***************************************************************** 01/05/01 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 9.4 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POWER CONTENTS 1 Energy Northwest sells Satsop site 2 Years after WPPSS failure, Satsop to finally produce power 3 Next Legislature to focus on radioactive waste 4 Reeves County spends $35,000 on nuclear waste battle 5 NRC probes TVA nuke security 6 Exec enters Yucca battle 7 Ontario Power Generation, nuclear report cards released 8 NIIGATA VILLAGE SCRAPS BILL TO HOLD REFERENDUM ON MOX FUEL 9 KARIWA MOX REFERENDUM KILLED LOCAL ASSEMBLY'S REVOTE ENDS IN A 10 Temelin Dismisses News About Broken Welding Seams 11 A time to plant, Leavitt says 12 Big crowd speaks its mind on Envirocare application 13 Nuclear power is the best deterrent to greenhouse gases 14 Uranium Institute News Briefing 01.01 | 20 December - 03 January 15 Regulator in favor of radioactive waste license NUCLEAR WEAPONS CONTENTS 1 Richland, Kennewick joing Benton in FFTF challenge 2 Hard-working Abraham good choice for Cabinet 3 Berkley Statement on the Nomination of Spencer Abraham as DOE 4 Collective 'huh?' at Hanford over Bush pick for Energy 5 Wamp urges DOE emphasis on EM cleanup 6 Clinton Gets Nuke Test Ban Report 7 SCIENCE-BASED STOCKPILE STEWARDSHIP 8 Q&A: What is the CTBT? 9 Depleted Uranium - The Silver Bullet 10 Europe Worried about "Balkans War Syndrome" 11 CBC News: Investigation into 'Balkan Syndrome' widens 12 UN Tests Shows Kosovo Sites Radioactive-Report 13 Uranium May Not Have Caused Harm 14 Scare-Mongering Suspected As Uranium Fears Revive 15 Fears grow about health effects of depleted uranium 16 Uranium risk for British trooops 17 Finland Screens Peacekeepers for "Balkan Syndrome" 18 Czech Soldier Who Served in Bosnia Dies of Leukemia 19 UK SOLDIER 'IS VICTIM OF URANIUM' 20 EU jittery as soldiers' cancer deaths linked to weapons 21 WorldNews: U.S.: Depleted uranium no health risk 22 Levels of radiation normal at Irish site - Army 23 UN ADDS FUEL TO URANIUM WEAPONS ROW 24 No Uranium Exposure, Bundeswehr Says 25 Pentagon Denies Balkan Uranium Worry 26 Poland Urges Russia Nuke Inspection 27 NATO SOLDIERS BEGIN TO DIE BECAUSE URANIUM WAS USED IN YUGOSLAVIA 28 Speakers Condemn Envirocare Plan 29 Resist Proposal 30 Flats workers will stay till it's done 31 Boston named to DOE post on permanent basis **************************************************************** ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POWER ARTICLES ***************************************************************** 1 Energy Northwest sells Satsop site Jan. 4, 2001: This story was published Thu, Jan 4, 2001 BY THE HERALD STAFF Energy Northwest's executive board meeting in Seattle Wednesday approved a land sale at its Satsop nuclear site west of Olympia to Duke Energy North America, which plans to build a power plant there. The consortium of public utilities will get $5 million for the sale of the 22-acre site, part of a larger plot that is home to two nuclear plant construction projects terminated in the early 1980s. Under the agreement, Energy Northwest, which operates the Columbia Generating Station north of Richland, also will operate the 630-megawatt gas-fired plant Duke plans to build. Energy Northwest also would operate a second plant should Duke proceed with plans to build it. The first is scheduled to come online in 2004. As a part of the deal, Energy Northwest will have the option of buying as much of 100 megawatts of power from the plant for five years at the cost of production for resale to public utilities. COPYRIGHT 2000 TRI-CITY HERALD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS ***************************************************************** 2 Years after WPPSS failure, Satsop to finally produce power By Ryan Teague Beckwith - Daily World feature editor & AP SATSOP - After nearly two decades of lying fallow, the old nuclear plant site on top of Fuller Hill will soon be producing electricity. But this time, natural gas - not nuclear fuel rods - will provide the juice. Under a deal approved Wednesday by Energy Northwest, a private North Carolina utility will build a $250 - million natural gas - fired power plant on land at the Satsop site. Houston - based Duke Energy North America, a subsidiary of Duke Energy of Charlotte, N.C., will pay $5 million for the 22 - acre parcel. The land is in the West Park, an area of the nuclear plant site originally slated as a storage area off Keys Road and away from the main part of the Satsop Development Park. The plant is good news for Washington state, which currently is facing an energy crunch that led the Grays Harbor PUD to raise rates by 20.5 percent last month and warn of further hikes to come. Though power from the 630 - megawatt plant will be sold on the open market - meaning it will likely end up in California - it should still help. Laura Schinnell, project scientist for Energy Northwest at Satsop, said it will reduce demand from California for Washington - produced power. "Just in terms of supply and demand, as they build all the other power plants on the drawing board and the supply comes up, the rates should start coming back down," she said. Energy Northwest, a 13 - utility public power consortium which operates the region's only nuclear power plant, will operate the Duke plant and have the option to purchase up to 100 megawatts of electricity from it at the cost of production for five years. "This sale is in the public's best interest and will have a substantial benefit for public power," said Vic Parrish, chief executive officer of Energy Northwest. "The Northwest sorely needs new power plants and this facility within a few years will generate enough electricity to supply 500,000 homes." Grays Harbor PUD Commissioner Tom Casey said the decision to allow a private utility to build the plant is regrettable. "I think public utilities in the Northwest will rue the day that they threw that opportunity away - to own it, to control it, and to run it," he said. While having the plant up and running will be better for the overall market, he said it would be preferable if the power was controlled by public utilities and guaranteed to stay in the Northwest. Duke Energy expects the plant to be operational by 2004. Additionally, Duke may build a second combustion - turbine power plant at the site, and Energy Northwest still has an option on land at Satsop for its own natural gas - fired plant. The plant will provide a number of benefits for Grays Harbor, including a peak of about 350 jobs during construction and 20 to 25 people on a "lean and mean" staff once opened. Duke will also pay more than $7 million in state and local taxes in Grays Harbor County. Before the plant can open, a new 16 - to 20 - inch natural gas pipeline will be extended from Thurston County. Schinnell said the pipeline could end up servicing commercial and residential customers in the Satsop area. The project will also lead to completion of the Ranney wells, three 130 - foot deep groundwater wells originally built for the nuclear plant. The natural gas plant will require about 2,000 to 2,500 gallons of water per minute, around a third of the water which could be tapped by existing pumps. A smaller, more efficient pump will cost around $1 million, Schinnell said. Developing the wells may end up helping attract industrial tenants for the Grays Harbor Public Development Authority, which runs a 400 - acre business park on the former plant site but is not directly involved in the deal. The plant will provide about a quarter of the electricity that the twin 1,240 - megawatt nuclear power plants would have generated if completed. Because of more efficient technology, it will also provide about 130 megawatts more than the two gas - fired plants originally proposed by Energy Northwest after the nuclear plants were scrapped. All rights reserved. Copyright 2001 The Daily World. This content ***************************************************************** 3 Next Legislature to focus on radioactive waste OA Online News January 04, 2001 By Melanie Maxcey Odessa American Nuclear waste is a hot topic, both here and in Austin as the political movers and shakers gear up for the next legislative session. In 1980, the state of Texas entered into a compact with Vermont and Maine to accept their nuclear waste. What now has to be decided is how the state would handle that waste. Would it be buried or stored above ground? Will the state be responsible for the waste, or will private companies be allowed to handle it? Environmental activist Bill Addington said he expects the Legislature to focus on two key topics. "From what I hear … the feeling is that (legislators) are willing to hear the option of assured isolation, but they’re still in favor of disposal," Addington said from Sierra Blanca. Last session, one bill was introduced that would allow the state to hold the licenses for nuclear waste disposal but have private companies run the sites. Envirocare of Texas, a nuclear waste disposal company, hopes to act as a private contractor for that waste. In western Ward County, Envirocare has proposed an "assured isolation" facility. It would be built above the ground and would act as a long-term radioactive-waste storage facility. The site would receive and store low-level radioactive waste —such as nuclear-power-plant parts, medical waste and oilfield equipment — for up to 500 years. That site is just 13 miles from Pecos and eight miles from the Pecos River, Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo said. On Tuesday, the Reeves County commissioners court hired two lobbyists and a public relations firm to fight Envirocare’s proposal. "We are adamantly opposed to any radioactive waste disposal ... in Reeves County or adjacent to Reeves County," Galindo added. A second bill was introduced last session that proposed private waste management companies be entirely responsible for radioactive waste. Les Breeding, legislative director for Rep. Lon Burnam, said giving private companies complete control of the waste could open the state up for more waste than the compact intended. Passing that bill would give private companies "the ability to let them import radioactive waste from all around the country, including the federal government (Department of Energy waste), " Breeding said. Waste Control Specialists supported the second bill. Breeding said WCS would bury the waste below ground. The company already operates a dump and an above-ground storage facility in Andrews County. "We treat, store and dispose of hazardous material. We also treat and store low-level radioactive and mixed waste, but we do not have the ability to date to dispose of that material, " said Eric Peus, CEO of WCS, in a previous interview. Both bills failed to pass last session, and are considered dead, Breeding said. But Erin Rogers, a spokesperson for the Texas Radioactive Waste Defense Coalition, said she expects both bills to be re-introduced this session. She said she will be actively lobbying against the second bill when the session convenes Tuesday. "If a private company gets a contract with the federal government directly, the state loses the ability to regulate the amount of waste and the site because the state can’t regulate the feds," she said. "To me, that’s the biggest threat and the biggest danger to watch for in this session — it would open Texas to become an atomic mega mall." Rogers said she would also be lobbying to promote above-ground storage. ***************************************************************** 4 Reeves County spends $35,000 on nuclear waste battle OA Online News January 04, 2001 By Melanie Maxcey Odessa American PECOS — In a rare move for a small county, commissioners in Reeves County have hired lobbyists to fight nuclear waste dumping in West Texas. During the upcoming session that convenes Tuesday, Texas legislators are expected to hear bills that could decide how the state handles nuclear waste. One private company, Envirocare of Texas, already has proposed a storage facility a few miles from Reeves County. "We do not want to become the dumping ground for the rest of the country when it comes to nuclear waste," County Judge Jimmy Galindo said. Consequently, the county has hired the lobbyists to help keep any radioactive waste from finding its way to Reeves County. Tuesday evening, commissioners appropriated $35,000 from the general fund to pay two Austin-based lobbyists and a communications firm. Activist Laura Burnett applauded Galindo. Burnett is a member of Friends of Ward County — a group that opposes Envirocare’s plans. "Everyone that I know has sincere and deep appreciation that the elected officials of Reeves County are taking action and care about the best interests of the people," she said. Galindo said lobbyists Leo Aguirre and Amy Spiro will begin their work for Reeves County immediately. Aguirre was a deputy for Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock and Comptroller John Sharp. Spiro is the former economic development committee clerk for the Texas Senate and also worked for Texas Sen. David Sibly. Aldrete Communications, a public relations firm in Austin, was also hired to assist the lobbyists, Galindo said, noting that all three would split the $35,000. News Index All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 5 NRC probes TVA nuke security KnoxNews.com - News - Latest Washington News By RICHARD POWELSON Scripps Howard News Service January 04, 2001 - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is investigating allegations that a contractor for the Tennessee Valley Authority fabricated and falsified security screening data, allowing five uncleared employees to work on nuclear plant outages. The contract workers' incomplete background checks went undetected for two years before TVA's Office of Inspector General received a tip, investigated and found the breakdown in security. TVA, a federal corporation based in Knoxville, Tenn., provides wholesale power in parts of seven southeastern states, as well as flood control, Tennessee River maintenance for navigation, and management of public lands. After learning of the security screening breakdown, TVA officials suspended the workers' security clearances until they passed background checks. But the bigger questions being explored by the NRC are how this could happen at a nuclear power facility with closely controlled radioactive materials, and whether other nuclear power producers were provided improperly screened workers. The NRC identified the screening company involved as RCM, but no home city was provided. No TVA sites using improperly screened workers were named. Richard Levi, a lawyer for TVA's Office of Inspector General, said the affected workers did not work inside a nuclear plant control room but did help TVA with scheduled shutdowns of nuclear plants for periodic maintenance and refueling. He did not specify their jobs except to say one affected job was an instrument mechanic. Asked how long the improperly screened workers worked at TVA sites before their detection, Levi said: "a couple of years." The screening company no longer works for TVA, according to the inspector general's summary. (Richard Powelson may be reached at PowelsonR(at)shns.com) Copyright c 1999-2000, The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. All Rights ***************************************************************** 6 Exec enters Yucca battle January 05, 2001 Cloobeck hopes gaming industry will join effort BY JEFF GERMAN LAS VEGAS SUN Copyright 2001 Las Vegas Sun A local businessman is organizing an unprecedented grass-roots campaign to fight the nuclear industry's efforts to make Yucca Mountain the site of the nation's high-level waste repository. Stephen Cloobeck, president and CEO of Diamond Resorts International, a company that runs several time-sharing condominium projects on the Strip, said Thursday he's looking to rally the entire community, including those in the influential casino industry. "We've figured out tough problems before in this community, and we'll figure this out," Cloobeck said. "The strategy is to combat this politically by using all of our resources." Cloobeck, a Democrat who considered running for the U.S. Senate last year, said he has arranged an organizational meeting at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Clark County Commission for anyone interested in joining the campaign. Polls show an overwhelming majority of Nevadans are against the dump and believe it poses a serious threat to their well-being. The Cloobeck effort, which has never been tried in the 18-year battle against the dump, comes amid growing concerns about bias in favor of the Yucca Mountain Project, as the Energy Department gears up to decide whether to recommend the Nevada site. Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, is the only site under study to accept 77,000 tons of deadly radioactive waste from nuclear plants around the country. A team of investigators from the DOE's inspector general are expected in Las Vegas next month to probe whether federal laws were broken during the agency's site selection process. The DOE is prohibited from taking sides in the process, but documents obtained by the Sun last month showed the agency might have been collaborating behind the scenes with the nuclear industry to promote Yucca Mountain with Congress. A decision on a recommendation has been put on hold until the investigation is completed. Cloobeck acknowledged that he's "extremely naive" on the Yucca Mountain issue, but he said he hopes the campaign will be able to educate business executives such as himself and others in the community about the economic and health risks posed by the dump. He said he has encouraged casino executives, elected officials, union leaders and members of the banking, utility and communications industries to attend Thursday's meeting. "We've tried to touch every major company," he said. "It's going to take everyone's effort." Among those Cloobeck has consulted are Bill Bible, president of the Nevada Resort Association, and Pat Shalmy, president of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, the two most politically active groups in the business community. Studies show the business community and the tourism industry have a lot to lose if a nuclear waste accident were to occur along the Southern Nevada routes leading to Yucca Mountain. But neither the resort association nor the chamber have taken an active interest in the fight over the years. The resort association passed a resolution in September 1991, voicing its objections, and last February it submitted a copy of the resolution in the public comment section of the DOE's environmental impact statement on Yucca Mountain. "I think the industry has made its position very well known on the issue," Bible said. "That position has been routinely communicated to people who want to know it." But for the most part, the casino industry has been on the sidelines, as the battle has intensified in Washington. The chamber never has gone on record opposing the repository. Some within the organization, believing the dump is inevitable, have sought to negotiate benefits from the government. Shalmy could not be reached for comment today. Cloobeck's campaign, meanwhile, is being hailed by Nevada officials, including Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn, who has tried in the past to persuade the private sector to become more involved in the Yucca Mountain fight. "I'm very appreciative of anybody, especially someone like Steve, getting involved," Guinn said. "I think it's important for all of us to step up to the plate. "If we're going to fight the battle on our own terms with the federal government, we have to get ourselves organized, and we have to have financial resources so we can decide on our own what issues we can fight." A year ago Guinn helped create a nonprofit organization called CANWIN -- , Citizens Against Nuclear Waste in Nevada--to heighten awareness of the state's fight and rally support around the country. Former Secretary of State Cheryl Lau was named president, and Guinn's top political strategist, Sig Rogich, was put on the board. Bonnie Bryan, the wife of former Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., a longtime leader in the fight, was given the title of secretary. The group, however, has had trouble raising money and maintaining a high profile. Lau said Thursday she hopes that Cloobeck will stir up more interest for CANWIN's fund-raising efforts. "We have to get our message out," she said. Bob Loux, executive director of the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, said Cloobeck's campaign will boost the overall Yucca Mountain fight. "Providing new blood and energy can only help Nevada and its cause, " Loux said. "There are times when we need to put on a show of force." Loux said Cloobeck needs to coordinate his efforts with other anti- dump public interest groups, such as Citizen Alert and the Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force, to ensure that the state speaks with one voice. Nevada's two House members, Republican Jim Gibbons and Democrat Shelley Berkley, also both support Cloobeck's efforts. "All of our industries affected by the presence of nuclear waste in Nevada should be directly involved in our fight," Gibbons said. "We need all of the help we can get." Berkley said the tourism industry can't afford the tarnish of a nuclear waste disaster in its backyard. "Just one accident could wreak havoc with our economy," she said. "We're in the fight of our lives." ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2001 LAS VEGAS SUN, INC. ***************************************************************** 7 Ontario Power Generation, nuclear report cards released CANADA NEWSWIRE ONTARIO POWER GENERATION INC. TORONTO, Jan. 4 /CNW/ - Ontario Power Generation today released report cards, benchmarking the performance of its nuclear operations against nuclear industry standards, for the eleven months ending November, 2000. The documents measure program effectiveness on a number of key indicators, focusing on public and employee safety and environmental and production performance. The quarterly figures cited in the report cards are for the third quarter of 2000, unless otherwise indicated. The report cards, which measure such things as production, radiation exposure, safety issues and other performance indicators, are made available to a wide range of groups, including the communities in which Ontario Power Generation's nuclear generating stations are located, and the media. The material is also available at Ontario Power Generation information centres, on the Ontario Power Generation web site 7718, then asking for story code-10410 Ontario Power Generation is a major North American electricity generating company, based in Ontario. The company's goal is to expand into new electricity markets, while operating in a safe, open and environmentally responsible manner. For further information: Media Relations 1-877-592-4008 or (416) 592-4008 ***************************************************************** 8 NIIGATA VILLAGE SCRAPS BILL TO HOLD REFERENDUM ON MOX FUEL NIIGATA, JAPAN JAN. 5 KYODO - The Kariwa village assembly in Niigata Prefecture on Friday scrapped an ordinance aimed at holding a referendum on a plan to use a plutonium-containing fuel mix at a nuclear power plant in the village. The decision nullified the assembly's passage of the ordinance on Dec. 26. The focus of the referendum is the so-called ''pluthermal'' plan to use mixed oxide (MOX) fuel comprising plutonium and uranium at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO). The assembly held fresh deliberations on the ordinance because village chief Hiroo Shinada had demanded that it do so, assembly officials said. Under the Local Autonomy Law, the head of a local government can veto the assembly's decisions and demand another discussion and vote. Nine votes were cast in favor of the bill, and nine against. The law states an assembly requires two-thirds of the votes to pass an ordinance. During the debate Friday, Shinada told members opposing the program that a 1998 nuclear accident at Tokaimura, Ibaraki Prefecture, and other incidents would not directly affect the pluthermal plan. ''I don't think that listening to the opinions of the village directly leads to holding a referendum,'' he said. Moreover, Shinada sent a document to the assembly secretariat on Tuesday, saying, ''We agreed with the mayor of Kashiwazaki and the governor of Niigata Prefecture to accept the plan. The village bears administrative and social responsibilities.'' The assemblies of Kariwa and Kashiwazaki rejected referendum bills in March 1999 after local citizens' groups submitted petitions calling for a referendum. The TEPCO plant is located in an area straddling the two municipalities on the Sea of Japan coast. After the assemblies rejected the bills, the Niigata prefectural government gave the green light to the plan. In the Kariwa village assembly election in April 1999, however, candidates opposed to the plan made gains in the assembly following a series of nuclear accidents in Japan. 2000 Kyodo News ***************************************************************** 9 KARIWA MOX REFERENDUM KILLED LOCAL ASSEMBLY'S REVOTE ENDS IN A TIE Welcome to The Japan Times online January 6, 2001 NIIGATA (Kyodo) The Kariwa Village Assembly in Niigata Prefecture on Friday effectively killed a bill it had passed only last week that called for a referendum on whether a nuclear power plant should be allowed to use a controversial plutonium fuel. The most recent vote ended in a 9-9 tie after the head of the assembly, Hiroo Shinada, demanded the second vote. In such cases, the law says passage requires a two-thirds majority. The tie nullified the assembly's 9-8 passage of the bill on Dec. 26. The bill would have allowed citizens to vote in a nonbinding referendum on the use of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, which comprises plutonium and uranium, at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. Under the Local Autonomy Law, the head of a local government can veto an assembly's decision and order a second debate and vote. During Friday's discussion, Shinada told members opposing the program that a 1998 nuclear accident in the village of Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture, and other incidents would not directly affect the pluthermal plan. "I don't think that listening to the opinions of the village directly leads to holding a referendum," he said. Shinada had sent a document to the assembly secretariat on Tuesday, saying, "We agreed with the mayor of Kashiwazaki and the governor of Niigata Prefecture to accept the plan. The village bears administrative and social responsibilities." In March 1999, the assemblies of Kariwa and Kashiwazaki rejected referendum bills after local citizens' groups submitted petitions calling for them. The TEPCO plant is located in an area straddling the two municipalities on the Sea of Japan coast. Following the assemblies' rejections of the bills, the Niigata Prefectural Government gave the controversial plan the green light. Niigata Gov. Ikuo Hirayama, meanwhile, formally announced the prefecture's acceptance of the plan. During the Kariwa Village Assembly election in April 1999, however, candidates opposed to the plan made gains following a series of nuclear accidents in Japan. In December, four village assembly members who oppose the plan submitted the ordinance bill in order to realize a referendum on the issue. Nuclear inspections to be increased The Federation of Electric Power Companies said Friday that power producers will improve their regular safety inspections of transport containers of spent nuclear fuel by farming out the work to third parties. The move follows the revelation in December 1999 that five member companies were late in carrying out the required self-inspection of their containers kept overseas. Tokyo Electric Power Co., Kansai Electric Power Co. and seven other power companies as well as non-member Japan Atomic Power Co. have separately concluded contracts with British and French nuclear fuel suppliers British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. and COGEMA, requiring the foreign firms to inspect the containers and submit regular reports on the work, the federation said. In addition, British and French inspection companies will check the work carried out by BNFL and GOGEMA. Okinawa Electric Power Co. is the only federation member that has yet to conclude such a contract. THE JAPAN TIMES: JAN. 6, 2001 (C) All rights reserved ***************************************************************** 10 Temelin Dismisses News About Broken Welding Seams Central Europe Online Daily News - PRAGUE, Jan 4, 2001--(CTK - Czech News Agency) Spokesman for the nuclear power plant in Temelin, south Bohemia, Vaclav Brom dismissed news of some Austrian media that cracks in welding seams and piping occurred during the last three breakdowns in the plant, the Austrian news agency APA wrote today. "I hear about such a thing for the first time. I do not know about anything like that," APA quotes Brom as saying. APA did not specify which media reported on the alleged cracks in the welding seams. It only wrote that the first reactor had been running at 2 percent of its output and that the secondary circle of Temelin had been fixed so that the trial operation can continue at the end of the week. The output could reach some 30 percent again which allows trial supplies of electricity in the network, Brom told APA. On November 18 a breakdown was reported during the trial operation of Temelin's cooling system when the control system automatically put the reactor out of operation. The reactor was stopped due to a problem with condensation pumps also on December 16. A failure of a valve on the power station's turbine was recorded on December 22. APA does not specify whether the cracks were to occur during these three breakdowns. ((C) 2001 CTK - CZECH NEWS AGENCY) ***************************************************************** 11 A time to plant, Leavitt says Friday, January 05, 2001 Inauguration speech hits on environment, N-dump opposition Deseret News staff writer In Gov. Mike Leavitt's vision for the future, Utah keeps nuclear waste at bay and Utahns are just themselves when the state hosts the 2002 Winter Games. Gov. Michael O. Leavitt watches fireworks on steps of Utah Capitol after taking oath for his third term and delivering his inaugural address. Chuck Wing, Deseret News Those are a couple of notions the governor touched on in his third and shortest inaugural address Thursday evening in the State Capitol. The speech titled "A Time to Plant" reiterated familiar themes he has sounded during his previous two terms and in the last election. Leavitt will undoubtedly elaborate on some of those ideas as well as reveal any new programs in his Jan. 16 state of the state address before the Utah Legislature. Joining Leavitt at the inauguration ceremony were Lt. Gov. Olene Walker, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, State Treasurer Ed Alter and State Auditor Auston Johnson, all Republicans. Utah Supreme Court Justice Richard C. Howe administered the oaths of office. Leavitt, only the second chief executive elected to a third term in state history, talked about technology, protecting the environment and states' rights. "Utah is young, education-minded and tech-savvy. We are growing, both in population and prosperity," he said. But while residents enjoy a time of harvest, they should also remember it is a time to plant, he said. One thing that Leavitt doesn't want planted in Utah is out-of-state high-level nuclear waste. To discourage same he has pledged millions of dollars. "We don't produce it. We don't benefit from it. And we refuse to store it for those who do," he said The governor also called for a "new environmental activism" that moves toward balance by "governing from the ideological center, not marginal extremes." Leavitt noted that just 400 days from now, Utah will take the world stage as host of the 2002 Olympics. "We need to be at our best," he said. "But most of all, we need to be ourselves." A crowd of some 1,500 people crammed into the red, white and blue bunting-draped rotunda interrupted the governor's brief remarks with applause about a dozen times. But it was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the 23rd Army Band's stirring rendition of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" that drew the longest and loudest applause of the evening. It was only the third time the choir has performed at the gubernatorial inauguration since Utah became a state 105 years ago Jan. 4. Government leaders also recognized Statehood Day Thursday. At noon, officials gathered on the Capitol front steps to place a millennial time capsule into the building's granite exterior. Leavitt removed his black dress shoes in the frigid cold - oxfords he has worn the world over as governor - to put them in the box, along with letters from government, civic and religious leaders, coins, Olympic pins and a handful of acorns symbolizing seeds for the future. The time capsule, sealed into the stone steps with a bronze plaque, is to be opened on Statehood Day 100 years from now. E-MAIL: [*]romboy@desnews.com [I] [I] [I] [I] ***************************************************************** 12 Big crowd speaks its mind on Envirocare application Friday, January 05, 2001 Hotter wastes are an 'unacceptable risk,' speaker says Deseret News staff writer It was supposed to be a routine public hearing on a technical aspect of Envirocare's application to store radioactive wastes hotter than what they currently are licensed to accept. But in the world of nuclear wastes, nothing is routine. More than 100 people showed up at a public hearing Thursday night in support of - and in opposition to - Envirocare's efforts to store what the industry calls Class B and C wastes. "We are creating a legacy of radioactive wastes, and that is an unacceptable risk," said Jeff Nielsen, one of 52 people who signed up to speak at the hearing before the Utah Radiation Control Board. The public hearing was actually not specifically about Envirocare's pending application to store the hotter wastes. Rather, it was about complying with a federal requirement that says any storage of radioactive waste on private lands must go through a public hearing process. Envirocare needs a land-use exemption prior to seeking permission to store the hotter wastes at its landfill in remote Tooele County. Envirocare already received an exemption to the state rule in 1987 when it was licensed to accept low-level radioactive wastes, mostly contaminated soils called Class A wastes. Because it wants to take radioactive wastes from hospitals, decommissioned power plants and research laboratories - wastes that are about 70 times hotter - another hearing must be held on the suitability of the site itself. Another public hearing on this issue is scheduled Jan. 11 in Tooele County. The Radiation Control Board will make a decision by Jan. 19. More relevant to Envirocare's request, four public hearings are scheduled in February on the technical aspects of Envirocare's application to store the wastes. Bill Sinclair, director of the Division of Radiation Control, has given tentative approval to the application, saying the waste can be disposed of without threat to public health. The Legislature and the governor also must approve the license. If Thursday's hearing is any indication, Envirocare will be trying to counter widespread public opposition to the proposal. A recent Deseret News poll found that more than 80 percent of Utahns were opposed to the idea. But Envirocare employees testified Thursday on behalf of the company. "Envirocare does provide a safe place of disposal, " said Ken Alkema, Envirocare's vice president of corporate development. Among items that could be buried at the facility would be such things as Coleman lantern wicks, smoke detectors, Teflon plastics and sterilized medical products. "We all benefit from them. A safe place needs to be found (to throw them away)," Alkema said. But some Utahns expressed concern about the safety of transporting and storing wastes that are potentially lethal. "There is no possible way to guarantee the safety of myself and my family from accidents of radioactive wastes," Nielsen said. E-MAIL: [*]donna@desnews.com [I] [I] [I] [I] ***************************************************************** 13 Nuclear power is the best deterrent to greenhouse gases DONALD JONES Thursday, January 4, 2001 The recent talks in The Hague on possible ways to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases on the world climate did not promote the one option that does not produce any greenhouse gases: nuclear. For some reason, the "N" word strikes terror in the hearts of the so-called environmentalists who influenced the talks. Those concerns need to be addressed and corrected. A popular myth is that nuclear power is an unsafe and untested way to generate electricity. Wrong. Nuclear plants have been generating electricity for half a century, with thousands of reactor years of experience. For example, France relies on nuclear power for more than 70 per cent of its electricity, the United States 19 per cent and Ontario 55 per cent. Ontario has been using nuclear generation since before 1970. There has not been one death or injury to the public related to commercial nuclear power outside the old Soviet Union. The design of the Chernobyl station would not be licensed to operate in North America or Europe, and Three Mile Island was a financial disaster, not a nuclear one. Is radiation from nuclear plants a danger to health? No it's not. More radioactive material is put into the atmosphere from a coal- fired station than from a nuclear station. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission closely monitors emissions and all other aspects of design and operation. But what about nuclear waste, a danger to present and future generations? This is no longer a technical issue. The used fuel from a reactor is highly radioactive, but after being kept for five to six years in water-filled pools at the station, it decays to a small fraction of the original amount and can then be stored dry in above-ground steel-lined concrete canisters, where it can remain indefinitely or until it is moved to a permanent repository. The permanent repository will be in the deep stable rock of the Canadian Shield. This Canadian concept for disposal of used fuel has been reviewed by a federal environmental review panel, which concluded that the concept was technically sound but that broad public support needed to be obtained. After about 300 years, the radiation from typical Candu fuel will be the same as the original natural uranium. Plutonium is intimately mixed in with the used fuel and it will remain radioactive for many thousands of years, but the radiation from the plutonium is weak and becomes a concern only if the material is ingested or gets into the lungs. The whole intent of the disposal facility is to stop this from happening. Even though the North American nuclear industry will store the used fuel after it comes out of reactors, other countries such as Britain, France and Russia have developed reprocessing facilities to make use of the fissile material in the used fuel to make new fuel. So is nuclear power uneconomical, compared with other ways of generating electricity? No way, not with natural gas prices shooting up. Production costs for electricity from nuclear power plants are lower than for combined cycle gas turbine plants, which are being built all over the world because they are relatively cheap to construct. Because of the low production costs of operating nuclear stations, it is proving more economical to extend their lives rather than invest in natural-gas fired plants. Yet gas and coal plants get a free ride when it comes to polluting the environment with greenhouse gases, smog and acid rain. It's interesting that the environmentalists worry about the hypothetical impact of plutonium on future generations thousands of years from now when we may not even make it through the next few hundred years if we don't get started on greenhouse gas mitigation. We want to hear that "N" word more often. Donald Jones is an engineer with Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., involved in the design of nuclear power stations. ***************************************************************** 14 Uranium Institute News Briefing 01.01 | 20 December - 03 January 2001 Aweekly summary of international news relevant to uranium and the nuclear energy industry. [NB01.01-1] US: THE U.S. COMMERCE DEPARTMENT HAS AGREED TO INVESTIGATE A CLAIM BY THE UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATION (USEC) that Eurodif SA and Urenco ltd. are dumping enriched uranium onto the U.S. market at below their cost of production. A spokeswoman for USEC Elizabeth Stuckle said she believed that USEC has presented "a strong, compelling case that Eurodif and Urenco continue to dump enriched uranium into the U.S. market". The Commerce Department has until April 26th to make a prelimary ruling. (Associated Press, 29 December) [NB01.01-2] US: THE US CONGRESS'S INVESTIGATIVE ARM, THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE (GAO), has concluded in a Report published on 29 December that the purchase of more that 100 metric tonnes of weapons grade uranium from Russia has helped US national security, but may be hurting domestic producers as the nation's nuclear power plants become dependent on Russian uranium. (Ux Weekly, 1 January, p3) [NB01.01-3] AUSTRALIA: HEATHGATE RESOURCES' BEVERLEY URANIUM MINE is expected to reach full production of 1000 t U3O8 (2.2 million pounds U3O8) in the first quarter of 2001, and uranium shipments have already begun to US and Japanese customers. The official mine opening is scheduled for February. Meanwhile, Southern Cross Resources' (SCR) Honeymoon project in South Australia is awaiting the final go-ahead from the Federal government on its plans to start production in the first half of 2001. SCR also intends producing 1000 t U3O8 (2.2 million tonnes U3O8) per year. A recommendation on Honeymoon is expected by the end of January. (Ux Weekly, has expressed his confidence in nuclear power as a means of replacing other resources that produce greenhouse gases. In a letter to the Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, he said that nuclear power is necessity to meet energy and environmental challenges. (Fresh Fuel, 25 December) [NB01.01- 5] ACCORDING TO THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANISATION (WMO) rising temperatures triggered extreme weather throughout the World in the year 2000. The year was the 22nd consecutive one where average temperatures have been above the 1961-1990 average and weather stations Worldwide are recording increases in greenhouse gases. Godwin Obasi the WMO's secretary general claimed the observations backed up scientific claims about climate change and went on to state that. "I think we have to act seriously to curtail the emission of greenhouse gases and this accumulation in the atmosphere. (The Guardian 20 December, P11) [NB01.01-6] RUSSIA: THE RUSSIAN PARLIAMENT (THE "DUMA") HAS APPROVED by a significant majority three Bills to allow the import of up to 20,000 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel for storage and reprocessing. The Bills will have to undergo two further readings before being submitted to the Upper House and the President for final approval, but Minatom is said to be confident that there will be no further major obstacles. The profits from the spent fuel storage and reprocessing will go in part towards financing clean up operations at existing nuclear sites. (Nuclear Market Review, 31 December, p3; SWEDEN: A POLL RECENTLY CARRIED OUT FOR ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTORS SWEDENERGY showed that 77% of the public are opposed to the premature closure of country's 11 nuclear power plants, and that 83% think that it is important that nuclear's lack of carbon emissions should be considered in determining Sweden's energy policy. Only 10% said that phasing out nuclear energy should be a national priority, compared with 73% for controlling greenhouse gases and 13% for protecting unspoilt rivers from hydroelectric development. Over half of these surveyed said that they would support the use of fuel derived from nuclear weapons in the country's reactors. (NucNet News 444/00, 21 December) [NB01.01-8] JAPAN: MIXED-OXIDE (MOX) FUEL TO BE USED IN FUKUSHIMA POWER PLANT. Due to delays at the No 3 reactor first plant to use the MOX fuel in Japan will probably be the Fukushima No 1 plant's No 3 reactor at Okuma (see the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco). (The Japan Times Online, 22 December) [NB01.01-9] JAPAN: TEPCO HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THAT IT WILL SHORTLY LAUNCH a technical investigation into the proposed siting of a spent fuel interim storage facility in Aomori prefecture. The feasibility study into the study follows an invitation from the city of Mutsu in Aomori of the facility could begin in 2010. The facility is said to be necessary because on-site storage at some sites is filling up, and the volume of spent fuel nationwide is already beyond the capacity at the Rokkasho reprocessing plant. (NucNet News 440/00, 20 December) [NB01.01-10] JAPAN: THE FIRST DELIVERY OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL TO JAPAN NUCLEAR FUEL'S (JNFL) Rokkasho reprocessing plant has been successfully to receive about 97 tonnes of spent fuel in the current fiscal year, and to increase this to have about 1600 tonnes on hand by the time the reprocessing plant starts operation in 2005. (NucNet News 439/40, 20 December) [NB01.01-11] TAIWAN: IT IS REPORTED THAT A CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW OF THE TAIWANESE CABINET'S DECISION to scrap the NT$ 170 billion (US$5.16 billion) Lungmen