b'P ROVING THE P RINCIPLEHe and Andrus also arranged the closer Hanford and Nevada, as a dump for A-relationship that Samuelsons Task wastes. He had sat on SamuelsonsForce had recommended between their Task Force, and this news hinted thattwo offices. From then on, the two the AEC might reverse previous assur-offices defended each other from sur- ances that, because of its location overprises, sent advance copies of press the Snake River Plain Aquifer, Idahoreleases, and cultivated mutual under- would not become a waste repository.standing. The agenda of Idaho Falls Christie told Andrus, It is imperativebusiness leaders to preserve the public that this type of consideration by theimage of the NRTS was now also the AEC be stopped. It was news thatgovernors agenda. Andrus felt should have come fromGinkel but hadnt. 7Andrus had a plan to bulwark shakypublic confidence in the NRTS. He Andrus, together with Senator Frankasked Dixy Lee Ray, the Chair of the Church, wrote Commissioner Dixy LeeAEC after September 1972, to finance Ray that they had understood that Idahoan independent surveillance system so was not to be used as a repository forthat the State of Idaho could monitor wastes. They wanted her assurance inthe NRTS for any radioactive contami- writing that except for fuels to be INEEL Cultural Resourcesnation emanating from the Site. The reprocessed and calcined, the NRTS R. Glenn BradleyState could cross-match its data with would not receive wastes from anythe AECs regular environmental moni- place that hadnt previously senttoring reports. She thought it was a wastes. She must state, they said, that waste. On the last item, however, shegood idea, but felt that Congress was the NRTS was not being considered as was definite. The schedule for Idahosunlikely to appropriate the funds. 6 an interim or permanent storage site for plutonium-contaminated waste recog-long-lived wastes in any form. Finally, nizes our commitment to be ready toThen Andruss early nuclear vision she must tell them that the AEC was start moving this waste from that sitebegan to fade. Events in 1973 and 1974 using all efforts to develop a national by the end of this decade. 9beyond Idaho helped deflect his energy waste repository so that long-livedfrom nuclear economics to nuclear poli- radioactive wastes currently in Idaho Bill Ginkel retired as manager of thetics. First, Andrusand the rest of the could begin to leave the NRTS by the NRTS in September 1973. R. Glennworldlearned that a Hanford waste end of this decade. 8 Bradley took his place. Andruss firststorage tank containing highly radioac- official encounter with him was far dif-tive waste was leaking. This wasnt the Her reply was disappointing. She gave ferent than his first with Ginkel. Ginkelfirst tank to leakHanford tanks had no satisfaction on the first point. The had made the first move, facilitating thebeen leaking since 1958but this leak AEC had to make the best use of all its clearance needed for Andrus to accesshad gone unnoticed for several weeks. facilities. Any waste going to Idaho all NRTS facilities. Now Andrus putWhat kind of stewardship was that? would be handled safely. Previous AEC Bradley on notice that his office was toCould it happen at the NRTS? The orders that the NRTS exhume and stay in direct contact with my staffIdaho public wasnt sure. repackage plutonium-contaminated concerning any unusual increases in thewastes would continue. Nor did she waste entering Idaho for interim stor-Next, Idahos radiation control officer, make any promise on the second point. age. He told Bradley that manyMichael Christie, found an article in the She left it open that Idaho might be Idahoans feared the AEC would makeWashington Post reporting that the AEC considered for interimbut not long- Idaho the nations de factorepositorywas considering the NRTS, along with termstorage of long-lived nuclear for atomic wastes of all varieties. The20 6'