Department of Energy Calls for Public Comment on Complex Transformation SPEIS – Peace Action Responds with a call for Nuclear Abolition

 In Bush Administration, Complex 2030, Complex Transformation, Global Activism, military, Nuclear Weapons, Peace, Peace Action, RRW, War, weapons proliferation

(Washington, DC1/16/08) – The Department of Energy has dedicated a 90 day comment period to the Bush Administration’s proposed nuclear weapons production facility formally known as Complex 2030.  This comes despite Congressional action zeroing out funding for the reliable replacement warhead, a new nuclear weapon, associated with the $150 million nuclear complex.

Recent polls by World Public Opinion show 79% of the American people want to see the U.S. government do more to eliminate nuclear weapons.  Peace Action is among 68 other groups engaging the public to use this comment period to support nuclear abolition and U.S. compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. 

Across the nation, Peace Action Affiliates will hold community meetings to discuss the project and collect comments for the DOE.  Peace Action supporters in California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas will present their opinions at DOE hearings in those states.  The Peace Action online campaign is expected to reach over 100,000 nuclear abolition activists.

“Tens of thousands of Americans will write the Department of Energy in the next three months to tell them that they refuse to have nuclear weapons built in their backyard.  Instead it is time to dismantle nuclear weapons rather than build new ones,” claimed Paul Kawika Martin, Peace Action’s political director.

The comment campaign will continue through the appointed 90 day period culminating in a final hearing in Washington, DC at which Peace Action’s national office will issue a statement on behalf of the network.  The statement will call for the U.S. government to: stop the Complex Transformation project, increase dedication to nuclear abolition, and invest resources into nuclear cleanup and renewable energy programs.

BACKGROUND

  • The Nuclear Complex to be transformed is made up of facilities scattered across the country at 8 major locations with missions as diverse as laboratory work, explosives testing, and nuclear weapons component manufacturing. 
  • Complex Transformation would include a major new facility—the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement (CMRR) at Los Alamos National Lab—to build 50-80 warhead cores (plutonium “pits”) per year, violating the spirit of U.S. commitments to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Article 6 which encourages disarmament.
  • The 2007 JASON pit lifetime study confirmed that existing pits could last 100 years or more making the Complex Transformation project an unnecessary expense for an indebted Federal Government.
  • Legislative and Executive branches of the U.S. government have yet to complete mandated nuclear policy reviews necessary to assess how the U.S. should move into the future regarding nuclear weapons.
  • Increased production of plutonium pits, through Complex Transformation, will lead to increased risk to national security, public health, and the environment.
  • Expanding our current nuclear weapons program sends the wrong message to other Nations, like North Korea, with whom we are negotiating over nuclear disarmament.

 

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  • Robert
    Reply

    When will OUR congress stand up and speak OUR voice, When will the people of this country finally realize that one of the Rights that were bestowed on us is to police our Government and when it doesn’t serve us in OUR best interest we are expected to SPEAK UP. This Complex is something out of the 50’s. Yes, there are several new bells and whistles but the bottom line is Nuclear Power has been tried. Yes it works but it is a complex that will be used to produce tools of WAR. Any educated country in the 21st century would best serve its self in educating Peace and Environmental development. We have allowed the Government to operate behind our backs for long enough. They have over the past 100 years proven to use that Money trumps all. Well, you certainly can’t tell me that we could have scientist whom could develop an embryonic cell and jump start life and yet we can’t figure out were cancer comes from. Or maybe that is because they already know were is comes from and how to stop it from killing…but then again, that would be again telling them to put away the toys of WAR. It is true, Saddam Hussein was a tyrant and needed to be removed but genocide that takes pace in the United States far surpasses that of most all other countries in the world… We Americans chose to ignore or question these deaths due to the Media brainwashing that is being transmitted. This facility will simply continue to add to the mass destruction of the United States and create a wider gap in the Classes we have today. We are doomed if they are allowed to complete the plans on this facility.

  • Sjaak
    Reply

    Do you know what the amount of money is each country in the world uses to finance their weapons and military system? Each 30 seconds a kid is dying just from Malaria in Africa, I agree with Robert. Money has proven to enhance the global materialism. Peace and love is wat we should spread and not materialism. Think of how you use your energy!

  • Heartburn Home Remedy
    Reply

    I read your posts for quite a long time and must tell you that your posts are always valuable to readers.

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