An Independent Assessment of the February 14,2014 Underground Radiation Release Event at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)
The data on these pages represent the final samples processed by CEMRC in response to the WIPP release event on February 14, 2014. All relevant CEMRC data will be found in this section.
- Exhaust Air Filter (FAS) station A and B data
- Hi Volume ambient air sampling data
- Surface water and sediment data
- Soil sample data
Release Event Articles
WIPP 700C fan restart test results show 1/10,000 radioactivity levels less than average household levels of natural radioactivity!
The initial test of the WIPP 700-C fan was conducted on Jan 31, 2021. During this test, CEMRC collected air particulate samples at the release point, and several other locations in the surrounding environment, to monitor for any radionuclide releases. The analysis of these samples is now complete and the results for both 24 hours...Continue Reading »700 C Fan Test Results
The initial four-hour test of the WIPP 700-C fan was conducted on Jan 31, 2021. During this test, CEMRC collected air particulate samples at the release point, and several other locations in the surrounding environment, to monitor for any radiological release that may occur during the test. The CEMRC has completed preliminary analyses of the...Continue Reading »WIPP false alarm of Station B radiological measurements confirmed by independent laboratory
Following last Tuesday’s false alarm at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center (CEMRC), a division of the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University, conducted both non-destructive gross alpha/beta screening and isotopic destructive analyses of a WIPP Station B exhaust air filter collected the morning of August...Continue Reading »Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center Expands Ambient Air Monitoring Program
Following the February 14, 2014 underground radiation release event at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), scientists at the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center (CEMRC) saw a need to expand their ambient air monitoring capabilities in order to provide additional information to area residents in the event of a future radiation release event. Historically,...Continue Reading »An Update on Lung and Whole Body Counting Activities
An Update on Lung and Whole Body Counting Activities on Area Residents Measured After the 2/14/14 WIPP Underground Radiation Event By: Dr. Russell Hardy The Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center (CEMRC) Internal Dosimetry (ID) laboratory has been performing free lung and whole body counting services for adult residents living within a 100-mile radius...Continue Reading »Radiological results from sediment and surface water sampling following 2/14/14 WIPP release event
Surface Water Samples On March 20th and on March 28th, CEMRC technicians collected surface water samples from the three public reservoirs in the area including Brantley Lake, Lake Carlsbad (lower tansil), and Red Bluff Lake. These samples included both shallow and deep water samples as well as sediment samples from the bottom of the reservoirs....Continue Reading »Update on CEMRC radiological results from air and surface water sampling activities following the February 14th, 2014 radiation detection event
An Update on CEMRC radiological results from air and surface water sampling activities following the February 14th, 2014 radiation detection event The Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center (CEMRC), an entity of New Mexico State University, continues to conduct radiological separation and analyses on a variety of samples including ambient air, WIPP exhaust air, and...Continue Reading »New Ambient Air Sampling Results Show WIPP Radiation Levels Continue to Remain at Low Levels
Air Sampling Locations Data Table The Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center, an entity of New Mexico State University, continues to collect ambient air filters, on a weekly basis, from air sampling stations located on and near the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility. The latest results from these air samplers (as of 2/25/14) show...Continue Reading »CEMRC radiological results from air sampling in the WIPP site following the February 14th, 2014 radiation detection event
The Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center (CEMRC), an entity of New Mexico State University, has completed radiological separation and analyses of air filter samples taken from within the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) exhaust shaft for the time period immediately following the underground radiation detection event that occurred at approximately 11:30pm on Friday,...Continue Reading »Lab sees rise in requests for radiation scans after WIPP accident
CARLSBAD >> A Carlsbad lab that tests for radioactive contamination has received in the past week as many requests for appointments as it normally does in six months. The recent discovery of radiation escaping from the nearby radioactive waste storage facility has some residents looking with interest toward the monitoring center where free body scans...Continue Reading »