***************************************************************** 02/14/02 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 10.39 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POLICY 1 U.S. threatens to stop KEDO plan with N Korea 2 Lawmakers call on Bush to cancel transfer to N Korea of light water 3 Austria says nuclear row must be resolved before EU enlarges 4 Austria backs EU enlargement on Spain's watch 5 Ontario to revive six nuclear reactors by 2004 6 UK: ENERGY REVIEW IS COWARDLY INSULT TO PARLIAMENT 7 UK: Switch on to renewables 8 US: NRC Office of Enforcement Issues Annual Report 9 Official: Russia Will Finish Reactor 10 UK: Nuclear power may rise again 11 UK: Blair pledges 'affordable energy' 12 UK: Energy review urges greener focus 13 India, Russia sign contract for nuclear project 14 US: U.S. judge orders White House to keep energy records 15 US: Small utilities say they see advantage in severing ties with Y 16 US: NRC to Discuss Apparent Violations with Washington, D.C., NUCLEAR REACTORS 17 US: NRC Will Order All Nuclear Power Plants and Key Facilities To 18 US: Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Leaking Coolant 19 US: Small leak of radioactive coolant at nuclear plant; NUCLEAR SAFETY 20 US: DOL to answer questions about nuclear compensation 21 Australia 'angel' of nuclear safety 22 US: NRC Issues the U.S. National Report for Convention on Nuclear 23 Food tested for radioactivity 24 US: Tennessee: Emergency Planning Committee holds first meeting 25 US: DOL to answer questions about [Nuclear worker safety] compensati 26 NATO Update: Radioactive contamination in Kazakhstan 27 US: Jeb Bush looks to stockpile iodide NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 28 US: Officials call for hearing on radiation tests at landfill 29 US: Nuclear fuel plant waste is tied to tainted well 30 UK: NEED FOR DETAILED PLAN TO SOLVE PROBLEM OF NUCLEAR WASTE - 31 US: West Valley lacks funds on fast track 32 Piketon plant to lose more than 400 jobs as work is moved 33 US: Yucca: Nuclear industry counters state effort 34 TAFT OPPOSES USEC DECISION TO MOVE JOBS FROM PIKETON TO PADUCAH 35 US: Nevadans rally in D.C. with anti-Yucca activists 36 USEC to cut 440 jobs at Ohio plant 37 BNFL workers back on job after Wednesday fire 38 Paducah gains jobs, becomes self-contained in USEC merger 39 US: Letter: Nuclear fuel isn't shipped safely- 40 US: Opinions: MOX plan is just a good first step 41 Uranium Fuel Maker USEC to Cut Jobs NUCLEAR WEAPONS 42 Doing for, Not Doing To 43 N-war unthinkable: Musharraf 44 Pak N-bombshell keeps Vajpayee ticking 45 Russia: Cancels yet another secret provision 46 Physicians Warn Of Nuclear Terrorist Threat 47 US: Subcritical nuclear weapons test set for today 48 Jailed Russian Reporter Wins Second Ruling This Week 49 Pasko Lawyers Win Again in Court 50 Opinion: Bohr, Heisenberg claims looked at 51 Britain to join in U.S. subcritical nuclear test US DEPT. OF ENERGY 52 Senator Boxer Urges Tougher Cleanup Standards At Rocketdyne 53 Lawsuit Challenges Cross-Country Plutonium Shipments 54 Remarks by Spencer Abraham FY 2003 Budget Rollout 55 Summary of FY 2003 Budget Request to Congress 56 New EM assistant manager for OR 57 Housing hardships: Hanford cleanup to put on the pressure 58 Technology: DOE's manager shuffling begins 59 DOE faces questions on nuke cleanup OTHER NUCLEAR 60 US Senate panel can't reach deal on fuel standards 61 WNA NEWS BRIEFING 02.07 | 6 - 12 February 2002 62 NASA Plans To Go Nuclear ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 U.S. threatens to stop KEDO plan with N Korea Japan Today Japan News - News - Thursday, February 14, 2002 at 19:00 JST WASHINGTON The United States on Wednesday threatened to scuttle an international project to build light-water nuclear reactors in North Korea if Pyongyang continues to reject international nuclear inspectors. "If they (North Korea) don't allow the inspections required at that time, then I think the whole program will come to a stop," Secretary of State Colin Powell said in testimony before a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. (Kyodo News) ***************************************************************** 2 Lawmakers call on Bush to cancel transfer to N Korea of light water reactors - The Times of India AFP [ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2002 6:01:02 AM ] WASHINGTON: A small group of US lawmakers on Wednesday called on President George W. Bush to cancel plans to transfer two light water reactors to North Korea, charging that Pyongyang was developing nuclear weapons. Under a 1994 accord with the United States, the North was to freeze its suspected nuclear arms program at Yongbyon in exchange for receiving two nuclear energy reactors that would produce less weapons-grade plutonium. The 4.6-billion-dollar project was due to be completed by 2003, but delays have pushed back completion until at least 2008. "North Korea has been developing nuclear weapons. A nuclear-armed North Korea would pose a grave threat to our nation and our allies," said Representative Ben Gilman. Bush's upcoming trip to Asia, Representative Edward Markey added, was "an opportune time for him to announce that he is reconsidering plans to move forward and provide the North Koreans with two light water reactors." "We believe this program should be cancelled," Markey told reporters. Gilman, Markey and Representative Christopher Cox signed a letter to Bush on February 5, calling on the president to "take the necessary steps to ensure that North Korea does not obtain access to sensitive US nuclear technologies or materials." Markey told reporters the White House had not responded to the letter. Bush is to go to Tokyo on February 17-19, then hold talks in Seoul from February 19-20 before going to Beijing on February 21-22. Pyongyang has angrily refuted US concerns over its suspected nuclear weapons program, following Bush's State of the Union address in which he referred to North Korea as part of a global "axis of evil." A UN nuclear watchdog team from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has since 1993 been unable to fully implement a safeguards accord with North Korea and cannot verify Pyongyang's self-declared nuclear capabilities. The IAEA wants full inspections of the Yongbyon site, which is suspected of having secretly produced unspecified amounts of weapons-grade plutonium before it was shut down in 1994 following pressure from Washington. North Korea has refused the IAEA full access to its facilities and denies it harbors ambitions to make nuclear weapons. Pyongyang insists it will allow full IAEA inspections only when a significant portion of the project as defined in the 1994 accord is wound up. North Korea broke off official contacts with the United States and South Korea last year after Bush took office signalling a tougher line with the communist government, especially over its weapons programme. Bush said in his speech that North Korea, Iraq and Iran and their "terrorist allies constitute an axis of evil" and he vowed not to sit idle. Copyright © 2001 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. | ***************************************************************** 3 Austria says nuclear row must be resolved before EU enlarges - The Times of India AFP [ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2002 3:48:24 AM ] MADRID: Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said Tuesday that the Austro-Czech dispute over the Temelin nuclear plant must be resolved before its former eastern bloc neighbour joins the EU, expected to happen in 2004. Speaking in Madrid at a joint press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Schuessel said he was convinced that the Czech Republic would keep its promise to invest in the plant, which is just 60 kilometres (36 miles) from the Austrian border. Investment is needed to upgrade security at Temelin, and was laid down as part of a binding agreement signed in September between Austria and the Czech Republic. "Before enlargement (of the EU), the problem must be resolved," Schuessel stressed, adding that Austria reserved the right to demand a solution to the problem. The Austrian chancellor said that after resolving "a number of problems", 60 percent of Austrians would be in favour of enlargement. Aznar added that the Spanish presidency of the EU would make "every possible effort" to ensure that negotiations on enlargement are on course to meet the "scheduled date (the end of 2002) and on the terms which have been laid down." However last month in Warsaw, the Director General of EU enlargement, Eneko Landaburu, said that the dispute surrounding the Temelin plant was "outside the process of (EU) enlargement." Copyright © 2001 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. | ***************************************************************** 4 Austria backs EU enlargement on Spain's watch SPAIN: February 14, 2002 MADRID - Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel this week pledged to advance European Union enlargement during the current Spanish EU presidency, despite opposition from far-right elements in his ruling coalition. Austria shares more than 1,300 km (800 miles) of border with four EU candidate countries, and its opposition to a Czech nuclear power plant on its border has carried the threat of vetoing Czech inclusion. Spain, which currently holds the six-month rotating presidency, has firmly backed expansion of the 15-nation bloc and wants the EU to meet a year-end deadline to wrap up negotiations with candidate countries, most of them former communist central European nations. "(Enlargement) will bring about the reunification of Europe. For this reason, everything possible should be done while still under the Spanish presidency, and we would like to move forward in any way possible to respect the established deadlines," Schuessel said. "We will do everything within our power to support Spain," the Austrian leader told a joint news conference with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar. In a new policy document on Monday, Austria's ruling conservatives threw their weight behind EU enlargement as it would bolster Austria's clout within the EU by way of regional partnerships with countries such as Hungary and Slovakia. But the People's Party's far-right coalition partner, the Freedom Party, collected some 900,000 signatures last month in a petition calling for a veto of Czech EU membership unless the Temelin nuclear plant was shut down. Schuessel said the Temelin plant was one reason some 60 percent of Austrians were against EU expansion when he came to power two years ago. But after a long campaign that included Austrian-brokered pledges by the Czech Republic to invest in safety for the plant, some 60 percent of Austrians now favour expansion, he said. Schuessel said he expected the Czechs to adhere to safety commitments made last September. "I am convinced the Czech government will fulfil its commitment and there won't be any problem," he said. REUTERS NEWS SERVICE ***************************************************************** 5 Ontario to revive six nuclear reactors by 2004 USA: February 14, 2002 NEW YORK - While U.S. critics of nuclear power cite heightened security risks following Sept. 11 as yet another reason to shut reactors, Canadian energy companies are rushing to revive their own aging reactors. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in November ordered heightened security measures at Canadian plants. While Canadians are also concerned about nuclear waste and safety, they believe nuclear power's benefits outweigh its drawbacks. Nuclear plants are seen as relatively inexpensive and cleaner than coal or gas-fired plants, whose emissions are blamed for acid rain and global warming. Over the next two years, two Ontario companies - Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Bruce Power - plan to restart six reactors idled between late 1997 and 1998 for costly upgrades to boost performance and safety. The rush to add more generation as Ontario prepares to launch power market competition on May 1 has given new urgency to returning the idled reactors to service. Together, the six units can produce enough electricity for about 3.5 million homes, or roughly 12 percent of the province's overall power generation. OPG, the provincially-owned power generating company, is repowering four units at its Pickering "A" nuclear station at a cost of about C$1.5 billion, a move that will restore 2,000 megawatts (MW) of generation. Ontario Hydro, OPG's predecessor, shut the Pickering station's four "A" reactors, which entered service in 1971, to focus on improving the performance of the station's newer "B" reactors, which have a capacity of 2,120 megawatts. OPG said it expects the first Pickering "A" reactor to return to service during the third quarter of 2002, with the remaining units returning to the grid one every six months, company spokesman Ted Gruetzner told Reuters. The Pickering station is about 24 miles (40 km) east of Toronto on the shores of Lake Ontario. Meanwhile, Bruce Power expects to restart two of the four idled reactors at its Bruce "A" nuclear station by the summer of 2003 at a cost of about $C340 million, adding 1,500 MW to the 3,160 MW station on Lake Michigan. Bruce Power, which entered a long-term lease with OPG to operate the Bruce station, is a subsidiary of energy giant British Energy Plc (82.5 percent), Canadian uranium producer Cameco Corp. of Saskatchewan (15 percent) and the two biggest employee unions at the station. COUNTING THE NUCLEAR ADVANTAGE After weighing the cost of building new natural gas-fired power plants, OPG decided repowering the old Pickering units would be a cheaper and cleaner way to meet Ontario's energy needs. It would also avoid having to buy power from existing Canadian and U.S. coal-fired plants, OPG President and Chief Executive Ron Osborne said in a speech last month. OPG's nuclear stations have low operating costs, said Osborne, which will help keep power prices competitive as Ontario prepares to open its electric market to competition on May 1. Power from a new gas-fired cogeneration plant, which would produce electricity and process steam for industrial use, would cost about C$45 per megawatt hour. A combined cycle gas turbine would produce power at a cost of about C$50. One megawatt hour provides enough electricity to power about 1,000 homes for 60 minutes. In comparison, power from Pickering A would cost just over $30 per megawatt hour, including the investment OPG is making to return the station to service, he said. "The bottom line is that Pickering A power, together with Bruce A power being restored by British Energy, remains the most economic source of large-scale generation in the province," Osborne said. Story by Scott DiSavino REUTERS NEWS SERVICE ***************************************************************** 6 UK: ENERGY REVIEW IS COWARDLY INSULT TO PARLIAMENT The official Liberal Democrat website 13/02/2002 Dr Vince Cable MP, Liberal Democrat Trade and Industry Shadow Secretary, today criticised the Department of Trade and Industry for the way they are dealing with the Government's Energy Review. Dr Cable said: "Patricia Hewitt and her department are dealing with the Energy Review in an underhand and cowardly way. "When the Energy policy review was leaked a month ago I challenged the Energy minister, Brian Wilson, to come to Parliament with a statement, but he declined to do so. "It is understood that when the Energy Review is made available tomorrow there will be no statement to parliament and no official Government comment, but merely a written parliamentary answer. The Government will not be subjected to parliamentary scrutiny at all. "If we are going to have an energy policy which has long term sustainability at its heart there will have to be a confrontation with vested interests, particularly the nuclear and coal industries. The Government seems determined to avoid this conflict at all costs. "The Government is abusing the rights of parliament over the publication of tomorrow's Energy Review." Andrew Stunell MP, Liberal Democrat Energy Spokesperson, added: "This Review is long overdue. The Government has had four Energy Ministers in four years, and is on its third different energy policy since 1997. There can be no more excuses for further policy zigzags and muddle. "Number 10 must come clean and set out a long-term plan for green growth. The industry is looking for clear signals for future investment in renewable energy. Whitehall must not delay any longer." ENDS Liberal Democrats 4 Cowley Street London SW1P 3NB Tel: 020 7222 7999 Email: libdems@cix.co.uk Copyright © 2001, Liberal Democrats. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 7 UK: Switch on to renewables Guardian Unlimited | Archive Search Publication of the government's energy review has revived speculation over the future of not only nuclear but also wind, wave and solar power Chris Hewett Guardian Thursday February 14, 2002 Today's energy review has revived speculation over the prospects for nuclear power and renewable energy, such as wind and solar, to be able to prevent Britain becoming too dependent on gas for our energy. This is an old chestnut in energy policy and it should be no surprise that a review headed by Brian Wilson, a minister with nuclear power stations in his Ayrshire constituency, comes out with twisted language on the future of the industry. Targets for renewables do look conservative, but the true green test for the review is what it has to say about how much energy Britain will need in 2020 or 2050. Environmentalists were clearly concerned about the way the door has been left open to the nuclear option. Ministers who emphasise the important role nuclear currently plays in the energy mix feed this concern, but they are clear that it is up to the private sector to come forward with detailed plans for new stations. The nuclear industry will say that cheaper, cleaner power station designs are just around the corner and that as long as the government removes unfair barriers such as energy taxes and simplifies the planning system, they will build more. But the City, which remembers the industry's track record on costs, is not interested. There is, however, no doubt and indeed very little dissent, that renewable energy is soon to become a mainstream part of the energy system. The wind industry is already big business in Denmark, Spain and Germany. It will soon be here. Farmers are going to be queuing up to diversify into energy crops after foot and mouth. And there is a growing optimism about Britain's offshore resources (which are the largest in Europe) of wave and tidal power. Even the nuclear industry is investing in renewables and at pains to say that it wants to be seen as a complement to renewables, not an alternative. The argument is about how fast we can get renewables on stream, not their long-term viability. The political battle under the surface, however, is the one that will determine the success of the energy review and its ability to deliver environmental objectives. This is the more fundamental question about how much energy we need to run a modern society. The review rightly points out just how inefficient we are as users of energy. Britain wastes more energy in cooling towers than we use to heat every building in the country. It also advocates that the most cost-effective measures that the government can take in the energy field will be ones to improve efficiency. These stretch from improving insulation, to using far more combined heat and power to manufacture more efficient appliances and vehicles. This view is backed up by analysis from the Carbon Trust, set up by the government to promote a low carbon economy. The graph shows their projections for UK CO2 emissions to 2050. An aggressive energy efficiency policy would deliver two-thirds of the CO2 reduction needed to achieve the 60% cuts recommended by the royal commission on environmental pollution. Renewables will do the rest. If the government puts improvements in energy productivity at the top of its energy policy agenda, then the argument about nuclear power becomes largely redundant, as we won't need that amount of electricity in 20 years' time, when current nuclear stations have shut down. Such a move would be a shift in energy thinking and challenge the "predict and provide" culture traditionally put forward by the DTI. It is in the interests of the energy supply industry, particularly those parts of it with large capital plant like the fossil fuel and nuclear industries, to talk up the prospects for increased energy consumption and to put pressure on the government to bias the market to favour increased capacity. Society, however, would be better served by allocating resources to generate the same economic activity with less energy and consequently less pollution. Renewable energy activities, because they are often smaller and more decentralised, fit in better with a market framework that encourages energy efficiency. It has historically been easier for energy planners to work on the assumption that energy use goes up at the same rate as economic growth, than to take into account innovations which might increase efficiency or cut out energy use altogether. The need to tackle climate change and the new DTI focus on innovation ought to change all that. Wherever the same lazy assumptions are made about the link between economic growth and consumption of energy or resources, the government is falling foul of its environmental objectives. More roads and airports will generate more traffic, more pollution and ultimately stimulate demand for yet more roads and airports. Failure to invest in waste recycling infrastructure is putting pressure on local authorities to build incinerators against massive opposition. Transport and waste are the two areas where the government is seen to have failed the environment so far. The energy review will offer the prospect of a turning point where the government sees the flaw in these assumptions, but it could be followed by one more capitulation to a set of vested interests in the face of strong evidence that challenges their world view. The debate, between now and the publication of an energy white paper at the end of the year, will be a battle between these forces. • Chris Hewett is senior research fellow at IPPR. [http://www.ippr.org] [UP] Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 ***************************************************************** 8 NRC Office of Enforcement Issues Annual Report NRC: Press Release - 2002 - 20 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov [opa@nrc.gov] www.nrc.gov No. 02-020 February 14, 2002 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Office of Enforcement has issued its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2001. The report describes enforcement activities that occurred during that time, addressing significant policy changes, new initiatives, staff guidance and implementation issues for the agency's enforcement program. The report also includes summaries of enforcement cases and actions taken by the Commission against licensed nuclear facility owners and users of nuclear materials. It includes two policy revisions, 89 escalated Notices of Violation without civil penalties, 20 proposed civil penalties, and 18 orders, five of which imposed civil penalties. The NRC's enforcement program continues to emphasize the importance of compliance with regulatory requirements, and to encourage prompt identification and comprehensive correction of violations. A copy of the enforcement program annual report is available through the NRC's Electronic Reading Room, at www.nrc.gov , as an Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS) document, accession number ML02050035. Help in using ADAMS is available from the NRC Public Document Room, telephone: 301-415-4737 or 1-800-397-4209. The annual report also will be available on the Enforcement home page when it is restored to the NRC's redesigned web site, which is tentatively scheduled to debut sometime during the first quarter of the year. Questions about the annual report should be directed to Renee Pedersen of the Office of Enforcement at 301-415-2742. ***************************************************************** 9 Official: Russia Will Finish Reactor Las Vegas SUN Today: February 14, 2002 at 9:10:23 PST MOSCOW (AP) - A top Russian official said Thursday that Russia intends to fulfill its contract to help build a nuclear reactor in Iran, despite U.S. calls for Moscow to break the deal. Deputy Nuclear Energy Minister Valery Lebedev said Russia plans to complete construction of the nuclear plant at Bushehr in late 2004 or early 2005, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported. The United States has long urged Russia to terminate the 1995 contract for the Bushehr nuclear reactor, worth about $800 million, saying it could advance Iran's efforts to build nuclear weapons. Moscow has dismissed the U.S. warnings, saying that the Iranian reactor can be used only for civilian purposes and will be under international control. Russia's nuclear ties with Iran have been a strain on Moscow's relationship with Washington, which have been dramatically bolstered by Russian President Vladimir Putin's support for the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. President Bush recently referred to Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an "axis of evil" - an embarrassment to Russia, which has close ties with all three. Lebedev said Thursday that Russia would take back all the spent nuclear fuel from the Bushehr reactor for reprocessing in compliance with the international nuclear nonproliferation regime. The same practice will be applied to nuclear power plants Russia has agreed to build in China and India, he said. All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 10 Nuclear power may rise again BBC News | SCI/TECH | 13 December, 2001, 13:58 [Protestors at Sellafield PA] Protest at Sellafield: But nuclear power may survive all the same By Alex Kirby BBC News Online environment correspondent Anti-nuclear campaigners in the UK believe they may finally be scenting success. The latest support for their cause, they believe, is the energy review commissioned by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. They say the leaked final draft of the review suggests that nuclear power could lose all public subsidies. But there are signs that the government is in fact warming to the nuclear option. A report in the magazine New Scientist says the review dismisses nuclear power as too dangerous and expensive, and believes it could be phased out by 2050. However, the executive summary of the review, which was sent to BBC News Online, says something quite different. Ruling nothing out One of the review's key points says: "Government should start a process of public debate about sustainable energy, including the issue of nuclear power." Renewables are catching up In a section headed "Nuclear power - keeping the option open", it says: "The need now is to ensure that, should there be a commitment to nuclear in the future, the lead-time to implementation of projects is reduced. "The desire for new options also points to the need to develop new, low waste, modular designs of nuclear reactor." The review accepts that the "well-established" global nuclear industry does not need support in the way that renewable energy sources do. But it clearly foresees the possibility that nuclear power could enjoy public support in the future. In a key passage, it calls for nuclear energy to be judged like other fuels in reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, which many scientists say is worsening natural climate variability. Energy mix-up The review says the government "should ensure that as methods to value carbon in the market are developed the nuclear industry is treated in the same way as other options". Wave power has huge potential The Energy Minister, Brian Wilson, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the review would "have some positive things to say about nuclear". Mr Wilson, who is happy to be known as a friend of the nuclear industry, said this week that the door remained open to a future generation of nuclear power stations. There are reports that the industry will be offered exemption from the climate change levy if it builds new stations. The levy raises about £1bn annually from power companies in an attempt to discourage the burning of carbon-based fuels. Mr Wilson sees a role for renewable energy. He is backing the construction of what is being called the world's biggest wind farm on the Hebridean island of Lewis, off the west coast of Scotland. Despite that, it would be premature to think the review will advise him or Mr Blair to pull the plug on nuclear power - or that they would take much notice if it did. After all, the government has only just given the green light for the controversial mixed oxide (Mox) facility at Sellafield to go into production. It will begin its work next