Department of Energy Washington, DC 20585 July 31, 1997

Ms. Gene Bernardi
Ms. Pamela Sihovla
Co-Chairs, Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste
9 Arden Road
Berkeley, CA 94704

Dear Ms. Bernardi and Ms. Sihvola:

Federico Peņa, the Secretary of Energy, has requested that I respond to your letter dated June 30, 1997, concerning the National Tritium Labeling Facility (NTLF) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).

Your letter asks the Secretary to consider closing the NTLF in light of his decision to terminate the management contract at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) because of a tritium leak and resulting environmental contamination. The Secretary’s decision to terminate the BNL contract was not exclusively attributable to the tritium leak or any other single cause. His decision was a response to a combination of deficiencies, none of which is recognized at this time at LBNL.

The Secretary and I are very much away of the tritium-related issues at the NTLF. Current information indicates that the NTLF is operating well within applicable state and federal health and safety standards. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Department of Health Services, and the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry have concurred with LBNL’s assessment that the operation of the NTLF poses no health risk to anyone who lives or works near the Facility.

However, we recognize that some members of the Berkeley community, including the organization which you represent, disagree with these assessments and have challenged the data. We must therefore find a way to proceed so that concerned citizens like you have confidence in the LBNL’s ability to operate the NTLF in a safe and responsible manner. I trust we have found that way through the Tritium Issues Work Group. I understand that your organization, the Committee to Minimize Toxic Waste, is an active member of the Group.

The Secretary and I are awaiting with great interest the outcome of the independent assessment being conducted by the Tritium Issues Work Group. Based upon the results of this independent assessment, LBNL will recommend and the Department of Energy (DOE) will decide what measures, if any, need to be taken to assure the safety and trust of the citizens of Berkeley and Oakland. I assure you if the assessment determines that the NTLF in any way poses a threat to the public, workers, or the environment, the problem will either be fixed or the facility will cease to operate.

In the meantime, it would be premature to take any action that might impact a unique, world-class scientific facility whose research is advancing the world’s knowledge about health and diseases, including their causes and cures. The National Institutes of Health funds the NTLF and values the significant contributions this facility makes to medical science. The DOE has been proud to provide operational support for the NTLF in the National interest, and will continue to do so as long as it operates safely and responsibly.

In conclusion, I want to reiterate the Secretary’s firm commitment that all facilities under the Department’s jurisdiction shall comply with environment, safety and health regulation. They will also maintain a strong and trusting relationship with the communities in which they do their work. DOE regional representatives will continue to attend and support meetings of the Tritium Issues Work Group and will keep both the Secretary and me informed of the progress of the assessment. I encourage you to continue to work and communicate with LBNL and the Tritium Issues Work Group in the spirit of mutual interest and respect.

Sincerely,

Martha A. Krebs
Director
Office of Energy Research
Department of Energy