***************************************************************** 08/23/01 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 9.203 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POWER CONTENTS 1 Flaws in data could delay Yucca 2 TVA puts decision to restart on hold for now 3 IAEA Daily Press Review 4 Russia moves to import nuclear waste 5 INTERVIEW : Tetsunari Iida Government must halt nuclear policy `illusion' 6 Nuclear fuel proposal is under consideration 7 Michael S. Peck Named Resident Inspector at Columbia Generating 8 Alarm woes send BNFL staff home 08/23/01 9 Secret Ballot Result Tomorrow 10 Temporary Permission given Again 11 Nuclear test site evaluated for wind farm 12 NRC finds minor violation at Pennsylvania nuke 13 NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to Meet September 5 14 LETTERS: Yucca question 15 YUCCA MOUNTAIN: Repository opposition bolstered NUCLEAR WEAPONS CONTENTS 1 Pantex plant's citizen panel may lose its federal funding 2 Fernald study group ended over some members' protests 3 Weapons-grade plutonium disposal costs soar 4 Cash drying up for K-25 water study 5 Curbing Smuggling of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Central Asia 6 Opinion: It is little wonder other states don't accept DOE's word 7 Oak Ridge project will be big, bad and dirty 8 Russia Shipyard Trying to Raise Sub 9 WHO studies depleted uranium in Iraq ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POWER ARTICLES ***************************************************************** 1 Flaws in data could delay Yucca Las Vegas SUN Today: August 23, 2001 at 11:10:44 PDT By Mary Manning Study flaws Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff discovered errors in the Energy Department's scientific work at Yucca Mountain. The areas of concern include: + Missing data and calculation errors: NRC scientists could not find basic information in DOE's reports concerning radiation exposure, volcanic events and how fast water flows through Yucca Mountain. + Radiation exposures: Estimates for radiation and its effect on humans and the environment at Yucca Mountain were not consistent. + Chemical reactions: Because minerals in ground water could corrode buried waste containers, more study is needed. Problems with scientific findings may cause regulators to miss an Oct. 1 deadline, which may delay Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham's recommendation of Yucca Mountain as the nation's nuclear waste repository. If findings gathered at the mountain over 20 years cannot be verified, the Energy Department may not be able to request a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2002. NRC staff earlier this year discovered numerous flaws in the DOE's scientific information. William Reamer of the NRC on Wednesday said the DOE was preparing a schedule to respond to chronic problems of its scientific data, a process called "quality assurance." Reamer and other NRC staff have said the DOE has done a poor job preparing evidence that would pave the way for the commission to conduct up to four years of formal hearings to allow the construction of Yucca Mountain. How long the Yucca project may be delayed is unclear until after the DOE responds to the NRC's concerns, Reamer said. Bill Belke, NRC field representative in Las Vegas, said that the DOE has "significant deficiencies" with the Yucca Mountain program. It is Belke's job to visit Yucca Mountain and oversee the DOE's work there. If the flaws aren't corrected the NRC could not consider a license for Yucca Mountain, he said. "We have to have confidence in DOE documents before we can even consider a license," Belke said. Abraham is expected to recommend the site to President Bush by December if the NRC completes its review by Oct. 1. Bechtel SAIC Co., the primary contractor at Yucca Mountain, stopped developing software for the project in June because experts could not verify the accuracy of a computer program designed to verify the DOE's information. Bechtel experts could not determine whether staff were qualified to work on the computer program, said Bechtel's Nancy Williams, who is in charge of the company's work at the project. The latest snag in the project came a month after NRC staff members discovered missing scientific information, including calculation errors, varying radiation exposures and possible chemical reactions involving the buried nuclear waste and the containers that could result in radiation leaks. If Bush considers the project safe, he could forward his decision to Congress. But if Nevada vetoed the project as expected, Congress would have to override the state's objection to approve the repository site. The NRC would then consider licensing the repository. The DOE's schedule puts the Yucca Mountain recommendation in NRC's hands by late 2002. A permit would allow construction to begin about 2007, with the repository opening in 2010 at the earliest. All contents copyright 2001 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 2 TVA puts decision to restart on hold for now By Dennis Sherer Staff Writer August 23, 2001 DECATUR - The Tennessee Valley Authority is in no hurry to decide the future of the Unit 1 reactor at Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant, board Chairman Glenn McCullough Jr. said Wednesday. TVA officials confirmed last year they were considering restarting the reactor, which has not produced electricity in more than 15 years. Officials warned then that it could take a year or more to make a decision. After a meeting of the TVA board of directors at Cedar Ridge Middle School on Wednesday, McCullough said a decision on the restart is not expected anytime soon. "It would be inappropriate at this time to set a date for a decision. We are working on an environmental impact statement that will not be completed until January. "After that is complete, we will still have to conduct a very deliberate business study into the feasibility of restarting Unit 1," McCullough said. The environmental study is part of a review of feasibility in asking the nuclear regulatory commission to extend the operating license for the three reactors at Browns Ferry near Athens. The operating license for Unit 1 is scheduled to expire in 2013, with Units 2 and 3 expiring in 2014 and 2016 respectively. TVA is studying the environmental impact of extending the life of the reactors by 20 years. Even if TVA decides to seek an extension of the licenses for the reactors, McCullough said much study will be needed before deciding the fate of Unit 1. "The decision will be a business decision. It is going to be driven by a comprehensive study of the facts," McCullough said. TVA has estimated that it will cost $1.3 billion to $1.5 billion to return Unit 1 to working condition. Numerous parts that were removed and used in the restart of units 2 and 3 would have to be replaced. The three reactors at Browns Ferry were shut down in 1985 because of safety concerns. Unit 2 returned to service in 1991, and Unit 3 went back into operation in 1995. Work to restart Unit 1 is expected to take about five years. Business leaders and labor union officials around the Shoals have called on the TVA board to approve the restart because of the jobs it would create. About 2,000 skilled construction jobs would be created during the restart. Then, about 200 people would be needed to operate the reactor. Stephen Smith, executive director of Knoxville, Tenn.-based Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, urged McCullough and Director Skila Harris to look beyond the potential economic impact of a restart. Smith warned that the project could cost more than TVA expects. "We must remember TVA has never had a nuclear construction project that has come in under budget or on time," Smith said. Restarting Unit 2 cost $1.8 billion. The Unit 3 restart cost $1.9 billion. Smith said returning Unit 1 to electrical power production could lead to higher utility bills for Valley residents. But U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and Bud Cramer, D-Ala., have called on TVA to restart the reactor to ensure the Valley's future power needs are met and to help keep the price of electricity low in the region. In making their decision, McCullough said TVA officials will consider the impact restarting Unit 1 could have on utility bills. They will also consider the amount of air pollution from coal-burning power plants that could be reduced by the restart. TVA is coming under fire from environmental groups and government regulators about emissions from its coal-burning plants, including Colbert Fossil Plant in the Shoals. At Wednesday's meeting, McCullough and Harris heard concerns expressed by area residents about pollution from the coal-fired plants causing health and environmental problems. McCullough said TVA is working to reduce emissions from the plants. He said the utility has spent $2.7 billion on pollution-reduction equipment and plans to spend another $1 billion in the next four years. Dennis Sherer can be reached at 740-5746 or dennis.sherer@timesdaily.com. ***************************************************************** 3 IAEA Daily Press Review IAEA Daily Press Review Date 2001-08-23 Number 160 1. Non-proliferation US-China missile talks begin in Beijing; American allegations that Chinese