DATE=3/20/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-39319
TITLE=OLD NUKES/NEW INDUSTRY
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
///FOR WEEKEND NEWSLINE USE///
INTRO: NOT TOO LONG AGO, ABANDONED NUCLEAR FACILITIES WERE
CONSIDERED LIABILITIES, UNSUITABLE FOR ANY OTHER USE. BUT, AS VOA
CORRESPONDENT BRECK ARDERY REPORTS FROM NEW YORK, THE U-S
GOVERNMENT HAS LAUNCHED A PROGRAM TO "RECYCLE" A URANIUM PLANT IN
THE SOUTHEASTERN STATE OF TENNESSEE.
TEXT: THE PROJECT IS LOCATED AT WHAT IS CALLED "SITE K-25" AT OAK
RIDGE, TENNESSEE. SITE K-25 WAS BUILT SECRETLY IN THE 1940'S FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ATOMIC BOMB. UNTIL 1985, WHEN IT WAS
CLOSED, THE SITE WAS USED TO PROCESS ENRICHED URANIUM WHICH WAS
USED IN WEAPONS AND FOR NUCLEAR FUEL.
TWO YEARS AGO, THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, WHICH IS IN CHARGE
OF THE FACILITY, DECIDED TO LAUNCH A PROGRAM TO ATTRACT PRIVATE
INDUSTRY TO SITE K-25. IN CHARGE OF THE PROGRAM IS ROBERT BROWN,
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S ASSETS MANAGER. MR. BROWN SAYS ALL
COMPANIES WHICH WANT TO LEASE ONE OR MORE OF THE SITE'S 250
BUILDINGS ARE OBLIGATED TO CLEAN-UP THEIR AREA BEFORE THEY CAN
BEGIN OPERATIONS. MR. BROWN SAYS THE COMPANIES RECEIVE A
DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR CREDIT ON CLEAN-UP COSTS.
///BROWN ACT///
IT DOES TWO THINGS. IT ACCELERATES THE CLEAN-UP AND THEY HAVE TO
DO THE CLEAN-UP TO OUR CRITERIA AND OUR STANDARDS. THEN, ONCE
THAT IS DONE, THEN THE COMPANIES GET A LONG-TERM LEASE. FOR
EXAMPLE, IF THE CLEAN-UP COST 100 MILLION DOLLARS AND THE
PROPERTY IS WORTH 10 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR, THEN THEY WOULD GET
A 10 YEAR LEASE FOR A DOLLAR.
///END ACT///
UNTIL THE INDUSTRIALIZATION PROJECT BEGAN, THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY ESTIMATED IT WOULD COST THE GOVERNMENT MORE THAN TWO
BILLION DOLLARS TO CLEAN RADIOACTIVE DEBRIS FROM THE TENNESSEE
SITE. SO FAR, MR. BROWN SAYS, 600 MILLION DOLLARS OF THAT COST
HAS BEEN PAID BY THE 13 PRIVATE COMPANIES WHICH HAVE SO FAR
LOCATED ON THE SITE. MR. BROWN OBSERVES THAT THE SUCCESS OF K-25
IS EVEN MORE REMARKABLE SINCE IT IS A SO-CALLED "BROWN FIELD," OR
CONTAMINATED AREA.
///BROWN ACT///
WE HAVE BEEN SURPRISED AT THE SUCCESS WE HAVE HAD IN SUCH A
SHORT TIME. IF YOU COMPARE WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH WHAT OTHER
TECHNOLOGY PARKS ARE DOING AROUND THE NATION, YOU WILL SEE THAT
WE ARE GROWING AS FAST AS THOSE PARKS. AND MOST OF THOSE OTHER
PARKS ARE IN "GREEN FIELD" AND WE ARE ESSENTIALLY "BROWN FIELD."
///END ACT///
MR. BROWN SAYS THE LOCATION OF OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE HAS BEEN A
BIG ASSET SINCE IT IS WITHIN 800 KILOMETERS OF MOST MAJOR CITIES
IN THE EASTERN AND MIDWESTERN REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. SOME
OF THE FIRMS WHICH HAVE ESTABLISHED PLANTS AT THE FORMER NUCLEAR
FACILITY ARE AN INDUSTRIAL FURNACE COMPANY, A COMPANY THAT MAKES
WASTE STORAGE CONTAINERS, AND A TRUCKING AND WAREHOUSE FIRM.
MANY OF THE WORKERS AT THOSE COMPANIES WERE FORMERLY EMPLOYED AT
THE GOVERNMENT'S URANIUM ENRICHMENT FACILITY AND MR. BROWN SAYS
THE INDUSTRIALIZATION PROJECT IS PROVIDING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR
THOSE WHO LOST THEIR GOVERNMENT JOBS.
BUT, FOR ALL ITS SUCCESS, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S ROBERT BROWN
CONCEDES THE FACT THAT THE HISTORY OF SITE K-25 AS A NUCLEAR
FACILITY DOES POSE AN IMAGE PROBLEM.
///BROWN ACT///
I BELIEVE ANYTIME ONE LOCATES ON A "BROWN FIELD" OR A SITE THAT
HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONTAMINATED, WHETHER BY RAD (RADIATION)
CONTAMINATION OR CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION, THAT DOES PRESENT SOME
UNIQUE PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A NEWLY PRISTINE
(CLEAN) FACILITIES AND SOME UNIQUE EQUIPMENT LIKE OVERHEAD CRANES
AND A GOOD FINANCIAL DEAL OUTWEIGH THE NEGATIVES.
///END ACT///
MR. BROWN BELIEVES THE FACT THAT COMPANIES LOCATING AT A CLEAN
K-25 SITE ARE ABLE TO BUY INSURANCE EASILY, INDICATES THERE IS NO
RATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR SAFETY CONCERNS.
MR. BROWN SAYS THAT, WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY EXPECTS THAT MOST OF THE 250 BUILDINGS AT THE OAK RIDGE
SITE WILL HAVE BEEN LEASED BY PRIVATE INDUSTRY. HE HOPES THAT THE
SUCCESS OF THE K-25 PROJECT WILL LEAD TO MORE COOPERATION BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY IN RECYCLING CONTAMINATED
PROPERTIES.(SIGNED)
NEB/NY/BA/LSF
20-Mar-98 3:09 PM EST (2009 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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