INSIDE THIS ISSUE: LANL NRDA Public Comment Period The Ecological Health of Scared Area Kids Planet MISSION STATEMENT The mission of DECP is to preserve and protect the natural environment and the cultural resources of the Pueblo de San Ildefonso, to assess risks to human health and welfare, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and protect the health and welfare of the Tribal community. Pueblo de San Ildefonso Environmental & Cultural Preservation San Ildefonso is on the Trustee Council for the LANL Natural Re- source Damage Assessment (NRDA). This effort gives the Pueblo a voice in the restoration of Tribal Resources damaged by releases of hazardous substances from LANL. Under NRDA regulations, “restoration” may take many forms, including, but not limited to, monetary compensation. Our major effort this year is a Draft “Damage Assessment Plan”, which evaluates the impacts of releases of hazardous substances on natural resources and the services provided by those resources. In other words, this Plan will try to figure out what hazardous sub- stances have been released from LANL, and what effects any of these substances have had on the natural resources (e.g. plants, animals, soils, waters, etc) of the Tribe. Note that this is different from the ongoing “remediation” activities at LANL, which address human health. An important aspect of NRDA is public participation. Perhaps the most powerful tool available to Tribal Members is the opportunity to read and comment on this plan. The easiest way to do this is to download the plan at www.lanlnrda.org . The public comment pe- riod for the Draft Damage Assessment Plan began November 14, 2013. Comments must be submitted in writing by January 13, 2014 at 5:00 p.m. either via e-mail to [email protected]or via mail to: LANL NRDA PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Michael Chacon, Technical Reviewer/QA Manager New Mexico Office of Natural Resources Trustee 4910-A Alameda Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87113 Continued on next page... View the DECP Newsletter online at sanipueblo.org
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MISSION STATEMENT LANL NRDA PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODThe Ecological Health of Scared Area Kids Planet ... These insects are native to the piñon-juniper woodlands and ponderosa pine forests
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INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
LANL NRDA
Public Comment
Period
The Ecological
Health of
Scared Area
Kids Planet
MISSION STATEMENT The mission of DECP is to preserve and protect the natural environment and the cultural resources of the Pueblo de San Ildefonso, to assess risks to human health and welfare, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and protect the health and welfare of the Tribal community.
Pueblo de San Ildefonso Environmental & Cultural Preservation
San Ildefonso is on the Trustee Council for the LANL Natural Re-
source Damage Assessment (NRDA). This effort gives the Pueblo a
voice in the restoration of Tribal Resources damaged by releases of
hazardous substances from LANL. Under NRDA regulations,
“restoration” may take many forms, including, but not limited to,
monetary compensation.
Our major effort this year is a Draft “Damage Assessment Plan”,
which evaluates the impacts of releases of hazardous substances
on natural resources and the services provided by those resources.
In other words, this Plan will try to figure out what hazardous sub-
stances have been released from LANL, and what effects any of
these substances have had on the natural resources (e.g. plants,
animals, soils, waters, etc) of the Tribe. Note that this is different
from the ongoing “remediation” activities at LANL, which address
human health.
An important aspect of NRDA is public participation. Perhaps the
most powerful tool available to Tribal Members is the opportunity to
read and comment on this plan. The easiest way to do this is to
download the plan at www.lanlnrda.org. The public comment pe-
riod for the Draft Damage Assessment Plan began November 14,
2013. Comments must be submitted in writing by January 13,
These insects are native to the piñon-juniper woodlands and ponderosa pine forests of the South-
west, normally attacking only a small number of diseased or weakened trees. A healthy tree is
typically able to defend against a bark beetle attack by pushing the beetles out with sap. The
drought has left many trees with little ability to defend against bark beetle attacks. Additionally,
the high tree densities of southwestern forests have contributed to weaker trees due to competi-
tion for water and resources. The last major outbreak of these bark beetles in the southwest oc-
curred during the 1950’s drought2.
1 https://www2.ucar.edu/atmosnews/opinion/9366/bark-beetle-blues 2 http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r3/forest-grasslandhealth/insects-diseases/?cid=STELPRDB5228457 3 Tony Heller; (Santa Fe New Mexican, 8/13/13) is currently living in northern Colorado. He grew up in Los Alamos and worked as a geologist at Los Alamos National Laboratory for
several years. One of his hobbies is studying climate history. 4 2012 State of the Climate Report
Keep in mind, this is one year’s data. If you study climate data for any time period longer than this,
the reality of climate change is irrefutable.
To summarize, Sacred Area, and all lands of the Pueblo de San Ildefonso, have been affected by
these influences. Chromium in water hundreds of feet underground is not causing the real or per-
ceived ecological health problems. Of course, Chromium in water is not a good thing, but DECP is
working with The Dept. of Energy (DOE) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to protect, and
when necessary clean up, the precious natural resources of the Pueblo de San Ildefonso.
Drought We are currently in a severe drought, which has had an adverse impact on the trees, and all plant
and animal life in Sacred Area, New Mexico, and the Southwest. The bad news is that what we
now think of as drought may actually be normal, based on historical patterns:
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), New Mexico
was in near continuous drought from 1946 to 1972, and that drought was more intense than
the current four-year drought.
From 1900 to 1912, New Mexico was in near-continuous severe drought.
According to NOAA, the period from 1978 to 1996 was the wettest in New Mexico history.
Climate Change
Climate change is happening, and on a global scale, so it is combining with severe drought and
bark beetles to have a negative effect on the health of Sacred Area. If you have any doubts re-
garding climate change, study these facts from NOAA for the year 2012:
Global average ocean surface temperature was higher than the 1981–2010 average and
has been for at least a decade.
Surface temperatures for 2012 were 8th to 9th warmest since records began in mid‐to late
1800s.
There were record warm permafrost temperatures in the Alaskan Arctic and Canadian Archi-
pelago alongside ongoing warming and increasing Active Layer Thickness.
Preliminary data suggests that 2012 will be the 22nd consecutive year of negative glacier
mass balance.
Surface temperatures in the Arctic are increasing at a rate about two times faster than the
rest of the world.
Global mean carbon dioxide (CO2) reached 392.6 parts per million (ppm), a 2.1 ppm in-
crease from 2011.
Global mean methane (CH4) reached 1808.5 parts per billion (ppb), a 5.1 ppb increase since
2011.
Raymond Martinez
Interim Director
Michael Chacon
Technical Reviewer/
QA Manager
Erin Martinez
Administrative Assistant
Noah Kaniatobe
GPS\GIS Technician
Eric Archuleta
Database Manager
Ken Wilhem
Water Quality Program
Manager
Alexander King
Water Quality Technician
Bryan Montoya Cultural Resources Advisor/
WIPP Coordinator
Pueblo de San Ildefonso
02 Tunyo Po
Santa Fe, NM 87506
Phone:
(505) 455-2273
Fax:
(505) 455-1120
DECP STAFF
DECP NEWS—Fall 2013 Page 4
We know better, don’t we? All the items listed here are examples of things we use everyday that we can reuse over and over and over and over and over (well, you get the idea). See how many of the items you can find in the word search below. Circle each word you find!
Can you believe that some people think the only thing you can reuse is your toothbrush?
Tin Cans-Repainted and decorated for holiday vase
CD/DVD Cases– Used
to hold your ribbons. That’s clever!
Plastic Bags– An
Outdoor Pillow!! Wow!
Look at the many ways to REUSE everyday and during the holidays.