***************************************************************** 03/01/01 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 9.55 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POWER CONTENTS 1 Perry plant prepared to rev up after retrofit during refueling 2 Uranium Waste Site Has a Historic New England Town Up in Arms 3 New study: Some TVA execs get rich deals 4 Alliance: Carson suit needs closure 5 Wamp-requested report examines how TVA pays execs 6 Engineer at Indian Point 2 Quits in a Dispute Over a Safety Issue 7 Workers Warn Con Edison on Safety 8 Workers Warn Con Edison on Safety 9 NRC Prairie Isl. nuke review shows low safety concern 10 Cleanup crew polishes water 11 Vermont Yankee plans hydrogen gas facility to reactor life 12 U.S. fines Biomedical Scanning $8,800 13 Uranium Institute News Briefing 01.09 | 21 - 27 February 2001 14 Nevada has had quakes of magnitude 7 or more 15 PLUTONIUM SHIPS SIGHTED OFF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA 16 British nuclear ships near Hobart 17 Government Postpones Plans for 6 Additional NPPs 18 Japan nuke industry frets in face of deregulation 19 Local govts face dilemma over nuclear power policy 20 DUNCAN'S A BALL BNFL CAN'T KICK INTO TOUCH 21 Legal moves over Chernobyl ailments - 22 Reactor shut down at Zheleznogorsk 23 Piketon plant likely to receive federal dollars 24 Ukraine-Russia-Kazakh joint venture to produce nuclear fuel 25 Ukraine to buy 209 mln dlrs worth of nuclear fuel from Russia 26 *RUSSIA IS DEVELOPING SYRIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM 27 Board Of Nuclear Regulatory Authority To Be Appointed Soon - 28 House OKs Bill That Bans High-Level Nuke Waste in Utah 29 Leavitt gets the tools to fight N-waste storage by Goshutes 30 Tax Approved for Low-Level Radioactive Waste in Utah 31 Letter: Unified leadership needed against energy mafia NUCLEAR WEAPONS CONTENTS 1 Report: Flats cleanup unlikely before 2008 2 Smyser: City's black residents weren't coerced to live near Y-12 3 Views: Concerned about land-use planning 4 Nuclear testing device report is ready for public scrutiny 5 Great Smokies Diagnostic Lab Employees Warn Community of Bad Water 6 NZ claims Muroroa atoll crumbling after nuclear tests 7 Japan firm halts laser glass to lab 8 Bush's DOE budget cuts $700 million; Hanford watchers concerned ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POWER ARTICLES ***************************************************************** 1 Perry plant prepared to rev up after retrofit during refueling cleveland.com Thursday, March 01, 2001 By SUSAN JAFFE PLAIN DEALER REPORTER With the help of more than 2,000 carpenters, pipefitters, laborers and electrical workers, a souped-up Perry nuclear power plant will produce 60 more megawatts by the end of the month. The increase represents a 5 percent jump in output, to 1,265 megawatts per hour. The plant will get a new turbine to handle the extra steam it spins into electricity. The retrofit is under way while the plant is shut down for round-the-clock refueling and maintenance work. "There was a greater need for power in northern Ohio, and this was an economical way to provide it," said Todd Schneider, a spokesman for FirstEnergy Corp., which owns the plant. During a tour of the plant yesterday, FirstEnergy Vice President John Wood said the company was considering a similar generating boost for its nuclear plants in Port Clinton and Pennsylvania. Officials are already contemplating an additional 5 percent increase for Perry as well. The power upgrade was approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission after FirstEnergy conducted engineering and environmental studies showing that the plant could handle the increase, said NRC spokesman Jan Strasma. In addition to having the turbine installed, Wood said Perry workers will rescale some instruments and revise accident response plans to reflect the new power level. Dave Lochbaum, a nuclear safety engineer at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said Perry is required to keep the same margins of safety even at the higher power level. Although he has been a frequent critic of Perry operations, Lochbaum said he believed FirstEnergy’s changes would not erode plant safety. More than 30 nuclear power plants across the country have received NRC permission to increase power. Plants in Iowa and Illinois are asking for 15 percent upgrades. That’s possible, Strasma said, because many plants include oversized components that can accommodate higher power levels. Although the radioactive fuel in the reactor will produce more heat, Schneider said, there is no accompanying increase in radioactivity. "The radiation level doesn’t increase because we’re making such a slight [power] increase," he said. Schneider said there will be no increase in radioactive waste from the plant, no additional radiation exposure to workers and no increase in radiation emitted into the environment. In addition to making the changes at Perry, FirstEnergy will keep up with summer electric demand by adding 815 megawatts of natural gas-fired units in Defiance and West Lorain, as well as 150 megawatts from diesel generators at 17 substations across Northeast Ohio. Last year, nuclear energy provided 39 percent of the approximately 12,000 megawatts that the company produced. Coal-burning plants generated 60 percent, with the remainder coming from natural gas and other sources. E-mail: sjaffe@plaind.com Phone: 800-275-5253 *©2001 THE PLAIN DEALER. Used with per ***************************************************************** 2 Uranium Waste Site Has a Historic New England Town Up in Arms Author(s): Michael Obey [Wall Street Journal Abstracts] Starmet Corp., a company that makes controversial depleted uranium weapons, has a uranium waste disposal site that worries the residents of Concord, Mass. Tests indicate that local water has higher uranium levels than is legally permitted. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Stephen Roberson says, “The biggest single public-health concern is the potential impact to public drinking supplies. It’s better to address this now, while it’s a relatively contained problem.” Starmet claims that the U.S. Army is responsible for cleaning up the uranium. Chairman and CEO Robert Quinn insists the Army “wormed its way out of its written contractual commitments” to pay for the cleaning. The Army disagrees but may have to finance the cost under the Environmental Protection Agency superfund provision. Carol Dwyer, a resident of Concord, says, “I don’t know who’s to blame. It seems to me that there are a lot people who are culpable, who have a moral responsibility, if not a legal responsibility.” For additional information refer to *The Wall Street Journal* or go to http://www.wsj.com. *Copyright © 2001 by Northern Light Technology Inc. All rights ***************************************************************** 3 New study: Some TVA execs get rich deals Wamp: 'It's good time to air the dirty laundry' March 1, 2001 By Richard Powelson, News-Sentinel Washington bureau New study: Some TVA execs get rich deals A new study of total compensation for TVA executives shows a few with lucrative deals providing either up to $1.6 million in supplemental retirement benefits, $219,000 in a relocation bonus or up to $14,000 a year to lease a car. TVA's inspector general completed the compensation study at the request of Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., who requested and received a similar study from the agency's watchdog about three years ago. Wamp said in an interview that the new study raises questions for TVA's board about which top executives are key to TVA's nuclear and other power operations and which are not. As an example, he noted how the agency's chief administrative officer, Norman Zigrossi, retired last year with benefits of more than $1 million in deferred compensation and a pension supplement of $136,000 a year for life after receiving a base annual salary of $118,000 and also qualifying for regular pension benefits. "One of the conflicts I see here is that TVA management compensation which is non-nuclear (power-related) is out of whack," Wamp said. He noted that the study shows TVA's chief financial officer, David Smith, received total cash compensation last year of $444,000 for work at an agency with a $6.7 billion annual budget. But the same position at the U.S. Postal Service receives $150,000 a year, and its budget is $60 billion annually. Also, the same-level employee at the Defense Department is paid $150,000, and that agency has a $300 billion annual budget, Wamp said. However, TVA Executive Vice President John Long said Smith of TVA has unique duties beyond those at the Postal Service and Defense. TVA's chief financial officer manages $25 billion of debt and helps protect assets valued at more than $33 billion, he said. "The loss of experienced nuclear managers in the 1980s was a key factor in the shutdown of the (TVA) nuclear program, which cost billions of dollars to restore to its current status as a top performer in the industry," Long wrote, responding to the compensation study. "TVA's compensation plan is designed to avoid a similar loss of experienced executives." TVA Inspector General Richard Chambers said it is "a good question" whether TVA executives' compensation should be compared mostly to other federal agencies or to private utilities. TVA, as a federal corporation and the nation's largest producer of public power, is unique, he said. "Considering TVA is a government-owned corporation, we believe comparisons to federal and state pay scales are appropriate," the inspector general's study says. As TVA compensation surveys in the past have shown, this study also found that top TVA executives are paid less, often much less, than their peers at private utilities, and considerably more than similar posts at federal agencies. Wamp said with TVA having two new board members and with President Bush expected to name a new chairman, "it's a good time to air the dirty laundry." Wamp questioned the $12,000 average annual car allowance for executives, saying $1,000 a month would provide "a heck of an automobile." TVA spokesman John Moulton said 13 nuclear power managers are the only executives getting the car lease allowance, and they are expected to drive to a nuclear plant when there are any problems 24 hours a day. The $1.6 million in supplemental retirement benefits noted in the report are obligated for Ike Zeringue, president and chief operating officer, who under certain conditions upon retirement could receive annual payments of $297,000. The manager receiving the $219,000 relocation bonus was not identified. Richard Powelson may be contacted at 202-408-2727 or PowelsonR@shns.com [E.W. Scripps] Copyright © 1999-2001, The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. ***************************************************************** 4 Alliance: Carson suit needs closure March 1, 2001 by Paul Parson Oak Ridger staff Enough is enough. That's the gist of a letter sent this week to Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham by the American Engineering Alliance regarding Joe Carson's "whistleblower" case. In the letter, Louis Comunelli, chairman of the engineering group, asks Abraham to authorize Department of Energy attorneys to bring the case to an "immediate, equitable and comprehensive resolution." Carson, a licensed professional engineer, says that while working in a safety oversight role in Oak Ridge for DOE headquarters, his attempts to report safety and security violations at several DOE sites resulted in a lowering of his usual performance rating, his removal from surveillance responsibilities and his reassignment to another site. In April 1999, the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board ruled that DOE's actions were reprisal for Carson's "whistleblowing." DOE's appeal was rejected by the Merit Systems Protection Board in a February 2000 decision, which ordered Carson restored to his job. The American Engineering Alliance letter points out that DOE has paid "almost $400,000" in Carson's legal expenses to date. In addition to its letter, the American Engineering Alliance, a national professional engineering society incorporated in New York, filed a "friend-of-the-court" brief in the Carson case on Feb. 12. The brief allows an organization that is not a party to a legal proceeding but which has a strong interest in the case to voice its opinion on the matter. "Licensed professional engineers who are employed by a federal agency have an ethical, moral and legal obligation to protect the public, and that obligation requires the freedom of speech required to discharge it," the brief states. All Contents ©Copyright* The Oak Ridger * ***************************************************************** 5 Wamp-requested report examines how TVA pays execs March 1, 2001 By NANCY ZUCKERBROD Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) -- Top executives at the Tennessee Valley Authority may not make as much money as executives at investor owned utilities but they earn a lot more than their counterparts at other government agencies, according to an inspector general's report released Wednesday. The investigation was conducted by TVA Inspector General Richard Chambers at the request of Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn. Wamp said he wanted "to shine the light" on TVA's compensation practices to ensure the public utility was being responsible with ratepayer money. TVA is the nation's largest public utility. It was formed 67 years ago to provide power to Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina. The federal agency also provides flood control, navigation and shoreline maintenance along the 652-mile Tennessee River. "The executive management people at TVA ought to be public servants," Wamp said. But that's not how they are paid. The report shows the average cash compensation for five top positions at TVA from 1997 to 2000 was $390,490, compared to $135,158 for five positions at several unnamed federal and state agencies. Since 1997, both the number of higher paid TVA employees and the average cash-related compensation for this group have increased, according to the report. The average compensation for the 25 highest-paid TVA employees was $372,827 last year, up from $285,228 in 1997. The report did show that TVA executives make less than their counterparts at investor owned utilities. The inspector general compared the five highest-paid positions at TVA from 1997 to 1999 with the five highest-paid positions at 20 of the largest utilities. It found the TVA group made an average of $498,898 in cash compensation compared to $897,464 earned by the other utility executives. In a letter attached to the report, TVA Executive Vice President of Human Resources John Long Jr. noted that compensation to executives at private utilities may even be higher, since many of those companies offer employees stock options. He also said TVA's compensation philosophy is based on recommendations from a national consulting firm. Of the benefits TVA offers top executives, Wamp raised concerns about a supplemental retirement plan designed to provide some top employees with additional money upon retiring at 62. Wamp said he was concerned that the report showed former chief administrative officer Norman Zigrossi, who recently retired, will get $133,479 annually from that supplemental plan alone. Overall, more than $1 million is obligated to him from the supplemental fund. Wamp also raised concerns over a vehicle allowance program. The report stated that 13 executives and senior managers received vehicle allowances between 1997 to 2000. The average annual vehicle allowance was $12,458 with most of the leases covering a two- to three-year period. "That's a thousand dollars a month," Wamp said. "That's a heck of an automobile." "We might want to look further at how that operates," said Chambers, who was otherwise cautious about forming opinions about the report. TVA Chairman Craven Crowell is set to retire in April, and director Glenn McCullough Jr. is his likely successor. President Bush is expected to name a new board member to fill the empty slot within the year. Wamp says he hopes the newly formed board will take the report seriously. "It's a good time to air the dirty laundry," Wamp said. ------ TVA: http://www.tva.gov/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Contents.