More on BNL HFBR

[Mike Grissom <mikeg@SLAC.Stanford.EDU>]

Radsafers,

The following from AIP's FYI should be of interest
to those who have been following this thread:

----------

FYI
The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of
Science Policy News
Number 112: September 16, 1997

Bromley Letter on Legislation to Close High Flux
Beam Reactor

Reacting to bills introduced by Senator Alfonse
D'Amato (R-NY), S. 1140, and Rep. Michael Forbes
(R-NY), H.R. 2384, stating: "The Secretary of Energy
shall ensure that the High Flux Beam Reactor at
Brookhaven National Laboratory is not reactivated,"
Dr. D. Allan Bromley has sent the following letter.
Bromley is past President of The American Physical
Society and former Director of the Office of Science
and Technology Policy.  Bromley's letter was sent to
Senator D'Amato and Rep. Forbes, with copies to all
members of the House and Senate Energy and Water
Development Appropriations Subcommittees.

The Bromley letter is as follows:

***************
Dear Senator D'Amato:

"On behalf of more than 40,000 physicists throughout
the United States, the Council of The American
Physical Society last April adopted a statement on
neutron scattering facilities.  That statement, a
copy of which I am enclosing, stresses the critical
role that neutron science plays in a wide range of
technologies across many fields.  The statement also
calls attention to the loss of American leadership
in this area of research and the risks that our
nation will face if the problem is not soon redressed.

"I have learned recently that you and Representative
Michael Forbes have submitted companion legislation
that would permanently close Brookhaven's High Flux
Beam Reactor, one of only four major neutron scattering
facilities in our country.  From a scientific
standpoint, I believe that such action is unwise and
unwarranted. For almost half a century, Brookhaven has
been one of the gems in our nation's scientific
enterprise, and the High Flux Beam Reactor has been an
integral part of the laboratory's outstanding program.

"Should the High Flux Beam Reactor remain unavailable
for future use, however, it is urgent that Congress
provide the Department of Energy with the financial
resources necessary to move forward rapidly with the
development and construction of new neutron science
facilities and the upgrades of other existing
facilities. As the former Director of the Office of
Science and Technology Policy under President George
Bush, I hope I can enlist your support in convincing
your colleagues that a strong program in neutron
science is necessary if America is to remain a
technological leader and that Congress must move
aggressively to provide the resources required to
achieve that goal.  I would be happy to discuss this
issue with you at your future convenience."

Sincerely,

D. Allan Bromley

***************

The APS statement on neutron scattering facilities
is below:

"STATEMENT ON NEUTRON SCATTERING FACILITIES

(Adopted by the APS Council, 19 April 1997)

"The American Physical Society recognizes the
scientific importance of neutron scattering science
as a key area of endeavor for physics, chemistry,
materials and biomedical research. For many decades,
the United States was preeminent in neutron scattering
science with state-of-the-art reactor and spallation
neutron facilities. Today we have lost that
preeminence and could well cease to be a major player
in this field -- in spite of its centrality to
fundamental scientific studies as well as many areas
of science important to national needs.

"The critical need for modern neutron scattering
facilities has been well documented and recommendations
have been made to upgrade US capabilities, but the
needed developments have not come to fruition. If our
neutron scattering facilities are not enhanced soon,
this field will suffer damage to its research programs
that will take decades to rebuild. As US leadership is
lost, important technologies that depend upon the
knowledge gained from neutron scattering studies --
including the development of new polymers,
superconductors and chemical catalysts and the use of
neutron probes to study the stresses and impurities in
materials that affect the performance and safety of
structures such as bridges and aircraft -- are
increasingly at risk. In addition, we are no longer
able to supply our growing needs for neutron-produced
radiopharmaceuticals.

"The Council of the American Physical Society stresses
the critical importance of neutron scattering to a
wide spectrum of scientific and technical fields and
urges the US government to proceed rapidly with the
renewal and development of national reactor and
spallation neutron facilities."

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