Thursday. ***************************************************************** 11 UK: Blair pledges 'affordable energy' Guardian Unlimited | Archive Search Staff and agencies Thursday February 14, 2002 Renewable energy sources could generate up to 30% of the nation's electricity supply by 2030, according to a report released to the government today on future energy supply policy. The report from the Cabinet Office performance and innovation unit (PIU) examines ways to combine the need for cheap and secure energy sources with the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It advises that the focus of UK policy should be to establish new energy sources that are low cost and low carbon. The prime minister, Tony Blair, said in a written Commons reply that Britain will have "secure, competitive and affordable energy", but environmental campaigners have voiced concerns that future government plans may rely on nuclear power. Mr Blair said that the review addressed the likely requirements of a low carbon economy. "The report examines the main trends in energy markets and reviews the key choices facing policymakers including when decisions need to be taken and how to keep options open, so policy remains relevant to changing circumstances. "While this report is not a statement of government policy, it raises a broad range of issues that are important to the future evolution of energy policy," Mr Blair added. He promised to publish an energy white paper this autumn, preceded by a public consultation. The energy minister, Brian Wilson, who chaired the advisory group for the review, said: "The report argues that the introduction of liberalised and competitive energy markets in the UK has been a success, and this should provide a cornerstone of future policy - in the UK and internationally." Mr Wilson said the report acknowledged that climate change must become a central aspect of energy policy, but did not rule out controversial nuclear sources. "It is about balance and promoting innovation in new technologies. It stresses the potential for renewables and energy efficiency, but also argues that the options of new investment in nuclear power and cleaner coal should be kept open," he said. The chief executive of British Nuclear Fuels, Norman Askew, said: "The report is quite clear in stating that we must keep the nuclear option. However, if we do not act now on some key policy issues and in a more timely way than recommended by the PIU, nuclear generation will not be an option for the future." Campaigners such as Friends of the Earth said that the government should use the review to become world leaders in a green industrial revolution. Bryony Worthington, energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: "To do this the government must set ambitious new targets to expand renewable energy and improve energy efficiency. They must also accept that the nuclear dream has become a nightmare. It is uneconomic, unsafe and unpopular and should be abandoned once and for all." The PIU looked at ways to achieve a 60% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, as recommended by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, and what the technical, logistical and economic implications of achieving such a cut might be. In terms of sheer technical potential, the PIU estimates that renewables could supply as much as 30% of electricity within three decades. The problem is that, despite their potential to become cheaper than conventional forms of power generation, they are not being given a chance. This, it is claimed, is because they are forced to compete in a market that does not value their biggest benefit, that they are carbon free. [UP] Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 ***************************************************************** 12 UK: Energy review urges greener focus BBC News | UK | 14 February, 2002, [Wind turbines] Wind energy could play a key role Energy efficient homes and increased use of renewable fuels should play a key part in the UK's energy policy, says a new report. But the review of the nation's future energy prospects leaves open the controversial question of nuclear fuels, raising concerns among environmental groups. The report by the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) says greater efficiency is the cheapest way of keeping security of supply and meeting climate change targets. Renewable energy's time has come Friends of the Earth Some environmental groups believe the proposals could revolutionise the way we use energy. The UK's existing target is for 10% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2010. The report recommends that renewables should be supplying 20% of the UK's electricity by 2020 - which could add about 5-6% to domestic electricity bills. Following the release of the review, Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed that Britain would have "secure, competitive and affordable energy". White paper In a Commons written reply, Mr Blair said: "While this report is not a statement of government policy, it raises a broad range of issues that are important to the future evolution of energy policy. "The government intends to set in process a period of public consultation, leading to an Energy White Paper in the autumn." The BBC's Tim Hirsch says there has been a mixed response from environmental campaigners. Anti-nuclear campaigns are angry that the review is non-committal over the future of the nuclear industry and the wind power industry says the targets are too modest, he said. Campaigners for energy savings, on the other hand, are pleased that review recommends a 40% improvement in the efficiency of Britain's homes. Greener homes The Energy Saving Trust's Sarah Eppel says better energy efficiency is possible. "Using things that are on the market right now and getting everyone to do something about the insulation and heating systems in their home we can save the output of five gas-fired power stations." The PIU considered the implications of a report by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, which urged a 60% cut over the next 50 years in the UK's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). [Solar panels 1999 EyeWire, Inc. ] Solar power has huge potential First indications were that review would come down against the nuclear option by insisting that new projects cover the costs of insurance and waste disposal, making them commercially unviable. Instead, the report leaves the door open to the nuclear industry. There were claims that energy minister Brian Wilson put pressure on the PIU team, insisting that the nuclear option should not be closed down. Mr Wilson rubbished the claims as conspiratorial nonsense which was offensive to PIU team. "It says very definitely that the door should be kept open to the nuclear industry because maybe we are going to need it and certainly we should maintain the research and development and the skills base," he said. British Nuclear Fuels's Chief Executive Norman Askew welcomed the report adding that a low carbon future could only be delivered with nuclear generation and renewables contributing in tandem. Green revolution Our correspondent says critics on both sides are expected to say that chances to clarify plans for the industry have been missed. But a spokesman for Friends of the Earth admitted many of the proposals were radical. "We have seen nuclear power receive the lion's share of investment in terms of research and development funds over the last 25 years. "Renewable energy's time has come and we would like to see research and development in the renewables option not in the nuclear." He said there was a big onus on householders to be more efficient and in doing so they will save money. The Cabinet is expected to announce its energy policy later this year or early in 2003. ***************************************************************** 13 India, Russia sign contract for nuclear project Wednesday February 13, 4:08 PM By Arun Mohanty, Indo-Asian News Service Moscow, Feb 13 (IANS) India and Russia signed a contract here for the supply of important high-tech equipment, beginning a new stage in the construction of the Koodankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu. V.K. Chaturvedi, chairman and managing director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL), and V.V. Kozlov, the general director of Atomstroyexport, inked the $1.5 billion contract here Tuesday. Atomstroyexport is Russia's premier organisation in charge of building nuclear plants abroad. The contract entails the delivery of equipment with a long manufacturing cycle and top priority material such as reactors, a turbine plant, a reactor control system and a steam generator. "This is the biggest contract involving the supply of high technology strategic equipment, whose commissioning would be carried out by Indian agencies with technical assistance and under the design supervision of Russian experts," Chaturvedi said at Moscow after signing the deal. The contract has been signed on the basis of a memorandum inked during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to Russia in November 2001. The station has a capacity of 2,000 mega watts (MW). The VVER-1000 type light water reactors to be used in the plant are the most advanced in the world, said Chaturvedi. Construction at the plant site is progressing ahead of schedule, and infrastructural facilities have already been built, Chaturvedi said. The project will be completed earlier than the scheduled time. The plant is expected to generate energy by the year 2007, and would contribute significantly to the energy supply for four south Indian states - Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. The plant, stipulated to be under safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, will be partly financed by Russia and partly by India. Russia would open a credit line of about $1.5 billion with low interest rates for financing the mega project, and more than 300 Russian organisations would be engaged in the construction of the plant. India and the former Soviet Union had signed an agreement for the plant way back in 1988, which was abandoned after the Soviet collapse. The project was revived after protracted negotiations in 1999. The Koodankulam plant is the most significant bilateral project in the sphere of nuclear energy, a vital sector for the two countries. Copyright © 2001 IANS India Private Limited. All rights Reserved. Copyright © 2002 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 14 U.S. judge orders White House to keep energy records - 2/14/2002 - ENN.com Thursday, February 14, 2002 By Peter Kaplan, Reuters WASHINGTON — A federal judge Tuesday directed the White House to preserve records from meetings of its energy task force, which critics suspect was heavily influenced by Enron Corp. and other major energy companies. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, overseeing a public interest law firm's lawsuit seeking task force details, also admonished government lawyers for not doing enough to back their arguments that specifics of the meetings be kept secret. "I get the feeling the government's underestimating the seriousness and the importance of this case," Sullivan said during a conference with lawyers from both sides. The White House task force headed by Vice President Dick Cheney produced a policy issued last May that called for more oil and gas drilling and a revived nuclear power program. The General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, is threatening to file a similar suit seeking records of the task force. The case before Sullivan was brought by Judicial Watch, a group widely described as conservative after it spent years in court dogging the administration of former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat. Judicial Watch said Sullivan ordered the preservation of records relating to the task force as part of its lawsuit. In addition, Sullivan gave the U.S. Justice Department another two weeks to flesh out its arguments and file another legal brief in the suit. He scheduled arguments in the case for April 9. Interest in activities of the energy task force has been heightened by the collapse of Enron late last year and speculation about favors the company may have sought in an effort to save itself. The White House has acknowledged that Cheney or members of the task force met six times last year with Enron representatives. The Judicial Watch lawsuit alleges that since outsiders had access to the task force, it falls under U.S. law governing federal advisory committees and therefore must publicly disclose its activities. Government lawyers counter that the task force does not fall under the law because it was composed only of federal employees. They say releasing details of task force meetings last year would put a chill on future presidential deliberation. They also said the case should be dismissed because the only defendant named in the case, the task force itself, has been dissolved. Judicial Watch Chairman Larry Klayman said the group will amend its lawsuit by naming Cheney, other members of the energy task force, and possibly President Bush. As part of its own criminal probe of Enron's collapse, the Justice Department on Feb. 1 asked the White House to hold onto documents dealing with Enron. The White House said it would comply with the request, which covered all written notes, letters, and computer records related to Enron's financial condition and business interests since Jan. 1, 1999. Copyright 2002, Reuters ***************************************************************** 15 Small utilities say they see advantage in severing ties with Yankee By David Gram, Associated Press, 2/13/2002 19:46 MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) Vermont's two largest utilities say they'll get a better deal on the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant's power by selling the reactor and buying the electricity from its new owner. Four smaller utilities say they'll get an even better deal than that by severing ties with Vermont Yankee altogether. Municipal electric departments in Burlington and Lyndonville, as well as the Johnson-based Vermont Electric Co-operative and the East Montpelier-based Washington Electric Co-operative, recently sold the shares they held in the Vernon reactor back to Vermont Yankee. They've also reached an agreement with the nuclear plant's owners to move up the date on which they stop taking power from Vermont Yankee. That date has been changed from the end of November to the end of this month. The smaller utilities have gone shopping elsewhere to replace the power they're getting from Vermont Yankee. Avram Patt, general manager of Washington Electric, said the change had been a big win for his co-op. Patt said the co-op had replaced its Vermont Yankee power with cheaper electricity from a renewable resource: a generator in Connecticut that uses as its fuel the methane gas coming from an adjacent landfill. That shift dovetails well with the Dean administration's recent announcement that it wanted Vermont to meet more of its energy demand in the coming years with renewable sources and energy efficiency. In addition, during the nine months beginning in March, Washington Electric expects to save $300,000 from what it would have paid for Vermont Yankee power, he said. Burlington Electric estimates it will save $1.2 million for its ratepayers during the same period. The co-ops and all the municipal utilities except Morrisville's electric department were scheduled to stop taking power from Vermont Yankee on Nov. 30, so by the end of the year, they would have been shopping for replacement power anyway. That, too, is expected to leave them in better shape than if they were to continue to take Vermont Yankee power, according to forecasts of future electricity prices produced by the Department of Public Service. Central Vermont Public Service Corp. and Green Mountain Power Corp. are leading the effort by Vermont Yankee's current owners to sell the plant to Mississippi-based Entergy Nuclear Corp. for $180 million. As part of that deal, CVPS and GMP have agreed to buy back Vermont Yankee's power for the 10 years remaining on the plant's license at prices lower than what they are paying today. But utilities with no obligation to Vermont Yankee are expected to do better. David Lamont, power planning engineer with the DPS, said various forecasts indicate that the cost of power bought from an Entergy-owned Vermont Yankee will still be between $50 million and $150 million higher than prices paid for the same amount of power on the open market. Officials with the two major utilities have been arguing in Public Service Board testimony that their deal to buy power from Entergy should not be compared with the prices they would pay on the open market. They say they should instead be compared with the higher prices they're paying now as owners of Vermont Yankee. CVPS and GMP officials have said they face two choices: keeping the plant and paying current prices, or selling it and negotiating a cheaper power buyback deal with the new owners. Vermont Yankee spokesman Robert Williams said the municipal electric departments and the smaller utilities had different circumstances. ''The municipals and our sponsoring utilities had a separate set of financial circumstances, and from the perspective of our sponsors, it is in their ratepayers' best interest to sell the plant,'' Williams said. The four small utilities that have cut ties with Vermont Yankee are pursuing different strategies on replacing the Vermont Yankee power. While the Washington co-op has signed up with the methane-fired generator in Connecticut, Burlington Electric is looking for smaller power contracts to replace the 40 percent of its electricity it received from Vermont Yankee. Barbara Grimes, general manager of Burlington Electric, said she did not want to criticize the decision of CVPS and GMP to pursue a sale that requires them to buy power back from Entergy. ''It works for them,'' she said. ''The deal did not work for us.'' ***************************************************************** 16 NRC to Discuss Apparent Violations with Washington, D.C., Hospital NRC: Press Release Region I - 2002 - 5 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 www.nrc.gov No. I-02-005 February 13, 2002 CONTACT: Diane Screnci (610) 337-5330/ e-mail: [opa1@nrc.gov] Neil A. Sheehan (610) 337-5331/ e-mail: [opa1@nrc.gov] Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of a Washington, D.C., hospital on Wednesday, February 20, to discuss several apparent violations of NRC regulations related to the use of a specific type of nuclear medicine at the facility. The meeting, known as a predecisional enforcement conference, pertains to Providence Hospital, which is located at 1150 Varnum Street in Washington, D.C. It is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in the Public Meeting Room at the NRC Region I Office in King of Prussia, Pa., and will be open to the public for observation. Based on an inspection conducted last year, the NRC has identified apparent violations involving Providence Hospital's strontium-90 eye applicator program, under which radiation is used to treat eye abnormalities. Specifically, the NRC has determined there were the following apparent failures: 1.) the hospital's Radiation Safety Committee did not oversee the use of licensed material through an annual review of the radiation safety program; 2.) final treatment plans and related calculations were not verified to ensure they were consistent with written directives prepared prior to treatments; 3.) any unintended deviations from the written directives were not identified and evaluated; and 4.) annual audits of the quality management program for the strontium-90 eye treatments were not conducted in 1998, 1999 and 2000. According to calculations made by the NRC – and subsequently confirmed by the hospital – a total of 14 strontium-90 eye applicator treatments administered between August 1996 and October 2000 exceeded prescribed radiation doses by more than 20 percent and are therefore considered misadministrations. However, a medical consultant hired by the NRC concluded the patients involved did not suffer any adverse effects as a result of the misadministrations. The decision to hold a predecisional enforcement conference does not mean that the NRC has determined that any violations occurred or that enforcement action will be taken. Rather, the purpose of the meeting is to gather information to assist the NRC in making an enforcement decision. ***************************************************************** 17 NRC Will Order All Nuclear Power Plants and Key Facilities To Enhance Security NRC: Press Release - 2002 - 18 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov [opa@nrc.gov] www.nrc.gov No. 02-018 February 14, 2002 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will shortly issue Orders to all commercial nuclear power plants and other key nuclear facilities to implement interim compensatory security measures for the high-level threat environment. Some of these requirements formalize a series of security measures that NRC licensees had taken in response to advisories issued by the NRC in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Security enhancements which have emerged from the on-going top-to-bottom security review will be spelled out in the Orders. The Commission has decided to issue Orders to require prudent interim compensatory measures because the generalized high-level threat environment has persisted longer than expected and, as a result, it is appropriate to maintain the security measures within the established regulatory framework. The details of specific additional security requirements are sensitive, but they include such things as additional personnel access controls; enhanced requirements for guard forces; increased stand-off distances for searches of vehicles approaching nuclear facilities; and heightened coordination with appropriate local, State, and Federal authorities. Immediately after the September 11 attacks, the NRC advised all 104 nuclear power plants and other key nuclear facilities to go to the highest level of security, which they promptly did. Specific measures were subsequently defined in a number of advisories, and have been subject to audit by NRC security experts. The NRC is coordinating with other Federal and State agencies on protection of a variety of potential infrastructure targets in the United States. Security against sabotage has long been an important part of NRC's regulatory activities and licensee's responsibilities. Nuclear power plants are among the most formidable structures in existence, and they are guarded by well-trained and well-armed security forces. ***************************************************************** 18 Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Leaking Coolant Las Vegas SUN Today: February 14, 2002 at 13:00:31 PST WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) - Radioactive coolant is leaking from a steam generator of the Indian Point nuclear plants, but not enough to endanger anyone or slow down the plant, officials said Thursday. Plant owner Entergy Corp. reported that sensors detected radioactivity - about a tenth of an ounce a day - in what is supposed to be the clean water that is converted to steam. "It's very small. It's being monitored. There's no danger," Entergy spokesman Larry Gottlieb said. Neil Sheehan, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, estimated the leak at 0.04 gallons a day, while federal guidelines permit 432 gallons a day. But activists who have been campaigning to close the plant said the leak is the latest proof of the danger of nuclear reactors in such a densely populated area as the New York suburbs. The plant is 35 miles north of New York City. "It just reinforces that this plant is vulnerable to structural problems, to accidents and potentially to a terrorist attack," said Alex Matthiessen, who leads the environmental organization Riverkeeper. Entergy spokesman Jim Steets and Sheehan said the leak probably dates from late 2000, when then-owner Consolidated Edison installed new steam generators, bowing to public pressure after the worst accident in the plant's history. On Feb. 15, 2000, a tube in the steam generator burst, spilling radioactive coolant and sending a tiny amount of radioactive steam into the atmosphere. Amid fears of a terrorist attack, critics have increased pressure to shut down the plant. On Thursday, Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano announced a draft plan to distribute potassium iodide pills that help fight radiation sickness to schools and other institutions. All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 19 Small leak of radioactive coolant at nuclear plant; officials say no danger By Jim Fitzgerald, Associated Press, 2/14/2002 15:05 WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (AP) Just hours before local leaders gathered to discuss a medicine for radiation sickness, the owners of the Indian Point 2 nuclear power plant revealed a tiny leak of radioactive coolant that has been going on for months. Officials stressed Thursday that the radioactivity is not escaping the plant and is far below the level that would endanger anyone inside. It is so small it will not interfere with the plant's operation even if it is never found, said Jim Steets, a spokesman for Entergy Corp. ''It's almost like our detecting equipment is too good,'' Steets said. ''We were able to deduce that there is a leak somewhere but it really has no significance.'' He said sensors detected radioactivity in what is supposed to be clean water that is converted to steam by passing over tubes of superheated radioactive water. Neil Sheehan, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, agreed that the leak was far below any dangerous level. He said it was estimated at 0.04 gallons a day, while federal guidelines permit 432 gallons a day. However, activists who have been campaigning to close the plant and its twin, Indian Point 3, in Buchanan, said the leak is the latest proof of the danger of nuclear reactors in such a densely populated area as the New York suburbs. ''It just reinforces that this plant is vulnerable to structural problems, to accidents and potentially to a terrorist attack,'' said Alex Matthiessen, who leads the environmental organization Riverkeeper. Steets and Sheehan said the leak probably dates from late 2000, when then-owner Consolidated Edison installed new steam generators, bowing to public pressure after a small leak of radioactive steam into the atmosphere on Feb. 15, 2000. The new leak was detected in November 2001, Steets said. Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano said he was notified last week. ''They had to check it out, and when the investigation was over, they notified everybody,'' Spano said. The 2000 accident put the reactor under intense scrutiny from the NRC. In 2001, Con Ed sold the plant to Entergy. The plant's operating troubles have recently been overshadowed by residents' fears of an airborne terrorist attack, like that on the World Trade Center, that could cause a much greater danger to the public. Later Thursday, Spano convened about 150 municipal, police and school leaders to discuss a draft plan for the distribution of potassium iodide, which can help fight one form of radiation sickness, in the area around Indian Point. ''I would prefer, like many people, that the plant not be there,'' he said. ''But right now it's more important to have a good (emergency) plan, and potassium iodide is part of that.'' The federal government is making the tablets available. The draft plan suggests stockpiling the tablets, known by the chemical abbreviation KI, at schools and other institutions and persuading residents to have it in their homes before the need arises. ''We're looking to make KI so widely available that it becomes the last thing the public has to worry about or think about,'' said County Health Commissioner Joshua Lipsman. Spano said the county was requesting 500,000 tablets and asked for advice from local institutions about how and where to stockpile or distribute them. He said distribution might go beyond the 10-mile radius suggested by federal agencies. But Beth O'Toole, a school nurse from Chappaqua who attended the briefing, said her district, 10 miles from Indian Point, would probably make its own plan rather than wait for the state and county to issue guidelines. ''It might be too late,'' she said. ***************************************************************** 20 DOL to answer questions about nuclear compensation O-R Online | Briefs Search Wednesday, February 13, 2002 Representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor will return next week to the Holiday Inn, Meadow Lands, to assist retired nuclear workers who are seeking compensation for work-related illnesses. During the Cold War, thousands of workers were exposed to toxic and radioactive materials, including employees of the former Vitro Rare Metals Co. in Canonsburg and Jessop Steel Co. in Washington. Many of these workers and their families could be eligible to receive $150,000 in tax-free compensation, plus medical benefits, through the department's Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program. Established last July, the program compensates retired workers and families of workers who became ill after exposure to radiation, beryllium or silica on the job. In December, the act was amended to also make adult children of nuclear weapons workers eligible. Last month, the DOL set up two traveling resource centers to answer questions of retired workers and their families. Because of the high level of interest, the department scheduled additional sessions from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 21 and 22 at the Holiday Inn, Meadow Lands, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 19 and 20 at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Thorn Run Road, Coraopolis. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 866-363-6993. Walk-ins also are welcome. Grant awarded to monitor mosquitoes Washington County has been awarded $45,151 from the state Department of Environmental Protection to continue to collect and monitor mosquitoes for the West Nile virus. The grant will pay for materials and supplies, mileage, data entry, sample delivery and administrative costs as part of the 2002 Commonwealth West Nile Encephalitis Inventory Program. The West Nile virus first appeared in Pennsylvania in 2000. It infects birds, which are bitten by mosquitoes, which, in turn, bite people and animals, causing a brain infection. No cases or positive samples of the virus have been reported in Washington County. Copyright ©2002 Observer Publishing Co. ***************************************************************** 21 Australia 'angel' of nuclear safety news.com.au - 14 February 2002 AAP AUSTRALIA was the "angel" of the world stage when it came to international nuclear safety, a leading figure on nuclear issues has said. And because of this, it was under no great threat from increased tension resulting from the September 11 terrorist attacks on the US. Australia's ambassador in Vienna and chair of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Max Hughes said Australia had a high profile because of its involvement in developing systems of strengthened safeguards for nuclear safety. Talking at the Sydney Institute today, Mr Hughes said since the September 11 terrorist attacks the IAEA had a greater focus on the threat of nuclear terrorism. "The unprecedented nature and scale of the 11 September attacks has focused us on the possibility of terrorist attacks involving nuclear weapons," Mr Hughes said at the institute. Of most concern was the creation of so-called "dirty bombs" through the misuse of radioactive materials and the possibility of terrorist groups attacking nuclear facilities around the world. Mr Hughes said Australia was the first country to ratify the IAEA's Additional Protocol on strengthened safeguards which adopted a more pro-active attitude to find out whether countries had clandestine nuclear facilities. A number of other countries had now signed the protocol, he said. Mr Hughes said while the primary responsibility for ensuring the security of nuclear materials and facilities lay with individual countries, the IAEA's international standards needed to be reviewed in light of the increased threat of nuclear terrorism. In March the IAEA will consider a number of proposals to counter this threat. Despite Australia's high-profile stance on nuclear safety it was not under any significant threat of nuclear terrorism, Mr Hughes said. "If I can describe us as one of the angels in this area," he said. "People would regard Australia's efforts as coming from a middle power, a power that does take multi-lateral networks that support security seriously. "I think it's certainly helped our image and I can't see any reason why people would think we were threatening. "We have a significant national defence force, but it doesn't threaten anyone. We've never said we're going to invade anyone or become involve in aggressive international action." While Australia does not have nuclear power, it is a major exporter of uranium. http://news.com.au ***************************************************************** 22 NRC Issues the U.S. National Report for Convention on Nuclear Safety NRC: Press Release - 2002 - 19 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, DC 20555-001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov [opa@nrc.gov] www.nrc.gov No. 02-019 February 14, 2002 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued the "United States of America National Report for the Convention on Nuclear Safety." This report describes the U.S. Government's fulfillment of its obligations under the Convention, and demonstrates how the U.S. achieves a high level of safety for its nuclear power plants. Two key regulatory initiatives highlighted in the report are NRC's improvement of its reactor oversight process and focusing the attention of the nuclear industry on programs and activities most important to safety. The report will be peer reviewed by parties to the Convention at the Second Review Meeting taking place in April in Vienna. The Convention, to which the Senate gave consent to ratification in 1999, emphasizes that nuclear safety is a sovereign responsibility. Countries are obligated to report on how nuclear power safety is achieved. Every three years the 53 participating countries must submit reports on their programs for peer review as an incentive to achieve the highest possible levels of safety. "The NRC uses a number of national programs and processes to ensure that plant safety is maintained and to meet the obligations of the Convention on Nuclear Safety," the report states. "These are a well-established licensing process; the newly revised process for reactor oversight; the Accident Sequence Precursor program; the Program for Resolving Generic Safety Issues; programs for rulemaking; for decommissioning; for regulatory research; for public participation; and for handling petitions; allegations, and differing professional views and opinions." The report discusses the national nuclear regulatory programs that meet the obligations of the Convention, primary current nuclear safety initiatives, and significant regulatory accomplishments since the first peer review meeting in 1998. In addition, the report highlights the NRC's major objectives – to maintain plant safety; to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and realism of NRC activities and decisions; to increase public confidence; and to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden – and describes the activities that the NRC has initiated to meet those objectives. Copies of the "United States of America National Report for the Convention on Nuclear Safety" (NUREG-1650) will be available at the NRC's Public Electronic Reading Room link at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1650/ and at the NRC Public Document Room in Rockville, Maryland. ***************************************************************** 23 Food tested for radioactivity The Scotsman - Scotland - 14th February 2002 JAMES DOHERTY SCIENTISTS in Glasgow are to check for radioactivity in fresh, canned and baby food, amid fears that some may have been contaminated, posing a potential health risk to the city’s consumers, The Scotsman has learned. The threat to the food chain has led members of the public to express fears that the fallout from Chernobyl and the introduction of “orphan” (lost) radioactive metal from nuclear power plants into the recycling process may result in radiation “hot spots” on some metal food containers. Later today, the council’s environmental protection services committee is expected to approve the purchase of specialist equipment from the Scottish Universities Research and Reactor Centre to allow inspectors to analyse foodstuffs for signs of contamination. In a report, the council’s environmental services director, Brian Kelly, said: Recently, concerns have been raised over the possibility of contamination of foods by their metal packaging, due to the use of radioactively contaminated scrap metal from the decommissioning of nuclear power stations.” He added: “There have also been well-documented occurrences of orphan radiation sources from radiotherapy and other instruments ending up in scrap metal yards and being smelted down with other scrap metals. “There is the possibility that some of this contaminated metal may have been used in metal packaging that could leach contamination into the food it contains.” Scientists within Glasgow’s environment team, will work in airtight rooms, examining canned food from home and abroad, along with samples of fish, shell fish, herbs and spices and health supplements – all collected from local supermarkets and health shops. Last night, Dr Richard Dixon, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, welcomed the £15,000 project, saying the study was of international significance. “All credit to Glasgow for taking the initiative. This will throw up some interesting results not only for the people of Glasgow, but for people across Europe who will ask if there is a problem in their city as well,” he said. “You might throw away three tons of steel to be recycled and the average radiation could be measured as extremely low, but there could be one hot spot which hasn’t been detected. “Once it’s turned into a food can, that hot spot could be irradiating your baked beans and you in turn.” ©2002 scotsman.com | contact ***************************************************************** 24 Tennessee: Emergency Planning Committee holds first meeting Elizabethton Star - Online Edition By Megan R. Harrell Star Staff Carter County is no stranger to disaster. The North American Rayon fire and the flood of 1998 are some of the more recent disasters the area has come through. Local emergency responders worked together to bring the community through these disasters, and now they are members of a new committee that will help to prepare for emergencies in the future. Representatives from area emergency response services were present at the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) meeting Tuesday morning. The LEPC's inaugural meeting was held at the Carter County Health Center's Truman Clark Annex, and speakers from a variety of emergency response agencies outlined the services their companies provide. Speakers included representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Washington County Hazmat Response Team, HEPCO Environmental Service and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. The invited speakers provided the LEPC with valuable information on ways to respond to emergency situations. Washington County brought its command modual to the LEPC meeting to show its neighboring county its capabilities to contain chemical spills. Carter County emergency response organizations have no emergency suites that can withstand chemical contamination. The command modual and hazardous waste team from Washington County responds to all of Carter County's radioactive contaminations as part of a mutual aid agreement. Mark Scott, a representative with HEPCO and a member of the Johnson City Fire Department, responded to the North American Rayon fire in Carter County. He believes that the way to prepare for future emergencies is through training. "The only way you can really respond well to emergencies is to practice, have exercises, and you must have a viable committee," Scott said. Training is exactly where LEPC Chairman Bob Robinson tends to lead the committee. A survey completed by local emergency agencies showed that 61 percent of those surveyed requested additional training for their first responders. "This is not in any way a negative reflection on local emergency services personnel," Robinson said. "Training is an ongoing process that you can never stop." The LEPC is made up of local emergency service, business, and city/county and government representatives. Its main objective is to make the community more prepared to handle emergency situations. "The LEPC's focus is on making not only the community safer, but making it safer for first responder personnel," Robinson said. The state mandated that local governments form a LEPC in 1986 as part of the Community Right-to-Know Act. The Elizabethton/Carter County LEPC's by-laws state that it must develop an emergency response plan for the area, develop a procedure for facilities to provide notification to them, develop a procedure for receiving and processing requests for public information, provide an annual Notice of Public Availability of inventory reports, and to implement all orders and activities required by the Federal Government or the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC). The formation of the Elizabethton/Carter County LEPC is crucial to the area's chances of receiving state and federal grants. Carter County requested grant money last year for emergency management, but did not qualify, because it lacked the organization that the LEPC now offers. This year, Carter County will receive $20,000 as part of the Homeland Security Grant. The homeland security funds are one portion of over 20 billion dollars the federal government allocated to combat terrorism. Copyright © 1996 - 2001 Elizabethton Newspapers, Inc. Direct questions or comments to [kfender@starhq.com] Elizabethton Newspapers, Inc., 300 Sycamore Street Elizabethton, Tennessee 37643 - 423.542.4151 ***************************************************************** 25 DOL to answer questions about [Nuclear worker safety] compensation [http://www.observer-reporter.com] Wednesday, February 13, 2002 Representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor will return next week to the Holiday Inn, Meadow Lands, to assist retired nuclear workers who are seeking compensation for work-related illnesses. During the Cold War, thousands of workers were exposed to toxic and radioactive materials, including employees of the former Vitro Rare Metals Co. in Canonsburg and Jessop Steel Co. in Washington. Many of these workers and their families could be eligible to receive $150,000 in tax-free compensation, plus medical benefits, through the department's Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program. Established last July, the program compensates retired workers and families of workers who became ill after exposure to radiation, beryllium or silica on the job. In December, the act was amended to also make adult children of nuclear weapons workers eligible. Last month, the DOL set up two traveling resource centers to answer questions of retired workers and their families. Because of the high level of interest, the department scheduled additional sessions from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 21 and 22 at the Holiday Inn, Meadow Lands, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 19 and 20 at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Thorn Run Road, Coraopolis. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 866-363-6993. Walk-ins also are welcome. Copyright ©2002 Observer Publishing Co. [http://www.observer-reporter.com/INTERACT/about.html] ***************************************************************** 26 NATO Update: Radioactive contamination in Kazakhstan - 14 January 2002 A NATO "Science for Peace" study of the radioactive contamination at the former Soviet nuclear test site in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan, was presented to a Technical Meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held in Vienna on 14-18 January. The NATO project aims to establish the levels of radioactive contamination in a largely unmonitored area of steppe lying to the north-west of the village of Sarzhal, Kazakhstan, which has a population of about 2,000. This 600 square kilometre area was selected following a joint mission to the test site by IAEA and NATO teams. The area was in the plume of a 1953 ground-level hydrogen bomb explosion and lies close to the Degelen mountains, where 239 underground nuclear tests were carried out. After closure of the test site in 1991, information on the radioactive contamination was classified and controlled by military departments until 1993, when the first international experts were allowed access to the site. The Government of Kazakhstan encourages coordinated collaboration between Kazakh and international scientists and has approached international agencies for additional financial and technical support, while the United Nations has called for the international community to join the effort to find a viable solution for the ecological problems of the Semipalatinsk test site. There are indications that the area selected for the NATO study was used for grazing by domestic animals before the creation of the test site and it is hoped that one of the outcomes of the study will be the reclamation of the contaminated steppe lands for safe grazing once more. Additional information: + Monitoring Contamination in Kazakhstan - Article NATO Review Vol. 49 - No. 3 -Autumn 2001 + NATO Science Exhibit [http://www.nato.int/science/e/pict-gallery/010703-london.htm] at the 2001 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition ***************************************************************** 27 Jeb Bush looks to stockpile iodide 02/14/02 021402 metro 4 Jacksonville.com Gov. Jeb Bush is asking federal officials for free potassium iodide pills to give to Florida residents in the event of a nuclear crisis. --> Thursday, February 14, 2002 Pills would help in nuclear incident [http://www.jacksonville.com/special/terror] By P. Douglas Filaroski Times-Union staff writer Gov. Jeb Bush is asking federal officials for free potassium iodide pills to give to Florida residents in the event of a nuclear crisis. Potassium iodide is a thyroid-blocking agent that reduces the risk of thyroid cancer from radiation, such as would occur from a nuclear reactor accident or attack. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission provides pills free to states that are developing plans to help protect residents. Florida is requesting 783,000 pills, enough to give two each to residents near the state's three nuclear plants in South Florida and in Citrus and St. Lucie counties, officials said. The state would add the pills to an existing stockpile being kept for emergency workers, officials said. Potassium iodide, similar to salt, does not reduce or prevent all harmful effects. Evacuation and sheltering would still be the primary protective action, officials said. "These pills will provide us an additional tool to protect the public," Florida Health Secretary John Agwunobi said. "We must seek every available opportunity." The health department became aware of the federal program in January, spokesman Bill Parizek said. The decision to request pills is not due to any increased threat, he said. The state plans to use portions of an additional $46 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to stockpile other drugs for bioterrorism defense. Florida already received $9 million for bioterrorism and hospital preparedness. Another $32 million will be sent once Florida's bioterrorism defense plan is approved. Agwunobi said the state plans to use the money to upgrade state pharmacies, labs and epidemiological capacities. The Food and Drug Administration deemed potassium iodide as a safe and effective way to reduce cancer risk. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has 3 million pills, which cost the agency 18 cents each. The stockpile is enough to supply every resident living within 10 miles of a nuclear plant in the United States, spokesman Victor Dricks said. So far, about six states have requested pills. "Right now, we think we will be able to provide them to everyone who wants them," Dricks said. Parizek said the state will keep the pills stored in strategic locations across the state. They will be distributed in the event of an accident or attack. When potassium iodide is taken, it is absorbed in the thyroid gland. It saturates the gland in such a way that inhaled or ingested radioactive iodines cannot accumulate in the gland. The effects may include hypothyroidism, thyroid nodules or thyroid cancer, the federal government said. Potassium iodide pills have an average shelf life of five years. The commission will allow Florida to reapply for funding to replace expired doses. Staff writer P. Douglas Filaroski can be reached at (904) 359-4509 or via e-mail at dfilaroski@jacksonville.com [dfilaroski@jacksonville.com] . © The Florida Times-Union ***************************************************************** 28 Officials call for hearing on radiation tests at landfill The Mercury Evan Brandt, Mercury Staff WriterFebruary 13, 2002 Before the Pottstown Landfill starts testing incoming trucks for radiation, a growing number of area residents and officials want to have their say. Monday night, Pottstown Borough Council unanimously approved a resolution calling on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a public hearing on a plan submitted by Waste Management to scan incoming garbage trucks for radiation. Council is not alone. Upper Pottsgrove Commissioner Julie Gallisdorfer has already dashed off a letter to the DEP calling for a hearing, and she said a similar letter will be issued jointly soon by the entire board of commissioners. "Upper Pottsgrove Township is directly adjacent to the Pottstown Landfill and as such is directly and indirectly affected by the radioactive materials that are and will be allowed to be dumped in the landfill," she wrote. Attempts to contact DEP officials and representatives of the landfill for this story were unsuccessful. When the application was announced in December, John Wardzinski, district manager for Waste Management, said the plan was only submitted in order to follow new regulations being enacted by DEP. "We're pretty much following the guidelines set out by the DEP," Wardzinski said at the time. Under the program, equipment and training for which will cost Waste Management between $30,000 and $40,000, trucks entering the landfill will drive between two stanchions that will scan the trucks. If any radiation is detected, alarms will sound and the trained landfill staff will respond in one of two ways, depending on the amount and type of radiation detected. Radiation has been detected at the landfill already, "but its levels are below background," Wardzinski has said. But the landfill's perennial adversary, the Alliance for a Clean Environment, better known as ACE, disputes that, saying the testing on which Wardzinski is basing that reassuring statement, was flawed. Not surprisingly, ACE also has been pushing hard for a public hearing on the landfill's radiation testing application. "Under the guise of radiation monitoring to safeguard the public from radioactive materials, DEP wants to change the Pottstown Landfill permit to now legally allow alpha, beta and gamma radioactive wastes to be dumped, but not monitor for all of them coming in," ACE wrote Jan. 31 in a lengthy, accusatory letter to Ronald Furlan, who is the manager of the Waste Management Program at DEP's Conshohocken office. Calling DEP's monitoring of radiation at the landfill "grossly unprotective and incomplete," the letter expressed astonishment that the state would measure radiation going into the landfill, but still refuses to monitor what comes out. "No radiation monitoring will take place for what radiation escapes the landfill into our air and water from Pottstown Landfill gas and leachate, even though this permit opens the floodgates for all of it," ACE President Lewis Cuthbert wrote. Calling DEP's rules a "dangerous deception," Cuthbert wrote, "the proposed change in Pottstown Landfill's permit will not protect the public in the Greater Pottstown area, but instead increase our radiation risks. Our health risks from radiation emissions in Pottstown Landfill gas and leachate will be increased, not reduced." He also wrote "this plan is about rewarding industrial friends of lawmakers in Pennsylvania who may take substantial campaign contributions later, with a cheap way of unloading their radioactive wastes and absolving them of any liability." If DEP does decided to conduct a public hearing, Cuthbert is likely to ask DEP officials to respond to the statement with which he closes his letter: "DEP's proposed new radiation monitoring plan will not protect public health, especially in the Greater Pottstown area where the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant, in addition to the radiation from the Pottstown Landfill, already expose us to far too much radiation." He also asked Furlan, "Aren't these radiation monitoring plans a way for DEP to allow more radiation into landfills (not less) and to legalize landfill dumping of radioactive contaminated wastes?" But before that question gets answered, DEP must first answer the question of whether it will schedule a public hearing and face those who will be most affected by their decision. ©The Mercury 2002 ***************************************************************** 29 Nuclear fuel plant waste is tied to tainted well STLtoday - By Tim Rowden Of the Post-Dispatch 02/13/2002 09:36 PM In this file photo, John Gross packages empty fuel rods for shipping to Westinghouse's Columbia, South Carolina, plant. (JERRY NAUNHEIM JR./P-D) A plant in Jefferson County that once made fuel rods for the nation's nuclear reactors left a legacy of radioactive and chemical waste that state officials say has surfaced in the well water of a nearby home. The plant, now owned by Westinghouse Electric Co., was shut down in July. It had produced nuclear fuel rod assemblies for commercial power plants and refined about 270 tons of uranium a year. Mallinckrodt Chemical Co. opened the plant in 1956. Randy Maley, an environmental specialist with the Missouri Department of Health in Jefferson City said testing in December and January near the closed plant revealed the presence of the chemical solvents vinyl chloride, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and their byproducts as well as possible low-level traces of technetium-99, a radioactive fission product believed to have come to the plant during the Cold War. The shuttered plant is in Hematite, west of Festus and about 35 miles south of St. Louis. Westinghouse officials consolidated the plant's operations in Columbia, S.C., and now are working with state and federal regulators to identify hazards at the site. British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., the parent company of Westinghouse, bought the nuclear fuel holdings of Swiss-based ABB, which had operated the plant since 1989. Kevin Hayes, manager of environmental health and safety at the plant, said Westinghouse officials had confirmed the presence of the solvents but said more testing would be necessary to confirm the presence of technetium. "Our perspective is that the state's results raised more questions than they answered," Hayes said. "If it's coming from us, we'll work with the agencies and develop a plan to deal with it effectively." Low levels of technetium-99 had turned up in a monitoring well at the Hematite plant in the early 1990s, but later tests of area drinking wells showed no contamination. Chuck Hooper, an environmental engineer with the Department of Health, said he, too, questioned the findings and believed more testing would be needed. Even if confirmed, Hooper said, the levels of technetium found in the well were significantly below the safety standard and would not be considered a serious health threat. The solvents, on the other hand, were well in excess of state and federal safety standards, Hooper said, and posed a risk for causing cancer. Hayes said Westinghouse installed a charcoal filtration system on the well Monday to deal with the solvents and was paying for bottled drinking water while they tried to determine the source of the contaminants. "We know that it's there, and we are working to better understand where it is coming from," Hayes said. The well is two-tenths of a mile from the plant site on land that was bought by Westinghouse's predecessor and leased back to the former owner. The former owner declined to be identified or to comment on the findings. Westinghouse owns 228 acres in Hematite, only about seven acres of which were used in the plant's operations. The well was one of four surrounding the former plant that were tested by state regulators. Maley said the other wells had showed no signs of contamination. The cleanup study will involve core drilling of 40 unlined pits on the property where waste materials and chemicals used in the manufacturing process were dumped between 1956 and 1972, before federal regulations banned such practices. Officials need to identify what is in the pits before submitting a cleanup plan to state and federal regulators. Reporter Tim Rowden: E-mail: trowden@post-dispatch.com Phone: 636-931-1017 ***************************************************************** 30 UK: NEED FOR DETAILED PLAN TO SOLVE PROBLEM OF NUCLEAR WASTE - 13/02/2002 Andrew Stunell MP, Liberal Democrat Energy Spokesperson, welcomed the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee report on Radioactive Waste and the Government's Consultation Process. He said: "This is an important step forward. However, we still need a detailed route map for solving the problem of nuclear waste." The key to finding a lasting answer to the problems of radioactive waste lies in engaging the public in the cost and benefits of all potential solutions." ENDS Liberal Democrats 4 Cowley Street London SW1P 3NB Tel: 020 7222 7999 Email: libdems@cix.co.uk Copyright © 2001, Liberal Democrats. All rights reserved. Designed and ***************************************************************** 31 West Valley lacks funds on fast track Buffalo News - Cattaraugus Correspondent 2/13/2002 President Bush's $92.2 million proposal for 2003 funding at the West Valley Demonstration Project includes none of the $800 million in a "fast-track" cleanup appropriation set aside by the Department of Energy to help speed high-risk cleanups at sites around the nation. Project staffers who met Tuesday night in Springville with about a dozen members of the public updated the group on recent progress in radioactive waste cleanup at the site, staff reductions and snarled negotiations between the Department of Energy and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The DOE's fast-track funding pot, announced only last week, will come with a set of guidelines and application procedures that have not yet been established, according to Alice Williams, the DOE's director of operations at West Valley. But she and others working on the site believe there will be an opportunity to apply for some of those funds to speed up some of the higher-risk cleanup operations that must be done over the next year or two. One possible example is a new high-tech facility now under construction that will allow radioactive wastes to be handled or packaged by remote control. "It would get online sooner," said Program Analyst Lisa Maul, who oversees the site's budget. The cleanup reform appropriation is part of a review conducted at DOE sites, with the goal of improving performance contracts and reducing risks. The results of the review concluded many of the 41 DOE sites that should have closed by 2006 were experiencing escalated costs, while much of the spent nuclear fuel remains in wet storage and surplus nuclear material is still unconsolidated in many locations. "I have trouble seeing how going faster would reduce the risk," said Carol Mongerson of the Coalition on West Valley Nuclear Wastes. Tom Attridge of the state's Energy Research and Development Authority told the group that several members of the West Valley Citizen Task Force planned to meet today with the Western New York delegation to gain congressional intervention in stalled negotiations between the DOE and the state. The main sticking point is deciding which agency will be responsible to watch over the site in the long term. Tom Kocialski, Joe Jablonski and John Chamberlain, all personnel from the West Valley Nuclear Services Co., described plans for removal of waste residues in the decommissioning of a vitrification melter that was used to stabilize high-level liquid waste by solidifying it into glass logs. Copyright © 1999 - 2002 The Buffalo NewsTM ***************************************************************** 32 Piketon plant to lose more than 400 jobs as work is moved Thursday, February 14, 2002 The Columbus Dispatch [jriskind@dispatch.com] Dispatch Washington Bureau Chief WASHINGTON -- More than 400 shipping-operation jobs are being eliminated at southern Ohio's uranium- enrichment plant. The move, announced yesterday, is the latest in a series of economic blows there since the 1998 privatization of the nation's enrichment program. Beginning in June, about 440 jobs will be cut over a six-month period at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, according to USEC, the privatized federal corporation that runs the facility. Piketon's enrichment operations ceased last May, but USEC officials said then they expected shipping operations there to continue for four or five years. The financially strapped company now is speeding up the shift of work from the facility, saying that consolidating the operations at its Paducah, Ky., plant will save $40 million annually. There were about 1,700 employees at the Piketon plant when enrichment was halted. About 1,350 people work there now because the government has kept the plant on "cold standby,'' and because various cleanup operations also are under way. The latest cuts would slash about one-third of the remaining work force. So far, talk about launching an advanced-technology enrichment operation at the Piketon site hasn't come to fruition, and plans for the government to build a depleted-uranium recycling plant there have been stalled. "It's not a bright future at this point,'' said Dan Minter, president of Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers Local 5-689, the union that represents many Piketon employees. Gov. Bob Taft said he is hopeful that Piketon will win an advanced- technology enrichment project. "USEC has made yet another short-term business decision which negatively impacts the lives of hundreds of southern Ohioans,'' he said. "I'm saddened for the families that will be adversely impacted by USEC's decision and will make state assistance available to them to the greatest extent possible.'' USEC noted when it closed Piketon that those shipping operations also would be moved to Paducah -- the sole uranium-enrichment plant in operation nationally. But USEC critics, who questioned the wisdom of privatizing the nation's enrichment operations, say the company has broken a promise to keep the shipping operations in place longer. At an average of salary of $45,000 plus benefits, Piketon shipping-operation employees made more than the region's typical worker. Republican Sens. George V. Voinovich and Mike DeWine of Ohio and Rep. Ted Strickland, D-Lucasville, want the Bush administration to pressure USEC into keeping the jobs at Piketon. The idea is to use ongoing negotiations between the federal government and USEC as leverage to renew a deal that makes USEC the executive agent in charge of carrying out an agreement to buy Russian enriched uranium culled from nuclear warheads. Strickland says the government already is trying to use those negotiations to ensure that jobs will be maintained at USEC's Paducah plant. But the Bush administration also is stressing in those negotiations the need to both launch a new technology project and preserve current Piketon jobs, said a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity. It's possible the Russian deal could be partially or totally taken away from USEC if another group, possibly a consortium of U.S. utilities and a European enrichment company, surfaces, the administration official indicated. And Piketon would have a good chance to be the site of a new technology initiative, he said, adding that Piketon "is a key point of discussion'' in the negotiations. Copyright © 2002, The Columbus Dispatch. ***************************************************************** 33 Yucca: Nuclear industry counters state effort Thursday, February 14, 2002 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal Mayors get video on safety of waste transport By STEVE TETREAULT STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- At the same time Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman was lobbying fellow mayors last month against Yucca Mountain at a Washington conference, the nuclear energy industry was giving to every mayor a videotape touting the safety of nuclear waste transport. Besides being given to city leaders, the video was sent to 1,500 local chambers of commerce and 222 television stations, several of which have run footage, a strategist for the Nuclear Energy Institute said this week. The video is a small piece of a drive NEI and allies have started to build coalitions and persuade the nation's leaders that Yucca Mountain should be developed into a repository for highly radioactive spent fuel from nuclear power plants. It's a counter to Nevada's use of a multimillion dollar fund established by Gov. Kenny Guinn to win the hearts and minds of people outside Nevada on nuclear waste. The state campaign is trying to show that Yucca Mountain is unsuitable and that Americans should think more before backing a program that could put nuclear waste on roadways and railways through their communities. Chandler van Orman, NEI vice president of coalitions and outreach, said the industry effort does not have a set budget. "We'll do what it takes to get this through," he said. At a presentation earlier this week to state officials attending the winter meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, van Orman discussed some of the industry's efforts. "We're using a number of key influential (people) with personal connections in the department (of energy), the White House and Congress," he said. "We have a stable of very influential and very expensive consultants." In an interview afterwards, van Orman said NEI has hired its own parliamentarian to offset Nevada's hiring of former Senate parliamentarian Robert Dove to advise on Senate procedures. Marty Gold, who was an adviser to former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker, R-Tenn., has been contracted. During his talk, van Orman said that "labor is fully engaged" in the coalition. "The Teamsters and the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) are two of the most visible unions," he said. "A number of other building trades have indicated their undying support but have asked to be a little invisible in this effort because of other activities they have going with Senator (Harry) Reid, (D-Nev.), but they have promised at the time of the vote they will be there for us," he said. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham met this week with President Bush to discuss Yucca Mountain but has yet to recommend it be authorized as a permanent site for burial of the nation's nuclear waste. Van Orman said NEI got a copy of Nevada's $1 million public contract with Brown &Partners. He outlined the firm's plans, discussed at a public meeting last month, to contact the top 50 leaders in each town along transportation routes. Teachers' unions are being mobilized, van Orman said. Van Orman said casinos "are sitting on the sidelines," with the industry's only visible contribution so far being a $50,000 contribution to Guinn's fund by Station Casinos. "The gaming industry so far has been fairly benign because it has interests that transcend the boundaries of the state of Nevada," he said. "If the gamers became involved, it would be a different situation. Millions would pour into this effort." At the utility conference Wednesday, former Gov. John Sununu, spokesman for a pro-Yucca Mountain campaign paid for by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, urged state officials to speak out for the repository. Sununu told them the next six months of debate on Yucca Mountain will be marked by "a strong effort at confusion and misrepresentation." Sununu said no reason should exist for senators with nuclear plants in their states to vote against Yucca Mountain. Utilities in those states fully expected the government to "do what it promised" to remove waste from their sites, he said. He said Congress simply should allow the "process to move forward" to let the Nuclear Regulatory Commission judge whether Yucca Mountain is suitable as a repository. Reid thinks senators from states with nuclear plants should be concerned about transporting highly radioactive waste, spokesman Nathan Naylor said. "They don't want to see a nuclear accident on their highways. The terrorist attacks of 9-11 have changed things." Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1997 - 2002 ***************************************************************** 34 TAFT OPPOSES USEC DECISION TO MOVE JOBS FROM PIKETON TO PADUCAH COLUMBUS (February 13, 2002) - Governor Bob Taft today expressed his profound disappointment in a decision by the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC) to move its transfer and shipping operations from Piketon, Ohio to Paducah, Kentucky. "USEC has made yet another short-term business decision which negatively impacts the lives of hundreds of Southern Ohioans. I am saddened for the families that will be adversely impacted by USEC's decision and will make state assistance available for them to the greatest extent possible," said Governor Taft. Governor Taft has lobbied both USEC executives and federal officials with jurisdiction over USEC operations in an effort to retain the transfer and shipping jobs in Ohio. Governor Taft, however, held out hope that ongoing discussions with the Bush administration, USEC and other private firms may lead to new technology deployment in Piketon. The Governor has asked state development officials to work closely with USEC and other companies to successfully bring about an advanced technology process at the now vacant gas centrifuge buildings in Piketon. # # # Editor's Note: Governor Taft's letters are available at TaftNews.com. Contact: Joe Andrews, Governor's Press Office, at (614) 644-0957. ***************************************************************** 35 Nevadans rally in D.C. with anti-Yucca activists Las Vegas SUN Today: February 14, 2002 at 11:09:35 PST By Benjamin Grove WASHINGTON -- Nevada lawmakers rallied outside the U.S. Capitol today with anti-Yucca Mountain activists, publicly pleading their arguments against the proposed nuclear waste dump. Ultimately the lawmakers hope they are capturing President Bush's attention, even though they are well aware that Bush could approve Yucca Mountain by Friday. But as Nevada officials again demonstrated today, they are also looking to the next phase of the battle, waging a high-stakes offensive to win over more of the public -- particularly people who live in states along routes that would be used to haul the nation's most radioactive nuclear waste to Nevada. Nevada's four members of Congress also are scrambling in a what may be a long-shot bid to convince a majority of their fellow lawmakers to vote with them against the project later this year. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., spoke to about 50 activists, arguing against Yucca. Organizers said they would stage more rallies in Washington and along the transportation routes. The lawmakers stress that Bush -- who is waiting for Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham's recommendation to make Yucca Mountain the nation's nuclear waste repository -- does not have enough vital scientific information to make a decision. They argue that transporting nuclear waste was a dangerous plan that invites accidents and terrorist strikes. A gray, inflatable mock nuclear waste cask stood behind the podium with a sign that said "Have a heart, oppose the Yucca Mountain dump." "Radiation makes you sick and it shouldn't be shipped past your home and mine," said Robert Musil, director of Physicians for Social Repsonsibility. A number of the activists focused on the transportation issue. One of the organizers, Wenonah Hauter of Public Citizen, said that more rallies like today's rally will be held in Washington and along the transportation routes to draw attention to the dangers of shipping waste. "This is going to become a more public issue here in Washington and along the transportation routes, especially given the terrorism issue," she said. "Most people aren't even aware that their areas are at risk." Nuclear industry officials, who strongly support the Yucca project, have said anti-Yucca forces make unfair statements and mislead the public. They stress that Congress broke a contract agreement with nuclear power utilities to haul their waste away by 1998 as the Yucca project suffered delays. Nuclear industry leaders say the Yucca Mountain site is the most studied place on earth and that research has uncovered no reasons to halt the project, in direct conflict with arguments made by Nevada officials. Industry officials also counter arguments that transporting waste is unsafe. They stress that about 3,000 shipments of various types of highly radioactive waste have been made in America since the mid-1960s, with only a few accidents. Not one resulted in radiation release, they say. "These (nuclear waste) casks are subjected to rigorous tests and we feel they are certainly safe for transport," said Mitch Singer, spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Institute. NEI, the industry's leading trade group, has launched its own public relations campaign in favor of the Yucca Mountain site. It centers on less conspicuous efforts: aggressive lobbying in Congress, studying focus group research about nuclear energy and releasing polls that show support for nuclear energy, and advertising. NEI likely will buy advertisements in the Washington Post and Capitol Hill publications as a Yucca vote nears in Congress, NEI officials have said. In recent weeks NEI has sent out video tapes to chambers of commerce and television news stations nationwide to promote the safety of the metal containers used to store and ship nuclear waste. NEI does not, however, hold public rallies like the one today. "It's obvious it's basically a big show and it demonstrates that this process is very politically oriented," Singer said. "We don't do any 'Mobile Chernobyl' kind of events, and I don't think we ever will." NEI sent one representative to the rally. Communications specialist Steve Kerekes stood quietly away from the action. He said the industry routinely transports nuclear waste without much risk. Meanwhile advocates and critics of the Yucca Mountain project this week are still anxiously watching the Energy secretary. Abraham told Gov. Kenny Guinn on Jan. 10 that he would recommend to President Bush that the department had deemed the site a suitable place to bury the nation's most radioactive nuclear waste. If the project receives approvals from Bush, Congress and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, trucks and trains could begin hauling 77,000 tons of waste to Nevada from the nation's nuclear power plants and defense sites, as early as 2010. Abraham was expected to recommend the site this week and Bush was expected to quickly approve it. White House sources have said they expect action from Abraham and Bush before Bush leaves Saturday for a trip to Japan, South Korea and China. Bush summoned Abraham to the White House for a meeting Tuesday. Details of the conversation have not been disclosed. That followed a meeting one week ago in which Guinn, Ensign and Reid urged Bush not to approve the site. All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 36 USEC to cut 440 jobs at Ohio plant The Daily Independent [http://www.dailyindependent.com/search] Wednesday, February 13, 2002 By Beth Goins Of The Daily Independent PIKETON — USEC Inc. announced today it will move shipping operations from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon to Paducah, cutting 440 of the 1,350 jobs at the Ohio plant. ``This was purely a business decision," said Elizabeth Stuckle, director of corporate communications for USEC. ``Any company wants to run as efficiently as possible, and this was a clear economic incentive." Shipping operations in Paducah will require only 30 to 50 jobs and will save USEC about $40 million annually through work force reduction and lower operating costs. Enrichment activities at the Piketon plant ceased in May, but workers continued to package enriched uranium shipped from the Paducah plant. Workers in Piketon will be offered severance packages, and the Ohio Department of Energy will be notified on behalf of workers who may also receive federal benefits. USEC, the world's largest supplier of uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants, was created as a government corporation in the 1990s. It served to prepare the government's uranium enrichment operations for private sector sales. USEC was privatized in 1998. The company announced in 2000 that it would retain shipping operations in Piketon until at least 2005. The consolidation of the transfer and shipping operations is scheduled to begin in April 2002 and is expected to be completed this summer. Job cuts in Piketon will begin in June. Stuckle said the company will continue to seek a proposed sales tax break in Kentucky. Tanya Pullin, D-South Shore, had asked her House colleagues to delay voting on a bill that would grant a sales-tax exemption on enriched uranium sold at the Paducah plant. Pullin feared the move would eliminate jobs at the Portsmouth plant, where some of her constituents work. Stuckle said 38 of the plant's employees live in Kentucky. It is unclear how many of those would be affected by today's announcement, she said. ``I think this shows they are clearly not keeping their word to the Portsmouth employees," Pullin said. Today's news will not help the company's efforts to receive a tax break, Pullin said. ``They are asking the state government to assist them in taking our jobs and moving them somewhere else. I am really glad I caught that bill early so that we could expose this and show the world this was going to affect us," Pullin said. Morris Brown, vice president of operations for USEC, issued a prepared statement this morning expressing regret for the loss of jobs at the Piketon plant. ``We regret the impact this action may have on our Portsmouth employees, but it is a necessary action to lower our operating costs," Brown said. BETH GOINS can be reached by phone at (606) 326-2655 or by e-mail at Story last updated at 11:44 a.m. on Thursday, February 14, 2002 BNFL workers are back on the job this morning after being evacuated from building K-33 early Wednesday due to a fire in an air ventilation unit in a workshop. "We're conducting a thorough investigation, but we've opened up the building for access," said Norman Hammitt, spokesman for BNFL, the American subsidiary of British Nuclear Fuels. BNFL has a $238 million contract to dismantle and clean three buildings previously used for uranium processing at the Oak Ridge K-25 site. About 900 employees work on the project. The fire occurred at about 6:30 a.m., and was under control in about an hour, said Hammitt. About 100 workers, the only workers in the building at the time, were evacuated. "We think the fire was electrical in nature, and accidental," said Hammitt. "We consider this a very minor situation for us." Hammitt said he expects the safety investigation to be completed within the "next couple of days." All Contents ©Copyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 38 Paducah gains jobs, becomes self-contained in USEC merger The Paducah Sun Paducah, Kentucky Thursday, February 14, 2002 The shipping will be done in an area where Paducah workers shipped cylinders of enriched uranium to Portsmouth. By Joe Walker jwalker@paducahsun.com--270.575.8650 Starting this summer, the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant will gain as many as 50 employees and be fully self-contained now that USEC Inc. has decided to merge transfer and shipping operations here. The Bethesda, Md.-based company said Wednesday it will save $40 million annually by moving the operations from its closed enrichment plant near Portsmouth, Ohio. The savings, realized gradually over the next three to four years, will be through net job cuts and lower overhead, utilities and materials costs. USEC said the change will begin in April and be completed this summer at an approximate cost of $29 million, including about $13 million to upgrade the Paducah plant. The shipping work will be done in an area where Paducah workers have traditionally shipped cylinders of enriched uranium to Portsmouth. The rest of the expense will be in training Paducah workers and providing severance and other benefits for Portsmouth workers. About 440 Portsmouth jobs — about 230 hourly and 210 salaried — will be eliminated from roughly June through November out of the plant's approximately 1,350 employees. Company spokeswoman Elizabeth Stuckle said 30 to 50 jobs, including salaried and hourly positions, will be created at the 1,500-employee Paducah plant. Members of Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers (PACE) International at both plants will be able to bid on the hourly jobs, she said. "We regret the impact this action may have on our Portsmouth employees, but it is a necessary action to lower our operating costs," said Morris Brown, USEC vice president of operations. "We will work with PACE concerning this action." The Portsmouth plant closed last May amid USEC attempts to right itself financially. That left Paducah as the nation's only enrichment facility, but the plant has continued to ship cylinders to Portsmouth for final processing before they are sent to nuclear fuel fabricators. "This means that this summer, the Paducah plant will become fully self-sufficient," Stuckle said. Leon Owens, president of Paducah PACE Local 5-550, said the decision was bittersweet. "We, of course, don't relish the thought of Portsmouth workers losing their jobs, being phased out of shipping and transfer," he said. "At the same time, it does mean continued operations at Paducah with shipping and transfer being consolidated here. The job increase will be welcomed also." Owens said Portsmouth workers had "an unparalleled record" of shipping quality and on-time deliveries. "That will be something that Paducah will have to strive to duplicate because that's a perfect record and the union congratulates them on that." Last summer, USEC said it would be four years before the shipping work would be moved. Stuckle said the faster schedule is based mainly on cost savings and improved efficiency. The shipping issue has been controversial as the General Assembly weighs a bill to exempt the state sales tax from uranium produced at Paducah. Northeastern Kentucky lawmakers worried that passage of the bill would speed plans to cease shipping operations in Portsmouth, across the Ohio River from Ashland. About 38 of the Ohio plant's workers live in Kentucky, but Stuckle said the move would not result in the loss of that many jobs in the Ashland area. She said some of the 38 work in other areas of the plant and those employed in shipping could transfer to other jobs if they have seniority over other workers. Ohio doesn’t tax enriched uranium, and western Kentucky lawmakers want to give USEC the same benefit because of the shipping transfer to Paducah. The exemption would save USEC and its customers about $5 million a year, Stuckle said. If the bill fails, USEC has options, one being to ship all cylinders in bulk to fuel fabricators, which avoids the sales tax. About 92 percent of current shipments are exempt because they go directly to fabricators. USEC is taxed on about 8 percent of its enriched uranium because of customers' preference to take title of the material at the USEC plants, rather than at fabricators. ***************************************************************** 39 Letter: Nuclear fuel isn't shipped safely- - Ron Bourgoin [http://www.nevadaappeal.com] Wednesday, February 13, 2002 Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham has turned a repository into a national security issue. The American people aren't stupid. They know that you don't protect used uranium and plutonium by removing them from their present safe storage. Those who would argue that fresh nuclear fuel is being shipped all the time without incident, and, therefore, that spent fuel would also be shipped without incident aren't thinking clearly. Fresh fuel is shipped once a week to any one of over 100 nuclear reactors spread out all over this country. On the other hand, six to seven canisters of spent fuel per day are. due to go to one single location. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that this is an enormous security risk. If national security is really a chief concern, the very best guarantee that terrorists won't get their hands on this potential mass-destructing material is to leave it where it is. RON BOURGOIN Rocky Mount. N.C. ***************************************************************** 40 Opinions: MOX plan is just a good first step Augusta Georgia: 02/14/02 Web posted Thursday, February 14, 2002 Letter to the Editor I read with great pleasure that MOX will be funded at the Savannah River Site and the letters in support of this work while urging critics of MOX to say how we are to provide clean, safe energy over the next century without a nuclear program. A Feb. 7 letter by John Bohacheff invites us to support MOX or to turn out our lights. This is only part of the story; not only is MOX necessary to light our lights, MOX is also the only way to rid the world of plutonium. Without MOX, we cannot only plan to live in the dark, we can also plan to live in fear of nuclear weapons in the hands of assorted world terrorists for the next 100,000 years (the time required for plutonium's decay). With plutonium in mind, a look decades ahead may be appropriate. Present MOX plans, while a necessary first step, do only a small percentage of the job. Less than 50 tons of plutonium are to be eliminated while over 1,000 tons of plutonium are spread over this world. All of the 1,000 tons can be made into terrorist weapons. All of it can be used to make very dirty and very long-lasting chemical bombs. Most can be made into low-yield nuclear truck bombs potent enough to burn the heart out of a city. With a bit of refinement, all of it can be made into the best of nuclear weapons, and refinement gets ever easier with ever-improving technologies. One step at a time, but we must keep our eye on the eventual goal, placing plutonium forever beyond the reach of evil hands. To do this, we must have a vastly-expanded, worldwide, plutonium-rich MOX program coupled to reprocessing. Anything less and we will surely deliver weapons of mass destruction to assorted thugs for the next 100,000 years. Fred Christensen, Aiken, S.C. 1996 - 2002 The Augusta Chronicle. ***************************************************************** 41 Uranium Fuel Maker USEC to Cut Jobs Yahoo - Wednesday February 13, 6:00 pm Eastern Time Uranium Fuel Maker USEC to Cut 440 Jobs at Ohio Plant As It Consolidates Shipping Operations BETHESDA, Md. (AP) -- USEC Inc. (NYSE:USU [http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=usu&d=t] - news) will cut 440 jobs at an Ohio plant as it consolidates shipping operations at a Kentucky plant this summer as part of a plan to cut costs by $40 million a year, the company said Wednesday. The cuts amount to 14.9 percent of its overall work force of 2,950 people. USEC, a maker of enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants, said the job cuts will occur over a six-month period at its Portsmouth, Ohio, plant beginning in June. Up to 50 jobs will be added at the Paducah, Ky., plant, the company said. USEC spokeswoman Elizabeth Stuckle said the company employs about 1,465 people at Paducah, and about 1,350 at Portsmouth. USEC said it expects the moves to cost about $29 million in restructuring fees and employee severance packages. The consolidation will generate about $40 million in annual savings beginning in the 2003 fiscal year, the company said. Enriched uranium is currently shipped from the Paducah plant to the Portsmouth plant and prepared for shipment to fuel fabricators. The Ohio plant will remain open, but will not be involved in the shipping of fuel from the Kentucky plant after the consolidation. ``We are taking this action to improve our operational efficiency,'' said Morris Brown, USEC's vice president of operations. ``The Paducah plant is being modified to make it capable of shipping product directly to fuel fabricators. Consolidating these operations at Paducah will provide significant cost savings.'' In trading Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange, USEC shares rose 2 cents to close at $5.86. On the Net: + http://www.usec.com [http://www.usec.com] Copyright © 2002 Yahoo! Inc. ***************************************************************** 42 Doing for, Not Doing To Opinion / Comment www.moscowtimes.ru Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2002. Page 10 By Paul J. Saunders Though the official purpose of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's testimony last week before the Senate and House committees that oversee his department was to justify his budget for the next fiscal year, Powell's remarks were an important policy statement -- particularly from the perspective of the U.S.-Russian relationship. In fact, for those who seek closer and more effective cooperation between Washington and Moscow, Powell's comments were downright encouraging. Much Washington-based commentary on Powell's testimony has focused on the fact that the secretary of state energetically backed U.S. President George W. Bush's reference to Iraq, Iran, and North Korea as an "axis of evil" in his Jan. 29 State of the Union address to Congress. Powell's defense of the president has been described as especially significant given his known resistance to calls within the administration for an immediate attack on Iraq after Sept. 11. Has something you've read here startled you? Are you angry, excited, puzzled or pleased? Do you have ideas to improve our coverage? Then please write to us. All we ask is that you include your full name, the name of the city from which you are writing and a contact telephone number in case we need to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you. Email the Opinion Page Editor Though Bush's definition of the "axis of evil" and his identification of its members has not been well received in Russia (or indeed anywhere else), Moscow need not be any more concerned about U.S. policy toward the three states than it was prior to the president's speech. Bush administration officials have already indicated that use of the term does not signify a new policy toward any of the three countries. Three other aspects of Powell's remarks are considerably more interesting, however. First, the secretary of state revealed that he and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov speak to one another by telephone two to four times each week "to make sure we stay in touch, to make sure we understand one another." While a few phone calls may seem like a minor matter, they are in fact quite remarkable given the history (including the recent history) of the U.S.-Russian relationship. Frequent and routine contacts of this nature can also go a long way toward avoiding unnecessary misunderstandings and problems. Second, Powell emphasized that "regime change" remains a goal of U.S. policy toward Iraq and suggested that the United States and its allies may have to be its "catalysts." This was also seen as especially significant coming from Powell and seems considerably more important than his demonstration of loyalty to the president. It contributes effectively to a growing sense of inevitability about a U.S. attack on Iraq that can only help to minimize the consequences for the relationship when Washington does eventually move. Notwithstanding President Vladimir Putin's recent public warning against U.S. military action, it seems unlikely that Moscow would make recent improvements in the U.S.-Russian relationship hostage to responsible behavior by Saddam Hussein. Hussein has demonstrated clearly in the years since the Gulf War that he is unwilling to admit weapons inspectors to Iraq on terms that would permit meaningful work. At the same time, the U.S. domestic debate over military action to unseat the Iraqi leader has moved from whether it is a good idea to when and how it should be done. Moscow has precious little leverage on the issues under dispute in Baghdad or Washington and is hardly in a position to broker, let alone enforce, a resolution. With sufficient skill and tact, Washington can maintain constructive relations with Moscow while moving to oust Hussein. The third important aspect of Powell's statements was his affirmation that the Bush administration is now pursuing discussions with Russia on a legally binding agreement to reduce each side's nuclear arsenal. In its substance, the administration's new willingness to consider signing a binding document resolves a major obstacle to an important agreement in the interest of both countries; as a result, a deal may be possible quite soon. In a sense, however, the implications of the administration's decision may be even more consequential than whatever agreement eventually emerges. During the last decade, one of the principal Russian concerns about the U.S.-Russian relationship has been its alleged one-sidedness. Former President Boris Yeltsin and Russia's radical reformers were widely discredited by the perception that they had surrendered key national interests to the United States without receiving anything in return. Since Sept. 11, some new commentary has taken a similar tone in characterizing Putin's support of the U.S. war on terrorism. In this context, the abandonment of the concept of parallel unilateral cuts in nuclear weapons -- a notable U.S. concession to Putin -- demonstrates the benefits of cooperation with the United States in an area of interest to Moscow. Such a signal will not be lost on Putin; it will also have an impact on at least some portion of Russia's attentive public. Over the long term, the disparity in power between the United States and Russia makes some degree of Russian concessions to Washington more or less inevitable in the foreseeable future. In many areas, Russia simply does not have the levers to resist U.S. policies even if it objects strongly. The key to achieving the greatest level of cooperation, however, is to display sufficient flexibility in areas less important to the United States to ensure that Moscow continues to view its concessions as justified by the return they bring. That kind of a relationship -- one that focuses on what we can do with each other and for each other rather than what we can do to each other -- would be profoundly advantageous to both Russia and the United States. In accepting talks on binding nuclear arms cuts, the Bush administration has taken an important step to build it. Paul J. Saunders is director of the Nixon Center in Washington. He contributed this comment to The Moscow Times. ***************************************************************** 43 N-war unthinkable: Musharraf WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (PNS): President Pervez Musharraf has said that the initiation of nuclear conflict is unthinkable for both Pakistan and India. Addressing a packed audience of a seminar titled 'Pakistan: a vision for future', organised jointly by the Woodrow Wilson Centre and the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, Musharraf said that under the circumstances even a non-nuclear war would be a very expensive undertaking and should not be initiated. "Both India and Pakistan are poverty-stricken and both are going for economic development," he said, adding, "India and Pakistan ought to act responsibly on the issue of war." Musharraf had before him the cream of Washington think tanks, government, media and scholars, listening about that has gotten into limelight like never before. There was this feeling that they have worked with this country so closely, particularly during the struggle against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and yet it remained enigmatic. Musharraf explained to them the phenomenon like a commander tells to his troops with a stick and blackboard, categorizing the Pakistani society into twos and threes and then dissecting them further into As, Bs and Cs. Somehow, it seemed to work. Many said they understood Pakistan more, simplistic it may be, the way Musharraf divided the Pakistani society into three groups. A huge bloc of moderates sandwitched between two tiny minorities of ultra (sloppy) liberals and religio fanatics. And then he had the religious extremists into three groups, Mushaikh the good, Ulema the not so good and religious political parties the real ugly stuff that can't be trusted and needs to be moderated. He was helped in his endeavour by confused questioning by some Indian enthusiasts who provided him a fillip to establish his credentials as a good speaker. For many Pakistanis, it was virtually a repeat of his January 12 speech. He mentioned all the reforms that his government was taking in education, health and security. He stressed that in order to have peace in South Asia, it was indispensable to resolve the Kashmir issue through outside mediation. Musharraf claimed that it was now being widely recognised that Kashmir was the 'core dispute' between India and Pakistan. Referring to the current stand-off with India, he said: "The present tension and escalation is not from our side, it is from India... we have reacted." He quite successfully foiled an attempt to be pinned downed on Kargil, saying that "why start history from Kargil, why not talk about Siachen, or may be 1971. Let's not get into the past and look towards forward." The audience was amused when he said "may be, sometimes generals know war more than others." He said: "Though the Simla Agreement calls for bilateral resolution of disputes, 'bilateralism' has failed, and therefore, I believe there is a requirement of mediation or facilitation in resolving the disputes between India and Pakistan." Musharraf said that Pakistan wanted peace in the South Asian region, where many countries were facing abject poverty and backwardness, and this called for addressing all issues between India and Pakistan, including the Kashmir dispute. "If we think peace can be brought about by addressing all (other) issues and sideline Kashmir, it is foolish. It cannot happen," he said, adding it was this 'core' issue over which 'Pakistan and India have fought so many wars and over which even now today there is tension on the borders'. Musharraf said: "Pakistan or Pakistanis do get emotionally involved with Muslim causes around the world." But he added, "We are not religious extremists; we are moderates; we are religious all right; our concerns are over-involvement or involvement with Kashmir and our concerns with India -- this is what regulates attitudes and behaviour of the Pakistanis." Musharraf said he went to Agra with all sincerity and open-mindedness, and claimed that the two sides even reached the formulation of a declaration, which addressed and accepted the centrality of Kashmir for bringing peace between India and Pakistan. "Nevertheless, it got scuttled. A hall, a table and two chairs were ready for the signing ceremony and the draft declaration was formulated and yet it got scuttled by the Indian leadership. We need to move forward on that," he said. Alleging that India had used the December 13 attack on the Parliament as an excuse for massing of troops along its borders with Pakistan, he said the attack was 'condemned', but it 'cannot be used as an excuse for brinkmanship'. He said that although India might not intend to indulge in any act of aggression right now, the large-scale deployment of its forces raised suspicions and could anytime lead to a confrontation. "We expect sincerity and purposeful negotiations from India to move forward to resolving the Kashmir dispute and all other issues bedevilling our relationship, as an unpopular imposition of an unpopular and unworkable solution will remain untenable", he added. He said this situation needs to be eased and expressed his 'special gratitude' to the personal diplomacy of US Secretary of State Colin Powell to bring about easing of tensions between India and Pakistan. When a member of the audience noted that he is 'the same Musharraf' who initiated the Kargil war after Lahore peace process, the Pakistan president said: "Why not start with Siachen and East Pakistan?" "One must not go back into history," he said, "because history has been a bitter one. One has to look forward. I want to look to peace for the future. I am a military man and sometimes military men understand wars more than civilians understand. Maybe I am the right man for peace. I look for peace." He said: "We should not have bloodshed. I agree we are continuously fighting and there is killing going on along the Line of Control almost every day. We are confronting at the Siachen Glacier at height of 20,000 feet in an unimaginable setting there. What is the solution? I have given the solution. We ought to sit down and talk through a dialogue; we need to address all issues, and the main issue in all issues is the Kashmir dispute. If anyone denies that Kashmir is the main dispute, he is just being insincere." Musharraf said that everyone in India recognises that. AFP adds: President Pervez Musharraf warned he had seen "indications" of a possible new nuclear test by India "The missile test carried out by India and some information, some news even, of maybe a possibility of a nuclear test is most untimely and may I also say provocative," Musharraf said. Questioned later on the allegation, Musharraf said "there were certainly indications." "I did share these with the US leadership. I can't give conclusive evidence of it, but I thought if at all there was a possibility, it should be checked," he said. ***************************************************************** 44 Pak N-bombshell keeps Vajpayee ticking The Indian Express February 14, 2002 » Musharraf’s ‘disclosure’ on India’s ‘N-test’ gives PM handle to raise T-word in Agra AJIT KUMAR JHA & JYOTI MALHOTRA AGRA/NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 13: PRIME Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today returned to Agra, where he had parted with Pervez Musharraf one July evening last year amidst the debris of a failed summit, and was immediately handed an issue with which to attack his fellow summitteer. Late last night, at a speech in Washington, Musharraf had stated that India had secretly conducted a nuclear test in January. Vajpayee, back in Agra. Naveen Jora So Vajpayee set aside his party’s political rivals and focussed on Musharraf as the security threat. The opportunity couldn’t have been more convenient, the applause it drew couldn’t have been more enthusiastic. ‘‘Musharraf, sitting in the US, says India is experimenting with a nuclear bomb and the US says ‘no India is not’. In these circumstances, how can they expect us to talk to them? We will only talk under two preconditions: Pakistan must stop cross-border terrorism and prevent infiltration across the border.’’ Musharraf’s statement, coming hours before his meeting with President Bush, startled the international community and prompted US officials to dismiss it as ‘baseless’ while in New Delhi, the MEA called it ‘‘kite-flying’’, a reference to the traditional pastime during the current Basant festival. Speaking at the meeting of a think-tank, Musharraf had said: ‘‘The missile test carried out by India, and the informa-tion...maybe the possibility of a nuclear test, is most untimely and, may I also say, provocative.’’ But Musharraf was also careful about qualifying his statement, that the nuclear test had been carried out alongside the test-firing of the Agni missile on January 25, in front of the international strategic community today. ‘‘There were certain indications and I did share this information, yes, with the US leadership. I can’t give conclusive evidence of it but I thought, if at all there is a possibility, it should be checked,’’ Musharraf said. Musharraf’s charge against India comes in the wake of a string of accusations in the recent past against New Delhi, including one about Indian intelligence agencies having a hand in the kidnapping of American journalist Daniel Pearl. All this was grist to Vajpayee’s mill. In a 45-minute speech laced with humour, Vajpayee kept the heat on Musharraf. And the more he poured scorn on the General, the more the crowd of a few thousand clapped and shouted slogans. The more he attacked Musharraf, the more it seemed he persuaded them that security was indeed the issue. There was surprisingly no mention of POTO or SIMI arrests, the ticklish issues related to security in this state. ‘‘I thought that the banks of the Yamuna and the majestic Taj would change Musharraf. I told him he could buy wheat and sugar, extra sweetened from us...But Musharraf only harped on Kashmir, he said ‘we need Kashmir’,’’ said the Prime Minister. ‘‘Musharraf doesn’t realise that no Indian Prime Minister can give up Kashmir,’’ Vajpayee thundered amidst loud applause. ‘‘It will amount to surrendering India’s sovereignty.’’ He firmly ruled out third-party intervention in Kashmir. He said Pakistan was ‘‘without any evidence dragging India’s name into the abduction of Daniel Pearl, like it did in the Chittisinghpora (killings) in the past.’’ Vajpayee drew a distinction between a dictatorial Pakistan and a democratic India: ‘‘While in Pakistan ex-prime ministers are either jailed or ex-communicated from the country, in India we let them live in peace. Indeed, we have too many ex-ministers and even ex-prime ministers (five) since there are too many elections these days.’’ And making a smooth transition to the immediate job at hand, he said ‘‘India has more Muslims than Pakistan. So, if Muslims in India think there is injustice against them, they must take recourse to the democratic process to ventilate their grievances.’’ © 2002: Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. All rights ***************************************************************** 45 Cancels yet another secret provision The Pasko Case Gregory Pasko, an investigative journalist who worked for the Pacific Fleet's newspaper, was arrested on 20 November 1997 by the FSB and charged with high treason for his writing about the nuclear safety issues in the Russian Pacific Fleet. The Russian Military Supreme Court today cancelled article 70 of the secret Ministry of Defence decree No 010. Thus, the legal foundation of the treason-conviction of Grigory Pasko crumbles away. Jon Gauslaa, 2002-02-13 18:30 The Pacific Fleet Court's verdict sentencing journalist Grigory Pasko to four years for treason through espionage for having been in the possession of hand-written notes allegedly containing state secrets, is based on two secret Defence Ministry Decrees; No. 010 issued in August 1990 and No. 055 issued in August 1996. Yesterday the latter of these normative acts were cancelled by the Military Collegium of the Russian Supreme Court, and today Article 70 of decree No. 010 went the same way. The coup-maker's decree While decree No. 055 contains more than 700 provisions, listing up various general kinds of information that pertains to state secrets within the Russian Armed Forces, decree No. 010 deals with how to protect state secrets within these forces. It was enforced by the then Defence Minister of the USSR, Dmitry Yazov, who in August 1991 played a major part in the ill-fated coup d'ιtat against Mikhail Gorbachev. Article 70 of decree No. 010 forbids Russian military personnel with access to state secret to have any relations with foreign citizens, unless such relations are a part of their official duties. This inheritance from the Stalin-era when all Russian citizens having off duty relations with foreigners was considered as potential spies, was a significant part of the basis for the conviction of Pasko. -- The conviction is built on two pillars, explained Pasko's lawyer Ivan Pavlov. The first is decree 055, which is the main legal instrument for claiming that the notes Pasko possessed contain secret information. Since it could not be proven that the notes were handed over to anybody, the court supplemented this pillar with article 70 of decree 010 and thus, it made Pasko's off-duty contacts with Japanese journalist Tadashi Okano a criminal offence, Pavlov said. Initial sword-blows At the court hearing today, the representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Prosecutor's office argued that the complaint regarding the validity of article 70 should be rejected, claiming that Pavlov did not have the needed security clearance to work with this secret normative act. Pavlov then pointed to the fact that he had worked with it ever since he in April 2001 was appointed as Pasko's co-defender. The Court agreed with Pavlov, pointing to the fact that the Russian Constitutional Court in March 1996, after having evaluated a complaint filed by Aleksandr Nikitin, established that defence-attorneys do not need a security clearance even if they work with cases containing allegedly secret material. After these initial sword-blows the proceedings could continue. And at the end of the day it was once more Pavlov who stood victoriously at the battlefield. Provision cancelled from date of issuing The Court ruled that Article 70 of decree No. 010 violates the right to inviolability of the private life, which is safeguarded by Article 23 (1) of the Russian Constitution. Although this right may be restricted, it follows from Article 55 (3) of the Constitution that such restrictions can only be made by federal law. Article 24 of the Law on State Secrets contains some restrictions, but these are nowhere near the restriction set up in Article 70 of Decree No. 010. Thus, the provision was cancelled from the date of its entering into force; i.e.: from August 7, 1990. The verdict can be appealed to the Appeal Collegium of the Supreme Court within ten days. It is not yet known whether the Defence Ministry will use this right, but based on they way it previously has handled similar cases, nobody should be surprised if it does. It is also too early to predict which significance the ruling will have for the not yet scheduled appeal case of Grigory Pasko. It will however, be difficult for the Military Supreme Court to overlook the fact that it within less than 24 hours has made the major parts of the legal foundation for Pasko's conviction crumbling away. * Grigory Pasko was arrested on November 20, 1997. He was acquitted by the Pacific Fleet Court in Vladivostok of treason through espionage on July 20, 1999, but sentenced to a three-year imprisonment for misusing his position and released on a general amnesty. Both sides appealed the verdict. In November 2000 the Military Supreme Court cancelled the verdict, and sent the case back for a new trial at the Pacific Fleet Court. The re-trial started on July 11, 2001 and ended on December 25, with Pasko being convicted to four years of hard labour for treason and taken into custody. The verdict is appealed again by both the defence and the prosecution. Publisher: Bellona Foundation, President: Frederic Hauge Information: info@bellona.no, Technical contact: webmaster@bellona.no Telephone: +47 23 23 46 00 Telefax: +47 22 38 38 62 * P.O.Box 2141 Grunerlokka, 0505 Oslo, Norway ***************************************************************** 46 Physicians Warn Of Nuclear Terrorist Threat ScienceDaily Magazine -- Source: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (http://www.bidmc.harvard.edu/) Date: Posted 2/13/2002 BOSTON – In the aftermath of September 11, the threat of nuclear terrorism is among the most real – and most dire – of our country’s current public health concerns, according to a report in the Feb. 8 issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), which estimates that a Hiroshima-scale nuclear explosion on a ship in port in New York City would result in more than 250,000 deaths. "The most important messages are actually very simple," says co-author Lachlan Forrow, M.D., Director of Ethics Support Services at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "First, there is, in 2002, only one thing in the world that could truly destroy the U.S. as an entity, and that is an attack using the Russian nuclear arsenal, which remains on hair-trigger alert despite decaying computer and radar systems. The only way to forever prevent the use of nuclear weapons by nations or terrorists is to abolish them." As past Chairman and CEO of the 1985 Nobel Peace laureate organization International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), Forrow and his colleagues have spent more than two decades warning of the potential catastrophic consequences posed by the stockpiles of nuclear weapons and materials, such as those that still exist in the U.S., Russia, and other countries. In the new study, Forrow and his co-authors used software developed by the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to calculate the impact of a 12.5 kiloton nuclear explosion – the same size as the bomb dropped on Hiroshima – in the port area of New York City. They found that such an attack would result in the immediate deaths of 52,000 people, while another 44,000 individuals could be expected to develop cases of radiation sickness, of which 10,000 would likely be fatal. According to their calculations, radiation from fallout would cause another 200,000 deaths and several hundred thousand cases of radiation sickness. Furthermore, they say, in the wake of such an attack, little could be done to help survivors: More than 1,000 hospital beds would likely be destroyed, while nearly 9,000 more would be rendered unusable as they are located in areas of projected radiation fallout. "As awful as the World Trade towers attacks were, the casualties were less than 2 percent of those that would result from even a small-scale nuclear explosion in a populated area," says Forrow. According to the BMJ report, "There is clear evidence that some terrorist groups have been trying to obtain nuclear materials, primarily from the enormous stockpiles of the former Soviet Union. … The efforts of the al-Qaeda network to obtain nuclear weapons or weapons grade materials are particularly worrying." The answer, say the authors, is to secure and abolish all existing stockpiles of nuclear weapons and materials, including those in Russia, Pakistan and India, a goal that should be high on the global public health agenda. IPPNW has collaborated with international legal scholars in developing a model Nuclear Weapons Convention, a United Nations document that has been distributed worldwide in the official UN languages. "There's an enormous surge of patriotism in our country right now," says Forrow. "I would just say that if you truly care about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, consider that they are simply incompatible with the existence of nuclear weapons. To ensure the survival of our extraordinary country, our democracy should be leading the world in achieving the verifiable and enforceable elimination of all nuclear weapons. I can’t think of a more truly patriotic cause." Co-authors include Ira Helfand, M.D., of Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton, Mass., and Jaya Tiwari, of the Center for Global Security and Health, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington, DC. Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for journalists and other members of the public. If you wish to quote from any part of this story, please credit Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as the original source. You may also wish to include the following link in any citation: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/02/020213075022.htm Copyright © 1995-2002 ScienceDaily Magazine ***************************************************************** 47 Subcritical nuclear weapons test set for today [Las Vegas Review-Journal] Thursday, February 14, 2002 REVIEW-JOURNAL Government scientists plan to conduct a subcritical nuclear weapons experiment today at the Nevada Test Site, the National Nuclear Security Administration said. The experiment, dubbed Vito, will be conducted at noon by scientists from the Los Alamos, N.M., national laboratory. The test will be the nation's 16th such experiment since the program was started July 2, 1997. The United Kingdom will participate in the experiment under terms of a 1958 agreement, according to a statement from the National Nuclear Security Administration's Nevada Operations Office in North Las Vegas. The administration is a branch of the Energy Department. The last subcritical experiment by Los Alamos scientists was Thoroughbred, on March 22, 2000. Subcritical experiments stop short of erupting into nuclear chain reactions. They are designed to give scientists information about the aging nuclear stockpile in the absence of full-scale nuclear tests, which were put on hold indefinitely by the United States in 1992. The experiments in a below-ground complex, 85 miles northwest of Las Vegas, allow scientists to study how materials, such as plutonium, blow apart when detonated. The last U.S. subcritical experiment, Oboe 7, was on Dec. 13 at the test site by scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. This story is located at: [http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2002/Feb-14-Thu-2002/news/18095540.html] ***************************************************************** 48 Jailed Russian Reporter Wins Second Ruling This Week (washingtonpost.com) By Sharon LaFraniere Washington Post Foreign Service Thursday, February 14, 2002; Page A23 MOSCOW, Feb. 13 -- Russia's Supreme Court today dealt another blow to the treason case against military journalist Grigory Pasko, striking down a 1990 order that restricted contacts between members of the military and foreigners. It was the court's second ruling in two days in favor of Pasko, 40, who was convicted by a military judge on Dec. 25 and sentenced to four years imprisonment for collecting material on secret military exercises to give to Japanese journalists. Ivan Pavlov, Pasko's lawyer, said the Supreme Court's decisions this week demonstrated that "the legal basis for this case simply does not exist." He predicted the rulings would vastly strengthen Pasko's hand when the Supreme Court considers his appeal. A date for that hearing has not been set. Pasko's defenders argue that prosecutors concocted treason charges to punish him for disclosing nuclear waste dumping by Russia's Pacific Fleet. Human rights groups denounced his conviction, and influential Russian legislators suggested that even the Kremlin sympathized with the journalist's cause. Pasko, first arrested in 1997, has already served 22 months in jail. In today's ruling, the high court struck down a 1990 Defense Ministry order that forbade members of the military to contact foreigners unless it was part of their duties. "The decree was just a remnant of a totalitarian state that did not respect human rights," Pavlov said. "Thank God that Russia today got rid of it." On Tuesday, the court threw out a 1996 order that classified certain information as secret, saying the Defense Ministry illegally kept the order itself secret. Prosecutors acknowledged that the decree should have been published. But an official of the Federal Security Bureau, the KGB's main successor, denied today that the order formed a crucial part of the case against Pasko. Although Pasko's lawyers say he was accused in part of violating the order, the military judge who convicted Pasko did not specifically cite the decree in his verdict. But Pavlov argued that Tuesday's ruling not only undercut Pasko's conviction, it also weakened several other espionage prosecutions underway. He said that in particular, the court's decision should help Igor Sutyagin, a researcher with the Institute for the Study of the United States and Canada, who is charged with passing state defense secrets to the CIA. In December, a Russian court delayed a verdict in Sutyagin's case, saying further investigation was needed. © 2002 The Washington Post Company ***************************************************************** 49 Pasko Lawyers Win Again in Court Thursday, Feb. 14, 2002. Page 3 By Vladimir Isachenkov The Associated Press The military branch of the Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned a Soviet-era order on state secrets that served as a basis for the conviction of military journalist Grigory Pasko, handing free-speech advocates their second potentially groundbreaking legal victory in two days. Pasko and his lawyers appealed to the court's military collegium to invalidate a 1990 order by a Soviet defense minister that forbade servicemen and all other people with access to state secrets from having contacts with foreigners when off-duty. "Imagine that in order to avoid rapes, men would be barred from contacts with women," Pasko's lawyer, Ivan Pavlov, said on NTV television. "Just like that, the defense minister sought to protect state secrets by barring servicemen from contacts with foreigners." The judge ruled that the 1990 document, known as Order No. 010, was no longer in force once a new law on state secrets was promulgated in 1993. On Tuesday, the military collegium agreed to another appeal from Pasko and his lawyers, annulling another defense minister's order, issued in 1996, which contained a list of confidential information related to the armed services. Pasko was sentenced in December to four years in prison for attending a meeting of naval commanders and possessing notes he made there. "The string that held the conviction has been broken," Pavlov said. The court's rulings were seen as a victory for free-speech advocates, as both ministerial orders have been used to jail several journalists and researchers who claimed to be working with nonclassified information. However, Pavlov complained that the judge declared the list of secrets void only as of Tuesday. He said Pasko would file another appeal with the Supreme Court asking it to invalidate the Defense Ministry decree retroactively, which could allow Pasko's conviction to be overturned. "By the spirit and letter of the law, Pasko now must be set free," Pavlov said. But Alexander Yegorkin, the head of the investigation department for the Federal Security Service branch in the Pacific Fleet, claimed the court's verdict would not affect Pasko's case since his conviction was based on the 1993 law on state secrets, Interfax reported. Pasko remains jailed in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok, and the Supreme Court is expected to hear an appeal on his verdict next month. But Pasko's lawyers insisted that it was the Defense Ministry orders that served as a foundation for Pasko's conviction by the military court in Vladivostok, which ruled that he could have passed the notes he made at the naval meeting to Japanese media with which he had worked. Pasko insisted the case was retaliation for his reports uncovering alleged environmental abuses by the Pacific Fleet, including the dumping of radioactive waste at sea. International human rights and environmental groups have protested the conviction as an attempt to restrict free speech. President Vladimir Putin has hinted that Pasko should apply for a pardon, but Pasko's lawyers said he would not because asking for a pardon would mean acknowledging guilt. The Supreme Court's rulings could affect several other cases against people suspected of revealing or obtaining military secrets, including arms control researcher Igor Sutyagin, on trial in the city of Kaluga, and businessman Viktor Kalyadin, who was sentenced in October to 14 years in prison. [http://www.themoscowtimes.com ***************************************************************** 50 Opinion: Bohr, Heisenberg claims looked at 'Copenhagen': A 1941 meeting but a scientific 'whodunit' still today opEd 1 Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, February 14, 2002 Editor's License Dick Smyser It's been more than two years since the engrossing reading of the perplexing play "Copenhagen" at the Oak Ridge campus of Roane State Community College. Staged one November night in 1999, it was part of an Oak Ridge Institute for Continued Learning course in nuclear history. Soon afterward, the play, by then already acclaimed in London, opened on Broadway, ultimately winning the Pulitzer Prize for drama for playwright Michael Frayn. The local reading, directed by Paul Ebert, retired director of Oak Ridge Community Playhouse, featured the late Sheldon Datz, Oak Ridge National Laboratory award-winning chemist and Playhouse veteran actor, as Danish physicist Niels Bohr, Doug Lombardi as German physicist Werner Heisenberg, and Carol Goins as Bohr's wife. The evening remains vivid in my memory, so much so that I keep reminding myself that I have not seen the Broadway production. The questions raised by the play -- the uncertainties as to the purpose of Heisenberg's 1941 journey from Germany to Denmark to visit with his mentor -- continue to be debated and make significant recent news. In the New York Times of just a week ago -- Feb. 7 -- there is a front page article based on materials only recently released by Bohr's family (Bohr died in 1962, Heisenberg in 1976). In commentary on these new Bohr family revelations in this past Sunday's Times, Philip Boffey, now deputy editorial page editor but earlier a Times science editor, writes, "The idea that German scientists worried about the morality of atomic war and tried to head off development of a bomb was given wide currency in 'Copenhagen,' Michael Frayn's award-winning play ... "The play is built around the differing recollections of the two men and the ultimate uncertainty of exactly what happened. In it, the Heisenberg character explains that he visited Bohr to warn him, in highly guarded language, that atomic bombs could be built and to feel him out on whether physicists on both sides could agree to stop the work. ..." * My recollections of the play are different and so are those of Ebert and Lombardi, which may well firmly validate Frayn's work as stellar drama -- the contrasting responses -- interpretations -- it evokes. Rather than concern about morality, Heisenberg, as scripted by Frayn, seemed to me to be either trying to convince Bohr that he should join Heisenberg in the German atomic program or, or possibly also, to elicit from Bohr scientific information that would be of value to the Germans and further possibly also some hints of whether the United States might be embarked on an atomic weapons program of its own. In short, Heisenberg was on a fishing expedition that might, one way or another, enhance the German science. (Bohr, soon after the 1941 conversations with Heisenberg, escaped to the United States and became part of the U.S. nuclear effort.) Lombardi agrees that, in the play, the moral implications of developing a bomb do not seem Heisenberg's primary concern. Moral issues were discussed, he remembers, but most of all the German physicist wanted Bohr's help toward achieving his dream of a fission reactor, no weapons implications. (This was almost two years before Enrico Fermi's team achieved the world's first sustained controlled nuclear chain reaction at University of Chicago on Dec. 2, 1942.) * What the Bohr family made public just last week were letters that Bohr wrote but never sent to Heisenberg between 1957 and 1962. These were responses to a Heisenberg letter quoted in a book in which Heisenberg characterizes his meeting with Bohr as one in which he, Heisenberg, raised the moral issue and pointed out the "grave consequences" that could come from scientists fooling around with uranium. Written in anger, Bohr's "letters never sent" recall to the contrary that Heisenberg, at the 1941 meeting, left "the firm impression that, under your leadership, everything was being done in Germany to develop atomic weapons." Heisenberg, Bohr wrote further, "gave no hint about efforts on the part of German scientists to prevent such a development." Boffey's Sunday commentary, while interpreting Frayn's depiction of Heisenberg differently, concludes in sync with Bohr's view in the unposted letters just revealed. Referencing David Cassidy, Hofstra University historian who wrote a biography of Heisenberg, Boffey writes, "Indeed, he (Cassidy) says, Heisenberg seemed more concerned about using the war to prove the worth of physics to the nation and its rulers. With those motivations in mind, it seems likely that Heisenberg would have made a bomb if he could." * Thus the uncertainties remain, all the more intriguing given that Heisenberg is best known among physicists for his "uncertainty principle" concept. And suggesting a sequel to "Copenhagen," which continues to intrigue theater audiences (it opens soon in Chicago) and which Lombardi wonders why Oak Ridge Playhouse has not yet staged in full production, notwithstanding that Ebert's high-quality November 1999 reading set a formidable local standard. -- RDS Richard D. Smyser is founding editor of The Oak Ridger. All Contents ©Copyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 51 Britain to join in U.S. subcritical nuclear test KYODO NEWS WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, Kyodo - Britain will take part in a subcritical nuclear test the United States will conduct Thursday at an underground test site in Nevada, the U.S. Energy Department said Wednesday. Britain will be the third country to carry out a subcritical nuclear test. Antinuclear groups criticize such tests as running counter to the spirit of the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) on nuclear weapons. The U.S. first conducted such a test in 1997, followed by Russia. Britain will participate in the experiment under the terms of the 1958 Mutual Defense Agreement, the department said. The U.S. claims subcritical nuclear tests, which do not involve nuclear explosions, are intended to produce scientific data and technical information to maintain the safety and reliability of its nuclear arsenal. An Energy Department official said Britain decided to join in the test because it also needs to verify the safety of its nuclear weapons. Britain's move drew criticism from antinuclear groups. ''This is a very significant move because it's like bringing back those old days a little bit,'' said Sally Light, executive director of the Nevada Desert Experience, referring to the pre-CTBT era. ''We do know that (President George W.) Bush and others in (Washington) D.C. want to resume full-blown nuclear testing,'' she said. The Energy Department says the tests do not violate the CTBT because no critical mass is formed and no nuclear chain reaction occurs. 2001 Kyodo News (c) Established 1945. ***************************************************************** 52 Senator Boxer Urges Tougher Cleanup Standards At Rocketdyne U.S. SENATOR BARBARA BOXER | CALIFORNIA February 1, 2002 Los Angeles —U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today wrote to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to urge tougher cleanup standards at Rocketdyne, in Ventura County. "Everyone agrees that it is the federal government's responsibility to clean up Rocketdyne," said Boxer. "We owe it to the people of California to clean it up to the highest standard possible before children and families are able to use this area." Responding to public concern about radioactive contamination, Boxer expressed concern that the Department of Energy's cleanup standards may present an unacceptable risk to public health. Boxer invited Secretary Abraham to tour the Rocketdyne site and hear the concerns of residents firsthand. "I will fight any proposal which cleans up only 2 percent of the contamination and then gives the site a clean bill of health," said Boxer. "I urge you to visit the area and its residents so that you may better understand the degree of community concern and the proximity of the neighborhoods to this contaminated site." ***************************************************************** 53 Lawsuit Challenges Cross-Country Plutonium Shipments Environment News Service: By Cat Lazaroff LIVERMORE, California, February 13, 2002 (ENS) - A coalition of environmental and community groups filed suit today to stop the Department of Energy's plans to ship weapons grade plutonium from Rocky Flats, Colorado to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Critics of the plan say the shipping containers designated to carry the radioactive material cannot be certified as safe. [Livermore] Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy (Photo courtesy LLNL) At a news conference held today at the fence line of Lawrence Livermore, community groups and environmentalists announced the filing of a complaint arguing that the Energy Department (DOE) plans to ship plutonium in 45 gallon DT-22 containers that agency documents acknowledge do not satisfy applicable safety regulations. The suit by Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment), filed by attorneys with Earthjustice, says the containers cannot pass a crush test, which is mandatory for such shipments under Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. Documents obtained by Tri-Valley CAREs show that the container's manufacturer told the DOE the containers could not pass the test. Surplus plutonium parts from the now mothballed Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant are scheduled to be trucked in DT-22s to Livermore Laboratory in the spring or early summer of 2002. The DOE's plan to ship the plutonium on interstate highways, which run through many populated areas between Colorado and California, is raising concern throughout the West. Once in Livermore, the plutonium parts will undergo high temperature processing, and eventually be reshipped, some of it to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico and some to the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. [glove box] LLNL has developed a method of cutting open the radioactive cores of nuclear weapons destined for disposal. The plutonium is then extracted and converted to an oxide for permanent disposal (Photo courtesy LLNL) "Plutonium presents an extreme health hazard to workers who handle it and to the public," said Marion Fulk, a retired Livermore Laboratory physicist with five decades of experience studying plutonium and other radioactive elements. "A tenth micron sized particle of plutonium, once in the body, is enough to cause cancer or other health problems," Fulk continued. "New scientific studies show a wide range of negative health outcomes associated with radiation doses that authorities believed to be safe in years past. If we must err, we must err on the side of caution." Tri-Valley CAREs says it has obtained documents show that the DOE is hurrying to meet an "accelerated closure" plan for dealing contamination at the old Rocky Flats weapons plant, located about 16 miles outside of Denver. "Speeding up the project to meet an arbitrary 2006 closure date would save the agency money, but at the expense of public safety along the shipment route and in my community," said Marylia Kelley, executive director of the Livermore based Tri-Valley CAREs. [residue] Cleanup worker handles wet combustible radioactive plutonium residue at the Rocky Flats nuclear facility (Photo courtesy U.S. Dept of Energy) The lawsuit, filed under the National Environmental Policy Act, calls on the DOE to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposed shipments. An EIS, say plaintiffs and their attorneys, is needed to analyze the risks posed to communities along the route in case of an accident. The law requires an EIS to contain a comprehensive "alternatives analysis," outlining other options for the plutonium, and to include the public in decision making through hearings and comment periods. "First, the DOE improperly granted itself a 'national security exemption' from NRC regulations, so that it can more cheaply truck decades old, surplus plutonium parts in containers that cannot be certified safe in crush scenarios," explained Trent Orr, an attorney with Earthjustice. "Then, DOE compounded its egregious violation of law and agency discretionary powers by neglecting to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, the basic environmental statute of the land." "What we have here is an agency ignoring rules to get a job done quickly," Orr added. "While that may save the DOE some money, it might not be the safest way to solve the problem." [worker] Repackaging radioactive salts at Rocky Flats (Photo courtesy U.S. Dept of Energy) Earthjustice says that there are multiple alternatives to the truck shipments that were dismissed out of hand by the DOE - without benefit of NEPA analysis - as too expensive or time consuming. Among the options which the DOE discarded were: + Cutting the material to fit into safer containers for transport + Processing the material on site at Rocky Flats, and storing it there + Sending portions of the material from Rocky Flats directly to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, New Mexico, or to Savannah River, South Carolina, rather than to California first + Processing the material at one of several DOE sites that are not within urban boundaries Citing the potential hazard of an accident, Marvin Resnikoff, an expert in radioactive transport issues, said, "These DT-22 containers cannot withstand all credible highway accidents. It makes no sense to transport plutonium in unsafe containers to Lawrence Livermore, process the plutonium, then transport it to other government facilities in New Mexico and South Carolina. All this transportation maximizes the risk of a transportation accident." [wipp] A container of radioactively contaminated wastes at the Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) in New Mexico (Photo courtesy WIPP) The shipments could also pose a national security issue, said Tri-Valley CARE's Kelley. "After the tragedy of September 11th, the DOE temporarily halted nuclear waste shipments knowing they pose an attractive target for terrorists. What assurances do we have that these shipments will now be secure?" "Cleaning up the remnants of the Cold War is a worthy and difficult project, but communities should not be endangered in the name of expediency," Kelley concluded. © Environment News Service (ENS) 2001. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 54 Remarks by Spencer Abraham FY 2003 Budget Rollout energy.gov - Headquarters' Speeches February 4, 2002 Introduction I'm pleased to provide an overview of our budget for the next fiscal year. But before I do that, let me say that this year calls for more than a recitation of numbers from the top line down. Given what we have been through over the last 12 months - a severe energy supply shortage in our largest state, heating oil, natural gas, and gasoline price spikes, the attacks of 9/11, the collapse of the nation's largest energy trader - given all this, I think it's the right time to discuss the state of this Department, its missions and its priorities. And the place to start is with the men and women of DOE. They sounded warnings on energy supply shortages long before California's blackouts. They issued warnings about shortfalls in oil and gas and the depletion of our refinery capacity long before last summer's price spikes. They were concerned with energy markets long before the issue moved from the trade press to the national news. They were working on energy security and homeland defense long before the terrorists attacked - and they were prepared to deal with the consequences. I know the President was glad he had this Department and its talents to turn to in the year just past. Over the last 12 months, we have clarified the Department's mission and set in motion a process that will change the way DOE does business. And we have not turned our backs on the tough decisions. We've accelerated nonproliferation programs with Russia, improved the plutonium disposition program, and helped to protect Americans from future terrorist attacks. After enormous study, we are poised to recommend a permanent disposal site for nuclear waste, we moved ahead to cure the persistent Path 15 bottleneck in California, we challenged old ideas in our environmental cleanup program, and we set a new course for automobile transportation with FreedomCAR. So I want to make clear how proud I am to serve with the outstanding professionals in this Department. And let me say I think the role this Department plays in a host of critical areas is becoming better known around the nation and indeed the world. It's my opinion, that owing to the talents of the professionals here in the Department, and the leadership provided by our President, we have never had a brighter future. The Department's Mission and Priorities Still, many people have said that this Department has no core mission and that it has become unmanageable. I don't believe that. In fact, the place and role of DOE have never been clearer. Our core mission is national security, which is itself founded in large part on energy security. Since 9/11, that mission has been given greater urgency with the war against terrorism - a war, I might add, for which this Department was well prepared. Clearly, the defense side of our business fits well within this mission. But our other programs do as well. Our energy and science programs should be judged by whether they advance our Nation's energy - and hence, national security. Our cleanup programs are resolving the legacy of the Cold War and showing that we take responsibility for the environmental effects of our national security programs. To accomplish our overarching national security mission we have set priorities in each major program area - to which we will set goals and against which we will measure our performance. For our national security programs - We will ensure that we can guarantee the safety, security, and reliability of the nuclear stockpile. And we'll make sure future research, development, and production plans are geared to the Administration's defense strategy. We will address the threat of weapons of mass destruction and continue to provide safe, efficient, and effective nuclear power plants for our Navy. The Department's energy programs will further our mission by providing a foundation for energy security. We will ensure that America's energy infrastructure is secure and protected. We will implement the President's National Energy Plan. We will direct our R toward new ideas that will bring us tomorrow's energy and we will move mature technologies from the laboratory to the marketplace for today's energy needs. With respect to our environmental management programs, we are going to close the circle on Cold War weapons production. Having done our job to produce the weapons that helped deter aggression over the half-century of the U.S.