nuclear plant threatens to derail President Chen Shui-bian's seven month old government. The legislature argues that the decision to discontinue the plant's construction violates a properly passed Act of the legislature and is both illegal and unconstitutional. A ruling is expected in the next 00-49-19) [NB01.01-12] FINLAND: THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED ITS DECISION in principle to proceed with construction of a deep geological repository for high level wastes at Eurajoki, near the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant. The decision has the support of both local residents and the national nuclear safety authority. Construction of the repository, which is still subject to final parliamentary approval, is expected to begin in 2010, and operation in about 2020. (Nuclear Fuel, 25 December,p9) [NB01.01-13] SOUTH KOREA: THE NEXT TWO SOUTH KOREAN REACTORS, WOLSONG 5 AND 6 are to be Korean Standard Nuclear Power Plant types. They will be the ninth and tenth of this 1000Mwe PWR design, and the country's 23rd and 24th b units. They will come on line in 2009 and 2010. (UIC Weekly News, 29 December; COUNTRY'S FIRST HIGH TEMPERATURE, GAS-COOLED REACTOR (HTGR) was started up in Beijing on 21 December. The 10MWe experimental reactor (HTR-10) is unique in being located within a capital city and is capable of generating heat at three times the temperature of a PWR. Construction of the reactor began in 1995, and involved an investment of 250 million yuan (US$30 million). (Nuclear Market Review, 31 December, p4) [NB01.01- 15] UKRAINE: A PLANT TO PROCESS LIQUID RADIOACTIVE WASTE FROM THE CHERNOBYL COMPLEX is scheduled to be ready for operation in December 2001. Plans to begin another facility to store solid waste could begin as early as March. (Associated [NB01.01-16] UK: BRITISH NUCLEAR FUELS LIMITED (BNFL) HAVE PASSED THE 15 STIPULATIONS laid down by the Health and Safety Commission (HSE) following the data falsification chief executive this development opens the way to eventual commissioning of the planned Mox plant at Sellafield. (Independent Online, 20 December)A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL READERS OF NEWS BRIEFING AND A REMINDER THAT NEXT WEEK NEWS BRIEFING WILL RETURN TO ITS NORMAL TUESDAY TIME. Previous Prepared by the Uranium Institute Information Service. All news and views are those of the publications cited. ***************************************************************** 15 Regulator in favor of radioactive waste license StandardNETR Friday, January 05, 2001 The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY--The state's top regulator of radioactive waste is recommending the state approve a license to allow Envirocare of Utah to store hotter radioactive wastes. Envirocare has met all technical requirements for a license to store the wastes, which are about 70 times more radioactive than what is currently accepted at their landfill in Tooele County. The waste would come from nuclear power plants, research institutions and hospitals. The Radiation Control Board will hold four public hearings in February on Envirocare's application and the director of the Division of Radiation Control's recommendation. "We have looked at this very carefully," director Bill Sinclair told the Deseret News in a copyright story. "We've got a pretty good understanding of what it takes (to ensure public safety)." Sinclair said his decision was based on whether the landfill could be safely operated in accordance with state laws. Whether Utah wants to accept these types of wastes must be made by the governor and Legislature, which according to Utah law must sign off on any new waste disposal licenses. Lawmakers will debate the issue during the legislative session that begins Jan. 15. ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARTICLES ***************************************************************** 1 Richland, Kennewick joing Benton in FFTF challenge This story was published Tue, Jan 4, 2000 BY GENOA SIBOLD-COHN HERALD STAFF WRITER Richland and Kennewick joined Benton County Wednesday in a plan to challenge the Department of Energy's decision to shut down Hanford's Fast Flux Test Facility. The cities agreed to become plaintiffs in a future suit against the department, disputing the validity of an environmental study on restarting the mothballed experimental reactor. The Richland City Council agreed to pay up to $7,500 for the first phase of the challenge and Kennewick said it would pay up to $8,000. The first phase of the legal challenge could cost $8,000 to $12,000. The county has agreed to pay half of those costs if other cities and agencies also participate. The first phase of legal work would consist of preparing a report to send to Energy Secretary Bill Richardson before his announcement on FFTF's fate scheduled for Jan 15. Pasco, West Richland, the Tri-City Industrial Development Council and the ports of Kennewick, Benton and Pasco plan to meet with their councils and boards before then to decide whether they'll take part in a lawsuit against DOE. On Wednesday, representatives from the cities and agencies expressed support for the county's plans to challenge DOE's decision. "Our support is unwavering," said Ben Bennett, executive director of the Port of Benton. Cancer survivors also told the county they would support a suit against the department, even if they could not contribute financially. In a special council meeting Wednesday, Richland council members unanimously supported a lawsuit challenging DOE's decision. Some council members said they were particularly concerned about how Spencer Abraham, President-elect George W. Bush's nominee for Energy Secretary, would handle FFTF issues. "I'm afraid the secretary appointed under the Bush administration has such a large learning curve that FFTF may be swept under the carpet," said Richland Councilman Larry Haler. Haler and other council members said they hope the decision to shut down FFTF can be reversed before current Energy Secretary Bill Richardson leaves his post. In November, Richardson said the nation could meet its foreseeable needs for isotopes for years to come without the Hanford reactor. The preferred alternative in an environmental study is to shut down FFTF and produce isotopes in existing reactors in Idaho Falls and Tennessee. Although the county had close to 20 supporters at Wednesday's meeting, there was at least one detractor, Gerald Pollet, director of Heart of America Northwest. Pollet chastised those at the meeting for supporting a challenge against DOE. He called the potential lawsuit "foolhardy" and said he was shocked they would try to "restrain the Department of Energy." "I think people need to look at their consciences," Pollet said. "The environmental impact statement is legally inadequate to support a position to restart FFTF." Pollet argued that restarting FFTF would be extremely costly--to the tune of $453 million. FFTF supporters called Pollet's comments misleading. "The current facilities are not adequate to meet the need," said Amy Evans, executive director of Citizens for Medical Isotopes. "In the year 2000, two dozen laboratories worldwide were left high and dry by DOE when a promised supply of arsenic isotopes ran out." COPYRIGHT 2000 TRI-CITY HERALD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS ***************************************************************** 2 Hard-working Abraham good choice for Cabinet Thursday, January 4, 2001 FLINT JOURNAL EDITORIAL Spencer Abraham has not been handed one of the cushier jobs in the administration of George W. Bush. As secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, the Michigan Republican must begin occupying himself with crises and potential crises in electricity, natural gas, fuel oil and gasoline. Add to that suspected security problems in nuclear weapons work carried out in Department of Energy labs, the pressing problems of nuclear waste disposal and managing the strategic petroleum reserve. Since Bush announced Tuesday his decision to entrust Abraham with all this, an irony has been widely noted that as a U.S. senator Abraham repeatedly advocated abolishing the energy department. Perhaps Bush believes one way to get a stronger national energy policy would be to turn the responsible department over to someone who made it his business to ferret out the weaknesses - long before he was asked. The appointment has been lambasted by such environmental groups as the Sierra Club and Friends of the Earth, but if Abraham's record is open to criticism from the perspective of environmental advocates, at least we in Michigan know he takes to the office excellent administrative and personal skills. In the Senate he has been dedicated to substance over superficialities, which might have contributed to his electoral defeat in the fall. He was not the world's best campaigner when it came to flesh-pressing. But Abraham never missed a roll call vote in his six-year senatorial term, and he sponsored more bills that were passed than any other freshman senator. He is intelligent and creative, well liked and respected by people who work closely with him or under his leadership. Although loyal to his party, he has the moral courage to go against it when principle is involved, as he demonstrated in his successful opposition to a Republican move to restrict legal immigration. When Bush seeks his views, he is likely to hear Abraham call it as he sees it. It has been rare through U.S. history for a Cabinet member to be selected from Michigan. Abraham's appointment should benefit the state, not just because his roots are deeply here, but because of the integrity and talent that he carries with him. Copyright 2001 Michigan Live Inc. Michigan Live is a Registered ***************************************************************** 3 Berkley Statement on the Nomination of Spencer Abraham as DOE Chief Berkley (NV01) - Press Release - Congresswoman First District, Nevada Washington, D.C. (January 2, 2001) — Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (NV-1) today offered the following statement on the nomination of Spencer Abraham as Secretary of the Department of Energy. “Spencer Abraham has been a consistent supporter of the nuclear power industry, and has an established record in the Senate of voting for the Yucca Mountain project without regard for the health and safety p; It is imperative that the new Energy Secretary approach the job, and the issue of nuclear waste, with a set of priorities that truly reflects the enduring values of our nation, and the health of future generations in every state of our union. “Our country is not served by burying radioactive waste underground sp; This country desperately needs to start considering alternative forms of waste disposal that address the long term problems associated ; I hold out hope that Senator Abraham will have the foresight and the wisdom to recognize his changing responsibilities, and that he will advocate the same kind of fair play that Nevada has received for the past eight years. “I will continue to press my colleagues in Congress and the Administration to recognize the dangers of the Yucca Mountain project, and I pray Nevadans will be able to look back in four years on an Administration that has championed the health of its people, rather than the profits of an industry.” ***************************************************************** 4 Collective 'huh?' at Hanford over Bush pick for Energy Thursday, January 4, 2001 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RICHLAND--The nomination of a defeated Michigan senator with no significant experience in nuclear or environmental cleanup issues to head the U.S. Department of Energy drew a collective "Huh?" among those involved with the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. President-elect George W. Bush announced Tuesday that Spencer Abraham, a Republican who lost his bid for re-election in November, would succeed outgoing Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. "I've never heard of him," said Todd Martin, chairman-elect of the Hanford Advisory Board, a panel of government, business, tribal and other organizations interested in Hanford. "I'm told by people in the know in Washington that he doesn't know anything about energy," said Sam Volpentest, vice president of the Tri-City Industrial Development Council. Gerald Pollet, director of the Seattle-based Hanford watchdog group, Heart of America Northwest, said: "He has not been visible on any Department of Energy issues. It's a surprising choice--someone with no background on DOE issues." "I am very concerned about this appointment," said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. "He has not been known for his work on energy issues." A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., said the congressman was optimistic about the choice of a former lawmaker. "It's always helpful when you have someone who is familiar with Congress, " said Jeff Markey, Hastings' legislative director. In the past two years, Abraham co-sponsored two legislative attempts to abolish DOE and transfer most of its functions to the U.S. Department of Interior. Neither bill made it far. c 2000 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material ***************************************************************** 5 Wamp urges DOE emphasis on EM cleanup Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 1:57 p.m. on Friday, January 5, 2001 BY PAUL PARSON Oak Ridger staff U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-3rd District, says he is urging the Bush administration to make environmental cleanup in Oak Ridge and at other Department of Energy sites nationwide a top priority. Wamp and several other members of the House Nuclear Cleanup Caucus sent a letter Thursday to Energy Secretary-designee Spencer Abraham pointing out that the environmental management program is the largest in DOE. The letter states that substantial progress has been made in cleanup in the last six years, but that significant additional funding will be needed. "Next year, the Environmental Management program must realize a significant increase to continue to meet its legal binding cleanup commitments with our states in order to reduce long-term costs to the American taxpayer," the letter states. "Without adequate funding, these dramatic environmental problems will only become more difficult to address as waste leaks and equipment fails. A budget request below the necessary amount will result in delays and higher long-term costs to the American taxpayer, not to mention added threats to the environment surrounding these former weapons production sites." Environmental management funding is essential to Oak Ridge, where DOE has a wide variety of cleanup projects, including work at the Oak Ridge K-25 site. For the current fiscal year, environmental cleanup projects in Oak Ridge and two other sites received $691 million in funding--$49 million more than the previous fiscal year. The $691 million appropriated for environmental management flows through DOE's Oak Ridge Operations office. Part of the money is in Oak Ridge while other portions go to DOE complexes in Portsmouth, Ohio, and Paducah, Ky. Abraham, an Arabian-American, was nominated Tuesday by President- elect George W. Bush to serve as DOE's energy secretary. The nomination follows an unsuccessful campaign by Abraham to keep his Michigan Senate seat. Ironically, Abraham's nomination was to a department that he voted twice in the Senate to abolish. Abraham was part of a small group of Senate Republicans who in 1996 co-sponsored legislation to close the departments of Energy, Commerce and Housing and Urban Development and privatize or assign to other departments the functions worth preserving, according to recent reports from The Associated Press. He co-sponsored legislation to eliminate the Energy Department again in 1999, when it was mired in the controversy over security problems at its Los Alamos nuclear weapons laboratory, according to AP. Both times, the legislation died in committee. [*][I] All Contents cCopyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 6 Clinton Gets Nuke Test Ban Report January 05, 2001 ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP)--President Clinton suggested Friday that the Senate take up ratification of the comprehensive test ban treaty "at an early date," so the United States can better fight the spread of destructive nuclear weapons. Clinton met for a half-hour with retired Gen. John Shalikashvili, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to receive the review of the comprehensive test ban treaty that Clinton requested after Senate Republicans rejected it in 1999. Mainly, the report laid out a case for the incoming Bush administration that the treaty is vital to U.S. national security. President-elect Bush has opposed the pact as unenforceable. One top Bush adviser, Defense Secretary-designate Donald Rumsfeld, also opposes it, although another, Secretary of State-designate and former Joint Chiefs chairman Colin Powell, supports it. "It is one of the tools we ought to consider in our toolbox that would help us deal with what, after all, is one of the recognized, important dangers to our nuclear security," Shalikashvili said. The report recommended, among other things, that the president appoint a deputy national security adviser to handle nuclear proliferation issues, and leave in place the U.S. moratorium on nuclear tests. It also suggested that more funding go into efforts to monitor nuclear testing and developing by other countries. "The security benefits of the treaty outweigh any perceived disadvantages, " Clinton said. "I also hope the Senate will take up the treaty at an early date. (The treaty) is supported by our friends and allies overseas, and designed to reduce existing nuclear dangers as well as those that might emerge in the future." Shalikashvili said there are three areas in which the United States could take some steps now to strengthen its position under the treaty: stewardship of the nuclear stockpile, verifying nuclear testing elsewhere in the world and developing an "overarching strategy" on nuclear weapons development. "That ought to be done regardless of the eventual outcome of the treaty itself," Shalikashvili said. "Like any other treaty, there are some risks associated with it. The issue is whether we can mitigate to ensure the advantages far outweigh those risks." The report also suggested that the Senate and administration review the treaty every 10 years, and that the president be allowed to withdraw from the treaty if that review uncovers "grave problems that could not be otherwise addressed." The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was completed in 1996, but it cannot take effect until it has been approved by the United States and 43 other nations that have nuclear research or power reactors. Britain, France and Russia have signed and ratified the accord. China has signed the agreement, but has yet to ratify it. North Korea has not signed, and India and Pakistan, which have engaged in a nuclear arms race in South Asia, also have not. The United States signed the treaty Sept. 24, 1996. The Senate rejected its ratification in 1999. Supporters have argued that U.S. ratification is essential to persuade other nations to accept the treaty. ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2001 LAS VEGAS SUN, INC. ***************************************************************** 7 SCIENCE-BASED STOCKPILE STEWARDSHIP Physics Today December 2000 With the end of nuclear testing, the US seeks to maintain its nuclear deterrent with a multifaceted program aimed at understanding more about the materials and processes of nuclear weapons. For the past half century, the ultimate military deterrent for the US has depended on its stockpile of nuclear weapons. Because of technical, military, and political considerations, the decision was made nearly one decade ago, during the administration of President George Bush, that no new designs of nuclear weapons are needed and no nuclear- explosion testing is required for the foreseeable future. (Such nuclear tests do not include experiments that are either nonexplosive--using a pulsed reactor, for example--or subcritical, involving no self- sustaining nuclear reaction.) The 1992 moratorium was reinforced by President Clinton's signing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996 (see the article by Jeremiah D. Sullivan in Physics Today, March 1998, page 24). The CTBT expands the testing moratorium into an international, legal, and verifiable ban on testing, and serves as part of the US commitment CTBT has not yet been ratified by the US (or by some of the other US ratification debates has been how well the nuclear-weapons stockpile can be sustained without testing. With no new designs planned, the overriding concern is the state of the aging weapons in the enduring stockpile. Aging of materials can cause changes in properties or in critical dimensions, such that a nuclear weapon would no longer function as designed or may not function at all. Figure 1 shows the number of defects per weapon that defects in nuclear weapons are historically found to accumulate at a rate of less than 1% per quarter century, implying a characteristic lifetime of more than two millennia for these weapons. The low rate at which defects appear suggests that a focused program of surveillance and refurbishment ought to be adequate for maintaining the stockpile throughout the foreseeable future. However, such an approach contains no scientific information about the weapons themselves, their materials or processes, and amounts to assuming that the future is a direct extrapolation of past history. It does not account for the possibility that incremental changes might accumulate nonlinearly, and that failure can occur suddenly. Consequently, it must be augmented with a scientifically-based approach, by which the aging and degradation processes are sufficiently understood to be sensitively monitored. The key requirement is that signs of degradation must be found with enough forewarning that the necessary repair or remanufacturing can be done without jeopardizing the deterrent. To put the challenge into perspective, a modern thermonuclear weapon contains approximately 6000 parts, including electrical, mechanical, and explosive components as well as the "nuclear package" that creates It has been said that stewardship with no nuclear testing is similar to guaranteeing that an automobile left in storage for decades would be fully operable, in a suitable emergency, at a moment's notice. Still, most of a weapon's components reside outside the nuclear package, and can therefore be fully checked without nuclear testing; indeed, they are, for the most part, not exercised in underground tests. Underground testing is intended to verify that the nuclear package works as designed, and is not really a test of an entire weapon system. The great majority of the 1000-plus US nuclear tests were focused on developing new designs, including