have exported missile-related parts and technology to Pakistan are likely to figure. US officially denies setting deadline for Russia on issue of ABM defence. Russia rejects US proposal to withdraw jointly from ABM treaty, but signals its willingness for 'certain amendments'. (BBC; DAW; IHT - 23/8) China; Russian Federation; United States of America 2. Nuclear power Czech NPP Temelin increases output, connection to grid to follow. (R - 22/8) Czech Republic 3. Radwaste, fuel New DOE report endorses earlier scientific studies and recommends building of nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada; radioactive material reportedly can be safely stored for more than 10 000 years. US scientists tout method for processing nuclear waste. Campaign against dumping of radioactive waste in Irish Sea to go on in Ireland. (R; WSJ - 22/8) Ireland; United States of America 4. Energy, environment Bush administration to propose domestic programmes to fight greenhouse gases aiming to get US off sidelines in climate talks. Ministers for environmental protection of five North-European countries demand that UK reduce radioactivity level at reprocessing plant Sellafield. Norwegian environmentalists demand Norway, Sweden and Finland to stop financial grants to Russian NPPs in St. Petersburg and on Kola Peninsula. (NZZ; R; WSJ - 21, 23/8) Norway; Russian Federation; United Kingdom; United States of America 5. R Japanese scientists invent 'nukeman': six meters high and two meters wide mass-market miniaturisation of NPP called Rapid-L reactor is capable of generating 200 kilowatts and small enough to fit basement of office or apartment block. (G - 23/8) Japan 6. Miscellaneous More on 'Kursk': Russian navy commander denies nuclear fuel may leak from 'Kursk" after it is raised; Dutch MAMMOET insures itself for $ 50 million for possible radiation contamination of the sea during the lifting - only Russian insurers involved. (R - 22/8) Russian Federation About the IAEA | Programmes | Documents | Press Center | Jobs at IAEA | Books | Meetings | Periodicals | Reference Center | Home | ***************************************************************** 4 Russia moves to import nuclear waste theage.com.au, Breaking News Source: AFP|Published: Thursday August 23, 9:34 AM MOSCOW - The environment protection group Greenpeace lambasted Russia today for its decision to authorise nuclear waste imports on a huge billboard rented in northern Moscow and said Moscow was currently negotiating a first contract with Taiwan. Under the proposed agreement, Russia would import 2,000 tonnes of nuclear waste from a US-built Taiwanese nuclear power plant, Greenpeace officials said. Negotiations have entered their final stage, the officials said. The Russian nuclear ministry denied that talks were under way. "We are not carrying out any negotiations with any country at the moment," a ministry spokesman said. He stressed that Russia still had to "set up mechanisms to make such deals possible." Earlier this year, Greenpeace wrote in a report that the United States was giving serious thought to stocking US nuclear waste in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law last month allowing for the import of foreign nuclear waste into Russia. Greenpeace has rented a billboard for two weeks in Moscow and put up a large poster showing the Kremlin and the Russian parliament with a caption reading "No nuclear waste will be stocked here." Copyright © 2001 The Age Company Ltd. Any unauthorised use, ***************************************************************** 5 INTERVIEW : Tetsunari Iida Government must halt nuclear policy `illusion' asahi.com : ENGLISH The Asahi Shimbun Japan's program to recycle spent nuclear fuel is based on an illusion and should be scrapped or frozen, according to Tetsunari Iida, senior analyst with the Japan Research Institute. In an interview with The Asahi Shimbun, he outlined other options to replace the policy of establishing a fuel cycle. Following are excerpts from the interview: Q: The pluthermal project-in which nuclear fuel is recycled as plutonium-uranium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel-is on hold because of objections from local governments and residents. How do you see the situation? A: In the past, local communities have cooperated with the government's nuclear energy program because it gave them jobs and income. Now, however, they're saying ``No,'' and we should take this rejection seriously. Though the program is something of an illusion, (the central government) has imposed it on local communities without reviewing it. Q: What do you mean by an ``illusion''? A: The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry says the pluthermal project is key to establishing a nuclear fuel cycle, but that's not true. The government has been pushing its recycling policy with the primary aim of developing a fast-breeder reactor that uses plutonium extracted from spent nuclear fuel. However, this policy hit a wall because of an accident at the Monju (prototype fast-breeder reactor). In 1997, the pluthermal project was given top priority as a halfway house on the way to realizing a fuel cycle. The problem is that the fuel cycle itself is neither rational nor realistic. The fast-breeder reactor, even if it is developed according to plan, will supply only about 2 percent of the nation's electricity demand in 2050. Harnessing wind power is a more efficient way of producing that amount of electricity. Moreover, liberalization of the power industry will make it practically impossible for power companies to undertake the high costs of the pluthermal project. Q: What are the solutions? A: The government should, if possible, pull out of the fuel-cycle program or at the very least freeze the project and forget about commercializing it for the time being. The government should then discuss what to do with the existing stockpile of plutonium. The pluthermal option remains, but it should be used only to prevent surplus plutonium from finding its way into nuclear weapons. We can help prevent such misuse if MOX fuel, now produced under contract with European fuel reprocessing facilities, is irradiated with neutrons. We can also burn plutonium in reactors only at one selected site. Q: What should be done with spent nuclear fuel? A: Storing it on a temporary basis is the only solution acceptable to both the proponents and opponents of the nuclear energy program. This can be done in three ways. First, all spent fuel can be stored at one place under a centralized management system, an idea being considered by Tokyo Electric Power Co. for facilities in Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture. Second, dry storage at existing nuclear plants can be improved or expanded. Or third, it can be stored at facilities in major electricity-consuming areas like Tokyo. All three options merit consideration. Q: Will spent fuel be reprocessed after storage? A: No decision has yet been made on that, which is politically expedient as many people disagree with my view. They think that fast-breeder reactors will eventually be commercially viable. Q: What will happen to the reprocessing plant now under construction in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture? A: According to the current plan, radioactive materials will be passed through the system on a trial basis in 2004. But the costs of dismantling the plant will increase sharply if the tests are carried out, so operations there should be stopped before testing. Though the Diet is the appropriate place to discuss this question, it is unlikely to happen there. Power industry deregulation is the most important factor contributing to policy change. And as that deregulation progresses, problems with the fuel cycle will become clearer. Tetsunari Iida, senior analyst with the Japan Research Institute, is head of a nongovernmental organization which advocates the use of natural energy. He studied nuclear engineering at Kyoto University's graduate school. ***************************************************************** 6 Nuclear fuel proposal is under consideration charlotte.com - Published Thursday, August 23, 2001 final decision forthcoming Federal agencies, group under contract say that project is still on track By BRUCE HENDERSON Plans to blend weapons plutonium into fuel for two nuclear power plants near Charlotte are still on track, federal agencies and the consortium under contract to produce the fuel said Wednesday. The New York Times reported Tuesday that a two-track program to dispose of 50tons of surplus plutonium is "likely to be abandoned" by the Bush administration. Administration sources said the plan had financial problems both here and in Russia, its intended partner. The plan, which hinges on Russia's commitment to reduce its plutonium stockpile, is under review by the National Security Council, Department of Energy spokesman Joe Davis said Wednesday. "There has not been a final decision made," he said. "We're committed to moving forward with it." The government has already suspended one leg of the program, which would have entombed plutonium in a mixture of highly radioactive waste. That leaves a plan to produce mixed-oxide, or MOX, nuclear fuel by blending a small percentage of plutonium with uranium. The fuel would be used at Duke Power's McGuire and Catawba nuclear plants beginning in 2007. The Department of Energy signed a $116million contract in 1999 with a consortium led by Duke Engineering &Services to design and license a facility to manufacture the fuel. The facility is to be built near Aiken, S.C. "We have not heard anything from anybody that says this program is dead," said consortium spokesman Todd Kaish. