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Send News Stories to news@energy-net.org with title on subject
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                         NUCLEAR POLICY
 
1 AFP: China tells Iran to make 'serious response' to UN resolution -
2 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: America humiliated in IRI's N-issue 
3 AFP: Iran says it has increased nuclear feedstock 
4 Guardian Unlimited: Report: China Prods Iran to Answer U.N. 
5 AFP: Iran to 'honor principles' of nuclear control treaty - negotiat
6 Korea Herald: Seoul watches out for N.K.'s 2nd nuke test   
7 Korea Herald: Song, Hill discuss status of six-party talks   
8 Guardian Unlimited: Japan, U.S. Warn N. Korea on Nuke Tests 
9 AFP: Japan, US working on NKorea emergency plan - FM -
10 Korea Times: No Signs of 2nd N. Korean Nuclear Test - Seoul 
11 Korea Times: Summit Must Be Held in 2007
12 AFP: US sees North Korea nuclear talks resuming this month - 
13 AFP: Rice calls for constructive denuclearization moves from NKorea 
14 UPI: Analysis: N.Korea in power shift?
15 UPI: Seoul sees no signs of nuke test in North
16 US: Kissinger, Schultz, Nunn Call For Nuclear Abolition
17 US: [NYTr] Granma Daily: The Nuclear Paradox
18 US: FCNL: Help Stop a Possible Nuclear Weapon Program Test Near You 
19 US: Daily Herald: Downwinders call for additional meetings
20 AFP: US downplays US-Japan emergency plan 
21 US: Boxer: Recent Press Release from Barbara Boxer, US Senator from 
22 Guardian Unlimited: Bush Picks New Head of Nuclear Agency 
23 US: UPI: Analysis: The business of going green
24 UPI: Report: Russia to cut N.Korea debt
 
                         NUCLEAR REACTORS
 
25 US: Platts: Comments due April 4 on GNEP environmental assessment
26 US: Guardian Unlimited: NRC Commissioner Resigning 
27 US: NRC: [Docket No. PRM-73-11] Petition by Scott Portzline
28 US: NRC: Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Find
29 US: NRC: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collecti
30 NewsRoom Finland: Commission defends nuclear power -Finland's HS
31 NewsRoom Finland: Finland's Pekkarinen calls for sixth nuclear power
32 US: KNDO/KNDU: Meeting for GNEP Environmental Study Planned
33 US: LasVegasNOW.com: Reid Will Get Input on Another NRC Commissioner
34 US: AFP: Ex-US spy chief to tackle North Korea, China as Rice's depu
35 Sofia Morning News: Bulgaria: Bulgaria Wants EU to Pay EUR 1 B for N
36 Sydney Morning Herald: Nuclear plant target for stolen rocket launch
 
                          NUCLEAR SECURITY
 
37 US: [NYTr] US Nuclear Security Chief Resigns Under a Cloud
38 BBC: Weapons link to Australian 'plot'
39 US: NRC: RIN 3150-AG63 comment period extension
40 Guardian: Academics join Trident protest 
 
                          NUCLEAR SAFETY
 
41 US: Deseret News: Lawyer links Strake to cancer potential
42 US: reviewjournal.com: Downwinders call for more Divine Strake publi
43 US: KCPW: Divine Strake Meeting Underfire from Activist Groups - 
44 BBC: Polonium-210 found in restaurant
45 US: The Spectrum: Expert questions Divine Strake
46 US: Salt Lake Tribune: Downwinders call for additional Divine Strake
47 US: Morning Journal: Gas crews hit beryllium near former Brush site
48 Guardian Unlimited: Polonium-210 found at restaurant 
 
                         NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
 
49 US: BBC: Canberra to sell uranium to China
50 The Herald: Dounreay apology to estate owner in beach row   
51 US: AFP: Australia and China ratify nuclear fuel deal 
52 US: Japan Times: Agency to offset cost of finding more uranium
53 US: Inland News: Bill targets perchlorate in water
54 US: AU ABC: Mining industry welcomes China uranium deal. 
55 US: Sydney Morning Herald: Uranium sales to China a mistake - Greens
 
                           PEACE
 
 
                        US DEPT. OF ENERGY
 
56 reviewjournal.com: Mourners honor DOE manager
57 BBC: US nuclear chief forced to quit
58 Platts: DOE begins work on Global Nuclear Energy Partnership analysi
59 Tri-City Herald: Comment period nears on DOE study 
60 Albuquerque Tribune: Head of nuclear labs' oversight agency fired 
61 WATE: Y-12 plant manager fees hurt by construction delay
62 AFP: Bush picks new US nuclear weapons chief -
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                         FULL NEWS STORIES
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 1 AFP: China tells Iran to make 'serious response' to UN resolution -
    
 Friday January 5, 12:04 PM 

  [Hu Jintao]   
    
BEIJING (AFP) - Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged Iran to
make a "serious response" to a United Nations Security Council
resolution on its nuclear program, China's state media said.

"The resolution reflects the shared concerns of the
international community over the Iranian nuclear issue," Hu told
Ali Larijani, Iran's visiting top nuclear negotiator, on Friday.

"We hope Iran can make a serious response to the resolution," Hu
was quoted as saying by Chinese state television.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad this week vowed Iran will
step up its atomic program in defiance of the resolution last
month which imposed sanctions against Tehran for its failure to
suspend uranium enrichment.

China is a key player in the diplomatic maneuverings over Iran's
nuclear program as it is a veto-wielding permanent member of the
UN Security Council.

"The international community should continue its diplomatic
efforts for a return to negotiations as soon as possible, and
seek a lasting, overall and appropriate solution to the Iranian
nuclear issue," Hu was quoted as saying.

"China's policy is consistent. We wish to preserve the
international non-proliferation system and preserve peace and
stability in the Middle East," Hu said according to the
television report.

The report did not detail what Larijani, who has been meeting
with Chinese leaders in Beijing this week, told Hu regarding the
Islamic republic's nuclear program.

China, which has major energy interests in Iran, supports
Tehran's right to a program.

China last month voted in favor of the UN resolution, but
Beijing sought to water down the measure and has said it prefers
negotiations instead of sanctions.

The sanctions take aim at Iranian efforts to enrich uranium,
which the United States and others fear could be used to make a
nuclear weapon.

Iran insists its atomic program is entirely peaceful and it has
every right to the full nuclear fuel cycle.
 
AFP 
*****************************************************************
 2 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: America humiliated in IRI's N-issue 

  2007/01/05   
  
Interim Friday prayers leader of Tehran Ayatollah Sayed Ahmad
Khatami said that America was humiliated in the Islamic Republic
of Iran's nuclear issue.
 
"America was humiliated in Iran's peaceful nuclear case as the
world people observed it," he said, also an Experts Assembly
member, in his first Friday prayers sermon to large groups of
worshipers in Tehran University campus on Friday.
 
Khatami said Americans suffered disgrace and humiliating defeat
in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq too.
 
He then quoted a westerner as point to west's intention to
humiliate IRI in its nuclear issue and said, "Iran can not be
humiliated."
 
"One of the westerners had said that in nuclear energy issue we
want to humiliate Iran, while Iran can't be downgraded and it is
and will always remain dear; this means Americans' lack of
wisdom."
 
The Friday prayers leader said that Americans should know access
to peaceful nuclear technology is a national resolve.
 
"Americans should know that access to peaceful nuclear
technology is the joint call of the Iranian nation; Americans
will not be able to confront the national will," said
Hojjatoleslam Khatami, who is also an Experts Assembly member.
 
Khatami assured the audience that officials will act wisely and
logically in that concern as they have thus far done so.
 
He said wisdom, logic and national interest have the first say
in Tehran's nuclear policy.
 
He criticized the UN Security Council for its anti-IRI
resolution 1737 and said, "The anti-Iranian resolution is really
a psychological operation against Iran before being an executive
resolution."
 
Referring to a clause of the resolution which bans shipment of
uclear and missile equipment to IRI, Hojjatoleslam Khatami said,
"Iran has not received the equipment from you; the technology of
Iran is domesticated and you can not take any measure (against
the country) in that concern."
 
M/D   

  Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved By Islamic Republic of Iran 
Broadcasting News Network Sponsored By IRIB News Computer Center. 
E-Mail: Info@IRIBNEWS.ir     
*****************************************************************
 3 AFP: Iran says it has increased nuclear feedstock 

 Friday January 5, 10:29 AM 

  [A general view of the Bushehr nuclear power plant]   
    
TEHRAN (AFP) - The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation
said his country had 250 tons of nuclear feedstock for uranium
enrichment, a news agency has reported.

"Today our country has more than 250 tons of UF6 (uranium
hexafluoride) kept in tunnels rarely seen in the world,"
Gholamreza Aghazadeh was quoted as saying by the student news
agency ISNA.

The feedstock is injected into centrifuges to make enriched
uranium.

Iran said in April it had stockpiled 110 tons of UF6 gas
produced in a conversion facility in the central city of Isfahan.

The UN Security Council voted unanimously on December 23 to
impose sanctions on Iran after it refused to suspend sensitive
uranium enrichment work which can make nuclear fuel but also the
fissile core of an atom bomb.

The West fears Iran is secretly seeking to develop weapons under
cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran vehemently denies the
charges, insisting it only wants to generate energy.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday vowed that Iran would
step up its atomic program despite UN sanctions, predicting
Tehran would soon launch production of nuclear fuel for
industrial uses. 

AFP
*****************************************************************
 4 Guardian Unlimited: Report: China Prods Iran to Answer U.N. 

From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Friday January 5, 2007 12:31 PM
 	
AP Photo XHG103 

BEIJING (AP) - China on Friday urged Iran to give a ``serious
response'' to the U.N. Security Council resolution passed in
December that aims to restrict Iran's nuclear program, China's
state media reported. 

The resolution ``reflects the shared concerns of the
international community over the Iranian nuclear issue, and we
hope Iran could make a serious response to the resolution,''
Chinese President Hu Jintao said during a meeting with Iran's
visiting top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, according to the
Xinhua News Agency. 

Hu's remarks referred to a Security Council vote to bar all
countries from selling materials and technology to Iran that
could contribute to its nuclear and missile programs. 

The United States has led the drive to stop Iran from enriching
uranium - a process that produces the material for either
nuclear reactors or bombs. Iran denies that it seeks to build
atomic weapons, saying its nuclear program is limited to the
generation of electricity. 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
*****************************************************************
 5 AFP: Iran to 'honor principles' of nuclear control treaty - negotiator

 by Dan Martin Fri Jan 5, 1:36 AM ET 
		 	 
BEIJING (AFP) - Iran " /> Iran's top nuclear negotiator has said 
during a visit to China that Tehran will continue to honor the 
principles of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Chinese state 
media has reported. 

The pledge by Ali Larijani, head of Iran's national security 
council, contradicted an Iranian government statement earlier in 
the week that said it was keeping open the option of quitting the 
treaty.
 
"Iran will still honor the principles of the nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty and continue to seek a just and
reasonable solution to the Iranian nuclear issue through talks,"
Larijani said, according to China's Xinhua news agency.
 
He made the remark Thursday while meeting with Chinese State
Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, one of China's top diplomats.
 
Larijani is in China for a two-day stop that includes a meeting
later Friday with President Hu Jintao
" /> Hu Jintao.
 
China, which has major energy interests in Iran, supports
Tehran's right to a nuclear energy program.
 
China last month voted in favor of a United Nations
" /> United Nationsresolution that imposes sanctions on Iran
over its nuclear program, but Beijing sought to water down the
measure and has said it prefers negotiations instead of
sanctions.
 
The sanctions take aim at Iranian efforts to enrich uranium,
which the United States and others fear could be used to make a
nuclear weapon.
 
On Thursday, State Councilor Tang reiterated the call for
negotiations in his meeting with Larijani.
 
"Under the current circumstances, it has become more necessary
and pressing to resume the negotiations," Tang said, urging all
sides to "show flexibility".
 
On Tuesday, Iran said it could drop out of the non-proliferation
treaty if Western pressure increased over the nuclear issue.
 
"If we are put under pressure and deprived of our rights, we can
use our capacity to decide whether to stay within the treaty or
to quit it," government spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham told
reporters.
 
Larijani will deliver a message from President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad to Hu during his visit, Iranian state media have
said. Few other details have been given.
 
"Larijani will meet with Chinese leaders... to exchange opinions
on bilateral issues, Iran's nuclear issues, and other regional
and international topics of common concern," China's foreign
ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular press conference
on Thursday.
 
China, increasingly looking abroad to meet its growing energy
needs, has aggressively pursued oil and gas deals in Iran.
 
Last month China's top energy firm, PetroChina, struck a mammoth
deal worth 16 billion dollars for the purchase of Iranian
liquefied natural gas.
 
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 6 Korea Herald: Seoul watches out for N.K.'s 2nd nuke test   
        
Seoul has played down concerns that North Korea may be preparing
for the imminent detonation of a second nuclear device, saying
no particular indications have been detected. 

"There has been some unexplained activity over a long time
period near the facilities where the North is suspected to have
tested a nuclear device (in Oct. last year)," a government
official said on condition of anonymity. The official did not
offer more details on what the "activities" were. 

"The possibility of North Korea conducting additional tests is
open, so consequently we are keeping a close watch," the
official said. 

Observers believe it is only a matter of time before North Korea
conducts a second test. The first took place on Oct. 9 last
year. 

"The timing of the second test will be decided based on
political interests," said Dr. Kim Tae-woo of the Korean
Institute for Defense Analyses. 

He explained while North Korea appears to have failed to achieve
its aims with the first test, it still believes that conducting
underground tests are an essential procedure for developing
nuclear weapons. 

International sanctions imposed in response to the first test
continue to take shape following the U.N. Security Council's
unanimous adoption of Resolution 1718. 

The sanctions include a ban on the transportation of technology
and materials related to weapons of mass destruction, as well as
an embargo on luxury goods. 

A second test would deal a death blow the on-going multilateral
efforts to solve the nuclear crisis at the six-party talks, and
would lead to even more sanctions, observers said. 

Citing U.S. defense officials, ABC News reported yesterday that
the communist regime may be preparing another nuclear test. 

The intelligence is inconclusive, however, on whether North
Korea will go ahead with the test, the report cited officials as
saying. 

The report said the preparations are similar to steps taken by
North Korea before it detonated its first nuclear device and
North Korea may conduct a test sometime over the next two to
three months. 

Several weeks before the first test, U.S. spy satellites
detected the unloading of large cables. 

"We think they've put everything in place to conduct a test
without any notice or warning," a senior U.S. defense official
was quoted as saying by ABC News. 

"It is making too quick an assumption to say that North Korea
has completed its nuclear test preparations," the South Korean
official said. 

"At the moment, there are no particular indications that can be
directly linked to an additional nuclear test." 

Another South Korean government source was quoted as saying by
Yonhap that there are movements of people and vehicles around
the first test site. 

On Oct. 9 2006, North Korea is believed to have detonated a
nuclear device of unknown destructive power in Sangpyong-ri,
about 15 kilometers from the coastal city of Kimchaek, and about
50 kilometers west of Musadan-ri. 

The source, however, said there was no detection of construction
related to cables that are required for an underground nuclear
detonation. 

Based on the reports, Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso said he
did not think a test is imminent. 

"We've been hearing talk of this since 2006," Aso said at a
regular news conference in Tokyo. 

"We've heard nothing new about any concrete developments." 

South Korea's Defense Minister Kim Jang-Soo said last month that
North Korea might stage a second test to strengthen its hand
during six-party talks on scrapping its nuclear programs. 

North Korea has been threatening that it could take "further
measures" if sanctions and other pressures continued. 

The six-party talks in December took a recess without any
progress as North Korea demanded Washington first lift financial
sanctions. 

(angiely@heraldm.com) 

By Lee Joo-hee 

2007.01.06
*****************************************************************
 7 Korea Herald: Song, Hill discuss status of six-party talks   

The Nation's No.1 English Newspaper
 
South Korean Foreign Minister Song Min-soon met U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State Christopher Hill on Thursday to discuss the
status of the six-party North Korea nuclear disarmament talks
and other issues, the U.S. State Department said.

 The meeting was held in preparation for Song's meeting with
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday.

 Song, speaking Thursday to reporters outside the White House
after meetings, said his discussions centered on security, trade
and how to handle the North Korean nuclear standoff. 

When asked about the chance for a breakthrough in the six-nation
nuclear talks, Song said it was "a little too early to talk
about that possibility. Let us see."

 Regarding the reports of a possible second nuclear test by
North Korea, a senior South Korean official in Washington said
Thursday there were not any discussions as yet with the United
States but said both sides will continue to monitor the
developing situation.

 The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the
issue did not come up in meetings that visiting South Korean
Foreign Minister Song Min-soon had in Washington, including
talks with National Intelligence Director John Negroponte,
National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and Undersecretary of
State Nicholas Burns.

 "South Korea and the United States consistently share
information," said the official. "So far, we have not heard
about an imminent test."

 Pyongyang detonated a nuclear device on Oct. 9 in defiance of
international calls not to do so, and the U.N. Security Council
responded with a resolution that imposed sanctions on the North.
Nations around the world have pressed the communist regime to
refrain from further provocative acts, warning of more punitive
measures.

 The official said Seoul has already prepared a set of actions
to take if the North carries out another test.

 North Korea came back to six-nation denuclearization talks in
December after boycotting them for more than a year, but the
Beijing-based negotiations were disappointing as Pyongyang's
envoys demanded the U.S. Treasury Department first lift
financial sanctions targeting the North before discussing
nuclear issues.

 On his first trip to Washington as foreign minister, Song,
formerly Seoul's chief delegate to the six-nation talks, meets
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday to coordinate
their countries' North Korea policies.

 "The U.S. side has tabled a dramatic set of proposals that
could be breakthroughs," the official said. "This is a critical
period in the negotiations ... chances of a breakthrough are
higher than ever before."

 The proposals were not of a nature that North Korean
negotiators could immediately respond to at last month's talks,
he said.

 They are comprised of elements already discussed and contained
in the Sept. 19, 2005 statement from the six-party talks, he
said, such as diplomatic normalization and an official end to
the 1950-1953 Korean War, which concluded with an armistice.

 "But the key is in how they are sequenced, how they are
matched," said the official.

 "The proposals are worth serious consideration, and we hope
North Korea will come back with a realistic response."

 On the U.S. financial sanctions, he said it was important that
U.S. and North Korean officials were able to meet and discuss
the issues. U.S. Treasury Department and North Korean bank
representatives held talks on the sidelines of the six-party
talks, and another session was scheduled for this month in New
York. The department said the dates and venue have yet to be set.

 "This is not something that can be resolved in one or two
meetings," the official said, repeating with emphasis that the
United States is committed to engaging the North.

 "The commitment is to make efforts to convince Pyongyang to
give up its nuclear weapons," he said. 

2007.01.06
*****************************************************************
 8 Guardian Unlimited: Japan, U.S. Warn N. Korea on Nuke Tests 

From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Friday January 5, 2007 11:31 PM
 	
AP Photo SEL802 By HANS GREIMEL 

Associated Press Writer 

TOKYO (AP) - Japanese and U.S. officials warned Friday of
tougher measures against North Korea if the isolated communist
nation conducts a second nuclear test. 

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice cautioning the communist
nation that a second nuclear test ``no doubt would deepen its
isolation.'' 

Rice and South Korea's foreign minister, Song Min-Soon, agreed
at a news conference in Washington that their governments want
negotiations on North Korea's nuclear program resumed. 

``If North Korea is prepared to return in a more constructive
spirit'' the talks could be reopened fairly soon, Rice said. But
she added, ``We know of no substantive response from the North
Koreans.'' 

The remarks came amid U.S. media reports that Pyongyang has
appeared to have readied for another nuclear test and that the
preparation steps were similar to those taken before its first
nuclear detonation on Oct. 9. But Japanese and South Korean
officials have not reported any signs that the North was
preparing for another test. 

The talks, held last month in Beijing, would swap economic
incentives and a U.S. assurance of respect for North Korea's
security for cessation of the nuclear weapons program that
produced a nuclear test nearly two months ago. 

Tokyo urged its neighbor to refrain from any developments that
would stoke regional tensions. 

``We think it is essential that North Korea should stop further
nuclear testing and they should abandon all their nuclear
programs,'' said Nori Shikata, assistant press secretary for
Japan's Foreign Ministry. ``If they conduct another nuclear
test, then the international community, including Japan, will
take additional measures.'' 

Shikata did not say what other steps might be taken, but said
they would be pursued through the United Nations, which
authorized trade restrictions against North Korea after its
October test. 

Rice said ``there is intensive discussion among the parties
about the resumption of the six-party talks.'' 

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said negotiators were
looking for ``clear commitments, clear indications, clear
actions'' that North Korea had made the ``strategic choice'' to
abandon its nuclear weapons. 

``Obviously, conducting a second nuclear test sends the opposite
signal and very clearly indicates that they have chosen to go
down the pathway of deeper isolation for North Korea and the
North Korean people,'' McCormack said. 

But officials in Japan and South Korea said earlier Friday they
saw no particular signs that the North was readying for a second
test. 

``Some unidentified activities have been detected around a
suspected test site but so far there are no particular
indications directly linked to an additional nuclear test,''
said Cho Hee-yong, a spokesman for South Korea's Foreign
Ministry. 

A South Korean military intelligence official said vehicle and
personnel activities are constantly spotted at a suspected test
site but that it was too early to say whether they indicated an
imminent nuclear test, the Yonhap news agency reported, without
identifying the official. 

North Korean nuclear envoy Kim Kye Gwan said in December that
his country would bolster its atomic arsenal and further improve
its deterrent in response to international pressure. 

