Texas & New Mexico Power America. Why Are We the Nuclear Waste Dump?
We keep the lights on.
We fuel the economy.
We drive American energy forward.
Texas and New Mexico power the country — so why are we being treated like its dumping ground?
We Fuel the Nation
The Permian Basin is one of the most productive oil and gas regions in the world.
Texas leads the country in crude oil and natural gas production.
New Mexico ranks #2 in oil production and is climbing in renewables.
We’ve welcomed wind farms, solar projects, and energy infrastructure.
Our people work the rigs, fix the grids, and keep industries running.
We are the engine of American energy.
And now? They want to bury the nation’s most dangerous waste in our backyard.
The Plan: Turn West Texas & Southeast New Mexico into Nuclear Waste Storage Sites
The federal government and private companies want to ship up to 40,000 metric tons of high-level nuclear waste—spent fuel from power plants across the U.S.—to Andrews County, Texas and Lea County, New Mexico.
They call it “temporary” storage.
But the license is for 40 years. It can be renewed.
There is no actual plan to move it again.
And let’s be clear: Texas and New Mexico didn’t ask for this.
So Why Us?
Let’s be honest: they think we won’t fight back.
We’re rural.
We’re industrial.
We have small, spread-out communities.
They assume we don’t have the political power to say no.
But they’re wrong.
We know our worth.
We know our land.
And we know when we’re being taken advantage of.
This Isn’t Just About Waste — It’s About Respect
What message does it send to the people who keep America running?
That our health, land, and future are expendable?
That we should accept the nation’s radioactive waste while others get the credit, the comfort, and the clean landscapes?
We deserve better. Our kids deserve better. Our states deserve better.
We’re Not the Nation’s Nuclear Landfill
At Americans for Responsible Nuclear Waste (ARNW), we’re calling for:
Consent – No waste should be stored without the state and community saying yes.
Safety – No trains full of radiation should pass through unprepared towns.
Accountability – The NRC must follow federal law and stop sidestepping permanent solutions.
Respect – Texas and New Mexico are more than expendable spaces on a map.
Join the Movement
It’s time we stood up and said: We fuel this country — we will not be its sacrifice zone.
West Texas and Southeast New Mexico aren’t dumping grounds.
We’re the backbone of American energy.
It’s time the rest of the country treated us that way.