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, charged with licensing the operation of the fuel plant, said it has no indications of changes in the program. Earlier this month, an anti-weapons group published an Energy report that cites rising costs in the program. The draft report said the estimated costs of the mixed-oxide fuel component have risen about 50percent since 1999, to about $3billion. The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League on Wednesday said it found indications of rising costs in the DCS-DOE contract and in government budget documents. Design cost estimates have risen from $50million in 1999 to $92million by 2002, the group said, while the square footage of the fuel facility has tripled. S.C. Gov. Jim Hodges wrote President Bush on Tuesday to again protest that South Carolina might be stuck with the plutonium if the program folds. "It now appears that the dual-track strategy is now a no-track strategy," Hodges wrote. Bruce Henderson: (704) 358-5051; bhenderson@charlotteobserver.com ***************************************************************** 7 Michael S. Peck Named Resident Inspector at Columbia Generating Station Region IV -- 2001- 46 - UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGION IV 611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 400, Arlington TX 76011 No. IV-01-046 August 22, 2001 CONTACT: Breck Henderson Phone: 817-860-8128 Cellular: 817-917-1227 e-mail: bwh@nrc.gov The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has named Michael S. Peck Resident Inspector at the Colombia Generating Station. He joins Senior Resident Inspector George Replogle at the Richland, Wash., nuclear plant. Mr. Peck earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and a master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Missouri in 1983. Following graduation, Mr. Peck worked as a reactor and operations engineer at the Clinton, Browns Ferry and Sequoyah nuclear plants. In 1990 Mr. Peck joined the NRC as a resident inspector at the Dresden nuclear plant, near Morris, Illinois. In 1993 he went to the U.S. Department of Energy at Hanford, Washington, where he worked as a facility representative. He returned to the NRC in 2000. Mr. Peck, his wife and three children, will reside in West Richland. Each U.S. commercial nuclear power plant has at least two NRC resident inspectors. They serve as the agency's eyes and ears at the facility, conducting regular inspections and monitoring significant work projects. ***************************************************************** 8 Alarm woes send BNFL staff home 08/23/01 Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, August 23, 2001 by Paul Parson Oak Ridger staff For the second day in a row, workers involved in BNFL Inc.'s cleanup project at the Oak Ridge K-25 site were sent home due to a malfunctioning alarm. BNFL spokesman Norman Hammitt said this morning that the company is once again experiencing problems with an alarm in its supercompactor. The troubles started shortly after 3 a.m. on Wednesday. Hammitt said the supercompactor alarm initially set off "criticality alarms" in building K-33 on Wednesday morning. Night- and day-shift workers were sent home due to the problem. "We did not have a radiation scare," Hammitt said. BNFL thought the situation was remedied, but the alarm went off again around 6:15 p.m. Wednesday. Night-shift workers were sent home and so were those reporting to work this morning. Hammitt said the alarm takes a while to recharge and employees can't be working unless the system functions correctly. He said BNFL hopes to have the problem remedied today. DOE and BNFL signed a $238 million, six-year, fixed-price contract on Aug. 25, 1997, to decontaminate and decommission three buildings at K-25. Those buildings are K-33, which totals 2.8 million square feet; K-29, 586,880 square feet; and K-31, 1.4 million square feet. BNFL gets paid after it completes milestones on the project. All Contents ©Copyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 9 Secret Ballot Result Tomorrow THE WHITEHAVEN NEWS Thursday, August 23, 2001 Sellafield industrial workers will learn tomorrow whether or not industrial action is an option over their latest pay offer. BNFL's offer of an extra 2.75 per cent on basic pay and bonuses has been put to a secret ballot among the workforce over the last fortnight. Ballot papers have been returned "thick and fast" and counting will take place tomorrow. Union officials say they are delighted by the high response to the ballot which recommends acceptance of the BNFL deal covering the next two years. But in the event, the Sellafield workforce give it the thumbs down, national union officers said on the ballot papers that "the only way to make further progress will be by way of sustained and effective industrial action" as the company's final offer was the best to be achieved through negotiation. Sellafield staff have already accepted the deal but a straw poll taken by shop stewards indicated possible rejection. If the industrials vote "no", a separate industrial action ballot will have to be held. GMB site convenor John Kane and AEEU regional organiser Alan Westnedge said yesterday they were both pleased by a high return of ballot papers, with more still coming in. Shop stewards will travel from Sellafield to the AEEU office in Whitehaven to count the craft votes tomorrow morning while the general worker votes will be counted on site by shop stewards and other workforce representatives. The decision is expected to be known during the afternoon. ***************************************************************** 10 Temporary Permission given Again THE WHITEHAVEN NEWS Thursday, August 23, 2001 A building at Sellafield which has been temporary for the last eight years has been given the okay to continue for another five years - on a temporary basis, of course. The building, once a canteen, was first given planning permission in 1992 to serve as a temporary training facility for Thorp. This was renewed in 1996 for a further temporary period of five years. With its expiry at the end of August, BNFL applied to Copeland council for another five years - again temporary. Copeland's planning panel gave it a rubber stamping but not before chairman, Coun Sam Meteer exclaimed: "Another temporary one." Then Coun David Moore, who is chairman of the Sellafield Local Liaison Committee, quipped: "Perhaps sometime we could have a review of all the temporary buildings on the Sellafield site." ***************************************************************** 11 Nuclear test site evaluated for wind farm Thursday, August 23, 2001 By Environmental News Network [Nevada Test Site showing craters from atomic testing in the 1990s ] Nevada Test Site showing craters from atomic testing in the 1990s The same wind that spread radioactive dust from nuclear explosions at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site during the 1990s may soon be generating electricity for Nevada and other Western states. A 1,069-acre wind farm on the Nevada Test Site about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas is in the final planning stages. The U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE, NNSA) took public comments during the past 30 days on the scope of a proposed environmental impact statement for the wind farm. The environmental impact statement will address potential environmental impacts of the construction, operation, and maintenance of the wind farm. An agreement signed in January between the Energy Department and Nevada Sen. Harry Reid will result in the second largest wind-power farm in the United States. Reid played a key role in obtaining the easement on the property from the Nevada Test Site Development Corporation (NTSDC), a nonprofit corporation that works with the Department of Energy to promote the growth of science and technology in Nevada. The deal allows the NTSDC, the designated community reuse organization for the Nevada Test Site, together with M Wind Power Inc. and Siemens to construct, operate, and maintain a wind farm at the test site. Plans provide for up to 545 wind turbines generating up to 600 megawatts of electricity. A megawatt is enough electricity to power 1,000 typical American homes. "The time is right to embrace new forms of clean energy, and Nevada is the right location to build a pollution-free wind farm that will serve as a source for that much needed power," said Sen. Reid. The current power shortage in California has focused national attention on the need for more generation facilities in the Western United States. Several states have adopted renewable energy portfolio standards requiring utilities to purchase power from renewable energy sources. The proposed facilities would support the need for additional generation and provide utilities the opportunity to meet their requirements to purchase renewable