-Soviet standoff, it is now our responsibility to take care of the by-product of this essential work. If we cannot do this responsibly, we would betray the trust of communities around this country who made the sacrifice and welcomed the weapons industry into their towns because they believed that is what good citizens do. And knowing that our safety and the future of our ability to use nuclear power depend on it, we also have a responsibility to find a permanent disposal site for nuclear waste. Now let me turn to our science programs and particularly to our national labs. A little while ago I attended the retirement ceremony of a long-time DOE employee. He told the audience that he felt our national labs were one of America's best kept secrets. I agree. But I think people are starting to take notice. Ever since the anthrax letters, people have asked, "Where will we get the technology to combat bioterrorism?" When they hear about a new computer virus, they wonder, "How do we protect ourselves from hackers?" And when they enter an airport they ask, "Will I be safe?" Many of the answers to these questions are in the technology developed by our national labs. In fact, a few months ago I had the chance to show off our wizardry to Tom Ridge, our homeland security chief. He was deeply impressed. We will focus science on meeting the threat of weapons of mass destruction - nuclear, chemical, and biological - that is posed by determined terrorists or nation-states. We also want to use the talents nurtured by our science program to leapfrog today's energy security problems by finding new sources of energy. And lastly, as the irreplaceable foundation for tomorrow's security demands we need a strong physical science program - a program that is the seed for energy sources as yet undiscovered and for the technologies of national defense that will keep us secure. Management Reviews, the Foundation for Change So, we've clarified our mission and set our priorities. With regard to managing this agency, let me be equally clear. We came into office with the goal to change the way we do business here. We have begun that process. We are participating in a government-wide effort to improve performance, we are performing our own internal strategic management review, and we have done extensive reviews of key programs. Let me briefly outline each of these efforts. First, we are closely following the President's Management Agenda, which challenges all federal agencies to make improvements in human capital, competitive sourcing, e-government, budget and performance integration, and financial management. In each of these areas we are making progress. For example, we will reduce layers of management and initiate competitive sourcing reviews for about 1,000 positions. We have hired a new Chief Information Officer reporting directly to the Office of the Secretary, and we have revamped our budget, planning, and project management process. Second, we have taken additional steps to improve the way we do business. Deputy Secretary Blake is conducting a thorough strategic management review of the entire Department. His review is identifying programs and projects that fall outside our mission, as well as those that support our major priorities. It's a thorough review, and absolutely necessary if we are to ensure that all our programs are aligned with our vision. And third, we've taken a thorough look at key programs. There are two exceptions. In our fossil energy program and our science program, top political leadership has either just come on board, or has yet to be confirmed by the Senate, and so we've been unable to perform major reviews. But reform is on the way. In our major programs, the Department and the Administration have completed critical policy and management studies and factored the outcome into the budget. In the defense area the Department played a key role in setting America's new nuclear defense policy. The Administration undertook two major policy and program reviews: The Nuclear Posture Review, sponsored by the Department of Defense, and the review of our deterrence and nonproliferation efforts, under the aegis of the National Security Council. These reviews are completed. They will result in a sharper focus in our policy and major increases in both our weapons programs and in our nonproliferation programs. Turning to the Department's energy programs, the energy task force has given us a blueprint for energy security in the 21st Century and it's a blueprint that clearly impacts our budget. And we completed a review of our energy efficiency and renewables program, which will change the way we fund R, through stronger management principles and an emphasis on future technologies with great promise. And finally, we have just completed a comprehensive no-holds-barred review of our environmental management activities, which gives us the tools we need to get our cleanup job done faster, cheaper and better. The FY 2003 Budget: Programs and Priorities Let me now turn to this year's budget numbers. Our 2003 budget request totals $21.9 billion. This is an increase from last year of over $580 million, a $3 billion increase from the last Clinton budget, and is the largest amount ever requested for the Department. National Security Let me now briefly walk you through our budget, beginning with our national security responsibilities. Under the direction of the National Nuclear Security Administration, this area has enormous responsibilities for our safety here at home and for our national defense. Under DOE's Defense Programs, we maintain America's nuclear deterrence though our stockpile stewardship program. We also play a critical role in nonproliferation, counterterrorism and homeland security, and we provide the power plants for our fleet of nuclear powered submarines and aircraft carriers. I am pleased to announce that each of these areas sees budget increases in our 03 request. Overall, we are requesting just over $8 billion for NNSA, a $433 million increase over the 02 level, signaling a major boost in support for security programs and a broader role for this agency in support of the Administration's nuclear defense requirements. It also reflects a broadening scope of responsibilities for homeland security in the aftermath of September 11. For Weapons Activities we are requesting $5.9 billion, an increase of over $300 million from last year's level. This budget request was shaped, as I've said, by the Nuclear Posture Review, which set out the role of nuclear forces over the next five to ten years. In essence, this review determined that nuclear forces require a healthy stockpile stewardship program, a comprehensive weapons certification program, and a robust infrastructure for nuclear weapons production. Our budget supports each of these areas. The highest priority of our Stockpile Stewardship program is ensuring the readiness of nuclear weapons through maintenance, design, life extension and manufacturing. Funding for the Directed Stockpile Program will increase by 18 percent. We also have begun a concerted - and believe me, much needed - effort to address a serious maintenance and modernization backlog at our weapons facilities. After years of neglect, our scientists and engineers are forced to work in buildings where ceilings can literally fall in on them. This is a disgrace. We are requesting a 23 percent increase over last year's appropriated level … a boost of $46 million … which will provide $243 million for infrastructure modernization. For nonproliferation and related activities we are requesting $1.2 billion, the highest amount at which these programs have ever been funded. When we came into office we began working closely with the White House to review nonproliferation programs with an eye toward a new nonproliferation agenda. Presidents Bush and Putin further shaped that agenda when they met and agreed to share information and expertise to counter bioterrorism, improve protection and accounting of nuclear materials, and prevent illicit nuclear trafficking. Shortly after the Bush/Putin agreement, I met with Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Rumyantsev to accelerate, perfect, and expand cooperative measures on materials security and accountability. Our meeting was a major success. We agreed on the need for greater cooperation, improved steps for protection of dangerous materials, enhanced safeguards of fissile materials, and ways to boost safety and security in the peaceful use of atomic energy. This Administration is fully committed to the success of this deepening cooperation between former foes. We are asking for $800 million to support our nonproliferation programs with Russia, an increase of $115 million … 17 percent above the 02 appropriated level. The Department of Energy is also on the cutting edge of homeland security in ways that are perhaps not fully appreciated. We develop advanced technologies that detect chemical, biological, and nuclear agents. We are deploying these technologies now to protect us today. Chemical and biological agents we developed, for example, were used to help rid the Capitol Hill buildings of anthrax. We have requested $283 million for Nonproliferation R to continue this type of research. We are also taking the lead to protect the Nation's energy infrastructure. As we saw from the problems in the West last year - reliable energy makes a real difference in our lives. And now energy supplies are further threatened by the potential of terrorism. DOE is taking action to secure the Nation's energy. Our budget includes over $27 million for an expanded Energy Security and Assurance effort. This group will work with the private sector and local officials to identify vulnerabilities in our energy system, work to resolve them, and anticipate and respond to energy emergencies. And our Naval Reactors program, which supports the submarines and carriers now on station around the world, remains a critical part of our security mission. We are requesting over $700 million for this program, an increase of nearly $19 million. Finally, I know there has been concern expressed for security at our facilities. Our 03 request for all safeguards and security is over $1 billion, which represents a steady ramp up over the last three years. Not counting the $117 million supplemental we received for these programs last year, the 03 request represents a $74 million increase. It is clear as the war against terrorism goes forward that we will continually update the threat assessment and make adjustments accordingly. Energy Programs Let me turn now to our energy programs. As I hardly need remind anyone in this audience, this has been a year for the record books. We experienced the full scope of price volatility, huge business failures, and yet the energy markets continued to function well and prices have eased. Most significant, the Administration issued a National Energy Plan to address these and other challenges and to help build a strong foundation for energy security. We are requesting nearly $2.4 billion to support the President's energy plan with investments in today's and tomorrow's energy solutions. This is a diverse area of responsibilities for us … allow me to touch on just a few key areas. First is energy security. In the wake of 9/11, we worked with other agencies and the White House to boost our energy security, and at the direction of the President, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve will be filled to capacity. We are asking for almost $190 million in fiscal 2003 to begin a process that will be completed in the next three years. And we are looking out for the energy security of those dependent on heating oil in the northeast with our heating oil reserve program, which we fund at the $8 million level. Now, for all the debate surrounding our National Energy Policy, little of it focused on one of its most central themes - the need to build our energy future on the strength of American science and technology. For example, as a result of one of our major top-to-bottom reviews, we are making a significant investment - over $1.3 billion - in energy efficiency and renewables to develop diverse sources of energy that are at the same time abundant, affordable, and clean. This funding level includes new initiatives in transportation, superconductivity and wind. And as a consequence of our major review of this program, we will improve the way we fund R and focus on cutting-edge technologies that may fuel the 21st Century and beyond. If the Congress accepts our proposal, this will be the largest amount of funding these programs have received in over 20 years. One of those new sources is hydrogen. Not long ago I announced the FreedomCAR program - a forward-looking R effort that builds on the success of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles. But it looks to hydrogen, not gasoline, to power the engine. This budget has $150 million for FreedomCAR - a nearly $23 million increase over funding provided last year for PNGV. We are also investing in technologies like high-temperature superconductivity that will dramatically improve our ability to move electricity and help us ultimately to modernize our ailing grid system. We are asking for a $15 million increase in program, for a total of over $48 million. We are also working to encourage the efficient use of energy. So we will continue to invest in programs that assist working families to weatherize their homes and reduce energy bills. This budget includes $277 million to continue the President's $2 billion commitment to weatherize over one million homes over the next decade. Our Energy Star Program enhances consumer choice by promoting efficient appliances and machines, and we are increasing funding of this and similar programs. The National Energy Plan recommended the expansion of nuclear energy in the United States as a source of clean, affordable, and virtually limitless electric power. Following on that recommendation, our budget includes an important new initiative on nuclear energy - the 2010 Initiative. Nuclear power now generates 20 percent of America's electricity and makes a critical contribution to our energy security by allowing us to diversify our energy mix. It must remain a strong part of that mix. The objective of the new initiative is really quite dramatic -- to bring new U.S. nuclear plants on-line in far less time than it now takes. The $38 million program will, among other things, push design completion, and look at ways to enhance security. The Department's energy programs are focused on America's long-term energy security. We have a strong and diverse investment portfolio that is focused on tomorrow's energy solutions. Environmental Management Let me take a minute now and discuss our Environmental Management program. When I became Energy Secretary - a little more than a year ago today -- I was presented with the old plan for cleaning up our sites, which called for a timetable of some 70 years to complete and at a cost of $300 billion. That is not good enough for me, and I doubt it is good enough for anyone who lives near these sites. So last year, we began a top-to-bottom review of the environmental management mission. Our objective was to develop a new plan to swiftly clean up serious problems at sites and also reduce the risks to human health, safety and the environment. The new plan, which I announced last Thursday, emphasizes three basic goals: 1) eliminate significant health and safety risks as soon as possible; 2) review remaining risks on a case-by-case basis working with state and local officials to determine the most appropriate remediation schedules and approaches; and 3) streamline cleanup so that funding spent on routine maintenance and security - which the program estimates accounts for two-thirds of the total EM budget-will be put to use for further expedited cleanup. Further, this plan fully incorporates the Department's Homeland Security Strategy, which is to significantly accelerate the consolidation of nuclear material and waste into more secure locations and configurations On the basis of this review, we are requesting $6.7 billion for this program in 2003. This budget will have two categories: one for basic funding at every site --- and an $800 million Expedited Cleanup Account out of which those sites who agree to participate in the new plan will receive additional funds to fast-track cleanup. This initial $800 million Expedited Cleanup Account represents our current estimate of the number of sites, which will agree to move to new cleanup agreements this year. However, we are ready to expand this account with more money as additional sites agree to move to expedited schedules. To have access to the Expedited Cleanup Account, a site and DOE will have to reach agreement on an expedited schedule that shows measurable gains and can be held accountable. Therefore, a site that agrees to participate in the new expedited cleanup plan will receive more resources in the near term than in previous years. After the level of funds ramps up at one of these sites and problems get addressed, the level of funding will of course ramp back down accordingly. And, once an agreement is reached there will be a roadmap for activity and budgets through the 2008 fiscal year. That means predictable funding levels. However, this new approach is about more than just increased budgets. Put simply, what I am proposing is a new way of doing business that brings with it responsibilities and opportunities - for both States and communities, and for the Department of Energy. Certainly, some cleanup sites will be eligible for increased, accelerated cleanup funds going far beyond what some might have imagined possible even a year ago. However, there comes with this a responsibility to understand that this is not a license for unending cleanup and open-ended budgets. But the Department of Energy has to step up to the plate, too. Reviewing the history of cleanups at a variety of sites, as we did in our Top-to-Bottom review, leads one inescapably to the conclusion that the Department of Energy has entered into agreements, with aggressive milestones, that simply were not likely to be achievable. We have to change this. We will ensure that agreements and milestones we set are achievable and realistic. We will take responsibility for carrying out those agreements and for successfully meeting our milestones. Promoting compliance and ensuring that key milestones are met must be our focus. Turning now to our civilian radioactive waste management program, we are requesting $527 million, an increase of over $150 million from last year's level, to move forward with finding a permanent disposal site for nuclear waste. We have taken no job more seriously than this one. Science Programs Finally, let me discuss our Science Programs. DOE's program in science is a story of immense accomplishments and vast promise. We are the third-largest government sponsor of basic research. We are leaders in pursuit of the basic understanding of matter and physical science. We operate state-of-the-art facilities in high-energy, nuclear physics, and fusion that host nearly 20,000 researchers each year. Our work to better understand the fundamentals of energy production and its impacts has had far-reaching applications in biology, chemistry, nuclear medicine, and materials science. One of the most exciting areas of exploration is in the study of microbes - bugs, that withstand extreme environments and may one day solve our energy production problems, and eat their way through our toughest environmental cleanup areas. Our Genomes for Life project will receive an increase of $15 million for a total of $37 million to continue and enhance this groundbreaking research. We are requesting $3.3 billion for science in the 03 budget. These funds will support our core science programs - and maintain the critical infrastructure of our facilities. Our science will be focused - to further understanding leading to future solutions in energy and national security. For example, our work in nanotechnology will receive $129 million, an increase of $44 million. Nanotechnology is just as amazing as the word sounds - imagine tiny machines the size of human cells used to solve sophisticated medical, environmental, or energy problems. New funds will go toward construction of the first of several planned Nanoscale Science Research Centers, where research could lead to revolutionary breakthroughs with real benefit to our lives. The science budget continues construction for the Spallation Neutron Source, which will lead to discoveries in materials science. And we will continue support for the Large Hadron Collider, an international effort seeking to unfold the secrets of the atom. Our science program will benefit from the kinds of policy and management reviews that have been successfully completed in other programs. This review, which will take place once our Director has been confirmed, will no doubt present new opportunities for this critical program, and reveal ways for our efforts in science to yield even greater benefits in the future. Conclusion In conclusion, let me just say that this Department is strong and getting stronger. We have an extraordinarily talented and dedicated work force that has been ahead of the curve during a difficult and challenging year. We have a budget that fully funds critical tasks … and accelerates work on key priorities. As a Department we are poised to increase our contribution to the war on terrorism, enhance deterrence, and build a stronger foundation for energy security in the 21st Century. And we will begin the fiscal year having completed a truly historic set of management and policy reviews … reviews that provide the footings for future budgets … and much future progress. [http://www.ma.doe.gov/energy/web.html] ***************************************************************** 55 Summary of FY 2003 Budget Request to Congress [http://www.cfo.doe.gov/dsclaim1.htm] Summary Budget Documents | Detailed Budget Justifications (EWD or Interior) | Budget of the U.S. Government Introduction The following documents reflect the Department of Energy's FY 2003 Budget Request to Congress. Except where otherwise indicated, each of the following files is in Adobe Portable Document Format. In order to view these files, you need to have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. This program is available for free from Adobe [http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html] . Warning: Some of these PDF files may be too large to open within your web browser. (File sizes are indicated parenthetically.) In this case, you can still view the file by saving it locally, and viewing it directly through the Adobe Acrobat Reader. To do this, place your mouse cursor over the link and right click. Next, choose "Save Target As" and download the file to your hard drive. Finally, open Adobe Acrobat Reader, select Open from the File menu, and select the file. Summary Budget Documents Budget Highlights (520k) — The highlights is a textual summarization of the Department's budget request. Corporate Context (62k) —This reflects statements of Departmental goals and strategic objectives and identifies programs that support these objectives. There are Corporate Contexts for Energy Resources, National Nuclear Security, Environmental Quality, Science, and for Corporate Management. Summary Table (21k) — This is a short tabular summarization of the request by appropriation account, business line, and first-tier organization. Control Table — This is a somewhat longer tabular summarization of the request at the level we call decision units. It is available in appropriation (59k) account or first tier organization (60k) order. Statistical Table (81k) — This table shows the budget request at the level at which Congress controls our spending. In most areas, it is more detailed than the Control table. Laboratory Table (486k) — The lab table is a tabular summarization by decision unit broken out by the various laboratories at which DOE does work. State Table (495k) — The state table is similar to the lab table, except it is broken out by each state in which DOE does work, rather than by laboratory. Detailed Budget Justifications Due to the large overall size of these files, they are broken into somewhat more bite size pieces. Select the piece you are interested in from the list below. Note: Where large appropriation accounts are broken into subsections below (Energy Supply, Science, Weapons Activities, etc.), there are links within the PDF files connecting the sections together. Under some combinations of browser and acrobat reader versions, we have found that these links do not work. If you receive a 404 File Not Found error message, try hitting the back button on the browser and trying again. It seems to usually work the second time. You can also use the back button to return to this page and then jump straight to the other sections from here. Energy and Water Development Appropriations Energy Supply (12k) Renewable Energy Resources (626k) Nuclear Energy (2.2M) Environment, Safety and Health (150k) Technical Information Management (90k) Non-Defense Environmental Management (244k) Uranium Facilities Maintenance and Remediation (131k) Science (181k) High Energy and Nuclear Physics (387k) Biological and Environmental Research and Basic Energy Sciences (675k) All Other Science (690k) Departmental Administration (679k) Office of Inspector General (91k) National Nuclear Security Administration Weapons Activities (106k) Directed Stockpile Work (329k) Campaigns (423k) Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities (485k) Other Weapons Activities (91k) Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (795k) Naval Reactors (337k) Office of the Administrator (NNSA) (197k) Defense Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (276k) Site/Project Completion (233k) Post 2006 Completion (484k) Other Defense EM (249k) Defense Facilities Closure Projects (156k) Defense Environmental Management Privatization (72k) Other Defense Activities (13k) Energy Security and Assurance (75k) Security (173k) Intelligence (60k) Counterintelligence (84k) Independent Oversight and Performance Assurance (104k) Environment, Safety and Health (188k) Worker and Community Transition (86k) Office of Hearings and Appeals (54k) Defense Nuclear Waste Disposal (39k) Nuclear Waste Disposal (167k) Power Marketing Administrations Southeastern (96k) Southwestern (205k) Western Area (528k) Bonneville (680k) Safeguards and Security Crosscut (39k) Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Fossil Energy Research and Development (931k) Naval Petroleum & Oil Shale Reserves (44k) Elk Hills School Lands Fund (18k) Energy Conservation (364k) Building Technology, State and Community Sector (327k) Transportation Sector (369k) Industry Sector (212k) Other Energy Conservation (283k) Economic Regulation (34k) Strategic Petroleum Reserve (56k) Energy Information Administration (302k) Clean Coal Technology (98k) Selections from the FY 2003 Budget of the United States Government The items below represent most of the pieces of the U.S. Government budget that contain material related to the Department of Energy. You can find links to the entire U.S. Government budget at the Office of Management and Budget [http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2003/index.html] . Budget of the United States Government The Budget Message of the President (445k) A Note to Readers (430k) Budget Highlights (479k) Securing America's Future (425k) Protecting the Homeland (1.8M) Winning the War on Terrorism Abroad (1.9M) Returning to Economic Vitality (467k) Budget Implications of the War (522k) Governing with Accountability (1.3M) Department of Energy (855k) Summary Tables (159k) Glossary (455k) Analytical Perspectives (3M) Historical Tables (2M) Budget Systems and Concepts and Glossary (186k) The President's Management Agenda (634k) Appendix Explanation of Estimates (81k) Government-Wide General Provisions (98k) Department of Energy (320k) Amendments to and Revisions in Budget Authority for 2002 (41k) Advance appropriations, advance funding, and forward funding (46k) Supporting Materials Object Class Summary (k) Object Class Detail (k) --> Public budget database (spreadsheet files) Budget Authority (Lotus 2.8M) (Excel 1.7M) Outlays (Lotus 4.3M) (Excel 2.3M) Receipts (Lotus 333k) (Excel 168k) Database user's guide (72k) Office of Budget [http://www.cfo.doe.gov/budget/index.htm] home page Office of Chief Financial Officer [http://www.cfo.doe.gov/] home page Please send comments about this page to Rusty Perrin [rusty.perrin@hq.doe.gov] ***************************************************************** 56 New EM assistant manager for OR 02/14/02 Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 11:44 a.m. on Thursday, February 14, 2002 The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Operations office is getting a new assistant manager for Environmental Management. Gerald Boyd, deputy assistant secretary for science and technology, will move to the Oak Ridge Operations field office to fill the position recently vacated by Rod Nelson. The move, announced Wednesday, is part of a broad-ranging shakeup in management in DOE's Environmental Management Program that reassigns 40 percent of the 70 senior executives. The DOE is also taking action to reduce the number of senior executives at the Environmental Management headquarters by 30 percent. According to a DOE press release, the move is consistent with recommendations from a recently released review of the program. "The purpose of these reassignments is to better leverage the unique talents of these executives, force better integration between the field and headquarters of the real, on-the-ground