The North has hailed its test as ``an auspicious event in the
national history,'' and says it serves as a key deterrent
against a possible U.S. attack. Washington has repeatedly denied
that it plans to invade. 

In 2005, North Korea pledged to dismantle its nuclear program in
exchange for security guarantees and aid but no progress has
been made in implementing that accord. 

A key sticking point at the international talks has been North
Korea's demand that the U.S. lift financial restrictions imposed
on it in response to the impoverished nation's alleged
counterfeiting of $100 bills and money laundering. 

--- 
Associated Press writers Barry Schweid in Washington, Carl
Freire in Tokyo and Kwang-tae Kim in Seoul contributed to this
report. 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
*****************************************************************
 9 AFP: Japan, US working on NKorea emergency plan - FM -

 Fri Jan 5, 8:13 AM ET 
		 	 
TOKYO (AFP) - Japan and the United States are drawing up a joint 
contingency plan to prepare for a possible crisis in the Korean 
peninsula, Foreign Minister Taro Aso has said. 

"We must consider how to protect some 20,000 Japanese residents 
and tens of thousands of tourists" in South Korea " /> South 
Korea, Aso told reporters, without elaborating on the various 
scenarios being considered.
 
"We need to think about ways to evacuate Japanese nationals
using US military vessels and civilian ships," he said, adding
that the plan would also consider how to deal with refugees from
the Communist North.
 
The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported earlier that Tokyo fears as
many as 100,000 to 150,000 North Korean refugees could flood
into Japan in the event of an unspecified contingency in the
Korean peninsula.
 
The estimate comes from a committee linked to Japan's national
security council, the report said, citing unnamed sources
related to the matter.
 
It said the council concluded that such a large number of
refugees would overwhelm existing facilities in Japan and some
of them might need to be transferred to a third country.
 
North Korea
" /> North Koreashocked Japan and the rest of the world when it
announced on October 9 that it had conducted its first nuclear
test, sparking international condemnation and UN sanctions on
the already impoverished nation.
 
Six-nation negotiations aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear
programs were held in Beijing in December after a 13-month
hiatus due to Pyongyang's boycott over US financial sanctions
but negotiators failed to make much progress.
 
US television network ABC reported Thursday that North Korea
appears to have prepared for a second nuclear weapons test,
citing US defense officials.
 
But Aso played down the report, saying: "We see no major
development in the situation."
 
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the top government
spokesman, said the crisis plan for the Korean peninsula was
part of ongoing efforts by Japan and the United States to
prepared for possible crises in North East Asia.
 
"Japan and the United States have always worked on a joint
military plan or cooperation in the case of possible attacks on
Japan or any contingency in the nearby area," he told reporters.
 
Tokyo and Washington are also preparing to draw up a plan to
coordinate the response of their armed forces if China invades
Taiwan, according to the Kyodo News agency.
 
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 10 Korea Times: No Signs of 2nd N. Korean Nuclear Test - Seoul 

Hankooki.com > The Korea Times   

By Ryu Jin Staff Reporter

 South Korea has not found any signs that North Korea is
preparing a second nuclear test, a government official said
Friday. 

An official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in
Seoul said it was true that some activity had been detected near
the site of North Korea¡¯s first nuclear test last October, but
that there were no imminent signs of preparations for a second
test.

 ``In close cooperation with our allies, the government has been
closely watching any movement that could be linked to a possible
nuclear test in the North,¡¯¡¯ the official told reporters on
condition of anonymity.

 He made the remarks, commenting on a report by U.S. television
network ABC earlier this week of a possible second test.

 The South Korean military said that it has been closely
watching for the possibility of a nuclear test, but that it
would not confirm any confidential information at the moment.

 ABC reported that the world¡¯s last Stalinist country appears
to have been preparing for another nuclear weapons test since it
conducted an underground detonation of an atomic bomb in
October. 

North Korea sent shockwaves throughout the world by conducing
its first-ever nuclear test on Oct. 9 in defiance of calls to
end its nuclear weapons program.

 ``We think they've put everything in place to conduct a test
without any notice or warning,¡¯¡¯ ABC News quoted an
unidentified U.S. defense official as saying.

 The South Korean official, however, said the issue is not a
matter of possibility, but willingness.

 ``North Korea has proven its capability to conduct nuclear
tests, but the question is why the North would conduct another
one at this point in time,¡¯¡¯ said the official.

 A U.S. intelligence official also brushed off the possibility,
saying that the United States has no evidence to suggest that
the North is about to test a nuclear weapon. 

``There's no reason to believe that a test is imminent,¡¯¡¯ the
U.S. official said. Asked if there were signs of preparation for
such a test, he said, ``There is no evidence to indicate
that.¡¯¡¯

 The isolated North is under U.N. financial and arms-related
sanctions for its multiple missile launches in July and the
nuclear weapon test.

 North Korea returned to the six-party nuclear disarmament talks
last month, 13 months after it pulled out of the multilateral
negotiations. 

The talks have made little progress in solving the North Korean
nuclear standoff. Pyongyang has repeatedly called on the United
Nations, the United States and other countries to lift sanctions
without offering to make any concessions. 

In addition to the North, the six-party talks involve South
Korea, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia. 

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr01-05-2007 17:46         
*****************************************************************
 11 Korea Times: Summit Must Be Held in 2007

Hankooki.com > The Korea Times > Nation   

By Lee Jin-woo Staff Reporter 
  
Former President Kim Dae-jung, left, shakes hands with Speaker
of the National Assembly Lim Chae-jung during Lim¡¯s courtesy
call to Kim¡¯s house in Tonggyo-dong, Seoul, Friday.  /Korea
Times Photo by Shin Sang-sun   

Former President Kim Dae-jung on Friday stressed once again the
need to realize the second inter-Korean summit within this year
so that the next administration could continue summit diplomacy
between the two Koreas.

 ``It¡¯s very necessary to continue inter-Korean dialogue on a
regular basis,¡¯¡¯ Kim, the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize laureate,
said during a courtesy call at his residence in Seoul by
Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung.

 ``I hope another summit can be held within this year.
Otherwise, it would be quite difficult for the next president to
hold it,¡¯¡¯ he added. An inter-Korean summit has been a hot
political issue since it could be a crucial variable in the Dec.
19 presidential election.

 Kim met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang in
June 2000 for the first-ever inter-Korean summit. At that time,
Kim Jong-il promised to make a return visit to Seoul, but has
not kept the promise. 

Kim also wished the stalled inter-Korean talks could resume and
play a crucial role. 

Ever since the 19th inter-Korean Cabinet-level talks came to an
abrupt end last July, relations between the two Koreas have
turned sour. After the North's underground nuclear test on Oct.
9, tensions increased further. 

On Tuesday, the former president said he sees a possibility for
an inter-Korean summit to be held this year in a radio
interview, noting that ``President Roh Moo-hyun has expressed
his willingness to meet his North Korean counterpart anytime,
anywhere.¡¯¡¯ 

The minister, however, said last week that the Roh
administration is not making any effort for an inter-Korean
summit ahead of this year's presidential election. 

``As far as I know, the government is not making any effort to
hold a summit,'' Lee said. 

01-05-2007 17:54         
*****************************************************************
 12 AFP: US sees North Korea nuclear talks resuming this month - 

 by David Millikin Fri Jan 5, 2:08 PM ET 
		 	 
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Six-party negotiations aimed at convincing 
North Korea " /> North Koreato abandon its nuclear weapons are 
expected to resume this month after a fruitless first round in 
December, a senior US official said. 

"I would expect that those talks could reconvene again as early 
as January, as early as this month," State Department spokesman 
Sean McCormack said.
 
McCormack said the main US negotiator, Assistant Secretary of
State Christopher Hill, was working to get the parties -- China,
Japan, North and South Korea
" /> South Koreaand Russia -- together within the next four
weeks.
 
The negotiations were suspended in late 2005 after North Korea
walked out in protest at US financial sanctions imposed on a
Macau bank accused of illicit dealings on behalf of Pyongyang.
 
Before the breakdown, North Korea signed a statement agreeing to
give up its nuclear weapons program in exchange for economic aid
and security guarantees from the other five states.
 
But it then went ahead and conducted its first nuclear test
explosion in October, sparking international condemnation and UN
sanctions.
 
Under intense pressure from its main ally, China, the North
agreed to return to the talks last month.
 
The resulting five-day round of negotiations in Beijing failed
to make any progress as North Korea insisted the financial
sanctions be lifted as a condition for tackling the nuclear
disarmament issue.
 
McCormack played down press reports this week that North Korea
was making preparations for a second nuclear test explosion as a
way of pressuring its partners for concessions in the next round
of talks.
 
"At this point you have to ask yourself politically why would
they take such a step when they are in the six-party process,"
McCormack said.
 
"If you do have another test of a nuclear device, that would
have severe consequences for the viability of that
political-diplomatic process -- why would they take such a step
at this time?" he said.
 
McCormack declined, however, to comment on US intelligence
assessments of possible North Korean preparations for additional
test explosions.
 
Despite the lack of progress in last month's negotiations,
McCormack said Hill was hopeful the next round of talks would
"really get down to brass tacks."
 
"Our hope is when they do get back together again in the
six-party format, that we can ... really start talking about the
details of what are the concrete steps that would be taken to
start to implement" the 2005 agreement, he said.
 
US officials have declined to lay out publicly their specific
demands of the North Koreans, but they are believed to include
reopening nuclear sites to UN inspectors and initial steps to
dismantle key installations, including the nuclear testing
center in the mountains north of Pyongyang.
 
Parallel talks on the financial sanctions issue are also due to
resume later this month in New York, though no date has been set.
 
Officials from the US Treasury met their North Korean
counterparts for two days on the sidelines of the Beijing
meetings to discuss the sanctions imposed on the Macau-based
Banco Delta Asia.
 
The bank was accused of money-laundering and circulating
counterfeit 100-US-dollar notes on behalf of North Korea's
cash-strapped regime, and its blacklisting by Treasury resulted
in the freezing of 24 million dollars in accounts held by North
Korean leaders.
 	 		 			
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 13 AFP: Rice calls for constructive denuclearization moves from NKorea -
     
 by David Millikin Fri Jan 5, 3:14 PM ET 
		 	 
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice " /> 
met with her South Korean counterpart as part of what she called 
"intensive" efforts to resume nuclear disarmament negotiations 
with North Korea " /> . 

Rice told a joint press conference with South Korean Foreign 
Minister Song Min-Soon that the six-party talks could resume 
"fairly soon" if North Korea signals it is ready for constructive 
denuclearization steps.
 
A first round of talks in Beijing last month involving the six -- 
China, Japan, North and South Korea " /> , Russia and the United 
States -- ended without apparent progress.
 
But Rice said those five days of discussions had laid the
groundwork for further negotiations.
 
"We did not make the progress that I think we would have liked,
and we believe that the North Koreans need to come in a more
constructive spirit," she said.
 
"But it does not mean there were not very productive discussions
that took place during that round," she said.
 
Rice said there was "intensive discussion among the parties
about a resumption of the six-party talks" and that if the North
Koreans demonstrate they are "prepared to come with a
constructive response," the negotiations could resume soon.
 
Rice declined to speculate on when the negotiations might
resume, though earlier Friday her spokesman said the next round
could take place later this month.
 
Song, for his part, said it was "North Korea's turn to come back
to us with a positive and realistic response" to proposals made
to Pyongyang during the talks December 18-22 in Beijing.
 
"I know of no substantive response from the North Koreans" yet,
Rice added, but she said the Chinese were in discussions with
the reclusive communist regime.
 
The six-party negotiations were suspended in late 2005 after
North Korea walked out in protest at US financial sanctions
imposed on a Macau bank accused of illicit dealings on behalf of
Pyongyang.
 
Before the breakdown, North Korea signed a statement agreeing to
give up its nuclear weapons program in exchange for economic aid
and security guarantees from the other five states.
 
But it then went ahead and conducted its first nuclear test
explosion in October, sparking international condemnation and UN
sanctions.
 
Under intense pressure from its main ally, China, the North
agreed to return to the talks last month.
 
The resulting five-day round of negotiations in Beijing failed
to make any progress, as North Korea insisted the financial
sanctions be lifted as a condition for tackling the nuclear
disarmament issue.
 
Rice played down press reports this week that North Korea was
making preparations for a second nuclear test explosion as a way
of pressuring its partners for concessions in the next round of
talks.
 
"We don't see any change in the circumstances that we currently
face," Rice said, adding that a new nuclear test by the North
Koreans would "obviously further deepen their isolation."
 
Song said South Korea had no indications another test was
imminent. 

US officials have declined to lay out publicly their specific
demands of the North Koreans, but they are believed to include
reopening nuclear sites to UN inspectors and initial steps to
dismantle key installations, including the nuclear testing
center in the mountains north of Pyongyang. 

Parallel talks on the financial sanctions issue are also due to
resume later this month in New York, though no date has been
set. 

Officials from the US Treasury met their North Korean
counterparts for two days on the sidelines of the Beijing
meetings to discuss the sanctions imposed on the Macau-based
Banco Delta Asia. 

The bank was accused of money laundering and circulating
counterfeit 100-US-dollar notes on behalf of North Korea's
cash-strapped regime, and its blacklisting by Treasury resulted
in the freezing of 24 million dollars in accounts held by North
Korean leaders.
 	 		 			
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 14 UPI: Analysis: N.Korea in power shift?
     
   United Press International - Intl. Intelligence - 

1/4/2007 2:30:00 PM -0500                                                                                                                        

 By LEE JONG-HEON UPI Correspondent

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Will North Korean leader Kim Jong Il
bring a change to the country's power structure dominated by
aged revolutionary leaders in their 70s or 80s? This is the
question of the moment following the death of the country's
Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun at age of 78. 

But possibility seems not so high because Kim has heavily relied
on aged revolutionary leaders who helped him inherit his
father's leadership in the communist world's first dynastic
power transfer. 

Paek, who has served as the North's diplomatic chief for the
past decade, has died, according to Pyongyang's state-run media
on Wednesday. 

The North did not provide any more details, including when or
how he died, just saying Kim Jong Il expressed his condolences
over Paek's death. 

But China's Xinhua News Agency said Paek died from disease on
Tuesday. He was reportedly suffering from chronic kidney
problems and received medical treatment in Malaysia in July
2006. 

It was unclear who would succeed Paek. North Korea experts in
Seoul say First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Suk Ju is likely to
take over the top diplomatic post. Kang, 58, has led the North's
nuclear negotiations with the United States since 1993. 

Paek, who was appointed as foreign minister in 1998, has long
been considered as one of the closest confidants of Kim Jong Il.
He played a key role in building North Korea's foreign policy
and strategy toward rival South Korea for the past decades. 

He served as deputy head of the international department of the
country's ruling Workers' Party in 1968 when its national
founder Kim Il Sung made aggressive diplomatic policies. Paek
was engaged in negotiations with the South until the late 1990s. 

Officials and analysts here say Paek's demise may signal a
generational shift in the North's leadership saddled with aged,
ailing revolution leaders in their 70s or 80s. 

Among the North's top 50 officials, 24 are in their 70s and 10
in their 80s, according to a research report from Seoul's main
newspaper JoongAng Ilbo, released on Thursday. 

The report, compiled on the basis of documents from Seoul's
intelligence agency and the Unification Ministry, said only
seven are in their 60s. The age of the others were unknown, but
are mostly likely in their 70s or older. 

Among 486 North Korean leaders, 20.6 percent are in their 70s,
15.8 percent ion their 60s and 13.4 percent in their 80s, the
JoongAng report says. The average age of the North's top 20
officials is 76, according to other intelligence reports. 

Kim Jong Il, who inherited his father's power following his 1994
death at 82, has been dependent on the aged leaders who helped
the senior Kim establish the communist regime in the northern
half of the Korean peninsula. 

He has still used his father's "yuhun" (teachings left behind by
the deceased), in an apparent bid to tame the revolutionary
leaders who were loyal to the late leader. 

Reversely speaking, Kim, now 65, could maintain his power
despite huge troubles largely on the back of strong support from
the aged leaders, indicating he can hardly overhaul the power
structure. 

The country's Number 2 man, Jo Myong Rok, chief of the General
Staff of the People's Army and vice chairman of the powerful
National Defense Commission chaired by Kim, is 79. Kim Yong Nam,
who serves as ceremonial head of state as chairman of the
presidium of the legislative Supreme People's Assembly, is also
aged 79. 

The North's Number 4 leader, Jon Byong Ho, a Workers' Party
secretary possibly in charge of the country's nuclear
development, is 81. Minister of the People's Armed Forces Kim Il
Chol is 74, among others. 

But a generation shift seems near at hand because a number of
the country's aged leaders are suffering from critical diseases,
such as cancer and diabetes. They have depended on treatment in
foreign hospitals due to the North's inferior health care
system. Among them, Jo was treated for renal failure in China
between 2001 and 2003. Other officials, such as Vice Foreign
Minister Kim Yong Il, also received treatment for diseases
overseas. 

Since Kim Jong Il tool power in 1994, 16 out of the country's
top 50 officials have died, including Party Secretary Kye Ung
tae and People's Armed Forces Minister O Jin U. 

Indicating Kim was preparing for a generation shift in the power
structure, he has ordered the Cabinet and the Workers' Party to
name economic technocrats to head many of the country's foreign
missions in a move to learn from outside economies, according to
sources in Seoul. 

The order comes after Kim made a nine-day trip to China's
southern booming commercial cities early last year, such as
Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Shenzhen, to study the thriving
market-opening economic programs.

© Copyright 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.
*****************************************************************
 15 UPI: Seoul sees no signs of nuke test in North
     
 United Press International - Intl. Intelligence - 

1/5/2007 6:25:00 AM -0500

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Activities have been spotted near North
Korea's nuclear site, but these are not immediate signs of a
second test, Seoul officials said Friday. 

The Foreign Ministry also said the North is unlikely to conduct
another nuclear test in the near future, stressing the need of
resumption of the six-nation talks on the North's nuclear drive. 

The comment followed reports by U.S. television network ABC that
the North appeared to have made preparations for a second
nuclear test, saying these are similar to the steps the country
took before its first nuclear test in October. 

"Some unidentified activities have been detected (near the
nuclear site), but there are no signs directly linked to a
nuclear test," Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Hee-yong told
United Press International. 

But he refused to reveal what the unidentified activities were.
A diplomatic source here said the activities are personnel
movements, ruling out the ABC report of unloading large amounts
of cables. 

"We are preparing for any situations, including a possible
nuclear test in the North," Cho said. "The six-party talks
should be resumed as early as possible to resolve the nuclear
problem," he added. 

The latest round of six-way talks ended late last month in
Beijing without an agreement due to a clash between the United
States and North Korea over the financial sanctions.

© Copyright 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.
*****************************************************************
 16 Kissinger, Schultz, Nunn Call For Nuclear Abolition
 
Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 20:04:06 -0500

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http://acdn.france.free.fr/spip/article.php3?id_article=261&lang=en
      A BIPARTISAN PLEA FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS
ABOLITION
      A World Free of Nuclear Weapons
      By GEORGE P. SHULTZ, WILLIAM J. PERRY, HENRY
A. KISSINGER and SAM NUNN - With a Commentary By
David Krieger


      Publication date : 5 January 2007


      Below is an impassioned call for US
leadership to abolish nuclear weapons by a
bipartisan foursome of prominent former US Cold
Warriors.


      The Wall Stree Journal- January 4, 2007;
Page A15

      Nuclear weapons today present tremendous
dangers, but also an historic opportunity. U.S.
leadership will be required to take the world to
the next stage - to a solid consensus for
reversing reliance on nuclear weapons globally as
a vital contribution to preventing their
proliferation into potentially dangerous hands,
and ultimately ending them as a threat to the
world.

      Nuclear weapons were essential to
maintaining international security during the Cold
War because they were a means of deterrence. The
end of the Cold War made the doctrine of mutual
Soviet-American deterrence obsolete. Deterrence
continues to be a relevant consideration for many
states with regard to threats from other states.
But reliance on nuclear weapons for this purpose
is becoming increasingly hazardous and
decreasingly effective.

      North Korea's recent nuclear test and Iran's
refusal to stop its program to enrich uranium -
potentially to weapons grade - highlight the fact
that the world is now on the precipice of a new
and dangerous nuclear era. Most alarmingly, the
likelihood that non-state terrorists will get
their hands on nuclear weaponry is increasing. In
today's war waged on world order by terrorists,
nuclear weapons are the ultimate means of mass
devastation. And non-state terrorist groups with
nuclear weapons are conceptually outside the
bounds of a deterrent strategy and present
difficult new security challenges.

      Apart from the terrorist threat, unless
urgent new actions are taken, the U.S. soon will
be compelled to enter a new nuclear era that will
be more precarious, psychologically disorienting,
and economically even more costly than was Cold
War deterrence. It is far from certain that we can
successfully replicate the old Soviet-American
"mutually assured destruction" with an increasing
number of potential nuclear enemies world-wide
without dramatically increasing the risk that
nuclear weapons will be used. New nuclear states
do not have the benefit of years of step-by-step
safeguards put in effect during the Cold War to
prevent nuclear accidents, misjudgments or
unauthorized launches. The United States and the
Soviet Union learned from mistakes that were less
than fatal. Both countries were diligent to ensure
that no nuclear weapon was used during the Cold
War by design or by accident. Will new nuclear
nations and the world be as fortunate in the next
50 years as we were during the Cold War?

      * * * Leaders addressed this issue in
earlier times. In his "Atoms for Peace" address to
the United Nations in 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower
pledged America's "determination to help solve the
fearful atomic dilemma - to devote its entire
heart and mind to find the way by which the
miraculous inventiveness of man shall not be
dedicated to his death, but consecrated to his
life." John F. Kennedy, seeking to break the
logjam on nuclear disarmament, said, "The world
was not meant to be a prison in which man awaits
his execution."