energy. According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the total wind energy potential of California and five other Western states — Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Washington, and Oregon — is more than 600,000 MW. "There are limits to how much of this resource can be tapped in the near term, primarily because of limited transmission-line capacity," said AWEA executive director Randall Swisher. "But wind should be at the top of the list as California looks for new sources of electricity." In November 2000, the National Nuclear Security Administration in Nevada (NNSA/NV) began preparing an environmental assessment for the proposed project. The draft assessment was provided for review and comment to Nevada state agencies, other federal agencies, affiliated American Indian tribes, and other interested parties in March 2001. Several issues were raised by the commentors: land use on the surrounding Nevada Test Site, inadequacy of current power distribution systems, and the potential impacts on cultural and biological resources at the proposed sites. Based upon its analysis, NNSA/NV has determined that an environmental assessment would not support a finding of no significant impact. Since a significant impact is expected, a formal environmental impact statement is being prepared. The environmental impact statement will consider three locations, all on the Nevada Test Site: Pahute Mesa and the Shoshone Mountain area which is the preferred alternative, Skull Mountain, and Rainier Mesa. These locations have been suggested as suitable for wind-power development because they are located at high elevations near steep-sided ridges and have winds of sufficient velocity and duration to make wind power economically feasible. Electrical power from the wind farms would be collected by cable systems and fed to one or two proposed substations on the Nevada Test Site. Because the existing 138-kilovolt power loop on the test site can handle only 85 MW, a limited number of turbines could be interconnected to it at any given time. A new transmission line to handle the full 600 megawatts the proposed wind farm would generate is proposed for construction along the existing Forty Mile Canyon power corridor. Issues for analysis in the environmental impact statement include impacts to cultural resources with archeological significance on Shoshone Mountain and Pahute Mesa and impacts to resources and sites important to the 17 Native American tribes with cultural affiliation to the Nevada Test Site. Impacts to plants, animals, and habitats, including threatened or endangered species and their habitats, associated with clearing, grading, and constructing roads and operating wind turbines in previously undisturbed areas will be considered. The consumption of natural resources and energy associated with constructing and operating a wind turbine farm also will be evaluated. Any potential irreversible and irretrievable commitments of resources associated with locating, constructing, and operating a wind farm on the Nevada Test Site will be assessed. Comments on the proposed scope of the wind farm environmental impact statement are still welcome from the public. To ensure concerns are considered in the environmental impact statement, comments must be postmarked by Aug. 24. Late comments will be considered to the extent practical. Email Kevin Thornton at nepa@nv.doe.gov Copyright 2001, Environmental News Network ***************************************************************** 12 NRC finds minor violation at Pennsylvania nuke [Reuters] Thursday August 23, 3:45 PM EDT NEW YORK, Aug 23 (Reuters) - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said Thursday it found a violation of its safety rules at Exelon Corp.'s (EXC) Peach Bottom nuclear station in Pennsylvania. The NRC, in a statement, characterized the violation as "white," meaning it is an issue of low to moderate importance to plant safety but one which may require additional NRC inspections. The violation involved several occasions when the public address and evacuation alarm system at Peach Bottom was not maintained or did not work properly. The NRC said the issue has low to moderate safety significance because a failed on-site communication system would prevent plant operators from informing personnel of protective actions and could delay a site evacuation. "This problem with the public address system is just one of a number of emergency preparedness related problems that have surfaced in the past several months," said Hubert Miler, administrator of NRC Region I. Miller said Exelon, based in Chicago, has initiated actions to resolve these problems and strengthen emergency preparedness performance in its Mid-Atlantic operating group. NRC officials classify safety violations at nuclear plants as one of four colors indicating an increased level of severity, beginning with green and progressing to white, yellow or red. The NRC said the plant may be subject to increased oversight such as additional meetings or inspections. --Scott DiSavino, New York Power Desk, +646-223-6072, fax +646-223-6079, e-mail scott.disavino@reuters.com ©2001 Reuters Limited. ***************************************************************** 13 NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to Meet September 5 - 8 in Rockville, Maryland Press Release - 2001 - 105 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: Web Site: No. 01-105 August 23, 2001 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) has scheduled a meeting September 5 - 8 in Rockville, Maryland, to discuss, among other items, the agency's reactor oversight process. The meeting, most of which is open to the public, will be held in Room T-2B3 of the agency's Two White Flint North building, at 11545 Rockville Pike. It will begin at 8:30 a.m. each day. A complete agenda is attached. For additional information on the meeting or schedule changes, please contact Dr. Sher Bahadur at 301-415-0138. ACRS meeting notices, transcripts and letters are available on the internet, at . # ACRS Meeting Agenda WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 8:30 - 8:35 A.M. Opening Remarks by the ACRS Vice Chairman (Open) 1.1) Opening statement 1.2) Items of current interest 1.3) Priorities for preparation of ACRS reports 8:35 - 10:00 A.M. Proposed Resolution of Generic Safety Issue (GSI)-191,"Assessment of Debris Accumulation on PWR Sump Pump Performance" (Open) 2.1) Remarks by the Subcommittee Chairman 2.2) Briefing by and discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the proposed resolution of GSI-191. Representatives of the nuclear industry will provide their views, as appropriate. 10:00 - 10:20 A.M. ***BREAK*** 10:20 - 12:00 Noon EPRI Report on Resolution of Generic Letter 96-06 Waterhammer Issues (Open/Closed) 3.1) Remarks by the Subcommittee Chairman 3.2) Briefing by and discussions with representatives of the NRC staff and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) regarding the EPRI Report, TR-113594, "Resolution of Generic Letter 96-06 Waterhammer Issues." [Note: A portion of this session may be closed to discuss EPRI proprietary information] 12:00 - 1:00 P.M. ***LUNCH*** 1:00 - 1:30 P.M. Reconciliation of ACRS Comments and Recommendations (Open) Discussion of the responses from the NRC Executive Director for Operations to comments and recommendations included in recent ACRS reports and letters. 1:30 - 2:00 P.M. Subcommittee Report (Open) Report by the Chairman of the Thermal-Hydraulic Phenomena Subcommittee on the results of the meeting held on July 17-18, 2001 at the Oregon State University. 2:00 - 2:30 P.M. ***BREAK*** 2:30 - 4:00 P.M. Reactor Oversight Process (Open) 6.1) Remarks by the Subcommittee Chairman 6.2) Briefing by and discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the use of performance indicators in the reactor oversight process, initial implementation of the significance determination process (SDP), and technical adequacy of the SDP to contribute to the reactor oversight process. Representatives of the nuclear industry will provide their views, as appropriate. 4:00 - 4:20 P.M. ***BREAK*** 4:20 - 7:00 P.M. Proposed ACRS Reports (Open) Discussion of proposed ACRS reports on: 7.1) EPRI Report on Resolution of Generic Letter 96-06 Waterhammer Issues 7.2) Reactor Oversight Process 7.3) Proposed Resolution of GSI-191, Assessment of Debris Accumulation on PWR Sump Pump Performance THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2001 8:30 - 8:35 A.M. Opening Remarks by the ACRS Chairman (Open) 8:35 - 9:00 A.M. Peer Review of PRA Certification Process 9.1) Remarks by the Subcommittee Chairman 9.2) Report by Mr. Markley, ACRS Senior Staff Engineer, regarding the application of the PRA certification process described in NEI 00-02, "Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) Peer Review Process Guidance," for the North Anna Power Station that was conducted by the Westinghouse Owners Group and discussed with the licensee on July 16-20, 2001 in Richmond, Virginia. 9:00 - 10:00 A.M. Meeting with the NRC Commissioner Merrifield (Open) (GEA/JTL) Meeting with Commissioner Merrifield to discuss items of mutual interest. 