The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1962-01-25


publication" that Cedor Aronow
of Shelby, the tribes attorney,
had "given us to understand" that
following the special closed meet
ing of Friday, PRO would be in
vited to an open council meet
ing. At that time PRO planned
to continue negotiations or enter
into an agreement.
Interest in the proposed devel-
opment of an atomic waste stor-
age facility on the reservation
having become statewide, Mon
tana's Senator Mike Mansfield
on Oct. 20, 1861 wrote an inquir:
ing letter to the Atomic Energy
Commission.
Aces reply of Nov. 20, 1861
appraised Mansfield it is sponsor
ing studies at several national
laboratories and educational in
situations investigating storing of
wastes in selected geological for:
nations, including a study of
storing high-activity waste in tun-
nels mined out of crystalline rock
which underlies the Savannah
River Plant.
Pertinent portions of Aces
letter involving the proposed
tribe and PRO partnership are
quoted herewith:
"All activities involving hand
ling, storage and disposal of ra-.
dioactive waste by a private con-
Germ. as indicated in the encloS-
ed Acc Regulations 10 CIR,
Parts 20, 80, 40 and 20, are sub
ject to regulatory and licensing
requirements described therein.
Prior to the issuance of such a
license, the Acc requires the
applicant to submit detailed in
formation on the proposed ac-
tivity, including hazards anal
ysis, to enable the Commission
to evaluate the proposal and de-
termine that such activities could
be safely conducted and there
fore not jeapordize the health
and safety of the public. Your
attention is invited to Section
2.302 of 10 CIR 20, which pro-
vides, among other things, that
"The Commission win not ap-
prove any application for a Ii
cense to receive licensed mater
ial from other persons for. dis
posal on land not owned by the
Federal Government or by a
State Government" In issuing
this regulation, the Commission
stated that placement of the
waste materials in government.
owned lands, under long term
government control, will assure
adequate protection of the pub
lie health and safety throughout
the period of any potential haz-
ard.
Early in 1860, Petroleum Re-.
search Corporation submitted to
our Division of Reactor Develop
ment an informal outline of a
possible research and develop
ment project which would have
investigated the feasibility of in
jecting high-activity radioactive
wastes in specific deep permeable
formations. For the reasons del
ineated in answers / through 4,
a project 10 investigate this dis
posal method was not initiated.
The Acc has not been approach
ed by the Petroleum Research
Corporation concerning the pos
sibility of the Corporation dis
posing of high-level wastes nor
has the Commission been a party,
in any way, with Pres negotia-
tons with the Blackfeet Indian
Tribe. AS indicated in previous
discussions with representatives
of the Blackfeet Tribal Council,
1t is suggested that the Division
of Licensing and Regulation and
Industrial Participation and the
Office of The General Council,
be contacted by PRO and the
Council prior to the completion
of contract negotiations by these
two groups. We would also like
to inform you that We have re-
Gently received a letter from the
Attorney for the Blackfeet In
dian Tribe on this matter"
Thus stands the atomic waste
burial program on the Blackfeet
reservation