      Rajiv Gandhi, addressing the U.N. General
Assembly on June 9, 1988, appealed, "Nuclear war
will not mean the death of a hundred million
people. Or even a thousand million. It will mean
the extinction of four thousand million: the end
of life as we know it on our planet earth. We come
to the United Nations to seek your support. We
seek your support to put a stop to this madness."

      Ronald Reagan called for the abolishment of
"all nuclear weapons," which he considered to be
"totally irrational, totally inhumane, good for
nothing but killing, possibly destructive of life
on earth and civilization." Mikhail Gorbachev
shared this vision, which had also been expressed
by previous American presidents.

      Although Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev failed at
Reykjavik to achieve the goal of an agreement to
get rid of all nuclear weapons, they did succeed
in turning the arms race on its head. They
initiated steps leading to significant reductions
in deployed long- and intermediate-range nuclear
forces, including the elimination of an entire
class of threatening missiles.

      What will it take to rekindle the vision
shared by Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev? Can a
world-wide consensus be forged that defines a
series of practical steps leading to major
reductions in the nuclear danger? There is an
urgent need to address the challenge posed by
these two questions.

      The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
envisioned the end of all nuclear weapons. It
provides (a) that states that did not possess
nuclear weapons as of 1967 agree not to obtain
them, and (b) that states that do possess them
agree to divest themselves of these weapons over
time. Every president of both parties since
Richard Nixon has reaffirmed these treaty
obligations, but non-nuclear weapon states have
grown increasingly skeptical of the sincerity of
the nuclear powers.

      Strong non-proliferation efforts are under
way. The Cooperative Threat Reduction program, the
Global Threat Reduction Initiative, the
Proliferation Security Initiative and the
Additional Protocols are innovative approaches
that provide powerful new tools for detecting
activities that violate the NPT and endanger world
security. They deserve full implementation. The
negotiations on proliferation of nuclear weapons
by North Korea and Iran, involving all the
permanent members of the Security Council plus
Germany and Japan, are crucially important. They
must be energetically pursued.

      But by themselves, none of these steps are
adequate to the danger. Reagan and General
Secretary Gorbachev aspired to accomplish more at
their meeting in Reykjavik 20 years ago - the
elimination of nuclear weapons altogether. Their
vision shocked experts in the doctrine of nuclear
deterrence, but galvanized the hopes of people
around the world. The leaders of the two countries
with the largest arsenals of nuclear weapons
discussed the abolition of their most powerful
weapons.

      * * * What should be done? Can the promise
of the NPT and the possibilities envisioned at
Reykjavik be brought to fruition? We believe that
a major effort should be launched by the United
States to produce a positive answer through
concrete stages.

      First and foremost is intensive work with
leaders of the countries in possession of nuclear
weapons to turn the goal of a world without
nuclear weapons into a joint enterprise. Such a
joint enterprise, by involving changes in the
disposition of the states possessing nuclear
weapons, would lend additional weight to efforts
already under way to avoid the emergence of a
nuclear-armed North Korea and Iran.

      The program on which agreements should be
sought would constitute a series of agreed and
urgent steps that would lay the groundwork for a
world free of the nuclear threat. Steps would
include:

      . Changing the Cold War posture of deployed
nuclear weapons to increase warning time and
thereby reduce the danger of an accidental or
unauthorized use of a nuclear weapon.

      . Continuing to reduce substantially the
size of nuclear forces in all states that possess
them.

      . Eliminating short-range nuclear weapons
designed to be forward-deployed.

      . Initiating a bipartisan process with the
Senate, including understandings to increase
confidence and provide for periodic review, to
achieve ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty, taking advantage of recent technical
advances, and working to secure ratification by
other key states.

      . Providing the highest possible standards
of security for all stocks of weapons,
weapons-usable plutonium, and highly enriched
uranium everywhere in the world.

      . Getting control of the uranium enrichment
process, combined with the guarantee that uranium
for nuclear power reactors could be obtained at a
reasonable price, first from the Nuclear Suppliers
Group and then from the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) or other controlled
international reserves. It will also be necessary
to deal with proliferation issues presented by
spent fuel from reactors producing electricity.

      . Halting the production of fissile material
for weapons globally; phasing out the use of
highly enriched uranium in civil commerce and
removing weapons-usable uranium from research
facilities around the world and rendering the
materials safe.

      . Redoubling our efforts to resolve regional
confrontations and conflicts that give rise to new
nuclear powers.

      Achieving the goal of a world free of
nuclear weapons will also require effective
measures to impede or counter any nuclear-related
conduct that is potentially threatening to the
security of any state or peoples.

      Reassertion of the vision of a world free of
nuclear weapons and practical measures toward
achieving that goal would be, and would be
perceived as, a bold initiative consistent with
America's moral heritage. The effort could have a
profoundly positive impact on the security of
future generations. Without the bold vision, the
actions will not be perceived as fair or urgent.
Without the actions, the vision will not be
perceived as realistic or possible.

      We endorse setting the goal of a world free
of nuclear weapons and working energetically on
the actions required to achieve that goal,
beginning with the measures outlined above.

      Mr. Shultz, a distinguished fellow at the
Hoover Institution at Stanford, was secretary of
state from 1982 to 1989. Mr. Perry was secretary
of defense from 1994 to 1997. Mr. Kissinger,
chairman of Kissinger Associates, was secretary of
state from 1973 to 1977. Mr. Nunn is former
chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

      A conference organized by Mr. Shultz and
Sidney D. Drell was held at Hoover to reconsider
the vision that Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev brought
to Reykjavik. In addition to Messrs. Shultz and
Drell, the following participants also endorse the
view in this statement: Martin Anderson, Steve
Andreasen, Michael Armacost, William Crowe, James
Goodby, Thomas Graham Jr., Thomas Henriksen, David
Holloway, Max Kampelman, Jack Matlock, John
McLaughlin, Don Oberdorfer, Rozanne Ridgway, Henry
Rowen, Roald Sagdeev and Abraham Sofaer.

      URL for this article:


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116787515251566636.html


--------------------------------------------------
------------------------

      A BIPARTISAN PLEA FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS
ABOLITION

      By David Krieger

      An amazing and important commentary appeared
in the January 4, 2007 issue of the Wall Street
Journal, co-authored by four high-level architects
of the Cold War: George Shultz, William Perry,
Henry Kissinger and Sam Nunn. The article,
entitled "A World Free of Nuclear Weapons," was
amazing not so much for what it proposed, but for
who was making the proposal. The four prominent
former US officials reviewed current nuclear
dangers and called for US leadership to achieve
the abolition of nuclear weapons. Their argument
was as follows:

      1. Reliance on nuclear weapons for
deterrence is becoming increasingly hazardous and
decreasingly effective.

      2. Terrorist groups are outside the bounds
of deterrence strategy.

      3. We are entering a new nuclear era that
will be more precarious, disorienting and costly
than was Cold War deterrence.

      4. New nuclear weapons states lack the
safeguarding and control experiences learned by
the US and USSR during the Cold War.

      5. The nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
envisioned the elimination of all nuclear weapons.

      6. Non-nuclear weapons states have grown
increasingly skeptical of the sincerity of the
nuclear weapons states to fulfill their
Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations to eliminate
their nuclear arsenals.

      7. There exists an historic opportunity to
eliminate nuclear weapons in the world.

      8. To realize this opportunity, bold vision
and action are needed.

      9. The US must take the lead and must
convince the leaders of the other nuclear weapons
states to turn the goal of nuclear weapons
abolition into a joint effort.

      10. A number of steps need to be taken to
lay the groundwork for a world free of nuclear
threat, including de-alerting nuclear arsenals;
reducing the size of nuclear arsenals; eliminating
tactical nuclear weapons; achieving Senate
ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
and encouraging other key states to also do so;
securing nuclear weapons and weapons-usable
materials everywhere in the world; and halting
production of fissile materials for weapons,
ceasing to use enriched uranium in civil commerce
and removing weapons-usable uranium from research
reactors.

      For many of us committed to the global
effort to abolish nuclear weapons, there is
nothing new in their arguments. They are arguments
that many civil society groups have been making
since the end of the Cold War. Other former
officials, such as Robert McNamara and General
George Lee Butler, former head of the US Strategic
Command, have also made such arguments. What is
new is that these former Cold Warriors have joined
together in a bipartisan spirit to publicly make
these arguments to the American people. This means
that the perspectives of the Nuclear Age Peace
Foundation, the Global Security Institute, the
Nuclear Policy Research Institute and other
dedicated civil society groups are finally being
embraced by key former officials who once presided
over Cold War nuclear strategy.

      The bipartisan advice of Shultz, Perry,
Kissinger and Nunn to abolish nuclear weapons will
require a full reversal of the current Bush
administration nuclear policies. The Bush
administration has thumbed its nose at the other
parties to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty,
behaving as though the US had no obligations to
fulfill its commitments for nuclear disarmament
under the treaty. The administration has largely
opposed the 13 Practical Steps for Nuclear
Disarmament agreed to by consensus at the 2000
Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

      If the administration wants to demonstrate
leadership toward nuclear weapons abolition, it
could immediately submit the Comprehensive Test
Ban Treaty to the Senate for ratification; call
for negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament
of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty; reach an
agreement with Russia to begin implementing deeper
cuts in the nuclear arsenals of the two countries,
which Russia supports; and call for a summit of
leaders of all nuclear weapons states to negotiate
a new treaty for the elimination of nuclear
weapons.

      If the United States becomes serious about
leading the way to a world free of nuclear
weapons, as called for by the former US officials,
it can assume a high moral and legal ground, while
improving its own security and global security.
Each day that goes by without US leadership for
achieving a nuclear weapons-free world undermines
the prospects for the future of humanity. There is
no issue on which US leadership is more needed,
and there is no issue on which the US has more to
gain by asserting such leadership.

      The 19th century philosopher Arthur
Schopenhauer said, "All truth passes through three
stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is
violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being
self-evident." The truth that if we are to have a
human future the US must lead the way in
abolishing nuclear weapons has been frequently
ridiculed and violently opposed. The commentary by
Shultz, Perry, Kissinger and Nunn suggests that
this truth may now be entering the stage of being
self-evident.

      David Krieger is president of the Nuclear
Age Peace Foundation (www.wagingpeace.org). He has
lectured and written widely on the need to abolish
nuclear weapons.






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 17 [NYTr] Granma Daily: The Nuclear Paradox
 
Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 16:18:42 -0600 (CST)

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Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
Granma Daily - Jan 5, 2007
http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/english/news/art27.html

The Nuclear Paradox

by Elson Concepcion Perez

It is more than a paradox. The United States, the world's leading military
power and the only country to use the atom bomb against humans, is leading
the pressure against Iran for its efforts to develop a nuclear energy
program for peaceful ends.

The crusade has reached the point that the UN Security Council recently
passed sanctions against Iran for exercising its right to use this energy
source to meet its development needs.

The paradox is even more apparent when Washington remains silent, like its
European partners, about the nuclear weapons arsenal of Israel, its
strategic Middle Eastern ally and spearhead of US expansionist and
militarist policies in the region, with oil as the top priority.

To guarantee its aims, the White House needs Israel and its nuclear arms and
also requires, and to no less a degree, the stopping of other country's
development plans that could consolidate the growth of nuclear science and
technology for peaceful ends, such as the program carried out by the Islamic
Republic of Iran.

The paradox also applies to the Palestinian issue and explains why Israel
has had free reign to massacre and invade under the indifferent and
conspiratorial eye of the US, which provides it with sophisticated weapons
while the UN and the international community have made endless calls and
resolutions that amount to nothing.

In this context, Israel is steeping up its policy of terror and death
against the Palestinians by adding the diplomatic disguise and the
manipulation of the media to "help the Europeans understand" the importance
of condemning Iran and, as ordered by Bush, trying to impede that country
from carrying out its plans to develop nuclear energy for peaceful ends.

ANNOUNCEMENT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES

In a recent tour of Germany and Italy, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
admitted for the first time, in an apparent slip up, that Israel has nuclear
weapons. However, the West didn't appear to notice and the UN Security
Council didn't bother to even debate the issue.

THE UNITED STATES NUCLEAR ATTACK ON HIROSHIMA LEFT 140,000 DEAD.

Olmert's announcement was directed to Iran to help "convince" the European
governments that, besides sanctioning Iran, it is important to be ready
militarily, like Israel, for any situation that endangers US and European
interests in the region.

Nevertheless, the Israeli "nuclear mystery," as revealed by Olmert, is a
well-known secret about a country that is known to have more than 200
nuclear warheads and has never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Israel also forbids inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency to
examine or monitor its installations.

ISRAEL YES, IRAN NO

In this light, Washington was able to convince the UN Security Council to
approve sanctions against Iran, which even received the support of India, a
nation with which Bush has signed a nuclear development agreement.

In recent days the pressure has reached the level of military threats from
the Pentagon, which doesn't rule out a military strike if the Iranian
government doesn't renounce its uranium production.

Iran's response has been to reiterate that it will not renounce its
sovereign and legitimate right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful ends,
complying with legislation of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the
regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Iran plans to develop nuclear energy to produce 20,000 megawatts of
electricity as the key development project of the country, as well as to use
it in medicine, agriculture and other industries.

The United States and Europe know very well that the uranium that Iran
enriches is up to a 3.5 percent level, sufficient for generating electricity
but not for making bombs that require 80-90 percent.

The Iranian government's assurances that it has no plans to make nuclear
weapons and a Fatwa issued by supreme religious leader Ayatolah Jamenei in
opposition to this type of weapon is not enough for them.

The United States, which threatens Iran with war, currently has 104 nuclear
power plants in operation, producing 20 percent of the country's total
energy consumption.

According to official Pentagon figures, the US military has 1,480 nuclear
carriers of different types (strategic, non-strategic, and bombers); 7,006
nuclear warheads, of which 5,886 are strategic and can be launched from
rockets or submarines; 1,120 non-strategic, which can be launched from
planes or Cruise missiles; and 3,000 nuclear warheads in reserve.

But there is more: the Pentagon has strategically placed 150 high-powered
nuclear bombs (that can be launched from planes) at nine bases in six NATO
member countries.

These facts reveal some of the reasons behind Washington's policy against
Iran. The US uses Israel, according to its rules and interests -and always
with oil at the center of its viewfinder-, as an atomic advance party and
guarantor of its domination in the so called [greater] Middle East.
       
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 18 FCNL: Help Stop a Possible Nuclear Weapon Program Test Near You - 

www.fcnl.org* Support FCNL* 

Sign up for weekly updates from Washington * 

January 5, 2007
 
The Defense Department is considering conducting a conventional
weapons test in Nevada to simulate a nuclear explosion this year
to bolster the U.S.s nuclear weapons program. Divine Strake, the
name given to the proposed test, continues the administrations
dangerous policy of developing real-world uses for nuclear
weapons. But you have a chance to speak out. 

Take Action 
  	 
[Divine Strake] 
	 	     
The Energy Department and the Department of Defense are holding
public information sessions near you next week, January 9, 10
and 11. Here are two ways to express opposition to Divine Strake
and the potential use of nuclear weapons in the battlefield. 
	 	 
  + You can attend a public session scheduled in Nevada or Utah.
Urge your friends, families, and local community leaders to
attend these hearings and speak out against testing this weapon
in your state. 	 
  + The Energy Department is accepting public comments on this
proposal before January 24, 2007. Draft a short note opposing
this test. You can use our websiteto send this letter, and you
will be able to copy it to your senators and representative.
Please write your local media as well and start community outcry
against Divine Strake and expanding U.S. nuclear weapons
capabilities. 	 	   

Background
 
The Defense Department is trying to develop usable nuclear
weapons. The Divine Strake test is designed to simulate the
destruction a nuclear weapon would have on an underground bunker
or military target. Some analysts argue this is a preview to an
attack on Iran. The Defense Department in cooperation with the
Energy Department is moving forward with plans to detonate the
equivalent of nearly 600 tons of TNT at the Nevada Test Site in
south central Nevada. This explosive yield is approximately 50
times the militarys largest conventional weapon. According to
Defense Department officials, the Divine Strake test would "send
a mushroom-shaped dust cloud 10,000 feet into the atmosphere and
release an explosive yield equivalent to detonating 593 tons of
TNT." This yield is more than 100 times the size of the Oklahoma
City bombing in 1995. 

The Nevada Test Site has already been considered once as the
site for this test, but opposition from local residents and
environmental agencies in Nevada and Utah stalled the Defense
Departments plans. 

This effort to improve the U.S. nuclear weapons program comes
even as the administration is asking Iran and North Korea to
freeze their nuclear programs. The U.S. government is sending
the wrong message to those two countries and the world about
nuclear weapons: do as the U.S. says, not as it does.
 
Read more...
Public Meetings
 
Jan. 9, 2007, 6:30-9 p.m. 
Cashman Convention Center
 850 N. Las Vegas Blvd. 
Las Vegas, NV
 
Jan. 10, 2007, 6:30-9 p.m.
 Energy Solutions Arena
 310 W. South Temple St.
 Salt Lake City, UT 

Jan. 11, 2007, 6:30-9 p.m. 
Dixie Center
 1835 Convention Center Dr. 
St. George, UT 

Submit Comments by E-mail to:
 
Divine Strake EA Comments
 divinestrake@nv.doe.gov 

Submit Comments by Mail to:
 
NNSA/NSO 
Divine Strake EA Comments 
PO Box 98518 
Las Vegas, NV 89193-8518
 
Read more about Divine Strake and other nuclear weapons issues
online at www.fcnl.org/nuclear.
 
To receive email updates on Divine Strake and other nuclear
issues from FCNL sign up for the No Nukesemail list. To receive
a weekly update of events concerning nuclear weapons,
disarmament, and nonproliferation, sign up for FCNLs Nuclear
Calendaremail list.
   
Friends Committee on National Legislation
 245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795
 fcnl@fcnl.org* http://www.fcnl.org
phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330
*****************************************************************
 19 Daily Herald: Downwinders call for additional meetings
              
Friday, January 05, 2007

JENNIFER DOBNER - The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY -- An activist group from Utah and Idaho on
Thursday criticized the federal government's plan for a series
of public meetings to explain a planned non-nuclear blast in the
Nevada desert.

Downwinders United wants the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction
Agency to hold more meetings and drop the "dog and pony show"
format that will provide information but not allow for public
comment on the test. 

"In our book that's pure propaganda," Downwinder director
Preston Truman of Malad, Idaho, said in a news release. 

"Three town hall meetings with power points and poster board are
not acceptable in view of the past legacy of fallout and lies."

Meetings are scheduled for Jan. 9 in Las Vegas, Jan. 10 in Salt
Lake City and Jan. 11 in St. George.

"We want hearings, not tellings," Truman said.

The group is calling for additional hearings in Kingman, Ariz.,
Idaho, Montana, southwestern Colorado and northwestern New
Mexico, including the Navajo Reservation. All are areas where
fallout from Cold-War era nuclear tests has been documented.

Known as "Divine Strake," the blast would send a 10,000-foot
mushroom-shaped dust cloud over the Nevada desert. Initially
scheduled for June 2006, the blast was indefinitely postponed
after a lawsuit was filed in federal court and the government
said it needed time to sort out questions about whether it would
kickup radioactive fallout from weapons tests at the Nevada site
85 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

"Downwinder" is a name commonly given to residents in part of
Nevada, Utah and Arizona who lived downwind of weapons tests who
later contracted certain cancers and other serious diseases.

The son of a downwinder, Utah's U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Salt
Lake City, called the meeting format limited.

"It's more of an open house than a hearing," Matheson told The
Associated Press. "I do encourage people to go. This is at least
an opportunity that we didn't have before. But I do have similar
concerns."

Downwinder United member Mary Dickson of Salt Lake City also
said the group doesn't believe government claims that the
700-ton blast presents no public health hazards.

Las Vegas attorney Robert Hager, who represents plaintiffs in
the lawsuit, said a newly released environmental assessment of
Divine Strake acknowledges just the opposite.

"What the Pentagon is saying for the first time is there is
radioactivity in the soil and that will become airborne as a
result of this bomb," Hager said.

The report also projects an equal dispersion of the blast's
cloud and said the level of radiation released would be below
federal safety standards.

Experts who work for Hager disagree.

"Nobody can predict where that cloud will go," Hager said.

 This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D4.                                                    
			
Copyright © 2007 Daily Herald and Lee Enterprises
*****************************************************************
 20 AFP: US downplays US-Japan emergency plan 

 Fri Jan 5, 6:24 PM ET 
		 	 
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The White House confirmed that the United 
States and Japan were working on an emergency plan for a possible 
crisis on the Korean peninsula but said it was a routine 
contingency effort. 

"People make plans all the time," spokesman Tony Snow said after 
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso, in Tokyo, revealed that the 
aim was "to protect some 20,000 Japanese residents and tens of 
thousands of tourists" in South Korea " /> South Korea.
 
"It is a standard part of any government's preparation to try to
take a look at all alternatives, domestically and
internationally, and try to prepare for them," Snow told
reporters.
 
"And in this case, obviously, the United States and Japan, as
parties to the six-party talks, have interests in trying to
address," he said. "What we're hoping is for the six-party talks
to resume soon."
 
Those negotiations group China, Japan, Russia, North and South
Korea and the United States.
 
Aso, who did not elaborate on the various scenarios being
considered, said officials needed to consider "ways to evacuate
Japanese nationals using US military vessels and civilian ships."
 
