ECA Update: April 30, 2014
Published: Wed, 04/30/14
DOE National Security Program Budget Hearings Today (and next week)
FY15 National Nuclear Security Administration Budget Hearing
Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee April 30, 2014 (2:30PM EST) WEBCAST Witnesses: Lieutenant General Frank Klotz, Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration
Report of the Plutonium Disposition Working Group: Analysis of Surplus Weapon-Grade Plutonium Disposition Options DOE April 2014 LINK
Speaking at the National War College in December 2012, President Obama reiterated that "nuclear terrorism remains one of the greatest threats to global security." As stated in the 2010 U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, "by demonstrating that we take seriously our Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) obligation to pursue nuclear disarmament, we strengthen our ability to mobilize broad international support for the measures needed to reinforce the nonproliferation regime and secure nuclear materials worldwide." The disposition of surplus fissile materials is an important element of our NPT commitments since it serves both the disarmament and nonproliferation pillars of the NPT by rendering Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) and plutonium that have been declared excess as no longer suitable for weapons. For HEU, this is done by downblending the material to Low Enriched Uranium (LEU). For plutonium, the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Management and Disposition of Plutonium Designated as No Longer Required for Defense Purposes and Related Cooperation (Plutonium Management Disposition Agreement, or PMDA) calls for each nation to dispose of no less than 34 metric tons (MT) of surplus weapon‐grade plutonium by irradiating it as mixed oxide (MOX) fuel in nuclear reactors or by any other method that may be agreed by the Parties in writing. The Administration remains firmly committed to disposing of surplus plutonium. However, it has become evident that the MOX fuel approach for U.S. plutonium disposition will cost significantly more and take longer than initially anticipated. As a result, the President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 budget request for the Department of Energy (DOE) stated that, due to cost increases associated with the MOX fuel approach, DOE would assess plutonium disposition strategies in FY 2013 and would identify options for FY 2014 and out‐years. This options analysis documents DOE's assessment of the disposition strategies and provides the foundation for further analysis and validation, including additional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review if necessary, that will enable a decision on the disposition of surplus weapon‐grade plutonium. House Nuclear Cleanup Caucus 2014 Briefing Schedule April 30 at 4:00 p.m. Idaho National Laboratory 1334 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. May 1 at 8:30 a.m. Richland Operations Office, Washington 1324 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. May 7 at 4:00 p.m. Oak Ridge, Tennessee 1300 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. May 8 at 9:00 a.m. Savannah River Site, South Carolina 1310 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. May 20 at 8:30 a.m. Office of River Protection, Washington 1334 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. |
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