| Federal lawmakers patted themselves on
| |
| | highly radioactive elements. This leaves
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| the back, last Friday, in a joint
| |
| | less nuclear waste for future disposal,
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| bi-partisan news release issued by three
| |
| | and immediately provides energy.
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| New Mexico politicians: U.S. Senators
| |
| | The major issue in the western United
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| Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman, and U.S.
| |
| | States, about nuclear waste, is "please
|
| Congressman Steve Pearce. Their
| |
| | don't put it in our backyard." Several
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| celebratory remarks were meant to remind
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| | western states have been approached, and
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| voters why the politicians were in
| |
| | even the Carlsbad area was once
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| Washington - to bring their state new
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| | discussed. Through the ABR technology, it
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| jobs for at least some of New Mexico's
| |
| | may be possible to minimize the amount of
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| voters. While the chorus of praise
| |
| | this waste to make it a less undesirable
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| revolved around creating new jobs and
| |
| | disposal problem. A look at local New
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| bringing millions of dollars into the
| |
| | Mexico politics may provide an insight as
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| state's economy, is there more behind
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| | to where the two U.S. senators may be
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| this story, which has not yet been told?
| |
| | heading with regards to a nuclear power
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| For Senator Domenici, this was another
| |
| | plant for New Mexico.
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| major victory as the longest serving U.S.
| |
| | New Mexico's Enrichment Facility:
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| Senator in New Mexico's history. The
| |
| | Prelude to a Nuclear Power Plant?
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| Republican Senator heads the Senate
| |
| | If Federal lawmakers are happy about the
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| Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
| |
| | proposed uranium enrichment facility,
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| Domenici made his views on nuclear energy
| |
| | some of New Mexico's state politicians
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| quite clear in his book "A Brighter
| |
| | were still floating on clouds when we
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| Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of
| |
| | talked to them yesterday. New Mexico
|
| Nuclear Energy" (Rowman & Littlefield,
| |
| | legislator John A. Heaton, the Democratic
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| 2004). He began pursuing Louisiana Energy
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| | representative serving Carlsbad, waxed
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| Services to move to New Mexico in
| |
| | enthusiastic about the enrichment
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| February 2003, after it became apparent
| |
| | facility, "It's the first step in
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| Hartsville, Tennessee didn't want uranium
| |
| | converting this country to nuclear
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| being enriched in their backyard.
| |
| | energy."
|
| And again, it was Domenici, whose last
| |
| | Mainly the four state senators and
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| minute negotiations with Energy Secretary
| |
| | representatives, whom we interviewed,
|
| Samuel Bodman, led to the adoption of the
| |
| | echoed each other's praise about Urenco's
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| Part 810 Waiver. The waiver allowed
| |
| | proposed enrichment facility. "I could
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| Louisiana Energy Services (LES) to
| |
| | not be more pleased," Senator Carroll H.
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| contact foreign-owned Urenco Ltd about
| |
| | Leavell told us. "It will have a major,
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| transferring high technology data (the
| |
| | very positive impact on the economy." At
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| gas centrifuge technology) to LES so the
| |
| | the peak of construction, as many as 1200
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| uranium enrichment technology could be
| |
| | workers may be employed. Later, when the
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| utilized at the new facility. U.S. laws
| |
| | facility is operational, about 300
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| ordinarily prohibit such nuclear
| |
| | workers will remain. All four were
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| technology transfers, but Domenici's
| |
| | pleasantly surprised that town hall
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| intervention brought the project to the
| |
| | hearings for the proposed facility were
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| NRC approval stage. LES had been on the
| |
| | overwhelmingly positive, and the local
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| drawing boards since 1989, having derived
| |
| | citizens would be delighted to have this
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| its name from the state of Louisiana. The
| |
| | facility in built in southeastern New
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| LES partnership was initially formed with
| |
| | Mexico. Senator Leavell said with
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| the intent of building its centrifuge
| |
| | disgust, "Most of the (anti-nuclear)
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| enrichment plant in Homer, Louisiana.
| |
| | protests have come from outside our area,
|
| Senator Domenici's impact upon the
| |
| | places like San Francisco, DC and Santa
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| nuclear resurgence in the United States
| |
| | Fe."
