***************************************************************** 07/23/04 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 12.175 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** Send News Stories to news@energy-net.org with title on subject line and first line of body NUCLEAR POLICY 1 Las Vegas SUN: Howard Satisfied With Iraq Intelligence 2 LA Times: The Hawks and the Doves Are Aflutter Over U.S. Iran Policy 3 US: post-gazette: A look at the 15 agencies involved in intelligence 4 US: Wichita Eagle TRUDY RUBIN: YELLOWCAKE CONTROVERSY IS A DISTRACTI 5 UKAEA: [Around UKAEA Today] 6 Australian: NZ deal on WMD prevention NUCLEAR REACTORS 7 US: Times-Picayune: PSC to research nuclear options 8 US: Worcester Telegram & Gazette: Electric company disconnects nuke 9 People's Daily: More nuclear plants needed - Editorial 10 US: Oakland Tribune: Diablo Canyon offline as power draw soars NUCLEAR SAFETY NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 11 Las Vegas RJ: YUCCA MOUNTAIN: State seeks money to fight repository 12 Las Vegas SUN: Nevada wants NRC to help with funds for Yucca project 13 US: Rocky Mountain News: Trains could haul waste NUCLEAR WEAPONS US DEPT. OF ENERGY 14 Tauscher Announces New DOE Sick Worker Resource Facility 15 Tri-City Herald: DOE stops waste shipments to Hanford 16 Tri-City Herald: Hanford contract proposal released 17 NPR: Lab Suspends Employees Over Missing Data 18 Oak Ridger: 230 possible layoffs 19 Oak Ridger: Y-12 braces for 'emergency' 20 DenverPost.com: Flats waste may go by train 21 Oak Ridger: BNFL work now set to end in March 22 Tri-Valley Herald: Feet finally held to the fire at Los Alamos 23 Daily Camera: Rocky Flats may switch to rail cars 24 DOE: Health Effects Subcommittee (SRSHES) OTHER NUCLEAR 25 Google News Alert - nuclear 26 SF Chronicle: USS Reagan nears California home port after inaugural ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 Las Vegas SUN: Howard Satisfied With Iraq Intelligence By MIKE CORDER ASSOCIATED PRESS SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Prime Minister John Howard on Friday rejected calls for a further inquiry into Australian spy agencies, after a report on the nation's prewar Iraq intelligence cleared his government of overstating the case for joining the U.S.-led invasion. "At no stage did we mislead the Australian public, at no stage did we manufacture intelligence, at no stage did we (put pressure on) intelligence agencies," Howard told Sydney radio station 2GB. "I think a royal commission is unnecessary, a complete waste of time. It will only prolong the navel gazing. We have ... to look to the future." Government opponents have called for a so-called royal commission - an inquiry with far-reaching powers to subpoena witnesses and compel agencies to turn over evidence. They say the report published Thursday by retired diplomat and spy master Philip Flood did not go into enough detail. Howard's decision last year to send 2,000 troops to Iraq to join U.S. and British forces in the invasion sparked the biggest peace protests in Australia since the Vietnam War. One of his key justifications was his belief, based on intelligence reports, that Saddam Hussein was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. In his 185-page report, Flood lamented "the thinness of the intelligence on which analysts were expected to make difficult calls" about Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. "There was little by way of hard current intelligence available to analysts across the range of WMD capability issues," Flood said. "Much of the information that was available was equivocal or of uncertain validity." However, Flood said he found "no evidence of politicization of the assessments on Iraq, either overt of perceived." Australia still has nearly 900 troops in and around Iraq. Their deployment is likely to become a key election issue, with Howard saying forces must remain there as long as needed and the opposition Labor Party vowing to bring most of them home by Christmas if it takes power. Labor said Howard "stands condemned" for taking Australia to war with an under-resourced intelligence community. "The key statement contained in this report is as follows: that `intelligence in Iraq was thin, it was ambiguous and it was incomplete,'" said Labor foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd. "But based on this thin, ambiguous and incomplete intelligence, John Howard decided to take Australia to war." Flood said "the weakness of the intelligence picture was in part due to inadequate collection." The efforts of two Australian spy agencies - the Office of National Assessments and Defense Intelligence Organization - were further complicated by their almost complete reliance on intelligence gathered by the United States and Britain, he said. But Flood said the agencies had taken a more conservative view of the intelligence than their U.S. and British counterparts. The retired spy master made 23 recommendations to reform Australia's intelligence gathering methods, including boosting spending and recruiting more spies. Howard said he would implement nearly all the recommendations. Last week, British Prime Minister Tony Blair was similarly cleared of allegations that he exaggerated the intelligence basis for war. Blair, Howard and President Bush have stood by their decisions to go to war despite flaws found in their intelligence about the danger posed by Saddam's weapons. "If the Australian people judge me harshly for that, well that is the price I pay," Howard said. -- ***************************************************************** 2 LA Times: The Hawks and the Doves Are Aflutter Over U.S. Iran Policy [Los Angeles Times - latimes.com] July 23, 2004 COMMENTARY ] Washington needs to turn up the heat on an evil regime. By Danielle Pletka Every few years, with soothing regularity, a prominent research institution comes along to recommend that the United States reengage with Iran. The gist of such reports usually follows the same line: Isolation just isn't working; reformists (or sometimes they're called moderates or pragmatists) need Washington's help in the battle against hard-liners; the country is not (nor will it ever be) on the verge of a new revolution; and only relations with the U.S. will provide incentives for better behavior. This week, it was the Council on Foreign Relations that sounded the call in a 79-page report from a task force chaired by former national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski and former CIA Director Robert M. Gates. Given the seriousness of the threat Iran poses, fresh ideas from the Council on Foreign Relations and elsewhere are, of course, welcome. Iran, after all, is Terror Central: It has become an operational headquarters for parts of Al Qaeda, continues to sponsor Hezbollah and Hamas, and senior officials remain under indictment in U.S. court for masterminding the 1996 bombing in Saudi Arabia of the Khobar Towers military housing complex, in which 19 Americans died. According to U.S. and European officials, the regime also remains bent on acquiring nuclear weapons and is well down the road to doing so. Clearly, U.S. policy in Iran has been a failure. Its problems have persisted notwithstanding four years of tough talk from the Bush administration, a continued embargo on U.S. investment and virtual diplomatic radio silence. It's time to try something new; on that much, we can agree with the pro-engagement groups. But that's where our agreement ends. They insist, in the face of evidence to the contrary, that dialogue and trade would succeed where a hard line has failed. Yet dialogue and trade are the hallmarks of Europe's fruitless engagement of Iran. Neither European diplomatic outreach nor cordial trading relations have achieved results. Carrot-and-stick offers, like a proffered "trade and cooperation agreement" in exchange for a stand-down on nuclear proliferation, have also failed. Engagement is a proven bust. The fact is, neither tough love nor tough talk will achieve results in Iran because decision-makers in the government  not just the so-called hard-liners but the "moderates" and "pragmatists" as well  are committed to supporting terrorism, developing nuclear weapons and annihilating Israel. Any opening from the U.S. will only lend credibility to that government and forever dash the hopes of a population that, according to reliable polls, despises its own leadership. So what to do? President Bush has taken the first step by making clear that the Iranian clerical regime is anathema to the U.S. national security. But we're not likely to invade for a variety of practical reasons, among them a shortage of troops and an absence of targeting information about Iran's nuclear sites. Nor can we count on Iran's weary and miserable population to rise up unaided and overthrow its oppressors; virtually all analysts agree that's not about to happen. Instead, a new three-part policy is needed. First, the administration must ante up promised support for the Iranian people. Just as we supported Soviet dissidents, we must use the diplomatic and economic tools at our disposal to embarrass the regime for its abysmal human rights abuses, rally behind dissident student groups and unions and let them know that the U.S. supports their desire for a secular democratic state in Iran. Second, the administration must persuade the European Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency to stand firm in their confrontation over Iran's nuclear program. Iran has made commitments to end the production and assembly of nuclear centrifuges. It has reneged on those promises, and the next step is for the IAEA to refer the matter to the U.N. Security Council. There is quiet talk of economic sanctions in European capitals; the EU must know that a failure to follow through would mean an Iranian nuclear weapon within a few years. Finally, the U.S. must lead in the containment of Iran. Iranian weapons imports and exports should be interdicted; financial transfers to terrorists must be identified and confiscated; terrorists traveling into and out of Iran should be aggressively pursued and eliminated. These steps would not deliver quick solutions, but they are the only rational course available to the U.S. and its allies. We have seen that engagement with the current leadership of Iran would not achieve policy change; all it would do is buy an evil regime the time it needs to perfect its nuclear weapons and to build a network of terrorists to deliver them. Danielle Pletka is vice president for foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times By visiting this site, you are ***************************************************************** 3 post-gazette: A look at the 15 agencies involved in intelligence http://www.post-gazette.com Friday, July 23, 2004 By Jack Kelly, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The U.S. intelligence community consists of 15 agencies, of which eight (and 80 percent of the intelligence budget) belong to the Defense Department. Here's a list of those agencies and what they do: The oldest intelligence services are those of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, which pre-date World War II and provide tactical intelligence for their respective military missions. The Central Intelligence Agency , created by the National Security Act of 1947, was the nation's first attempt to centralize intelligence collection. The CIA director is also director of central intelligence, heading the entire intelligence community. The agency has two key functions: operations, which is responsible for human spying and covert operations, and intelligence, which analyzes data collected by CIA spies and other intelligence agencies. The National Security Agency was created in 1952 through a merger of parts of the signals intelligence units of the Army, Navy and Air Force. Headquartered at Fort Meade, Md., the NSA is the nation's eavesdropper. It collects, processes and analyzes intercepted radio, telephone and Internet communications. The NSA has the largest staff and biggest budget. It is headed by a three-star general, and military personnel compose about two-thirds of its staff. The National Reconnaissance Office , established in 1960, designs and purchases spy satellites. Though part of the Defense Department, the NRO is staffed CIA science and technical personnel. The Defense Intelligence Agency was created in 1961 to prevent duplication and waste in the production of strategic military intelligence. DIA primarily analyzes information gathered by other agencies but does some intelligence collection through defense attaches at U.S. embassies. DIA is headed by a three-star general and is headquartered at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. The National GeoSpatial Intelligence Agency , established in 1997, is to wimagery intelligence what the NSA is to communications intelligence. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., the NGA is headed by a retired three-star general. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has principal responsibility for counter-intelligence within the United States. Through its legal attache program at U.S. embassies, the FBI also has a large and growing presence abroad. The State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research primarily analyzes data collected by others but also collects intelligence from diplomats stationed abroad. The Energy Department, which is responsible for the design and production of nuclear weapons, has an intelligence component within the National Nuclear Security Administration that analyzes foreign nuclear weapons and nuclear non-proliferation. The Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, headed by a Cabinet undersecretary, was created this spring through a merger of three offices in the Treasury Department that monitored foreign financial flows. The Coast Guard has an intelligence unit that monitors threats to maritime borders and seaports. The newest member of the intelligence community is the director of Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection of the Department of Homeland Security , created in 2003. ©1997-2004 PG Publishing Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 4 Wichita Eagle TRUDY RUBIN: YELLOWCAKE CONTROVERSY IS A DISTRACTION | 07/23/2004 | Did the Bush administration mislead the country to war by hyping evidence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction? That question hangs in the air after the devastating Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA's performance. It is bound to stay a hot topic through election season. So Bush supporters are trying to change the story line. The new story goes like this: The president was right about WMDs. How so? Because the Senate report raised questions about the February 2002 mission to Niger of Joe Wilson. He is the former diplomat dispatched by the CIA to check whether Iraq had contracted to purchase uranium from the African country of Niger. Wilson, you'll recall, blew the whistle on the famous "16 words" that appeared in the president's 2003 State of the Union address that claimed Saddam Hussein had sought "significant quantities of uranium from Africa." This information was attributed to the British government. Wilson said he'd found "it was highly doubtful that any such transaction had ever taken place" and told the administration so. After Wilson went public, the White House admitted the 16 words should not have been in the speech. Keep in mind that the 16 words were part of a speech that argued Saddam presented an urgent and imminent threat to the country. It contained other strong claims about WMDs that we now know were not backed up by reliable intelligence. Soon after Wilson went public, the name of his wife, Valerie Plame, an undercover CIA operative, was leaked to columnist Robert Novak by two top administration officials. The leakers claimed that Wilson's mission was a case of nepotism. But such a leak is criminal; a special prosecutor is now investigating the highest reaches of the administration. Wilson believed the leak was revenge on him. Report had no impact The Senate committee said Wilson's report made no impact and in fact may have lent some credibility to the belief that a uranium deal was in the works. That was because Wilson reported an official from Niger had been queried by an Iraqi official about increasing trade in 1999. The official from Niger thought the Iraqi may have wanted to talk about uranium, but the subject didn't come up. Out of that thin gruel, the "we were right" crowd claim that the 16 words were correct. They point to the fact that the Butler report -- a highly critical take on Britain's prewar Iraq intelligence -- still defends the British information on Niger. And they point with glee to the fact that the Senate report claims that Wilson's wife did indeed suggest him for the Niger mission. What's amazing about this tack is that its adherents don't seem to have bothered to read the Senate report. It details how CIA analysts -- and even more so, the State Department -- repeatedly raised suspicions about the veracity of British intelligence on Niger, independently of Wilson's report. In October 2002, the CIA told Congress that "the Brits have exaggerated this issue." The same month, then-CIA Director George Tenet told the White House to remove a reference to African uranium from a key speech because the reporting behind it "was weak." Key documents on sales of Niger uranium were found to be forged. Still no evidence We still don't know why the White House included the discredited reference to Iraq and African uranium in the State of the Union address. Maybe Iraq would have liked to purchase African uranium, but there's still no solid evidence to back this up. And you won't find new evidence in the Senate report. The new focus on Joe Wilson is simply a distraction. As for whether Plame recommended him for the Niger mission, news reports last July quoted senior intelligence sources as saying that she didn't. Last July, the respected Newsday reporters Tim Phelps and Knut Royce quoted a "senior intelligence officer" as saying it was other CIA officers, not Plame, who recommended Wilson for the job. Maybe the Senate source got it wrong. My point is: Who cares? Wilson had strong qualifications for the mission: He was a former U.S. ambassador to Gabon who had served as Africa expert on the National Security Council, and he knew Niger and its leaders. If this was nepotism, Plame hardly did her husband a favor. We are not talking trips to Paris here. And there obviously were no CIA rules against sending an agent's relative on a nonsecret mission -- otherwise, Wilson wouldn't have been cleared. In other words, the new story line is a flop. The debate on Iraq and WMDs will continue. And so will the investigation into who leaked Plame's name. Trudy Rubin is a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer. ***************************************************************** 5 UKAEA: [Around UKAEA Today] Dounreay Bulletin 21 July Harwell Local Liaison Committee - 26th March 2004 (pdf - 209kb) Dounreay Bulletin 7th July Browse UKAEA's online publications archive here… ECHO Newsletter - February 2003 (pdf -990kb) D2001 Report Dounreay Bulletin - 14th February 2003 --> International acclaim for UKAEA restoration project [The restored Southern Storage Area] A UKAEA land restoration project has been commended by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in their annual awards. More& Dounreay forging UK and international links [Catherine Stihler MEP at Dounreay] MEP Catherine Stihler visited Dounreay recently to see the progress being made to decommission and clean up the site. More& The right mix to ensure success [The Harwell sludge remobilisation plant] Over the past year, a unique piece of equipment has been taking shape on the Harwell site. . More& ***************************************************************** 6 Australian: NZ deal on WMD prevention [July 23, 2004] By Ray Lilley in Wellington THE Australian and New Zealand defence ministers today pledged to step up co-operation and intelligence sharing to prevent weapons of mass destruction from proliferating in the South Pacific region. Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill and his New Zealand counterpart Mark Burton "agreed to encourage regional co-operation in countering terrorist activities," they said in a statement after a meeting in the North Island tourist town of Taupo. A spokeswoman for Mr Burton said the ministers had agreed the two nation's armed forces should increase sharing of intelligence to ensure WMDs were kept from the region. "This is a response to issues in the current global security environment," the spokeswoman said. At present, there was "no specific evidence of WMD penetration into the region", she said, adding that New Zealand had been a consistent campaigner against such weapons. It opposed French nuclear testing in the South Pacific for more than 25 years and earned the anger of the United States, Britain and Australia by passing a 1987 law banning nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered vessels from its territory. In their statement, the two defence ministers said their talks had also focused on new security challenges confronting the South Pacific. These "underlined the importance of timely, coordinated and effective responses on the part of the Australian and New Zealand defence forces", they said. Both nations provided troops and police to an Australian-led regional intervention force which went to the Solomon Islands to quell communal violence and restore stability last year. The two men were scheduled to visit the Solomon's capital, Honiara, on Saturday for a ceremony marking one year of "excellent progress" in returning security to the troubled state. Mr Burton said the size of the intervention force would soon be cut to a platoon strength of 33 from a peak of 2200 last July. The two also said excellent progress had been made on a co-operation plan they set up a year ago, which included expanding joint operations by armed forces and defence assistance to South Pacific island nations. privacy © The Australian ***************************************************************** 7 Times-Picayune: PSC to research nuclear options [http://www.timespicayune.com U.S. agency may issue more licenses for power plants Thursday, July 22, 2004By Mindy Hagen St. Tammany bureau If the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission decides to issue new licenses for nuclear power plant sites, Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman doesn't want the state to be left out of the process. New technology has made nuclear power more efficient and safer since the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania, Blossman said. He joined with the four other members of the Louisiana Public Service Commission at Wednesday's meeting in asking staffers to research the possibility of a new nuclear site in the state. "We don't want to be caught behind the eight ball," Blossman said. "We just want to be in on the game if it happens." The accident at Three Mile Island, in which equipment problems and design-related errors brought about a partial meltdown of the nuclear plant's TMI-2 reactor core, caused the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to significantly raise its regulatory oversight. Blossman said the safety changes instituted at nuclear power plants during that era have proved to be successful. Building another plant in Louisiana could provide a cheaper source of energy and help make the country less dependent on foreign oil, he said. But the decision isn't up to commissioners -- instead, it rests with federal officials who have not said whether the awarding of new licenses is even scheduled. Louisiana is home to two nuclear generation plants: the River Bend facility in St. Francisville and the Waterford 3 plant in Taft. The Grand Gulf plant near Port Gibson, Miss., lies just beyond the state's border. Although the commissioners seemed open to researching the prospect of expanding nuclear power, one member voiced concerns about the public's reaction. Commissioner Foster Campbell said it would be in the commission's best interest to move slowly and not worry residents. "There would be a public eruption if you told people you are going to put a nuclear power plant in their back yard," Campbell said. "It's an emotional issue for a lot of people, especially if you are talking about a site where there has never been a plant before." The day's discussion was so preliminary that there was no talk about where a new nuclear plant would be placed. At the next PSC meeting, scheduled for Sept. 1 in New Orleans, staffers will report on what they have learned about the federal government's decision-making process for awarding nuclear plant licenses. . . . . . . . Mindy Hagen can be reached at mhagen@timespicayune.com or (985) 898-4833. for Times-Picayune home delivery. Subscribe Now! ©2004 NOLA.com. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 8 Worcester Telegram & Gazette: Electric company disconnects nuke alarm system Friday, July 23, 2004 The Associated Press VERNON, Vt.- A portion of the emergency alert system at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant was inadvertently shut off by an electric company line worker last week, officials say. It was several days before the plant, as well as state and local officials, corrected the problem. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Thursday it was launching a special investigation into the lapse and would send a specialist in emergency alert systems to Vermont to investigate. Parts of Brattleboro, Halifax, Guilford and Dummerston were affected by the outage, along with towns in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Only residents in the 10-mile emergency zone who are within earshot of emergency sirens were not affected by the problem, said NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan. An emergency generator switched on when the system was disconnected last Friday. But an alert that the generator was running - a signal that something was wrong - apparently never reached state, federal or plant officials. The system was completely down for about 14 hours after the generator used up its propane. Repairs were completed on Wednesday. "This is not something we take lightly," Sheehan said. The emergency alert system outage is the latest in a string of problems afflicting Vermont Yankee in the past several months. These range from the report of missing nuclear fuel rods - now found - to cracks in a key plant component, a fire that shut the plant down for three weeks, and an ongoing controversy about Entergy Nuclear's plans to boost power production at the 32-year-old reactor. Stephen Costello, spokesman for Central Vermont Public Service, said a three-person crew was working Friday on Ames Hill Road in West Brattleboro, adding a new customer to the system when the power source to the emergency system was disconnected. Costello said the three-person crew did not realize what they were disconnecting. "It appears one of our employees is at fault, and we take full responsibility. We are investigating and are looking into whether disciplinary action is appropriate," Costello said. ***************************************************************** 9 People's Daily: More nuclear plants needed - Editorial Home >> Opinion UPDATED: 10:34, July 23, 2004 It is necessary to develop nuclear power in China, said an editorial in People's Daily. An excerpt follows: As the country's economy develops, the supply of limited energy is showing its negative influence upon further growth. The State Council [http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/data/organs/statecouncil.shtml ] 's recent decision to accelerate the development of nuclear power in China will help meet the need for economic growth and energy restructuring. As a clean energy, nuclear power is both technologically safe and mature. It is the third most important method of electricity generation, following hydropower and thermal power production. China now ranks as the world's second greatest generator of electrical power, in terms of capacity and output. But the unbalanced geographic layout of resources is producing various difficulties. Coal is mainly produced in the northern parts of the country and hydropower is mostly found in the west, but the biggest consumption of electricity occurs in the coastal regions in the east and the south. The shipment of coal and transfers of electricity over long distances add extra burdens to the nation's transportation system and the environment. As a result, developing nuclear power has become a natural choice to realize a more balanced development of economic development and the protection of the environment. China's current achievements in nuclear power have remarkably narrowed the country's gap internationally. So, conditions are mature for China to accelerate the pace of making use of nuclear power. In the process, market-orientated means must be used. Design, construction, procurement of equipment and management should all be decided with open bidding. The costs should be cut down with every possible means so that the price of electricity generated in nuclear power plants has at least the same competitiveness with those generated in thermal power and hydropower plants. The construction and management of nuclear power plants should also come from domestic industry, if possible. The efforts of research and development of domestic scientists and technicians would help stimulate progress in related sectors. Accelerating development in nuclear power should be subject to a well-prepared comprehensive plan to avoid shortsightedness and improve overall efficiency. Copyright by People's Daily Online, all rights reserved ***************************************************************** 10 Oakland Tribune: Diablo Canyon offline as power draw soars Article Last Updated: Friday, July 23, 2004 - State grid loses 1,100 megawatts so nuclear plant technicians can fix leaky pipe By Associated Press FOLSOM -- As electricity grid managers prepared for another day of high energy demand Thursday, one of two units at a nuclear power plant was shut down so workers could fix a leaky pipe, cutting 1,100 megawatts of electricity from the state power grid. One of the units at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo County was shut down after workers found a crack in a pipe that delivers water to cool a pump, said David Proulx, a senior inspector with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The water was not involved in reactor cooling and there was no threat of radioactive contamination, Proulx said. "I can't overemphasize that this is clean water," Proulx said. The two units at the plant normally produce 2,212 megawatts of electricity. One megawatt is approximately enough electricity for 750 homes. There was no estimate of how long the unit would be offline. The plant's owner, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. The loss of electricity came a day after California set another record for electricity consumption -- reaching 44,360 megawatts Wednesday, said Stephanie McCorkle, spokeswoman for the Independent System Operator, which manages much of the state's power grid. Wednesday was the third day in a row that California broke records for electricity use, as air conditioners continued to provide relief from above-average temperatures blanketing most of the state. Temperatures in the Sacramento-area were forecast to top 100 again Thursday, but McCorkle said grid managers didn't expect electricity use to top Wednesday's record. The good news Thursday was that a "nice layer of fog" rolled into the Bay Area, she said, dropping temperatures by a few degrees. "Shaving a couple degrees off doesn't sound like a