©Copyright *The Oak Ridger * ***************************************************************** 6 Engineer at Indian Point 2 Quits in a Dispute Over a Safety Issue March 1, 2001 By MATTHEW L. WALD [A] n engineer working for a contractor at the Indian Point 2 nuclear plant has quit in a dispute over the reliability of the system that triggers automatic shutdowns during equipment failures, according to the company. The engineer, whom the company would not name, complained that the reactor protection system, which monitors temperatures, pressures, flows and other data around the plant, was wired differently from the way it was designed. The company said it had double-checked the system's operations for safety but would not rebuild it to the original design. The reactor is already the subject of acute attention, stemming from an accident in February 2000 that allowed radioactive water to escape from the containment building. A spokesman for the plant, Chris Olert, said, "There are differing professional opinions between Consolidated Edison and the contractor" about the reactor protection system. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reviewing the dispute, he said. The plant's safety analysis, completed before licensing, relies on plant diagrams, so discrepancies between the blueprint and the plant itself can mean that the safety systems will not work as designed. The engineer who quit also spoke to Paul M. Blanch, who was hired by Con Ed to restore the confidence of the public and plant workers. Mr. Blanch, a nuclear engineer, uncovered a safety flaw at a Northeast Utilities reactor in the early 1990's and later quit that company; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission concluded that he had been hounded from his job by the company. "It's very troublesome when someone resigns because there's a safety problem," Mr. Blanch said. He characterized the safety issue as "a deficiency in the paperwork." Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company ***************************************************************** 7 Workers Warn Con Edison on Safety Today: March 01, 2001 at 8:40:44 PST ASSOCIATED PRESS BUCHANAN, N.Y. (AP) -- An engineer at a nuclear power plant warned Consolidated Edison that the reactor's protection system was faulty, then resigned in protest when the utility came to a different conclusion, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. Another worker, a security guard, was fired -- illegally, the Labor Department found -- after he said plant safety would be compromised if he were forced to work a sixth straight day of 12-hour shifts. Con Ed, which owns the Indian Point 2 plant 35 miles north of New York City, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday they found no evidence the plant was unsafe. But the workers' departures raised new questions about the beleaguered 25-year-old plant after last year's radioactive leak, the reactor's troublesome return to full power and a monthlong inspection by the NRC, which is to make its findings public Friday. Con Ed's "status report" on the plant for Feb. 6 said the engineer, whose name was not released, resigned a day earlier after writing a series of reports detailing what he saw as problems with the reactor protection system. The system monitors various sensors that measure temperature, flow rate and other activities. The engineer found discrepancies between the plant's design drawings and the actual wiring. He also found that those discrepancies were often dealt with by simply changing the design drawing to match what was found in reality -- what he called "design changes by default." Paul Blanch, a former industry whistleblower recently hired by Con Ed, acknowledged that the engineer was "very credible" and was asked to stay on, but was troubled by "differing professional opinions." Con Ed spokesman Chris Olert said the company had reviewed the engineer's concerns "and will continue to look into them," but believes the plant is operating safely. Neil Sheehan, an NRC spokesman, said the commission "didn't see anything there that would call into question the safe operation of the plant." The security guard, Vincent Giambalvo, was fired in June by Wackenhut Corp., a Con Ed contractor. According to a letter from the Office of Safety and Health Administration ordering his reinstatement with back pay, Giambalvo "reasonably believed that to work in his fatigued state would have violated the NRC fitness-for-duty regulation and would have posed a threat to Indian Point 2, its employees and the community at large." It said he had worked five straight days of 12-hour shifts. Wackenhut spokesman Kevin Cannan said the company would not comment because it is appealing the reinstatement ruling by OSHA. The NRC on Tuesday ordered Con Ed to report any measures it is taking to assure that the firing of the security guard "is not having a chilling effect on the willingness of other employees to raise safety and compliance concerns." Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Indian Point site, http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/REACTOR/IP All contents copyright 2001 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 8 Workers Warn Con Edison on Safety Today: March 01, 2001 at 8:40:44 PST ASSOCIATED PRESS BUCHANAN, N.Y. (AP) -- An engineer at a nuclear power plant warned Consolidated Edison that the reactor's protection system was faulty, then resigned in protest when the utility came to a different conclusion, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. Another worker, a security guard, was fired -- illegally, the Labor Department found -- after he said plant safety would be compromised if he were forced to work a sixth straight day of 12-hour shifts. Con Ed, which owns the Indian Point 2 plant 35 miles north of New York City, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday they found no evidence the plant was unsafe. But the workers' departures raised new questions about the beleaguered 25-year-old plant after last year's radioactive leak, the reactor's troublesome return to full power and a monthlong inspection by the NRC, which is to make its findings public Friday. Con Ed's "status report" on the plant for Feb. 6 said the engineer, whose name was not released, resigned a day earlier after writing a series of reports detailing what he saw as problems with the reactor protection system. The system monitors various sensors that measure temperature, flow rate and other activities. The engineer found discrepancies between the plant's design drawings and the actual wiring. He also found that those discrepancies were often dealt with by simply changing the design drawing to match what was found in reality -- what he called "design changes by default." Paul Blanch, a former industry whistleblower recently hired by Con Ed, acknowledged that the engineer was "very credible" and was asked to stay on, but was troubled by "differing professional opinions." Con Ed spokesman Chris Olert said the company had reviewed the engineer's concerns "and will continue to look into them," but believes the plant is operating safely. Neil Sheehan, an NRC spokesman, said the commission "didn't see anything there that would call into question the safe operation of the plant." The security guard, Vincent Giambalvo, was fired in June by Wackenhut Corp., a Con Ed contractor. According to a letter from the Office of Safety and Health Administration ordering his reinstatement with back pay, Giambalvo "reasonably believed that to work in his fatigued state would have violated the NRC fitness-for-duty regulation and would have posed a threat to Indian Point 2, its employees and the community at large." It said he had worked five straight days of 12-hour shifts. Wackenhut spokesman Kevin Cannan said the company would not comment because it is appealing the reinstatement ruling by OSHA. The NRC on Tuesday ordered Con Ed to report any measures it is taking to assure that the firing of the security guard "is not having a chilling effect on the willingness of other employees to raise safety and compliance concerns." Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Indian Point site, http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/REACTOR/IP All contents copyright 2001 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 9 NRC Prairie Isl. nuke review shows low safety concern [Reuters] Wednesday February 28, 5:58 pm Eastern Time SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - In its final assessment, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said Wednesday a design problem at the 1,600-megawatt Prairie Island nuclear plant in Minnesota was of ``low to moderate safety significance''. NRC inspections in October and November found that parts of the plant's cooling water system might not function under external conditions affecting the plant, like an earthquake or loss of power. After its inspection, the commission issued a preliminary ``white'' finding, meaning the design problems were of low to moderate safety concern. The NRC uses a four-category rating system for its inspection findings from ``green'', through ``white'' and ``yellow'', to "red, indicating increasing safety significance. A ``white'' finding requires the company to take necessary actions. The NRC said Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE:XEL - news), the plant's owner, has corrected the cooling water system deficiencies. The two units at the Prairie Island plant near Red Wing, Minn., generate a total of 1,600 megawatts of electricity, about 20 percent of the electricity Xcel Energy supplies its customers in the Upper Midwest. The Nuclear Management Co. operates and manages Prairie Island along with other nuclear stations in the Upper Midwest. ***************************************************************** 10 Cleanup crew polishes water [Passaic County] *Thursday, March 1, 2001* By SCOTT FALLON *Staff Writer *-- WAYNE *With its window*panes ensconced in a metal lattice, the two-story building on Black Oak Ridge Road resembles a large greenhouse from the outside. Inside, it's anything but a hospitable habitat. Engineers wear protective suits, two layers of gloves, three layers of footwear, a hard hat, and goggles. Anyone leaving this building is swept from head to heel with a *Geiger counter. The precautions are taken seriously. In this building, tens of thousands of gallons of water laced with radioactive particles churn through filters each day *to *clean it. Welcome to the water treatment *plant at the former W.R. Grace site in Wayne -- home of North Jersey's largest radioactive waste removal effort. With the cleanup of the 6.5-acre site scheduled to be completed this fall, federal contractors are increasing *efforts to have the water treated and removed on time. Beginning *this month, the water has been filtered seven days a week. "We call it polishing water," said Allen Roos, a project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers, which has overseen the excavation of tons of tainted soil from the site for the last three years. There *is 7,000 to 8,000 cubic yards of soil laced with thorium and other radioactive particles remaining. The amount of water varies with rainfall. The water comes into contact with thorium particles left when W. R. Grace processed the element for nuclear fuels, from 1947 to 1971. Thorium breaks down into the radioactive element radon, which has been linked to liver disease and cancer. The corps had planned to flush the treated water into *Sheffield Brook, which runs near a residential neighborhood before emptying into the Passaic River. But after a community backlash, corps officials decided last fall to continue trucking the water to a South Jersey treatment *plant. However, corps officials still consider the brook plan an option and have already received regulatory approval from environmental agencies. "They should just continue to truck it out of there," said Michelle Volpe, who lives near the site. "Why make matters worse for the people in this neighborhood?" The contaminated water comes from two sources. One is surface water from rain and snow. The other is water that has seeped into the ground and is *pumped up through wells. The process of cleaning the water involves enough chemistry to fill several textbooks. "It's like a very complex water softener," said Wing* Cho*, a chemical engineer for Environmental Chemical Corp., the contractor doing the excavation. "It's basically the same concept." The water reaches the surface and is siphoned into holding tanks where *solid radioactive materials *such as thorium are separated from it through a series of filters. The water is pre-filtered in *three stages: 150 microns, 50 microns -- about the thickness of a human hair -- and finally 10 microns. The solids, which are in the form of slurry, are pumped into a separate tank. The water then undergoes a chemical reaction called an ion exchange, a complicated chemical process where liquid radioactive materials such as uranium are extracted. At a wastewater treatment planton site, a resin is used to attract negatively charged uranium particles. As the contaminated wastewater is passed through the resin, the uranium exchanges a negatively charged molecule with the resin. As a result, the resin has effectively formed an unbreakable chemical bond with the uranium. It is then removed. About 50 gallons can be treated each minute, and up to 50,000 gallons can be cleaned in a day's work. The filtering reduces contaminants by 80 percent to 98 percent. So far, every one of the *8 million gallons that has been processed has been 100 percent compliant with federal safe-drinking water standards. About 6,000 gallons are pumped into a truck, which delivers the water to the Gloucester County Utilities Authority for further processing. Three to seven trucks leave each day. Unlike the soil, dealing with water can be unpredictable. The cold winter has forced delays as surface water freezes. "It's a battle we fight day in and day out," said Marc Mizrahi, the site project manager for Environmental Chemical Corp. "The weather really affects how we do this job." The closest thing to a crisis came on Sept. 17, 1999, when Tropical Storm Floyd left 1.2 million gallons of water on the site. Corps and cleanup workers worked around the clock building a makeshift berm to contain the water to the pits that had been carved out when soil was excavated. "Whatever fell into the pits we contained," Mizrahi said. "We lost about four days of production but considering what had happened, that was pretty good." After the last of the contaminated soil and water are removed, corps staff will test samples periodically for *five years. The site will be cleaned to residential status, meaning homes could conceivably be built there in the near future. "We want to make sure that our job here is complete," Roos said one recent afternoon before being swept by a *Geiger counter. "If we detect anything, we'll be back to clean it up. We hope everything will be taken care of this year." Staff Writer Scott Fallon's e-mail address is fallon@northjersey.com Copyright © 2001 North Jersey Media Group Inc. ***************************************************************** 11 Vermont Yankee plans hydrogen gas facility to reactor life By Associated Press, 2/28/2001 18:31 BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (AP) The Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. has asked the state for permission to build a new hydrogen gas facility that would ensure the plant stays open until 2012. The $3 million hydrogen gas facility that would prevent corrosion in the plant's cooling system, plant spokesman Rob Williams said, and would allow the plant to stay open when its federal operating license expires. ''It will prevent further corrosion and cracking. The project is part of our effort to operate to the end of its life and beyond, to keep the plant's options open,'' he said. Vermont Yankee filed the petition with the Public Service Board last week, one week after the board turned down a petition by AmerGen Energy Co. to buy the Vernon reactor for $40 million. Williams said AmerGen knows about the project. He said other nuclear companies interested in buying Vermont Yankee should be informed, since corrosion is a problem in boiling water reactors. The facility would allow for bulk storage of hydrogen and oxygen gases to treat the water inside the core cooling system, Williams said. The gases would be used to alter the chemistry of the water inside the cooling system and make it less corrosive. Vermont Yankee hopes to have the facility built by the end of the year, Williams said. He said the reactor was in excellent shape. ''It meets all the standards,'' he said. Debbie Katz, executive director of Citizens Awareness Network, an anti-nuclear group, said the problem of stress corrosion wasn't completely understood in the nuclear industry. ''It certainly raises issues about who is going to pay for it. It would be better to study whether Yankee should continue operating and see what's better for the ratepayer,'' she said. ''Three million dollars that's a lot of money. When you've got a used car, you have to decide how much work do you put into it before you try and sell it. There must be a degree of deterioration.'' ***************************************************************** 12 U.S. fines Biomedical Scanning $8,800 postnet.com | Business | Good morning, St. Louis | Posted: Thursday, March 1, 2001 | 4:30 a.m. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has levied a fine of $8,800 against Biomedical Scanning Services Inc. of Sappington. Biomedical provides diagnostic nuclear medicine scans to nearby rural hospitals that lack a nuclear medicine department, said President Jim Halstead. The agency says Biomedical violated its license by ordering radioactive materials to be delivered directly to Ste. Genevieve Memorial Hospital, sometimes when no authorized person from Biomedical was there to receive a shipment. Jan Strasma, spokesman for the regulatory commission said inspectors believe Biomedical gave "incomplete and inaccurate information" and continued the deliveries for a month after the agency first asked about the practice last year. Halstead said, "I think they're being unnecessarily harsh." © 2001 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, postnet.com ***************************************************************** 13 Uranium Institute News Briefing 01.09 | 21 - 27 February 2001 A weekly summary of international news relevant to uranium and the nuclear energy industry. [NB01.09-1] Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) have announced a US$4.7 billion investment programme to build nuclear power plants in order to ensure a stable energy supply after 2010. The state run company's board of directors also announced that ahead of privatisation it will split the company into six firms (one nuclear, five non-nuclear) on 2 April 2001. *(Ux Weekly, 26 February, p3*) [NB01.09-2] Japanese electric power providers have re-affirmed, in line with their environmental action plan, the intention to have 13 new nuclear power reactors operational in the country by 2010. The plan was drawn up to help cut CO2 emissions to 80% of their 1990 level. *(NucNet News 60/01, 22 February)* [NB01.09-3] The European pressurised water reactor (EPR) project has received a good reaction from both French and German safety officials, who had reviewed the project's details. Framatome ANP spokeswoman Catherine Rouet said that everything is now ready and that it was hoped France might order a lead unit in 2003.* (NucNet News 57/01, 21 February; see also News Briefing 00.48-6)* [NB01.09-4] North Korea: The nuclear energy agreement between the US and North Korea is likely to be closely scrutinised by the Bush administration in Washington. The deal to build two nuclear reactors to supply power in North Korea is part of a programme aimed at reconciling North and South Korea as well as halting North Korea's weapons development programme. Doubts about the agreement centre on the elderly power grid in North Korea and the country's unwillingness to adhere to non proliferation treaties. *(International Herald Tribune, 26 February, p10; see also News Briefing 00.49-15)* [NB01.09-5] UK: The Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) has expressed satisfaction with the measures taken by British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) at its Sellafield facility. Laurence Williams, the NII chief stated that 'overall, we are encouraged by the vigour and commitment that BNFL has given to addressing the issues raised'. The NII was called in after revelations of false data caused customers in Germany and Japan to suspend imports of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel from BNFL. *(Reuters Online, 23 February; see also News Briefing 00.48-11)* [NB01.09-6] Finland's nuclear power plans have received European Community backing from energy commissioner Loyola de Palacio. Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) put in the application to build a 1000 to 1600 MWe plant in November 2000. Ms de Palacio stressed on Finnish television that nuclear power was unavoidable if Europe was to meet its targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. *(Financial Times Online, 20 February; see also News Briefing 00.40-3)* [NB01.09-7] Russia's first new nuclear power plant for 20 years has been switched on at Rostov on Don in Southern Russia. Nuclear power minister Yevgeny Adamov stressed the safety of the Rostov-1 plant and promised electricity discounts and medical benefits to the regions inhabitants. Power black outs and deteriorating coal fired stations have helped fuel the revival of the nuclear power industry in Russia. *(St Petersburg Times Online, 27 February; see also News Briefing 01.08-2)* [NB01.09-8] The Slovakian head of nuclear research, Jan Korec, was shot and killed outside his home on 23 February. Mr Korec was director general of the Slovak institute of nuclear energy research (VUJE). A police spokeswoman said they were treating the case as murder and had found a gun.* (Reuters Online, 23 February*) [NB01.09-9] Russian legislators postponed the second reading in the Duma of a bill allowing the country to open its borders to spent nuclear fuel from abroad. The decision has been postponed until March, even though the proposal is predicted to see a relatively smooth ride through the Duma. The delay came at the request of the 11-member Duma Ecological Committee, who made the recommendation after a preliminary hearing on 19 February to sort through the amendments to the plan proposed since its first successful reading in December 2000. Two earlier amendments were thrown out by the same committee. *(Radio Free Europe Online, 23 February; see also News Briefing 01.08-13)* [NB01.09-10] The new Romanian government is to invite tenders to complete three more nuclear reactors at its Cernavoda nuclear power plant. Work on Cernavoda-2 was suspended due to lack of funds but the government hopes to have the reactor operational by 2004. Cernavoda-1 has a capacity of 706 MWe and provides 10% of the country's electricity needs. *(Ux Weekly, 26 February, P3; see also News Briefing 01.07-13)* [NB01.09-11] Japan: The governor of Fukushima province is opposed to the use of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel at Fukushima power plant. TEPCO, the plant's operator, stated that they would work to gain the trust of local residents. *(Kyodo News Online, 26 February; see also News Briefing 01.08-15)* [NB01.09-12] Russia is to begin building the Bushehr nuclear power station in Iran this year. Russian produced reactor equipment and turbine installation will be delivered to the project site which is scheduled to be completed in 2003. *(Russia Today Online, 23 February; see also News Briefing 00.04-16 )* [NB01.09-13] The Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) is to work with Kazakhstan's National Nuclear Centre (NNC) on joint research and testing into large scale fast reactor safety. The first project, known as EAGLE (Experimental Acquisition of Generalised Logic to Eliminate Recriticalities), is expected to confirm that early draining of melted fuel from the core could avoid escalation in a major accident. *(NucNet News 59/01, 22 February; see also News Briefing 99.38-19)* [NB01.09-14] Czech Republic: The Temelin nuclear plant resumed operations after being shut down on 18 January to check on vibrations in the main turbine generator. The 2000 MWe plant, originally of Russian design, was upgraded by Westinghouse Electric and turned on in October 2000. *(Independent Media Centre, 26 February; see also News Briefing 00.51-9)* [NB01.09-15] Australia: The Beverley uranium mine has been officially opened. Commercial operations have started at the mine and it is expected to be fully operational by the end 2001. Operators said that there had been none of the expected protests at the opening ceremony attended by politicians, business people and members of the Adnyamathana Aborigonal community. *(ABC News Online, 21 February; see also News Briefing 01.01-3)* [NB01.09-16] US: The chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Richard Meserve, has suggested that the outlook is favourable for increased nuclear electricity generation in the future. Whilst touring the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, he said that nuclear power was a long term solution to the US's power needs in that it avoids the cost fluctuations of fossil fuels. He further expressed optimism about the pebble bed reactor system being developed in South Africa. *(Sacremento Bee Online, 23 February)* [NB01.09-17] The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved a licence termination plan for the Trojan nuclear power plant. The plant began commercial operation in 1976 and was shut down permanently in January 1993. The plant is currently being dismantled and decontaminated. *(NRC, 20 February; see also News Briefing 00.14-19)* [NB01.09-18] US: Energy East and the RGS Energy Group are to combine to create a large regional utility in upstate New York. Under the terms of the deal Energy East will acquire all outstanding shares of RGS Energy to a total of US$1.4 billion and assume US$1 billion in RGS debt. *(Financial Times Online, 27 February)* [NB01.09-19] CLARIFICATION: NUKEM president James Cornell is pleased with the appointment of a Special Master in their long running dispute with United States Energy Crested Corporation (USECC). He states that 'this finally gives us the forum to put these outstanding accounting issues to rest'. In a press release NUKEM countered reports that implied the US court order entitled USECC to half of all profits earned by NUKEM from Confederation of Independent States (CIS) concentrates marketed since 1992. In the settlement agreement reached between NUKEM and USECC on 1 June 1998, NUKEM acquired all rights pertaining to the five US utility supply contracts. In return NUKEM has paid more than US$10 million under both that settlement and the original arbitration award, thereby satisfying in full their legitimate claims.*(NUKEM 21 February; see also News Briefing 01.08-4)* Previous News Briefing NB01.08 *Prepared by the Uranium Institute Information Service. All news and views are those of the publications cited.* ***************************************************************** 14 Nevada has had quakes of magnitude 7 or more Today: March 01, 2001 at 9:52:51 PST By Mary Manning LAS VEGAS SUN Nevada has had its share of magnitude 7 or greater temblors -- about once every 30 years, seismologists around the state said Wednesday after Seattle's 6.8 magnitude event. While Northern Nevada has more potential for large earthquakes, the Las Vegas area is criss-crossed with faults that could trigger a 6.0 magnitude or larger temblor. Scientists say they have not studied the Las Vegas Valley enough to predict how much of a threat local faults pose. "Seattle's event occurred exactly where it is supposed to," UNLV geology professor David Weide said. "This is why Seattle is a prime earthquake zone and Las Vegas isn't." The last major earthquake in Nevada was a magnitude 7.2 in 1954 at Fairview Peak, about 100 miles southeast of Reno. The largest earthquake recorded in Nevada was estimated between 7.3 and 7.8 magnitude in 1915 about 35 miles south of Winnemucca in Pleasant Valley. Larger earthquakes in Nevada have occurred in areas now crowded with homes and businesses. Within the past 3,000 years two quakes rattled the Genoa fault, which extends from northeastern California into Carson City, scientists say. The magnitudes are estimated between 7.2 and 7.5. There are 30 faults likely to produce damage in the Carson City-Reno area and at least another seven in the Las Vegas Valley area. The biggest difference between Seattle's shaker on Wednesday and earth movements in Nevada are the depth and types of faults, research seismologist Ken Smith at the University of Nevada, Reno, said. The Seattle quake was at least 30 miles deep in an area known as the Cascadia subduction zone, a site where two plates meet. "We don't have these deeper subduction zones," Smith said. The plate near Seattle bent during Wednesday's quake, said Robert Karlin, who came to the University of Nevada, Reno, from the University of Washington. Because the temblor was so deep, aftershocks may not be such a problem as they would be if it had occurred in the shallower crust, he said. The Great Basin, which includes all of Nevada, is being pulled apart by the stress built up between the Pacific plate and the continent. Both UNLV and UNR seismographs recorded the Seattle quake. No one in Reno, 800 miles away from Seattle, reported feeling the temblor, retired Seismic Laboratory Director James Bruin, said. People in high-rise buildings in Salt Lake City reported feeling the shaking 700 miles away. "The big worry