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Partnership for Science & Technology

The Partnership for Science & Technology is a nonprofit, grassroots organization formed to provide accurate and timely information on existing and proposed activities at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site, and to advocate for nuclear and environmental technologies and decisions that are in the public interest.Please review our goals and activities and if you find that you share in our vision become a partner by joining today.

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International Isotopes
Great news from PST Founding Member, International Isotopes Inc.
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Areva to Idaho Falls: “OUI!”
Idaho beats out 4 other states for $2 billion project points.
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PST and Grow Idaho falls’ press release concerning Areva

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Arevas Offical Press Release on coming to Idaho
AREVA Selects Bonneville County, Idaho, for its Uranium Enrichment Facility
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The Partnership for Science and Technology is holding another rally next month and we are looking for donations. We already have porta potties taken care of (supplied by Porta Potty Pros). No donation is too small or large, and we are also looking for volunteers.

A recent editorial raised important questions about the uranium enrichment facility planned for construction west of Idaho Falls. While some of the answers to those questions will be years in the making, there is a lot we know today that will help allay the concerns of Magic Valley residents.

We agree that the permitting process for the enrichment plant must be open and inclusive. Several permits are required before the Areva facility can be constructed, but the most extensive process will be the one to request a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NRC licensing process is designed to be scientific, objective and thorough, and to give all interested citizens an opportunity to be heard.

Before construction of the plant can begin, the NRC must issue a license for construction and operation. To issue a license, the NRC must prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and a Safety Evaluation Report for the project. The EIS process includes public hearings and comment periods on both the scope of the EIS and on the content of the draft EIS.

The NRC must also conduct a formal hearing before issuing a construction and operation license, and members of the public may use the hearing to raise safety or environmental issues. Even after a license is granted, operations cannot begin until the NRC verifies that the facility has been constructed as required by the license. Throughout construction, NRC inspectors verify that the design, construction, installation and tests of safety-significant features, equipment and components comply with the license and NRC regulations.

As construction nears completion, the NRC conducts inspections of the most safety-significant features, including but not limited to chemical safety, fire protection, radiological controls, emergency preparedness, and training and qualification of facility personnel. Enrichment operations cannot begin until the NRC determines that the facility can operate safely.

The editorial also raised questions about the disposal of depleted uranium hexafluoride, or depleted UF6. While UF6 is only mildly radioactive, it is indeed a hazardous material that must be managed responsibly. UF6 is a fluorine compound that can react with water to produce toxic fumes of hydrofluoric acid. The chemical hazard posed by UF6 is similar to the hazard posed by chlorine. To protect against accidental release the UF6 will be kept in sturdy cylinders before and after enrichment, as well as during storage and transportation.

Depleted UF6 cannot be disposed of directly. Government-owned facilities are being built in Kentucky and Ohio to convert depleted UF6 from past government enrichment operations into disposable waste forms. These facilities are required by law to accept depleted UF6 from commercial enrichment facilities, so there will be an exit path out of Idaho. Private companies are also looking to build UF6 treatment facilities, so there should be ample capacity to treat the depleted UF6. Under the rules of the Rocky Mountain Low-level Waste Compact, of which Idaho is a member, the radioactive portion of the treated waste will be disposed in Utah or Washington. It will not be disposed at the INL.

We welcome the construction of the Areva plant because we know nuclear power must be part of a smarter long-term U.S. energy policy; because the Areva approach to uranium enrichment is better for the environment than other uranium enrichment processes; and because the plant will create good, secure jobs and add to our tax base. We also know the importance of ensuring the plant is constructed and operated safely and that wastes are managed responsibly. We will work with Areva and with permitting agencies to ensure the plant is safe for workers, the public and the environment.

Lane Allgood, executive director
Partnership for Science and Technology