U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senator James Risch (R-Idaho) introduced the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Economic Assistance Assurance Act, legislation to amend the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act to ensure long-term funding for community infrastructure projects in New Mexico surrounding WIPP.
Introduce and support legislation to ensure long-term funding for community infrastructure projects in New Mexico surrounding the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
Occurrences
Evidence
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GovInfo lists S. 4252 as introduced by Mr. Heinrich for himself and Mr. Risch and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The bill title says it would amend the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act so economic assistance payments continue until WIPP closes.
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Heinrich's office says he and Senator Risch introduced the WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act to ensure sustained, inflation-adjusted funding for New Mexico communities to maintain infrastructure projects such as road maintenance and repairs for the duration of WIPP's operation. The release also says Heinrich secured $10 million in FY2026 Energy and Water appropriations to improve roads leading to and from WIPP.
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Heinrich's office says he secured $10 million in FY2026 Energy and Water Development appropriations to improve roads leading to and from WIPP and that this was the first time funds had been appropriated for this purpose since 2014.
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S.4252 was introduced in the Senate on March 26, 2026 by Sen. Martin Heinrich (for himself and Mr. Risch). The bill would amend the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act to extend the Section 15(a) economic assistance authorization so that inflation‑adjusted assistance payments continue through the fiscal year in which transuranic waste shipments to or from WIPP are terminated.
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Senator Heinrich’s office states he successfully included $10 million in the FY2026 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill to improve roads leading to and from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) via recommended DOE payments to the State of New Mexico.
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The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee background section says Heinrich backed legislation to amend the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act for sustained, inflation-adjusted funding for New Mexico communities' infrastructure during WIPP operations, and that in January he secured $10 million in FY2026 Energy and Water funding for WIPP-area roads, the first appropriation for that purpose since 2014.
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GovInfo lists S. 4252 as introduced by Heinrich with Risch, read twice, and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The title states the bill would amend the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act so economic assistance payments continue until WIPP closes.
Assessments
Heinrich directly fulfilled the action promised: he introduced and supported legislation, S. 4252, the WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act of 2026, to extend inflation-adjusted economic assistance payments for New Mexico communities around WIPP through WIPP operations. He also materially supported related infrastructure funding by securing $10 million in FY2026 Senate Energy and Water appropriations for WIPP-area roads. The long-term statutory funding guarantee had not been enacted in the evidence provided, but the promise was framed as introducing and supporting legislation, not guaranteeing enactment.
Heinrich introduced and sponsored bipartisan legislation (S.4252, the WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act, March 2026) that would amend the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act to extend inflation‑adjusted economic assistance payments through the life of WIPP, and he secured a $10 million FY2026 appropriation for WIPP-area road improvements. These actions match the promise to introduce and support legislation and provided concrete near‑term funding, but the bill remains at introduction/referred‑to‑committee and the statutory, long‑term funding guarantee has not been enacted. Therefore the pledge is partially fulfilled (major effort and some funding delivered, but the enduring legal guarantee not yet secured).
Heinrich directly introduced the WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act with Senator Risch in 2026, which matches the promised legislative action to provide sustained WIPP-area community infrastructure funding. He also materially supported related infrastructure funding by securing Senate passage of $10 million in FY2026 Energy and Water appropriations for roads leading to and from WIPP. However, the evidence does not show that the long-term funding legislation was enacted or that sustained long-term funding was fully secured, so this is best scored as partial fulfillment with a serious same-term effort.