10:00 - 10:20 A.M. ***BREAK*** 10:20 - 12:00 Noon TRACG Best-Estimate Thermal-Hydraulic Code (Open/Closed) (GBW/PAB) 11.1) Remarks by the Subcommittee Chairman 11.2) Briefing by and discussions with representatives of the NRC staff and the GE Nuclear Energy regarding the General Electric TRACG best-estimate code and its application for anticipated operational occurrences transient analyses. [NOTE: A portion of this session may be closed to discuss General Electric Proprietary Information.] 12:00 - 1:00 P.M. ***LUNCH*** 1:00 - 2:00 P.M. Proposed Final Revision to Regulatory Guide 1.78 (DG-1089), "Main Control Room Habitability During a Postulated Hazardous Chemical Release" (Open) 12.1) Remarks by the Subcommittee Chairman 12.2) Briefing by and discussions with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the proposed final revision to Regulatory Guide 1.78. Representatives of the nuclear industry will provide their view, as appropriate. 2:00 - 2:20 P.M. ***BREAK*** 2:20 - 7:00 P.M. Proposed ACRS Reports (Open) Discussion of proposed ACRS reports on: 13.1) TRACG Best-Estimate Thermal-Hydraulic Code 13.2) Reactor Oversight Process 13.3) Proposed Resolution of GSI-191, Assessment of Debris Accumulation on PWR Sump Pump Performance 13.4) EPRI Report on Resolution of Generic Letter 96-06 ) Waterhammer Issues 13.5) Proposed Final Revision to Regulatory Guide 1.78 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2001 8:30 - 8:35 A.M. Opening Remarks by the ACRS Chairman (Open) 8:35 - 9:30 A.M. Future ACRS Activities/Report of the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee (Open) 15.1) Discussion of the recommendations of the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee regarding items proposed for consideration by the full Committee during future ACRS meetings. 15.2) Report of the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee on matters related to the conduct of ACRS business, and organizational and personnel matters relating to the ACRS. 9:30 - 6:00 P.M. Proposed ACRS Reports (Open) 12:00-1:00 P.M. LUNCH Continue discussion of proposed ACRS reports listed under Item 13. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2001 8:30 - 11:30 A.M. Proposed ACRS Reports (Open) Continue discussion of proposed ACRS reports listed under Item 13. 11:30 - 12:00 Noon Miscellaneous (Open) (GEA/JTL) Discussion of matters related to the conduct of Committee activities and matters and specific issues that were not completed during previous meetings, as time and availability of information permit. 12:00 Noon Adjourn ***************************************************************** 14 LETTERS: Yucca question [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Thursday, August 23, 2001 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal To the editor: The news media are having a field day with ex-Gov. Robert List's announcement that the state of Nevada should be looking for ways to make money from the storing of nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. I am not surprised at the hypocrisy shown by the ones objecting to Mr. List's suggestion. The verbal objections coming from our two elected senators in Washington, our present governor, Kenny Guinn, and of course our duly elected mayor, Oscar Goodman, are rather ridiculous when one looks at the money they are receiving from the businesses and the gambling industry to promote their views and wishes. I have lived in Nevada for more than 35 years and the action of our politicians never ceases to amaze me. The fact that these people decry the inevitable, yet neglect to do what is morally right when it comes to other shady businesses, is so ridiculous that it defies logic. The attitudes and actions of our politicians make one think of the old saying, "Don't do as I do, but do as I say." I would like all of our politicians who were elected by the majority of us common people to represent us, instead of listening to the wishes of the lobbyists representing the gambling and business interests in our state. When the reality finally gets through some thick skulls that Yucca Mountain will be used for what it was designed and built, just maybe the whole state can get some financial benefits from this instead of having nuclear waste being stored for free in Nevada. JOHN BROUILLARD LAS VEGAS This story is located at: http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-23-Thu-2001/opinion/16824204.html ***************************************************************** 15 YUCCA MOUNTAIN: Repository opposition bolstered [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Thursday, August 23, 2001 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal Lawmakers see flaws in federal report By KEITH ROGERS REVIEW-JOURNAL Two Nevada lawmakers bolstered their opposition Wednesday to the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in the aftermath of a federal report that says it would perform within radiation safety standards. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said Yucca Mountain Project scientists are relying too much on engineered barriers to prevent radionuclides from spent nuclear fuel pellets from escaping the repository, if one is built, 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Department of Energy scientists have said if spent fuel rods are put in the mountain without special containers, the geologic features of the mountain would contain 99.9 percent of the radionuclides from 77,000 tons of high-level radioactive waste over 10,000 years -- the period for which Environmental Protection Agency standards would apply. "This document once again proves just how badly this country has distorted the original standards of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act," Berkley said in a statement. She said Wednesday the original act was supposed to find a natural geologic area that could contain the waste. "The DOE is basing its methods of waste management on man-made structures that they hope may last 10,000 years. But the DOE conclusions are based on a flawed standard offered by the EPA, which ignores the fact that the waste will remain toxic long after the man-made structures have rotted away," she said. Berkley noted the range of uncertainty with the risk calculations by project scientists "is so ridiculously small, as to be totally untrustworthy." "Finally, this document is not required by law, but was published by the Department of Energy to drum up support for a project that makes a sham of science, a joke of states' rights, and a patsy of the American taxpayer," Berkley said. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., said he wasn't surprised by the content of the Yucca Mountain Preliminary Site Suitability Evaluation, released Tuesday. Similar comments have been made by the staffs of Berkley, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev. In a telephone interview from Reno, Ensign said he doesn't think the repository can meet EPA standards "and obviously the transportation (issue) isn't addressed." Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, state Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, and Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, sent a letter to former GOP Gov. Robert List asking him to reconsider "for the good of the state" his consulting work for a pro-nuclear power lobby group, the Nuclear Energy Institute. List, president and chief executive officer of a consulting company that bears his name, said he has read the letter. Nevada's governor from 1979 to 1983, List said he is opposed to bringing high-level nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain for disposal but his effort with the Nuclear Energy Institute is focused on looking out for Nevada's economic future in case a repository is built. "The reality is as a Nevadan, I love this state and there's no way I would advocate a project if it is found to be unsafe," he said. This story is located at: http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Aug-23-Thu-2001/news/16834948.html ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARTICLES ***************************************************************** 1 Pantex plant's citizen panel may lose its federal funding The Dallas Morning News: Texas/Southwest Board told it must limit oversight to ecological monitoring 08/23/2001 Associated Press AMARILLO  The Pantex Plant Citizens Advisory Board could be without funding if it doesn't accept the Department of Energy's plan to limit the board's oversight scope to environmental monitoring. Board co-chairman Walt Kelley said Dan Glenn, the DOE's Amarillo office manager, told him that federal laws governing the Pantex board's operations must be followed. "He said he would be hard-pressed to provide funding," Mr. Kelley said. "There were no threats made." The DOE rejected a plan that would have allowed advisory board members to retain the ability to issue recommendations on Pantex's nuclear weapons operations. In May, local and national DOE officials said the board's charter does not include Pantex's nuclear operations. The board went to DOE headquarters to ask officials there to intervene in the dispute over the board's advisory role. For years, the board has issued Pantex recommendations on issues ranging from storage to environmental cleanup, according to a story in Wednesday's Amarillo Globe-News. Ralph E. Erickson, DOE's acting associate