Welcome to the Department of Energy (DOE) Oversight Bureau (DOE-OB) of the New Mexico Environment Department.

Our mission is to ensure that activities at DOE facilities in New Mexico are managed and controlled in a manner that is protective of public health and safety and the environment.

The mission

The mission is achieved through four primary objectives:

• Assessing U.S. DOE management of its New Mexico facilities to ensure attainment of public health and environmental standards
• Providing inputs to DOE for prioritization of its cleanup and compliance activities
• Developing and implementing an independent monitoring and oversight program
• Increasing public knowledge and awareness of environmental matters at DOE facilities in New Mexico

In order to meet these objectives, the DOE Oversight Bureau continues to develop and implement vigorous monitoring and assessment programs at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM), the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), and areas surrounding these facilities. These programs include both joint and independent evaluations for environmental and public health protection of all media, including air, soils and sediments, groundwater, and surface water.

The focus of these evaluations is on the potential contaminant levels of heavy metals, organic and inorganic compounds, and radionuclides.

The DOE-OB activities are funded through a grant from the U.S. DOE in accordance with the provisions set forth in the site specific protocols between the State of New Mexico and the U.S. DOE.