Brookhaven Quotations

["Jacobus, John" <JJacobus@exchange.nih.gov>]

I think the last paragraph is interesting in light of the concerns this
issue has in the research community.  By the way, the two politicians
from NY are up for re-election next year.  

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From: 	fyi@aip.org[SMTP:fyi@aip.org]
Sent: 	September 11, 1997 3:55 PM
To: 	fyi-mailing@aip.org
Subject: 	FYI #110 - Brookhaven Quotations

FYI
The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News
Number 110: September 11, 1997

Statements Regarding Senate Bill to Close High Flux Beam Reactor

As described in FYI #109, Senator Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY) has
introduced a bill, S. 1140, stating: "The Secretary of Energy shall
ensure that the High Flux Beam Reactor at Brookhaven National
Laboratory is not reactivated."   Joining D'Amato in this effort is
Rep. Michael Forbes (R-NY), in whose district Brookhaven National
Laboratory is located.

The following are quotations about this action from a congressional
press release, newspaper articles and an editorial.   Information
about  the reactor and its research program is available at the
following site: http://www.hfbr.bnl.gov/ 

Rep. Michael Forbes, September 2 press release: "After a long and
thoughtful review of the environmental, health and safety problems
at Brookhaven National Lab, I have come to the inescapable
conclusion that the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) must be
permanently shut down.  All of the Lab's resources and energies
must be directed toward cleaning up the many sources of radioactive
and chemical contamination on-site, and not toward restarting the
larger of the two nuclear reactors at the facility."

Senator Alfonso D'Amato, September 2 press release: "Given the
sorry history of this nuclear reactor, the best solution is to shut
it down, and see to it that it does not restart.  It must be
decommissioned and we must end any threat it poses to the health of
Suffolk County residents.  There is no doubt that the operation of
this facility has caused a very real threat to the groundwater in
Suffolk County.  People have to be assured that the reactor will
not pose a threat in the future."

D'Amato and Forbes letter to DOE Secretary Federico Pena, as quoted
in September 3 New York Times, informing him of their intention:
"to do all that is within our power to see to it that the high flux
beam reactor at Brookhaven National Laboratory never operates
again."

Dr. Peter Bond, BNL Interim Director, September 3  New York Times:
"It would take away a major scientific resource....  It obviously
has a strong negative impact on the work that can be done."

DOE Secretary Federico Pena, September 6 Newsday: "I want to assure
the community and the members [of Congress] that no one is charging
headlong into trying to reopen this facility until we get all the
facts."

Director Bond, September 6  Newsday: "The course of action he
[Pena] laid out previously was a very sensible one which involved
going to the science community, going to the public and gathering
all the information before making the final decision."

Senator D'Amato,  September 6 Newsday: "I think it's more than lip
service.  The secretary's engaged in a comprehensive review that we
believe in the fullness of time will demonstrate quite clearly
why...it should not be restarted." 

Newsday editorial, September 4: "Instead of protecting a world-class
research institution that pumps about $400 million a year
into the regional economy, the two Republicans are giving aid and
comfort to a vehement antinuclear fringe that falsely portrays
BNL's admitted environmental lapse as an imminent danger to the
public health.  Score another for Long Island's ever-present
NIMBYs."

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Richard M. Jones
Public Information Division
American Institute of Physics
fyi@aip.org
(301) 209-3095
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