studies of weapons physics and documentation of military effects; only a small fraction were stockpile The necessarily low number of tests and their destructive nature limit the value of underground testing for monitoring the ongoing safety and reliability of the nuclear arsenal. Based solely on technical considerations, a better way to monitor the state of the enduring stockpile is through a program that combines basic research to identify how the components of a weapon can age with sophisticated surveillance of the weapons. is the scientific and engineering effort to maintain the US nuclear deterrent in the present era of no underground testing. The program has three essential parts: 1) monitoring of the weapons in the enduring stockpile, 2) repair and remanufacture of components to remedy any degradation observed in surveillance, and 3) basic research to identify what happens in the aging process and to ensure that any refurbishments are adequate and appropriate. For more details about the structure NUCLEAR WEAPON ARCHITECTURE A modern thermonuclear weapon consists of the nuclear package, made up of primary and secondary stages, and such nonnuclear components as the electrical system; the arming, fuzing, and firing system; additional parts, such as the guidance systems, that lie outside the warhead.) Some of the greatest concerns about aging of the stockpile involve the fate of the components of the primary stage. During weapon operation, a chemical explosion triggers the primary stage by compressing a core, or pit, containing plutonium-239 until it reaches critical density. The resulting fission yield is "boosted" by the presence of a deuterium-tritium mixture that is driven yield of the primary stage initiates the secondary, or main, stage, which may consist of fissionable materials, such as uranium-235, as well as fusionable materials. It is the secondary stage that provides the bulk of the weapon's military yield, but the secondary requires a minimum energy from the primary to ignite. Thus, a vital index of the reliability of the nuclear package is the performance margin, which is the difference between the minimum yield obtained from the primary and the yield required to drive the secondary. One concern about aging is that the materials within the primary stage might deteriorate with time, so that the performance margin could vanish or even become negative. Limited-life components such as those containing tritium (b-decay halflife of 12.3 years) must be replaced at regular intervals, but this replacement is planned for in the weapon design, and such components are typically located outside the sealed radiation case that encloses the nuclear package. Of greater concern is possible long-term deterioration of permanent components such as Pu and chemical high explosives, because the primary yield can depend sensitively on the performance and the physical properties of these materials. PRIMARY-STAGE MATERIALS One of the greatest concerns about aging of the stockpile regards the fate of the Pu that is a key component of the primary stage. A significant factor is that Pu exhibits complex and highly variable properties. This is largely because its 5f electrons are delicately balanced between being itinerant and localized, as can be inferred by examining the variations in atomic radii and other properties of elements near Pu in the periodic table (compare the elements between thorium and neptunium, lighter than Pu, to the heavier elements between solid Pu undergoes several phase transitions and expands by more than 20% in volume when heated from 0øC to 400øC. This anomalous sensitivity to temperature is matched by a sensitivity to alloying with certain elements, including gallium, aluminum, and 8 If the complexities of the material weren't enough, the Pu-239 used in weapons also undergoes a decay with a halflife of 24 400 years. In addition to the accumulation of helium from the a particles stopped within the lattice, an estimated 2500 Frenkel-pair defects are generated 2c, the crystal structure is thus disordered at a rate of about 10% irradiation could transform the Pu within aging weapons, rendering the weapons ineffective (and also potentially unsafe for storage and handling)? At present, this question is best answered experimentally. Various probes are available for assessing whether and to what degree the Pu crystal structure may be disordered, and these have been used to compare Pu samples from old weapons with new Pu samples. There are also methods available for experimentally simulating the aging process over a shortened time scale; one way is to spike samples with Pu-238 (halflife 86 years). Perhaps the most important result from measurements is that Pu exhibits good crystalline order even after decades of aging. A good illustration of the long-term preservation of order comes from high-resolution 3a. These studies have shown peaks in the diffraction intensity, indicating the presence of periodic structure, to high magnitudes of the scattering vector. The preservation of crystal structure despite displacements and other damage reflects an apparent self-annealing of the Pu. In the x-ray diffraction studies, both the a and d phases of Pu show this self-annealing behavior, suggesting that it is intrinsic to Pu rather than being limited to a single structural configuration. Nevertheless, changes have been observed in the crystal structure ordering of Pu after aging for periods of a decade or longer. One such change is, surprisingly, an increase in crystal ordering with time. Observations using x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS), exhibits deviations from the ideal face-centered cubic (fcc) structure, as indicated by an additional peak in the radial distribution function at about 3.8 . The extra peak might be attributed to local body-centered cubic arrangements within the fcc lattice, but high- resolution x-ray diffraction measurements by Steven Conradson and colleagues at Los Alamos National Laboratory have indicated a long- range order suggesting that a better explanation would be an fcc observations are sensitive to the atomic packing configuration because core electrons liberated by the absorbed photon are scattered by neighboring atoms, modulating the absorption coefficient as a function of energy. In this case, observations were made using x-ray energies sufficient to liberate 2p core electrons. The most striking result of these studies is that the local deviation from the ideal fcc structure vanishes with aging, disappearing sooner in samples having a higher Ga content. It is not surprising that the most gallium-poor samples would retain the most structural nonideality 2b); on the nanometer scale, aging appears to have the same effect as a greater Ga concentration, in that it shifts the Pu to a more stable configuration. Another diagnostic tool is high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, which has been used by Jeffrey Kass and colleagues at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to observe the evolution of overall finding from a variety of observations, including detailed electrical-resistivity measurements as a function of temperature (which are sensitive to the density and distribution of defects present), positron annihilation spectroscopy, and other studies, is that the Pu samples not only retain long-range order but actually get closer to the ideal crystal structure with increasing age. Annealing processes, perhaps related to those countering the crystal-structure disordering, appear to counteract radiation-induced damage and mitigate the initial buildup of He quite effectively, at least for Pu in the US stockpile. In addition to Pu, there have been concerns about aging of the high explosive that initiates the compression of the primary stage. The organic polymers making up the high explosive are known to change over time, with measurable evolution of properties over the first several months followed by slower changes in succeeding years. Over time, volatile constituents are lost and changes have been observed in high-explosive crystallinity and molecular weight. Surprisingly, however, the high explosive used in US weapons has been found to improve systematically with age in key measures of performance, such as yielding characteristics and detonation-front velocities. Thus, crucial primary-stage components that were initially subject to concern have been shown through the SSP to be robust as they age. Indeed, there is now consensus among specialists that the Pu pits in the US stockpile are stable over periods of at least 50-60 years, with the most recent studies suggesting a far longer period. More important than the indications of benign aging is the demonstration that the materials are now becoming understood in sufficient detail, and surveillance methods are becoming sensitive enough, to ensure that any signs of degradation will be observed in time to apply the necessary repairs or refurbishment. NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL SIMULATION Subtle changes in material properties can, in principle, affect the dynamics of the primary-stage implosion. The boosting process must be efficient enough to create the yield required to drive the secondary stage to ignition; without proper functioning of the primary stage, the weapon can fail altogether. As long as the primary releases sufficient energy, however, the secondary is driven to full or nearly full yield under a wide range of conditions. Because of its importance, much attention has been paid to understanding the detailed hydrodynamics associated with the initiation, implosion, and boosting of the primary stage. These processes can be sensitive to changes in material density, acoustic and shockwave velocities, dynamic yielding, and ejecta formation. Ejecta formation, in particular, can be influenced by such minor-seeming alterations as changes in grain size and texture or variations in trace-element concentrations. It is essential to identify those material characteristics that can have the most dramatic effects on the primary-stage dynamics and investigate how they are likely to change, either because of aging or because a component is refurbished in a slightly different manner from the original. The study of weapons dynamics involves a tight linkage between laboratory experiments and computer simulations. The installation of multi-teraflop computers at the weapons laboratories has allowed the development of far more sophisticated numerical codes than had previously been possible. Codes under development include reliable, three-dimensional simulations of hydrodynamic instabilities that aim to give insight into why a small variation in material properties might, or might not, make a difference to performance. Validation of the numerical simulations includes comparisons with experiments involving physical processes similar to those found in the weapons, although sometimes Laboratory studies of elastic properties, dynamic equations of state, and ejecta formation provide direct input to the numerical simulations. Some of these studies are subcritical experiments involving fissionable materials and may be conducted underground at the Nevada Test Site. Hydrodynamic and neutronic simulations are performed before the tests, and the predictions are compared with in-situ measurements during each experiment. In addition to validating the simulation predictions, these measurements also verify that the experiments are truly subcritical. Providing more open access to this level of monitoring, at US and other test sites, could enhance confidence among parties regarding subcritical experiments under a CTBT regime. as well as radiographic diagnostics (such as at the Dual-Axis Radiographic detailed tracking of implosion dynamics right up to the onset of criticality, and are important checks on the reliability of the numerical simulations. Archival records from past nuclear-explosion tests are also being reanalyzed with modern computational resources. Clearly, computer simulation plays a special role in integrating the wide array of experimental, surveillance, archival-analysis, and modeling activities of the SSP. CHEMICAL CORROSION Given the complexity of design and the corrosive materials involved with nuclear weapons, it is not surprising that the surveillance and research programs have indeed uncovered defects. In particular, corrosion can take place inside the nuclear package, most typically involving the reaction of hydrogen with various metals. Other than in the boost-gas system, hydrogen and its isotopes should not be present as free species within the nuclear package. Nevertheless, hydrogen can evolve from the various organic compounds and hydrogen- bearing salts found within the radiation case. In addition, improper heat treatment or poor sealing of components can leave enough humidity to cause problems years later. Unlike the examples of deterioration previously described, these issues have arisen in the secondary as well as primary stages. can be tolerated, but in extreme instances some components have required remanufacture. Good design and production practices, and the judicious use of seals and "getters" (compounds that soak up and immobilize hydrogen), have proven to be effective in counteracting this form of chemical corrosion. BASIC SCIENCE Although its applied mission of preserving the physical stockpile is necessarily its primary objective, the SSP also produces major contributions to basic research in a wide range of activities. A case in point is recent work on extending the equation of state of hydrogen isotopes into the terapascal regime. (1 TPa is 10 Mbar, or roughly 107 atm pressure.) Such work is certainly relevant to understanding weapons physics (the onset of fusion), but there are also other scientific applications, such as modeling the interiors of stars and giant planets (of which hydrogen is the predominant Nominally the simplest element in the periodic table, hydrogen provides a rich testing ground for both theory and experiment at high pressures (see the article by Russell J. Hemley and Neil W. Ashcroft in Physics Today, August 1998, page 26). For example, the 1935 prediction of Eugene Wigner and Hillard B. Huntington that hydrogen becomes metallic under compression has provoked much interest, but there has been remarkable difficulty in confirming either the conditions or the mechanism associated with metallization. Static compression experiments with diamond anvil cells have yet to document a metallic state at pressures above 200 GPa, which is well within the range of several theoretical predictions (see the Hemley and Ashcroft article). However, recent dynamic-compression studies on hydrogen do appear to have demonstrated the creation of a dense metallic state. As part of the preparation for the National Ignition Facility, and laser-driven shock experiments were used to obtain the high-temperature equation of state of deuterium; some results are shown in figure than 50% denser than had previously been thought. Because the technique is relatively new, the measurement uncertainties are large, but the discrepancy between the new observations and earlier predictions is still significant. Other measurements made in similar experiments reveal a sharp increase in optical reflectivity at pressures approaching state. The laser-shock equation-of-state results agree well with prior measurements using mechanical shock loading (gas-gun data, Why has the metallic state been detected with the dynamic shock-compression experiments and not with the static diamond anvil experiments? The difference between the results can most likely be ascribed to temperature: The static measurements have been conducted almost exclusively at and below room temperature, whereas the dynamic measurements were made at temperatures of several thousand kelvin. Apparently, both temperature and density (or pressure) play important roles in determining the onset of hydrogen metallization. Much of the basic science conducted within the SSP is completely unclassified. For this reason, SSP basic research programs have benefited from close collaborations between researchers inside the national laboratories and those in academia, both within the US and abroad. Laser-based research provides good examples of international cooperation, and the computer-simulation effort (the Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative, or ASCI) explicitly involves collaborations between universities and the national laboratories. Only through such close links with the open scientific community can the technical excellence of the SSP, and its participants, be ensured over the long term. BROADER ISSUES The SSP is not only challenging, it also represents a departure from the way that the US previously maintained its nuclear weapons. When new designs were continuously being developed, existing weapons (including those that might be flawed) could simply be replaced by new designs. It is therefore understandable that those having responsibility for defending the nation could initially feel concern about the reliability of the stockpile under a testing moratorium (such as currently exists) or a CTBT. Certain critics have expressed the view that the SSP is a means of perpetuating the nuclear danger, and that it would be best to let the stockpile degrade and its stewards turn to other activities. However, as long as the military and political decision within the US is to rely on a nuclear deterrent, the worst option is to allow the stockpile to become unsafe or unreliable. This is especially so in the light of arms-control initiatives intended to reduce the sizes of nuclear arsenals (such as START II, now ratified by the US and Russia, which is to significantly reduce the two nations' arsenals, with further prospects for diminished nuclear-weapon stockpiles being contemplated under START III). Maintaining the stockpile also requires maintaining the requisite technical expertise--high-quality scientists and engineers. In fact, the necessary research and surveillance activities are now well under way and have proven to be an effective means of monitoring and maintaining the nuclear deterrent. The program has built a good foundation for achieving its broader objective--to provide the technical basis that allows the US to pursue the most visionary policies in global and national security, including maintaining the balance between defense and arms control. I thank S. D. Drell, R. L. Garwin, N. W. Gallagher, R. J. Hemley, A. Narath, W. K. H. Panofsky, B. Peurifoy, and S. Sack for helpful discussions; also E. A. Chandler, T. Cochran, C. Paine, W. R. Panero, and H. P. Smith Jr for comments on the manuscript; and S. D. Conradson and J. N. Kass for supplying unpublished results and their own thoughtful comments. REFERENCES 1. A withdrawal clause in the CTBT allows any party to resume nuclear testing if that nation's "supreme interests" are jeopardized; Currently, 30 of the 44 nations identified as operating nuclear research cgi-bin/ctbto_states.cgi?List=Required. 3. S. Drell et al., Remanufacture (JSR-99-300) MITRE Corp, McLean, Va. (1999). 4. S. Drell, B. Peurifoy, Annu. Rev. Nucl. Phys. 44, 285 (1994). 5. US Department of Energy, Stockpile Stewardship Program: 30-Day Review, 23 Nov. 1999. This dp_web/public_f.htm. 6. R. L. Garwin, V. A. Simonenko, "Nuclear Weapon Develop ment without Nuclear Testing?" paper prepared for Pugwash Workshop on Problems in Achieving a Nuclear-Weapon- Free World, London, England, 25-27 Oct. 1996. Available S. Hecker, J. C. Martz, "Plutonium Aging: From Mystery to Enigma, " paper presented at International Conference on Aging Studies and Lifetime Extension of Materials, Oxford, England, 12-14 July 1999. See also N. G. Cooper, ed., Challenge in Plutonium Science, (LA-UR-00-3000), Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N. Mex. (2000). 8. N. T. Chebotarev, E. S. Smotriskaya, M. A. Andrianov, O. E. Kostyuk, in Proc. 5th International Conference on Plutonium and Other Actinides, H. Blank, R. Lindner, eds., North-Holland, New York (1975), p. 37. L. T. Timofeeva (1999), quoted in ref. 7. See also P. H. Adler, Metall. Trans. A 22A, 2237 (1991). 9. W. G. Wolfer (1988), quoted in ref. 3; also ref. 7. 10. S. D. Conradson, Appl. Spectrosc. 52, A252 (1998), and ref. 7. 11. See L. J. Terminello, Science and Technology Review, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, str/Terminello.html. 12. M. Seager, Science and Technology Review, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, Calif. (June 2000), Science and Technology Review, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, str/Grissom.html. 14. J. LeMay, Science and Technology Review, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, Calif. (Sept. 1999), available Arnett, R. P. Drake, H. Takabe, Science 284, 1488 (1999). 16. W. J. Nellis, S. T. Weir, A. C. Mitchell, Science 273, 936 (1996). 17. S. T. Weir, A. C. Mitchell, W. J. Nellis, Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 1860 (1996). W. J. Nellis, Sci. Am., May 2000, p. 84. See also W. J. Nellis, M. Ross, N. C. Holmes, Science 269, 1249 (1995). 