OWCP News Release: [05/05/2015]
Contact Name: Ann Mangold Laura McGinnis
Phone Number: (202) 693-4679 (202) 693-4653
Email Address: mangold.ann.r@dol.gov mcginnis.laura.k@dol.gov
Release Number: 15-0827-DAL

US Labor Department to host traveling resource centers in Albuquerque and Los Alamos, New Mexico to assist nuclear weapons workers

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor will host four traveling resource centers in Albuquerque, and five in Los Alamos, New Mexico, in May and June to notify current and former nuclear weapons employees who worked at 18 covered facilities in New Mexico about lump-sum compensation and medical benefits available to them under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act.

Staff from the Division of Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation’s Espanola resource center will assist individuals with filing new EEOICPA claims.

The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act provides lump-sum compensation and medical benefits to current and former nuclear weapons workers. Survivors of qualified workers may also be entitled to benefits. The DEEOIC has 11 stationary resource centers nationwide to help workers and their families apply for these benefits. The division’s traveling resource center also takes these services on the road to assist workers in the claim-filing process. The program is administered by the division, part of the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs.

On July 31, 2001, the Labor Department began administering Part B of the EEOICPA. Part B covers current and former workers who have been diagnosed with cancer, beryllium disease or silicosis, and whose illness was caused by exposure to radiation, beryllium or silica while working directly for the U.S. Department of Energy, a DOE contractor or subcontractor, a designated Atomic Weapons Employer or a beryllium vendor. Part E, created by an amendment to the EEOICPA on Oct. 28, 2004, provides federal compensation and medical benefits to DOE contractors and subcontractors who worked at covered facilities and sustained an illness because of exposure to toxic substances.

Covered facilities in New Mexico include:

Facility

Location

Accurate Machine & Tool
Albuquerque Operations Office
Hangar 481
Kirtland Operations Office
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute
Sandia National Laboratories
South Albuquerque Works

Albuquerque

Uranium Mill in Ambrosia Lake

Ambrosia Lake

Project Gnome Nuclear Explosion Site
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Carlsbad

Chupadera Mesa

Chupadera Mesa

Project Gasbuggy Nuclear Explosion Site

Farmington

Ore Buying Station at Grants, NM

Grants

Los Alamos Medical Center
Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos

Ore Buying Station at Shiprock
Uranium Mill at Shiprock

Shiprock

Trinity Nuclear Explosion Site

White Sands Missile Range

 

A searchable list of covered facilities is available at https://ehss.energy.gov/Search/Facility/findfacility.aspx.

To date, $1.49 billion in EEOICPA compensation and medical benefits has been paid to 12,927claimants living in New Mexico, while more than $11.4 billion has been paid nationwide. For additional information about the upcoming traveling resource centers or to schedule an appointment for claim-filing assistance, contact the Espanola resource center toll free at 866-272-3622. All walk-ins are welcome. However, scheduling an appointment is recommended.

Albuquerque traveling resource center details:

Dates:

Thursday, May 14 and 21
Thursday, June 11 and 18

Times &:
Location:

9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. MDT
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Hall
4921 Alexander Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, N.M. 87107

Los Alamos traveling resource center details:

Dates:

Monday, May 11 and 18
Monday, June 8, 15 and 22

Times &:
Location:

8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MDT
Ombuds Program Office
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Central Park Square, Suite 114
Los Alamos, N.M. 87566

###