administrator for facilities and operations, told board members in a July 28 letter that DOE would not allow the board to continue making recommendations on Pantex health, safety and operational matters. © 2001 The Dallas Morning News Privacy policy 2000 EPpy ***************************************************************** 2 Fernald study group ended over some members' protests Thursday, August 23, 2001 By Tim Bonfield The Cincinnati Enquirer Federal officials on Wednesday disbanded a committee that had been studying the health effects of pollution from the former Fernald uranium processing plant even though several committee members say many health questions remain unanswered. The Fernald Health Effects Subcommittee was formed four years ago by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was to provide advice on what sorts of studies were needed to measure the health damage caused by radioactive and toxic chemical pollution from Fernald. “We've received the information we need,” said Mike Donnelly, deputy chief of the CDC radiation studies branch. The committee has served as the public forum for releasing several reports detailing health risks related to Fernald: A risk assessment issued in 1998 revealed an increased risk of lung cancer among neighbors, linked to radon gas emitted from the site. A 1999 report found slightly increased risks of leukemia and breast, bone and kidney cancer for neighbors. Among workers, studies have reported increased lung and stomach cancers. Meanwhile, a court-ordered medical monitoring program has found higher-than-expected numbers of people with chronic kidney and bladder disease that may or may not be linked to Fernald. Despite these findings, committee members want more details about the health damage suffered by workers; the risks linked to toxic chemicals used at Fernald (as opposed to the radiation concerns); and whether Fernald pollution triggered birth defects, miscarriages, infertility, learning disabilities or genetic damage. “Now, just as we have the technology in hand to study the genetic damage from these releases, this committee is shutting down,” said committee member Robert Hanavan, a longtime Fernald neighbor. The CDC decided not to pursue questions about reproductive issues mostly because there is so little reliable data about what would be the expected number of problems in the area, said CDC scientist Judith Qualters. Other questions about toxic waste risks are still being studied by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, rather than the CDC's radiation studies branch. ***************************************************************** 3 Weapons-grade plutonium disposal costs soar CBC News: Radio-Canada WebPosted Wed Aug 22 09:35:30 2001 WASHINGTON - Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. will continue its tests on using weapons-grade plutonium as fuel in a nuclear reactor despite recent rumblings that the United States is about to pull out of the program. Tests currently under way in Chalk River, Ontario, are evaluating how MOX fuel burns in a Candu reactor. MOX fuel is plutonium oxide mixed in small amounts with uranium oxide. Canada agreed to test the fuel in the reactors at Chalk River in an effort to find ways to dispose of the surplus stocks of weapons-grade plutonium in Russia and the United States now that they have dismantled large portions of their nuclear arsenals. In the mid-1990s, an ambitious program was announced that would dispose of 100 tons of plutonium either by burning it as fuel or otherwise rendering it useless. One goal of the program was to keep the plutonium off the black market – and out of the hands of terrorists and rogue states. After a recent report said the cost of the program had soared to $6.6 billion, some experts in the field are anticipating Washington will back out. Ed Lyman of the Nuclear Control Institute in Washington says it's hard to know what will happen next. "I think the role that Canada could play in plutonium disposition is much less certain," he said. "It never was very certain." Indeed, the Canadian commitment to the process doesn't extend beyond the testing already under way. AECL is only testing the fuel to see if it works. That prompted some critics of the program to say it amounts to little more than a potential pitch for AECL sales people. But when Canada agreed to do the testing, then foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy said it was a good idea, and the right thing to do. And until an official decision comes from the U.S. Congress that the program is being scrapped, the testing will go on at Chalk River. Written by CBC News Online staff Peter Armstrong reports for CBC Radio ***************************************************************** 4 Cash drying up for K-25 water study Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, August 23, 2001 by Paul Parson Oak Ridger staff A draft progress report on the examination into historic water contaminations at the Oak Ridge K-25 site has raised some questions on the project's future. The report, which was issued this week, indicates the team conducting the investigation may be forced to stop work due to "budget constraints." Bob Garber with Parallax Inc., which coordinates the water investigation, explained that the project is running out of money. The reason, according to Garber, is that work on the project began in October and Parallax didn't anticipate it would last this long. DOE spokesman Steven Wyatt said this morning that the current scope of the K-25 project has been "funded to completion," but the effort may receive addition funding. He said Parallax was awarded a $1.5 million contract for the project. The investigation into K-25's water systems began after employees voiced concern last year that cross-connecting water lines could have resulted in exposure to hazardous materials at the former gaseous diffusion plant. Outside of the funding issue, the recently released draft report states that the project team has made "substantial progress reviewing documents and developing an understanding of the water systems" at K-25. The team says it has identified a preliminary list of contaminants of concern and potential exposure routes. In addition, the report indicates the following: + Storm sewers were known to be used for discharge of laboratory wastes, fire drills and wash down of spills. + Firefighting and recirculating cooling water systems were used as backup to each other and at times these systems were cross-connected with the sanitary system. + Cross-connections with the firefighting and recirculating cooling water systems were identified and corrected, but it is not known how long these existed or what the associated hazard might have been. Garber said there should be enough money to issue a final version of the draft report. The project's Community Input Team are currently reviewing the draft document. The historic water contamination project has been hit with a couple of controversies over the last several months. In fact, some members of the project's Community Input Team are asking for a legal investigation because computer hard drives have turned up missing and no information was saved following the demolition of Building K-1001, a facility several sick workers say they worked in. All Contents ©Copyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 5 Curbing Smuggling of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Central Asia News from the Washington File [International Information Programs] [Washington File] 22 August 2001 (U.S. program trains regional customs and border officials) (980) Approximately 80 customs and border officials from Central Asia are participating in a U.S.-sponsored program in Texas to learn state-of-the-art methods for detecting nuclear, chemical and biological weapons components that could be smuggled across borders. The three-week training session will be taught by American customs and border patrol officers and will include instruction in uncovering hidden compartments in vehicles, identifying false documents and analyzing suspicious behavior, and practice using x-ray equipment, fiber-optic scopes and advanced computer technologies. Participants are from outposts in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan that border China, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and ports on the Caspian Sea. Since 1998, according to the U.S. Customs Service, foreign customs officers trained through this program have made eight significant seizures, including 10 radioactive lead containers concealed in a scrap metal truck traveling from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, and 10 grams of highly enriched Uranium-235 concealed in an air compressor in a car traveling from Romania to Bulgaria. Following is the text of the release with more details: (begin text) U.S. Customs Service Washington, D.C. Tuesday, August 21, 2001 U.S. CUSTOMS KICKS OFF TRAINING TO HELP FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS COMBAT SPREAD OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Customs Service today announced the launch of a three-week training session in Hidalgo, Texas, designed to help customs and border officials from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan combat the cross-border