Heinrich, Vasquez Announce $10 Million to Rebuild Roads Outside of WIPP in Carlsbad

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (N.M.) announced $10 million in federal funding to repair the US 285 Relief Route, a critical road for freight trucks transporting nuclear materials to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad.

In January, Heinrich announced he had successfully included $10 million in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Appropriations to improve roads leading to and from WIPP, through recommended payments from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to the State of New Mexico. Since joining the Senate Appropriations Committee, Heinrich has been a steadfast advocate for appropriating these funds. This will be the first time that funds have been appropriated for this purpose since 2014. These repairs will improve safety for WIPP workers, shipments, and the surrounding communities.

Earlier this year, Heinrich also introduced the WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act to amend the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act to ensure sustained, inflation-adjusted funding for New Mexico communities to maintain vital infrastructure projects, such as road maintenance and repairs for the duration of WIPP's operation.

"Last appropriations cycle, I fought like hell to secure this funding - to get New Mexico more of the funding we deserve for our role in maintaining the nation's only deep geologic repository for radioactive defense waste. I am extremely proud to have succeeded in delivering this $10 million to help rebuild the roads to, from, and around WIPP and strengthen the infrastructure that workers and the Carlsbad community rely on every day," said Heinrich. "But our work isn't done. I'll keep fighting to increase the federal government's support of road and infrastructure improvements in New Mexico, including through my WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act."

"New Mexico and WIPP are the backbone of our nation's nuclear program," said Vasquez. "The hardworking New Mexicans who run WIPP provide a critical service to the entire country - and the least the DOE can do is hold up their end of the bargain and meet their safety needs. I'm proud to have worked with Senator Heinrich to deliver this funding, and I'll continue to deliver for the needs of our district."

WIPP, located near Carlsbad, New Mexico, is the nation's only deep geologic repository for the disposal of transuranic waste generated by the United States' nuclear weapons program. Since opening in 1999, WIPP has played a critical role in supporting the national defense mission by managing legacy nuclear materials and supporting national security-related cleanup efforts across the U.S. Department of Energy.

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