Carlsbad officials have approved a resolution that makes several recommendations to state and federal officials as they fight over fines stemming from the radiation leak at the federal government's nuclear waste dump in southern New Mexico.
Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway's nuclear taskforce announced Wednesday that the city has signed off on the resolution.
A similar resolution is being considered by Eddy County officials and the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce.
The resolution describes the negotiations between the U.S. Energy Department and the state Environment Department over more than $54 million in fines as "deadlocked."
Carlsbad officials also say they're concerned about the DOE's position that the fines would have to be paid out of the budgets of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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