is, is it a precursor to a larger quake on the subduction zone?" Bruin said. To prepare for an earthquake, seismologists recommend securing home hot water heaters, bookshelves and sensitive equipment such as TVs and VCRs. After an earthquake, they recommend staying off the telephone and tuning into local radio or television stations if they are available. All contents copyright 2001 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 15 PLUTONIUM SHIPS SIGHTED OFF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA 1 March 2001 Sydney - The two British-flagged ships carrying plutonium fuel from Europe to Japan were sighted today 300 nautical miles south-west of Tasmania in southern Australia, Greenpeace Australia announced today. The ships, the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal, are carrying 230 kilograms of plutonium in the form of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel and will transit the Tasman Sea, between Australia and New Zealand, then the South Pacific on their way to Japan. The ships were sighted today by an aircraft chartered by Greenpeace Australia. Greenpeace Australia's nuclear campaigner, Stephen Campbell, said this was the third dangerous shipment of plutonium to take the route past Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. He said all shipments so far were futile since none of the plutonium fuel shipped through the Tasman Sea had yet been loaded into reactors in Japan. "The Japanese MOX program is in disarray in the face of increasing domestic and international opposition," Stephen Campbell said. "Just this week, the governor of Fukushima - the Japanese prefecture that received the first shipment of MOX plutonium in 1999 - stated that community mistrust of the nuclear program had made it impossible for him to allow the MOX fuel to be loaded." Given that Fukushima was to have been the first nuclear power station to load MOX, the governor's statement has effectively derailed the entire MOX program in Japan. It makes it very unlikely that the current shipment of MOX will ever be loaded into a reactor in Japan. On their current position off the southern coast of Tasmania, it is likely that the plutonium ships will enter the Tasman Sea on Saturday. Greenpeace has a yacht, "Tiama", in the Nuclear-Free Tasman Flotilla which is currently in position between Lord Howe and Norfolk islands in the north-west Tasman Sea. The flotilla plans to form a symbolic chain across the 75 miles of international waters between the two islands. The plutonium ships have used this route before and are likely to do so again. Earlier this week, the flotilla yachts (four from New Zealand and three from Australia) met up and unfurled a 40-metre banner that read: "Close the Nuclear Highway". One speck of plutonium smaller than a grain of sand can cause lethal cancer and birth defects in people and animals. Plutonium is a hazardous radio-toxic waste with a half-life of 24,000 years, and is radioactive for over 250,000 years. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: - Elisabeth Mealey on +61 (0) 403-443190, Carolin Wenzel on +61 (0) 418-406568 or - Stephen Campbell +61 (0) 418-681275 For more information on the Nuclear-Free Tasman Flotilla: www.nuclearfree.co.nz For more background on the Mox transports: www.greenpeace.org/~nuclear/transport/mox00 ***************************************************************** 16 British nuclear ships near Hobart news.com.au - [ 01mar01 ] From AAP 20:55 (AEDT) GREENPEACE says two British-flagged ships carrying plutonium fuel from Europe to Japan have been spotted 300 nautical miles south-west of Hobart. The ships, carrying more than 200 kilograms of mixed oxide plutonium fuel, are scheduled to travel across the Tasman Sea into the South Pacific before their entry to Japan. A Greenpeace aircraft today spotted the ships, predicting they'll enter the Tasman Sea on Saturday. Greenpeace is calling on the federal government to reverse its support for the ships to use the Tasman Sea as a nuclear highway. Last month the government refused to join a New Zealand government protest against the ship's route, arguing international safety checks are in place. Greenpeace's yacht Tiama is between Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands in the north-west Tasman Sea in readiness for the ships' passage. A flotilla plans to form a symbolic chain across the 75 miles of international waters between the two islands. ***************************************************************** 17 Government Postpones Plans for 6 Additional NPPs CNIC cnic.jca.apc.org Citizens' Nuclear Information Center On 27 February 2001, the government decided not to put in applications within the fiscal year 2000 to the Electric Power Development Committee under the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy for permissions for 6 of the 8 plans to construct additional nuclear power plants. It was expected that the committee (formerly the Electric Power Development Coordination Council prior to the central ministries reform starting January 2001) would have approved the plansif they were submitted. The postponed six planned plants include Fukushima I-7 and I-8 in Fukushima Prefecture where recently the governor has called for a one-year review of the prefecture's and the government's energy programs, in addition to announcing a postponementon initiating the use of MOX fuel at Fukushima I-3 which was to begin as early as this April. The utilities planned to build additional 13 plants by the fiscal year 2010. However, it has become increasingly difficult to win over local policy makers and residents on the use or benefits ofconstructing additional nuclear power plants. Concerns over safety of nuclear plants have been growing ever since the 1999 JCO criticalityaccident and BNFL's MOX fuel quality control data fabrication scandal. Under the utilities energy plans, applications for eight plants were to be submitted to the sub-committee during the fiscal year 2000 (1 April 2000 - 31 March 2001). However, local approval wasobtained only for Hokkaido Electric Power Company's Tomari 3 and Chugoku Electric Power Company's Shimane 3. The postponed six planned plantsinclude: Kaminoseki 1 and 2, for which Chugoku Electric Power Companyhas not been able to purchase land for the sites, Tsuruga 3 and 4 of Fukui prefecture and Fukushima I-7 and I-8 for which land has been obtained but utilities have not been able to secure local approval. Postponements in the construction of additional nuclear power plants will most likely affect the government's energy policy. No additional nuclear power plants have been built since Genkai 4 in Kyushu prefecture began operation in 1997. *For a Nuclear Free World - http://www.cnic.or.jp/* 3F Kotobuki Bldg., 1-58-15 Higashi-nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-0003 Japan Tel: 81-3-5330-9520; Fax: 81-3-5330-9530 http://www.cnic.or.jp/
cnic-jp@po.iijnet.or.jp (C) Citizens' Nuclear Information Center ***************************************************************** 18 Japan nuke industry frets in face of deregulation *Updated 3:55 AM ET February 28, 2001* By Miho Yoshikawa TOKYO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Where public anti-nuclear protests fail, industry deregulation could succeed. Analysts say Japan's nuclear industry is facing competitive threats from rival power suppliers that could slow down construction of new nuclear plants, a spinoff of deregulation aimed at slashing Japan's high energy prices. As a result, nuclear companies are grappling with deep questions about how to grow as the economy stagnates and as a new wave of cost-conscious power companies eye cheaper fuels. "They must think carefully about costs," said Takahiro Morita, senior vice president at Moody's Japan K.K., a unit of credit ratings agency Moody's Investors Service. "I think that will lead to a slowdown in the development of nuclear power plants," he said. This -- combined with public anxiety over the nuclear industry's safety record after recent accidents -- is making privately-run utilities that operate all of Japan's 51 commercial reactors hesitant to commit to major new development plans. The timing couldn't be worse for a government that puts nuclear power at the core of its energy programme, viewing it as a crucial fuel source in a country with few natural resources. Long-term investment plans announced by Japan's major utilities last March showed that only 13 nuclear reactors are due to begin operating over the next 10 years, far short of the government's target of 16 to 20. Adding to the government's woes are growing concerns about the environment and whether a possible rise in dirty fossil fuels at the expense of nuclear power will wreak havoc on its clean-air targets. Japan's goal for new nuclear reactors was designed to help the country meet a 1997 global pledge to make an average six percent cut in harmful emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 2008-2012 from 1990 levels. LOSING A COMPETITIVE EDGE Many analysts link the industry's problems directly to deregulation and deeper structural changes in the economy that are forcing Japan's power companies to become cost conscious. Japan's 10 leading utilities held regional monopolies on electricity supplies until last March when the government broke with tradition and allowed non-power firms to begin selling electricity to large-lot consumers such as commercial centres. This change, aimed at helping revive Japan's fragile economy by slashing energy prices and opening the door to competition, led seven new companies into Japan's power supply industry. Analysts say these companies are likely to turn to cheaper fuels like coal, forcing down prices and preventing nuclear companies from passing the buck on extra costs needed to build new reactors through to electricity rates. "I think there's a big risk that (the nuclear programme) will become a financial burden for the industry," Tadatoshi Utaka, senior analyst at Tokyo-Mitsubishi Securities said. Nuclear power plants have traditionally enjoyed a competitive edge, using relatively cheap uranium and running reactors at low overheads once the initial high costs of building them are complete. But predicting what Japan's energy market will look like in 10-20 years when the full benefits of any reactor built now would materialise is harder than ever. The power industry is also facing growing local opposition following recent accidents at nuclear facilities, such as Japan's worst ever in September 1999 when three plant workers in Tokaimura were exposed to radiation. Two later died. TEPCO TO PUSH AHEAD An example of just how difficult it is for major power firms to commit to new projects can be seen in the position of Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc (TEPCO), Japan's largest power company, on building new plants. This month, TEPCO announced it would freeze construction of new power plants, including nuclear facilities, for three to five years. But a day later it made a dramatic revision to the decision, giving a green light for continuing construction plans for nuclear plants. Yet analysts see the move as motivated more by politics than economics. Two prefectures had been counting on a new nuclear power plant or an expansion of an existing plant to help bolster their local economies, and analysts see TEPCO's reversal as a concession to their interests. Although some regions shy away from nuclear plants for health or environmental reasons, others see them as key sources of revenue since they bring in subsidies and increase employment. But because of competitive pressures it remains uncertain whether TEPCO will actually push ahead with its plans to build new nuclear reactors without postponing them given the current business climate and slowing power demand, the analysts said. Tokyo-Mitsubishi's Utaka said the operation of nuclear power plants may not be entirely compatible with deregulation and competition, and wondered how much of a role the private sector could play in the nation's nuclear power plans for the future. "I think nuclear power should be separated from the operations of private companies, and that the electric power industry should ask the government to take over the task," he said. [Reuters] ***************************************************************** 19 Local govts face dilemma over nuclear power policy Daily Yomiuri On-Line Yomiuri Shimbun A pluthermal project that was to start in the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) from April had again been postponed after Fukushima Prefectural Gov. Eisaku Sato said Monday that he has decided not to accept the project for the time being. On the same day, Niigata Gov. Ikuo Hirayama, whose prefecture houses the Kashiwazaki Kariha nuclear power plant, also rejected the possibility of becoming the nation's first pluthermal project site. The governors' negative attitudes toward the projects may shake the nation's nuclear energy policy. Pluthermal refers to a system that uses mixed oxide fuel (MOX) made of plutonium and uranium in conventional light-water reactors in existing nuclear power plants. Plutonium used in the system is made by reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. Because MOX can be repeatedly recycled through reprocessing, the central government believes that plutonium may be an effective way to provide a stable energy resource for the future. The pluthermal project is to be implemented in the No. 3 reactor in the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, the No. 3 reactor of the Kashiwazaki Kariha nuclear power plant--both TEPCO facilities--and the No. 3 and 4 reactors in the Takahama nuclear power plant, which are operated by Kansai Electric Power Co. Gov. Sato read out the prefecture's refusal to accept the pluthermal project Monday at the Fukushima prefectural assembly's session. "The use of MOX fuel cannot be allowed for the time being," he told the assembly. Assembly members shouted approval of Sato's statement. Sato initially favored accepting the project in November 1998, but later changed his mind. Sato said that public confidence in the project had not sufficiently recovered since the criticality accident in Tokaimura, Ibaraki Prefecture, and the case of fabricated MOX fuel-rod data involving the Takahama plant in 1999. On Feb. 8, TEPCO announced a policy of freezing construction of new power plants. The decision strengthened Sato's opposition to the project. The Hamadori district in Fukushima Prefecture has one of the nation's largest concentrations of power plants. The district houses four thermal reactors at the Hirono thermal power plant and a total of 10 nuclear reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 and No. 2 plants. Tax revenues from the power plants are a main income source for the prefecture. If TEPCO freezes its plans to build No. 5 and No. 6 thermal reactors at the Hirono plant, the prefectural government would forgo tax revenues of about 1.2 billion yen per reactor. However, if the pluthermal project is implemented in the No. 3 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, it would not lead to an increase in tax revenue, because the project would use existing facilities. Sato expressed disappointment over TEPCO's attitude and said that the company was neglecting the local economy at a study meeting of local assembly members from the Hamadori district on Feb. 14. "We have cooperated with the central government and companies