smuggling of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons components. During the training session, which will extend through September 8, U.S. Customs officials from the Hidalgo Port of Entry and from the Office of International Affairs at Customs headquarters will provide International Border Interdiction Training (IBIT) to the foreign participants in classrooms and in the field. "There are few missions more critical to U.S. Customs than helping our foreign counterparts combat the spread of weapons of mass destruction," said Acting U.S. Customs Service Commissioner Charles Winwood. "U.S. Customs counter-proliferation training programs have helped foreign authorities make numerous weapons-related seizures in recent years. We are confident this training will yield similar results." The IBIT training in Hidalgo is being provided by U.S. Customs and U.S. Border Patrol officials under the auspices of the Export Control and Border Security (EXBS) program. Funded by the U.S. State Department, the EXBS program is a joint effort by the Departments of State, Commerce, Defense and Energy, in conjunction with U.S. Customs, to provide non-proliferation training and equipment to 28 nations, most of them in the former Soviet Bloc. The IBIT training provided by U.S. Customs officers will include instruction in counter-terrorism techniques, the detection of hidden compartments in cargo and passenger vehicles, the use of high-tech detection technology, the selection of high-risk vehicles and passengers, and passenger interviewing and behavioral analysis techniques. U.S. Customs inspectors will highlight the use of state-of-the-art detection technologies, including X-Ray equipment, density measuring units, fiber-optic scopes, and advanced computer technologies. U.S. Customs inspectors will also demonstrate "low tech" technologies and equipment used to detect weapons-related contraband at international borders. U.S. Border Patrol officials will provide training in tactical radio communications, officer safety, patrol techniques, sensor placement, and false document identification. Approximately 80 foreign officials are scheduled to participate in the IBIT training session. The officers have been selected from the ranks of supervisors and line officials who work in outposts in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan that border China, Russia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and ports on the Caspian Sea. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, there has been a substantial increase in the threat of trafficking of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and related components. U.S. Customs has been at the forefront of U.S. government efforts to counter this threat. Through all of its international non-proliferation programs, U.S. Customs has provided training to more than 2,600 foreign customs and border officers. U.S. Customs has also delivered millions of dollars worth of interdiction and detection equipment to officers in these nations. Customs international non-proliferation programs have achieved encouraging results. Since 1998, there have been eight significant seizures by foreign customs or police agencies attributed to U.S. Customs non-proliferation training. Two recent seizures are exemplary: -- In March 2000, authorities at the Gisht Kuprik border crossing in Uzbekistan seized 10 radioactive lead containers concealed in scrap metal in a truck entering from Kazakhstan. The Iranian driver of the truck and his radioactive cargo were bound for Pakistan. Uzbekistan authorities found the radioactive material after their portable radiation "pagers" alerted as the truck entered the customs post. The radiation pagers had been provided to Uzbekistan authorities by the U.S. Customs Service. -- In May 1999, customs officials at the Ruse border crossing in Bulgaria discovered 10 grams of highly enriched U-235 (uranium) inside a lead "pig" concealed in an air compressor. The compressor was hidden in the trunk of a car. The Bulgarian customs officer who found the U-235 had received counter-proliferation training from the U.S. Customs Service just prior to the seizure. His supervisor, who was also involved in the seizure, had been trained by U.S. Customs officers in an advanced counter-proliferation course in Washington State. Furthermore, the Bulgarian laboratory director who examined and identified the materials had received technical training from the U.S. Customs Service. In the months following completion of the IBIT session in Hidalgo, U.S. Customs Service officials and officials from other U.S. agencies plan to conduct follow-up training for the foreign officers who participated in the IBIT exercise. This training would be held in the foreign officers' home countries and would be designed to help them develop country-specific techniques using the information and equipment gleaned from the IBIT exercise. (end text) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) This site is produced and maintained by the U.S. Department of ***************************************************************** 6 Opinion: It is little wonder other states don't accept DOE's word Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 11:56 a.m. on Thursday, August 23, 2001 An editorial from the Maryville Daily Times Our federal government is tremendous in size -- even beyond our imagination -- but that is no excuse for it failing to keep its word. It would appear on the surface that we have too many arms or organizations within the federal government that can legally promise things in behalf of the national government but have no way of assuring that they will happen. And it often seems that those who promised are either powerless or don't care that their promises and agreements are not carried out. Less frequently both Congress and the various presidential administrations get caught in the same situation. Currently the state of Tennessee is justifiably complaining that the nation's proposed Department of Energy (DOE) environmental budget ignores the federal government's commitment to clean up nuclear pollution in Oak Ridge. Justin Wilson, policy deputy to Gov. Don Sundquist, said in a recent letter to the Secretary of Energy Jessie Hill Roberson that he would pursue all necessary action to make the federal government live up to its obligation. At best, he wrote, the level of budget reductions being proposed for the Oak Ridge environmental management program for Fiscal Year 2002 is a breach of faith. The reductions will force Tennessee to pursue appropriate regulatory enforcement. Wilson said the Department of Energy is trying to change previously negotiated milestones for cleanup projects in Oak Ridge, despite being repeatedly told by the state that the changes are unacceptable. He added, ``We refuse to accept circumstances under which the United States just walks away from the legacy of the Cold War.'' The main concern is the DOE plan to delay a major ponds cleanup project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory by 17 months because of a budget shortfall. It is a project that should be of the highest priority. In 1999, the secretary of energy signed a statement of principles clearly stating DOE's intent to meet its commitments to Tennessee. Just two years later these commitments are being ignored. Federal authorities sometimes pretend they don't understand why the states refuse to allow permanent storage of nuclear wastes and related cleanup. Too many states have seen how Tennessee is paying for being a willing cooperator only to find the federal government's word isn't worth the paper it is written on - unless it is something to the fed's advantage!. All Contents ©Copyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 7 Oak Ridge project will be big, bad and dirty By Frank Munger The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that it will take eight years and about $300 million to clean up and tear down two oversized remnants of the early atomic age. Pardon me, but I'm skeptical. I think DOE may be guessing. The federal agency and its contractors already have spent a good bit of time and money doing engineering evaluations and cost estimates on the Oak Ridge demolition project. I just don't think those detail-packed documents adequately convey the uncertainties involved in this big, dirty job. Of course, that's just my opinion. I'm sure the feds would tell you everything is under control. But history is on my side. You could have made good money over the years betting against DOE's estimates on time schedules and costs. The upcoming project involves two of the World War II-era buildings at the K-25 plant, a former uranium-enrichment facility now officially known as the East Tennessee Technology Park. The new name signifies DOE's intent to convert the sprawling site to private industrial uses. The two buildings - K-25, constructed in 1943, and K-27, added two years later - are enormous structures. That's particularly true of K-25, a mile-long, U-shaped behemoth, which was the world's largest building under one roof at the time it was constructed. These facilities are as dirty as they are big. The principal radioactive contaminant is uranium. There's reported to be about 3 tons of uranium (with a high percentage of U-235, the fissile