A view of the Rio Grande in White Rock Canyon

A view of the Rio Grande in White Rock Canyon, where EM-LA’s cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos environmental professionals rafted a section of the drought-stricken river to collect water samples that assess whether historical LANL operations are impacting water quality.

The EM Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA) is dedicated to the cleanup of legacy contamination of radioactive and chemical materials and waste resulting from operations during the Manhattan Project and Cold War eras at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. EM-LA’s cleanup scope includes legacy waste remediation and disposition, soil and groundwater remediation, and deactivation and decommissioning of excess buildings and facilities.

Field Manager

After serving as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Safety, Security, and Quality Assurance, Mike Mikolanis will return to his role as assistant manager for nuclear material stabilization at the DOE-Savannah River Operations Office.

Michael Mikolanis, Manager

Budget

FY21 Enacted
(In the millions)		 FY22 Requested
(In the millions)
$226 $333.50

 

A geologist for EM-LA’s cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos assesses excavation of contaminated soil near one of LANL’s Cold War-era underground explosives firing chambers in Lower Water Canyon.
A geologist for EM-LA’s cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos assesses excavation of contaminated soil near one of LANL’s Cold War-era underground explosives firing chambers in Lower Water Canyon.

EM-LA News

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‘2021 Year in Review’ Highlights EM Cleanup Progress, Priorities
The Office of Environmental Management leveraged the results of years of successful work in 2021 to launch a new era for the U.S. Department of Energy’s cleanup mission, all while continuing to manage the challenging conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 30, 2021
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Baker Details Ambitious Effort to Remedy Environmental, Energy Injustice
DOE, including the EM site in Los Alamos, New Mexico, is playing a key role in an administration campaign to foster justice and benefit traditionally underserved communities, a top DOE official said at the 2021 National Cleanup Workshop.
December 21, 2021
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Los Alamos Continues Groundwater Sampling Along Rio Grande Amid Drought
The EM Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA) has been able to navigate shallow sections of the Rio Grande and its tributaries to sample for contaminants despite unseasonably low water levels this year.
November 23, 2021
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Los Alamos Establishes New Processing Line to Remediate Liquid Low-Level Waste
The EM Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA) and cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT Los Alamos (N3B) are using a new processing line to stabilize and remove excess liquid low-level radioactive waste containers at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
November 2, 2021
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