|
| is evident to the entire industry and
| |
| | Senators Leavell and Gay G. Kernan, the
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| most politicians. He announced last year,
| |
| | state senator from Hobbs, were invited by
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| "In 1997, I predicted the resurgence of
| |
| | Urenco Ltd. to tour an enrichment
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| nuclear energy in the United States. For
| |
| | technology plant in Almelo, Netherlands
|
| the last eight years, I have worked to
| |
| | and left impressed with the company, its
|
| help make that renaissance a reality." Is
| |
| | honesty and especially the management's
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| there, perhaps, one more achievement
| |
| | attitude of looking at both sides of the
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| Senator Domenici would like to add on
| |
| | issues. Both state senators also observed
|
| behalf of the nuclear industry, before
| |
| | the surrounding community failed to be
|
| giving up his Senate seat? In his book,
| |
| | negatively impacted by the enrichment
|
| "A Brighter Tomorrow," Domenici bemoans
| |
| | facility.
|
| and condemns nuclear fuel reprocessing.
| |
| | Looking for deeper insights into what the
|
| With the advent of the Global Nuclear
| |
| | future might hold, we asked all four
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| Energy Partnership (GNEP), Domenici may
| |
| | about the possibility of a nuclear power
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| bring a nuclear power plant to New Mexico
| |
| | plant in New Mexico. All four agreed it
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| before he retires.
| |
| | would be desirable. Additional comments
|
| Domenici's Democratic counterpart,
| |
| | by the four state politicians led us to
|
| Senator Jeff Bingaman, is the ranking
| |
| | believe there might be a second step,
|
| Democrat on the Senate Energy and Natural
| |
| | following Heaton's remark about the
|
| Resource Committee. We suspect Bingaman
| |
| | enrichment facility being the first step.
|
| may play an integral role in helping
| |
| | Donald L. Whitaker, the Democratic
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| Senator Domenici fulfill that dream.
| |
| | legislator from Eunice, the closest town
|
| Ironically, Senator Bingaman, who last
| |
| | to the proposed enrichment facility, told
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| November was invited to a Santa Fe
| |
| | us, "I would like to see a nuclear
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| anti-nuclear environmentalist fundraiser,
| |
| | reactor in New Mexico." Whitaker has
|
| and which highlighted television mogul
| |
| | toured a nuclear facility, and believes
|
| Ted Turner, was effusive in saying about
| |
| | one would be great for the state's
|
| the LES enrichment facility, "This will
| |
| | economy. "They employ about one thousand
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| be one of the largest construction
| |
| | and bring high-paying jobs," he said.
|
| projects our state has ever seen. And the
| |
| | Representative Whitaker was not the lone
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| economic impact in southeastern New
| |
| | voice among his fellow eastern New
|
| Mexico will be tremendous." Does Bingaman
| |
| | Mexican legislators.
|
| appear to be playing both sides of the
| |
| | "Yes, we want a nuclear reactor in New
|
| nuclear chessboard?
| |
| | Mexico," Representative Heaton said.
|
| No, the former attorney, who reportedly
| |
| | Heaton is the legislature's Vice Chairman
|
| once provided legal advice to uranium
| |
| | of the Radioactive and Hazardous
|
| mining powerhouse, Kerr McGee, is deftly
| |
| | Materials committee and a member of the
|
| maneuvering between being a good Democrat
| |
| | Energy & Natural Resources Committee. He
|
| and providing what he may honestly
| |
| | discussed the ABR technology and GNEP,
|
| believe is best for his state. While
| |
| | explaining how this would solve the waste
|
| Bingaman has curried favor among the
| |
| | disposal problem of nuclear reactors and
|
| environmentalists, in May of this year,
| |
| | sway public opinion on nuclear energy.
|
| he accepted, along with Domenici and
| |
| | Senator Leavell took a more cautious
|
| others, the William S. Lee Award for
| |
| | approach, explaining how nuclear reactors
|
| Leadership at the Nuclear Energy
| |
| | need tremendous amounts of water. "I
|
| Institute's (NEI) annual conference,
| |
| | don't think New Mexico could have a
|
| saying, "I share a belief that nuclear
| |
| | nuclear reactor, not with the current
|
| power can make a meaningful contribution
| |
| | technology." But, he still agreed it
|
| to controlling the growth of greenhouse
| |
| | would be a good idea if new technologies
|
| gases, while still allowing our economy
| |
| | were developed, which used less water.