lot, but it means 400 or 500 megawatts that we don't have to line up," McCorkle said. Power grid managers don't expect the high electricity demand to trigger a repeat of the blackouts that hit the state in 2001. More power plants have been built around California since then to prevent a repeat. Until Monday, the previous peak-demand record had stood since 1999. The Oakland Tribune [http://www.oaklandtribune.com] | Alameda ***************************************************************** 11 Las Vegas RJ: YUCCA MOUNTAIN: State seeks money to fight repository Friday, July 23, 2004 Managers apply for $13.75 million grant, ask Clark County to help finance battle By STEVE TETREAULT STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- Nevada is running short of money to challenge the government's licensing bid for a Yucca Mountain repository, a state official and attorneys said Thursday as they applied for a $13.75 million grant to continue the effort. Nevada managers have directed contract scientists to curtail research into some elements of the Energy Department's nuclear waste proposal and are negotiating to have Clark County pick up some costs, according to the state's nuclear coordinator. The financial squeeze comes at a bad time for the state, when its lawyers and scientists need to step up for complex licensing hearings that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission might convene early next year, said Bob Loux, executive director of the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects. Loux said the severity of the problem is difficult to pinpoint because of myriad uncertainties facing the Yucca project, including a court ruling this month that could force DOE into long delays and relieve some of the financial pressures. Nevada had relied heavily on federal appropriations to pay for its Yucca work but got only $1 million from Congress last year, 20 percent of what it wanted. This year, no money has been set aside for the state. Attorney General Brian Sandoval is suing the Department of Energy for more funding, but decisions in that case are not expected until next year. Loux said the Nevada Protection Fund that Gov. Kenny Guinn established for a Yucca Mountain fight contains about $800,000, and that also is being tapped. As its funding has shrunk, state costs have grown to pay a team of lawyers and 25 technical experts that are dissecting the Energy Department's repository science looking for flaws. Loux has said the state projected needs at about $10 million a year through the licensing process, which could take four years or longer. On Thursday, Loux and two of the state's attorneys appeared before officials at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ask for close to $14 million. "We are coming to you with hat in hand but with a justifiable argument why we should get assistance," said Joe Egan, the state's lead nuclear waste lawyer. Accompanied by partner Martin Malsch, Egan said Nevada is the only one performing comprehensive research that could add to understanding Yucca Mountain and the science that the Energy Department will put forth to support its repository plan. Janet Kotra, an NRC senior project manager, said the agency could decide the state's application by the end of the summer. The decision will be made by Jack Strosnider, head of the agency's nuclear materials safety and safeguards division. But, Kotra warned during the meeting, there are questions whether the NRC can grant the request. She said commissioners in 1985 interpreted NRC regulations to rule out financial assistance for independent application reviews, which is what Nevada has undertaken. Loux said his expectations "are not high" that Nevada will win funding, "but the way we read the regulations, clearly it can be done." Included in the state's request was $2 million to examine repository performance, $1.8 million to continue corrosion research, $800,000 for hydrology work and $600,000 for transportation analyses. Nevada also is seeking $4.75 million to pay its lawyers. State officials said the financial request for attorneys was 31 percent of what the Energy Department has budgeted for its attorneys. Copyright Las Vegas Review-Journal ***************************************************************** 12 Las Vegas SUN: Nevada wants NRC to help with funds for Yucca project Today: July 23, 2004 at 10:00:05 PDT By Suzanne Struglinski SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- Nevada wants the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to help pay for the state's work on the Yucca Mountain project because Congress and the Energy Department have not allocated enough money. Bob Loux, executive director of the state's Agency for Nuclear Projects and the state's attorneys met with commission officials Thursday to talk about the prospect of getting some financial assistance from the agency. But there wasn't much talking. In a meeting that had been scheduled to last four hours but was over after only 40 minutes, Jack Strosnider, head of the commission's office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguard, and staff from the Office of General Counsel asked few questions and did not say much about the possibility of the state getting the money. Nevada believes the rules clearly allow the commission to help the state financially with the project. The state filed a 34-page petition with the commission in May asking for close to $14 million to help prepare for the Yucca Mountain licensing hearings. "Without financial assistance for Nevada, the Yucca Mountain licensing proceeding will be seriously compromised by Nevada's inability to participate meaningfully and by the lopsided nature of the parties and their respective resources," according to the petition. Egan, a lawyer who represents Nevada on Yucca issues said the state went to the meeting "hat in hand but with a justifiable argument we should get assistance." Egan said that a lot of the scientific work the state wants to continue will not be done by any other party but could be vital to finding information about the Yucca Mountain project. Janet Kotra, who is also with the office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, questioned whether the commission's rules would allow for it to help the state. She said she believes it would be a decision for the Energy Department to make, not the commission. She said she expects a decision to be made later this year. Loux has asked the department for more money on top of the $1 million Congress allocated for this fiscal year, but the department has told him that unless Congress acts the state will not receive any. The state has sued the department to get more money, because it believes it violated the Nuclear Waste Policy Act that says Nevada should get assistance. In March, the department signed a contract worth up to $63 million with Hunton &Williams, a large Richmond, Va., law firm, Loux said. The state has asked the NRC for $4.7 million, which Loux points out is a fraction of what the department will spend on lawyers alone. Loux said he thinks the state is OK right now in funding its fight against the project but without additional money in the future some cuts will have to be made. ***************************************************************** 13 Rocky Mountain News: Trains could haul waste Flats cleanup firm wants rail to take big pieces of concrete By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News July 23, 2004 The company cleaning up Rocky Flats wants to ship large chunks of contaminated concrete on a little- used rail spur from the defunct nuclear weapons plant. Trains could eliminate 2,500 to 3,600 truck shipments over Colorado highways in the next two years, John Corsi, the spokesman for Kaiser-Hill Co., said Thursday. The low-level waste goes to a dump in Utah. The rail spur was used during the Cold War to ship nuclear weapons and components. It has been all but abandoned, but is still usable, Corsi said. Kaiser-Hill is considering extending the line less than a half-mile to building 776, where bomb parts were fashioned from pure plutonium. The building was heavily contaminated by a 1969 fire. Rail cars are more capable than trucks of handling larger items. That means concrete won't have to be broken into smaller pieces for shipment, which creates hazardous dust. Rail shipment would be safer for workers, said Steve Gunderson, who oversees the Rocky Flats project for the Colorado Health Department. There will also be "a lot less interface between big trucks and cars," Gunderson said. The trucks now travel on Colorado 93, U.S. 36 and Interstate 25 on their way to Interstate 80. The rail shipments, in covered cars, would pass through the Denver rail yard, then head north to Wyoming and the main east-west rail route. Gunderson said the health department will discuss the shipments with towns along the route. The route through Denver keeps the trains out of Moffat Tunnel and off the line that twists through the mountains. Rocky Flats is scheduled to close in December 2006, but the cleanup project is ahead of schedule. morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303 442-8729 ***************************************************************** 14 Tauscher Announces New DOE Sick Worker Resource Facility Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 14:47:31 -0700 Hi, peace and environmental colleagues: Note Congresswoman Tauscher's press release, below. And, special kudos to Inga at TVC for the great quote (and work!). Onward... Peace, Marylia Congresswoman Ellen O. Tauscher 10TH District - California Washington (202) 225-1880 - Walnut Creek (925) 932-8899 - Fairfield (707) 428-7792 - Antioch (925) 757-7187 PRESS RELEASE CONTACT: Hayley Rumback, 202/225-1880 July 23, 2004 www.house.gov/tauscher Rep. Tauscher Announces New DOE Sick Worker Resource Facility at Livermore After years of working to obtain a resource facility in the Tenth Congressional District for sick workers formerly employed by the Department of Energy, Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher is pleased to announce that the location is set for Livermore. "I am thrilled that former DOE employees in the Bay Area, who became ill while serving our nation's energy and nuclear infrastructure, will finally have a resource center to turn to for help in filing claims and receiving assistance. These men and women endure unacceptably long backlogs and horribly inadequate services, adding insult to injury," said Rep. Tauscher. "As the only member of Congress with two nuclear laboratories in my district, I am honored by these workers' sacrifice, and I am proud to announce this center, which