since the Meiji era (1868-1912)," Sato said, suggesting that the prefecture's past contributions have been ignored. "As a local entity, we want to thoroughly examine the nuclear energy policy, economic stimulus measures for local areas with power plants, and other energy policies," Sato said in a speech to the prefectural assembly Monday. He emphasized the concerns of local areas in accommodating power plants and mentioned the revision of taxes relating to nuclear power plants. His remarks suggested a possible increase in the prefectural government's nuclear fuel tax, which is imposed separately from central government taxes. A Liberal Democratic Party member of the prefectural assembly said, "The prefecture cannot rely financially on TEPCO forever. When the governor said that the prefecture should implement its own economic stimulus measures, TEPCO made the announcement (that it would freeze new power plant construction)." "The governor made the remarks because of TEPCO's attitude," the assembly member said, indicating that the governor's refusal of the project was initiated by TEPCO. In the wake of Sato's remarks, Yoichi Fujiie, chairman of the central government's Atomic Energy Commission, said: "Early implementation of the pluthermal project is essential to maintain the nuclear nonproliferation system. I will meet the governor to ask for his understanding, if it is necessary." If the pluthermal project is suspended, Japan will have surplus stocks of plutonium, which may lead to international criticism, as possessing excessive plutonium stocks is contrary to the nuclear nonproliferation effort. According to the commission, a total of 30 tons of plutonium will be returned to Japan after all the used nuclear fuel rods are processed abroad. When the reprocessing plant in Rokkashomura, Aomori Prefecture, starts operation in 2005, it will extract 5 tons of plutonium per year from used nuclear fuel rods. The central government plans to utilize the plutonium through the pluthermal project. However, Tetsuya Endo, a member of the commission said, "If the project remains stalled, a large amount of plutonium--for which there will be no use--will accumulate, and a fundamental part of Japan's nuclear energy policy may be threatened." TEPCO president urges help TEPCO President Nobuya Minami said Monday that the company would reconsider its policy of freezing the construction of No. 5 and No. 6 thermal reactors in the Hirono thermal power plant to gain the cooperation of Fukushima Prefecture. "I shall continue my efforts to gain the understanding of local residents," Minami said, suggesting that TEPCO may overturn its decision to compromise with the prefecture. Electric power companies plan to implement pluthermal projects in 16 to 18 nuclear reactors out of 51 at the nation's nuclear power plants by 2010. If the project in the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, which is to be the first, is deterred, implementation of the projects in nuclear power plants in other regions may also become difficult. Copyright 2001 The Yomiuri Shimbun ***************************************************************** 20 DUNCAN'S A BALL BNFL CAN'T KICK INTO TOUCH The Whitehaven News A FORMER Sellafield chargehand who claims workers face safety risks over radiation working has become a thorn in the side of BNFL. Despite being given a voluntary severance cheque for £87,000, Duncan Ball, from Calderbridge, keeps demanding answers to his safety complaints. After going public with his concerns on the Channel 4 Despatches documentary, Mr Ball has now increased his one-man campaigning. Last month he stood by the Sellafield entrance holding aloft inflammatory posters. When this failed to get a response he went to the BNFL headquarters at Risley, near Warrington, and after being refused permission to speak to the company chief executive, Norman Askew. Mr Ball set off the fire alarm for the high-tech office complex. Then he travelled to London and was shown the door at BNFL's London offices. This week Mr Ball has been lobbying outside Parliament and 10 Downing Street and is seeking a meeting with Copeland MP, Dr Jack Cunningham. He claims risk assessments have not been fully carried out on a job entitled Bulge 49, in part of the B205 reprocessing plant. Mr Ball says he walked out over the safety issue and was then given more than the normal voluntary severance terms to keep the matter "under wraps.'' He says that he received £87,000 when normally he would only have been entitled to £32,000. Nigel Monkton, press spokesman at Sellafield said: "We have thoroughly investigated his claims twice and found there was no substance to his allegations. We suggested he speak to the regulatory authorities if he wasn't satisfied, but we don't know if he has. As for his severance, £87,000 is not unusual in such circumstances.'' ***************************************************************** 21 Legal moves over Chernobyl ailments - CNN.com - March 1, 2001 PARIS, France -- A group of citizens began legal moves on Thursday to try to prove they fell ill because France failed to provide warnings of the radioactive fallout due to the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The 53 plaintiffs with thyroid ailments, lodged a complaint against persons unknown at the Palace of Justice in Paris on grounds of alleged poisoning and associated counts. The technical step under French law means a judge must now examine the complaint, though the judge is not bound to order a criminal investigation. A similar attempt by a sole plaintiff failed last year on grounds that the person could not demonstrate a scientific link between the Chernobyl accident and the illness. The Chernobyl complex in Ukraine was the site of the world's worst nuclear accident in April 1986, when a reactor exploded and radiation spewed from its burning shell. The plant shut down for good in December last year. The plaintiffs allege that French authorities did nothing to alert citizens to the potential dangers from a cloud of radioactivity that drifted west from Chernobyl. "Too many things have been hidden. We were always told that the cloud had stopped at the border. We want the truth," said one of the plaintiffs, 50-year-old Jean-Claude Foures. The lawyer for the group, Christian Curtil, acknowledged that there was no absolute scientific link between the accident and his clients' illnesses, but said there was sufficient circumstantial evidence to warrant opening an investigation. Copyright 2001 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may ***************************************************************** 22 Reactor shut down at Zheleznogorsk Malfunction caused reactor shut down at Zheleznogorsk Mining and Chemical Combine in Siberia on February 20th. Report released a week later. Vladislav Nikiforov, 2001-02-28 00:00 The only operating reactor at Zheleznogorsk Mining and Chemical Combine in Siberia has been out of operation for one week, local daily Segodnashnaya reports. On February 20th, personnel at the reactor central post registered water consumption fall in one of the reactor fuel assemblies. After the water level had reached the critical level, the reactor was stopped. Similar incident took place at the combine in 1985. At that time five fuel assemblies had to be reloaded, now only one assembly is damaged. The personnel thought the repair works would take a couple of days, but they have been going on for one week since the problem was revealed. The reason of the incident is fuel assembly enlargement. It is extremely rare situation, but sometimes it occurs, plant's officials said. The deformation of nuclear fuel assemblies stops normal circulation of the cooling water, therefore the reactor has to be shut down and the damaged assembly reloaded. Otherwise the fuel can melt down. This time, the combine officials claim the fuel was not melted. The mining combine press centre stated that the event can hardly be called an accident. Even inside the facility radiation levels remained normal. Zheleznogorsk, also known as "the Iron City", is situated approximately 50km north of Krasnoyarsk on the eastern side of the River Yenisey in Krasnoyarsk county, Siberia. The city has a population of 90,000 and was known by its code name Krasnoyarsk-26 until 1994. The Mining and Chemical Combine with its three plutonium producing reactors and a radiochemical plant are well shielded 250m to 300m underground. The first reactor was shut down on June 30th 1992, and the second followed on September 29th the same year and the third (AD-2) has been in operation since 1964. The remaining reactor supplies the facility and residential areas of Zheleznogorsk with electricity and heat. The reactor is one of the three plutonium producing reactors still in operation in Russia. The other two are located in Seversk (former Tomsk-7). The Russian-American intergovernmental program aimed at refitting the reactors to stop plutonium production or their replacement with alternative energy sources has failed so far. Last year the combine general director stated that the reactor's operational life time could be prolonged for a period of not less than 10 years. Yury Vishnevsky, head of the Russian Nuclear Regulatory Agency, expressed his disagreement with this point of view. He said that all three reactors exceeded the limits of operation two times and should be taken out of service. Publisher: Bellona Foundation, President: Frederic Hauge Information: info@bellona.no, Technical contact: webmaster@bellona.no Telephone: +47 23 23 46 00 Telefax: +47 22 38 38 62 * P.O.Box 2141 Grunerlokka, 0505 Oslo, Norway Reuse and ***************************************************************** 23 Piketon plant likely to receive federal dollars Ohio officials still pushing for help *Thursday, March 1, 2001* Jack Torry *Dispatch Washington Bureau* WASHINGTON -- Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham is expected to announce today in Columbus that the federal government will provide millions of dollars to help keep a uranium-enrichment plant in southern Ohio in a state of readiness even after production is shut down this summer. Emerging from a meeting with Ohio's congressional delegation yesterday, Gov. Bob Taft said it was unclear how much money Abraham will steer toward the plant in Piketon. He characterized it as a "major investment by the federal government'' that could preserve as many as 1,200 jobs and make it easier for plant officials to resume operations in the future. "We're encouraged by it,'' Taft said. "We don't know all the details, but we believe it will be a very significant investment in Piketon. . . . This is really the first step just to keep it on cold standby, to retain the potential for a greater utilization of Piketon down the road.'' Taft has lobbied President Bush and Abraham to keep the Piketon facility alive. Republican Sens. George V. Voinovich and Mike DeWine of Ohio, and Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lucasville, also have pushed the plan. Voinovich said Abraham, a former Republican senator from Michigan, has "genuinely spent a lot of time on this issue. He cares about the facility and is going to do all he can to help.'' Sources said Abraham could provide an initial installment of $30 million for the plant. He is expected to appear with Taft this afternoon at the governor's office. The plant, known as the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, produces fuel for both nuclear power plants and atomic weapons. Once production is shut down, the only U.S. plant producing enriched uranium will be in Paducah, Ky. Critics have expressed doubts that the Paducah facility can be upgraded to complete the entire enrichment process. That prompted a campaign by Ohio officials to keep the Piketon facility prepared for a possible return to operation. Abraham is apparently willing to commit federal dollars even though his agency is facing a $400 million budget cut. During the 2000 campaign, Bush pledged to "aggressively explore how the work force and facilities at the Piketon site can continue to serve our national interests. I believe that our nation must continue to pursue research and development of new technologies for use in uranium enrichment.'' The Clinton administration had agreed to a $630 million package to keep the plant on standby, but Abraham blocked the spending plan until he conducted a review. jtorry@dispatch.com Copyright © 2001, The Columbus Dispatch ***************************************************************** 24 Ukraine-Russia-Kazakh joint venture to produce nuclear fuel [ITAR/TASS News Agency] Story Filed: Thursday, March 01, 2001 1:34 PM EST KIEV, Mar 01, 2001 (Itar-Tass via COMTEX) -- Experts from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan will soon meet in Russia over establishment of a joint venture to produce fuel for nuclear power plants, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Fuel and Energy, Head of the Energoatom national nuclear energy authority Nur Nigmatulin told reporters on Thursday. Nigmatulin pointed out that Energoatom continued work towards starting nuclear fuel production in Ukraine. "The works have been on for five years now," he said, adding that "now we are ready to set up a joint venture to produce nuclear fuel." According to Nigmatulin, cooperation with Russia and Kazakhstan will be mutually beneficial as "uranium enrichment is not costly in Russia." By Natalia Kozlova (c) 1996-2001 ITAR-TASS. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 25 Ukraine to buy 209 mln dlrs worth of nuclear fuel from Russia Story Filed: Thursday, March 01, 2001 12:37 PM EST KIEV, Mar 01, 2001 (Itar-Tass via COMTEX) -- Ukraine's deputy fuel and energy minister said on Thursday that Ukraine will buy in Russia this year 209 million dollars worth of nuclear fuel. First advance payments to buy fuel for two Ukrainian nuclear power plants will be made in mid-March, the official, Nur Nigmatulin, told reporters. He said payment for fuel will come in equal installments of some 21 million dollars monthly, in 'live' money. Nigmatulin said the delivery of nuclear fuel and export of waste fuel will be made at the same price this year as in 2001. "The price of Russian nuclear fuel today is 30 percent lower than world prices," he said. Focusing on waste fuel, he said that Ukraine has to pay 370 dollars for one kilogram of uranium. As a result, the shipment of waste nuclear fuel in 2001 will cost Ukraine 57 million dollars, Nigmatulin stressed. By Nataliya Kozlova (c) 1996-2001 ITAR-TASS. