S-1205.2                   _______________________________________________

                                            SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8017

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators Jesernig and Loveland

Read first time 02/15/93.  Referred to Committee on Energy & Utilities.

Requesting the United States Department of Energy to support the Fast Flux Test Facility at Hanford.

          TO THE HONORABLE BILL CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND THE SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) at Hanford is the newest, largest, safest and most versatile test reactor in the nation; and

          WHEREAS, The FFTF is a unique national asset, and as the most advanced research and development facility of its kind is invaluable to the international technical community; and

          WHEREAS, Because of its size and versatility the FFTF can support multiple missions simultaneously; and

          WHEREAS, A marketing study commissioned by former Governor Gardner and completed in March 1992, shows significant international and domestic support for continued operation of the FFTF; and

          WHEREAS, The United States Congress in the National Energy Security Act of 1992 directed the United States Department of Energy to aggressively pursue development and implementation of long-term missions for the FFTF; and

          WHEREAS, Similarly the Congress has appropriated seventy million dollars for the continued operation of the FFTF during federal fiscal year 1993; and

          WHEREAS, The FFTF has set world performance records for reactors; and

          WHEREAS, The FFTF can produce life-saving medical isotopes,  including pain-relieving isotopes for sufferers of bone cancer, and many of these isotopes are now imported; and

          WHEREAS, The FFTF can be used to destroy plutonium in nuclear weapons, leading to a safer world; and

          WHEREAS, There is a great need for Plutonium-238 to power space probes during the next century and the FFTF can provide this material; and

          WHEREAS, A potential exists for generating commercial electrical power from the FFTF; and

          WHEREAS, Foreign interests and foreign governments have expressed interest and have pledged financial support for the FFTF conditioned upon a long-term United States Department of Energy commitment to the operation of the FFTF;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the FFTF be given adequate financial and political support by the United States Department of Energy so as to be given a long-term mission that meets the potential needs of the nation and the world in the areas of medicine, power, science, and world peace.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of the United States Department of Energy, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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