He added that the plan would also consider how to deal with
refugees from the Communist North.
 
The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported earlier that Tokyo fears as
many as 100,000 to 150,000 North Korean refugees could flood
into Japan in the event of an unspecified contingency in the
Korean peninsula.
 
The estimate comes from a committee linked to Japan's national
security council, the report said, citing unnamed sources
related to the matter.
 
It said the council concluded that such a large number of
refugees would overwhelm existing facilities in Japan and some
of them might need to be transferred to a third country.
 
North Korea
" /> North Koreashocked Japan and the rest of the world when it
announced on October 9 that it had conducted its first nuclear
test, sparking international condemnation and UN sanctions on
the already impoverished nation.
 
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 21 Boxer: Recent Press Release from Barbara Boxer, US Senator from California
 
Barbara Boxer (D-CA), incoming Chairman of the Senate Committee
on Environment and Public Works, today introduced two bills that
will help protect the American public from drinking water
contaminated by the toxic chemical perchlorate. Senator Boxer
was joined in introducing the bills by Senators Dianne Feinstein
(D-CA) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). Lautenberg is the incoming
Chairman of the water quality subcommittee. 

â€œWe must do everything within our power to make drinking water
safe for every American family,â€ Senator Boxer said.
â€œPerchlorate threatens the health of those most vulnerable,
and these bills will go a long way toward protecting them.â€ 

"Serious questions have been raised about the health risks of
perchlorate-contaminated water, particularly for pregnant women
and children,â€ Senator Feinstein said. â€œThe EPA has a
fundamental responsibility to provide American families in
California and across the country with the peace of mind that
the water they drink is safe. And I think all parents would
agree that they have a right to know whether their children are
drinking water contaminated by perchlorate. Thatâ€™s why itâ€™s
crucial that the EPA continue to test for perchlorate, to alert
residents to the health risks when their drinking water supply
has been contaminated, and to establish a clean-up standard." 

"Rocket fuel should be reserved for rockets, not our nation's
drinking water," said Senator Lautenberg. "The Bush
administration has failed to protect the public's drinking water
and warn people of potential health threats. This legislation is
an important step forward to provide Americans with the health
protections they demand." 

Perchlorate is found in the drinking water supplies of over 20
million Americans and particularly threatens pregnant women,
infants and children. It comes from rocket fuel and other
sources and has polluted at least 35 states. Yet the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has thus far refused to
set a standard for safe perchlorate levels in drinking water. 

The first of the two bills introduced today would direct EPA to
promptly establish a health advisory, followed by a drinking
water standard, for perchlorate. The standard would have to
protect the health of pregnant women and children. The second
bill would assure that tap water is tested for perchlorate and
that the public be notified when drinking water is contaminated. 

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 22 Guardian Unlimited: Bush Picks New Head of Nuclear Agency 

From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Friday January 5, 2007 5:16 PM
 	
AP Photo NY128 By H. JOSEF HEBERT Associated Press Writer 

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House said Friday that President
Bush has chosen a replacement for the man ousted as head of the
government's nuclear weapons program in the wake of reports of
embarrassing security breakdowns. 

Bush selected Thomas P. D'Agostino, who currently serves as
deputy administrator of defense programs at the National Nuclear
Security Administration, to succeed Linton Brooks in the top job
there on an acting basis. 

Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman had said Thursday that Brooks
would resign within the month. The agency maintains the nuclear
weapons stockpile and oversees the nation's weapons research
laboratories. 

``I have decided it is time for new leadership at the NNSA,''
Bodman said. 

Brooks, a former ambassador and arms control negotiator, said he
accepted the decision, one he understood was ``based on the
principle of accountability that should govern all public
service. This is not a decision that I would have preferred.'' 

Brooks was reprimanded in June for failing to report to Bodman
the theft of computer files at an NNSA facility in Albuquerque,
N.M., that contained Social Security numbers and other data for
1,500 workers. 

Then in October hundreds of pages of classified weapons-related
documents from the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico
were found during a drug raid in the home of a woman who had
worked at the lab. 

That security breakdown was especially troubling, a department
inspector general's report said, because it came after tens of
millions of dollars had been spent to upgrade cyber-security at
Los Alamos. A new management group also had been put in charge
only a few months earlier - also a fallout over the repeated
security problems. 

The New Mexico laboratory is one of three major research labs
that are part of the nuclear weapons complex under the NNSA. The
agency was created after the security flap involving Los Alamos
scientist Wen Ho Lee in the late 1990s in hopes that a single
agency within DOE might provide more control over security. 

Meanwhile, lab spokesman Steve Sandoval said Friday the
installation in New Mexico plans to implement an expanded
substance abuse policy that includes random drug tests of
employees and pre-employment drug screening for lab workers and
contractors. 

All lab policies, including current substance abuse guidelines,
have been under review since last year, before Los Alamos
National Security LLC took over the lab's management in June
from the University of California, which ran the lab for the DOE
for decades, he said. 

Michael Anastasio, the lab's director, notified employees about
the new policy last month ``to let people know this was coming
and take it seriously,'' Sandoval said. 

In announcing Brooks' resignation, Bodman said the NNSA had
``done its best'' to address the problems, but that progress had
not been adequate. 

``Therefore, and after careful consideration, I have decided
that it is time for new leadership at the NNSA,'' Bodman said. 

Some members of Congress questioned whether Brooks' departure is
enough to make the changes that are needed. 

``It will take more than a new boss to fix the problems, which
are far more systemic and pervasive in nature,'' said Rep.
Edward Markey, D-Mass., a member of the House Energy and
Commerce Committee, which is considering hearings on DOE
security. 

Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., said she also plans a hearing by
her House Armed Services subcommittee on ``the important policy
and structural changes'' planned to improve the nuclear agency.

Her aides said she believes the issue is one that goes beyond
Brooks, whom she praised. 

Sen. Pete Domenici of New Mexico, the ranking Republican on both
the Senate Energy Committee and the Appropriations subcommittee
on NNSA spending, said Bodman ``has sent a clear message'' that
improvements are needed at the agency. 

A number of lawmakers as well as private watchdog groups have
maintained that Brooks had not responded forcefully enough to
the Los Alamos security breakdowns. 

``His departure is long overdue,'' Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas,
said Thursday. He had called for Brooks' immediate firing last
summer when the theft involving information on the 1,500
employees came to light. 

In November, the Project on Government Oversight, a private
watchdog group, urged that Brooks be fired, saying he had been
slow in implementing a two-year-old policy to do away with
removable storage devices in weapons-related computers. 

In his message to employees, Brooks, who came to NNSA in July
2002, bemoaned the lack of progress in solving security problems
at Los Alamos. ``We have not yet done so in over five years,''
he said. 

But the rash of security problems date back to the late 1990s,
frustrating senior DOE officials. 

They include the disappearance of two hard drives containing
classified material that later were found behind a copying
machine and the disappearance of two computer disks that forced
a virtual shutdown of Los Alamos. It later was learned the two
disks never existed. 

Among other incidents were lost keys to classified areas
containing highly enriched uranium, use of less secure e-mail
systems to transmit classified material, scientists losing track
of vials of plutonium and the alleged improper use of government
credit cards. 

^--- 
On the Net: Energy Department: http://www.doe.gov National 
Nuclear Security Administration: http://www.nnsa.doe.gov 
		 	 	   
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
*****************************************************************
 23 UPI: Analysis: The business of going green
     
 United Press International - Energy - 

1/5/2007 5:22:00 PM -0500                                                                                                                        

 By KRISTYN ECOCHARD UPI Energy Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's new
energy initiative hopes to help businesses in their quest for
less polluting or more reliable energy sources, though it's
against any government mandates forcing the hands of business. 

The Institute for Energy Security, Jobs and Competitiveness will
focus on managing upcoming changes in the energy industry,
including expanding current sources of energy like oil and
nuclear, and being involved in the growing renewable energy
markets. 

Those renewable sources, such as ethanol and biofuels, wind and
solar power, have grown in recent years and are being buoyed
even more now by the increasing attention given to the threat of
global warming. 

At the unveiling of the initiative Thursday, U.S. Chamber of
Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Thomas Donohue
acknowledged there's some scientific evidence of increased green
house gas emissions and global warming but didn't accept or deny
it as fact. 

He said the Chamber would not be joining the debate; it will
rather deal with the issue of climate change from a business
angle. 

Tyson Slocum, director of the energy program at Public Citizen,
pointed out that under the last Congress there wasn't much
federal interest in climate change. As a result, the states took
initiative and, he said, the Chamber reacted strongly against
those regulations. 

"We don't view this as a very significant announcement. (The
Chamber) just wants to be a player in the debate on this issue,"
Slocum said. "As far as I know, businesses have been successful
because they focus on facts. There's no question that scientists
are agreeing that climate change is happening because of human
activity and the quicker we acknowledge that, the better." 

Businesses are going green with economic benefit, Donohue said,
but employment issues and keeping jobs in the United States are
also priorities for his organization. 

Donohue said stricter fuel economy standards could hurt the
automobile industry. The Chamber seeks to avoid increased
production costs or displacing jobs to countries with cheaper
labor, a tactic automobile manufacturers use to cut down costs. 

The Chamber opposes such federal mandates. 

However, investment banking firms, like J.P. Morgan and Morgan
Stanley, are taking carbon exposure into account and are
communicating to their clients that if changes aren't made they
will be at risk, said Rachel Cleetus, economist for the climate
change program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. 

"This is a very short sighted view of where revenue will be
coming from," Cleetus said. "Even industry folks see legislation
coming and in anticipation are taking steps in energy
efficiency." 

There are many cost effective technologies available that don't
threaten jobs or require unreasonable costs, Cleetus added. 

Manufacturers, Public Citizen's Slocum said, have been losing
money during the last decade without changes in CAFE standards
because overseas companies have been successful by focusing on
producing cars for Americans with better gas mileage, including
smaller autos that don't guzzle gas like sport utility vehicles
or trucks. 

"The rest of the world is starting to do things (to reduce
emissions) and unless the United States adopts the new
technology as well, we'll be falling behind," Slocum said. 

Donohue also touted nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil
fuels, though critics call to question security of the reactors
and radioactive waste generated by them. 

He pointed out the Chamber's support for green industry saying
it's profitable for businesses that reduce their electricity
consumption and, as a result, their rates. Legislation and
regulations that would support the endeavors of those businesses
would be supported by the Chamber. 

Another recipient of the Chamber's support is the offshore oil
drilling industry. Donohue said building domestic oil reserves
and securing the future of the U.S. energy supply was imperative
in meeting his other goals. 

Congress late last year approved limited new drilling for oil
and gas in the Gulf of Mexico. 

"You can have all the human capital in the world but if you
haven't got the energy to run your economy you're not doing very
well," he said. 

Donohue said economic growth in China, India, as well as
political changes in Venezuela and Russia are heating up
competition for global oil. 

"If we don't have access to oil in our own country we're making
a huge mistake in this very competitive fight for commodities,"
Donohue said. 

At a press conference last month, however, U.S. Secretary of
Energy Samuel Bodman talked about the intent to work with the
Chinese to "develop a cooperative and not a competitive
relationship." One of Bodman's goals was for China to have trust
in the free market and share access to the global oil reserves. 

There are entrenched interests in the oil, gas and coal
industries, especially within the auto sector, Cleetus said. 

But companies are making changes to renewable or other less
polluting power sources, he said, as well as eyeing those
sectors as a new market opportunity. 

"The long term health of the economy is threatened by sticking
with old technology. There will be cost in the short term but we
need far-sighted policy to help adjust," she said. 

(Comments to energy@upi.com)

© Copyright 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.
*****************************************************************
 24 UPI: Report: Russia to cut N.Korea debt
     
United Press International - Intl. Intelligence - 

1/5/2007 7:15:00 AM -0500

SEOUL, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- Russia is close to agree to write off 80
percent of debts owed by North Korea in a bid to boost its
influence on Pyongyang, a Seoul newspaper said Friday. 

During talks on Dec. 17-22, Russian Deputy Finance Minister
Sergei Storchak and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Gil
reached the agreement on the debt cut, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper
said, citing unidentified sources in Moscow. The two sides have
agreed to finish the deal before March, the sources were quoted
as saying. 

North Korea has borrowed 3.8 billion roubles from the Soviet
Union since the 1960s to build power plants and industry
facilities. Russia has estimated the debt at $8 billion
including interest, according to the largest newspaper in Seoul. 

"Moscow's move to cut the debt seems aimed at boosting
trilateral economic cooperation involving Russia, and North and
South Korea and inducing Pyongyang into the six-nation talks on
the North's nuclear problem," the source said. 

In another bid to increase its influence on the Korean
peninsula, Russia has prepared to provide electricity to the
energy-starved North, the daily said. Russia has joined the
six-party talks, aimed at persuading North Korea to end its
nuclear programs.

© Copyright 2007 United Press International, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.
*****************************************************************
 25 Platts: Comments due April 4 on GNEP environmental assessment
 
Washington (Platts)--4Jan2007
 
Public comments on a planned environmental assessment for the 
Global Nuclear Energy Partnership program will be taken until 
April 4, the department said.

In the January 4 Federal Register, DOE published a notice of 
intent that it plans to prepare a programmatic environmental 
impact statement, or EIS, for the GNEP program. 

GNEP is a fuel-cycle initiative that aims to develop new 
technologies for reprocessing plants and fast reactors. 

The EIS, which is required under the National Environmental 
Policy Act, will analyze both programmatic and project-specific 
proposed actions, DOE said.

The EIS is to evaluate three facilities: a reactor; a "recycling 
center" that would include a reprocessing plant and a 
fuel-fabrication facility; and an "advanced fuel cycle research 
facility." 

Thirteen DOE and non-DOE sites are under consideration for one or 
more of the facilities, DOE said. 

That group includes the 11 sites offered by the "commercial and 
public consortia" that, according to a November 29 DOE 
announcement, are eligible to receive money for siting studies, 
and two additional DOE sites that are candidates to host the 
research facility -- Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois and 
Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. 

Before the comment period ends, DOE will hold scoping meetings 
near the candidate sites and in Washington, DC, the department 
said.
 
Copyright © 2007 - Platts, All Rights Reserved [The McGraw-Hill 
Companies]       
*****************************************************************
 26 Guardian Unlimited: NRC Commissioner Resigning 

From the Associated Press        

[UP] 

Friday January 5, 2007 10:01 PM
 	
WASHINGTON (AP) - Edward McGaffigan Jr. said Friday he will
leave the Nuclear Regulatory Commission after more than 10 years
because of health reasons. 

McGaffigan, 59, a Democrat, informed President Bush and Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada of his decision in letters
Thursday. Reid must recommend a person to fill the Democratic
spot on the board. 

The longest-serving commissioner in the NRC's history,
McGaffigan was appointed to the commission on Aug. 28, 1996. 
McGaffigan is undergoing treatment for metastic melanoma, a
particularly dangerous form of skin cancer, according to the
agency. 
		 	 	   

    Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
*****************************************************************
 27 NRC: [Docket No. PRM-73-11] Petition by Scott Portzline

                        FR Doc E6-22582 

[Federal Register: January 5, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 3)] 
[Proposed Rules] [Page 481] From the Federal Register Online via 
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05ja07-9]                         
 
Petition for Rulemaking Filed by Scott Portzline, Three Mile 
Island Alert; Consideration of Petition

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
ACTION: Petition for rulemaking; consideration of petition.
 
SUMMARY: On November 2, 2001 (66 FR 55603), the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC) published for public comment a 
petition for rulemaking (PRM) filed by Scott Portzline, Three 
Mile Island Alert. The petitioner requested that the NRC 
regulations governing physical protection of plants and materials 
be amended to require NRC licensees to post at least one armed 
guard at each entrance to the ``owner controlled areas'' (OCAs) 
surrounding all U.S. nuclear power plants. The petitioner states 
that this should be accomplished by adding armed site protection 
officers (SPOs) to the security forces--not by simply moving SPOs 
from their protected area (PA) posts to the OCA entrances.
 
The petitioner believes that its proposed amendment would provide 
an additional layer of security that would complement existing 
measures against radiological sabotage and would be consistent 
with the long- standing principle of defense-in-depth.
 
This document informs the public that PRM-73-11 and public 
comments received in response to the above notice will be 
considered in a proposed rulemaking, ``Power Reactor Security 
Requirements,'' published in the Federal Register on October 26, 
2006 (71 FR 62664). This rulemaking proposes extensive revisions 
to the NRC regulations in 10 CFR parts 50, 72, and 73 that 
address security requirements for nuclear power reactor licensees 
and certain materials licensees. The comment period on that 
proposed rule expires on February 23, 2007.
 
Because the public has already had opportunity to comment on 
PRM-73-11, the NRC is requesting that comments focus on the 
proposed rule provisions in light of the subject PRM. Refer to 
the preamble of the proposed rule for instructions on how to 
provide comments.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Tartal, Office of Nuclear 
Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001, Telephone: 301-415-0016, or toll-free: 
800-368-5642, e-mail gmt1@nrc.gov, or Everett Byre, Office of 
Nuclear Security and Incident Response, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555- 0001, Telephone: 301-415-7825, 
or toll free: 800-368-5642, e-mail exb4@nrc.gov. Dated at 
Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of December 2006.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
Annette L. Vietti-Cook, Secretary of the Commission.
 
[FR Doc. E6-22582 Filed 1-4-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
*****************************************************************
 28 NRC: Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding
 
                        FR Doc E6-22583 
[Federal Register: January 5, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 3)] 
[Notices] [Page 586-588] From the Federal Register Online via GPO 
Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05ja07-62]                         
 
of No Significant Impact for the Addition of the Reynolds Ranch 
Area to Power Resources, Inc's Smith Ranch/Highlands Uranium 
Project, Converse County, WY AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission. ACTION: Notice of availability.
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Park, Environmental and 
Performance Assessment Directorate, Division of Waste Management 
and Environmental Protection, Office of Federal and State 
Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: (301) 
415-5835; Fax number: (301) 415- 5397; E-mail: jrp@nrc.gov.
 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction By letter dated 
January 14, 2005, Power Resources, Inc.
 
(PRI) submitted a request to amend its U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) Source Material License SUA-1548 for the Smith 
Ranch-Highland Uranium Project (SR-HUP), located in Converse 
County, Wyoming.
 
PRI requested that the SR-HUP permit area be modified to include 
the Reynolds Ranch area, which encompasses approximately 8700 
acres (3521 hectares) and is contiguous with the current northern 
boundary of the SR-HUP permit area. PRI desires to conduct 
in-situ leach uranium mining in the Reynolds Ranch area. PRI 
modified its amendment application by letter dated April 7, 2005.
 
The NRC staff has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in 
support of its review of PRI's application in accordance with the 
requirements of 10 CFR part 51. Based on the EA, the NRC has 
concluded that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is 
appropriate.
 
II. EA Summary Background PRI's SR-HUP is a commercial in-situ 
leach (ISL) uranium mining facility located in the South Powder 
River Basin, Converse County, Wyoming. The main office and 
Central Processing Plant complex is located at Smith Ranch, about 
17 air miles (22 road miles) (27 air/35 road kilometers (km)) 
northeast of Glenrock, Wyoming, and 23 air miles (25 road miles) 
(37 air/40 road km) northwest of Douglas, Wyoming. NRC issued 
PRI's current NRC license for the SR-HUP (Source Material License 
SUA-1548) on August 18, 2003, as part of a license renewal 
process. Commercial ISL uranium production began at the Highland 
site in January 1988 and at the Smith Ranch site in June 1997.
 
Under SUA-1548, PRI is authorized, through its ISL process, to 
produce up to 5.5 million pounds (2.5 million kilograms) per year 
of tri-uranium octoxide (U3O8), also known as ``yellowcake.'' 
PRI's current annual production is less than half of this limit.
 
Review Scope The NRC staff has reviewed PRI's request in 
accordance with the NRC's environmental protection regulations in 
10 CFR part 51.
 
Those regulations implement section 102(2) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended. The EA provides the 
results of the NRC staff's environmental review; the NRC staff's 
radiation safety review of PRI's request will be documented 
separately in a Safety Evaluation Report.
 
The NRC staff has prepared the EA in accordance with NRC 
requirements in 10 CFR 51.21 and 51.30, and with the associated 
guidance in NRC report NUREG-1748, ``Environmental Review 
Guidance for Licensing Actions Associated with Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards Programs'' (NRC, 2003). In 40 CFR 1508.9, 
the Council on Environmental Quality defines an EA as a concise 
public document that briefly provides sufficient evidence and 
analysis for determining whether to prepare an environmental 
impact statement or a FONSI.
 
The NRC staff's review addressed the environmental impacts of 
PRI's currently-approved mining operations at the SR-HUP only 
insofar as such operations would be modified by the proposed 
mining at the Reynolds Ranch amendment area.
 
Proposed Action PRI is proposing to modify its permit area 
boundary to accommodate the Reynolds Ranch area, and to conduct 
ISL operations within that area. As part of such operations, PRI 
would construct eight wellfields and a satellite ion-exchange 
facility for the recovery of uranium and for wellfield 
restoration following mining operations, and operate a deep 
disposal well for the disposal of liquid wastes. The ore deposits 
in the SR-HUP and Reynolds Ranch amendment area generally occur 
at depths of 450 feet (137 meters (m)) to 1000 feet (305 m) below 
the surface in long narrow trends varying from a few hundred to 
several thousand feet long and 20 to 300 feet (6 to 91 m) wide. 
The depth depends on the local topography, the dip of the 
formation, and the stratigraphic horizon. At the Reynolds Ranch 
amendment area, the shallower ore deposits are contained within 
the U/S-Sand, with the mineable ore in this sand occurring at 
approximate depths of 380 to 525 feet (116 to 160 m). Most of the 
remaining uranium mineralization at the Smith Ranch and Reynolds 
Ranch areas occurs in the O-Sand formation at depths of 700 to 
900 feet (213 to 274 m).
 