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 26 *RUSSIA IS DEVELOPING SYRIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAM Middle East Newsline - Area News - Updated Daily [March 1] Thursday February 2001 Issue No.1095 Updated 02:30 a.m. EDT 08:30 UTC WASHINGTON [MENL] -- Russia is quietly launching steps to develop Syria's nascent nuclear program. The CIA said Moscow has already laid the groundwork for this cooperation and could provide nuclear expertise to Syria over the next few years. Last year, Russia's Cabinet approved a draft cooperative program with Syria that included civil use of nuclear power. "Broader access to Russian scientists could provide opportunities to solicit fissile material production expertise if Syria decided to pursue a nuclear weapons option," the CIA said in its latest report on proliferation. Russia has approved nuclear exports to a host of countries that are not monitored by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency. The decision was reached by President Vladimir Putin in May. Intelligence analysts said Syria's ally, Iran, would continue to be the focus of Russian nuclear efforts for the next few years. They predicted a slower and less intense effort by Moscow in Syria. "I don't see anything significant happening in the short term," a senior Western intelligence analyst said. [To read the full Middle East Newsline reports, Subscribe or use our Free One Week Trial Offer by entering your e-mail address in the form on this screen.] ***************************************************************** 27 Board Of Nuclear Regulatory Authority To Be Appointed Soon - Lukman [Africa News Service] Story Filed: Thursday, March 01, 2001 2:23 PM EST Zaria, Mar 01, 2001 (Vanguard Daily/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX)-- The Federal Government is to appoint a chief executive officer and a board of governors for the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority as provided for in the law establishing the authority, the Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum and Energy, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, has said. Lukman made this known while declaring open a national seminar on regulatory framework for nuclear and radiation safety in Nigeria at Kongo Conference Hotel, Zaria on Tuesday. He told the participants at the seminar to work out modalities for the proper implementation of the law establishing the authority, saying that government will eagerly await the outcome of their deliberations. The special adviser said that the Federal Government was committed to safety in the use of nuclear energy, pointing out that it was this commitment that led to the 1995 signing into law the decree on nuclear safety and radiation protection. He noted with satisfaction the support Nigeria received from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), saying that "we appreciate the support given by the agency in the provision of equipment and staff development." Lukman further stressed the need for proper co-ordinated regulatory framework in the country in order to ensure the safe harnessing of nuclear energy for the socio-economic development of Nigeria. Earlier, the vice-chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Prof. Abdullahi Mahadi, said that the Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT) Zaria had been in the forefront in the promotion and application of nuclear energy in Nigeria. He said that the centre could boost of having the highest number of nuclear scientists in the country and rendered high level manpower training to academic programmes of the university and the industry. He expressed optimism that the two-day seminar would address issues and the requirements for an effective framework for nuclear and radiation safety in the country. Copyright Vanguard Daily. Distributed by All Africa Global Media(AllAfrica.com) *Copyright © 2001, Africa News Service, all rights reserved.* ***************************************************************** 28 House OKs Bill That Bans High-Level Nuke Waste in Utah March 1, 2001* BY JUDY FAHYS THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE The state Legislature threw its support Wednesday into the fight to keep high-level nuclear waste out of Utah. The House late Wednesday endorsed legislation to give the state some legal muscle for blocking an eight-utility consortium that wants to store spent nuclear fuel rods on the Skull Valley Goshute Indian Reservation, about 45 miles from Salt Lake City in Tooele County. House lawmakers had resisted the move for more than a week before its 60 to 12 vote. "The Legislature overwhelmingly heeded the wishes and the will of the people of Utah," said Frank Suitter, a leader in the anti-nuke coalition. "This will send a message all over the nation, that if you want to get rid of your garbage, don't send it to Utah." The bill's final passage was a relief to Gov. Mike Leavitt, who had put a package of high-level waste bills at the top of his priority list for the 2001 Legislature. It was a defeat for some lawmakers who said Senate Bill 81 deprives the Goshute tribe of an important economic opportunity and businesspeople the right to do legitimate business. The bill puts an outright ban on high-level nuclear waste in Utah, imposes heavy taxes on doing business with the spent-fuel industry and prohibits any county from providing services to such a facility. "We will go forward with this," said Sue Martin, a spokeswoman for the consortium, Private Fuel Storage LLC. "It's just unfortunate the state of Utah has chosen to distinguish itself this way. It's an embarrassment to the state." The Goshutes contend they have a right to such business since they are on sovereign land. House lawmakers had held the bill hostage for the last week of the session and only made it available for final passage in the waning hours of this year's legislative session. As part of a deal to get the bill released, the House trimmed the funding for the anti-nuke fight to $1.1 million. The House also promised the state's Indian tribes a windfall in the event the anti-nuke effort failed and the state imposes the 75 percent tax on all business contracts with PFS. Indian tribes statewide would get two-thirds of any tax collected for schools, roads and other infrastructure, and state government's general fund would get the remaining third. Another measure was stripped of its initial funding of legal fees associated with the nuclear waste fight, and was amended to require state agencies to prepare economic development studies for the reservation. Funding for the legal fight was instead built into the budget for the governor's office. A third bill to provide $2 million in economic development funding to the Goshutes was scrapped altogether. © Copyright 2001, The Salt Lake Tribune All material found on ***************************************************************** 29 Leavitt gets the tools to fight N-waste storage by Goshutes March 01, 2001 Utility consortium calls legislation heavy-handed By Donna Kemp Spangler Deseret News staff writer Lawmakers kept Gov. Mike Leavitt waiting until the last minute, but in the end they gave him what he wanted — tools to fight the storage of high-level nuclear waste on Goshute tribal lands. Sen. Terry Spencer, R-Layton, the sponsor of a trio of bills drafted by the governor's office, was pleased after the full House passed the centerpiece of the bills, SB81, Wednesday evening by a vote of 60-12. "(Leavitt) may even sign the bill tonight," a jubilant Spencer told reporters. SB81 will ban high-level nuclear waste from coming into the state. It would also require Private Fuel Storage (PFS), a consortium of out-of-state utilities, to pay the state about $150 billion cash upfront. It will impose a 75 percent tax on anyone providing services to the project. And, it will bar Tooele County from providing municipal-type services such as police and fire to the site where 40,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel rods is targeted to be stored on the reservation, about 70 miles southwest of Salt Lake City. But Leavitt didn't get everything he wanted. One bill, a proposal to provide $2 million in economic development to the Goshutes, was killed for lack of funding. Instead, lawmakers decided to study economic development options for American Indians. Leavitt also had hoped for $1.6 million to hire a legal strike force to fight the plan. Instead, lawmakers decided to give him only $1.1 million. The governor reiterated that he'll do whatever it takes to stop the waste from entering the state, including asking the Legislature for more money. "If I have to go back for a supplemental (appropriation), I'll do it," he said. Not surprisingly, PFS officials were disappointed. "We were hopeful more legislators would respond to fact, not emotion," said spokeswoman Sue Martin. "The thing that puzzles me is the Legislature seems to want to go to court. . . . It seems to me that to do it this way, it is not only premature, it's a waste of taxpayer money." "Furthermore, what we have done is truly embarrassing for the state of Utah," she added. Some lawmakers agreed. "I would say (the bill) is pretty heavy-handed," said Rep. Lamont Tyler, R-Holladay. In fact, he added, "This is Gestapo tactics." "It is intentionally heavy-handed," responded Rep. Stephen Urquhart, R-St. George, who carried Spencer's legislation in the House. "We don't want this waste here." Three days before the end of the session, Leavitt's bill languished in the House Rules Committee, preventing House lawmakers from voting on the measure. And speculation was rampant that the House would not act on them even though Leavitt had made them the centerpiece of his ongoing campaign to stop nuclear waste from entering Utah. Rep. Eli Anderson, D-Tremonton, one of the main instigators in keeping the bills locked up in committee, said he simply wanted Leavitt to discuss the bills with him. He got what he wanted. Leavitt called him into his office the day before the session ended and they talked. The bills were then released from the committee, but Anderson still voted against them. "Hundreds of years before the first covered wagon, the Indian people lived here," said Anderson, whose district includes Skull Valley. "They have gone out like everyone in this valley to make a better life for themselves. They have come up with an economic solution. It seems like we've come in heavy-fisted and hard-handed with no respect for the Indian people." © 2001 Deseret News Publishing Company ***************************************************************** 30 Tax Approved for Low-Level Radioactive Waste in Utah March 1, 2001* BY JUDY FAHYS and DAN HARRIE THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Low-level radioactive waste will now be taxed in Utah. Senators approved House Bill 370, which would raise about $3.1 million in taxes in the first two years from two companies that dispose of or reprocess radioactive material. The vote was 15 to 14, with Senate President Al Mansell breaking the tie. "We need to take these steps in order to protect the citizens of this state," said Sen. Bill Hickman, who ferried the bill through the Senate, even though the tax ended up far lower than the $37 million sum lawmakers originally hoped to raise. One of the companies, Envirocare of Utah, bitterly fought the tax and predicted it would slow business at its 640-acre site in Tooele County. The company accepted about 12 million cubic feet of low-level radioactive waste last year. "Of course we are not happy with the whole concept," said Envirocare spokesman Time Barney, calling the tax unfair. For lawmakers, HB370 represented a victory because the state has finally asserted its right to tax the radioactive-waste industry, as other states with similar facilities do. Past attempts to tax the waste, all of it from out of state, have failed. Senators increased the House-passed tax, then defeated the bill. It was only when they voted a second time, with a tax structure identical to the House version, that the new waste-tax passed. All but one Democrat -- Ogden Sen. Ed Allen -- voted against the proposal, most saying the fees were too little, too late. "I am all for taxing Envirocare, so they pay their fair share," said Sen. Ed Mayne, D-West Valley City. "They've been escaping it for years." Hickman defended the compromise, saying the $400,000 annual tax included in the bill for perpetual care will build a fund to "finance the maintenance of it forever and a day." Sen. Lyle Hillyard said lawmakers' children and grandchildren "will rue the day we had the opportunity and didn't step forward" to tax the facility sufficiently to guarantee its safe closure. ***************************************************************** 31 Letter: Unified leadership needed against energy mafia VIEWS Thursday, March 1, 2001 4:26 AM *LOU DEBOTTARI* The leaders of Nevada have to start singing the same tune if we are going to have any chance of changing the mindset of the Department of Energy Mafia and Congress. I am happy to see that the Governor's Office is focusing on the Achilles heel of the entire Yucca Mountain project. The plan to carry the fight to other states so they are made aware of the transportation problem will certainly enroll many members of Congress to help eliminate the Yucca Mountain project. Sen. John Ensign is counting on a far-out solution that even if it works, will require the high level nuclear waste to be transported through many states. The high level waste disposal Achilles heel will not be solved. Sen. Ensign by pushing transmutation plays right into the hands of the nuclear power industry. The first issue that has to be addressed is to convince Congress that there is no rush to move the material. DOE admits that dry storage is safe for at least 100 years. The material can remain where it was generated and during the next 100 years technology investigated to provide the best approach. No nuclear power plant should be relicensed until the waste problem is solved. The nuclear power industry is attempting to take advantage of a power distribution mess. We must remember that even if more power plants are constructed, the Achilles heel of the power mess in the near future will be the distribution system. Nuclear power does not relieve this problem, plus it creates a bigger waste disposal problem. There is new technology about ready to move into the forefront. This technology is now being demonstrated in the Midwest and within two years will be available to the general public. The electrical power generation will be solved and the distribution problem disappears. Fuel cells, about the size of an air conditioner unit, located next to each home, powered in the near future by natural gas and within 10 years by hydrogen, will generate the electrical power for the home. There will no dependence on the distribution system. The dependence on the petroleum industry will be reduced significantly. Congress should be looking at solutions to help this fledging industry and not spending over 60 billion to dig a high level nuclear waste outhouse that will never increase the GNP of this country or generate one watt of electricity. It is time that the protection shield given to the nuclear power industry be ended. LOU DEBOTTARI Carson City *Copyright, tahoe.com. ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARTICLES ***************************************************************** 1 Report: Flats cleanup unlikely before 2008 DenverPost.com - News: Colorado and Denver By Denver Post Staff Writer March 1, 2001 - The cleanup of the former nuclear weapons plant at Rocky Flats is two years behind schedule, a delay that could cost the Department of Energy more than $600,000, according to a federal report. "We have always believed that the 2006 closure goal was aggressive and ambitious," said Karen Letz, Department of Energy spokeswoman at Rocky Flats. "We have made significant progress when you consider that it was originally estimated that the closure would take until 2070." The two-year delay may cause the cleanup to exceed the anticipated $7.5 billion, according to the General Accounting Office. The delays could cost the Department of Energy as much as $630 million. The GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, concluded that Kaiser-Hill Co., the company contracted to remove plutoniumcontaminated materials at the Rocky Flats facility northwest of Denver, won't meet its target date of December 2006. "Kaiser-Hill has made significant progress in the cleanup of the site on several fronts," the report said. "However, because of the scope and complexity of the remaining work, and the compressed schedule for completing it, there is little margin for resolving the many obstacles that could delay the completion date." Kaiser-Hill reported that it has only a 15 percent chance of finishing the project by its 2006 target date, mainly because of difficulties and delays in shipping plutonium to Department of Energy sites in South Carolina and New Mexico. "We are running behind on our waste shipments right now," Letz said. "We do need to increase those. We're running on a 2007 schedule." In its written response, Kaiser-Hill noted that many of the delays are due to improvements in worker safety at Rocky Flats, and that a 2008 closure date is a significant improvement from a 1999 GAO report that estimated the company had only a 1 percent chance of finishing by 2010. Now, 18 months after that report, the estimate is that Kaiser-Hill has a 97 percent chance of having the cleanup done by 2008. "We have made significant progress," Letz said. "We have a long way to go." The 6,300-acre Rocky Flats site produced nuclear weapons for almost 40 years during the Cold War. Copyright 2001 The Denver Post. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 2 Smyser: City's black residents weren't coerced to live near Y-12 Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 2:25 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, 2001 Editor's License Dick Smyser: City's black residents weren't coerced to live near Y-12 The history of the federal government's provision of housing for blacks in Oak Ridge during the city's earliest years is not commendable. Rather, in important ways it's disgraceful. But as discriminatory and, in current context, almost unbelievably inadequate as were the quarters available for the relatively quite small number of black residents then, there is little in that history to support the allegation that black housing was deliberately located where environmental and health risks might be greatest. This is the claim being made by many of those who, both in the courts and public forums, are alleging that race is/was a factor in determining who among Oak Ridge's population has been victimized by the alleged risks of residence here: that the Scarboro Village's location just on the other side of a ridge from the Y-12 Plant has made residents there especially vulnerable. * * * The earliest black residents of Oak Ridge did indeed live in what was called Scarboro Village. But until mid-1949 and early 1950, Scarboro Village was located where the Woodland homes are now, if occupying only the center part of that area. And the housing there -- hutments with dirt floors and segregated not just by race but by sex (married couples could not live together) -- was indeed abominable. In the city's very earliest planning, however, housing for blacks was to be located in what is now East Village, the area just east of Glenwood Baptist Church. And while the housing there was to be on a lesser scale than the rest of the so-called "cemesto" area to the west, it would have been immensely more desirable than what came to be in the hutment area. Why the abandonment of the East Village site? Within just weeks of the initial planning, the size and scope of the Manhattan Project mission here grew dramatically and the housing planned for blacks became, in the view of military officials pressured by the urgency of the project, housing needed for non-blacks. At that time, of course, segregation was not an issue, at least not with the military, the Manhattan Engineer District being under the command of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Military forces were segregated throughout the country and abroad, not just in the South. And relative to civilians, the announced federal policy for all of its projects was one of conformance "with the laws and social customs of the states and communities in which federal installations are located." * * * The early black presence in Oak Ridge was about 1,500 persons among a total population which at its peak reached 75,000. Thus it was not until the immediate postwar years, when control of the nuclear effort was switched from the military to the newly created civilian U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, that there was even nominal concern about the awful housing in which Oak Ridge blacks were forced to live. The AEC, once it had made the basic decision that Oak Ridge would continue to exist as a community, almost immediately planned improved housing. The Garden Apartments on the West Turnpike were one of the first big projects. So were Woodland area homes. But since these would be for whites, there was need for new housing for blacks and this would mean also the good riddance of the hutment area. Those considered leaders of the black community were called together by the AEC and out of these conferences came the choice of the location for the new homes for blacks. It would be in Gamble Valley, the pre-Oak Ridge name for the area where during the war years had been located a large trailer park area for whites. Built first for blacks were 15 single-family homes which were ready for occupancy in midsummer 1949. Next were seven dormitories completed by early fall. (These later were converted into apartments.) Third phase were 286 duplex units ready for occupancy in late fall. In the interim between the vacating of the hutments and the occupancy of the new housing, blacks were housed in so-called Victory Cottages previously occupied by whites. * * * The location of the new Scarboro Village, therefore, was significantly determined by what was interpreted then as the consent of those who would live there, although at that time there was little if any concern of health risks from living anywhere in Oak Ridge. Were the so-called leaders of the black population in 1949 offered alternative sites for their new housing? Records referenced for this column do not show, but surely if someone knows it would add important perspective to current discussions. * * * In the years that followed there was conflict about the name of the area of the new housing for blacks. Gamble Valley, sometimes shortened to just "The Valley," continued in use by many. There was citywide bus service until the early 1960s and buses on that route said "Gamble Valley" on their front. In time, however, residents waged a campaign to have Scarboro Village be their neighborhood's designated name and it finally took hold. (Gamble Valley was named originally for the Gambles, a prominent family there. Scarboro was a pre-Oak Ridge community and when the pre-Oak Ridge school there became the school for Oak Ridge blacks, Scarboro was adopted as the name for the black housing area also.) * * * Discussion of housing for blacks recalls the early months of The Oak Ridger's publication. In mid-April 1949 we published two front page articles which, in very sharp language and supported by pictures, called attention to the deplorable conditions under which blacks were housed. The articles also hit hard at the private landlord hired by the Fed to manage the housing and also to run a "company store" sort of commissary there. The articles got intense reaction from both the Atomic Energy Commission, which cried foul, and from citizens who praised The Oak Ridger. In retrospect, I cannot defend the articles as news accounts. They were really harshly worded editorials and might have been equally as effective labeled as such. Also, I would grant that AEC community officials had some cause to charge unfairness: We did not, at first at least, give equal coverage to their plans, already well along, to replace the hutments. In total, however, our "expose" drew attention to a situation that too many in Oak Ridge had previously ignored. Also, it prompted the AEC to issue within days a statement explaining in much greater detail than previously its concern for improving housing for blacks. The articles also helped convince Oak Ridgers that The Oak Ridger was, indeed, a new and independent voice within the previously largely federally controlled community. -- RDS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Richard D. Smyser is founding editor of The Oak Ridger. All Contents ©Copyright* The Oak Ridger * ***************************************************************** 3 Views: Concerned about land-use planning Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 2:40 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, 2001 To The Oak Ridger: I am concerned that the Oak Ridge Reservation has gradually been sold, with not enough planning. DOE may soon be hindered here by a lack of suitable spaces. Recently Leah Dever announced that the 180-acre tract between Boeing and the Clinch River will be transferred. Since a 1,000-year flood of White Oak Creek could recontaminate this tract, its heavy use should be avoided until the radioactive and otherwise hazardous waste upstream in Melton Valley is fully stabilized 15 to 20 years from now. DOE should include a deed restriction against residential use of the 180 acres along with a plan to enforce the restriction for such a period. Now is the time to proceed with careful land-use planning for the reservation. Large tracts have been transferred in response to ripples of economic development enthusiasm, but few of these transfers have yet proved helpful to the community. DOE has not reserved space for future government projects unless they are already planned, though federal activity is still our most significant economic expansion opportunity. Tracts should be set aside for possible energy technology projects. I can imagine that pilot or demonstration plants may be needed for clean coal electric power technology, biodiesel production, and stabilization of depleted uranium hexafluoride. Sixty years of protection have helped the reservation develop unique natural treasures, so its expanded use for ecological studies should be encouraged. Similar reserved lands elsewhere are not so available for scientific observation and experiment. Oak Ridgers should not voluntarily give up this unique asset through over-development. In cooperation with the city, buffer zones should be defined soon around Melton Valley and East Tennessee Technology Park waste areas. For example, residential development between the Melton Valley burial grounds and Melton Lake would be unwise. In summary, past planning efforts gave too little weight to future federal project development needs, to defining waste buffer areas, and to setting aside carefully chosen large tracts for ecology studies. Management of land resources should now proceed to optimize the joint interests of the local public and the DOE (national public). Robert Peelle Oak Ridge Responds to Hayden letter To The Oak Ridger: In the letter that Jane Hayden wrote in rebuttal to a letter that was written about Oak Riders going elsewhere to shop, she stated, "Oak Ridgers assume they cannot get what they want locally, and don't try," and something else was said. It was something about the mentality of Oak Ridgers who can't find what they want in Oak Ridge. She also talked about the great inventory of stock they have at Ridge Handicrafts. I think she totally misses the point; everyone isn't looking for crafts. There is much, much more that people need than handicrafts. She also states, "many customers come in and say, 'I searched all over and couldn't find it so I came here.' " I wonder how long Ridge Handicrafts would have lasted in the mall with the high rent and all the other conditions that were imposed on the mall merchants. J.V. Brock 708 Florida Ave. All Contents ©Copyright* The Oak Ridger * ***************************************************************** 4 Nuclear testing device report is ready for public scrutiny Today: March 01, 2001 at 11:08:20 PST By Mary Manning LAS VEGAS SUN A Department of Energy plan to move a device that will help test the safety of the nation's nuclear stockpile to the Nevada Test Site is one step closer with the release of an environmental impact report. The details of the impacts on air, water sources, plants and animals at the 1-acre site about 80 miles northwest of Las Vegas, are included in a 58-page environmental assessment released this week and ready for public review until March 31. The DOE plans to remove the device, called the Atlas, from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and reassemble it in a new building at the Test Site. The move allows an expansion of the experiment and would cost less. The facility could conduct up to 100 pulsed-power experiments a year, roughly one or two per week, as a way to ensure nuclear weapons safety. The machinery tests the metals and does not involve nuclear materials. It would employ 15 people. The new building would be designed to withstand both earthquakes and any future underground nuclear weapons experiments at the Test Site, the assessment said. Less than 110,000 gallons of water will be used. The worst accident envisioned is electrocution of a worker from a high-energy power source or injury from the collapse of an on-site overhead crane, with an occurrence of once in 100 years. A possible fire at the facility could occur once in 10,000 years. Minute quantities of metals used during experiments would vaporize and be deposited on the inside of the target chamber. No air filters or scrubbers are needed, because outside air would not be exposed until workers entered the chamber for cleanup. Some of the metal targets and solvents are considered hazardous under federal and state environmental laws. Small amounts of lead, beryllium and depleted uranium could be released as metal dust from the chamber after an experiment. Workers will wear respiratory protection, the DOE's assessment said, because the depleted uranium poses a slight radiation risk if inhaled. Solvents such as ethanol are expected to evaporate. Adequate ventilation and breathing protection will be used. Electrical hazards, magnetic fields and X-rays are other possible risks to workers, especially those wearing pacemakers. Sensitive individuals would be removed from the experiment area. X-rays would not escape the facility. The impact document is available for review and comment on file at the DOE's public reading facility, 2621 Losee Road, North Las Vegas. Hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The document may also be downloaded at nv.doe.gov. All contents copyright 2001 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 5 Great Smokies Diagnostic Lab Employees Warn Community of Bad Water Wednesday February 28, 10:41 am Eastern Time Press Release ASHEVILLE, N.C.