isotope) inside the K-25 and K-27 buildings. Much of that is coating the inside of process pipes, but there's plenty of contamination on the exterior of equipment and other surfaces as a result of accidents. A planning document lists about 30 uranium releases inside the buildings that exceeded one kilogram (about 2.2 pounds), beginning with an accident inside K-25 on April 28, 1945. Long-time workers at the plant say the list doesn't begin to cover the discharges they witnessed routinely. Because these buildings processed gaseous uranium compounds at highly concentrated levels of U-235 (up to 95 percent at one point), there is always the potential for a criticality accident - an uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction with severe release of radiation. "It has been determined that in its current configuration, the equipment in these buildings is safe,'' the engineering evaluation report said. "However, there are limited number of items in the K-25 building cascade that could potentially pose a criticality risk if the configuration of equipment changes.'' Uranium processing in these facilities was shut down decades ago, and that magnifies the opportunity for surprises and makes the cleanup operation all the more difficult. There are other radioactive materials present besides uranium, notably technetium-99 but also some plutonium and neptunium and trace contaminants left from a period when the Oak Ridge plant processed uranium that had previously been in a nuclear reactor. DOE reports that more than 1,500 radiation surveys have been performed in recent years at the buildings but adds this cautionary note: "... The majority of surveys were performed in routinely accessible areas of the facilities and, thus, the results are not indicative of contamination levels in cell housing, escape alleys and pipe galleries.'' Indeed, a 1952 accident in the K-27 building released about 1,700 pounds of uranium hexafluoride and caused massive contamination. Despite extensive efforts to clean up the hazardous mess, the intricate piping layout in some areas made that impossible. "After removing as much as could be accessed, a cocoon material was sprayed over the surfaces in the pipe galleries to seal in any remaining uranium materials,'' a DOE analysis said. "Based on this release, it is assumed that the majority of the K-27 building pipe gallery is radiologically contaminated.'' Inside the miles and miles of piping, there are deposits of uranium that accumulated over the years. An effort to remove some of the bigger deposits in the mid-1990s had limited success. The biggest surprise of all would be if the contractors find what they expect when they begin tackling this enormous cleanup project. BNFL Inc., which currently is dismantling equipment inside three other big buildings at the Oak Ridge plant, has come to expect the unexpected - despite a world-class effort to characterize the conditions before that project got started. Besides the radioactive materials, there is an enormous amount of asbestos and chemical hazards, ranging from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to mercury and hydrogen fluoride. Plus, there's a constant worry that parts of the old structure may collapse due to its deteriorated state. In an introductory section to the K-25/K-27 project's engineering evaluation, it is noted, "A number of potential physical, chemical, biological and radiological hazards exist in both ... buildings. The following summary of hazards includes those that are known to exist at the present time.'' The next line could be even more telling: "Additional hazards may be present that are not identified.'' Eight years? $300 million? We'll see. .Senior Writer Frank Munger covers the Department of Energy for the News-Sentinel. He can be reached at 865-482-9213 or at twig1@knoxnews.infi.net. This column is also available on the Web at www.knoxnews.com/editorsview/munger/ The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. ***************************************************************** 8 Russia Shipyard Trying to Raise Sub Las Vegas SUN Today: August 23, 2001 at 2:05:34 PDT SEVERODVINSK, Russia- In a major step in the operation to raise the sunken Kursk nuclear submarine, the first of two giant pontoons intended to hoist the 18,000-ton vessel was brought out of the shipyard Thursday to be lowered into the sea. Hundreds of officials, journalists and workers from the Sevmash shipyard watched the pontoon inching along a track onto a dock as Soviet-era patriotic songs blared from loudspeakers. An Orthodox priest blessed the 330-foot-long, 53 foot-wide structure with holy water, and a bottle of champagne was shattered on it, according to naval tradition. In two days, the pontoon will be lowered into the White Sea, about 600 miles north of Moscow. Sevmash built the pontoon on order from the Dutch company Mammoet, which is preparing to lift the Kursk with another Dutch firm, Smit International, under a contract with the Russian government. The shipyard, which employees 20,000 workers and spreads for 2.4 square miles, specializes in nuclear submarines. It launched the Kursk in 1994. "The plant has proven its ability to accomplish a difficult job in a very short time," Sevmash director David Pashayev said. "The work was also important for us because we built the submarine and we consider it our duty to help raise it." The pontoons, the second of which is to be launched next week, were built at unprecedented speed after the Russian government signed the contract with Mammoet on May 30. Each pontoon is equipped with engines, pumps, life-support systems and other essential equipment. Early next month, the pontoons will be towed to the Russian navy's Roslyakovo ship repair plant near the port of Murmansk, where they will await the arrival of the submarine. After the Kursk is towed to harbor, the pontoons will be used to hoist the submarine onto a dry dock. The Kursk sank in the Barents Sea during naval exercises on Aug. 12. 2000, killing all 118 men aboard. Russian officials say the sub's two nuclear reactors had been safely shut down and have not leaked any radiation but that the vessel should be lifted to avoid any potential danger to the area's rich fishing grounds. They also say a close look at the submarine could shed light on the cause of the disaster. Officials say the powerful explosions that sank the Kursk were triggered by a practice torpedo, but they remain uncertain whether they were caused by an internal flaw in the torpedo - the theory favored by most outside experts - or a collision, possibly with a foreign submarine. The Kursk is to be brought to the surface Sept. 15 by steel cables connected to 26 computer-controlled hydraulic lifting devices anchored to a giant barge. But preparatory work, which started last month, has taken longer than expected and rough weather may also interfere with the salvage effort. Once the Kursk's bow is sawed off, the divers will begin attaching the steel cables. Towing the submarine to harbor is expected to take up to two weeks. The Russian Navy has said it will raise the front section - which is thought to contain more clues about the cause of the disaster - or some fragments of it next year. On the Net: Official Web site for Kursk salvage operation: http://www.kursk141.org All contents copyright 2001 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 9 WHO studies depleted uranium in Iraq BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | , 23 August, 2001, 16:56 GMT 17:56 UK WHO [Tank with team inspecting it] DU shells were widely used against tanks in Kosovo A team from the World Health Organisation (WHO) is to start a study of the links between depleted uranium (DU) and the high incidence of certain diseases in the Iraqi population. An eight-member WHO delegation will visit Baghdad between 27 and 31 of August next week to investigate what Iraq says are steep rises in cancer and birth defects among inhabitants of regions bombed by allied forces in the 1991 Gulf war. [damaged Iraqi child] Iraq reports higher levels of birth defects In April, the WHO announced it had agreed a framework with Iraq for collaboration in health projects. The framework includes checking levels of diseases, measuring the effects of DU and research. Radioactive dust The team arriving next week will work to elaborate on these proposals. Preliminary studies have shown no links between the use of DU shells and cancer or birth defects. DU is what is left over after ordinary uranium has been enriched for use either in nuclear weapons or in reactors. It is used in shells and projectiles to enhance their armour-piercing capacity. When a depleted uranium round strikes a solid object like a tank, it bursts into a burning spray of radioactive dust. This dust can remain on site for years, and is claimed to have caused disease in both soldiers using the munitions and in the local populations affected. The Iraqis claim US and British troops fired more than 940,000 depleted uranium projectiles during the 1991 conflict. They were also used against Yugoslav tanks and other targets in Kosovo. ***************************************************************** 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: *****************************************************************