Friday, 29 May 1992 Washington, DC
1. THE SENATE ENERGY COMMITTEE WADES INTO SEA LEVEL CHANGE
ISSUE.
Yes, they could have taken a holiday this week, but
the Senate Energy Committee, chaired by Bennett Johnston (D-LA),
decided the problem of sea level rise resulting from global
warming required their immediate attention. It is best in such
matters to assess the potential impact first hand, so the
Committee met in Honolulu on Tuesday for "field hearings" on the
threat of sea level rise.
2. MORE CHERNOBYLS? TOO DANGEROUS TO USE, TOO COSTLY TO
CLOSE.
The U.S. position on the 10 remaining Chernobyl
design reactors is simple, according to DOE: they are "too
dangerous to operate and must be shut down"--just close the doors
and turn off the heat. But political realities generated a
different response. Eastern Europe is dependent on nuclear energy
and both American and European nuclear companies are desperate
for new contracts because of environmental opposition at home.
So at the economic summit in Munich in July, President Bush is
expected to join the leaders of the other major industrial
nations in a multibillion-dollar plan to improve safety of FSU
reactors. Meanwhile, DOE is proposing a $2.4M "bandaid" effort
to stave off another disaster.
3. DOE IS HAVING ENOUGH TROUBLE KEEPING PATCHES ON THE K-
REACTOR.
They've been trying to restart the aging Savannah
River tritium production facility since December. It had a $1B
renovation and will operate at only 30% of capacity, but it's
still coughing up tritium-laced water. They want the old
graphite-moderated reactor working so it can be mothballed with
honor. DOE is now thinking of using the Hanford Fast Flux Test
Reactor to make tritium. FFTR hasn't had much to do since the
Clinch River Breeder was stopped.
4. THE NASA "WORM" LOGO IS OUT; THE "MEATBALL" IS BEING
REVIVED.
New NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin has been
closely watched for the sort of decisive action that would signal
a return to the glory days of the agency. This week Goldin
acted. He abolished the logo selected by a national panel in
1975, in which "NASA" is written without crossing the A's, and
decreed a return to the round insignia that was affectionately
known as the "meatball."
5. INDUSTRIAL LIAISON PROGRAMS RAISE CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST
ISSUES.
Rep. Ted Weiss (D-NY) is still fretting about
Japanese access to federally funded research results. The focus
of his attention in hearings two years ago was MIT's Industrial
Liaison Program which gives industrial members special access in
return for membership fees. Many Japanese companies joined,
outraging Japan bashers in Congress. A GAO report this week says
that some 24 universities have similar programs. Advance access
to research does raise concerns about conflicts of interest
involving U.S., as well as foreign firms. The GAO report
recommends disclosure of outside interests as part of the grant
award process and calls on NIH and NSF to set policies on advance
access to the research they fund.
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