefore, collaboration between the pueblos and the Laboratory using NEWNET will continue. In addition, DOE headquarters continues to provide funding to support Alaska NEWNET stations and the NEWNET Web site.
Ramsey said additional funding for Northern New Mexico NEWNET was pursued from other sources both within the laboratory and from outside sponsors. However, no alternative funding source was identified.
"We will continue to work with the Oversight Bureau on environmental monitoring at the laboratory," Ramsey concluded, "and we remain firmly committed to public communication through the Citizens' Advisory Board and other public organizations established for that purpose."
Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.
Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear deterrent, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to defense, energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and Washington Group International for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.