Following uranium recovery in each mining unit, PRI would restore 
ground-water conditions in the wellfield. Restoration techniques 
would involve ground-water sweep, clean water injection, and 
geochemical stabilization of the aquifer with a reductant. The 
goal of groundwater restoration is to return the aquifer to the 
baseline conditions that existed prior to the start of uranium 
recovery; or, if approved, to a secondary standard of pre-mining 
``class of use.'' Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action PRI 
currently conducts commercial-scale ISL uranium mining at the 
SR-HUP permit area. PRI is proposing to expand its mining 
operations and to conduct ISL mining in the Reynolds Ranch 
amendment area.
 
This would
 
[[Page 587]] enable PRI to continue to meet the current and 
future needs of its customers for U3O8 that would be made 
eventually into fuel for commercially-operated nuclear power 
reactors.
 
Alternatives to the Proposed Action No Action Alternative Under 
the ``no action'' alternative, PRI would continue to conduct ISL 
mining operations within the existing boundaries of the SR-HUP, 
but it would not be authorized to conduct such mining operations 
in the Reynolds Ranch area.
 
Other Alternative In the southern Powder River Basin, where the 
SR-HUP facility is located, uranium ore has been mined via open 
pits and underground mining in the past. This activity occurred 
from 1970 to 1984 at the Exxon Highland facility, which is 
adjacent to the eastern edge of the SR-HUP permit area, and from 
the mid-1970s to 1986 at Union Pacific Resources--Bear Creek 
site, which is approximately 15 miles (24 km) northeast of the 
SR-HUP permit area.
 
The environmental impacts associated with the recovery and 
processing of uranium ore obtained via open pit or underground 
mining are generally recognized as being considerably greater 
than those associated with in-situ leach mining. This is due 
predominantly to the need to access the uranium ore via open pits 
several hundred feet deep or via extensive underground mine 
workings, and to the conventional milling process, which 
generates a significant amount of waste relative to the amount of 
ore processed (roughly 95% of the ore is disposed as waste). 
Extensive mill tailings ponds are needed to dispose of these 
wastes. Therefore, although both open pit and underground mining 
of uranium has occurred near the Reynolds Ranch amendment area, 
these alternatives were not be considered further in this 
analysis.
 
Environmental Impacts No-Action Alternative Under the no-action 
alternative, PRI would not be authorized to conduct ISL mining 
operations in the Reynolds Ranch area. PRI would continue to 
conduct such operations within the SR-HUP permit area. The 
Reynolds Ranch area would remain open to its current uses: 
Livestock grazing and wildlife use.
 
Proposed Action The major potential environmental impacts 
associated with ISL uranium recovery are impacts to groundwater 
quality, air quality, and land use, radiological impacts, and 
impacts from waste disposal.
 
ISL operations in the Reynolds Ranch area are not expected to 
impact local uses of surface or ground water. To the extent 
possible, PRI will use existing access roads in the area; 
however, it is expected that PRI will need to construct 
additional roads for its operations. Ephemeral drainages may be 
affected by this road construction, as well as by the 
construction of wells for production and monitoring.
 
PRI would consider and implement erosion measures appropriate for 
the situation, potentially including crossing drainages at right 
angles; contouring and re-vegetation to stabilize soils; 
placement of hay bales; the use of diversion ditches, engineered 
culverts, and energy dissipaters to control runoff; and limiting 
travel within the drainage bottoms to necessary well construction 
and maintenance activities.
 
With respect to ground water, while it is common to dramatically 
degrade the water quality within the mineralized zone during 
uranium recovery activities, this impact is localized and 
temporary (i.e., extending over the life of mining operations). 
Following mining, PRI is required to restore the affected 
groundwater to its pre-mining quality or if approved, to its 
pre-mining class-of-use. PRI submits the results of its 
restoration activities to the NRC and the State of Wyoming 
Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) for final approval, 
prior to the termination of such activities. To date, the NRC 
staff has approved groundwater restoration activities at the 
SR-HUP site in 1987 for the R operations and in 2004 for the 
A-Wellfield during commercial operations.
 
In addition, PRI's operations in the Reynolds Ranch area are not 
expected to affect local stock and domestic wells as these wells 
are completed in stratigraphic horizons above the zones planned 
for ISL mining. Pre-mining aquifer testing by PRI would ensure 
that confining layers are present to restrict the vertical 
movement of ISL leaching solutions and to restrict the influence 
of pumping in the deeper mining zones on water levels in the 
stratigraphically higher non-mining aquifers.
 
The primary source of radiological impact to the environment from 
site operations is gaseous radon-222, which is released from the 
satellite facility and from the wellfields. The highest radon-222 
concentration estimated was 1.1E-03 working level at a distance 
of 0.9 mi (1.5 km) ENE of the proposed satellite facility. This 
concentration is 4% of the 100 mrem/yr effluent concentration 
limit in 10 CFR part 20. The total annual effective dose was 27 
mrem/yr at the unoccupied Mason House, and 4 mrem/yr at the 
Reynolds Ranch. Both of these dose values are well below the 10 
CFR part 20 limit of 100 mrem/yr to members of the public. These 
concentrations and doses are from the mining operations 
anticipated during year 8 at the Reynolds Ranch area, which is 
when the highest doses would be expected, since in that year, PRI 
plans to have four of its anticipated eight wellfields in 
production and three other wellfields in restoration.
 
Uranium recovered at Reynolds Ranch would be processed at the 
Smith Ranch central processing plant (CPP). For final yellowcake 
processing at the CPP, PRI employs a vacuum dryer that collects 
in a liquid condenser the dust and gas generated from drying. As 
a result, no particulates will be released to the environment. 
The main non- radiologic gaseous effluents that would be released 
from the operation of processing equipment in the CPP include 
gases such as CO2 and hydrogen chloride. At the CPP, these gases 
are vented directly to the atmosphere where they are readily 
dispersed.
 
With respect to land use, the primary impact would be the fencing 
off of approximately 325 acres (131 ha) of the 8704 acres (3521 
ha) to exclude livestock until the completion of groundwater 
restoration and surface reclamation. These effects, however, 
would be limited, temporary, and reversible as the land would be 
returned to its former grazing use following post-recovery 
surface reclamation.
 
Air quality would be impacted by the release of diesel emissions 
from drilling and construction equipment and from fugitive dust 
from construction activities and vehicle traffic. Diesel 
emissions would be minor and of short duration, and would be 
readily dispersed in the atmosphere. Fugitive dust generated from 
construction and drilling activity, as well as vehicle traffic on 
unpaved roads, would be localized and of short duration. 
Localized areas affected by the laying of pipelines and drilling 
of wells would be reclaimed, topsoiled, and re-seeded.
 
PRI is required under license condition 9.6 of SUA-1548 to 
dispose of 11e.(2) byproduct materials generated by project 
operations at a licensed byproduct waste disposal site. 
Currently, PRI disposes of its radioactively-contaminated solid 
wastes at Pathfinder Mine Corp.'s Shirley Basin uranium mill site 
in eastern Wyoming. PRI will also send liquid wastes from its 
process down a planned deep disposal well permitted by WDEQ.
 
 
[[Page 588]] Conclusion The NRC has reviewed the environmental 
impacts of the proposed action in accordance with the 
requirements of 10 CFR part 51.
 
The NRC staff has determined that the addition of the Reynolds 
Ranch area to the SR-HUP operational area for the purpose of 
constructing and operating in-situ leach uranium mining units and 
supporting infrastructure, would not significantly affect the 
quality of the human environment. Therefore, an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) is not warranted for the proposed action, 
and pursuant to 10 CFR Part 51.31, a FONSI is appropriate.
 
Agencies and Persons Consulted The NRC staff consulted with other 
Federal and State agencies regarding the proposed action. These 
consultations were intended to afford these agencies the 
opportunity to comment on the proposed action, and to ensure that 
the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (NHPA) and Section 7 of the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA) were met with respect to the proposed action.
 
By letter dated April 10, 2006, the NRC staff provided a draft 
copy of the EA to the Casper, WY field office of the U.S. Bureau 
of Land Management (USBLM) for its review and comment. By 
electronic mail on April 24, 2006 and July 5, 2006, the USBLM 
provided comments on the draft EA. In its comments, the USBLM 
focused on land use and hydrology issues. The NRC staff revised 
the EA to address the USBLM's comments.
 
The NRC staff also consulted with the WDEQ and the Wyoming 
Department of Transportation (WDOT). By letter dated April 10, 
2006, the NRC staff provided a draft copy of the EA to the WDEQ 
for its review and comment. By phone conversation on August 15, 
2006, the WDEQ provided its comments, requesting clarification of 
the post-mining groundwater restoration standards and of the 
groundwater transfer restoration process and provided some 
editorial comments. The NRC staff revised the EA to address the 
WDEQ's comments. In response to November 2005 information 
requests from the NRC staff, the WDOT provided traffic counts and 
accident data and analyses for the stretch of county road that 
borders the western boundary of the Reynolds Ranch area.
 
With respect to the requirements of Section 7 of the ESA, the NRC 
staff consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Mountain- Prairie Region (USFWS/MPR). By letter dated September 
28, 2005, the USFWS/MPR provided a list of endangered and 
threatened species, as well as comments on migratory birds and 
wetlands and associated riparian areas. Based on the NRC staff's 
review, there are no endangered or threatened species, either 
plant or animal, nor is there critical habitat, in the Reynolds 
Ranch area. There is not expected to be an effect on any 
endangered or threatened species or critical habitat from ISL 
mining operations in the Reynolds Ranch area.
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 106 of the NHPA, the NRC 
staff consulted with the Wyoming State Historic Preservation 
Office (WSHPO). By letter dated August 11, 2005, the NRC staff 
requested information from the WSHPO regarding cultural and 
historic properties that may be affected the proposed addition of 
the Reynolds Ranch area to the SR-HUP operational area. By return 
letter dated August 24, 2005, the WSHPO provided its concurrence 
that no historic properties would be adversely affected by the 
proposed action.
 
III. Finding of No Significant Impact On the basis of the EA, the 
NRC staff has concluded that there are no significant 
environmental impacts from the addition of the Reynolds Ranch 
area to the SR-HUP operational area for the purpose of conducting 
ISL uranium mining. Therefore, the NRC staff has determined not 
to prepare an EIS.
 
IV. Further Information Documents related to this action, 
including the application for amendment and supporting 
documentation, will be available electronically at the NRC's 
Electronic Reading Room at: 
http://www.NRC.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. From this site, you can 
access the NRC's Agencywide Document Access and Management System 
(ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC's public 
documents. The ADAMS accession numbers for the documents related 
to this notice are: 
----------------------------------------------------------------- 
----------------------------------------------- Document date 
Description                 ADAMS accession No.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- 
----------------------------------------------- 
1/14/2005......................................  PRI's license 
amendment request.......              ML050390076 
4/7/2005.......................................  PRI's response 
to NRC staff request                  ML51150034 for additional 
information.
 
8/11/2005......................................  WSHPO 
concurrence on NRC staff                      ML052200552 
determination of no adverse affect.
 
4/10/2006......................................  NRC staff's 
transmittal of pre-                     ML060600176 decisional 
draft EA to USBLM and WDEQ.             ML060600191 4/24/2006 
7/5/2006.............................  USBLM comments on draft 
EA............              ML062580462

 
ML062610249

 
ML062610250 9/30/2006......................................  NRC 
staff final EA for addition of the              ML062690386 
Reynolds Ranch amendment area.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------- 
----------------------------------------------- If you do not 
have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the 
documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC's Public Document 
Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by 
e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. These documents may also be viewed 
electronically on the public computers located at the NRC's PDR, 
O-1F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 
MD 20852. The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for 
a fee.
 
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 15th day of December 2006.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
Scott C. Flanders, Director, Division of Waste Management and 
Environmental Protection, Office of Federal and State Materials 
and Environmental Management Programs.
 
[FR Doc. E6-22583 Filed 1-4-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
*****************************************************************
 29 NRC: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
 
                        FR Doc E6-22584 
[Federal Register: January 5, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 3)] 
[Notices] [Page 585-586] From the Federal Register Online via GPO 
Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05ja07-61]                         
 
Comment Request AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). 
ACTION: Notice of pending NRC action to submit an information 
collection request to OMB and solicitation of public comment.
 
SUMMARY: The NRC is preparing a submittal to OMB for review of 
continued approval of information collections under the 
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35). Information Pertaining to the Requirement To Be 
Submitted 1. The title of the information collection: Policy 
Statement for the ``Criteria for Guidance of States and NRC in 
Discontinuance of NRC Regulatory Authority and Assumption Thereof 
By States Through Agreement,'' Maintenance of Existing Agreement 
State Programs, Request for Information Through the Integrated 
Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP) Questionnaire, 
and Agreement State Participation in IMPEP.
 
2. Current OMB approval number: OMB 3150-0183. 3. How often the 
collection is required: There are four activities that occur 
under this collection: Information collection activities required 
by the IMPEP questionnaire in preparation for an IMPEP review 
conducted no less frequently than every four years; while the 
following activities are all collected on an annual basis--policy 
statement addressing requirements for new Agreement States; 
participation by Agreement States in the IMPEP reviews; and 
annual requirements for Agreement States to maintain their 
programs.
 
4. Who is required or asked to report: 34 Agreement States who 
have signed Section 274b. Agreements with NRC. 5. The number of 
annual respondents: 34. 6. The number of hours needed annually to 
complete the requirement or request: For States interested in 
becoming Agreement States: Approximately 4,300 hours. For 
Agreement State participation in 10 IMPEP reviews (7 Agreement 
States, 1 NRC Regional Office and 2 Follow- up reviews): 360 
hours (an average of 36 hours per review). For maintenance of 
existing Agreement State programs: 255,600 hours (an average of 
approximately 7,517 hours per State for 34 Agreement States). For 
Agreement State response to 7 IMPEP questionnaires annually: 371 
hours (an average of 53 hours per program). The total number of 
hours expended annually is 260,631 hours.
 
7. Abstract: States wishing to become Agreement States are 
requested to provide certain information to the NRC as specified 
by the Commission's Policy Statement, ``Criteria for Guidance of 
States and NRC in Discontinuance of NRC Regulatory Authority and 
Assumption Thereof By States Through Agreement.'' Agreement 
States need to ensure that the Radiation Control Program under 
the Agreement remains adequate and compatible with the 
requirements of Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act (Act) and 
must maintain certain information. NRC conducts periodic 
evaluations through IMPEP to ensure that these programs are 
compatible with the NRC's program, meet the applicable parts of 
the Act, and are adequate to protect public health and safety.
 
Submit, by March 6, 2007, comments that address the following 
questions; 1. Is the proposed collection of information necessary 
for the NRC to properly perform its functions? Does the 
information have practical utility? 2. Is the burden estimate 
accurate? 3. Is there a way to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected? 4. How can the burden 
of the information collection be minimized, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology?
 
[[Page 586]] A copy of the draft supporting statement may be 
viewed free of charge at the NRC Public Document Room, One White 
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Room O-1 F21, Rockville, 
Maryland 20852. OMB clearance requests are available at the NRC 
World Wide Web site: 
http://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/doc-comment/omb/index.html. The 
document will be available on the NRC home page site for 60 days 
after the signature date of this notice.
 
Comments and questions about the information collection 
requirements may be directed to the NRC Clearance Officer, Brenda 
Jo Shelton (T-5 F53), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001, by telephone at 301-415-7233, or by 
Internet electronic mail to INFOCOLLECTS@NRC.GOV. Dated at 
Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of December 2006.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
Brenda Jo Shelton, NRC Clearance Officer, Office of Information 
Services.
 
[FR Doc. E6-22584 Filed 1-4-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
*****************************************************************
 30 NewsRoom Finland: Commission defends nuclear power -Finland's HS
 	
5.1.2007 at 10:50 		

Finnish national daily Helsingin Sanomat quoted a draft EU energy 
paper as saying that the European commission considered nuclear 
power a noteworthy option to help EU member states meet strict 
emission requirements in the future. 

In its energy strategy, the commission also proposes that the 
share of renewable energy sources should be raised to a fifth of 
the total by 2020, according to Helsingin Sanomat. 

The commission has been careful not to recommend any specific 
form of energy generation, not least because nuclear power is a 
sensitive issue politically in many member states. 

/STT/ 	

© Copyright STT 2007 	

News from Finnish News Agency STT
 	
© 1995 – 2005, Virtual Finland
        Produced by: Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland 
Department for Communication and Culture/Unit for Promotion and 
Publications 
*****************************************************************
 31 NewsRoom Finland: Finland's Pekkarinen calls for sixth nuclear power station
 	
5.1.2007 at 10:18 		

Mauri Pekkarinen (centre), the Finnish trade and industry
minister, was quoted as saying in provincial paper Länsi-Savo
Friday that Finland needed a sixth nuclear power station. 

"Finland should have realised the need to increase the use of
bioenergy considerably earlier. We can no longer meet our
emission obligations with bioenergy," the minister told the
paper. 

In addition to further nuclear power generation capacity, Mr
Pekkarinen called for improved energy self-sufficiency through
an increase in renewable and biological-based energy. 

/STT/ 	

© Copyright STT 2007 	

Send feedback on this item to:  	
 	
News from Finnish News Agency STT
 	
© 1995 – 2005, Virtual Finland
        Produced by: Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland 
Department for Communication and Culture/Unit for Promotion and 
Publications 
*****************************************************************
 32 KNDO/KNDU: Meeting for GNEP Environmental Study Planned

Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA | 

WASHINGTON- A meeting is now planned for area residents to talk
about Hanford as a possible site for the Global Nuclear Energy
Partnership. 

The U.S. Department of Energy says they will hold a meeting on
March 13 in Pasco. 

Residents can voice their opinions during the meeting. 

DOE is planning an environmental impact study for the site, and
needs community involvement as the process moves forward. 

The GNEP explores possible places for a nuclear fuel recycling
center, advanced recycling reactor and advanced fuel research
facility. 

The project is designed at advancing the nation's nuclear energy
program.   

  
  Kittitas County Courthouse Evacuated After Bomb Threat
The calls came in to Kittcom Dispatch and the Sheriff's Office
at about a quarter to nine this morning.  
  
  Students Say Preparation for WASL is Key
Davis High School is planning to recognize students who
successfully passed the WASL.  A ceremony will be held Monday at
6:00 pm. 
  
  DOT Gears Up For Busy Weekend Over Snoqualmie Pass
The Department of Transportation is calling on extra crews to
help out with the expected bad conditions on Snoqualmie Pass
this weekend.
   
  Major Delays On Nob Hill Boulevard
Major traffic delays on Nob Hill Boulevard on Thursday night.
   
  Yakima Clean Air Authority Hopes to Educate More People About
Burn Bans
In extreme cases, if you don't follow a burn ban, you could be
fined up to $10,000.
   
      All content © Copyright 2000 - 2007 WorldNow and KNDO/KNDU. 
All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please 
*****************************************************************
 33 LasVegasNOW.com: Reid Will Get Input on Another NRC Commissioner

KLAS-TV

The longest-serving commissioner on the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission is resigning. That means for the second time in two
years Senator Harry Reid will have some input on a replacement
for the panel with oversight of Yucca Mountain.    

Edward McGaffigan Junior announced today he will leave the NRC
after 10 years because of health reasons.    

The 59-year-old Democrat informed President Bush and Reid of his
decision in letters Thursday. As Senate majority leader, Reid
must recommend a person to fill the Democratic spot on the
board.    

Bush appointed Reid's top science adviser at the time, Gregory
Jaczko, to the five-member NRC in January 2005.    

Reid has fought for years to keep the Yucca Mountain nuclear
waste site out of Nevada. Some Senate Republicans and the
nuclear industry had opposed Jaczko's nomination, fearing he
would work to further Reid's desire to kill the project 90 miles
northwest of Las Vegas.    

Jaczko's term expires at the end of 2008.       

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.) 
 
      All content © Copyright 2000 - 2007 WorldNow and KLAS. All
Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
 34 AFP: Ex-US spy chief to tackle North Korea, China as Rice's deputy -
    
 by David Millikin Fri Jan 5, 1:51 PM ET 
		 	 
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Outgoing US intelligence chief John Negroponte 
will focus on handling the prickly nuclear standoff with North 
Korea " /> and delicate US-China ties when he takes over as 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice " /> 's top deputy, a senior 
US official said. 

Negroponte will also help follow through on a 
soon-to-be-announced policy shift in Iraq " /> as deputy 
secretary of state, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack 
said, though he stressed that Rice will remain in charge of that 
tough dossier.
 
President George W. Bush " /> announced on Friday the nomination 
of Negroponte, a veteran foreign service officer who has been his 
top intelligence adviser for less than two years, as the 
country's number-two diplomat.
 
Negroponte, 67, must be confirmed in the new post by the Senate,
but McCormack predicted quick approval.
 
"Since he has been through several confirmations in the
relatively near past, we hope that this is a relatively speedy
confirmation process. It should be," McCormack told reporters.
 
Before taking over the newly created job of Bush's director of
national intelligence in April 2005, Negroponte held five
ambassadorial posts -- in Mexico, Honduras, the Philippines, the
United Nations
" /> and, most recently, Baghdad -- making him one of
Washington's most seasoned foreign policy hands.
 
But such a record also raised questions about why Negroponte
would give up a cabinet-level position to become deputy
secretary of state, a job that has been vacant for months and
deals basically with tasks Rice prefers not to handle.
 