18. G. W. Collins et al., Science 281, 1178 (1998). L. B. Da Silva et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 483 (1997). P. M. Celliers et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 5564 (2000). RAYMOND JEANLOZ is a professor of geophysics in the Earth and planetary science and the astronomy departments, and executive director of the Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science at the University of California, Berkeley. ***************************************************************** 8 Q&A: What is the CTBT? BBC News | World | Thursday, October 14, 1999 Published at 09:24 GMT 10:24 UK WORLD The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) is one of the most complex treaties ever agreed - and its ratification is proving just as testing. If it comes into force, it will mean that all nuclear explosions anywhere in the world will be banned. Air-burst detonations are already covered by an earlier tretay. The CTBT sets out nuclear disarmament as a principle but diplomatically avoids the politics of the issue. Its supporters argue that while the goal remains total disarmament, the treaty is capable of preventing the development of new weapons, or improving those that exist. Former US President Eisenhower was among the first to propose the treaty and while he actively built up nuclear stockpiles, he said his failure to successfully clinch a deal was the "greatest disappointment" of his administration. After decades of false starts, the traditional "big five" nuclear powers of the USA, Russia, China, the UK and France backed talks which led to the CTBT coming into being at the United Nations in September 1996. President Bill Clinton was the first world leader to sign the historic document. To date 154 states have followed. SO HOW DOES IT WORK? Once ratification is completed, the Vienna-based test ban organisation will report if it believes an explosion has taken place. This work will be carried out by 321 monitoring stations and 16 laboratories throughout the world. The scientists will be able to demand the right to inspect an area if they believe a nuclear test has been carried out. SO THE CTBT HAS BEEN AN INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS? Not yet. The treaty cannot come into force until 44 individually named states ratify it in their own legislatures. These 44 nations are those known to be holding or thought capable of developing nuclear weapons. To date, 24 of this group have ratified, including only two of the big five, the UK and France. Among other named states yet to ratify but known to hold nuclear weapons are Israel, Pakistan and India, though Israel did sign the treaty in 1996. BUT SURELY EVERYONE MUST WANT TO SIGN? While almost every nation subscribes to the test ban treaty's noble aims, the realities of international power politics are playing their part with many nations seemingly waiting to see what the US does. President Bill Clinton has warned Congress that if it fails to ratify the treaty it would "be a signal that the United States wants to lead the world away from the cause of non-proliferation." He says that the US now has the technology to safely stockpile weapons, carry out computer simulated tests and monitor other states, leaving it with no excuse not to sign. Congress rejected the legislation on 13 October 1999, after Republicans argued that the CTBT would fail to properly monitor other nations. WHAT'S HOLDING IT UP? Many nations say a test ban without disarmament is no longer good enough. Both India and Pakistan, which carried out tit-for-tat nuclear tests in 1998, remain opposed to the CTBT, though they have faced massive US pressure to sign. India has publically argued that the CTBT merely formalises nuclear discrimination, allowing the big five to maintain modern weapons but preventing others from developing an adequate nuclear deterrent. Another argument against ratification is that the US also remains capable of breaking the spirit of the treaty by continuing with research into ballistic missile defences, the successor to former President Reagan's "Star Wars" programme. ARE OTHER TALKS TAKING PLACE? Large scale disarmament talks are currently failing to bear fruit. Talks at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva have been frequently criticised as flawed and bogged down in procedural wranglings. The conference president said that its work could only be a "microcosm" of the wider international environment which has seen nuclear tension rise in the past 18 months. The Canberra Commission of 1997, a side report linked to the Conference on Disarmament, argued that if states carried out a number of measures including taking weapons off alert and mothballing some technologies, countries would feel able to negotiate. WHAT ABOUT TALKS BETWEEN RUSSIAN AND THE US? Opening sessions of the "Start III" (Strategic Arms Reduction) negotiations between the US and Russia have yet to get off the ground even though they hold out the prospect of reducing the number of warheads held by each nation to as low as 1,000. Moscow has also warned that US that its missile defence projects, which could only go ahead under a modification of the key 1972 Anti- Ballistic Missile missile treaty, could spark an entirely new and far more dangerous arms race. ***************************************************************** 9 Depleted Uranium - The Silver Bullet The National Online - (1) ÿÿÿDepleted uranium is the super weapon of the '90s; used in the Gulf ÿÿÿWar and the conflict in Kosovo. But now Canadian troops, soldiers ÿÿÿand peacekeepers alike, may be exposed to depleted uranium with ÿÿÿits potential danger. Now this threat wasn't one raised by a hostile ÿÿÿenemy, but by the arms used by the United States and other NATO ÿÿÿallies. They defeated the toughest armoured vehicles with the ÿÿÿuse of depleted uranium. It packed a knockout punch, but what ÿÿÿsoldiers often didn't know was that depleted uranium poses a threat ÿÿÿcautionary tale. The story producer was Marijka Hurko. Jerry Wheat went off to war in the Gulf, He drove a Bradley armoured personnel carrier for the Thirdarmoured Division. Then the war followed Jerry home to New Mexico. "I have had real bad joint pain, abdominal problems," Wheat says. "I get real bad headaches. I went from 220 pounds down to 160 pounds for no reason, and that's when I started suspecting that it was something related to the Gulf." [I]The shadows of that war eight years ago still haunt him. Wheat brought back more than victory from the front. Awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat, Wheat came home with pieces of shrapnel embedded in his body and with mysterious body pains. Jerry Wheat is convinced these ominous souvenirs from the firing line are connected. The ground campaign in the Gulf War involved much fighting by armoured forces. Wheat's unit was in the thick of it, and his vehicle was accidentally hit twice by fire from his own side. What Wheat did not know was that the shells that hit him were made from depleted uranium, the pride of the American arsenal. "It blew off my helmet and blew me into the front of the vehicle, " Wheat recalls. "I could feel it. I could feel the burning because when the rounds went through, the aluminum melted. And as it goes in you, just burns; it cauterizes as it goes in. At that point, I felt the shrapnel hit me in the back--hit me in the back of the head. I had second and third degree burns on the back of my head." It's the new wonder weapon the Pentagon calls a "silver bullet." What is depleted uranium? Depleted uranium is still uranium. There are three types of uranium, U238, U234 and U235. Uranium 234 and 235 are fissionable material, the kind used in bombs. Depleted uranium is what is left over when the U234 and U235 is removed. The remaining U238 is still highly radioactive. Depleted uranium shell A DU round is made from the leftover U238. The killing punch comes from the solid depleted uranium metal rod in the shell. A 120 mm tank round contains about 4000 grams or 10 pounds of solid DU. DU shell hits A DU rod is very dense. At high speed, it slices through tanks like a hot knife through butter. It burns on impact, creating flying bits and dust that are toxic and radioactive with a half-life of 4.2 billion years. In the Gulf War, the U.S. fired almost a million DU rounds, leaving a battlefield littered with 1,400 wrecked radioactive Iraqi tanks, crawled over by victorious GI's who were breathing in contaminated dust. Jerry Wheat and the other Gulf vets were never told of the risks of being exposed to a DU campaign. But after the shooting stopped and back home in Los Lunas, New Mexico, Wheat--now out of the army -- grew mystified as his health deteriorated. Military doctors had no answers. [I]Then a year after war's end, Wheat got startling evidence from his father--a technician at the famous Los Alamos Nuclear Research Centre, who just out of curiosity tested the shrapnel that came from his son's body and gear. The shrapnel was radioactive. Today, eight years after the Gulf War, that shrapnel still lights up a Geiger counter. He also keeps other pieces. "This is shrapnel out of my gear. And there was just a couple pieces that I took out of my body--a couple small pieces… I kept it since I found out the vehicle was hit with a DU penetrator, I just kept it so I would have it. Just kind of proof," Wheat says. The pieces on the table are not a danger, he says. "But if you actually got a piece that was depleted uranium and you had inhaled it or swallowed it or something, then you would have a potential heavy metal problem, " Wheat says. Jerry's great fear is that whatever he brought back with him from the Gulf is now afflicting his family. His older son Joe was hospitalized with breathing problems the day after Wheat dragged his contaminated gear into the house. Derrick, his youngest son, who was born after the war, suffers strange blisters on his hands. His wife suffered a miscarriage. Jerry himself recently had a tumour removed from his shoulder. He now worries continually about cancer. Jerry says the military has never shown any interest in his shrapnel. The military said Jerry's health problems are due to post traumatic stress. At the Pentagon, depleted uranium is no mystery weapon. The American military has been testing it for 40 years, yet no one in the corridors of power gave much attention to ensuring that American GI's knew how to handle the new weapons system. Bernard Rostker is the under secretary of the army, and he admits that over the years, troops were given no proper training. Rostker himself reported in 1998 that American soldiers in their thousands had been unnecessarily exposed to DU; this seven years after the end of the Gulf War, when it was first used. [I]"We were not diligent in training our troops," Rostker says. "That doesn't mean that there were any health consequences. These are men who survived friendly fire incidences and have been traumatized; some had been burned, some have lost limbs. So they are not without health problems. But those health problems are not attributable to the heavy metal toxicity or the radioactivity of depleted uranium." "So what do you tell the vets who are ailing from something and they feel it's because of depleted uranium weapons?" reporter Dan Bjarnson asks. "We, first of all, don't believe that this is people's imagination. We think people are ill. We have an extensive program trying to understand what they may have been exposed to on the battlefield. We have published over 23 reports. Unfortunately, we have not found a smoking gun." The number of Gulf War vets who were in contact with radioactive tanks or breathed in contaminated dust could be in the tens of thousands. Yet so far, only a fraction--about 200 vets, like Jerry Wheat - - are being monitored. The Pentagon still insists there is not enough evidence to link exposure with illness. [I]Doug Rokke is a thorn in the side of the military today because of what he learned eight years ago in the Gulf, where he served as lieutenant with the U.S. Army Preventitive Medicine Command. There he led army teams that cleaned up contaminated vehicles hit by DU rounds. Now he is collecting evidence that the Pentagon knew of the health hazards to himself and other vets all along. He now teaches at Jackson State University in Alabama. "It's obvious today that the military did know, but they didn't inform anybody," Rokke says. "There were two memorandums that came to us in March of 1991 as we started the cleanup of the contaminated equipment and the casualties in the Gulf. One memo was known as the Los Alamos memorandum." part, "there has been and continues to be a concern regarding the impact of DU on the environment. Therefore, if no one makes a case for the effectiveness of DU on the battlefield, DU rounds may become politically unacceptable and thus, be deleted from the arsenal. ...Keep this sensitive issue in mind when after action reports are written." "The Los Alamos memorandum specifically gave us guidance that said when we are writing a report, or reporting our findings, make sure -- make sure that we don't disrupt the future use of depleted uranium munitions," Rokke says. the same time. It read "Alpha particles (uranium oxide dust) from expended rounds is a health concern but, Beta particles from fragments and intact rounds is a serious health threat..." "The two memos, added together now after eight years of thought and research and discussions now, in my mind, are very clear. The United States and the world know about the health and the environmental consequences of using this munition and they don't care," Rokke says. We asked Roskter, if there is no DU problem, why these warnings about DU hazards issued as far back as 1991? "There has been concern all along with every weapon," Roster says, "We have done testing on depleted uranium, from the beginning, to determine whether it is of particular concern." After the Gulf War, Doug Rokke was assigned to produce a Pentagon training video to teach soldiers how to handle depleted uranium. It was a video that was ultimately shelved and never shown to the troops. ÿÿÿ"There are four general situations during which depleted uranium ÿÿÿmay present hazards to soldiers. One: if the equipment is damaged ÿÿÿor destroyed in combat or in an accident," the video says. [I]"This is part of the training video that we finished in 1995," Rokke says."The important part here, what we learned from our research, is everybody involved in working with depleted uranium contaminated equipment must wear respiratory protection and they must have some kind of coveralls or covering that can protect their clothes. What we learned, is you can't get this off the clothing." "In the Gulf, we basically just had dust masks. We were told that the dust masks and the surgical masks would work and we could wear gloves. And all we had was the uniforms that we had available." "And they knew no better; no one had ever hinted to them they were in peril?" Bjarnason asked. "And that's criminal," Rokke replies. The CBC showed that training video to Bernard Rostker at the Pentagon. [I]"Very interesting film, because you notice something that has been very confusing to some of the troops. Some of them were in full mop gear--chemical protective gear and a gas mask. But they show other soldiers who were in a bandanna. In fact what you really need is a dust respirator and that's to meet the standards of the EPA. That does not mean anybody who didn't meet the standards during the Gulf War have levels of depleted uranium were likely to be impacted permanently." The Pentagon built a high security, high priced, high tech cocoon at the Savannah River nuclear facility in Georgia to process radioactive materials from contaminated equipment. It has special walls and flooring to prevent any air or dust from escaping into the outside world. It's known as Building 101. "If they're going to spend millions and millions of dollars to clean up the contaminated equipment that's come back from the Gulf, which you have seen here, then how could they say there is no hazard?" Rokke asks. "Look at the amount of effort we do to take asbestos out of a building or lead paint. That doesn't mean that if you walk past a window that has had lead paint that you're going to immediately get lead paint poisoning," Rostker counters. Doug Rokke's experiences in the Gulf ended eight years ago, but he still fights his battles with the Pentagon from his home in Jacksonville, Alabama. He is convinced his health started to slip away because of his work among contaminated vehicles over there in the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait. "The problems that I have are breathing problems. My lungs have scar tissue in them. When I run or exercise, there are secretions--fluids just fill up in the lungs. I don't have the fine motor control to do all the fine things that I used to be able to do because the nerves don't work like they should. Eye problems, vision problems, kidney problems," Rokke says. Rokke has one important ally in his fight with the Pentagon. He is Dr. Jack Zerimba, head of the Gulf War Clinic at a U.S. Veteran's affairs clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. He studied Rokke's breathing problems and the scar tissue on his lungs and says, "That is consistent with uranium exposure and other things too, such as metal exposure." This official affirmation of a link is for Doug Rokke, his biggest victory in eight years. In Washington, the Gulf War vets have enlisted the attention of many politicians. Wisconsin Democrat Senator Russ Finegold pressed for and got an investigation by the high powered and independent General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress. "The evidence is contradictory with regard to the connection between depleted uranium and the many soldiers from the Gulf War who are complaining of ill effects," Finegold says. "Some reports indicate a real problem here; others question it. I think we need an independent investigation to determine whether this is really true. We have been through this before with many years of denial with regard to Agent Orange and its use in Vietnam. I don't want to see our government in any way, in fact or in perception, stonewall this issue of the health effects of depleted uranium. In the latest chapter of this revolutionary new weapons system, DU ammunition was fired in this spring's NATO war in Yugoslavia. As usage becomes more frequent, for Finegold, the need for answers becomes more urgent. [I]"Keep in mind that depleted uranium was used recently in Kosovo and may well have effected people there as well," Finegold says, "This is not just old news. It is real current news for those who are ill from the Gulf War. And we may be finding other people, from the Kosovo conflict, who will experience similar problems in the future because of depleted uranium." ***************************************************************** 10 Europe Worried about "Balkans War Syndrome" by our Internet Desk, 4 January 2001 [I]EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ARE EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT A SO-CALLED BALKANS WAR SYNDROME, NOW THAT SEVERAL SOLDIERS WHO SERVED AS PEACEKEEPERS IN BOSNIA HAVE DIED OF LEUKAEMIA. THE DISEASE HAS KILLED SIX ITALIANS WHO SERVED IN BOSNIA - AND ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIULIANO AMATO HAS SAID THE ALARM OVER THE SITUATION IS MORE THAN LEGITIMATE. TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT, HE'S REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM NATO. Following Italy's urgent request on Wednesday, NATO has agreed to look into the use of depleted uranium munitions in the Balkans conflicts. A meeting of the North Atlantic Council, NATO's highest decision- making body, and the alliance's political committee is slated for next Tuesday. Italy called on NATO to investigate claims that six Italian soldiers who died after serving in the Balkans were killed by exposure to depleted uranium from spent ammunition fired by NATO forces. Prime Minister Giuliano Amato spoke of a "very delicate situation" . He added that "we've always known that depleted uranium was used in Kosovo but not in Bosnia. We've always known it was a danger only in absolutely exceptional circumstances like, for example, picking up a fragment with a hand on which there was an open wound, while in normal circumstances it isn't dangerous at all. But now we're starting to have a justified fear that things aren't that simple." NO COINCIDENCE Mr Amato's remarks come amid widespread media coverage in Italy about the links between the use of depleted uranium in the Balkans and the recent deaths of six peacekeepers. All of them died of leukaemia. The latest casualty died in November. He had served twice in Bosnia, but never in Kosovo. Italian media suggest that the number of deaths is too high to be coincidental. [I]But NATO officials point to statements of medical experts in Italy, who claim that there is insufficient evidence to link the deaths to exposure to armour-piercing uranium bullets. The alliance's chief spokesman, Mark Latey, says NATO will meet Italy's request to provide information on the exact location of munitions used in Bosnia. Asked how harmful the use of depleted uranium in combat really is, he told Radio Netherlands that when it comes to the potential hazards, there are two issues involved: ÿ "First, there is the effect of radiation emitted from depleted uranium, which is very small indeed, because it's less than naturally occurring uranium. Besides, it's often used to protect people from the harmful effects of x-rays and the International Committee on Radiation protection doesn't list DU as a health hazard. The other potential harm comes from the heavy metal toxic poisoning, which could be compared to lead poisoning, but again, you would have to get very heavy exposure to that for a very long time to get for instance kidney problems. It's difficult to see how these high dosage could be administered" CONCERN AMONG OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES Portugal and Belgium have joined Italy's call for answers, urging the creation of an international commission of inquiry. Earlier, Belgium already urged European Union defence ministers to discuss the health problems suffered by peacekeepers in the Balkans. Five Belgian former peacekeepers have reportedly died from cancer after serving in the Balkans and one Portuguese soldier has also died in another case linked to uranium contamination. Portugal has rep[I]ortedly ordered medical tests for 10,000 military and civilian personnel who served there. Concerns have also been raised by service members or civilian aid workers in Britain and the Netherlands. NATO, however, has no plans for its own inquiry into the matter. Its spokesman Mark Latey explains why. ÿ "We're a military alliance, not a medical alliance: it's up to the member states to conduct an inquiry. There was similar concern over depleted uranium during the Gulf conflict, which prompted Britain and the United States to do extensive inquiries into the use of DU, but they incidentally didn't find anything. NATO, however, is aware of the concerns of its members and will do what its members ask it to do. Italy hasn't asked us to launch an inquiry, but to provide information and that's what we'll do." Meanwhile, our Rome correspondent Marc Leijendekker adds that there is broad political support, cutting across party lines, for a parliamentary inquiry. "History shows that NATO hasn't always given full information, and this may be a starting point for a full inquiry into what happened and into the precise dangers to which soldiers were exposed both in Kosovo and in Bosnia. NATO should realise that withholding information may reduce Italy's willingness to participate in future peacekeeping operations." DISCLAIMER: Radio Netherlands is not responsible for the content ***************************************************************** 11 CBC News: Investigation into 'Balkan Syndrome' widens WebPosted Fri Jan 5 01:19:41 2001 THE HAGUE - Concern is growing in Europe over the so-called Balkan War syndrome as the death toll rises among soldiers who served during the conflict. On Thursday, the Netherlands became the latest country to begin an investigation after two soldiers – one formerly based in Kosovo and the other in Bosnia – died of leukemia. At least 12 soldiers, including four French and six Italian servicemen, have died of leukemia which some say may be related to NATO's use of ammunition containing depleted uranium. Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Finland are all screening their Balkans veterans. On Wednesday, Italy asked NATO to formally investigate the growing concerns. "The issue has taken a serious turn and the alarm caused is more than legitimate," Italian Premier Giuliano Amato said in a newspaper interview. NATO's force in Bosnia, SFOR, acknowledged using depleted uranium ammunition there in late 1994 and 1995, but denied that it was making soldiers sick. In Kosovo, U.S. planes used the ammunition mostly in the central, western and southwestern parts of the province – areas where Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese peacekeepers later were deployed. U.S. veterans' groups say depleted uranium is partially responsible for so-called Gulf War syndrome, something the Pentagon has called "unlikely." Documents show that U.S. forces fired about 944,000 rounds in Iraq and Kuwait. NATO will have top-level discussions on the issue on Saturday, the Italian Foreign Ministry said. NATO ambassadors are also expected to discuss it at their regular meeting on Jan. 10. A UN team is doing a study on the syndrome following a trip to Kosovo in November. It's expected to report its findings in February. Canada's Department of Defence said there has been no increase in incidents of cancer among vets tested so far. In February, the government began a voluntary screening program. It's tested 90 Gulf War vets and 11 Balkans vets so far. Levels of depleted uranium were consistent with the general population. Spain also said its preliminary results showed normal levels. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome for CBC Radio ***************************************************************** 12 UN Tests Shows Kosovo Sites Radioactive-Report FRIDAY JANUARY 5 12:10 PM ET found evidence of significant radioactivity, a German newspaper said on Friday. Germany's TAZ daily said the UNEP tests had found that eight of 11 sites a U.N. team had tested in November were in part ``considerably contaminated.'' Uranium dust as well as unexploded munitions had been discovered, the paper said in an advance release of a story due for publication on Saturday. The paper said it had obtained a copy of an interim UNEP report dated December 29, 2000. NATO has come under increasing pressure from several European governments over claims that depleted uranium used in NATO weapons had caused death or illness among Balkan peacekeepers, dubbed ``Balkans Syndrome.'' The condition came under the spotlight after reports that six Italian soldiers who served in the former Yugoslavia had developed leukemia and died after exposure to spent ammunition. A U.N. report in May warned that much of Kosovo's water could be so contaminated as to be unfit to drink, and that a clean-up of the province could cost billions of dollars. It warned U.N. staff not to approach any target which might have been hit by a depleted uranium weapon. U.S. attack jets fired some 31,000 rounds of depleted uranium ammunition against Serbian targets during NATO's 1999 campaign to drive the Yugoslav army out of Kosovo. Some 10,000 rounds were also fired in neighboring Bosnia in 1994-5. The 11 sites the UNEP tested were among 112 in Kosovo hit by weapons containing depleted uranium according to a NATO map. The UNEP considers that the 11 sites tested are representative of all 112 and wants them all cordoned off, the paper said. The UNEP report also recommended that health checks should be carried out at least on residents of the immediate area, the paper said. Depleted uranium is used in the tips of missiles, shells and bullets to increase their ability to penetrate armor and can be pulverized on impact into a toxic radioactive dust, defense experts say. Reuters ***************************************************************** 13 Uranium May Not Have Caused Harm FRIDAY JANUARY 5 3:44 PM ET By EMMA ROSS, AP Medical Writer LONDON (AP) - While European governments scramble to screen soldiers who may have been exposed to depleted uranium in the Balkans, many medical experts are skeptical that it caused cancer and other illnesses reported by veterans. A heavy metal with low levels of radioactivity, depleted uranium is used in ammunition to penetrate tanks and other armor. Some scientists believe the dust created when rounds hit targets may be harmful, but studies of Gulf War troops have found no proof it caused diseases. Some experts say the health screenings are little more than a political strategy to head off accusations that governments are covering up ill health effects, as is alleged by some Gulf War veterans with unexplained illnesses. ``Depleted uranium vaporizes instantly. You would have to be very close to a damaged tank and be there within seconds of it being hit, '' said Yan Grosse, a toxicologist at the International Agency for exposed.'' But Roger William Coghill, a British radiation researcher, argued that depleted uranium - first used in ammunition during the Gulf War - could be the cause of illnesses reported by soldiers who served in the Balkans. Not all the depleted uranium vaporizes immediately and radioactive derivatives can linger in the air for months, he said. ``Just one particle in the lungs is enough,'' Coghill said, adding a single particle could travel to the lymph nodes, where the radioactivity would lower the body's defenses against lymphomas and leukemia. ``There's still a lot of science to be found out, but I can't believe you can dismiss the link out of hand,'' he said. of depleted uranium in Bosnia in 1994-95 and later in Kosovo flared in December after Italy's Defense Minister Sergio Mattarella announced an investigation of 30 cases of illness involving soldiers who served in the region, 12 of whom developed cancer. Five have died of leukemia. Spain, Portugal, Greece, Finland, Belgium, Turkey, Russia, Bulgaria, also said they would screen troops and check radiation levels where their peacekeepers are serving. health checks have revealed no problems with leukemia and other illnesses among U.S. troops who served in the Balkans. to the region in November and is expected to publish its report next month. Uranium occurs naturally in soil, water and air, and humans normally pick up trace amounts from food and water. Depleted uranium carries two threats - radiation and chemical poisoning. The main threat comes from inhaling the dust or ingesting it, experts say. Radiation can cause leukemia, and other cancers, while metal poisoning can lead to kidney damage, experts said. The five leukemia deaths among the 60,000 Italian soldiers equates to a rate of 8 per 100,000. The Italian government has not revealed whether any of the seven other cancer cases are leukemia. According to the World Health Organization, the normal leukemia incidence for Italian men is 13 per 100,000. ``The scientific consensus for depleted uranium is that if you ingested or inhaled the dust, you would see kidney damage before you'd see leukemia,'' said Michael Clark, science spokesman for the British National Radiological Protection Board. ``I can understand the connection they are trying to make with the war and it needs to be looked at, but to instinctively blame it on depleted uranium? You have to be very skeptical of that.'' Depleted uranium, the spent fuel of nuclear reactors, is 40 percent less radioactive than uranium in its natural state. Robert Haley, an epidemiologist at the University of Texas Southwest sites), doubts there is enough radiation in depleted uranium to cause radiation-related diseases. One reason depleted uranium is not a likely suspect is because it doesn't emit gamma rays - the most dangerous type, Haley said. It mostly emits alpha radiation, the least powerful, which reaches about an inch from the source. ``In the Balkan case, you don't expect to see leukemia, and certainly not this early,'' Haley said. ``If anything, you'd expect to see lung cancer from the inhaled particles, but not for another 20 years.'' Haley accused European governments of conducting the screenings for political reasons. ``Everybody has learned from the Gulf War and what happened with the veterans and the accusations of a cover-up. They've learned that you better take it seriously and act early,'' Haley said. The few studies on depleted uranium relate to the Gulf War. The U.S. Defense Department says approximately 90,000 American troops who served in the Gulf War complain of ailments such as fatigue, rashes, headaches, muscle and joint pain. A report in April by the U.S. General Accounting Office, which reviewed the medical evidence, concluded that inhaling or ingesting depleted uranium was unlikely to cause radiation sickness or cancer. Copyright c 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 14 Scare-Mongering Suspected As Uranium Fears Revive FRIDAY JANUARY 5 10:35 AM ET By Douglas Hamilton on Friday denied that its president Romano Prodi recklessly stoked a fresh scare over the alleged health risks of U.S. depleted uranium munitions with alarmist demands for ``the truth.'' Prodi told Italian radio on Thursday that the weapons should be abolished if they posed even minimal risk, adding: ``Even if this risk was not there I don't like the idea of using these particular weapons. ``I want the truth to be ascertained,'' Prodi said, apparently overlooking a large volume of scientific evidence amassed since charges first surfaced following the 1991 Gulf War, most of which says no link to cancer has been proved. former Italian premier Prodi was trying to support Prime Minister Gillian Amato, who is under pressure from left-wing allies to probe charges that NATO's use of the rounds in 1999 war caused so-called ``Balkan syndrome'' and six leukemia deaths in Italy. Prodi's spokesman, Jonathan Faull, said his boss was right to speak out, that the Commission was entitled to be concerned, and that the EU's 15 member states would also support it. ``The president did not say anything untoward. He made his comments at the right moment,'' he said. ``In case people might be thinking that this is not necessarily the established policy in the Balkan region,'' Faull added, citing Europe's prime role in environmental cleanup and reconstruction, and the health of its own workers. SCARE-MONGERING A NATO source said Italy had asked NATO Secretary General George Robertson for more information on the issue on December 22, but recent statements in the Italian media had unleashed ''hysteria.'' A NATO diplomat said there was a feeling Prodi was playing to a pacifist gallery ``but it probably went down well at home.'' The ``DU'' ammunition is the United States' best armor- piercing round and would likely be needed by EU forces should their proposed Rapid Reaction Corps have to undertake combat operations in any future crisis-management mission. Despite the lack of scientific evidence that its debris is life-threatening, some military analysts say the ammunition has become the target of such an obsessive international campaign that it is now more of a political liability than it is worth. A number of European allies have joined Italy's call for more investigation of a possible link between DU ammunition and cases of cancer among Balkan peacekeeping troops. Officials speaking off the record say ministers asked about such fears could hardly answer that they were not concerned. But the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Turkey, Canada, Norway, Spain, Finland and the International Committee of the Red Cross report no evidence of any link. BALKAN STAMPEDE Putting his finger on what NATO and EU security sources said was a genuine risk, Kosovo moderate leader Ibrahim Rugova said he feared irresponsible claims could lead to a stampede of peacekeeping and international agency staff from the province. According to a U.S. official fact-sheet, concerned European allies can offer nationals who may have been exposed to DU debris a simple test, consisting of a questionnaire to determine the likelihood of exposure and a 24-hour urine test. A negative urine result ``means that the level of uranium now in your body is no higher than would be expected from normal intake from natural sources (food, water, air)'' it says. One frequently-quoted anti-DU campaigner, Briton Roger Coghill, predicted 10,000 deaths in Kosovo from DU contamination, a warning repeated by the Italian campaign but rubbished by experts. In the latest issue of the authoritative Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, analyst William Arkin said Coghill's forecast early on in the 78- day-long air war was made without knowing ''whether NATO had fired one or one hundred thousand DU rounds. ``In the DU world, for every crackpot haunted by radiation, there is a craven and unsympathetic commander or bureaucrat,'' Arkin wrote. ``The war in Yugoslavia proved again that whenever and wherever DU appears, it is a political headache.'' Reuters ***************************************************************** 15 Fears grow about health effects of depleted uranium Published Friday, January 5, 2001 Associated Press BRUSSELS, BELGIUM--European governments are disturbed. Some of their soldiers are falling sick and dying, and they don't know why. Every day one question grows louder: Can the armor-piercing munitions made of depleted uranium that NATO used in Kosovo be causing cancer? No one so far has made the connection scientifically. Certainly not NATO. The United States, the only NATO ally to use depleted uranium weapons during the 78-day air campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999, insisted again Thursday that the munitions pose no health threat. In Washington, D.C., the Pentagon said it is aware of the concerns being raised by some allies. "We share those concerns," said Lt. Col. Paul Phillips. He said the United States has conducted many studies on depleted uranium, particularly since the 1991 Gulf War when the weapons were first used. "In each study, we've come away convinced that the use of depleted uranium munitions does not present significant or residual environmental or health risks," Phillips said. In Brussels, Belgium, NATO spokeswoman Simone de Manso said, "According to our knowledge from independent research ... there is no study that can prove a direct link between certain types of diseases of which people are now afraid and contact with depleted uranium." Her remarks echoed those of the NATO-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia, known as SFOR. It said in a statement Wednesday that research has shown "there is a negligible hazard" from the ammunition. "SFOR doesn' t believe that either the troops serving within SFOR today or the civilian population in Bosnia are at risk," the statement said. The reassurances haven't calmed Europeans' fears, and Thursday the 15-nation European Union added its voice. "There will be an informal inquiry," said E.U. spokesman Jonathan Faull. He said it is too soon to say whether soldiers who served in the Balkans under NATO were suffering from illnesses as a result of contact with depleted uranium. "What we know is that community citizens have been affected," he said. Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, the E.U.' s executive arm, said it "needs to know the truth." "If there exists the slightest risk, then these weapons should be abolished immediately," Prodi told Italian radio. A year ago, NATO Secretary-General George Robertson confirmed that U.S. jets had fired about 31,000 depleted-uranium rounds at Yugoslav armored vehicles in Kosovo. The depleted uranium is used in artillery shells because it is extremely dense and can pierce armor. The U.N. Environment Program is expected to release a report on the subject in February. And it will be discussed Tuesday at NATO' s weekly political committee meeting. Italy began investigating last week a possible link between depleted- uranium munitions and about 30 cases of serious illness involving soldiers who served in missions in Kosovo and earlier in Bosnia, 12 of whom developed cancer. Five of the soldiers have died of leukemia. France said Thursday that four French soldiers who served in the Balkans during the 1999 bombing campaign are being treated for leukemia. Spain, Portugal, Finland, Belgium, Greece, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Turkey announced plans to screen peacekeepers. But Wendla Paile of the Finnish Center for Radiation and Nuclear Safety in Helsinki said such screening is pointless. "The radiation from uranium depleted ammunition is so little that it could not explain these extra cases [of leukemia]," Paile said. Paul Beaver, an analyst at Janes Defense Weekly, said the countries screening their troops don't know what to look for. "The problem is there hasn't been any really good work done on it," he said. "There is no concrete information. There has been research carried out by the U.S. Army, the British and the French as well, but it seems inconclusive. I've read all the literature I can find on it, but I have no straight answer." ***************************************************************** 16 Uranium risk for British trooops A dozen Italian soldiers who served in the Balkans have developed cancer and lawmakers have been pressing the government for answers. Fears are growing that the health of British troops in Kosovo may have been put at risk by ammunition used in the conflict by Nato forces. Italian Defence Minister Sergio Mattarella has ordered an investigation into cancer cases among national soldiers who served in Kosovo and Bosnia. Italian and British troops were among the first to enter Kosovo as part of Nato's KFOR force. There are fears the cancer cases are linked to ammunition containing depleted uranium used by US warplanes during the 78 day bombing campaign One Portuguese soldier has already died, and there are believed to be two more soldiers in Italy possibly suffering from uranium poisoning. A dozen Italian soldiers who served in the Balkans have developed cancer and lawmakers have been pressing the government for answers. The cases include three veterans of peacekeeping duty in Bosnia who died of leukaemia last year. Another four soldiers involved in aircraft maintenance also died of cancer, the Milan daily Il Giornale has reported. The Italian investigation is being headed by Antonio Intelisano, the military prosecutor. A United Nations team in Kosovo is doing a similar study. Their report is expected early next year. NATO has said that US warplanes operating in Kosovo fired armour- piercing rounds containing depleted uranium during last year's campaign. There have already been warnings that the health of Gulf War veterans could be at risk from particles of depleted uranium. Former US colonel, Doctor Asaf Durakavic told an international doctors' conference that he had found a "significant presence" of the particles in two-thirds of the 17 veterans he had tested. Background Gulf War syndrome 'due to brain damage' Memory problems, fatigue and other mysterious ailments afflicting thousands of Gulf War veterans may be linked to chemical damage to certain parts of their brains, a team of Texas researchers has found. For years, those who questioned the validity of so-called Gulf War Syndrome have wondered how people suffering the same illness could have such disparate symptoms. The findings, by a team from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre at Dallas, showed sick veterans had damage to three areas of their brains. The damage appeared to cause symptoms including memory lapses, depression, general confusion, problems reading, solving problems and making decisions, and loss of balance. The said they believed the damage was caused by exposure to combinations of low-level nerve gas, anti-nerve gas tablets, pesticides and insect repellents. The Pentagon had previously criticised the research, saying the study was too small and has not been replicated. ***************************************************************** 17 Finland Screens Peacekeepers for "Balkan Syndrome" Central Europe Online Daily News - PRAGUE 06:26 AM HELSINKI, Jan 4, 2001--([*]Reuters) Finland is investigating the health of Finnish peacekeepers following reports of mysterious illnesses -- so-called "Balkan syndrome"--among NATO soldiers in the former Yugoslavia, officials said on Thursday. Initial tests have revealed nothing unusual in the health of the 800 Finns who served in Kosovo last year or the 800 serving there now as peacekeepers, but doctors will now expand checks to a broader group, military officials said. The Finnish inquiry follows calls by some NATO countries for a probe into claims that soldiers serving in the Balkans died after being exposed to depleted uranium from spent ammunition used in NATO's 1999 airstrikes against Yugoslavia. The so-called "Balkan syndrome" has come under the spotlight over the past few days following claims that six Italian soldiers who served in the Balkans developed leukemia and died after exposure to the ammunition. "Nothing unusual has been seen in health check-ups among Finnish peacekeepers so far," Colonel Pekka Majuri told Reuters. "There have been no cancer cases (among the Finns) and nothing even pointing in that direction." Nevertheless, the Defense Ministry has asked health officials to check blood samples from 50 peacekeepers after a study of five samples revealed no exposure to depleted uranium, Majuri said. Results could be expected within a few months. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that weapons containing depleted uranium had been used in parts of the zone patrolled by Finnish peacekeepers, though most of the ammunition of that kind had been used in the Italian and German zones. "Possible exposure in the Finnish zone would in any case have been very low," said Heikki Korpela, a doctor at Finland's central military hospital and an adviser to the Defense Ministry on the issue. He said depleted uranium was only half as radioactive as uranium occurring in nature and exposure would have to last for an average of five years to cause cancer. "I do not consider (the link between cancer and exposure to depleted uranium in Kosovo) at all likely," he said. (C)2001 Copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters Limited. [*][I]   c 1995-2000 European Internet Network Inc. All ***************************************************************** 18 Czech Soldier Who Served in Bosnia Dies of Leukemia Central Europe Online Daily News - Czech news agency CTK. Jan 4, 2001--([*]BBC Monitoring) Text of report in English by the Czech news agency CTK. Prague, 4 January: Helicopter pilot Michal Martinak died last year shortly after returning from a tour of duty in Bosnia and may have been a victim of what is being called "Balkans syndrome", writes Mlada fronta Dnes today. A number of countries whose troops have taken part in peacekeeping missions in the Balkans have expressed alarm over "Balkans syndrome", to which the deaths of cancer and leukemia of several soldiers have been attributed. It is thought that the use of depleted uranium in weapons may be the cause of the deaths. Helicopter commander Jaromir Dolezal told the daily that Martinak had done one tour of duty in Bosnia and was due to return when a medical check-up revealed that his blood was defective. He had passed a similar check-up before his first mission. The head of the army's health service Gen Jan Petras expressed his surprise when the daily informed him about the "syndrome" and said he would set up a team to investigate Martinak's death, the paper says. "We must look into the question of what can harm soldiers in the Balkans - whether it is the radioactive residue of missiles made of depleted uranium or the product of different chemicals," Petras told the daily. Docekal welcomed the fact that Petras was beginning an investigation. "It is hard to say whether Martinak's end is connected with his service in Bosnia, but after the experience of (Czechoslovak soldiers) who fought in the Gulf, I appreciate the general's step," he told the daily. Petras said that the radioactive effects of depleted uranium were insignificant and need not cause health problems, adding that Czech soldiers are thoroughly examined before and after missions. The post- service check-ups are intended to reveal the influence of any toxins which are the product of conflict situations. Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 0719 GMT 4 Jan 01 ***************************************************************** 19 UK SOLDIER 'IS VICTIM OF URANIUM' A British serviceman believes he is the first to suffer from an illness linked to depleted uranium weapons fired by US forces in the Balkans. Former Royal Engineer Kevin Rudland, 41, claims his health problems started after he returned from six months' service in Bosnia. His hair has fallen out, his teeth are rotting, and he suffers from osteoarthritis, bowel problems and fatigue. The case will put pressure on the Ministry of Defence to investigate health risks arising from the use of the controversial weapons, a by-product of the nuclear power industry. An MoD spokesman said: "We are unaware of anything that shows depleted uranium has caused any ill-health or death of people who served in Kosovo or Bosnia." c Associated Newspapers Ltd., 05 January 2001 ***************************************************************** 20 EU jittery as soldiers' cancer deaths linked to weapons - smh.com.au - World BY REPORTERS IN LONDON, PARIS, ROME NATO has been urged to declare a moratorium on the use of depleted uranium rounds as concern mounted across Europe over a spate of deaths among soldiers who had served in the Balkans. The French defence ministry said on Thursday four of its soldiers who were in the Balkans were being treated for leukaemia in military hospitals. The affair has also caused concern in Italy, where six soldiers who served in Bosnia or Kosovo have died of cancer; in Belgium, where five have died in mysterious circumstances; in Holland, where two have died of leukaemia; and in Portugal, where the death of a young corporal made headlines over Christmas. The European Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi, expressed his disquiet, saying light needed to be shed on possible links between sickness and the use of depleted uranium. "I want the truth to be ascertained, not only concerning the soldiers, but also for the people who lived near them," he told Italian radio. "If there is even a minimal risk, these arms must be abolished. Even if this risk was not there, I don't like the idea of using these particular weapons." Italian concern rose to new levels this week when it was reported that a 24-year-old Sicilian, Salvatore Carbonaro, was the sixth Italian Bosnia veteran to die of leukaemia. Thirty others were said to be seriously ill. Mr Carbonaro's family said he first showed symptoms three months after returning from his second tour of duty, in 1999. They were convinced that he was contaminated by uranium or liquid benzene after being assigned to an armoury in Bosnia. The Prime Minister, Mr Giuliano Amato, suggested that Italy might have been kept in the dark over the dangers of peacekeeping operations in Bosnia. President Carlo Ciampi called on NATO to provide more information. An Italian defence minister, Mr Marco Minniti, said: "NATO should discuss our proposal for a moratorium on uranium-based munitions." But he added: "At the moment, there does not seem to be any connection between the deaths or evidence that they are linked to the use of depleted uranium." The French Defence Minister, Mr Alain Richard, ordered an investigation into the condition of the four French soldiers "to see how badly they have been affected and the risks to which they were exposed", his spokesman said. "He wants to establish if there could be an eventual link between the appearance of this leukaemia and the time that the affected personnel did in the Balkans." In London, the Ministry of Defence said no British soldier was known to have died in suspicious circumstances in the wake of service in the Balkans and there was no evidence of any ill-effects caused by depleted uranium. US bombers were said to have fired 10,800 rounds of depleted uranium ammunition in Bosnia in 1995. There were about 31,000 depleted uranium rounds fired during the Kosovo conflict. More than one million were used during the Gulf War and veterans have cited them as one possible cause of Gulf War Syndrome. But the Pentagon said that its studies had produced no evidence that depleted uranium had caused any illnesses in Gulf War or Balkan veterans. A number of Gulf War veterans still had pieces of depleted uranium shells in their bodies and seemed to be suffering no ill-effects from the radiation. NATO has agreed to requests from Italy, Belgium and Portugal to investigate the effects of the use of depleted uranium in armour-piercing bombs and shells in the Balkans, particularly by American A10 aircraft. A NATO spokesman said that the North Atlantic Council would meet on Tuesday to discuss the matter. But he added that updated medical studies did "not show any link between the use of depleted uranium and the death of the military personnel". ***************************************************************** 21 WorldNews: U.S.: Depleted uranium no health risk UPI, Thu 4 Jan 2001 There is no proven link between weapons and armor that contain depleted uranium and sick soldiers, says Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon, who dismissed a European call to suspend using the weapons until more is known about the health affects. "We have studied depleted uranium at considerable length over the years because of (assumptions) it might contribute to Gulf War illness," Bacon said at a news conference Thursday. "We have not found any connection between illness and exposure to depleted uranium." Italy and many in the European Union believe otherwise. Six Italian peacekeepers that served in the Balkans have died from cancer, and Italy last week launched an inquiry to determine if depleted uranium may be the culprit. The United States used 31,000 rounds containing depleted uranium against Serb artillery during the 1999 Kosovo action, and 10,800 rounds in Sarajevo. "DU" is incorporated in armor-piercing rounds used by the A-10 aircraft and in armor on some tanks. It is a heavy metal and adds substantial weight and kinetic power to projectiles. Forty percent of its radioactive isotopes are removed and used to enrich other batches of uranium for nuclear weapons. Portugal has ordered radiation testing of its soldiers serving in Kosovo; Belgium has joined with Italy and Portugal in asking NATO to investigate the potential health effects of depleted uranium. The organization will take up the matter this weekend, according to Bacon. European Commission President Romano Prodi on Thursday suggested a moratorium be declared on the use of depleted uranium on the battlefield. "It is clear that if there is even a minimal risk, these arms must be abolished. And even if this risk was not there, I don't like the idea of using these particular weapons," Prodi told Italian state radio. Bacon dismissed this suggestion. "We don't see any health reasons to consider a moratorium at this stage," Bacon said. "From our standpoint, depleted uranium saves lives of soldiers," Bacon said, by making anti-armor ammunition more effective. Bacon said exposure to cigarette smoke over long periods poses more of a cancer risk than the radiation found in depleted uranium. "Radiation is a low (on the list) of contributors to leukemia, " Bacon said. "It's premature to talk about any link between depleted uranium and leukemia … We have not found any unusual health affects at all." The main danger posed by depleted uranium occurs if it is inhaled, according to Pentagon spokesman Brian Whitman. "The potential health danger from DU is in its chemical toxicity if it's ingested or inhaled in large quantity," said Whitman. In its ammunition or armor form, it is encased in a protective layer of steel. But if the rounds are used or the armor pierced, small particles of depleted uranium can float in the air like dust particles. U.S. soldiers are instructed to wear face masks where depleted uranium dust may be present. A heavy rain is usually sufficient to wash the dust away, according to Bacon Depleted uranium does pose a radiation hazard, but it is relatively minor: To exceed the safe exposure limit, a soldier would have to hold depleted uranium in his bare hand for 250 hours, Whitman said.-- SEARCH WORLDNEWS.COM FOR MORE ON . ***************************************************************** 22 Levels of radiation normal at Irish site - Army ireland.com - The Irish Times - IRELAND Friday, January 5, 2001 BY JIM CUSACK, SECURITY EDITOR A survey by the Army's Ordnance Corps found only normal radiation levels in areas of Kosovo where Irish troops are on peacekeeping duty. There are also no plans for further examination despite the growing controversy following the deaths of six Italian soldiers who served during the NATO campaign two years ago. The six servicemen reportedly died from leukaemia and the Italians have asked NATO to investigate claims that the soldiers were killed by exposure to munitions. France yesterday reported four of its soldiers had developed leukaemia after serving in Kosovo. Seven EU states are now seeking information about the use of depleted uranium-tipped antitank shells fired by US aircraft: Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Finland. The shells were fired by the A10 Thunderbolt, also known as the "tank- buster". The tips of the shells are made of the "heavy" metal depleted uranium (DU) to penetrate armour plating on tanks. Last year, media reports began referring to a possible "Kosovo Syndrome" similar to the reputed "Gulf War Syndrome" in which troops suffered mystery illnesses. In September, the Defence Forces sent a commandant from the Ordnance Corps to the southeast of Kosovo to carry out tests in the area of operations of the Irish Transport Unit. More than 200 troops have served so far in Kosovo and another unit of just over 100 in strength is on its way out. The officer tested the Irish camp, outside Pristina, and vehicles and found no abnormal levels of alpha radiation, the type emitted by depleted uranium. A spokesman for the Defence Forces said: "The report concluded that the radioactive risk in the area occupied by the Irish contingent was negligible." He said the risk to Irish troops, if any, would arise from drinking local water or consuming local vegetables or fruit from the areas where the usage of DU was highest. These areas are mainly in southwest Kosovo. Irish troops have been made aware of these locations and advised not to consume any food or water from them. The spokesman added: "We are continuing to gather and monitor information from both UN and NATO regarding actual and potential hazards from DU in the KFOR area of operations." The US government's position on the weapons is that they do not pose a health threat after use. The Pentagon says depleted uranium is 40 per cent less radioactive than normal soil or rock. ***************************************************************** 23 UN ADDS FUEL TO URANIUM WEAPONS ROW THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS IT HAS DISCOVERED HIGH LEVELS OF RADIATION AT EIGHT SITES IN THE BALKANS HIT BY NATO DEPLETED URANIUM WEAPONS. The revelation follows claims that the weapons could be linked to the deaths of six soldiers and cancer and other health problems among others. But the World Health Organisation added further confusion to the 'Balkan Syndrome' row when it said on Saturday it had found no rise in leukaemia cases in Kosovo. 'NOT SCIENTIFIC' The WHO stressed that its findings were not part of any scientific study. But UN spokeswoman Susan Manuel said doctors had been asked to supply figures for leukaemia cases between 1997 and 2000. "The initial survey showed the incidence of leukaemia in Kosovo has not increased," she said. A UN statement added: "There was a slight decrease in leukaemia in 2000 compared with 1997 and 1998." 'SURPRISING' Earlier UN environmental researchers said radiation levels were higher than normal at most of the sites they visited where depleted uranium weapons were known to have been used. Fragments of the shells and remains of some of their components were also found. Pekka Haavisto, the chairman of the UN assessment team, said: "It was surprising to find remnants of depleted uranium ammunition just lying on the ground one and a half years after the conflict. "Also the ground directly beneath the ammunition was slightly contaminated. "For this reason we paid special attention to the risks that uranium toxicity might pose to the ground waters on the site." ANALYSIS The samples taken by the team are being analysed by experts in Britain, Sweden, Austria and Italy. UN officials say they expect to receive the findings of those tests in early March. The researchers are now planning trips to Serbian and Montenegro to carry out similar checks. DEATHS Fears that depleted uranium weapons could be linked to cancer have been heightened after six Italian soldiers who served in the Balkans during the Kosovo conflict subsequently died from leukaemia. Four French troops sent to the region during the 1999 bombing campaign have also contracted the disease. The European Union and ten NATO member states have already launched their own inquiries. DENIAL Kevin Rudland 'screen soldiers' plea In Britain former Army engineer Kevin Rudland has claimed his ill- health is the result of NATO's use of depleted uranium cannon shells. But although the UK Ministry of Defence said it knew of the risks posed by the weapons' release of oxide dust at least since the Gulf war 10 years ago, the danger to personnel was limited. An MoD spokesman told SKY NEWS ONLINE the British military did not accept there was any link between the use of depleted uranium weapons and ill-health among troops. "Domestic smoke detectors give off more radioactivity than a depleted uranium round would," he said. The spokesman also said the MoD was not aware of any complaints from troops about ill-health linked to their service in the Balkans. INVESTIGATIONS UK and US:'No cancer link' Despite the denial of links between the weapons and ill-health among troops by both Britain and America, eight NATO member states are screening their troops. The British military says it is co-operating with a UK working group looking into the effects of such weapons which is due to report in the Spring. Ministers are also likely to study closely the latest findings of the UN research team which it said it had awaited with interest. c 2000 sky.com[*][I] --> ***************************************************************** 24 No Uranium Exposure, Bundeswehr Says F.A.Z. - English Version BY KARL FELDMEYER BERLIN. Amid mounting fears that German soldiers deployed in the Balkans could have been exposed to uranium used in munitions there, the Bundeswehr, the German military, announced on Thursday that none of its soldiers had fallen ill due to contact with the radioactive substance. Meanwhile, a Bulgarian medical team traveled to Kosovo on Thursday to screen its soldiers in the region following reports that depleted uranium used in NATO's armor-piercing ammunition may have caused cancer deaths among alliance soldiers. At the same time, the opposition Christian Democratic Union accused the German government of insufficiently screening German troops for exposure. The Bundeswehr, however, insists that no German soldier has been affected, saying it had been continuously monitoring the health of its soldiers in Bosnia-Herzegovinia and Kosovo. Moreover, the Bundeswehr believes it improbable that there is any causal connection between residues of uranium in munitions and the leukemia suffered by six Italian, one Czech and one Portuguese soldiers on NATO duty in the Balkans. The finding was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bundeswehr after reports were published that soldiers from NATO countries on duty in the Balkans had contracted leukemia and died. After France, Belgium, Portugal and Italy asked NATO for clarification on what some call the "Balkan syndrome," NATO decided to take up the issue at a meeting next Tuesday. According to the Bundeswehr report, some 31,000 rounds of such munitions were fired by U.S. A-10 ground attack aircraft during approximately 100 combat sorties. Depleted uranium, a dense metal with low levels of radioactivity, is used in artillery because of its ability to penetrate armor. It is designated depleted once the amount of the fissionable isotope U 235 has been reduced to 0.2 percent. Some believe the dust created upon impact may be harmful. The report identified the road from Pech via Djakovica to Prizren, the cities of Klina and Prizren and an area north of a line between the Suha Reka and Urosevac as the areas of Kosovo most affected by these munitions. According to Bundeswehr estimates, the radiation exposure from depleted uranium munitions residue is practically nil. They point out that the radiation emitted by depleted uranium munitions in one year amounts to only one-third of the dose that an average citizen is exposed to from natural radiation sources and added that radiation doses of that magnitude could not cause acute radiation injury. The report noted, however, that uranium's heavy metal qualities made it a potentially hazardous substance worth monitoring. The Bundeswehr can detect dangerous uranium dust with special nuclear-biological- chemical detection equipment, like the Fox reconnaissance vehicle. The German Defense Ministry has had regulations in place since 1997 to protect soldiers dealing with vehicles contaminated by depleted uranium munitions. They include regular monitoring of the entire area where German soldiers are deployed for residues from such munitions. The ministry reports that 15 suspected sites have been examined to date, but only two of which were found to be contaminated. U.S. warplanes used armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium mostly in the central, western and southwestern parts of Kosovo - - areas where Italian, Spanish and Portuguese peacekeepers later were deployed. Jan. 4 ;Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 2000 All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 25 Pentagon Denies Balkan Uranium Worry January 05, 2001 ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP)--Responding to a growing chorus of European suspicions, the Pentagon denies that U.S. and allied peacekeepers in the Balkans face a health hazard from remnants of American weapons that contain depleted uranium. "We have not found any link between illnesses and exposure to depleted uranium," Kenneth Bacon, spokesman for Defense Secretary William Cohen, said Thursday. "We're pretty confident of what we've said, which is we have found no direct link." The Pentagon has been investigating the question since the 1991 Gulf War, when such weapons were used in combat for the first time. The United Nations sent a team of experts last year to take samples of soil and water in Kosovo, where Air Force A-10 aircraft fired depleted uranium munitions in missions against Serb armored vehicles. Bacon said the samples are being evaluated at five laboratories, and the U.N. work is expected to be completed this spring. In several European countries, questions are being raised about whether depleted uranium exposure may pose cancer risks. On Thursday, a spokesman for the European Union said the 15-nation group would conduct an inquiry, and Bacon said the United States expects the issue to be raised at a NATO meeting next week. Last week, Italy began investigating possible links between depleted uranium munitions and about 30 cases of serious illness among soldiers who served in Kosovo and Bosnia. Bacon said 31,000 rounds of depleted uranium weapons were fired by American aircraft during the 1999 war in Kosovo. In U.S.-led NATO airstrikes against Bosnia in 1994 and 1995, about 10,800 rounds were fired around Sarajevo, he said. Questions about possible health risks have persisted, particularly within veterans groups, since shortly after the Gulf War. Some in Europe have raised the possibility that exposure to depleted uranium could cause cancers such as leukemia. Noting this, Bacon said "a logical starting point" for addressing that question would be an epidemiological study to determine if an unusually high incidence of leukemia occurred among soldiers who served in either Bosnia or Kosovo. "That's something that could be done by European allies, it could be done by us, but it hasn't been done yet," Bacon said. "And until people do that basic type of epidemiological work, which involves comparison groups, et cetera, I think it's premature to talk about any link between depleted uranium and leukemia. We have found nothing to link the two in our research." Uranium is best known in its enriched form, which is used to power nuclear plants and in nuclear weapons. A byproduct of the enrichment process is depleted uranium which, as its name implies, is depleted of much of its radioactivity. Because depleted uranium is extremely dense, it is an unusually effective penetrator of conventional tank armor. A 1999 Rand Corp. review of scientific literature on uranium found no studies indicating adverse health effects on humans from exposure to or ingestion of uranium compounds. Rand, which analyzes national security issues for the Pentagon, recommended more research, because the use of depleted uranium munitions is expected to grow. ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2001 LAS VEGAS SUN, INC. ***************************************************************** 26 Poland Urges Russia Nuke Inspection January 04, 2001 ASSOCIATED PRESS WARSAW, Poland (AP)--Poland on Thursday called for an "international inspection" to check reports that Russia has moved nuclear weapons into its Baltic military enclave of Kaliningrad. "Poland needs to monitor the situation in Kaliningrad on a day-to- day basis, and it is doing that," Defense Minister Bronislaw Komorowski said on Polish television. "Verification will include pushing for international inspection, which is a normal thing." Russia, whose Baltic Fleet is based in Kaliningrad, has denied moving nuclear weapons into the area and insists it is sticking to its commitment to keep the Baltic Sea a nuclear-free zone. "It is a problem whether to regard Russian assurances as credible, " Komorowski said, noting that Russia has in the past barred inspection of "some places" in the Kaliningrad region. "When one does not let somebody in, it means he has something to hide," Komorowski said. He did not specify how any inspections might be carried out, but said they would involve using contacts between Moscow and the West's NATO defense alliance. Poland, a communist ally of Moscow during the Cold War, joined NATO in March 1998. Kaliningrad is a Baltic Sea port located between Poland and Lithuania, a former Soviet Republic. It was left isolated from the rest of Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. ALL CONTENTS COPYRIGHT 2001 LAS VEGAS SUN, INC. ***************************************************************** 27 NATO SOLDIERS BEGIN TO DIE BECAUSE URANIUM WAS USED IN YUGOSLAVIA ASPOKESMAN FOR THE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS: THERE ARE NO ANY NUCLEAR WEAPONS AT BALTIC. RUSSIA HAS PLENTY OF OTHER MEANS TO RESPOND TO FARTHER EXPANSION OF NATO EASTWARDS Pravda.RU:Main:More in detail Pravda.RU:Main Jan, 04 2001 General Headquarters of Russian Armed Forces strongly denied the information of American newspaper “Washington Times” that Russia had began to return tactical nuclear weapons to one of missile bases in the territory of Kaliningrad region. According to the spokesman for the General Headquarters, “such information has nothing in common with the reality” and looks like a provocation. “Russia has plenty of other means to respond to farther expansion of NATO eastwards and in that way to guarantee its national security”, Ria-Novosti reports. “At the same time, the clock at the Spasskaya Tower of Kremlin counts out the beginning of the 21 century and new millennium,” he noted. “Washington time is slower than Moscow time. It is still under the influence of Cold war myths.” 24-year old former service-man Salvatore Karbanaro, who served in a peacemaking corps in 1996 in Bosnya, died of leucaemia on the night of November, 6. Two Dutch service-men who served in Bosnya 19:28 IS IT ECONOMIC STABILITY? The amount of currency reserves of Russia was totalled $ 27,9 milliard December 29, the PR department of Russian Bank reported on Thursday. in detail... 18:58 RF FOREIGN MINISTRY ACCUSES USA OF VIOLATION OF START-1 Spokesman for RF Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko accused USA of violation of the terms of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty -1, concerning the process of liquidation of intercontinental ballistic 18:17 CHECHEN COMMANDER WILL STAND TRIAL IN KABARDINO-BALKARIA The materials of the case of Chechen commander Salaudin Temirbulatov are sent to the Supreme Court of the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. The RF Supreme Court made such a decision. The facts of monstrous in detail... 17:59 ASPOKESMAN FOR THE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS: THERE ARE NO ANY NUCLEAR WEAPONS AT BALTIC. RUSSIA HAS PLENTY OF OTHER MEANS TO RESPOND TO FARTHER EXPANSION OF NATO EASTWARDS General Headquarters of Russian Armed Forces strongly denied the information of American newspaper “Washington Times” that Russia had began to return tactical nuclear weapons to one of missile bases in the territory 17:01 RUSSIA WILL NOT PAY OFF THE DEBTS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED BY THE BUDGET In concordance with vice-PM proposal, RF Finance Minister Alexey Kudrin, in the first quarter of 2001 Russia will repay the debts of former USSR to the Paris Club because they are not considered by the federal budget, a source in RF Finance Ministry reported today, “Ria-Novosti” 16:10 3HOUSES BLEW UP DURING A WEEK. THE FOURTH HOUSE WAS SAVED BY MIRACLE December, 29 as a result of the explosion a house in the town of Stariy Oskol was razed to the ground as a result of the explosion, December 31 a similar explosion took place in Novosibirks, a house in the city of Biysk was almost completely destroyed. All the explosions 15:37 ARED FLAG BECOME AN OFFICIAL STANDARD OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY Afederal law “on the Flag of Armed Forces of RF, the Flag of Navy and Flags of Other Forces” joins into force today. We will remind to you that the red flag of the Victory has been “illegally” used detail... 15:10 CLONING OF HUMANS IN US Clon-Aid, a private corporation, has set about the first cloning of a human being. There is information that the firm may have links with an influential religious sect. According to Itar-TASS, there are also first clients – a married couple is said to have ordered cloning of their daughter who died some time ago from heart disease. 14:48 100 PEOPLE FROZEN TO DEATH IN MOSCOW SINCE COLD SET IN Cold has claimed 100 lives in Moscow over the autumn-winter period so far. Wednesday night, 2 people died, Interfax reports. The first casualty of this kind had been recorded in the capital on October 10th. 14:36 RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY REACTS TO THE UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES’ DECISION TO FORBID E-MEDIA TO SPEAK RUSSIAN Russia's Foreign Ministry has expressed its surprise over the decision by Ukraine’s State Information and Telecoms Committee ordering all in detail... 12:30 POPE TO RESIGN? Pope John Paul II's health keeps on worsening. Doctors say the pontiff suffering from Parkinson's disease may become the first pope to resign. In doctors’ view, because of health problems the pope will be unable 11:50 SHEVARDNADZE ASKS FOR GAS Eduard Shevardnadze, president of the Republic of Georgia, has forwarded a letter to Vladimir Putin, president of the Russian Federation and Mikhail Kasyanov, Russian premier, asking to restore gas supply to 11:28 ACIA REPORT: THE WORLD SITUATION TO BE INCREASINGLY DETERMINED BY “TERRORISTS, CRIMINAL GROUPS, AND TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS According to the CIA report “The Global Trends to 2015,” international relations are set to be increasingly determined by “large and strong organizations,” not by national governments. The trend is reportedly spurred by blurring of national borders and development of the Internet. 11:19 ANDREI LUBENSKI: THE "HAMMER OF THE GODS" IS THE MAIN THREAT OF THE 21ST CENTURY. HUMAN CIVILIZATION CAN PERISH AT ANY MOMENT Presently, mankind is aware of 60 thousand asteroids. A thousand of them are found dangerous to the Earth. They started tackling this problem seriously just a short while ago. First, science fiction writers nicknamed the threat from space the "hammer of the Gods", then scientists began to estimate the probability and consequences 10:54 PORTUGAL: MORE EVIDENCE REVEALED AGAINST NATO RADIOACTIVE BOMBS IN KOSOVO Pravda.Ru presents a document issued by the Portuguese Defence Ministry which exposes a massive cover-up by NATO regarding the use of Depleted Uranium (DU) weapons in Kosovo. The world’s press follows Pravda.Ru’s lead in attacking DU weapons in Kosovo, months after Pravda.Ru exposed 10:27 PORTUGAL: BSE SCARE RUINS AZORES FARMERS The Azores islands are an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. Denominated the “Autonomous Region of the Azores”, they are Portuguese Territory and have been until now the main beef and dairy-producing region 10:11 EUROPEAN UNION: EURO ON HIGH AS U.S. FIGURES REGISTER 10-YEAR LOW The Euro hit a new five-month high yesterday, reaching 0.9458 USD, an increase of 15% in less than a month and the highest rate since 09:47 HENRY MARCONI: AUSTRALIA IS 100 Up to 1 million spectators assembled in Sydney to admire a gigantic fireworks display marking the New Year's Eve. The Australian media proclaimed the event 'the best New Year's party in the world'. Unlike other countries, Australians has an additional reason to celebrate 08:48 PORTUGAL: NEW TREATMENT FOR LUNG CANCER DISCOVERED The Biomedical Institute for Investigation of Light and Image, linked to the University of Coimbra, has developed a new treatment for lung cancer, one which is more effective against the disease and produces 08:29 UNITED KINGDOM: NEW DRIVE AGAINST FOOTBALL HOOLIGANISM IN 2001 Anew initiative against football hooliganism is launched by the United Kingdom’s Home Office (Interior Ministry). A far-reaching report by Home Office Minister Lord Bassam recommends 26 measures to stamp 08:21 YUGOSLAVIA: ULTIMATUM TO UNO FORCES In the deteriorating scenario in southern Serbia, where Albanian separatist guerillas now claim three towns to add to the other areas now hailed as a “Greater Albania”, the patience of the Serbian authorities grows thin in the face of apathy and ineffectiveness from the UNO forces. 08:11 EBOLA: FORGOTTEN BY THE MEDIA BUT VERY MUCH ALIVE – 173 DEATHS SINCE SEPTEMBER The Ebola outbreak in Uganda gained the world’s attention earlier this summer, with 40 cases reported of this horrific disease, which causes symptoms so horrendous that video film of patients has to in detail... 07:52 ANGOLA: GENERALISED ATTACK BY UNITA RESTRICTS ANGOLANS TO LARGE CITIES ONLY The rebel movement UNITA, led by Dr. Jonas Savimbi, has been fighting the ruling faction MPLA (of President Jose Eduardo dos Santos) since the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975. A quarter of a century later, in a war which has devastated the country, ruining agriculture, rendering 10% of the population injured, the nightmare 07:29 PORTUGAL: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN STARTED ON JANUARY, 1ST There are five candidates for the Portuguese Presidential Election on 14th January: Jorge Sampaio (Socialist Party) trying for a second 5-year term, Joaquim Ferreira do Amaral (Social Democratic Party), Antonio Abreu (Portuguese Communist Party), Fernando Rosas (Left Block) and Antonio Garcia Pereira (Portuguese Communist Workers’ 07:18 PORTUGAL: NEW SOCIAL PHENOMENON – WOMEN RAPING MEN The latest statistics released by the Portuguese Judiciary Police are somewhat disturbing: it is estimated that there are 11 cases in detail... Pravda.RU:Best articles on this week:Main 2000.12.28 THE SATELLITES BURNED DOWN IN THE ATMOSPHERE [*][I] 2001.01.01 PENTAGON SPOKESMAN: RUSSIAN AIRCRAFTS DID FLY OVER OUR AIRCRAFT CARRIER, BUT WE DID NOT FIND ANYTHING EXTRAORDINARY IN WHAT WAS GOING ON[*][I] 2001.01.01 THE KURSK SUBMARINE DISASTER: ANOTHER EVIDENCE OF A COLLISION. NORWEGIANS REMOVE THE VEIL OF SECRECY AND VIRTUALLY NAME KURSK KILLER [*][I] 2001.01.01 COLD WAR IS TO BEGIN? THREATS ARE ALREADY HEARD [*][I] 2000.12.31 LYRICS OF RUSSIA'S NATIONAL ANTHEM [*][I] 2001.01.01 UNITED STATES: NEW SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL FIRES FIRST SALVOES[*][I] 2001.01.01 THE RUSSIAN STATE DUMA IS ALARMED THAT THE USA ELECTIONS RESULTS WOULD PROBABLY BE FALSIFIED [*][I] 2001.01.01 EXPOSED: MASSIVE COVER-UP BY NATO ON USE OF RADIOACTIVE WEAPONS AS FIRST DEATHS ARE CONFIRMED [*][I] 2001.01.01 RUSSIAN AIRCRAFTS APPEAR TO HAVE THREE TIMES FLIED OVER THE KITTY HAWK AIRCRAFT CARRIER, NOT TWO. RUSSIAN PILOTS HAVE SENT PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE AIR TO THE AMERICANS BY E-MAIL [*][I] 2000.12.28 RUSSIAN NAVY IS PUTTING OUT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN, THE ATLANTIC AND THE INDIAN OCEAN [*][I] ***************************************************************** 28 Speakers Condemn Envirocare Plan FRIDAY, January 5, 2001 BY BRENT ISRAELSEN THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Ever since Envirocare of Utah a year ago proposed bringing "hotter" radioactive wastes into the state, the public has been relatively quiet on the matter. Not anymore. In a hearing Thursday night, Utahns for the first time turned out in large number to condemn Envirocare's proposal. "Keep this damn radioactive waste out of our state," said Todd Roberts, one of more than 100 Utah residents who packed a Utah Department of Environmental Quality boardroom to express opposition to Envirocare's plans. Those plans are to store "class B" and "class C" radioactive waste at its landfill 80 miles west of Salt Lake City. "Envirocare has a dirty past and they have a dangerous future," said Amy Leckner, one of about 50 people who signed up to speak at the public hearing, sponsored by the state Division of Radiation Control Board. The board was taking public comment on a request by the privately owned Envirocare to be exempted from a state rule that allows radioactive waste disposal only on government-owned sites. The land-use exemption is one of several obstacles Envirocare is seeking to overcome in its quest to be licensed for class B and C wastes, which are mainly contaminated materials from nuclear power plants, nuclear research labs and hospitals. Class B and C wastes are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of times more radioactive than the class A waste, which is mainly contaminated soil that the company currently is permitted to dispose of. Earlier this week, Envirocare cleared another hurdle when Bill Sinclair, the director of the Division of Radiation Control, gave his tentative approval to the technical and safety aspects of Envirocare's license application. Envirocare also has received required approval from the Tooele County Commission but still must get the blessing of the Utah Legislature and the governor. Given the rising popular opposition to Envirocare's proposal, the legislative and gubernatorial approvals will prove to be intriguing in the months ahead. In the first hour of Thursday night's hearing, nine of 15 speakers asked the board to deny Envirocare's request for a land-use exemption. The other six speakers were mainly Envirocare employees who said their company is safe and performs a national service by responsibly interring wastes that otherwise would poison neighborhoods and ecosystems around the country. "Envirocare is on the cutting edge of their job, " said Envirocare employee Mark Barton. "They are a safe and competent provider of waste disposal." The opposition to Envirocare's proposal centered on concerns of transportation safety and the possible stigma that Utah may suffer as the "nuclear waste dump of the nation." The concerns mirror those voiced against a concurrent proposal being pursued by the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians, who want to bring the nation's highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel to their reservation about 40 miles southeast of Envirocare's landfill. Envirocare officials have tried to distance their proposal from the Goshute plan, noting that spent nuclear fuel is in a much more dangerous class of radioactive wastes. Utahns, however, may not care about the distinction. A new poll released this week by the Deseret News revealed that 84 percent of Utah residents oppose Envirocare's plan. But there is a big difference in the public opposition to the Goshute proposal and the opposition to Envirocare's proposal: There are few politicians lined up against Envirocare. While Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt has successfully mobilized members of Congress, mayors and legislators to speak out against the Goshute proposal, none were on hand at Thursday's hearing. The dearth of elected officials prompted some Envirocare opponents to note that Envirocare, unlike the Goshute tribe, is active in donating to political campaigns. "It is clear that [Envirocare owner] Khosrow Semnani is better at playing the game than [Goshute Tribal Chairman] Leon Bear," said Salt Lake City activist Jerry Schmidt. %% Another hearing on Envirocare's land-use exemption request will be held Thursday at the Tooele County Courthouse at 7 p.m. The state Radiation Control Board is expected to make a decision on the request at its next regular meeting on Jan. 19. Hearings on the tentative decision to approve Envirocare's license will be held Feb. 1 at Department of Environmental Quality offices, Room 101, 168 N. 1950 West, Salt Lake City; Feb. 8 at the Layton Courtyard Marriott; Feb. 15 at the Tooele County Health Department building; and Feb. 22 at the Utah County Health Department building in Provo. All hearings will be held at 7 p.m., with an additional 2 p.m. hearing on Feb. 1 in Salt Lake City. %%n ***************************************************************** 29 Resist Proposal FRIDAY, January 5, 2001 Recent Salt Lake City newspaper articles have addressed some of the public's concerns on the rush to decide if Utah should permit and expand the level of radioactive waste (up from Class A to Class B and C) as requested by Envirocare. I believe there is a public policy in place and that it should not be compromised nor should a precedent be set by bypassing that policy. I understand that state regulators, as well as Utah citizens, believe there is no good reason that has been presented to override the state's concerns with safety and the public's response to this issue. It appears that Envirocare is in such a rush to increase its storage classifications that it is willing to disregard public policies and in fact, is stating that it is not willing to go along with the required process to permit and licence the upgrading of nuclear waste. This blatant disregard for our state's licensing and permitting requirements appears to be based solely on Envirocare's concern about their missed opportunity for profits. Is this a good enough reason to disregard Utah's state laws? Evidently, Envirocare and its lawyers think so, by suggesting that the Legislature move right along and rush the process, by manipulating Utah's public policies. Citizen concerns are not, as touted by Envirocare, born out of "uninformed fears" of anything "nuclear." We are concerned with the catapulting of Utah into the lead position of vying for the nation's burgeoning accumulation of radioactive waste from its power plants. Whether it is low-level nuclear waste or high- level spent nuclear fuel rods, we are concerned about Utah's image and future generations. Who is going to be babysitting these wastes when Charles Judd, et al., have sold out and are resting comfortably in their retirement years? That is only the short-term question - - the next question is who is tending to this radioactive nuclear waste obligation 100 plus years from now? Speaking of spent nuclear fuel rods, isn't there a contradiction in this state when everyone (other than a few Goshutes and the Tooele County Commission) is against the storage of high- level radioactive waste, but considers increasing Envirocare's level of nuclear storage from Class A to Class B and C, which is hundreds and even thousands of times more radioactive than their current disposal of waste in Utah? I would like to request that the Utah public policy that is in place be adhered to and ask that the Utah Radiation Control Board not participate in rushing this public policy. I also request that this board and the Department of Environmental Quality lobby the Utah Legislature with the same vigor that Envirocare has used, although everyone realizes they do not have the funds that Envirocare has used to impress the Utah legislators. ROSEMARY A. HOLT Salt Lake City c Copyright 2001, The Salt Lake Tribune ***************************************************************** 30 Flats workers will stay till it's done BY BETH WOHLBERG Camera Staff Writer ROCKY FLATS - The Rocky Flats steelworkers union and Kaiser- Hill Co., the cleanup contractor, have negotiated an unprecedented contract, effective through closure of the nuclear site. On Jan. 3, the United Steelworkers of America Local 8031 voted by almost a 2-to-1 margin to approve the new contract. The union represents about 1,400 workers at Rocky Flats. "I believe it is the first contract of its type because it goes through closure," said Jennifer Thompson, spokesperson for Kaiser-Hill. "Usually there is a beginning and an end to the contract. Basically, this contract makes them our work force of choice." The agreement is similar to the contract between Kaiser-Hill and the Department of Energy. Instead of the typical five-year DOE contract, the deal with Kaiser-Hill runs through closure in 2006, or beyond if the company takes longer than expected. "I'm assuming ... that this contract with the workers just dovetails with the DOE contract," said Steve Gunderson of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. "When the Kaiser-Hill contract expired, there was an option to renew it for one year. But the secretary (of energy) ... felt the company had done an admirable job, and instead of a five-year contract, their contract is through closure of the site." The workers' deal also allows room for a delay in closure. The contract is effective through 2007. The contract includes pay increases over the next three years, plus additional pay increases due to labor-grade consolidation; annual performance incentive payments of up to $4,200 each year; a 401K matching program for hourly workers; enhanced retirement options; and career assistance and retraining opportunities. Steelworkers make between $18 and $23 an hour at the site. The contract allows for a pay increase of about $3 an hour over the next three years. In an announcement by Kaiser-Hill, local union president Tony DeMaiori said, "Our union members have worked hard for the people of Colorado and this nation and so, we as union leaders worked extremely hard to gain them a contract through closure - a contract that would put the money where the work is, in the hands of the workers." Kaiser-Hill officials agree. "These workers have given good service to the country and the site, and they deserve to be the ones to bring the site to closure," Thompson said. "When you get right down to it, the workers are the key to closure. They are putting on the gloves and doing the work." Contact Beth Wohlberg at (303) 473-1364 or wohlbergb@thedailycamera.com. January 5, 2001 Copyright 2000 The Daily Camera. All rights reserved. Any ***************************************************************** 31 Boston named to DOE post on permanent basis This story was published Thu, Jan 4, 2001 BY THE HERALD STAFF Harry Boston has lost the word "acting" next to his job title. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson on Wednesday named Boston as the permanent manager of the Department of Energy's Office of River Protection, which manages Hanford's radioactive waste tank farms. Boston had been acting manager since Aug. 2--replacing Dick French, who was removed by DOE in a clash over how the site's waste glassification project should proceed. U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., said Boston's appointment " adds stability because you know someone is now there permanently. ... I think Harry Boston has done a good job. The best evidence is awarding the (tank waste glassification) contract a month ahead of its deadline (of Jan. 15)." Boston spent most of his career as a scientist and manager for Martin Marietta and Lockheed Martin at Oak Ridge, Tenn. His responsibilities included that site's tank farms. He moved to Hanford in 1996 as Lockheed Martin Hanford Corp.'s vice president for tank waste retrieval and disposal. In 1999, he became one of the DOE Richland office's two deputy managers, before being transferred to the Office of River Protection. 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: *****************************************************************