SANTA FE – A coalition of nuclear safety and social justice groups, including several based in New Mexico, have notified federal agencies of their intent to sue over plans to accelerate production of the triggering devices used in nuclear weapons at Los Alamos National Laboratory and South Carolina’s Savannah River Site.

Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, Nuclear Watch New Mexico, Tewa Women United and Honor Our Pueblo Existence (HOPE) are among nine groups being represented by the South Carolina Environmental Law Project, according to a letter sent by the law project to the Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration officials on Tuesday.

A news release says that the law project is prepared to file a lawsuit on behalf of Nuclear Watch New Mexico, Savannah River Site Watch and Tri-Valley Communities Against a Radioactive Environment under the National Environmental Protection Act within the next 60 days if the decision to advance production of plutonium pits at LANL and SRS isn’t revisited.