Text of Senator Charles Schumer's Letter to Spencer Abraham, Secretary Department of Energy

Dear Secretary Abraham:

I am writing to request your assistance in facilitating the expedited transfer of fuel from Cornell University's TRIGA reactor in Ithaca, NY to the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) facility in Idaho Falls, Idaho. I am concerned that the demands of meeting the technical and security requirements for hosting such highly radioactive material are placing an extreme burden on Cornell University, and feel that the decontamination and decommissioning of the facility should occur as quickly as possible.

Cornell University closed the TRIGA reactor in June, 2002 and subsequently began discussions with the Department of Energy to determine how quickly the reactor's fuel could be safely transferred to the INEEL facility. It is my understanding that as a result of these discussions, removal of the fuel has been scheduled to occur between April and December of this year.

Cornell University's desire to cooperate with the Department of Energy is evidenced by the school's commitment to share a portion of the transportation cost by purchasing a specially fabricated cask designed to store and ship the fuel. By agreeing to purchase such a cask, which costs approximately $70,000, I feel that Cornell University is clearly demonstrating its desire to expedite the removal of the TRIGA reactor's fuel, and its willingness to work with the Department of Energy in meeting this goal.

I respectfully request that you take whatever steps may be necessary to ensure that the TRIGA reactor fuel is removed from Cornell University as quickly as possible. It is my belief that the removal of this fuel will alleviate a substantial burden on Cornell University, and allow such radioactive materials to be more securely stored.

I thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator