RE: PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR NI-PEIS ANNOUNCED

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@aecl.ca>]

Most of us would probably agree with Ruth....

Is there a chance that this (near-) decision might be reversed under a Bush
administration ?

BTW, a more direct link to the NI-PEIS Press Release is 
http://www.energy.gov/HQPress/releases00/novpr/pr00291.htm

The reason given by DoE for the permanent deactivation of the Fast Flux Test
Facility (FFTF) at the Hanford Site, near Richland Wash is that "Commitments
from the private and public sectors were not sufficient to justify
restarting FFTF or building new facilities at this time."
It adds that,
The preferred alternative anticipates resumption of domestic production of
Pu-238 using the Advanced Test Reactor in Idaho and the High Flux Isotope
Reactor in Tennessee. The preferred alternative includes processing of the
Pu-238 targets at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 
But IMO, this is very short sighted, since some types of isotope production
are  impossible to do on a large scale in reactors other than fast neutron
types like FFTF.

Jaro 
frantaj@aecl.ca

-----Original Message-----
From: ruth_weiner [mailto:ruth_weiner@email.msn.com]
Sent: Thursday November 23, 2000 8:22 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Re: PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR NI-PEIS ANNOUNCED

I think "permanent deactivation" of the FFTF is both unwarranted and
foolish.  Many cogent reasons were given for maintaining the FFTF and
restarting the facility, and I have absolutely no idea why DOE wants to shut
it down other than the shameless, endless pandering to the anti-nuclear
groups in the area.  Can anyone enlighten me?  Is the ROD available?

Ruth Weiner
ruth_weiner@msn.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Wednesday, November 22, 2000 3:51 PM
Subject: PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR NI-PEIS ANNOUNCED


>PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FOR NI-PEIS ANNOUNCED
>
>The Department has announced the preferred alternative for the Final
>Nuclear Infrastructure Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
>(NI-PEIS), which will be formally issued to the public in December. The
>NI-PEIS will assist DOE in preparing for future missions, including
>nuclear technology research and development, medical isotope production
>and production of Pu-238 to support future U.S. space exploration.
>
>The following are anticipated by the preferred alternative :
>
>- Use of existing facilities to the extent possible and consideration of
>opportunities to enhance current infrastructure to maximize agency's
>ability to address future mission needs.
>
>- Development of a conceptual design and a research program for an
>Advanced Accelerator Applications facility to perform future research
>and testing, for which Congress has providing funding in FY 2001.
>
>- Permanent deactivation of the Fast Flux Test Facility at Hanford.
>
>The full Press Release is available at:
>http://www.energy.gov/press/sub/pressreleases.html.
>--
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