US newspapers suggested Negroponte wanted to return to his State
Department roots, while columnist Al Kamen in The Washington
Post referred to "chatter" hinting about a deal in which Rice
could give up her job before the end of Bush's term in January
2009, leaving the top spot to her new deputy.
 
McCormack said Negroponte would have a full plate of portfolios
to handle when he moves into the deputy's suite down the hall
from Rice's office on the State Department's ornate seventh
floor.
 
With his experience as US envoy in Baghdad and national
intelligence chief, Negroponte will be involved in implementing
a new strategy for dealing with the violence in Iraq that Bush
is due to announce next week, McCormack said.
 
But he said that Rice would "remain deeply involved in Iraq
policy."
 
Rather, Negroponte is expected to "devote quite a bit of
attention to Northeast Asia," McCormack said, referring to
drawn-out efforts to convince the erratic communist regime in
North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
 
Six-party disarmament negotiations with North Korea resumed last
month after a 13-month boycott by Pyongyang and following the
regime's first actual test of a nuclear bomb -- an act that
sparked UN sanctions.
 
The talks made no progress and McCormack said they could resume
later this month.
 
Negroponte is also expected to "take an important role" in
advancing a US-China strategic dialogue launched by the previous
deputy secretary of state, Robert Zoellick
" /> , before he resigned in July, McCormack said.
 
Rice has frequently hailed improved cooperation with China in
recent months in dealing with global challenges like the North
Korean and Iranian nuclear crises and the catastrophic violence
in Sudan's Darfur region.
 
In what Rice called a "sea change" in Chinese diplomacy, Beijing
backed the UN sanctions against North Korea -- long its closest
ally -- and voted for lesser measures against Iran
" /> over its nuclear program.
 
Senior US officials said China also played a pivotal role in
convincing Sudan -- where Beijing has significant oil interests
-- to back down from its refusal to accept UN-led peacekeepers
in Darfur. 
But Washington remains concerned about China's military buildup
and a host of trade-related problems. 
With a deputy finally in place, Rice has indicated she will
spend much of her time in coming months trying to revive the
long-deadlocked Israeli-Arab peace process.
 	 		 			
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 35 Sofia Morning News: Bulgaria: Bulgaria Wants EU to Pay EUR 1 B for Nuke Units Closure

www.novinite.com

Minister Rumen Ovcharov will seek about EUR 1 B from the
European Union to make up for the closure of the nuclear
reactors. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)

Bulgaria in EU: 5 January 2007, Friday.

Bulgaria will take steps for increasing the amount of
compensations from the European Union for the closure of units 3
and 4 of Kozloduy nuclear power plant, the energy minister told
the national radio. 

Minister Rumen Ovcharov said Bulgaria will follow the example of
other member states, which have already taken advantage of these
compensations and set the sum at about EUR 1 B. 

The minister repeated his hopes that the two decommissioned nuke
units may be brought back to life. 

At the end of last year, hours before joining the European
Union, the country shut down another two reactors at its sole
Kozloduy nuclear power station to meet the safety requirements
of the European block. 

The EU is due to pay Sofia EUR 550 M to make up for the closure
of the four reactors and encourage economy in the use of energy. 

Experts, however, say the plant has been stripped of production
capacity worth EUR 3-4 B.

novinite.com

 All Rights Reserved © Novinite Ltd., 2001-2007 - Copyright
&Disclaimer - Privacy Policy
ISO 9001:2000 Certified

Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency -
www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news
provider in English that informs its readers about the latest
Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily
online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News
Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News
*****************************************************************
 36 Sydney Morning Herald: Nuclear plant target for stolen rocket launchers, police allege

www.smh.com.au

Les Kennedy and Craig Skehan

January 6, 2007
 	
STOLEN Australian Army rocket launchers are in the hands of a
home-grown terrorist group which planned to use them to attack
Sydney's Lucas Heights nuclear reactor, police allege.
 
The Federal Police Commissioner, Mick Keelty, said a man
arrested in Leumeah yesterday and charged with possessing stolen
weapons was linked to a group that had planned to attack
buildings in Sydney, including the reactor.
 
Mr Keelty would not publicly link the man, Taha Abdul-Rahman,
directly to a plan to target the reactor, referring only to
"evidence of a proposed target", and saying: "Clearly, there was
a plan for the use of the weapon."
 
But the NSW Assistant Commissioner, Nick Kaldas, said: "There
were a couple of sites that were probably being considered and
that's one of them."
 
A source said an informant had specifically suggested there was
a plan to attack the reactor with a rocket launcher.
 
Abdul-Rahman, 28, was arrested yesterday after the third raid on
his home since September 30. Police allege he sold seven rocket
launchers for $5000 each to Adnan "Eddie" Darwiche, a Sydney
drug dealer who is now in prison serving a sentence for double
murder.
 
In September, police from the NSW Middle Eastern Crime Squad
bought one rocket launcher from Darwiche for $50,000 during an
investigation into a bloody drug war in Sydney's south-west.
 
They say another five launchers are in the possession of the
terrorist group, and that Darwiche has the seventh one hidden.
 
The Darwiche link came about as he tried to cut a deal to get a
reduction in his life sentence for the murders of a woman and a
rival member of the Razzak drug syndicate.
 
When he sold the first launcher to police, through a go-between,
he also passed on to them 20 kilograms of Power Gel explosive.
 
On December 15, the Herald first reported the theft of up to
nine launchers from the Army, and also revealed details of the
extraordinary deal with Darwiche, in which police considered
giving him a certificate of indemnity from prosecution. On that
same day, Abdul-Rahman's home was raided again.
 
Mr Keelty yesterday said police had established a link between
Abdul-Rahman and others arrested under the high-profile
Operation Pendennis between November 2005 and March last year.
 
After the Pendennis raids, investigators said they had foiled
imminent terrorist attacks in Sydney and Melbourne. The group of
alleged Islamic terrorists was said to have been penetrated by
an undercover police agent.
 
Mr Keelty said that as those arrested as part of Operation
Pendennis were still before the courts, there was a limit to how
much he could say about alleged ties to yesterday's arrest over
the stolen launchers.
 
"We are continuing our investigations not only in relation to
Operation Pendennis, but in respect of this aspect of the
operation," Mr Keelty said.
 
Asked if the man arrested yesterday was linked to the group that
allegedly made threats to attack facilities including Lucas
Heights, he said: "Yes, he is."
 
The investigation into the stolen launchers is understood to
focus on private security patrols of military facilities.
 
After his arrest yesterday, Abdul-Rahman was charged with
offences relating to the theft and procurement of the rocket
launchers.
 
According to court documents, police allege he is a second or
third link in a chain that passed the weapons on to others after
he acquired them from an unknown source, who got them from
within the military. Abdul-Rahman is then alleged to have sold
all seven to Darwiche for his alleged use in the drug war.
 
It is alleged Darwiche, now serving a double life sentence in
the supermax high-security prison at Goulburn, sold five of them
to the terrorist group with cells in Sydney's south-west and
Melbourne.
 
Abdul-Rahman was taken to Sydney's Central Local Court late
yesterday charged with 17 terrorism related offences.
 
They include two counts of dishonestly receiving stolen
property, and seven counts of unauthorised possession of a
prohibited weapon.
 
He was also charged with possession of ammunition under section
65 of the Ammunition and Firearms Act 1996.
 
His solicitor, Sam Abbas, told the magistrate, Robyn Denes, he
did not want his client to be taken from underground cells and
brought before the court.
 
With Abdul-Rahman's partner watching quietly from the public
gallery, Mr Abbas said his client was not seeking bail, nor
entering a plea but would make a bail application next Wednesday
via video link.
 
Mr Kaldas said there was a wider investigation into links
between the criminal world and terrorism in Australia.
 
"The line between criminality and politically motivated acts of
terrorism is blurring worldwide," Mr Kaldas said. "We are open
minded on whether other rockets have fallen into the hands of
terror groups."
 
Copyright © 2007. The Sydney Morning Herald.
*****************************************************************
 37 [NYTr] US Nuclear Security Chief Resigns Under a Cloud
 
Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 22:56:37 -0600 (CST)

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Via NY Transfer News Collective  *  All the News that Doesn't Fit
 
Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

US Nuclear Security Chief Resigns Under a Cloud

Washington, Jan 5 (Prensa Latina) Linton Brooks, director of the US Nuclear
Security Administration, was forced to resign his post because of
irregularities in a laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, CNN disclosed on
Friday.

A lapse in security was detected in the lab and three weeks later Brooks
resigned, according US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman.

Los Alamos officials have repeatedly emphasized the need to rectify
irregularities and prevent setbacks in the future, Bodman said.

The energy chief added that the Department of Energy and NSA constantly
remind employees and managers to be responsible to the people of the United
States and for results.

In October, New Mexico police found secret materials from the Los Alamos
lab in a house being investigated for drug-traffic.

Agents of the Inspector General s Office reported that police also found
computer archives with clear images of classified documents from Los
Alamos.

hr ccs Tac jvj

PL-27
       
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 38 BBC: Weapons link to Australian 'plot'
 
Last Updated: Friday, 5 January 2007
 
[Lucas Height]                                  

The Lucas Height nuclear site was allegedly a terror target                                                               

Australian police have arrested a man they suspect of involvement 
in the theft of military rocket launchers and their alleged sale 
to a terror suspect. 

Taha Abdul Rahman, 28, was arrested in a Sydney suburb in a joint 
operation by police and counter-terrorism agents. 

He has been charged with 17 offences, including dishonestly 
receiving stolen property and supplying a prohibited weapon 
without authorisation. 

Police said the arrest was linked to current terrorism-related 
cases. 

Eighteen men are currently in custody awaiting trial after being 
arrested in Sydney and Melbourne in November 2005 on suspicion of 
planning an attack on Australian soil. 

Search for weapons 

Seven rocket launchers were stolen from the Australian military 
last year. One is believed to have since been found. 

Five of the launchers are alleged to have been sold by Mr Rahman 
to a "person... facing terrorism charges on another matter," 
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Frank 
Prendergast said. 

He said the other two launchers were given to another man, 
without giving details. Media reports suggest the man is not 
linked to terrorism. 

"It is a matter of great importance to us to recover the six 
outstanding weapons," Mr Prendergast said. 

Taha Abdul Rahman was remanded into custody until his next 
hearing on 10 January. 

The coordinated raids in Melbourne and Sydney and subsequent 
arrests of 18 men in 2005 was the largest counter-terrorism 
operation staged in Australia. 

Police at the time said they had averted a "potentially 
catastrophic attack", with reports suggesting the Sydney Harbour 
Bridge and Lucas Heights nuclear reactor were targeted. 

There has never been a major terrorist attack on Australian soil, 
although 88 Australians died in the 2002 Bali bombings, and 
Australia's embassy in Indonesia was bombed in 2004. 
*****************************************************************
 39 NRC: RIN 3150-AG63 comment period extension
 
                        FR Doc E6-22581 
[Federal Register: January 5, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 3)] 
[Proposed Rules] [Page 480-481] From the Federal Register Online 
via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05ja07-8]                         
 

 
Power Reactor Security Requirements; Extension of Comment Period 
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.
 
SUMMARY: On October 26, 2006 (71 FR 62664), the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC) published for public comment a 
proposed rule that would amend its current security regulations 
and would add new security requirements pertaining to nuclear 
power reactors. Additionally, this rulemaking includes new 
proposed security requirements for Category I strategic special 
nuclear material (SSNM) facilities for access to enhanced weapons 
and firearms background checks. The proposed rulemaking would: 
Make generically applicable security requirements imposed by 
Commission orders issued after the terrorist attacks of September 
11, 2001, based upon experience and insights gained by the 
Commission during implementation; fulfill certain provisions of 
the Energy Policy Act of 2005; add several new requirements that 
resulted from insights from implementation of the security 
orders, review of site security plans, and implementation of the 
enhanced baseline inspection program and force-on-force 
exercises; update the regulatory framework in preparation for 
receiving license applications for new reactors; and impose 
requirements to assess and manage site activities that can 
adversely affect safety and security. A 75-day comment period was 
provided for the propose rule, set to expire on January 9, 2007. 
Comments specific to the information collection aspects of the 
proposed rule were due on November 27, 2006.
 
The proposed rule deadline is extended from the original January 
9, 2007, deadline to February 23, 2007, and the information 
collections analysis deadline is extended from the original 
November 27, 2006 deadline to January 11, 2007.
 
 
DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule has been extended 
and now expires on February 23, 2007. The comment period for the 
information collection aspects of this proposed rulemaking has 
been extended and now expires on January 11, 2007. Comments 
received after this date will be considered if it is practical to 
do so, but the Commission is able to ensure consideration only 
for comments received before this date.
 
 
ADDRESSES: Mail written comments to: Secretary, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, ATTN: 
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff.
 
Hand delivered comments should also be addressed to the 
Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and delivered to 
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 
p.m. Federal workdays.
 
You may also provide comments via the NRC's interactive 
rulemaking Web site: http://ruleforum.llnl.gov. This site also 
provides the availability to upload comments as files (any 
format), if your web browser supports that function. For 
information about the interactive rulemaking site, contact Ms. 
Carol Gallagher, (301) 415-5905; e-mail: CAG@nrc.gov. Certain 
documents relating to this rulemaking, including comments 
received, may be examined at the NRC Public Document Room, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Room O1-F21, Rockville, MD. The same documents 
may also be viewed and downloaded electronically via the 
rulemaking Web site: http://ruleforum.llnl.gov. Documents created 
or received at the NRC after November 1, 1999 are also available 
electronically at the NRC's Public Electronic Reading room on the 
Internet at http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/index.html. From this 
site, the public can gain entry into the NRC's Agencywide 
Document Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides 
text and image files of NRC's public documents.
 
For more information, contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) 
Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 202-634-3273 or by e-mail to 
pdr@nrc.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard 
Rasmussen, Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; 
telephone (301) 415-0610; e- mail: RAR@nrc.gov or Mr. Timothy 
Reed, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555- 0001; telephone 
(301) 415-1462; e-mail: TAR@nrc.gov.
 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During a public meeting held on 
November 15, 2006, the State of Pennsylvania and the Nuclear 
Energy Institute (NEI) requested that the comment period for the 
proposed rulemaking be extended by 45 days. Subsequently, on 
November 17, 2006, the NEI provided a written request to NRC for 
a 60-day extension to the public comment period for both the 
proposed rulemaking and the information collection aspects of the 
rulemaking. NEI stated four reasons to support their request 
(listed below): (1) There are two major holidays during the 
comment period; (2) This is a major and complex rulemaking as 
evidenced by the sheer volume of the rulemaking package 
(SECY-06-0126 exceeds 1000 pages); (3) Since June 2006, NEI has 
been engaged in the development of NEI 06-12, ``B.5.b Phase 2 
Submittal Guideline'' which licensees will use to respond to the 
NRC site-specific Phase 3 letters. Licensee responses are due in 
early January 2007; and, (4) Comments on the proposed Sec.  73.21 
rulemaking are due January 2, 2007.
 
In view of the NRC's desire to receive high quality comments from 
external
 
[[Page 481]] stakeholders, and recognizing the extenuating 
circumstances that adversely impact the capability of external 
stakeholders to comment on the proposed rulemaking given ongoing 
activities which are competing for the same industry resources, 
the comment period, for both the proposed rulemaking and for the 
information collections analysis, will be extended for an 
additional 45 days. This partial grant of the request from both 
NEI and the State of Pennsylvania recognizes that the power 
reactor security requirements impact new reactor applications, 
and it is the NRC's objective to not adversely impact new reactor 
applications which are scheduled to be submitted in late 2007.
 
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of December 2006.
 
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
 
Annette L. Vietti-Cook, Secretary of the Commission.
 
[FR Doc. E6-22581 Filed 1-4-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P

 
*****************************************************************
 40 Guardian: Academics join Trident protest 

EducationGuardian.co.uk
 
Alexandra Smith

Friday January 5, 2007

A group of British and Swedish academics will join the Trident
blockade in Faslane, near Glasgow, at the weekend to protest
against nuclear weapons. 

The academics will join Faslane365, a 12-month continuous
peaceful protest at the Trident base at Faslane, which started
on October 1 and will run to September 30.

The group will present papers on legal, military, economic and
moral objections to nuclear missiles and will hold an academic
seminar at the main gate of the base, backed by students from
several universities.

One of the academics, John Hull, who is blind, said: "I have had
to think carefully about taking part in this event, but finally
made my mind up to go when my son offered to drive me there and
back. 

"At the age of 71, totally blind and asthmatic, I am not too
sure how the cold will affect me, and I am slightly concerned
about whether the police will let me keep a small radio with me
overnight in the cell if I am arrested. 

"But I am determined to do something to protest this nuclear
policy, which is pointless from a military perspective,
economically wasteful, illegal and unethical."

The organisers of Faslane365 have conceded arrests are likely to
be made. A spokesman for the group said: "We have had someone in
a wheelchair but this is the first time a blind person has taken
part in the peaceful action. The police don't like looking after
people with disabilities, and we are hoping that if Prof Hull is
arrested, he will be released quickly." 

The action by British academics comes as scholars around the
world step up their usually quiet campaigns against weapons of
mass destruction and the war in Iraq. In the US, academics
across the country are being asked to donate money each month to
a large antiwar group until the conflict in Iraq ends.

One of the academics, Joseph Nevins, an assistant professor at
Vassar College, said: "Massive opposition to the war hasn't
manifested itself into tremendous activism - or at least into
action that is commensurate with the level of opposition." 

"There has been a sense of powerlessness, and a lot of us,
myself included, decided that we're not doing enough to put an
end to this."

In the short term, US academics' donations will support a United
for Peace and Justice march and congressional lobbying day
planned for later this month in Washington.
 
[UP] 

 EducationGuardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
*****************************************************************
 41 Deseret News: Lawyer links Strake to cancer potential
 
[deseretnews.com] 

Friday, January 5, 2007                                  

He calls government's science on blast flawed
                                                         
By Joe Bauman

Deseret Morning News                                          

A lawyer suing to stop the Divine Strake explosion at the Nevada 
Test Site says the gigantic non-nuclear blast carries the 
potential to kick up old radioactive debris and cause cancer.

       Citing the federal government's draft environmental
assessment on the explosion, Robert Hager, of Reno, Nev., points
out that federal officials now acknowledge that populated areas
off the sprawling test site could be exposed to radiation.

       The assessment says the radioactive exposure would be
slight, but Hager isn't buying that.

       Hager told the Deseret Morning News that he represents
individual Western Shoshone Indians in Nevada, some Utah
downwinders, the Winnemucca Indian Colony and the Timbisha Tribe
of the Western Shoshone.

       Radiation from nuclear tests carried out at the site in
past decades would have fallen to the ground there. While some
of the atomic particles were short-lived, others have half-lives
stretching into decades.

       "For the first time, the agencies admit that there are
radionuclides in the soil that will become airborne, and that
radioactivity will be transported by the mushroom cloud outside
the test site, and that downwind populations may be exposed to
radioactivity," Hager said in an e-mail.

       He was citing a draft environmental analysis on Divine
Strake, released in December. The analysis concluded that
downwind residents would not be in danger.

       The concern of some downwind residents is that
radioactive material in the soil could become airborne if the
Defense Threat Reduction Agency carries out the planned test,
detonating up to 700 tons of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil. The
test's announced purpose is to learn how to attack an enemy that
is using hardened and deeply buried shelters.

       The draft assessment acknowledges that the blast would
cause radioactive material to be released. But it says the
levels would be far lower than Environmental Protection Agency
standards, which allow exposure of no more than 0.1 millirem.

       The most radiation that a person could receive standing
next to the test-site boundary is 0.006 to 0.007 millirem, it
says, while off-site populated areas would have an exposure that
was "two to five times lower still" than that. Exposure in a
populated area would be "about 40 to 100 times lower than the
0.1-millirem level" set by the EPA, it says.

       Hager challenged the science behind the government's
exposure estimates as "flawed." His experts also say the
modeling of where the radioactivity will be deposited is mere
speculation, he added.

       "The history of prior blasts reflects that it is not
possible to predict where or in what concentrations the deadly
alpha emitters will be deposited," he said. Wherever they end
up, Hager warned, "the population will suffer increased
incidents of cancer, disproportionately borne by children."

       Meanwhile, two activist groups are protesting public
information sessions scheduled in Utah and Nevada about the
tests, calling for hearings instead. They also want the meetings
to be held in more localities.

       Downwinders United, a group of citizens from seven states
who believe they have been injured by the nuclear testing in the
past, and the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah joined in
saying the open house plans aren't good enough. The sessions
won't seek public input "but instead are designed to convince
the public that the test will be safe," the Downwinders charged
in a press release.

       J Truman, a resident of Malad, Idaho, who heads
Downwinders United, said that the Pentagon simply plans a
dog-and-pony show. "In our book, that's pure propaganda," he
said in the statement.

       "Three town hall meetings with PowerPoints and a poster
board are not acceptable, in view of the past legacy of fallout
deceit and lies."

       The groups insisted that hearings are necessary, if the
public is to have a chance to speak out. "This isn't the '50s,"
Truman said. "The public won't tolerate radiation without
representation."

       Additional hearings should be held on the Navajo
Reservation; in Kingman, Ariz.; and in Idaho, Montana,
southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico, according to
the statement from Downwinders United.

       Mary Dickson of Downwinders United added that the group's
members don't believe the federal government when it says Divine
Strake is safe. "We've heard these assurances before, and
experience has taught us to be very skeptical of anything the
government says concerning what happens at the test site."

       She called federal statements "eerily reminiscent of the
hollow assurances we heard throughout the years of atomic
testing."

