The end of the cold war, weapons dismantlement and cessation of plutonium production has added urgency to the issue. Recent public education efforts in Oregon and Washington with support from your office and DOE-RL have generated considerable public interest regarding the disposition of the nation's plutonium. We therefore commend you for your recent commitment to develop a national dialogue on an integrated approach to waste management and nuclear material disposition issues. Though only one public hearing is required by law, the HAB feels that opportunity for public education and comment is too limited for such an important issue.
Public support is necessary for effective clean-up activities.
However, funding for these public hearings should not reduce the funding allocated for remediation activities. We support the ongoing dialog on improving public involvement opportunities regarding the disposition of the nation's nuclear materials.