will assist them in obtaining compensation." Inga Olson, Program Director at Tri-Valley CARES, a Livermore-based nonprofit group that worked with Rep. Tauscher and Sen. Feinstein to win the Resource Center in Livermore said, "Over 1,000 claims have been filed by sick Livermore Lab employees, retirees or family members of deceased employees. The new resource center is a step in the right direction of finally beginning to provide these workers the fair treatment and justice they deserve." Rep. Tauscher began asking DOE Secretary Abraham to establish a permanent Energy Employee Compensation Resource Center in December 2002. She was concerned about the lack of assistance for ex- DOE employees who had been exposed to radiation during their employment. Various other centers operate around the country to assist sick workers, but until now there was no center to assist former employees at any of the 35 DOE sites, some of which are the biggest in the nation. After a cool reception from the DOE and the Department of Labor, who jointly manage the compensation program, Rep. Tauscher sought legislative action on this issue and worked successfully with Senator Feinstein to include a provision mandating creation of a Bay Area resource center in the Fiscal Year 2004 Energy and Water Appropriations Act. At the new center, former DOE employees will be aided in filling out Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICP) claims to receive assistance with health expenses related to their radiation exposure. "I am confident that this new facility will take needed strides to ensure that proper compensation gets to former DOE employees who have suffered so much," said Rep. Tauscher. "My district is home to hundreds of Cold War veterans who deserve and desperately need prompt assistance from this center." The new facility is expected to open in August. Rep. Tauscher will host an opening ceremony at a later date. # # # Hayley Rumback Communications Director Rep. Ellen Tauscher (CA-10) 1034 LHOB (202) 225-1880 ends Marylia Kelley Executive Director Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment) 2582 Old First Street Livermore, CA USA 94551 - is our web site address. Please visit us there! (925) 443-7148 - is our phone (925) 443-0177 - is our fax ***************************************************************** 15 Tri-City Herald: DOE stops waste shipments to Hanford This story was published Friday, July 23rd, 2004 By Annette Cary Herald staff writer The Department of Energy agreed Thursday to stop shipping almost all low-level radioactive waste to Hanford until Nov. 15 or a legal ruling is made, whichever is first. DOE had agreed Monday to stop shipping temporarily at least some of the waste if details on a court schedule could be worked out with the state of Washington. An agreement was reached at the close of business Thursday. State Attorney General Christine Gregoire is arguing in federal court that a DOE environmental study was inadequate to support a federal decision a month ago allowing waste to be shipped from other DOE sites to Hanford. The decision called for up to 62,000 cubic meters of low-level waste and 20,000 cubic meters of low-level waste mixed with hazardous chemicals to be sent to Hanford. The state has sued DOE in federal court to stop the shipments and is asking for an interim decision to bar imported low-level and low-level mixed waste while the case is decided. Under the agreement reached Thursday, DOE could continue a few types of low-level waste not covered by the June record of decision on solid waste. That includes reactor cores from Navy submarines and laboratory waste from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland. Among the lab's missions is research to help clean up extensive waste and contamination at Hanford from the past production of plutonium for nuclear weapons. The agreement reached Thursday calls for DOE and the state to make arguments Nov. 8 before U.S. Judge Alan McDonald. If there is no decision by Nov. 15 on whether DOE must stop waste shipments while the case is decided, DOE would be free to accept the waste covered in the DOE decision. © 2004 Tri-City Herald, Associated Press &Other Wire Services ***************************************************************** 16 Tri-City Herald: Hanford contract proposal released This story was published Friday, July 23rd, 2004 By Annette Cary Herald staff writer The Department of Energy released a Hanford contract proposal Thursday that protects existing workers' retirement benefits and requires a substantial amount of cleanup along the Columbia River to be done by small businesses. The contract would cover work estimated to cost about $3 billion to clean up and close Hanford's 210-square-mile Columbia River corridor. Work would include continuing to demolish and seal eight old reactors along the river at the northern end of Hanford and the cleanup of the industrial 300 Area along the river at the south end of the Hanford complex. The contract proposal would replace a 2002 proposal that led to a bid award to Washington Closure Co. Losing bidder Bechtel National successfully challenged the bid award. "This will really jump-start cleanup," Energy Deputy Secretary Kyle McSlarrow said in a phone interview Thursday. "I'm sorry it took so long, but am glad it's getting started." The contract proposal was held up in recent weeks as details were worked out on retirement benefits. The first draft of the most recent proposal would have allowed the winning contractor to shift workers from the Hanford retirement plan to a plan set up by the contractor after five years. Hanford workers, who have an average age of 48, feared their loss of retirement benefits would be substantial to reduce the costs of cleanup. Extensive contamination and nuclear and hazardous chemical waste has been left at Hanford from the past production of plutonium for the nation's nuclear weapons program. The change in retirement benefits "simply didn't make sense to me," said Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., who pushed for retention of benefits. "You make a promise and you can't change midstream." The contract proposal would require contractors to keep present Hanford workers in the traditional Hanford retirement plan. But the winning contractor could propose a corporate retirement plan for new workers. DOE agreed to the change in the contract proposal in part because the contract would end in 2012, rather than being open-ended, McSlarrow said. "The morale of workers and protection of benefits is important" to quality work at the site, he said. However, the change in language will not affect two smaller contract proposals for work at the Fast Flux Test Facility and the 222-S Laboratory. Those proposals released earlier allow Hanford workers to be switched to corporate retirement plans after five years. Hastings also successfully argued for the draft proposal of the river corridor contract to be changed to make sure more of the work would be done by small businesses. The contract proposal released Thursday requires the winning bidder to contract out 60 percent of the work. At least half of that must go to a small business. At least $3 of every $10 of federal money on the project would go to small business. "It's a victory for us," said Sid Morrison of the Tri-Cities Local Business Association. The group had asked that the project be broken up into 10 smaller contracts to allow small businesses to bid. "As a group we would rather not have specific set asides, but the opportunity to compete," Morrison said. But with DOE saying it needed one large, experienced main contractor to oversee such a complex project, the final contract proposal gives small businesses a chance to work on the project, he said. The proposal balances the government's need to make efficient use of taxpayer money with the chance to give small businesses the work they need to gain experience and grow, Hastings said. Requiring that small businesses be given at least 30 percent of the work pushes the envelope on what's possible at Hanford, McSlarrow said. "We want them not just to try, but to try hard" to find opportunities for small businesses in keeping with President Bush's push to give them federal work, McSlarrow said. "It isn't just Hanford-specific," he said. The contract proposal also gives Pacific Northwest National Laboratory two more years to replace laboratory space it now uses in the 300 Area, as McSlarrow promised in April. Demolition of major buildings would move from 2007 to 2009. The 300 Area was used to fabricate uranium into fuel for reactors and for pilot tests of many of the nuclear processes used for full-scale production of plutonium. About 900 PNNL workers continue to use nearly 700,000 square feet of office and lab space in the 300 Area. But even more modern buildings there will be torn down because of contamination of the ground and waste utility system in the area. The cost of building a new campus is estimated at $250 million. "We appreciate that the exit date for the 300 Area was extended until 2009, but the time table within which to provide replacement space is still extremely tight," said PNNL spokesman Geoff Harvey. Now work to clean up the river corridor is being done by Bechtel Hanford. It began managing the removal of contaminated soil and the demolition and sealing of old reactor complexes along the Columbia River in 1994. It continued the work after the expanded contract was rebid, awarded and successfully challenged two years ago. © 2004 Tri-City Herald, Associated Press &Other Wire Services ***************************************************************** 17 NPR: Lab Suspends Employees Over Missing Data http://www.npr.org/] The exterior of the Los Alamos National Laboratories facility. Credit: David Kestenbaum, NPR July 23, 2004 The Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico places 15 employees on mandatory leave as the FBI investigates the disappearance of two data storage devices containing classified information. The incident raises questions over the balance between protecting top secret research at the nuclear weapons lab and scientists who value working unhindered by elaborate security measures. [http://www.npr.org/about/people/bios/dkestenbaum.html] reports. Related NPR Stories [http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3471036] [http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3471036] [http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1701249] [http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=1701249] ***************************************************************** 18 Oak Ridger: 230 possible layoffs Story last updated at 11:59 a.m. on July 23, 2004 REDUCTION: ClientLogic loses two clients and issues layoff warnings to 230 workers. By: Stan Mitchell | Oak Ridger Staff [stan.mitchell@oakridger.com] Approximately 230 employees working at ClientLogic in Oak Ridge have been issued layoff notices set to take place in the middle of September. The layoffs result from the loss of two clients, said Amit Shankardass, a media spokesperson from the company's corporate headquarters in Nashville. "One client has disengaged with ClientLogic in our Oak Ridge facility," said Shankardass. "And, another client has disengaged with ClientLogic entirely. "As a result of that, we have had to issue a warn notice to approximately 230 associates in our Oak Ridge facility." The massive layoff will be reduced by the addition of a new client that will use the Oak Ridge facility, Shankardass said, which will employ between 40 and 125 workers impacted by the 230 issued warning notices. [http://oakridger.com/photo_pages/072304/9779.html] Marie Moffitt/Staff Above is the 35,000-square-foot facility of ClientLogic at Commerce Park, where 420 employees currently work. That will likely change after the company issued approximately 230 layoff notices. Shankardass also said the company was being prudent in issuing the warning notices so early and was doing all it can to prevent the eventual layoffs. "Given that ClientLogic is the fifth largest provider of contact center services globally, we have a very rich client base and are working feverishly to find clients that we can move into Oak Ridge or bring new clients onboard at the Oak Ridge facility," Shankardass said. Shankardass would not say which two clients the company lost. ClientLogic currently has 420 employees working out of a 35,000- square-foot facility at Commerce Park in Oak Ridge, Shankardass said. The company is headquartered in Nashville and operates in 54 locations in 12 countries throughout North America, Europe and Asia. ClientLogic is a company that provides a myriad of customer services options for companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Sony and DirectTV. Globally, the company has 16,500 employees working in Austria, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. ***************************************************************** 19 Oak Ridger: Y-12 braces for 'emergency' Story last updated at 12:01 p.m. on July 23, 2004 SPOKESMAN: 'We want it to be as realistic as we can.' By: Paul Parson | Oak Ridger Staff [paul.parson@oakridger.com] Oak Ridge's nuclear weapons plant is gearing up for a hazardous material release Š but it's only a test of its emergency management system. During the Wednesday drill, the general public might "hear or see something out of the ordinary" at the Y-12 National Security Complex like emergency personnel simulating a response or officials performing environmental monitoring, according to Bill Wilburn, a plant spokesman. However, Wilburn said he couldn't discuss the official scenario that will be used in the drill. "We want it to be as realistic as we can," he said. Federal, state and local emergency management personnel will be participating in the drill along with officials from Y-12 and the National Nuclear Security Administration - the quasi-independent agency within the Department of Energy that oversees the nuclear weapons complex. According to Wilburn, the drill is part of a series of increasingly complex events leading up to a large-scale test called the Emergency Preparedness Integrated Capability Exercise that will be conducted in late August. Oak Ridge's DOE-related sites typically have some type of emergency response drill on an annual basis. The exercises are designed to test how quickly and effectively personnel respond to emergency situations involving the facilities, and as a way to ensure that the public, site employees and the environment would be protected in the event of an actual emergency. ***************************************************************** 20 DenverPost.com: Flats waste may go by train Fewer trucks would be used By Jeffrey Leib Denver Post Staff Writer Plans are underway to ship low-level radioactive waste from the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant on freight trains to a disposal site near Salt Lake City, officials said Thursday. Up to now, such low-level waste - including dirt and debris from demolished buildings - has been shipped by trucks to the Utah site and a disposal area near Las Vegas, said John Corsi, spokesman for Kaiser-Hill Co. The company has primary responsibility for the multibillion-dollar cleanup of Rocky Flats. "We're always looking for more efficient, smarter ways to remove the materials from Rocky Flats," Corsi said. Officials are likely to approve the rail option, which would not replace all trucks. One of the benefits of using trains is that one rail car can haul the same volume of waste material as five to seven trucks, Corsi said. "We will take 2,500 to 3,500 trucks off the road by using rail," he said. An organization representing communities that surround Rocky Flats, located between Golden and Boulder, noted that the decision to switch some waste shipments to rail from trucks is not yet final. "It is premature to rush to judgment on the merits of this proposal," said David Abelson, executive director of the Rocky Flats Coalition of Local Governments. But "it would be a mistake to not conduct an evaluation" of the rail proposal. The coalition represents government officials from Boulder and from Broomfield and Jefferson counties, as well as cities near Rocky Flats. Shipping by rail "has some real positive attributes," said Steve Gunderson, Rocky Flats project coordinator for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. "This isn't a done deal, but it's a good thing to get trucks off the road." Trucks are routed through northern Colorado to Interstate 80 in Wyoming and then west to the Utah disposal site. Rail shipments will be routed much the same way, on a Union Pacific Railroad line north to Wyoming and then west to the disposal site run by Envirocare of Utah Inc. near Salt Lake City, Corsi said. Other waste materials from Rocky Flats, with a higher radioactive content, are shipped by truck to a federal nuclear disposal site in New Mexico. Rail shipments primarily will be used to dispose of construction waste generated by the planned demolition of Building 776 at Rocky Flats, a former plutonium processing facility, said Joe Legare, director of the Rocky Flats project office for the U.S. Department of Energy. "This is a no-brainer for efficiency and safety," Legare said of substituting rail shipments for some truck-hauling of low-level radioactive waste. "This is not high-level (material), and it is not going through the mountains." If the rail proposal is accepted, the first shipments of dirt containing low levels of radioactive waste could begin this fall. The cleanup of Rocky Flats began nearly 10 years ago. It is expected to cost $7 billion, and the cleanup is scheduled for completion in 2006. Staff writer Jeffrey Leib can be reached at 303-820-1645 or at [jleib@denverpost.com] . --> All contents Copyright 2004 The Denver Post or other ***************************************************************** 21 Oak Ridger: BNFL work now set to end in March Story last updated at 11:59 a.m. on July 23, 2004 PROJECT MANAGER: 'It's Christmas every day. You find new stuff all the time.' By: Paul Parson | Oak Ridger Staff paul.parson@oakridger.com [paul.parson@oakridger.com] BNFL Inc.'s three-building cleanup project at the Oak Ridge K-25 site was supposed to conclude next month, but the discovery of significantly more contamination in the facilities will push the work into 2005. "We have a lot more area to decontaminate," said Jeff Stevens, the project's general manager for BNFL. "It's in all the buildings." Based on a contract signed with the Department of Energy in 1997, BNFL is responsible for cleaning up the K-29, K-31 and K-33 buildings - about 5 million square feet of floor space, according to Stevens. Altogether, he said there's about 22 million square feet of surface space in the facilities. "We had assumed Š approximately 2 percent of that 22 million square feet was contaminated," Stevens said. "It ends up that 25 percent of it is contaminated - a huge difference. Instead of surveying about 400,000 square feet, we will be surveying 4 million square feet." According to Stevens, surveying involves the use of a radiological instrument that is run over a surface to see if there's any contamination on it. Stevens said BNFL is currently discussing the extension of the cleanup work with DOE. While the talks could result in more money, Stevens said he could not elaborate on that issue. As it stands, the three-building project will now conclude in March. When asked if there was a chance the work could extend beyond that, Stevens said he was hesitant to respond with a "no" answer. "It's Christmas every day," he said of the project. "You find new stuff all the time." However, based on what he knows this week, Stevens said he firmly believes BNFL will "make or beat" the March completion date. Stevens said very little of the new contaminated material will be processed through the company's one-of-a-kind supercompactor. Though BNFL officials are contemplating other projects for the supercompactor, Stevens said the company is currently in the planning stages of dismantling the machine that's powered by 2,200 tons of hydraulic force and can process up to 58 tons of metal per hour. As for the BNFL workforce, the company has done a number of reductions over the last six months that were expected with the eventual conclusion of the contract. According to Stevens, there are around 900 people working on the project these days - 600 are considered craft workers and the other 300 are salaried employees. For now, Stevens said the additional decontamination work has resulted in the company retaining a "large number" of people originally set to be laid off. However, he said those numbers will likely begin to decrease in small amounts over the next couple of months. ***************************************************************** 22 Tri-Valley Herald: Feet finally held to the fire at Los Alamos 7/23/2004 Furious Congress, UC and lab director demand unprecedented measures in wake of latest lapse By Ian Hoffman, STAFF WRITER University of California executives put an unprecedented 19 Los Alamos lab scientists and managers on paid investigative leave and warned rank-and-file employees that not only was the university's management in peril, but the survival of the lab. They and the weapons