© 2007 Deseret News Publishing Company  
*****************************************************************
 42 reviewjournal.com: Downwinders call for more Divine Strake public hearings
 
  Jan. 05, 2007

Meetings criticized as 'dog and pony show'       

SALT LAKE CITY -- An activist group from Utah and Idaho on 
Thursday criticized the federal government's plan for a series of 
public meetings to explain a planned non-nuclear blast in the 
Nevada desert.
 
Downwinders United wants the Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction 
Agency to hold more meetings and drop the "dog and pony show" 
format that will provide information but not allow for public 
comment on the test.
 
"In our book that's pure propaganda," Downwinder director
Preston Truman of Malad, Idaho, said. "Three town hall meetings
with power points and poster board are not acceptable in view of
the past legacy of fallout and lies."
 
Meetings are scheduled for Tuesday in Las Vegas, Wednesday in
Salt Lake City and Thursday in St. George, Utah.
 
"We want hearings, not tellings," Truman said.
 
The group is calling for additional hearings in Kingman, Ariz.,
Idaho, Montana, southwestern Colorado and northwestern New
Mexico, including the Navajo Reservation. All are areas where
fallout from Cold-War era nuclear tests has been documented.
 
Known as Divine Strake, the blast would send a 10,000-foot
mushroom-shaped dust cloud over the Nevada desert. Initially
scheduled for June 2006, the blast was indefinitely postponed
after a lawsuit was filed in federal court and the government
said it needed time to sort out questions about whether it would
kickup radioactive fallout from weapons tests at the Nevada site
85 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
 
"Downwinder" is a name commonly given to residents in part of
Nevada, Utah and Arizona who lived downwind of weapons tests who
later contracted certain cancers and other serious diseases.
 
The son of a downwinder, Utah's U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah,
called the meeting format limited.
 
"It's more of an open house than a hearing," Matheson said. "I
do encourage people to go. This is at least an opportunity that
we didn't have before. But I do have similar concerns."
 	   
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1997 - 2007
*****************************************************************
 43 KCPW: Divine Strake Meeting Underfire from Activist Groups - 
 
Jan 05, 2007 by Julie Rose

 (KCPW News) A public meeting set to happen in Salt Lake City on
Tuesday will apparently not allow people to make comments on the
proposed explosion known as Divine Strake. Two activist groups
in Utah are criticizing the meeting plan:

"The Department of Energy has organized a dog and pony where
they intend to shower us with their propaganda. Unfortunately
we've been asked to trust the federal government in the past and
they've been wrong," says Vanessa Pierce of the Healthy
Environment Alliance of Utah 

HEAL-Utah opposes the Pentagon's plan to detonate 700 tons of
explosives at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site to imitate a bunker
buster bomb. Pierce and members of DownWinders United - a group
of people who became ill as after living downwind of nuclear
testing - also contest the Department of Energy's claims that
the explosion poses no threat to residents:

"Utahns weren't asked if we wanted to be put in harms' way 50
years ago during the era of atmospheric testing. And we feel
it's imperative that our voices be listened to," says Pierce.

The activist groups have asked Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Junior
to hold a public hearing on the issue so they can offer comment.
The federal meeting is at the EnergySolutions Arena Tuesday at
6:30 p.m., but officials say it will be more of an informational
open house than a hearing. 


KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2007 KCPW
*****************************************************************
 44 BBC: Polonium-210 found in restaurant
 
Last Updated: Friday, 5 January 2007
 
[Alexander Litvinenko]                                  

Mr Litvinenko died in London on 23 November 2006                                                              

The radioactive element believed to have killed ex-Russian agent 
Alexander Litvinenko has been detected in another central London 
restaurant. 

Polonium-210 was found at the Pescatori Restaurant in Mayfair and 
staff are being tested, health officials said. 

The police had asked the Health Protection Agency to monitor the 
establishment as it was "linked to the Litvinenko police 
investigation". 

A total of 12 people in London have now tested positive for 
radioactivity. 

In a statement, the agency said there was no reason for public 
health concern over the latest discovery. 

"Remediation measures have been carried out successfully at the 
restaurant which is now open for business," the statement said. 

Official reassurance 

Restaurant manager Luigi Lavarini told BBC News he was happy with 
the way health officials had dealt with the contamination. 

"We're being reassured very much by the good work of the Health 
Protection Agency. 

"They have been very reassuring that none of us should have any 
problems because of this. 

"The only precaution they are asking us to take is to do this 
urine test which we will be undergoing in the next few hours." 

Mr Litvinenko died in London on 23 November and his body was 
found to contain a massive dose of the radioactive isotope 
polonium-210. 

Since then, traces of the element have been discovered in several 
restaurants and hotels.                                                          
*****************************************************************
 45 The Spectrum: Expert questions Divine Strake

www.thespectrum.com - 

The Spectrum, St. George, UT thespectrum.com

Friday, January 5, 2007             

 By PATRICE ST. GERMAIN patrices@thespectrum.com

HURRICANE - Richard L. Miller, environmental exposure specialist 
and author of the US Atlas of Nuclear Fallout, 1951-1962, has two 
questions about the revised environmental assessment for the 
Divine Strake experiment. Is there an increased risk of cancer? 
And how much of an increase?

Divine Strake, the name for a 700-ton fuel oil and ammonium
nitrate bomb, is not nuclear, but the site of the proposed test
is only a mile away from where nuclear testing was conducted at
the Nevada Test Site. 

Miller, who documented fallout from the nuclear testing from St.
George to the eastern seaboard in his book, said if the Divine
Strake test takes place, the resulting cloud would raise
radioactive isotopes in the soil and deposit the contamination
anywhere in the United States.

"Unless they (the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and National
Nuclear Security Administration) have a crystal ball, they can't
prove to us or anyone else that the material will properly
disburse or that there won't be an increased risk of cancer in
the population," Miller said.

Miller said because the material raised by the bomb could not be
kept on site and because it's a repository for radioactive
isotopes, the Divine Strake test should not take place at the
Nevada Test Site.

The draft environmental assessment has been revised several
times and a finding of no significant impact was issued. The
finding, or FONSI, was withdrawn after health and safety
concerns about the test were raised.

Reno attorney Robert Hager, who is representing the plaintiffs -
namely the Winnemucca Indian Colony - in the Divine Strake case,
filed a lawsuit in April 2006 that is pending in federal
district court in Las Vegas. He said he has reviewed the
December draft EA.

Hager said for the first time the agencies admit that there are
radionuclides in the soil that will become airborne, and that
radioactivity will be transported by the mushroom cloud outside
the test site, and that downwind populations may be exposed to
radioactivity.

Hager was also critical about the timing of the release of the
revised draft before the Christmas and New Year's holidays,
effectively reducing the 30-day public comment period for the
draft, which is due by Jan. 24.

"It was designed to limit public comment," Hager said of the
draft, which gives two options - do nothing or do the test.

At this point, Hager has done all he can do for his clients
unless another FONSI is filed, and if that happens, he will
again challenge the finding of no significant impact in court.

Not only are there concerns about the test and environmental
assessment but how the meetings - scheduled in Las Vegas, Salt
Lake City and St. George - are being conducted.

Vanessa Pierce, director of HEAL Utah, said in a press release
that initially public hearings for the Divine Strake blast were
to be scheduled, but now only open house forums were to be held.
"A hearing implies that public input will be solicited, but this
event is nothing more than a public relations ploy, allowing the
Pentagon and Department of Energy to shower the public with
propaganda," Pierce said.

{x·pert (k'spûrt') pronunciation 
n. 

1. A person with a high degree of skill in or knowledge of a { 
*certain subject.*} 
2. 
1. The highest grade that can be achieved in marksmanship. 
2. A person who has achieved this grade. 

adj. (k'spûrt, -k-spûrt') 

Having, involving, or demonstrating great skill, dexterity, or
knowledge as the result of experience or training. See synonyms
at proficient. 

[Middle English, from Old French, experienced, from Latin
expertus, past participle of exper+r+, to try.] 
expertly ex'pert'ly adv. 
expertness ex'pert'ness}
   
Originally published January 5, 2007

 Copyright ©2007 The Spectrum.
*****************************************************************
 46 Salt Lake Tribune: Downwinders call for additional Divine Strake public meetings

By Jennifer Dobner The Associated Press

Article Last Updated: 01/05/2007

06:49:37 AM MST          

Posted: 6:49 AM- SALT LAKE CITY - An activist group from Utah and 
Idaho on Thursday criticized the federal government's plan for a 
series of public meetings to explain a planned non-nuclear blast 
in the Nevada desert. 

    Downwinders United wants the Pentagon's Defense Threat
Reduction Agency to hold more meetings and drop the "dog and
pony show" format that will provide information but not allow
for public comment on the test. 

    "In our book that's pure propaganda," Downwinder director
Preston Truman of Malad, Idaho said in a news release. "Three
town hall meetings with power points and poster board are not
acceptable in view of the past legacy of fallout and lies." 

    Meetings are scheduled for Jan. 9 in Las Vegas, Jan. 10 in
Salt Lake City and Jan. 11 in St. George, Utah. 

    "We want hearings, not tellings," Truman said. 
    The group is calling for additional hearings in Kingman,
Ariz., Idaho, Montana, southwestern Colorado and northwestern
New Mexico, including the Navajo Reservation. All are areas
where fallout from Cold-War era nuclear tests has been
documented. 

    Known as "Divine Strake," the blast would send a 10,000-foot
mushroom-shaped dust cloud over the Nevada desert. Initially 
scheduled for June 2006, the blast was indefinitely postponed 
after a lawsuit was filed in federal court and the government 
said it needed time to sort out questions about whether it would 
kickup radioactive fallout from weapons tests at the Nevada site 
85 miles northwest of Las Vegas. 

    "Downwinder" is a name commonly given to residents in part
of Nevada, Utah and Arizona who lived downwind of weapons tests
who later contracted certain cancers and other serious diseases. 

    The son of a downwinder, Utah's U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson,
D-Salt Lake City, called the meeting format limited. 

    "It's more of an open house than a hearing," Matheson told
The Associated Press. "I do encourage people to go. This is at
least an opportunity that we didn't have before. But I do have
similar concerns." 

    Downwinder United member Mary Dickson of Salt Lake City also
said the group doesn't believe government claims that the
700-ton blast presents no public health hazards. 

    Las Vegas attorney Robert Hager, who represents plaintiffs
in the lawsuit, said a newly released environmental assessment
of Divine Strake acknowledges just the opposite. 

    "What the Pentagon is saying for the first time is there is
radioactivity in the soil and that will become airborne as a
result of this bomb," Hager said. 

    The report also projects an equal dispersion of the blast's
cloud and said the level of radiation released would be below
federal safety standards. 

    Experts who work for Hager disagree. 

    "Nobody can predict where that cloud will go," Hager said.

Â© Copyright 2006, The Salt Lake Tribune. 
*****************************************************************
 47 Morning Journal: Gas crews hit beryllium near former Brush site
 		 			 	 	 
MEGAN KING, Morning Journal Writer

01/05/2007

LORAIN -- Crews working on a gas line near West First Street and 
Hamilton Avenue yesterday afternoon disturbed beryllium that had 
been buried at the site of the former Brush plant since the 
1940s, according to city officials.

Lorain Fire Department Chief Tom Brown said workers from Columbia 
Gas noticed some discolored material and were concerned it could 
be beryllium. The fire department used trucks to block off the 
surrounding area while they waited for an environmental team to 
assess the substance. 

Brown said there was no immediate danger to nearby residents, and 
fire officials were keeping people away from the area. 

Safety-Service Director Mike Kobylka said there was a ''limited 
amount'' of beryllium disturbed and there was no threat to the 
health of residents in the area. He asked police officers to 
alert neighbors of what had happened. 

Kobylka estimated the depth of the trench where the beryllium was 
found at about three feet. 

''I've been assured by three environmental experts, including the 
team we had respond, that there's no public health or safety 
issue,'' Kobylka said. 

He said the city will determine today how to permanently remove 
the beryllium. 

Kobylka said since beryllium is a heavy metal, it would take a
''pretty stiff wind'' for it to spread. 

Ray Frank, a spokesman for Columbia Gas, said four workers, both
contract employees and Columbia Gas employees, were relocating a
gas line ''in conjunction with a construction project for the
city of Lorain.'' 

Kobylka said he did not believe they were authorized to dig in
that location.

''They obviously weren't aware of the possibility of disturbing
that site when they were relocating that gas line,'' Kobylka
said. 

Frank said he was not aware if the workers or Columbia Gas knew
that beryllium was in the area. 

''Our first concern right now is the safety and well-being of
our employees,'' Frank said. ''After we get those issues
addressed, I think we'll be in the position to start the
investigation to find out what happened and how we can prevent
these things from reoccurring.'' 

Frank said he was not aware if the employees had received
medical attention or complained of symptoms, but he said they
would be undergoing medical evaluations. 

The steel-gray metal is a component of coal, oil, certain rock
minerals, volcanic dust and soil. It is lightweight and stiff,
according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's
Web site. 

Chronic beryllium disease causes inflammation and scarring of
the lungs, making it difficult to get oxygen to the body. Most
people exposed to beryllium will not get chronic beryllium
disease. Those exposed to beryllium are also more likely to
develop lung cancer, according to OSHA. 

Jack Kurowski, director of environmental health for the Lorain
City Health Department, said that as a precaution, the workers
were changing clothes so, if they had been exposed, they would
not bring beryllium with them.

More than 30 deaths of workers and neighbors of the old Lorain
Brush Beryllium plant have been estimated due to diseases caused
by exposure to toxic beryllium fumes and dust, now Sen. Sherrod
Brown said in 1999.

According to a company report issued in 1999, 142 Brush Wellman
Inc. workers contracted beryllium disease since the 1940s,
including workers at the plant in Elmore.

The plant at West First Street and Hamilton Avenue, then called
the Brush Beryllium, burned down in 1948.

The plant had been used to produce beryllium for nuclear
weapons, under a contract with the federal government. Beryllium
is also used for items such as computers, cell phones and
ignition control systems. 

In 2000, Lorain City Council approved an agreement with Brush
Wellman, owners of the plant, that forbid the company from
bringing the metal into the city again. The company has a plant
on Baumhart Road where brush-engineered bronze is produced. 

©The Morning Journal 2007                                       
 ©2006 The Morning Journal - a Journal Register Property. All
Rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 48 Guardian Unlimited: Polonium-210 found at restaurant 

From Press Association   
	 
[UP] 

Friday January 5, 2007 3:23 PM
 	
An Italian restaurant in Mayfair is the latest location to be
contaminated with the radioactive element that killed the
Russian former spy Alexander Litvinenko.
 
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said polonium-210 had been
discovered at the Pescatori Restaurant in Dover Street.
 
Staff there are being offered urine tests to see if they have
been contaminated.
 
The restaurant is believed to be among the locations visited by
three Russian men who met Mr Litvinenko at the Millennium Hotel
in Mayfair on the day he fell ill
 
The HPA said that remedial work had been carried out and the
restaurant, a small family-run establishment specialising in
seafood, was now open for business.
 
"As a result of a recent request from the Metropolitan Police,
the Health Protection Agency has carried out monitoring of
Pescatori Restaurant in Dover Street, Mayfair, which has been
linked to the Litvinenko police investigation," the agency said.
 
"Some evidence of contamination with polonium 210 has been
detected.
 
"Remediation measures have been carried out successfully at the
restaurant, which is now open for business. On the basis of the
monitoring results received there is no public health concern."
 
The HPA said it did not anticipate any significant health risk
to staff or customers of the restaurant.
 
© Copyright Press Association Ltd 2007, All Rights Reserved.
 
    Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007
*****************************************************************
 49 BBC: Canberra to sell uranium to China
 
Last Updated: Friday, 5 January 2007
 
[Uranium mine in Kakadu national park]                                  

Australia has three working uranium mines, one in a national park
		
Australia will soon be able to export uranium to China, 
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said. 

The two countries signed an agreement earlier this year, which 
means the exports can begin in 30 days, he said. 

Australia has 40% of the world's recoverable uranium, while China 
needs a huge amount of energy for its large population and rising 
economy. 

Beijing is keen to increase its use of nuclear power, to cut down 
its dependence on fossil fuels. 

Two bilateral nuclear treaties - the Australia-China Nuclear 
Transfer Agreement and the Nuclear Co-operation Agreement - were 
signed in April during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to 
Canberra. 

The two countries had previously failed to reach a deal amid 
concerns China would use the uranium in its nuclear weapons 
programme. 

ENERGY IN CHINA                  

Fossil fuels currently provid 80% of energy Hydro-electric 
projects provide 18% of energy Nuclear energy from nine reactors 
currently supplies 2% Plans for 30 new reactors to be built by 
2020 Nuclear power to account for 4% of national output by 2020 

Sources: World Nuclear Association and Reuters         

But these agreements are designed to ensure that any uranium 
exported to China will just be used for peaceful purposes. 

Australia already exports uranium to more than 30 countries, but 
only does so under strict conditions. 

India has also tried to buy Australian uranium, but unlike China 
it has yet to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation and has so far 
failed to win approval for the purchase. 

Huge demand 

China is desperate for energy to fuel its booming economy. 

The old coal mines that the country relies on cannot keep up with 
demand and there is not enough oil to go around. 

With power shortages and blackouts in big cities common, the 
government is looking for new sources of energy and nuclear is 
top of the list. 

Beijing wants to build 40 to 50 nuclear reactors over the next 20 
years and a steady supply of uranium is vital.                                                        

*****************************************************************
 50 The Herald: Dounreay apology to estate owner in beach row   

Web Issue 26993     January 05 2007      

  DAVID ROSS, Highland Correspondent     January 05 2007   
    
  Peace seems to be breaking out between Dounreay and the owner
of Sandside Beach, which has been contaminated by radioactive
particles from the Caithness plant.

 For years Geoffrey Minter, the owner of the 10,000-acre
Sandside Estate in Caithness, and the UK Atomic Energy Authority
(UKAEA), Dounreay's operator, have been involved in a public
slanging match over the contamination of the beach by 77
radioactive particles to date. The dispute ended up in the Court
of Session in 2003.

 But now Mr Minter has received an apology from the UKAEA after
it said he should have done more himself.

 A retraction and expression of regret has been made on behalf
of the authority by Norman Harrison, acting chief operating
officer, over a suggestion that Mr Minter had not taken
sufficient care to check out possible radioactive contamination
of Sandside in 1990 before he bought the estate.

 The suggestion was made during an exchange at a hearing of the
House of Commons trade and industry select committee in March
2005. It was then suggested that Mr Minter should have sued his
advisers and not the UKAEA over the contamination of Sandside.

 Mr Harrison has now written to Mr Minter to say he understood
the hurt and offence the suggestion had caused and that he could
find no evidence to substantiate it.

 In the letter, Mr Harrison said: "I wish, on behalf of UKAEA,
to retract any suggestion that there was a lack of due diligence
and express my personal regret that such a suggestion was made
or implied."

 Mr Minter responded by saying: "This is very welcome, if long
overdue. The attack on me was without foundation because when I
bought the estate in 1990 there was no record of any radioactive
metal particles at Sandside. 

"The first official record of any nuclear fuel rod particles
being found at Sandside was not until they were discovered here
in 1997, seven years after I acquired the estate."

 Mr Minter believes the letter from Mr Harrison was evidence of
a new spirit of co-operation within the senior management team
at Dounreay and added: "I hope early 2007 will now see a
resolution of our radioactivity issues with the UKAEA."
 

© All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without
permissionis prohibited.   


  Copyright © Newsquest (Herald & Times) Limited. All Rights

*****************************************************************
 51 AFP: Australia and China ratify nuclear fuel deal 

 Fri Jan 5, 1:06 AM ET 
		 	 
SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia and China have ratified a nuclear 
agreement clearing the way for the export of uranium to feed 
Beijing's giant nuclear power programme, Canberra has said. 

The agreement providing a legal framework for shipments of the 
nuclear fuel to the Asian powerhouse will come into force in 30 
days, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said in a statement.
 
"The timing and quantities of exports will be a matter for
commercial negotiation," Downer said.
 
Australia, which has the world's largest known reserves of
uranium, expects to earn some 250 million dollars (187 million
US) a year from the deal, a Senate committee was told last year.
 
China has announced plans to build 28 new nuclear reactors and
by 2020 the annual uranium requirement would be about 8,000
tonnes a year, the committee heard.
 
The deal was finalised by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during a
visit to Australia last April after 12 months of negotiations
over safeguards to ensure the fuel would not be used in nuclear
weapons.
 
The agreement signed by Wen and Prime Minister John Howard
commits China to abide by the rules of the International Atomic
Energy Agency
" /> and the principles of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
 
Downer said the agreement was ratified through an exchange of
diplomatic notes in Beijing on January 4 after the government's
standing committee on treaties gave the go-ahead.
 
China has already moved to guarantee supplies for its programme,
with a Chinese government-owned company agreeing last September
to buy a controlling stake in two Australian uranium ventures.
 
Australian mining company PepinNini said it had signed a
memorandum of understanding with China's Sinosteel Corporation
for the joint development of the Crocker Well and Mount Victoria
uranium deposits in South Australia state.
 
After reaching the agreement with China, Australia came under
pressure from rival Asian giant India to supply uranium for its
own nuclear power needs.
 
Canberra has so far refused, on the grounds that it will not
supply the fuel to countries such as India that have not signed
the non-proliferation treaty.
 
But with US President George W. Bush
" /> last month signing a landmark civilian nuclear deal with
India, the pressure on Australia to export uranium to India is
likely to increase.
 
Howard is a close ally of Bush's and has indicated in the past
that his view of nuclear deals with India could be influenced by
the US decision.
 