--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 28, 2001--As a result of diligent attention to potential health risks by personnel at Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory, residents of a South Carolina community are no longer consuming uranium-contaminated well water. A phone call from the lab triggered a chain of events that has led to a state investigation of area water quality. Water in nine of the 49 wells tested so far had levels of uranium as high as 50 times the maximum amount considered safe for humans. Lab Technician Sandy Grant of Asheville, N.C. was running a hair analysis for a BodyBalance(TM)consumer health screen submitted by a woman living near Greenville, S.C. when she noticed the unusual results and reported them. Ms. Grant is employed by the parent company of BodyBalance(TM), Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory. Great Smokies' Vice President of Elemental Analysis, Bob Smith, then phoned the patient to suggest she get further testing through a healthcare provider. ``We always notify our clients when results like this turn up so they can begin treatment sooner,'' he said. The BodyBalance(TM) MineralCheck health screen does not include uranium among elements reported, but levels appear on computer readouts during the test procedure. When a follow-up test confirmed her uranium levels, the woman and some of her neighbors had their well water tested by a local environmental firm. Most non-industrial exposure to uranium is through contaminated drinking water. After high levels of uranium were detected in the water from three wells, the environmental firm contacted the South Carolina Department of Heath and Environmental Control. The agency collected water samples from wells within a two-mile radius and found that an additional six were contaminated. According to state officials, the uranium was probably a part of the natural ground sediment, but an industrial source has not yet been ruled out. Long-term exposure to high levels of uranium has been associated with kidney damage and lung cancer. Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory provides over 100 advanced diagnostic profiles to professional healthcare providers worldwide from its facility in Asheville, N.C. In 1998, the lab formed BodyBalance(TM) to market a new line of consumer health screens. BodyBalance(TM) health screens utilize hair, saliva, and urine samples to determine levels of toxic and nutritional elements, hormone balance, and oxidative stress to provide consumers with a situational view of their health status. *Contact:* Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory Frank Taylor, 800-522-4762, Fax: 828/285-2258 www.gsdl.com Copyright © 2001 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy ***************************************************************** 6 NZ claims Muroroa atoll crumbling after nuclear tests ABC News - Thu, 1 Mar 2001 16:35 AEDT New Zealand is seeking official talks with France over reports that its former nuclear test site on a South Pacific atoll is crumbling. A report from Paris quotes a senior official for nuclear safety at the French Atomic Energy Commission as saying the tests had contributed to a weakening of the atoll rock on Mururoa. The Disarmament Minister, Matt Robson, says the report vindicates New Zealand's protests against the tests. He says information about damage to the atoll and possible plutonium hotspots has been available for some years and he wants to talk to French officials about it. France conducted 178 atmospheric and underground nuclear tests on Mururoa Atoll and nearby Fangataufa between 1966 and 1996. © 1999 Australian Broadcasting Corporation ***************************************************************** 7 Japan firm halts laser glass to lab Valley Times *Published Thursday, March 1, 2001 * + The company that makes it has been criticized at home for its involvement in nuclear research at the Lawrence Livermore Lab for vt a1 BY PETER FELSENFELD ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIMES STAFF WRITER Public opposition in Japan has prompted the Japanese company making lenses for the National Ignition Facility to stop delivering the critical component to Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. Gerald Bottero, president of Hoya Corp. USA, confirmed shipments of highly sensitive laser glass have been suspended while the company weighs whether the NIF conflicts with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which Japan has signed. Protests arose in Japan earlier this month after the Kyodo News Service reported Hoya's involvement with the laser project, designed to simulate the temperatures and pressures inside a nuclear explosion or the sun. Hoya, an international conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo, is Japan's oldest producer of specialty glass, including electro-optics, photonics and vision care, health care and crystal products. Hoya was founded in 1941. Though Hoya is responsible for supplying half of the 3,500 glass slabs required for NIF, lab officials said the disruption is temporary and will not affect the project's schedule or budget. "Because of our long-term business relationship with Hoya, we are respecting Hoya's request that they resolve these issues through their corporate offices in Japan," said lab spokeswoman Susan Houghton. "We are sensitive to their concerns, and we are confident that the Hoya senior management will be able to resolve any questions regarding the NIF project and its missions." NIF supporters regard the 192-beam laser project as a cornerstone of the Energy Department's stockpile stewardship program, designed to test the reliability of nuclear weapons without exploding them. However, protesters in Japan, led by Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba, expressed concern that the fusion research conducted through NIF could be used to produce or modify nuclear devices. "He (Mayor Akiba) just cannot condone the fact that a company affiliated with an atomic-bombed country ... had shipped important devices to a facility engaged in research and development of nuclear weapons," said Yuji Sumida, an Akiba spokeswoman. The United States dropped atomic bombs on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 near the end of World War II. Debate on whether NIF violates the global test ban treaty has been lively and persistent since the project began. American and international anti-nuclear groups maintain NIF runs afoul of the ban on live nuclear weapons testing and the broad concept of nuclear nonproliferation. Lab and energy officials say NIF will make nuclear explosions unnecessary. The United States has yet to ratify the treaty, though the weapons labs have functioned for nearly a decade as if it were in place. Akiba has been an ardent and outspoken opponent of nuclear weapons tests. Hoya developed a continuous glass melting system in 1998 capable of yielding 20 tons of laser glass per month. The innovation addressed a pressing DOE need to produce sufficient amounts of glass -- used as lenses to amplify the laser beams -- within NIF's budget and schedule. The NIF project is four years behind schedule and $1 billion over budget, problems that have been a lightning rod for its congressional opponents. The glass is produced at a Hoya factory in Fremont. Schott Glass Technologies, based in Duryea, Pa., produces the other half of NIF's glass needs using a similar process. Though Hoya's initial glass shipments using the accelerated system contained flaws, lab officials announced in late January that Hoya's glass "has successfully achieved all of the stringent glass specifications required for NIF." Lab officials said Hoya's technology had produced more than 600 laser glass slabs -- each measuring 31 inches by 17 inches, and nearly 2 inches thick -- for NIF, in addition to 125 slabs for Laser Megajoule, a French government laser project. The uncertainty surrounding NIF's glass distributor comes as DOE officials prepare an important progress report. By March 31, the DOE must convince Congress that NIF has overcome a raft of technical obstacles in order to receive $69 million held back from this fiscal year's budget. "It's my impression that this is not a show-stopper," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, who supports NIF. "I will continue working to get adequate funding from Congress for this important national security project because I want to see it completed in a timely and efficient way."* Peter Felsenfeld covers the national laboratories. Reach him at 925-847-2184 or pfelsenfeld@cctimes.com. ContraCostaTimes.com ***************************************************************** 8 Bush's DOE budget cuts $700 million; Hanford watchers concerned This story was published 3/1/2001 By John Stang Herald staff writer The likelihood of Hanford getting enough money in fiscal 2002 to meet its legal cleanup obligations appears very small. President Bush's national budget request to Congress asks for $19 billion for the Department of Energy, which is a $700 million cut from fiscal 2001. The math and DOE's budget's sketchy details show Hanford would be lucky to even get the same $1.5 billion it is spending in fiscal 2001 -- let alone the $1.9 billion DOE's two Hanford offices calculate they need in 2002. Most of that extra $400 million is needed to keep Hanford's top-priority radioactive waste glassification project on track. DOE cleanup projects elsewhere in the United States are also looking for budget increases. This means the DOE budget pie will be smaller, while individual programs seek bigger pieces of that shrunken pie. Here is how the math works out in DOE's budget request unveiled Tuesday: DOE is asking for $19 billion, compared with the $19.7 billion it budgeted for fiscal 2001, which ends Sept. 30. DOE's 212-page budget document calls for an extra $403 million to go to nuclear weapons stockpiles, low-income winterization and other programs. That document does not show any other relevant figures. Consequently, this proposed 2002 budget provides about $1.1 billion less than what the 2001 budget covered. The agency's nationwide cleanup efforts traditionally account for about 30 percent of its overall budget each year. DOE's 2002 national cleanup budget -- about $6.1 billion in 2001 -- has not been calculated. Traditionally, DOE has tried to keep its nationwide cleanup budget level from year to year. A 1999 federal General Accounting Office report concluded that approach is causing DOE to fall short of meeting its cleanup plans and obligations by $500 million annually from 1999 to 2006. DOE expects to have its 2002 cleanup allocations figured out by April. Joe Davis, DOE's spokesman in Washington, D.C., said: "It's premature to draw conclusions from the $19 billion figure." He declined to discuss figures DOE is currently crunching. Hanford's two DOE agencies have received no information on how the $19 billion figure will ultimately affect them. "We don't know at this time what the numbers mean for environmental management (DOE's jargon for its nationwide cleanup program)," said Harry Boston, manager of DOE's Office of River Protection, which supervises Hanford's tank farms. Bob Rosselli, deputy manager for site services at DOE's Richland office, which manages everything else at Hanford, said: "We remain as anxious as anyone else on what the numbers will be." The proposed $700 million cut in DOE's overall budget comes from Bush's general tightening of federal spending, Davis said. That federal budget trimming is accompanied by Bush's proposed tax cut of $1.6 trillion over 10 years. Todd Webster, press aide for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said: "If you're going to push for a $1.6 trillion tax cut, there are going to be trade-offs. ... One of those trade-offs is DOE's funding." Murray, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., all voiced concern Tuesday about the $19 billion figure's possible effects on Hanford's cleanup budget. Hastings said: "While all discussion is speculation at this point, there is reason for real concern." Hastings plans to question Mitch Daniels, director of the federal Office of Management and Budget, on this issue today at a hearing by the U.S. House's Budget Committee in Washington, D.C. The OMB sets the budget targets that federal agencies, such as DOE, are supposed to meet. Two weeks ago, Daniels told Murray that the Bush administration plans to increase funding for Hanford cleanup. Webster said Murray intends to hold the administration to that statement. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham also previously told Hastings that he will fight to get enough money to meet Hanford's cleanup obligations. Abraham has been in office for almost six weeks. He is a former U.S. senator from Michigan and has little background on DOE issues. In fact, he twice pushed in the Senate to dismantle DOE. Since his appointment, Abraham has voiced nothing publicly on tackling DOE's contaminated Cold War sites other than a couple of brief, generic remarks that they should be cleaned up. Bush's budget document's 212 pages on DOE mention cleanup programs in three or four sentences. Abraham's main public concerns at this time have been California's energy crisis and trying to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil drilling. "The environmental management program and specific cleanup projects are high on (Abraham's) agenda," Davis said. Here is how these sketchy budget figures pertain to Hanford's cleanup picture: Hanford's cleanup schedule is governed by the Tri-Party Agreement, a legal pact among DOE, the Environmental Protection Agency and Washington's Department of Ecology. This means the EPA and the state have some legal clout to keep DOE to a cleanup timetable. The state has the biggest hammer because it can file a lawsuit against DOE if it looks like Hanford might fall behind schedule because it did not ask for enough money from Congress, or for other reasons. Hanford's cleanup budget comes in two segments -- the tank farms under Office of River Protection and everything else under DOE's Richland office. The Office of River Protection has a $759 million budget for 2001, about half to maintain the tank farms and the rest to build the waste glassification plant. The glassification project alone needs about $700 million in 2002 to be able to begin glassifying waste by its 2007 deadline. All this translates to the Office of River Protection needing about $1.1 billion in 2002. Meanwhile, DOE's Richland office has a 2001 budget of $759 million. And that office wants to accelerate cleanup efforts along the Columbia River, which requires an extra $50 million in 2002. So in broad strokes, Hanford's 2001 budget is about $1.5 billion. It needs about $1.85 billion in 2002 to meet its legal cleanup obligations, and it needs about $1.9 billion in 2002 to put all its plans into action. "The basic implication is that the Bush administration will not make its cleanup obligations with a level-funded (Hanford) budget. ... And (DOE) could do worse than that," said Gerald Pollet, director of Heart of America Northwest. To Boston, anything less than a $1.1 billion tank-waste budget would run afoul of the Tri-Party Agreement and federal regulations. "The (glassification) plan as scheduled is not a nice-to-do thing. It's a must-do thing," Boston said. Meanwhile, the state has been vehement about not cutting DOE any slack in meeting its tank waste obligations. The appropriate state officials, including Attorney General Christine Gregoire, could not be reached for comment. Meanwhile, Rosselli said DOE's Richland office still wants to push the accelerated river shore cleanup plan, saying that would save time and money in the long run. Back to top stories ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2000 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved. This ***************************************************************** NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: *****************************************************************