KEEP YELLOWSTONE NUCLEAR FREE
Special News Update - March 27, 2000

DOE halts plutonium incinerator: Press release and Idaho Post article.
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KEEP YELLOWSTONE NUCLEAR FREE PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact: Tom Patricelli (307) 733-4706
Mary Mitchell (307) 733-8679

March 27, 2000

PLUTONIUM INCINERATOR PROJECT HALTED
Department of Energy commits to nationwide policy of finding
environmentally sound alternatives to incineration

(Jackson, WY) - Keep Yellowstone Nuclear Free (KYNF) today announced that
the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has agreed to halt its plan to
build a plutonium waste incinerator at the Idaho National Engineering and
Environmental Laboratory (INEEL).

As part of its agreement with KYNF, the DOE also has committed to the goal
of identifying environmentally sound alternatives to incineration
nationwide. "This is a testament to the
dedication and courage of thousands of citizens who came together and
fought for a common purpose. The people of the greater Jackson Hole
community served notice that we would not be pushed around by the DOE. We
stood together and won," said KYNF Executive Director Tom Patricelli. "The
magnitude of this victory cannot be overstated," he said. "Not only have we
stopped the INEEL incinerator in its tracks, we've struck a blow against
nuclear waste incineration nationwide."

He also noted that the thousands of volunteers who compose KYNF have given
the group national recognition."Because of the people of Jackson and beyond
who gave so much of their time and resources to this cause, KYNF is a force
to be reckoned with on the national scene," he said.

Gerry Spence, the lead attorney in KYNF's federal lawsuit against the DOE,
praised the Jackson community for its cohesiveness in battle. "Ten months
ago, few of us paid much attention to what was happening over at INEEL, and
nobody had heard of this incinerator," said Spence. "Now look at what we've
done. This cause has brought our community together like never before. We
won because we were united," he said. He also noted the importance of
working toward a goal and achieving it. "With the help of many, we
identified a huge problem," he said. "But more important, we were part of
the solution."

Spence thanked the coalition of groups who joined KYNF in the lawsuit,
including the Snake River Alliance, the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance,
the Environmental Defense Institute, and the Sierra Club. "We are a
formidable team," he said. He also sounded a call for the community to
remain active in addressing ongoing threats from INEEL and beyond. "On the
heels of this victory, it is incumbent upon all of us to remain vigilant so
that we can continue to safeguard our children, our national treasures, and
our way of life," he said.

Spence also noted that the Secretary of Energy will appoint a blue ribbon
panel to explore environmentally sound alternatives to incineration. "As
part of the agreement, we will have the opportunity to appoint a member of
that panel," said Spence. He said that the DOE cannot pursue any aspect of
the incinerator project prior to the final conclusions of the panel. He
said any chance of the DOE trying to resurrect the incinerator was slim.
"It will take at least a year or more to put that panel together and come
up with conclusions," he said. "Throughout that process, we will use our
influence to make sure that incineration is completely ruled out as a
viable means of treating this waste. We believe the incinerator is gone for
good, but if the DOE even hints at trying to revive this absurd project, we
will be on them like mad dogs."

KYNF President Berte Hirschfield indicated that the group's work would
continue. "We will use this awesome victory as a foundation as we continue
to pursue our larger mission of finding safe, long-term methods of nuclear
waste treatment and disposal," she said. She noted the host of
environmentally hazardous situations remaining at INEEL. "Now that DOE has
committed to finding environmentally sound alternatives to incineration, it
should immediately suspend operation of the high level waste calciner at
INEEL. It is another dangerous operation that must be stopped," she said.
Hirschfield also noted the need to turn the nation's consciousness toward
nuclear waste management. "We've spent the last 50 years creating this
waste," she said. "It's time we put the same time and effort that went into
creating it into finding ways of safely dealing with it."

KYNF Vice President Mary Mitchell paid tribute not only to the people of
Jackson, but also to residents of neighboring states who joined the fight.
"People all across Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and the entire nation came
together in opposition to the plutonium incinerator. This is truly a
national victory," said Mitchell.

 She also emphasized KYNF's ongoing mission. "Our eyes are now open to
what's
really going on at INEEL. We will be using our voice to push DOE to step up
and
develop an open and comprehensive plan to address the incredibly serious
problems resulting from the tons of buried radioactive waste at INEEL," she
said.
"This waste is leaching into the Snake River Aquifer and poses an immediate
threat to
public health, wildlife, and the environment. We will fight on." Jackson
Hole Conservation Alliance Executive Director Franz Camenzind agreed,
saying, "we are committed to the cause of finding ways to safely dispose of
these dangerous wastes without putting the health of the Greater
Yellowstone Ecosystem at risk."