The agreement creates a rare exception to US law in order to
pave the way for US sales of nuclear fuel and know-how to India
for the first time since Delhi tested a nuclear device in 1974,
becoming an international atomic pariah.
 
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
 52 Japan Times: Agency to offset cost of finding more uranium

Saturday, Jan. 6, 2007

 Agency to offset cost of finding more uranium Kyodo News 
The Natural Resources and Energy Agency will subsidize half the
cost of uranium exploration to support private companies
conducting geological surveys and other operations overseas,
prompted by rising concerns about a possible shortage of the
mineral due to surging energy demand worldwide.
 
Currently, eight major companies, including those from Canada,
France and Australia, produce about 80 percent of the natural
uranium consumed worldwide.
 
"We want to secure concessions in large uranium deposits to
improve the level of self-reliance in the nuclear fuel cycle,"
said the agency, which is under the Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry.
 
For fiscal 2007, 1 billion yen in subsidies will be provided via
Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. to trading companies
and power utility-affiliated companies that are exploring
uranium deposits.
 
The funding aims at six to seven locations, including Australia,
where more than half of the world's uranium deposits are
believed located, in addition to Canada and Kazakhstan, the
agency said.
 
The agency said Japan is totally dependent on imported uranium
to fuel its nuclear plants. But uranium from decommissioned
nuclear weapons and from commercial inventories are likely to
shrink as the United States resumed construction of new nuclear
plants recently and as energy demand in India and China continue
to surge.
 
The leading price index for uranium oxide concentrate procured
on a short-term basis -- compiled by Roswell, Ga.-based Ux
Consulting Co. -- soared into the $ 72 level per pound, or 450
grams, for the first time in mid-December, 10.1 times the low of
$ 7.10 set in late 2000.
 
The agency judged that uranium exploration projects need a
certain level of government support as large deposits are rarely
found. In addition, even if they were, it sometimes takes 10 or
more years to start production, it said.
 
Operations will also be heavily affected by the host-nation
political situation, the agency noted.
 
According to METI, uranium mines in Akuta in Niger and McClean
Lake in Canada have been operated by Japanese companies since
1978 and 1999, respectively.
 
Another Canadian mine in Cigar Lake, whose concessions are held
by Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Idemitsu Kosan Co., is expected
to produce about 9,000 tons of uranium, which equals Japan's
annual uranium consumption.

 The Japan Times (C) All rights reserved 
*****************************************************************
 53 Inland News: Bill targets perchlorate in water

PE.com | 

Southern California News | 

ROCKET FUEL: It would set limits for the chemical in drinking 
supplies and require testing to detect it. 

10:00 PM PST on Thursday, January 4, 2007 

By DAVID DANELSKI The Press-Enterprise 

On the first day in 12 years that Democrats have controlled
Congress, California Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein
chose to take on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by
introducing bills to set standards on a rocket fuel chemical
fouling water supplies nationwide.
 
The EPA has not regulated the chemical, perchlorate, and decided
last month not to require testing of water supplies to detect it.
 
Boxer and Feinstein introduced two bills on Thursday that would
require tests and regulation.
 
Perchlorate has tainted water supplies in Rialto, Colton, Glen
Avon, Redlands, San Bernardino and other Inland communities,
prompting water agencies to remove the contamination or rely on
other sources for drinking water.
 
The chemical is used in rocket fuel, munitions, fireworks and
other explosives, and is found in some fertilizers. In
sufficient doses, perchlorate can impair the thyroid gland's
ability to make hormones that regulate metabolism and guide
brain and nerve development in fetuses and babies.
 
Lockheed Martin Corp., which operated a rocket factory east of
Redlands, is one of the companies blamed for contaminating
Inland water. Company spokeswoman Gail Rymer said she hasn't the
seen the proposed legislation. She said the company has been
removing the chemical from wells used by Riverside, Redlands and
Loma Linda.
 
Industry and military scientists say that the trace amounts in
drinking water are harmless, a view challenged by Boxer and
Feinstein, both Democrats.
 
"Serious questions have been raised about the health risks of
perchlorate-contaminated water, particularly for pregnant women
and children," Feinstein said in a statement
 
One of two bills they introduced would require the EPA to warn
the public about perchlorate health hazards and set a limit for
the chemical in drinking water. The second bill would require
drinking water to be tested for perchlorate and mandate public
notice if the chemical is found. Water agencies in California
already are required to test for the chemical, and the state is
expected to set a drinking water limit soon.
 
Jan Marquis, an Inland environmentalist, said the
Boxer-Feinstein bills have a chance of becoming law now that
Democrats control Congress and Boxer is chairwoman of the Senate
committee on the environment.
 
New environmental regulations most often were opposed by the
Bush administration and its Republican supporters in Congress,
said Marquis, policy director of the Center for Community Action
and Environmental Justice, based in Glen Avon.
 
The EPA ignited controversy when it relied on defense
industry-sponsored studies in 2005 to determine that perchlorate
levels below 24.5 parts per billion in drinking water were safe.
The number was based primarily on a study of 37 healthy adults
who ingested the chemical for two weeks. Most contaminated
drinking-water supplies in the Inland area have concentrations
lower than 24.5 parts per billion.
 
However, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
in Atlanta found that women with low iodine levels could be
affected by perchlorate concentrations commonly found in water
and food - concentrations far less than 24.5 parts per
billion.The October study of more than 2,000 people also found
that about a third of U.S. women have low iodine levels.
 
© 2007 Press-Enterprise Company 
*****************************************************************
 54 AU ABC: Mining industry welcomes China uranium deal. 

05/01/2007. ABC News Online

The Minerals Council of Australia says the uranium deal is
timely and opportune. (ABC TV)   		  [ border=]    	 

The mining industry has welcomed the ratification of the
Australia-China Nuclear Transfer Agreement.

 Australia and China have also ratified a Nuclear Cooperation
Agreement, paving the way for Australia to export uranium to
China.

 Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says the timing and
amount of uranium to exported will be a matter for commercial
negotiation.

 Rob Rawson from the Minerals Council of Australia says he
expects negotiations will begin quickly.

 "We welcome the ratification, we think it's both timely and
opportune," he said.

 "It really paves the way for the export of Australian uranium
and technology and services and so on without compromising
Australia's strict uranium regulatory regime." 
In other developments:
 
  + The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) says Australia
should not export uranium to China under any circumstances. () 

*****************************************************************
 55 Sydney Morning Herald: Uranium sales to China a mistake - Greens - 

www.smh.com.au

January 5, 2007 - 5:49PM
 	 	
Australian Greens say selling uranium to China is a mistake which 
will fuel regional insecurity, and is calling on the foreign 
minister to rule out selling uranium to India.
 
Earlier, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer announced that
Australia and China have ratified an agreement to permit the
sale of Australian uranium from as early as this year.
 
"Selling uranium to China is a mistake with potentially
catastrophic consequences," Greens Senator Kerry Nettle said in
a statement.
 
"Prime Minister Howard has ignored serious concerns in paving
the way for Australian uranium sales to China and he will bear
responsibility for the consequences."
 
She said a report by Federal parliament's Joint Standing
Committee on Treaties on the bilateral agreement to permit this
trade last month highlighted serious shortcomings in safeguards,
including deficiencies in the international inspection regime
and the ability to ensure our uranium is not misused.
 
"The world doesn't need more uranium and nuclear power.
Australia should be developing and selling clean and safe
renewable energy technology to China, not adding to regional
instability," said Senator Nettle.
 
"The Greens call on Foreign Minister Downer to rule out selling
uranium to India, which is not a signatory to the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty."
 	
© 2007  AAP Brought to you by [aap]         
 
When news happens:send photos, videos &tip-offs to 0424 SMS SMH
(+61 424 767 764), or us.
 
Copyright © 2007. The Sydney Morning Herald.
*****************************************************************
 56 reviewjournal.com: Mourners honor DOE manager
 
  Jan. 05, 2007

Yucca Mountain official, 53, died of cancer      

By STEVE TETREAULT STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU<br />
	
WASHINGTON -- A funeral was held Wednesday in Las Vegas for John 
Arthur, a senior Department of Energy manager in the Yucca 
Mountain program who died over the holidays.
 
Arthur, 53, died of cancer on Dec. 26. About 100 DOE colleagues 
and officials from Clark, Lincoln, Esmeralda and Nye counties 
were among attendees at his funeral at St. Joseph Husband of 
Mary, Catholic Church on West Sahara Avenue.
 
"John was a great leader in the Yucca program over the years, and 
his contributions, his smile and his infectious optimism will 
stay with us always," said Ward Sproat, director of the DOE 
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, who delivered a 
eulogy at the service.
 
Arthur was a New Jersey native who made a 27-year career in 
Energy Department nuclear and environmental restoration programs. 

As a manager in the Albuquerque Operations Office from 1995 to 
2001, Arthur handled DOE waste and cleanup projects in Florida, 
Missouri, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico.
 
Arthur joined the Yucca Mountain Project in 2002 as a deputy 
director of the Office of Repository Development, which made him 
chief of operations in Nevada.
 
In a May reorganization, Arthur became director of site 
operations, overseeing health and safety programs at the proposed 
nuclear waste repository.
 
Brian O'Connell, nuclear waste director for the National
Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, said Arthur
spoke several times to group members and was "candid" about the
Yucca program, which has faced delays and criticism.
 
"He told us the status of the program, where he thought it was
going, the obstacles it faced and how he was trying to overcome
them," O'Connell said. "He tried to maintain a positive focus
over the activities, and he was very professional."
 
Though Clark County officials oppose the project, "we grew to
respect his honesty, integrity, pleasant demeanor, and above
all, to appreciate his consideration for our position," county
planning official Irene Navis said in a posting to Arthur's
online obituary.
 	   
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1997 - 2007
*****************************************************************
 57 BBC: US nuclear chief forced to quit
 
Last Updated: Friday, 5 January 2007
 
[Linton Brooks]                                 

Linton Brooks became head of the agency in 2003                                                          

US nuclear weapons agency chief Linton Brooks has been made to 
resign following a number of security breaches at Los Alamos 
Laboratory. 

US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said new leadership at the 
National Nuclear Security Administration was needed. 

"These management and security issues can have serious 
implications for the security of the US," Mr Bodman added. 

The NNSA is in charge of maintaining the country's nuclear 
weapons stockpile and reducing the threat posed by WMDs. 

The agency was created in 2000 after an espionage scandal at Los 
Alamos, site of US nuclear weapons research. 

Mr Brooks became head of the agency in 2003 - two security lapses 
are known to have happened during his leadership. 

In June last year, it emerged that a security breach which led to 
the theft of files containing information on more than 1,000 
workers, had gone unreported for months. 

Four months later, classified documents were found during a drugs 
raid on the home of a former Los Alamos employee. 

Mr Brooks said in a statement he accepted the decision to remove 
him although "it was not a decision that I would have preferred". 

"Our task is now to minimise the inevitable disruption of such a 
transition and to continue the vital national security work on 
which we are engaged," his statement added. 

Mr Brooks is expected to leave the agency by the end of the 
month.                                                   
*****************************************************************
 58 Platts: DOE begins work on Global Nuclear Energy Partnership analysis
 
Washington (Platts)--4Jan2007
 
The US Department of Energy moved a step closer toward 
implementing the Bush administration's Global Nuclear Energy 
Partnership Thursday as it announced plans to conduct a 
programmatic environmental impact statement on GNEP's proposals 
to recycle spent nuclear fuel for use in advanced reactors.

     DOE said it intends to publish a draft PEIS in 2007 and a 
final version in 2008. The department set an April 4 deadline for 
public comments on the document, whose analysis of the 
environmental implications of GNEP activities is required under 
law before work can begin on the project's facilities. 

     The PEIS will consider 13 potential sites for one or more of 
the three facilities envisioned under GNEP: a nuclear fuel 
recycling center that would separate spent nuclear fuel into its 
reusable and waste components, and manufacture new fuel using the 
reusable components; an advanced reactor that would destroy 
long-lived radioactive elements while generating electricity; and 
an advanced fuel cycle research facility that would explore 
options for fuel recycling. 

     The administration unveiled GNEP in 2006 as a way to 
encourage the expansion of nuclear energy production in the US 
and abroad while reducing nuclear proliferation risks and cutting 
the volume of spent nuclear fuel.     

     Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman has estimated that developing 
recycling technologies and fast reactors could cost between $20 
billion and $40 billion, and conceivably could exceed $60 
billion. 

     While GNEP offers the potential for more efficient nuclear 
waste disposal, the project "does not diminish in any way the 
need for, or the urgency of, the nuclear waste disposal program 
at Yucca Mountain," the department said in a Federal Register 
notice. DOE has proposed a permanent repository at the Nevada 
mountain.

Copyright © 2007 - Platts, All Rights Reserved [The McGraw-Hill 
Companies]       
*****************************************************************
 59 Tri-City Herald: Comment period nears on DOE study 

Published Friday, January 5th, 2007
 
By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer 

The Department of Energy is considering Hanford as one of six
possible sites for a new research center as part of a national
program to expand nuclear energy production worldwide. 

The advanced fuel recycle research facility would be one of
three U.S. facilities proposed for the Global Nuclear Energy
Partnership, or GNEP, Initiative. 

Hanford already had been named as a possible site for the other
two GNEP facilities, a nuclear fuel recycling center and
advanced recycling reactor. While Hanford is among six sites
being looked at for the research center, it's among 11 sites
being looked at for the recycling center and reactor. 

DOE released information about the proposed research facility
Thursday in a notice in the Federal Register about its plan to
prepare an environmental study, called an environmental impact
statement, for GNEP.
 
A public meeting will be held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. March 13 at
the Pasco Red Lion to hear comments on what the environmental
study should cover. It's one of 11 public meetings planned
across the nation beginning Feb. 13. 

As previously announced, the Tri-City Development Council has
been picked to study whether Hanford might play a role in
recycling fuel from commercial nuclear power reactors with a
recycling center, reactor or both. Under DOE's directives, it's
working with Columbia Basin Consulting Group, which has pushed
for a restart of the Fast Flux Test Facility with Claude Oliver. 

Oliver has been interested in using FFTF and other nearby
buildings for testing the recycling program, which could mesh
with plans for the third facility, the fuel cycle research
facility. 

TRIDEC and Columbia Basin Consulting Group applied for grants to
study whether parts of Hanford would be appropriate for the
recycling center and recycling reactor. 

But DOE did not seek grant proposals for siting the research
facility because only DOE sites are being considered. In
addition to Hanford, DOE is looking at Idaho National
Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, Los Alamos
National Laboratory in New Mexico, Savannah River Site in South
Carolina and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. 

The research facility would perform research on recycling
nuclear fuel that's been used in nuclear power plants, and
research on other aspects of advanced nuclear fuel cycles. 

GNEP's goal is to encourage the production of nuclear energy
while reducing nuclear proliferation risks and reducing the
amount of waste produced that must be disposed of at a
repository for high-level radioactive waste, such as Yucca
Mountain, Nev. 

DOE proposes to recycle nuclear fuel that's only used once now,
and offer nuclear fuel services to countries that refrain from
pursuing enrichment or recycling facilities to make their own
nuclear fuel. Such countries would have no need to develop the
technology to enrich uranium or separate plutonium, both of
which have applications in the production of nuclear weapons,
according to the notice in the Federal Register. 

Used commercial nuclear fuel would be processed in a recycling
center to separate the potentially reusable constituents, such
as uranium, from nonusable constituents, such as fission
products. 

The reusable materials would be made into fuel for an advanced
recycling reactor and possibly other reactor fuels. For
instance, recovered uranium might be re-enriched to be used in
current commercial reactors. 

The advanced recycling reactor would produce electricity while
consuming fuel that otherwise would be waste. After multiple
cycles, some non-reusable constitutions would be converted to
waste forms for disposal. 

Comments on the environmental study for GNEP, which includes the
three facilities that could come to Hanford, may be submitted
through April 4 to Timothy Frazier, GNEP PEIS document manager,
Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. DOE, 1000 Independence Ave. S.W.,
Washington, D.C., 20585-00119, or e-mailed to
GNEP-PEIS@nuclear.energy.gov. Envelopes and e-mails should be
marked "GNEP PEIS Comments." 

To read the notice of intent for the GNEP environmental study,
go to www.gnep.gov.
 
© 2007 Tri-City Herald, Associated Press &Other Wire Services
*****************************************************************
 60 Albuquerque Tribune: Head of nuclear labs' oversight agency fired 

James W. Brosnan/Tribune Reporter

Originally published 08:17 a.m., January 5, 2007

WASHINGTON — Key New Mexico lawmakers are wondering if they need 
to reconsider the management structure at Los Alamos National 
Laboratory after the head of its oversight agency was fired over 
security breaches.
 
In the meantime, lab managers announced today they will expand 
the facility's substance abuse policy, including random drug 
tests of employees and pre-employment drug screening for lab 
workers and contractors.
 
Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman on Thursday asked for the 
resignation of Linton Brooks as head of the National Nuclear 
Security Administration, which maintains the nuclear weapons 
stockpile and oversees the nation's weapons research 
laboratories.
 
Thomas P. D'Agostino, currently the agency's deputy
administrator, has been named acting director.
 
Brooks, a former ambassador and arms control negotiator, said he
accepted the decision, one he understood was "based on the
principle of accountability that should govern all public
service."
 
The announcement came as little surprise to New Mexico lawmakers.
 
"There have been security problems at the lab and someone has to
be held accountable," said Rep. Tom Udall, the Santa Fe Democrat
who represents the Los Alamos area.
 
But he said Congress needs to take a hard look at whether the
"layers of bureaucracy" created over the lab by NNSA are
interfering with scientists' ability to do their job.
 
Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, a Silver City
Democrat, echoed Udall's concerns about security's impact on
research at the labs.
 
"The challenge for Secretary Bodman is to find someone to fill
the position who can address security concerns while encouraging
the highest quality science," said Bingaman, chairman of the
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
 
Bodman said there have been a number of management issues at
NNSA, "the most recent of which was a serious security breach
several months ago at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. These
management and security issues can have serious implications for
the security of the United States."
 
He was referring to an incident in October when a police
investigation of a domestic disturbance call at the home of a
former Los Alamos archivist turned up classified documents on a
portable computer drive.
 
In June, Bodman reprimanded Brooks for not telling him that a
hacker had nabbed files on 1,500 NNSA contractors and employees
through an unclassified computer server at NNSA's facility in
Albuquerque.
 
The October incident was especially troubling, a department
inspector general's report said, because it came after tens of
millions of dollars had been spent to upgrade cyber-security at
Los Alamos.
 
Some members of Congress questioned whether Brooks' departure is
enough to make the changes that are needed.
 
"It will take more than a new boss to fix the problems, which
are far more systemic and pervasive in nature," said Rep. Edward
Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and member of the House Energy
and Commerce Committee, which is considering hearings on DOE
security.
 
Former House Energy Committee Chairman Joe Barton, a Texas
Republican, told The Tribune that Brooks' firing "was long
overdue. He's a nice man, but he was an absolute disaster as an
administrator."
 
Sen. Pete Domenici, the Albuquerque Republican who helped create
the NNSA, said Bodman has sent a clear message "that he believes
it is time to improve NNSA and the safety and security of our
national labs along with it. I welcome that sentiment," he added.
 
Lab Director Michael Anastasio notified employees about the new
substance abuse policy last month "to let people know this was
coming and take it seriously," spokesman Steve Sandoval said.
 
All lab policies, including substance abuse guidelines, have
been under review since last year, before Los Alamos National
Security LLC took over the lab's management in June from the
University of California, which ran the lab for the DOE for
decades, Sandoval said.
 	
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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 61 WATE: Y-12 plant manager fees hurt by construction delay

January 5, 2007 

OAK RIDGE (WATE) -- The contractor managing the Y-12 nuclear
weapons plant in Oak Ridge took a nearly $2 million hit in its
2006 performance fees.That's because of construction problems
with a new storehouse for the nation's largest inventory of
bomb-grade uranium. 

Still, contractor BWXT Y-12 received more than $33 million under
its incentive-based contract for the way it ran the plant in
fiscal 2006, up more than $4 million from the year before. 

The Y-12 plant makes parts for every warhead in the U.S. nuclear
arsenal and is the nation's primary repository for highly
enriched uranium. 

The 110,000 square-foot storehouse project will consolidate
several uranium caches at the plant. 

The facility's completion date has been pushed back another year
to 2009 because of security design changes and a two-month work
suspension ordered last spring after reinforcing steel in
concrete was found missing or improperly installed. 

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This

      All content © Copyright 2000 - 2007 WorldNow and WATE. All 
*****************************************************************
 62 AFP: Bush picks new US nuclear weapons chief -

 Fri Jan 5, 2:13 PM ET 
		 	 
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush " /> has picked a 
successor to the head of the US nuclear weapons program who was 
dismissed after a series of alleged security breaches, the White 
House said. 

Bush plans to name Thomas D'Agostino to be acting undersecretary 
for nuclear security of the National Nuclear Security 
Administration at the Department of Energy " /> , replacing 
Linton Brooks, it said in a statement.
 
D'Agostino is currently deputy administrator for defense programs 
at the National Nuclear Security Administration.
 
On Thursday, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman " /> announced that 
Brooks would tender his resignation to Bush and leave his post 
later this month.
 
"During my tenure at the department, and even before, there have 
been a number of management issues involving the National Nuclear 
Security Administration, the most recent of which was a serious 
security breach several months ago at the Los Alamos National 
Laboratory," said Bodman, who has been energy chief for two 
years.
 
"These management and security issues can have serious 
implications for the security of the United States. ... While I 
believe that the current NNSA management has done its best to 
address these concerns, I do not believe that progress in 
correcting these issues has been adequate," he said.
	 		 			
Copyright © 2007 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.
    
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