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Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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1. Observers for REDWING M.r. Strauss said the Administration had decided not to allow foreign observers to attend Operation REDWING except for those foreign military observers sponsored by the DOD. National Civil Service League Merit Citations in recognition of their outstanding careers in public service. At this point Iv.r. Vance left the meeting. Mr. Quackenboss said that the Jffic e of Operations Analysis had examined the question of whether U.S. long range U-2 35 and plutonium production planning is influenced by the possibility that the weapons stockpile may never be used, He said that on the basis of the study to date, this possibility doe6 appear to have some inf Iuence on long range production planning. However, he said the likelihood that the U.S. may never have to use its weapons stockpile for military purposes appears not to have influenced the size of the stockpile requirement: Mr. Gardner reported t@at the proposed ameadrnent to the bilateral agreement with the U.K. prov$~~ for the transfer of special nuclear material is nQW he~g considered by the Department of State. (See A EC .7@3/16.) Mr. Strauss ref exred to the forthcoming visit of Sir Edwin Plowden and x~~ue steal that arrangements be made for his tour to certain
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Mr. Libby referred to a French request for forty kilograms of U -235 and requested a memorandum concerning the proposed use of this material. He said he believed that such material should not be contained in uranium concentrations exceeding twenty percent Iv.r. Gardner reported that Ambassador Lodge had recently presented an unclassified AEC Technical Library to the United The Commissioners then discussed with Mr. Fields and Mr. Hall the construction progress of the Belgian reactor. Mr. Strauss requested that the Commission be informed periodically of the progress on this reactor and on any other reactors to be built for foreign use. Nm. Strauss also said that AEC should do everything possibie to ensure that the Belgian reactor is completed in time for the
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construction of the new headquarters buiMing would be received on May 3, 1956. In response to a question by Mr. Strauss, Mr. Smith reviewed the background of a construction strike at the Mr. Davis reported that during the summer of 1956, the University of California kt~nds to conduct two nuclear engineering tour ses. M answer to a question by Mr. Libby, Mr. Davis said that a staff paper was being prepared on proposals under the $econd round of the Power Demonstration Reactor Program. Nir. Libby said he believed that the chemical industry could make important contributions to the reactor program and should be encouraged to take a Sreater interest Michigan had asked for a six months extension of their construction permit in order to complete construction of their reactor. He added that the University had also requested that the reactor fuel elements not be delivered until July 1.1957. Wlr. P ittman said that additional information en the proposed Detr oit-Edisoa t eactor had been received and that a r ecommendathn on their application for a construction permit could probably be made ia the near future. Mr. Fields obs=~ed that an appropriate press release would be submitted concerning this construction permit.
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Mr. Libby referred to the requirement that universities and companies using only small amounts of nuclear material must first obtain a license and suggested that a plan be devised so that it wouid be unnecessary to do so. Mr. Pittman said that a study of this question was in progress. Mr. Johnson said that the Division of Research was considering the transfer of the linear accelerator at Berkeley to the University of Southern California and tie establishment of an independent research facility at U .S.C. under the direction of Mr. John Backs. Mr. Johnson also said that consideration was being given to moving the 63 inch cyclotron from Oak Ridge to Georgia Tech University. Mr. Kolstad then reported on the fir sit meeting of the Tripartite Nuclear Cross-Sections Committee, held at Chalk River on March 12, 13 and 14.1956. Mr. Strauss briefly left the meeting during Mr. Kolstad said that as a result of a Committee recommendation to exchange samples of fissionable isotopes, AEC would have to consider whether weapons grade samples should be exchanged. lv.r. Ll%by said he did not believe this would be desirable since he could see no reason to exceed an enrichment of ninety percent in the material to be exchanged. Vir. Kolstad also reported that two technical nuclear cros~-section symposia had been tentatively scheduled. The fir st would be a small meeting on July 1956. The second wo~d be an Inter~tioiusl
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to be heLd at Columbia University during September 1957. He said that consideration was being given to holding the latter conference under the auspices of the Internaticmal Union of Pure and Applied Physics. c Mr. Kolstad added that the next meeting of the Tripartite Nuclear Cross-Sections Committee will be held at Oak Ridge during October, 1956. Dr. Dunham reported that the University of California at Los Angeles had requested AEC to provide $700,000 for the construction of a building to house their medical reactor. He pointed out that the Commission had already authorized funds to aid in construction of the reactor itself. Mr. Strauss said that he had previously informed University officials that the AEC could not provide funds for the construction of the buiidiag. He observed that sources of private assistance had not yet been exhausted by the University. Dr. Albert then reported on his recent visit to South Africa to study the radon concentration in the gold fields and to relate this information to the incidence of lung cancer of workers in the mine. Mr. Eisenbud reviewed with the Commissioners the recent meeting of the United Nations Scientific Committee on Radiation Effects. Mr. Libby observed that the Committee could be useful in collecting infer - nmtion oa the amount of radiation received from weapons tests’ fallout as compared to the amount of radiation received from medical examination or
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Mr. Smith reviewed an AEC survey of scientific salaries throughout the nation. Mr. Strauss inquired about the present status of the Atomic Energy Labor Management Relations Panel. Mr. Smith pointed out that the panel was now attached to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. However, he said this arrangement was not satisfactory to Mr. Ching, the Chairman of the Panel, because he believed the Panel had not been delegated sufficient responsibility and authority. Air. Strauss indicated that the Commission wished to cooperate f~y in arriving at a satisfactory arrangement He requested that Mr. N.itchell contact Gerald Morgan of the White House staff about this matter. Wlr. Rolander reported on the AEC’s personnel security clearance program. In answer to a question by Mr. Strauss. Mr. Rolander said he would participate in a survey of the Australian security program in connection with the bilateral agreement being negotiated with Australia. Mr. Burrows reviewed with the Commissioners the A EC financial report for March 1956. lvir. Sali~ury reviewed plans for news coverage of Cperation REDWING. He said that there would be no foreign newsmen at the test. Mr. Salisbury also reported on preparations by Cinerama Incorporated to produce a feature length motion picture on the peaceful uses of
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Mr. Mar shall referred to a recent meeting of the Chairmen of the operations offices classification committees. He said a uniform method of operation was now being prepared for the se comMr. N,ann reported on a criticality incident which occurred at Oak Ridge during February 1956. He also said that Armour Research Foundation reactor located in Chicago would be put into operation within the next two weeks. Approved by the Commis sio~ Meeting 1213, July 10, 1956 *separate ~fiutes for ~is part of the Meeting have been circulated.