challenges confronting the program, and to stimulate new thinking and creative solutions to our cleanup challenges," Jessie Roberson, assistant secretary of Environmental Management, said in a prepared statement. Norman Hammitt, public affairs representative for BNFL Inc., said this morning that its workers at the Oak Ridge K-25 site had not yet met Boyd, but looked forward to working with him. BNFL has a $238 million contract to dismantle and clean three buildings previously used for uranium processing at the K-25 facility. "We have not had a chance yet to meet Mr. Boyd, but we are looking forward to meeting Mr. Boyd and look forward to working with him," Hammitt said. A total of 27 senior staff members were involved in the first round of reassignments. All Contents ©Copyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 57 Housing hardships: Hanford cleanup to put on the pressure This story was published 2/14/200 By John Trumbo Herald s taff writer Hanford's $4 billion vitrification project bodes well for the region's economy for the next decade, but it will strain the housing market. Thousands of new workers coming to the Tri-Cities will create a classic supply-demand crunch. Translation: It's going to be tough to find a place to live soon. The Hanford Communities -- a coalition of most Tri-City-area city and county governments -- spent about $65,000 last summer to assess the community effects associated with Hanford's environmental cleanup. The study by Perteet Engineering, Thomas/Lane and Associates and SCM Consultants concluded: -- About 1,600 new workers will come to Richland, and another 1,200 are expected to move to Kennewick. -- Pasco's share of the vitrification work force will be 500 or so, and West Richland can expect 400. -- Benton City will have to make room for about 200. -- The wave of new workers will send ripples as far out as Prosser. Approximately three-quarters of the vit work force of 4,500 will be new to the region, needing homes, goods and services, said Jim Jordan of Perteet Engineering. There also will be a couple of thousand people coming to fill new secondary jobs created to help satisfy needs of the new population. Add the numbers and it means the Tri-Cities will have to make room for about 7,800 employees and their families. The peak demand will be for 4,270 housing units, with 51 percent of them homes owned by the workers and 41 percent rentals. The rest will be RVs or trailers. Although the vit project is barely a year old, the effects are evident as more than 1,700 people have been hired so far. Matt Daggett is among Bechtel National's vit vanguard. He arrived in Richland in October, bringing his newly acquired chemical engineering degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. Daggett considers himself fortunate to have latched onto a one-bedroom apartment after only one long day of following leads from newspaper classified ads. "I came expecting Eastern Washington prices, but what I found is closer to what I was seeing in Seattle," Daggett said. Instead of $400 to $675 a month for a one-bedroom unit, he found rates starting at $550 and higher. "It's tough now, and when the construction starts (for the vitrification plant), it is going to be worse," he said. "People told me, 'Good luck,' and put me on their waiting lists. They said it would be about 112 months," Daggett recalled. Luckily, he entered the Water's Edge Apartments just as a tenant was moving out. "I paid the deposit on the spot," he said. Sylvia Erickson, president of Crown Property Management, has watched rental prices climb 20 percent from March to September 2001. "It's the one-bedroom and studio units that have increased the most," she said. The rental vacancy rate in the Tri-Cities was a very sparse 2 percent last September. It has eased slightly to about 4 percent now, Erickson said. Tri-City Herald Online ***************************************************************** 58 Technology: DOE's manager shuffling begins Augusta Georgia: 02/14/02 Web posted Thursday, February 14, 2002 By [bhaddock@augustachronicle.com] Staff Writer A senior Savannah River Site official is leaving to lead cleanup efforts at another nuclear-weapons site in Washington state. Roy Schepens, the U.S. Department of Energy's assistant manager for facilities and materials stabilization at SRS, will become manager of the Office of River Protection at Hanford Site near Richland, Wash. "I expect this opportunity to be both challenging and professionally rewarding," Mr. Schepens said in a statement. "My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed our 12 years at the Savannah River Site and will miss the many friends we have made here and in the community." Mr. Schepens' reassignment was announced Wednesday as part of a massive shake-up in the Energy Department's environmental-management division. Twenty-seven of the division's 70 senior managers were reassigned, an agency spokeswoman said. The number of senior executives in the division also was reduced by 30 percent, she said. More nationwide reassignments are coming, the Energy Department's top environmental official said. "Executive reassignments will continue in order to better develop the program's leadership cadre and to keep a fresh and dynamic perspective about solving the environmental-management challenges," said Jessie Roberson, the agency's assistant secretary for environmental management. Mr. Schepens had served at SRS for 12 years. Besides his current role, he had worked as the site's assistant manager for high-level waste and its director of reactor operations. Before joining the Energy Department, Mr. Schepens spent four years as the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's resident inspector at Plant Vogtle, south of Augusta. As Mr. Schepens leaves SRS for Washington state, another Energy Department official will transfer to the site from Washington, D.C. Marvin Garcia, who had served at the Energy Department's headquarters, will be the new assistant manager for business and logistics at SRS. Reach Brandon Haddock at (706) 823-3409 or [bhaddock@augustachronicle.com] 1996 - 2002 The Augusta Chronicle. ***************************************************************** 59 DOE faces questions on nuke cleanup The Clinton Courier Copyright 2002 by United Press International.February 13, 2002 WASHINGTON, Feb 12, 2002 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A Senate committee on Tuesday fired strong criticism at the Department of Energy's chief financial officer for the department's fiscal 2003 budget plans, particularly concerning cleanup of the Hanford nuclear site in Washington state. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee member Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., quietly reproached Bruce Carnes, DOE's chief financial officer, for what she termed the department's "creative accounting" in allocating funds for work at Hanford. The nuclear reservation there stores millions of gallons of radioactive waste in underground tanks, some of which have leaked, threatening the Columbia River, a primary water source for the state. "To fall behind in Hanford cleanup is not only a violation of (consent orders), it's unacceptable to the people of Washington and the Northwest," Cantwell said. "Nonetheless, the administration proposes a 20 percent cut of nearly $262 million in funding for Hanford cleanup." White House plans for replacing those funds seem to involve questionable accounting practices similar to those in the Enron scandal, Cantwell said, and could result in even sharper losses for the Hanford budget. She asked Carnes for assurances that the project would continue to move forward. Carnes denied any improprieties in the budgeting process, and said DOE can meet the requirements of the consent orders and other legal agreements. The department would return to Congress next year for additional funds if necessary, he said. "Hanford is an extremely high priority for us," Carnes said. "We feel we must do whatever we can to hasten the cleanup of these sites and achieve real reduction in risk. This means in some cases looking at (details of) various agreements." Cantwell stressed that the agreements already include explicit deadlines for improvements, so further negotiations in the matter would constitute breaking the agreement. Carnes couldn't give any assurances the agreements wouldn't be reviewed, but promised to work with state and local officials on the matter. At the same hearing, a senior Interior Department official said the Bureau of Indian Affairs would immediately start using operational funds to issue overdue checks for Indian trust fund recipients. The BIA is embroiled in a long-running legal battle over inefficient management of Indian trust funds. Interior Secretary Gale Norton was scheduled to discuss the budget with the committee, but instead had to prepare for a court appearance in the case, said Deputy Interior Secretary Steven Griles. The department understands the necessity for handing out trust fund payments promptly, Griles said, but has been stymied by a court-ordered shutdown of its fund management software. "Last night I sent a letter to House and Senate appropriators, informing them that we will take money from our appropriation side and begin to pay individual Indian accounts a percentage of the monies we know are in there," Griles said. "We can't continue to allow the individual Indians not to get money; they're going bankrupt and lacking important care." Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., committee chairman, asked if the letter amounted to a request to reprogram the department's current budget. Griles said no and added that the trust fund system should be restarted quickly enough to allow the operational budget to be reimbursed this year, he said. Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, said the department must realize it's incapable of handling the trust funds and contract the job out to professional managers. The department is considering such action, but a change of that magnitude would require congressional action, Griles said. Griles also mentioned another bone of contention in the Interior Department's operations, the Klamath River Basin water-management crisis in California and Oregon. The department has been criticized for relying on endangered species laws for withholding river flows needed for irrigation. A recently released National Academy of Sciences study said the department's decisions lack any scientific basis. Secretary Norton has ordered the department to evaluate the study and report back to her on available options by the end of this week, Griles said. By SCOTT R. BURNELL, UPI Science News ©The Clinton Courier 2002 ***************************************************************** 60 US Senate panel can't reach deal on fuel standards USA: February 14, 2002 WASHINGTON - Democratic lawmakers will include in a Senate energy bill a big boost in the fuel efficiency of gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles after they failed to reach a deal with Republicans on higher mileage standards, a congressional staffer told Reuters this week. The fuel standards are expected to be one of the most contentious issues in a broad energy bill promoting U.S. oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear production that the Senate is scheduled to begin debating on Thursday. The Democratic plan would close the federal loophole that allows sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to get lower gasoline mileage than cars. The legislation also aims to cut dependence on foreign oil by requiring the U.S. vehicle fleet to average 35 miles per gallon by 2013, up from the current 24 mpg. The U.S. auto industry opposes the stricter fuel standards, saying that would mean building lighter vehicles which are less safe in accidents. Senate Commerce Committee chairman Ernest Hollings and panel member John Kerry, both Democrats, are pushing for higher fuel requirements. Their plan is tougher than the one offered by Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona. McCain also wants to close the SUV loophole, but would give automakers three more years to reach a slightly higher U.S. fleet average of 36 mpg. However, the two factions on the Commerce Committee could not reach a deal in negotiations this week, a congressional aide said. As a result, the Democratic plan will go directly to the Senate floor as part of a comprehensive energy bill. DEMOCRATS FAVOR INCREASE The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards first enacted by Congress in the mid-1970s currently require passenger cars to average 27.5 mpg. Sport utility vehicles, along with mini-vans and other vehicles in the "light truck" category, need only get 20.7 mpg. The Democratic plan would slowly increase the fuel efficiency of both cars and light trucks. The standards would rise to 33.2 mpg for cars and 26.2 mpg for light trucks by 2010, and then jump to 38.3 mpg for cars and 32 mpg for light trucks by 2013. The legislation would combine the passenger car and light truck categories beginning with the 2010 model year. However, heavy-duty pickup trucks would not be included. Light trucks were allowed to have lower mileage when Congress passed the CAFE law in the mid-1970s because they were used by farmers and small businesses at the time. Now, SUVs and other light trucks account for half of U.S. vehicle sales. Sen. Kerry said raising the fuel standard as called for under the Democratic plan would save 2.6 million barrels of gasoline a day by 2020. Gasoline demand accounts for 45 percent of the 19.8 million barrels of oil that is consumed daily in the American market. Half of that oil is imported. TAX CREDITS PLANNED Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee is set to approve on Wednesday afternoon a package of energy tax credits and incentives worth about $18 billion. The package includes a tax credit to help keep small oil and natural gas wells pumping when energy prices slump, according to a draft copy of the plan. Small, independent owners of so-called "marginal wells" would receive a $3 per oil barrel tax credit when the price falls below $18 a barrel. They would also get a 50-cent tax credit for each 1,000 cubic feet of natural production when gas falls under $2 per thousand cubic feet. Lawmakers from oil states say the tax credit is needed because the tens of thousands of marginal wells - each of which produces just a few barrels per day - collectively account for 20 percent of domestic oil output. The tax package would also allow small refiners to claim an immediate deduction of up to 75 percent of the costs they incur to comply with new federal environmental regulations to reduce the amount of sulfur in gasoline. The Republican-led House last autumn approved a broad energy bill to encourage more domestic production of oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear power with $34 billion in tax breaks, incentives and credits. Story by Tom Doggett REUTERS NEWS SERVICE ***************************************************************** 61 WNA NEWS BRIEFING 02.07 | 6 - 12 February 2002 A weekly summary of international news relevant to the nuclear energy industry. [NB02.07-1] The UK nuclear industry has welcomed the House of Commons' trade and industry committee report on security of energy supply. The report recognises the 'significant contribution' made by nuclear energy to the UK's energy security, diversity of supply and achievement of climate change targets. Chairman of the committee Martin O'Neill said it is 'essential that there be no further delay in government decision-making; the government should make a clear statement on the future of nuclear energy as quickly as possible'. The report is available [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmtrdind/364/36402.h tm] . (NucNet News, 50/02, 7 February; see also News Briefing 01.26-1) [NB02.07-2] China: The Qinshan-2 nuclear power reactor has been connected to the national grid. The 600 MWe pressurised water reactor (PWR) - the first domestically designed and built reactor - was connected to the grid 23 days ahead of schedule. The reactor is expected to enter commercial operation after June 2002. Qinshan-3 is set to start up in December 2002. (NucNet Business News, 9/02, 7 February; Nuclear Market Review, 8 February, p3; see also News Briefing 02.01-7) [NB02.07-3] Canadian uranium production in 2001 totalled 14 762 tonnes U3O8 (12 517 tU). By mine, output was: McArthur River 7830 tonnes U3O8 (6640 tU), McClean Lake 2990 tonnes (2535 tU), Rabbit Lake 2070 tonnes (1755 tU), Cluff Lake 1519 tonnes (1288 tU) and Key Lake 353 tonnes (299 tU). (Cameco, 7 February; CRI, 14 January; see also News Briefing 01.32-17) [NB02.07-4] Canada: Cameco Corp announced an increase in both revenue and profit in 2001. The company reported total revenue of C$701 million (US$441 million), up from C$689 million (US$433 million) in 2000. Net earnings before special items totalled C$56 million (US$35 million), compared with C$45 million (US$28 million) in 2000. Revenue from Cameco's nuclear business as a whole increased 1% to C$586 million (US$368 million), representing 84% of total revenue. Cameco's uranium production in 2001 amounted to 8528 tonnes U3O8 (7231 tU), up from 7530 tonnes U3O8 (6385 tU) in the previous year. Of this 5444 tonnes U3O8 (4616 tU) came from its share in McArthur River. Uranium conversion volumes increased from 9327 tU to 10 958 tU. For 2002, Cameco anticipates total uranium output to drop 7% to some 7938 tonnes U3O8 (6731 tU). This reflects increased output from McArthur River, but also planned decreases at Key Lake, Rabbit Lake, Crow Butte and Highland. (Cameco, 7 February; see also News Briefing 01.32-17) [NB02.07-5] Australia: The Beverley uranium mine produced 546 tonnes U3O8 (463 tU) in 2001. This brings total Australian output for the year to 9104 tonnes U3O8 (7720 tU). Meanwhile, the Beverley mine has resumed commercial production following a spill of mining solution on 11 January. Approval to resume production was given by the South Australian Chief Inspector of Mines after modifications to the plant were made to ensure a repeat spillage would not happen. (Heathgate Resources, 8 & 12 February; see also News Briefing 02.05-4) [NB02.07-6] Australia: Southern Cross Resources Australia Pty - a subsidiary of Southern Cross Resources Inc - has concluded and registered a Native Title Mining Agreement with the Adnyamathanha people. With the finalisation of claims, the South Australian State Government has granted Southern Cross Resources Australia Pty the mining lease for its Honeymoon project. Southern Cross plans to bring its Honeymoon project into operation within the next year. (Ux Weekly, 11 February, p4; see also News Briefing 01.49-6) [NB02.07-7] US: International Uranium Corp (IUC) has entered into a teaming agreement with Washington Group International Inc to submit a technical and financial proposal to the Department of Energy (DOE) to relocate the Moab uranium mill tailings to IUC's White Mesa uranium mill. The Moab uranium mill tailings pile, located at the former Atlas Minerals Corp site near Moab, Utah, contains some 13 million tonnes of material and is now under DOE control. The tailings would be moved to the White Mesa Mill via slurry pipeline. (Nuclear Market Review, 8 February, p2; see also News Briefings 99.22-4 and 01.03-9) [NB02.07-8] Switzerland's five operating nuclear power reactors generated a record 25.3 TWh of electricity in 2001, compared with 25.0 TWh in 2000, according to the Swiss association for atomic energy (SVA). Individual plant output was: Leibstadt 9.1 TWh, Gosgen 7.9 TWh, Beznau-1 3.1 TWh, Beznau-2 2.6 TWh and Muhleberg 2.7 TWh. The overall load factor of the five reactors was 90.6% in 2001, up from 90.0% in 2000. (NucNet News, 49/02, 7 February; see also News Briefing 01.07-7) [NB02.07-9] Finland: The Speaker's Council in Parliament has asked that the application to construct the country's fifth nuclear power reactor be brought before eight Parliamentary committees before the full Parliament votes on the decision. The committees will be given until the end of April to complete their work surrounding the issue. The parliament is expected to vote on the new reactor at the end of May. (Ux Weekly, 11 February, p3; see also News Briefing 02.04-1) [NB02.07-10] Lithuania's Ignalina nuclear power plant produced some 11.4 TWh of electricity in 2001, up from 8.4% TWh in 2000. Nuclear accounted for 77.6% of total domestic electricity production in 2001, compared with 73.7% in 2000. The average load factor of the two-unit Ignalina plant reached 50%, up from 36.9% in 2000. (NucNet News, 55/02, 11 February; see also News Briefing 01.11-6) [NB02.07-11] Krsko - the jointly owned Slovenian and Croatian nuclear power plant - produced just over 5 TWh of electricity in 2001, up from 4.5 TWh in 2000. The average load factor was 87.6%, up from 82.3% in 2000. The nuclear share of Slovenia's domestic electricity output was 39%. (NucNet News, 57/02, 11 February; see also News Briefing 01.11-6) [NB02.07-12] Metsamor-2, Armenia's only operating nuclear power reactor, produced just less than 1.9 TWh of electricity in 2001, up slightly from the 1.84 TWh in 2000. The average load factor of the reactor was 60.5%. (NucNet News, 56/02, 11 February; see also News Briefing 01.05-9) [NB02.07-13] South Africa: Eskom's Koeburg nuclear power plant produced 11.3 TWh of electricity in 2001, down from almost 13 TWh in 2000. Nuclear accounted for 6% of domestic electricity output in 2001, compared with 6.8% in 2000. The average load factor at the two-unit plant was 68%, down from 79.2% in 2000. (NucNet News, 53/02, 11 February) [NB02.07-14] Brazil: Eletronuclear's Angra nuclear power plant generated 14.3 TWh of electricity in 2001, up from 6.1 TWh in 2000. This jump reflects the start-up of Angra-2 in September 2000. Average load factor of the Angra plant was 83%. (NucNet News, 54/02, 11 February; see also News Briefing 00.29-1) [NB02.07-15] US: A proposed subsequent arrangement under US nuclear cooperation agreements with Japan and Euratom has been approved by the US Department of Energy (DOE). The approval - published in the Federal Register (7 February) - would allow Japan's Kansai Electric Power Co to return eight unirradiated mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies to BNFL of the UK. (SpentFUEL, 11 February, p4; see also News Briefing 01.41-14) [NB02.07-16] Sweden: Studsvik has announced a 'review of routines' for shipments of radioactive materials following an incident in January involving iridium-192, provisionally rated at level 3 on the INES scale. In a statement issued in relation to the internal inquiry into the incident, Studsvik said that an inspection of the container indicated that 'two of the three inner containers with iridium-192 were open and the radiation was therefore able to penetrate the outer container's radiation shielding'. The statement continued that the company was 'faulty in handling the radioactive material, due to the fact that the inner containers … were not sealed in the proper manner'. (Studsvik, 8 February; see also News Briefing 02.02-17) [NB02.07-17] The US Department of Energy (DOE) released a US$21.9 billion budget request for fiscal year 2003, in which it requested US$251 million for its nuclear energy programmes, including funds for a new nuclear plant initiative, and US$527 million for nuclear waste disposal. The budget request includes US$46.5 million in funding for the Nuclear Energy Technologies programme, which promotes the development of new nuclear energy systems. Of this sum, DOE proposes funding of US$38.5 million for its Nuclear Power 2010 programme under which it aims to 'successfully address the regulatory, technical and institutional issues to enable one or more orders for new, commercial nuclear power plants in the United States by 2005 for deployment by 2010'. The remaining US$8 million would define the R&D needed to bring innovative reactor concepts - known as Generation IV reactors - to the marketplace. As part of the budget request, DOE announced that it plans to submit a licence application for the Yucca Mountain repository to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by the end of 2004, assuming the site is approved. (Nucleonics Week, 7 February, p1; Nuclear Energy Overview, 11 February, p1; Ux Weekly, 11 February, p2; see also News Briefing 01.47-10) [NB02.07-18] The radiation effects of the Chernobyl accident cannot be 'ring-fenced' and must instead be considered against the socio-economic, health and changing institutional contexts of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, a new report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) suggests. The report says that 'rather than focusing narrowly on the issue of radioactivity, the approach should be holistic, integrating health, ecological and economic measures. The approach should aim to give individuals and communities control over their own futures'. The report is available [http://www.undp.org/dpa/publications/chernobyl.pdf] . (NucNet News, 58/02, 11 February; Associated Press, 7 February; see also News Briefing 01.21-4) [NB02.07-19] Russia: Oleg Saraev has been appointed as the new president of nuclear power utility Rosenergoatom. Mr Saraev has been director of the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant since 1986. He replaces Rosenergoatom's founding president Erik Pozdyshev. (NucNet Business News, 11/02, 12 February) [NB02.07-20] Netherlands: The temporary closure of the Petten research reactor has been postponed until the end of its current cycle on 18 February to minimise disruption to the supply of medical radioisotopes. (NucNet News, 59/02, 12 February; see also News Briefing 02.06-21) Correction: ERA, the company mentioned in last week's News Briefing (NB02.06-2) was of course Energy Resources Australia, not Environmental Resources Australia. Previous News Briefing NB02.06 ***************************************************************** 62 NASA Plans To Go Nuclear By Irene Brown, Discovery News Feb. 12 — Testing a shift in political winds, NASA plans to revive its long-dormant nuclear power research and development program, as well as restart production lines for electrical generators powered by radioactive plutonium. "This is the right thing to do," said NASA's space sciences chief Ed Weiler, who likened using conventional chemical- and solar-powered systems to explore Mars and the outer planets to settling the American West with covered wagons. "We want to develop steam engines to get the locomotives out there to explore the solar system," said Weiler. "We've reached the limit of what we can do with chemical propulsion." Nuclear-powered spacecraft can operate independently of how much sunlight a planet receives and are much longer-lived than their solar-powered cousins. NASA's Mars Pathfinder mission, for example, lasted less than three months. Had it been outfitted with a generator laced with pellets of plutonium, its lifetime, at least in theory, would have been years, said Jim Garvin, who heads the Mars exploration program at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. NASA's Galileo and Cassini spacecraft derive electrical power from the natural decay of radioactive plutonium in devices made by the Department of Energy called radioisotope thermoelectric generators, or RTGs. "Right now our current supply of RTGs is one, " said Weiler. "That's it. That's all that's on the shelves." The Department of Energy is looking to restart its plutonium production, but NASA plans to buy its initial batch of radioactive material from the Russians, said Earl Wahlquist, associate director for the Department of Energy's Space and Defense Power Systems. NASA plans to delay launch of a Mars rover from 2007 to 2009 to swap out its planned solar-powered electrical system for an RTG. In addition, the agency wants to restart research on nuclear fission reactors. which would be used to fly spacecraft once they have been put into Earth orbit. NASA does not plan to develop nuclear rockets that launch from the ground. "We welcome the proposal to develop nuclear power and propulsion technology to make the entire solar system more accessible with much shorter flight-times and more powerful investigations at the planets," said Wesley Huntress, president of the California-based Planetary Society. "These developments will revolutionize space exploration in the same way that the Navy was revolutionized by nuclear power." The proposal, which would cost NASA almost $1 billion over the next five years, is pending before Congress as part of President George W. Bush's 2003 budget proposal. "It's been a long time since you could use the "N" word in Washington, " said Weiler. "I hope the American people have the will to pursue the future." Copyright © 2002 Discovery Communications Inc. ***************************************************************** 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: *****************************************************************