ANS President James Lake's letter to Vice President-Elect Cheney

December 21, 2000


Bush-Cheney Presidential Transition Foundation
1616 Anderson Road
McLean, VA 22102

Dear Vice President-Elect Cheney:

On behalf of the American Nuclear Society (ANS), and its membership of nearly 12,000 scientists and engineers, please accept our congratulations on your victory. The Society is excited about the opportunity to work with a Bush Administration that has a high interest in energy matters. As the President of ANS, I offer my personal services, and those of our Society, to assist you in any way that you feel is appropriate.

ANS is a not-for-profit Professional Society which is broadly recognized as a leader in the development, dissemination, and application of nuclear science and technology information to benefit humanity. The Society is organized into 18 Professional Divisions, and more than 40 Local and International Sections, and 30 Student Sections at our Nation's major universities across the country. Our members work in such diverse areas as education, research and development laboratories, government, power plant operations, medical and isotope applications, and engineering design and services.

As the Energy Transition Team develops its priorities for the Bush Administration, we respectfully offer the following four topic areas as representing critical issues for nuclear energy, science and technology:

The American Nuclear Society believes the U.S. Government should promote a balanced portfolio of energy options that is stable, secure, and affordable, with minimal impact on the environment. That portfolio should include a robust program of nuclear energy research, development, and demonstration to ensure that nuclear power remains a viable resource to meet future U.S. energy needs.

Nuclear facilities and nuclear-trained professionals are essential to U.S. energy, manufacturing, medical, and other industries, as well as to the conduct of major Government programs run by the Departments of Defense, Energy, and State, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and other agencies. The American Nuclear Society believes the U.S. Government should ensure an adequate supply of these people and facilities by increasing its support for nuclear technology education, research, and infrastructure.

The American Nuclear Society believes that the U.S. must vigorously pursue research and development of proliferation-resistant closed nuclear fuel cycles as part of the development of sustainable advanced nuclear energy systems.

Radioactive and stable isotopes play a critical role in U.S. national defense, health care, industry, and research. The American Nuclear Society believes the U.S. Government should take urgent steps to shore up the isotope production infrastructure.

In this regard, ANS has developed briefs on each of these four topics, which are attached. These briefs provide some specific recommendations and rationale for the issue.

Because of the growing importance of nuclear energy and nuclear science and technology to our Nation's energy security, national security, public health, and environmental quality, the American Nuclear Society supports the reinstatement of the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology to the Assistant Secretary level, where it resided prior to the Clinton Administration. This change will be an important signal that the Bush Administration is serious about the importance of nuclear energy and nuclear science and technology to our Nation. It is also important, in the longer term, to reorganize all of the DOE nuclear energy, safety, and science & technology programs under the new Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology where they resided prior to the Clinton Administration.

I appreciate your willingness to consider the views of the American Nuclear Society. ANS stands ready to offer our assistance as a resource to the Transition Team in any way that we can. Please contact me at 208-526-7670 (or via e-mail), or Mr. Doug Wasitis, the Manager of ANS' Washington DC office at 202-312-7482.

Sincerely,


James A. Lake, PhD
President