lab's staunchest patron in Congress, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., portrayed Los Alamos as an institution that has all but lynched itself in the public eye. "Today in Washington, Los Alamos' reputation as a crown jewel of science is being eclipsed by a reputation as being both dysfunctional and untouchable," wrote Domenici, revered inside the lab as "Saint Pete," in an open letter to Los Alamos residents. The senator called on employees responsible for the loss of two disks of nuclear weapons-related secrets to turn themselves in and "admit their errors so we can move forward." "I do not yet know if the most recent security incident is, unto itself, of great consequence. But I can tell you that the analogy of the straw that breaks the camel's back is appropriate," Domenici wrote. "It will take years to re-establish Los Alamos' reputation." One U.S. corporation already has pulled its research because Los Alamos' latest shutdown due to security and safety breakdowns was likely to go past its deadlines. Lab director Pete Nanos told lab employees that they can "fix" Los Alamos "or start to see a migration of work to other institutions." For the second time in eight days, an enraged Nanos stood before Los Alamos scientists and staffers and berated them for arrogance. In recent news articles, Los Alamos scientists and townspeople had chalked up Washington's furor over lax security to politics and overreaction. "This is not unfair. This is not an overreaction," Nanos snapped to a news reporter. "For 10 years or more, that's been the response of this laboratory: 'It's not that big a deal compared to all the good things we do,'" he told reporters on a teleconference. "And that has led them down a pernicious path over the years, and that has got to stop. And it has got to stop now." The former admiral said he intended his address "to try to break the almost dogged belief that Los Alamos employees have in their own virtues. It's an almost suicidal denial of the facts as they exist in the laboratory." Lab scientists alternately applauded Nanos' entreaties to work together and cringed at his verbal onslaught. He raised eyebrows by seeming to draw a divide between lab management and the shortcomings of the staff. But a senior Los Alamos official said Nanos has no choice. "His back is to the wall. What else can he do?," the official said. "We can no longer expect people to forgive us." The loss of the disks forced Nanos to fly to Washington for apologies to Energy Department officials and Congress, then to California to face an irritated university Board of Regents. Soon after his plane set down in Albuquerque, he was notified that a 20-year-old summer intern had been nearly blinded in a laser accident, necessitating an apology on behalf of the laboratory to her parents. The safety breakdown was "appalling," Nanos said, and the latest in a series for a lab division where he already had demoted a senior manager and docked her pay. Nanos said he realized there were pockets of scientists all over the lab who "just don't get it," notably inside the lab's core Weapons Physics Directorate. "They've had safety incidents, disregard for the procedures and, by the way, they weren't doing well on the programmatic level either," Nanos said, referring to the lab's bread-and-butter weapons work. The University of California also made a rare admission of its own failure to take a firmer hand in running Los Alamos. "There has been a lack of accountability," said Robert Foley, university vice president for lab management and also a former admiral. "There has been a sense of entitlement and a lack of accountability. When they did something wrong, there was musical chairs. They moved people around. People didn't get fired ... We're not going to have that anymore." Those are encouraging words to former Los Alamos security chief Glenn Walp, who was fired two years ago after reporting lax attention to security violations to officials outside the lab. "That's saying something," Walp said. "To me that says there has been mismanagement in dealing with these issues for a long time." After two weeks of investigation, Los Alamos officials suspect the disks have not left the laboratory or had their contents revealed to unauthorized parties, but concede they don't know for sure. The lab has said the disks were last counted in an April inventory and lost sometime in preparation for an upcoming meeting. But Nanos said he no longer is confident in the April inventory, suggesting the disks could have been lost for months, not weeks. "We don't know where they are. We don't know how they got lost," Nanos said. "We're retracing the chain of custody and searching every place they could be, again." Never has Los Alamos put so many employees on investigative or disciplinary leave. It entails stripping them of their security badges and allowing them back only for investigative interviews, under security escort. It also is rare for the lab to exile a senior executive. The 19 placed on leave ranged from front-line engineers to mid-managers to an associate lab director, responsible for hundreds of scientists. Eleven are from a single group in the Dynamic Experimentation Division that performs explosives research and had access to the safe where the disks were stored. Four are managers or executives above them, and four others are part of a separate investigation into the laser accident. Tri-Valley Herald All Rights Reserved ***************************************************************** 23 Daily Camera: Rocky Flats may switch to rail cars DailyCamera.com Summaries and transcripts of Rocky Flats oral histories Kaiser-Hill says rail cars are more efficient, can hold more than trucks By Todd Neff, Camera Staff Writer July 23, 2004 After eight years of trucking, the company cleaning up Rocky Flats wants to start shipping low-level radioactive waste by rail by this winter. John Corsi, spokesman for Kaiser-Hill Co., said rail's benefits include cutting the number of truck shipments and limiting the need to break down large chunks of low-level nuclear waste to fit in trucks. Corsi said a single rail car can hold five to seven truckloads of debris. Also, he said, using rail cars would cut down on the need to stockpile debris before shipment because it could be placed directly in rail cars. Rail traffic would not follow Interstate 70 through the mountains, but rather would go north to Cheyenne and west to Envirocare of Utah Inc., similar to the direction current truck traffic takes. Corsi said about half of the 500 trucks now leaving Rocky Flats each week contain radioactive waste. Kaiser-Hill, the Department of Energy's lead contractor for the Rocky Flats cleanup, is proposing the rail shipments because of the massive amounts of debris expected with the demolition of Building 776/777, which Corsi said will be broken up and shipped out in its entirety. Building 776/777 was the most contaminated building in the complex. Smoke from the 1969 Mother's Day fire coated the 224,000-square-foot building's plutonium manufacturing equipment, walls and pipe-laced rafters with radioactivity. There is already a rail connection into the "industrial area" of Rocky Flats, which produced plutonium triggers for nuclear weapons during the Cold War. Corsi said the spur would be extended several hundred yards to reach Building 776/777. The state of Colorado and local communities appear to back the switch to rail. Steven Gunderson, the Rocky Flats cleanup coordinator for the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, said the cleanup had involved 17,000 truck shipments as of early 2004. Without rail, an additional 18,000 shipments would be necessary by the time cleanup is completed in late 2006, he said. "If it can reduce the amount of truck traffic, it would probably be a good thing," Gunderson said. He said his department has begun to contact local communities along the proposed route about the possibility of passing trains containing radioactive waste. He said low-level nuclear waste from the former Fernauld nuclear-weapons site in Ohio is being shipped by train to Utah along some of the route. Westminster and Broomfield had supported rail transport from the beginning, said Shirley Garcia, environmental coordinator for the city and county of Broomfield. "Definitely, it's positive for us," Garcia said. "The other alternative is to stockpile material that's contaminated outside, and that was a big concern. We didn't want it to get rained on and have it seep into Walnut Creek." Garcia said she hopes the project could get enough rail cars to have a train dedicated to Rocky Flats waste transport. If not, she said, cars could go first to a Denver rail yard to wait for another load. She said her main concern is with the construction of the rail spur next to Building 776/777. She said there is a carbon tetrachloride plume beneath the proposed track. Corsi said Kaiser-Hill is proposing an August trial run carrying dirt by rail from the 903 Pad, where drums stored outdoors leaked radioactive material into the ground. He said the company wants to begin large-scale waste transport by rail when Building 776/777 comes down this winter. Contact Camera Staff Writer Todd Neff at (303) 473-1327 or nefft@dailycamera.com. [http://www.scripps.com] Copyright 2004, The Daily Camera ***************************************************************** 24 DOE: Health Effects Subcommittee (SRSHES) FR Doc 04-16810 [Federal Register: July 23, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 141)] [Notices] [Page 44011] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr23jy04-68] In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announce the following meeting. Name: Citizens Advisory Committee on Public Health Service Activities and Research at Department of Energy (DOE) Sites: Savannah River Site Health Effects Subcommittee (SRSHES). Time and Date: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., August 25, 2004. Place: The Adam's Mark Hotel Columbia, 1200 Hampton Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201; telephone 803-771-7000 or 1-800-880- 1885, fax 803-254-2911. Status: Open to the public, limited only by the space available. The meeting room accommodates approximately 50 people. Background: Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in December 1990 with DOE, and replaced by MOUs signed in 1996 and 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was given the responsibility and resources for conducting analytic epidemiologic investigations of residents of communities in the vicinity of DOE facilities, workers at DOE facilities, and other persons potentially