|
| to expand." It was his subsequent remark
| |
| | Senator Gay Kernan told us, "I don't know
|
| directed at the NEI, which leads us to
| |
| | if I should be talking about this, but we
|
| believe he may be among the first to
| |
| | are one of the candidates for the GNEP
|
| support additional nuclear growth in New
| |
| | program." Having heard a rumor that
|
| Mexico. He told the NEI, "I am hoping
| |
| | General Atomics may propose building a
|
| that you will do your part to use those
| |
| | nuclear power plant in eastern New
|
| tools that Congress has put in place to
| |
| | Mexico, Senator Kernan confirmed such a
|
| ensure that nuclear power achieves its
| |
| | plant may be on the drawing boards, and
|
| potential as part of our future energy
| |
| | telling us West Texas is likely to be
|
| mix."
| |
| | developed as an "alternative energy
|
| The Global Nuclear Energy Partnership
| |
| | corridor." She told us, "It would stretch
|
| In March 2006, Senator Domenici pledged
| |
| | from Carlsbad, New Mexico to the
|
| his support to President Bush's Global
| |
| | Odessa-Midland, Texas area." Senator
|
| Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP),
| |
| | Kernan would also like New Mexico to have
|
| "With GNEP, we begin to close the cycle
| |
| | a nuclear plant, "I don't have a problem
|
| on nuclear waste in ways that prevent
| |
| | with that."
|
| proliferation and reduce both the volume
| |
| | The third politician, joining Senators
|
| and toxicity of waste. By recycling spent
| |
| | Domenici and Bingaman, in praising the
|
| nuclear fuel, we can reuse the uranium,
| |
| | NRC approval of a draft license for LES
|
| which is 96 percent of spent fuel, and
| |
| | and Urenco Ltd, was U.S. Congressman
|
| separate the most toxic radioactive
| |
| | Steve Pearce. Comments, issued by his
|
| material to be burned in an advanced
| |
| | press secretary on Friday and praising
|
| burner reactor. By reusing uranium fuel
| |
| | the LES announcement, may foreshadow New
|
| and burning the transuranic material in a
| |
| | Mexico's next step, "Today's announcement
|
| new generation of modern reactors, we can
| |
| | marks a major milestone in our efforts to
|
| reduce the amount of waste placed in
| |
| | cement our state's leadership role in the
|
| Yucca Mountain by a factor of 100."
| |
| | development of alternative energy." What
|
| One of the key technologies in the GNEP
| |
| | greater leadership by a state than in
|
| program in is the Advanced Burner Reactor
| |
| | introducing the new GNEP ABR technology
|
| (ABR). Deriving its technology from fast
| |
| | in New Mexico? After all, the state of
|
| reactors, which were used to make nuclear
| |
| | New Mexico remains the founding home to
|
| weapons, the concept of the ABR is to
| |
| | nuclear technology, where the world's
|
| minimize the amount of nuclear waste,
| |
| | first atomic technology was designed at
|
| produced by the nuclear industry's power
| |
| | Los Alamos.
|
| plants, to a tiny fraction of content.
| |
| | In a related development, David Watts,
|
| The concept behind the ABR is to "burn"
| |
| | President of the University of Texas of
|
| the transuranic elements, such as
| |
| | the Permian Basin, recently met with
|
| plutonium and other long-living
| |
| | Congressman Pearce about developing a
|
| radioactive material. In this case,
| |
| | helium-cooled nuclear reactor facility,
|
| burning the radioactive waste is
| |
| | which would be built underground in
|
| translated as: destroying the
| |
| | either Lea County, New Mexico or Andrews
|
| transuranics, by converting them into
| |
| | County, Texas. General Atomics of San
|
| shorter-lived isotopes. When the
| |
| | Diego has funded the pre-conceptual
|
| transuranic elements are consumed by the
| |
| | design, which is underway and scheduled
|
| ABR, a large amount of energy is released
| |
| | for completion in August. Waste Control
|
| and then converted into electricity.
| |
| | Specialists has a low-level radioactive
|
| Instead of burying several football
| |
| | waste storage site in Andrews County.
|
| fields of nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain
| |
| | Realistically, a nuclear reactor in New
|
| (or elsewhere) for one million years, the
| |
| | Mexico is not out of the question. The
|
| toxic waste would be recycled as energy
| |
| | legislators may get what they want. We
|
| to be immediately used to power homes and
| |
| | believe Senator Domenici will ultimately
|
| industry. Part of the GNEP plan is to
| |
| | set into motion the plans to bring New
|
| combine the current, or advanced, light
| |
| | Mexico its first nuclear power plant. It
|
| water reactors with the ABR. As the light
| |
| | would become his crowning achievement in
|
| water nuclear reactors produce
| |
| | helping the nuclear renaissance blossom
|
| transuranics, the ABRs consume those
| |
| | in this country and in his state.
|
