b'C H A P T E R 19. A N D T H E I D A H O B O OS TRutledge, INEC, and its allies quicklyforged an elaborate network of institu-tional connections. The legislature washelpful by appropriating funds to theBoard of Education so INEC couldmake nuclear research grants. It enteredinto a Western Interstate NuclearCompact. The Compact was a regionalversion of INEC, promoting nucleartechnology in the West and facilitatingmutual interests in power plant siting,mutual aid in case of a nuclear trans-port accident, and waste disposal.Rutledge was Idahos representative.Several western universities formed anassociation to encourage the assignmentof their students and faculty to theAECs western labs. The WesternGovernors Association created nuclearissue committees, and Samuelsonjoined them. In Idaho Falls, theChamber of Commerce maintained anactive atomic energy committee andkept in touch with the Eastern IdahoNuclear Industrial Council (EINIC), agroup that formed in 1969 to fosternuclear spin-off industries. NRTS sci- Idaho State Historical Society MS 326entists had formed a chapter of the In 1968 the AEC announced that it Nuclear energy exhibit at Idaho Falls HighAmerican Nuclear Society, and their would decommission the MTR in early School in 1969.expertise was always available. 30 1970. By that time, the ATR would befully functioning, and between the ATRThe nuclear boost machine was fully and the ETR, the MTR would have nocharged. It had a proactive governor, a further mission. All of the MTRs neu-supportive congressional delegation, a tron beam research would end.friendly legislature, a state commission, Alarmed, INEC formed a study com-energetic staff, regional ties within the mittee to consider this and advisestate and in the West, educational Samuelson. The problem was serious,resources, and a nuclear-friendly popu- but it handed INEC a tremendouslace. One of the most important goals opportunity. All of INECs promotionsof the entire apparatus was to support paled in comparison to what soonand protect the interests of the NRTS. became its single biggest goal: to savethe MTR. 311 9 1'