exposed to radiation or to potential hazards from non-nuclear energy production use. HHS delegated program responsibility to CDC. In addition, a memo was signed in October 1990 and renewed in November 1992, 1996, and in 2000, between ATSDR and DOE. The MOU delineates the responsibilities and procedures for ATSDR's public health activities at DOE sites required under sections 104, 105, 107, and 120 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or ``Superfund''). These activities include health consultations and public health assessments at DOE sites listed on, or proposed for, the Superfund National Priorities List and at sites that are the subject of petitions from the public; and other health-related activities such as epidemiologic studies, health surveillance, exposure and disease registries, health education, substance-specific applied research, emergency response, and preparation of toxicological profiles. Purpose: This subcommittee is charged with providing advice and recommendations to the Director of CDC and the Administrator of ATSDR pertaining to CDC's and ATSDR's public health activities and research at this DOE site. The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for community, American Indian Tribal, and labor interaction, and to serve as a vehicle for communities, American Indian Tribes, and labor to express concerns and provide advice and recommendations to CDC and ATSDR. Matters to be Discussed: Agenda items include a presentation on completed dose reconstruction projects at other sites, an update from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and a report by Advanced Technologies and Laboratories International, Inc. Agenda items are subject to change as priorities dictate. Contact Person for More Information: Mr. Phillip Green, Executive Secretary, SRSHES, Radiation Studies Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, CDC, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., (E-39), Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone (404) 498-1800, fax (404) 498-1811. The Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, has been delegated the authority to sign Federal Register notices pertaining to announcements of meetings and other committee management activities for both CDC and ATSDR. Dated: July 16, 2004. Alvin Hall, Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. 04-16810 Filed 7-22-04; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-18-P ***************************************************************** 25 Google News Alert - nuclear Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 13:30:50 -0700 (PDT) US Urges N.Korean Response on Nuclear Weapons Reuters - USA ... The top US disarmament diplomat said Friday North Korea should follow Libya's example and make a strategic decision to scrap its nuclear weapons programs ... See all stories on this topic: ACT quickly to clean up nuclear waste at border Atlanta Journal Constitution (subscription) - Atlanta,GA,USA US Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) spoke last month on a plan to secure nuclear waste at the Savannah River Site. Here are excerpts: US Sen. ... See all stories on this topic: NUCLEAR weapons lab suspends 15 after disks vanish Detroit Free Press - Detroit,MI,USA ... placed on leave amid an investigation into the disappearance of two computer disks containing classified information, the director of the nuclear weapons lab ... See all stories on this topic: N Korea, Iran may harbour new nuclear threat - US task force Stuff.co.nz - New Zealand WASHINGTON: North Korea and Iran may be seeking the ability to attack the United States by triggering a nuclear device at high altitude to disrupt vital ... NUCLEAR plan unit down, but no harm done Kansas City Star (subscription) - Kansas City,MO,USA One of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant's two units remained shut down for repairs Thursday, but it's not expected to heavily affect the state's power grid if ... See all stories on this topic: PSC to research nuclear options Times Picayune - New Orleans,LA,USA If the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission decides to issue new licenses for nuclear power plant sites, Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Jay Blossman doesn't ... See all stories on this topic: DIABLO Canyon nuclear unit still off-line KESQ - Palm Desert,CA,USA SAN LUIS OBISPO One of the two units at the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant is still off line, but the state was able to get by without the unit's 11-hundred ... See all stories on this topic: MORE nuclear plants needed China Daily - Beijing,China It is necessary to develop nuclear power in China, said an editorial in People's Daily. An excerpt follows: As the country's economy ... EUROPEAN Business Briefs: Environmental tax, aid for lorry filters ... Environmental Data Interactive - UK ... Euratom, the European Commission this week approved an amendment to the decision taken in 2000 to grant a loan to the Ukrainian National Nuclear Power Company ... NEW security checks at Norwegian nuclear plants Norway Post - Baerum,Norway The security at Norwegian nuclear plants should be considered anew, according to the International Nuclear Energy Bureau. The danger ... This daily-once News Alert is brought to you by Google News (BETA)... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Remove this News Alert: http://www.google.com/newsalerts/remove?s=92d1672a1b037a07&hl=en Create another News Alert: http://www.google.com/newsalerts?hl=en Try Google News: http://news.google.com/ ***************************************************************** 26 SF Chronicle: USS Reagan nears California home port after inaugural cruise [http://sfgate.com] JEFF WILSON, Associated Press Writer Friday, July 23, 2004 (07-23) 09:23 PDT ABOARD THE USS RONALD REAGAN (AP) -- Nancy Reagan smiled warmly and greeted sailors when she arrived aboard the 1,092-foot nuclear aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan as it steamed toward its homeport in San Diego Bay for the first time Friday. Thousands of spectators, mainly relatives of sailors aboard the ship, arrived early to fill grandstands along the pier at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado. Others lined the mainland side of San Diego Bay to witness the arrival of the Navy's newest carrier. Mrs. Reagan was flown to the ship off the San Diego coast Friday morning. The late president's son Michael Reagan, actor Tom Selleck, the country music group SHeDAISY and the news media were flown out Thursday morning as it steamed hundreds of miles offshore. "It's really such a pleasure to be here," Michael Reagan told a gathering of crew members. Rear Adm. Robert Moeller heard Ronald Reagan utter "win just one for the Gipper" more than three decades ago when he entered Notre Dame and the movie "Knute Rockne: All-American" was required freshman viewing. Now he commands the Navy's new carrier strike group named after the nation's 40th president -- still working to win one for the Gipper. "It's one of those interesting coincidences in life. I never would have dreamt that 30 years later I would have this honor," Moeller said. The dimensions of CVN-76 inspire awe: The USS Ronald Reagan towers 20 stories above the waterline, it's nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall and its flight deck covers 4.5 acres. The USS Reagan sailed May 27 from Norfolk, Va., with a crew of 3,600, making its lengthy journey through the Straits of Magellan at the tip of South America. The five-ship strike group got word June 5 that Reagan had died at 93. "It was probably most fitting and most appropriate that at the time of his passing a carrier strike group named in his honor was in fact conducting the very same kind of operations that he espoused through his presidency -- peace through strength," Moeller said. During a memorial on deck, a guard fired a 21-gun salute and presented the ship's skipper the U.S. flag flown from the mast June 5. Capt. James Symonds presented the flag to Mrs. Reagan during the June 11 burial at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. A bit of Ronald Reagan's Hollywood aura is part of the ship, which has a celebrity walk of fame with such names as Alfred Hitchcock and Spencer Tracy on the mess deck. Capt. Andres "Drew" Brugal, the executive officer, said hosting Mrs. Reagan aboard the ship will be a thrill. "Obviously it's kind of a sad time right now, so close to the president's death. She's the sponsor of the ship and we're very happy to see her. Her only request was she wanted to see the sailors and see the Ronald Reagan Room," he said. The room is a museum featuring wardrobe from Reagan's movies, posters and a video presentation. Ahead of the ship's arrival, a carnival atmosphere prevailed along the pier where family members eagerly waited. SeaWorld workers dressed as whales and a Navy band playing rock music shared space with vendors hawking souvenirs, soft drinks and commercial services. A Wisconsin cheesemaker showed off a replica of the ship carved out of a huge block of cheddar cheese. Sarah Baumann says she spent four days carving the 550-pound cheese ship, which will be cut up and served in food kitchens. "There's so much cheese, so little time," Baumann said as she set her carving tools down and took a break. Behind the grandstand, images from Reagan's life flashed on a huge screen. "I think its a special ship and its named for a special person," said Gail Everett, 46, who drove from her home in Atlanta to attend the ceremony and see her son, a 20-year-old Reagan sailor. Cathy Watt, 41, waiting with her two children said her husband, the Reagan's supply officer, had asked to be assigned to the ship. "Not only because it was the newest and greatest, but because of the namesake," she said. "He was very touched by (Reagan's) legacy." Friday evening, Selleck will be master of ceremonies at a fund-raising dinner and dance on the deck of the USS Midway, a decommissioned carrier that has been converted into a museum in San Diego Bay. Proceeds from the $200-a-plate Navy League dinner will pay for crew amenities, including computers. The evening's finale will feature fireworks synchronized to a soundtrack that includes clips of President Reagan uttering his most memorable lines. Associated Press Writer Seth Hettena in Coronado contributed to this report. On the Net: www.reagan.navy.mil [http://www.reagan.navy.mil] San Francisco Chronicle ***************************************************************** NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: *****************************************************************