KYNF said that it will soon throw a free party for the entire community.
"We deserve to celebrate after such a long battle," said Mitchell. "It will
be a bash to remember."

Agreement was reached between the DOE, the U.S. Department of Justice,
KYNF, and the other plaintiffs late Sunday evening. Details of the binding
agreement follow:

The DOE will not pursue permits necessary to build the plutonium
incinerator at INEEL. The DOE will construct and operate a supercompaction
plant to treat the waste. Between 83% and 97% of the waste that was slated
for incineration will be reduced in volume by supercompaction, packaged,
and shipped to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico.
The DOE is committed to identifying environmentally sound alternatives to
incineration on a nationwide basis. DOE will seek to identify alternatives
to incineration for use at DOE facilities across the nation.

The Secretary of Energy will appoint a blue ribbon panel of independent
scientific experts to explore technological alternatives to incineration.
Plaintiffs have the right to appoint one member of that committee. The size
and date of creation of the panel are yet to be determined.

Plaintiffs are not prohibited from introducing a petition to debar BNFL
from acting as a contractor for the DOE. (The petition to debar BNFL as a
DOE contractor was indeed presented to the Secretary of Energy on March 23,
2000.)

Plaintiffs have the right to refile their lawsuit in the event that DOE
attempts to reapply for permits to build the incinerator.
_____________________________________________

Monday, March 27, 2000 - © Post Register - Front Page Article
DOE Backs Down On Plans For Incinerator
By Jennifer Langston
The Department of Energy has offered to put plans to build an incinerator on
hold while it looks at alternatives for treating Idaho's nuclear waste.

The offer was made to settle a lawsuit with watchdog groups and Jackson,
Wyo., residents, who maintained that incineration was a dangerous and
outdated technology.

In a well-funded and visible campaign, the groups maintained that air
pollution, including plutonium particles and several hundred chemicals
coming out of the incinerator stack, would hurt the area's national parks,
residents' health and local crops.

The DOE has now offered to postpone seeking permits and construction on the
highly controversial incinerator while scientific experts explore other
technologies, according to a copy of the settlement agreement faxed to the
Post Register.

Sunday night, all the groups involved in the lawsuit agreed to sign the
settlement and drop the suit, said Laird Lucas, an attorney representing the
plaintiffs, including Keep Yellowstone Nuclear Free, the Snake River
Alliance, the Environmental Defense Institute, the Sierra Club and the
Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance.

"For all intents and purposes this incinerator is dead," Lucas said. The
Department of Energy had repeatedly maintained incineration is a safe,
effective technology for treating the waste, which is laced with plutonium
and hazardous chemicals.

But the settlement agreement now says, "DOE is committed to the goal of
identifying alternatives to incineration and that such alternatives shall be
environmentally sound."
DOE-Idaho spokesman Brad Bugger had no comment Sunday night, saying the
matter was still in litigation.

The agreement says the agency will convene a "blue-ribbon" panel of
independent scientific experts to look at other technologies besides
incineration that might be available in the future.

The agency will continue to seek permits for a treatment plant to sort,
crush and repackage the waste in drums. If state and federal regulators
grant the last three permits, the DOE should be able to get rid of about 75
percent of the plutonium-contaminated waste simply by crushing and
repackaging it.

That will enable the waste, which has been stored in Idaho for decades, to
be shipped to a permanent dump in New Mexico.

The remaining waste was slated to be burned in the incinerator to destroy
toxic chemicals that could pose hazards in shipping or storage. If the DOE
can't find any other options, it can still move forward with the
incinerator, although the groups may file suit again, according to the
settlement.

Beatrice Brailsford of the Snake River Alliance said it has been nearly a
decade since watchdog groups and public outcry has forced the INEEL to back
down on such a major project. That group's board met Sunday night and
decided to sign the settlement.

"This is a significant victory," she said. "I'm hoping that this is yet
another sign that the Department of Energy ... actually understands that
incineration is too hard and too stupid to do."

INEEL and environment reporter Jennifer Langston can be reached at 542-6746,
or via e-mail at jlangston@idahonews.com.

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