Document text
Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
Page 1
JOMN GLENN. 01110, CHAIRMAN CARL LIWN. MICHIGAN JOKEPM I. LIEEERMAN. CONNECTICUT THAD WCMRAN. WSSUSIWI The Honorable william J. Perry U.S. Department of Defense On December 14, 1993, I wrote to Secretary Aspin regarding a General Accounting Office (GAO) report on the "Green Run," a planned atmospheric release o f more than 28,000 curies of radioactive material from t h e Hanford facility in Washington w h i c h occurred in 1949. In the course of thelr review of the Green Run, GAO uncovered reference8 to 12 additional planned releases of radiation from 3 otner government facilitieu. None Of these releases were accidental and none were the result of routine plant operations. A s a result of the public's, Congress', and the Committee on Human Radiation Experiments was tasked by its Charter with investigating these 13 environmental releases along with "any o t h e r simllar experiments which may later be identified by the Interagency Working Group." the Advisory Committee's investiqation, information has been uncovered by the Advisory Committee, as well as the Department of Defense and Department of Energy, about many additional intCntiOnal releases of radiation. According Lo the Advisory "The category of intentional releases is now known to be larger, in variety and quantity, than the 13 releases identified in t h e Charter. For example: Administration's concern about these releases, the Advisory During the past 6 months of * The Charter included 8 radiation warfare experiments; the number is at least; 53. * The Charter includes 4 Lo8 Alamoa, New Mexico, implosion tests involving radiolanthanum. DOE reports that the number of such tests approximates 250. The Charter includes one intentional release from a plUtOnium production facility (Green Run). Examples of
Page 2
further releases from nuclear production facilitles have The Advisory Committee's report discusses additional intentional releases not mentioned in t h e i r charter which nonetheless merit serious attention and fur th cr investigation. I would like to re-emphasize what I wrote in my December 14, 1993 letter to secretary Aspin, "I encourage you to make the review and declassification of documents regarding planned radiation releases a top priority as we work together to understand t h e full impact of the Cold War. Further, I would appreciate your efforts to keep my staff and me informed on the progress of this work. " Given the recent revelations by the Advisory Committee of hundreds of additional intentional radiation releases, it is even more critical that you emphasize document revlew and declassification as atop priority. I would note that the Department has made significant progress in a short period of time searching and retrieving documents which have been requested by the Advisory Committee, I congratulate you and your staff for the progress made thus far. understanding that the Department of Defense and the Department of the Air Force maintain that certain documents concerning the Hanford Green Run should remain classified. I am not aware of any reason, national security or otherwise, why all documents concerning this 45-year old experiment should not immediately be made public and provided to the AdviBOry Committee f o r their analysis. By declassifying these documents, the DOD would help t o reaffirm ita commitment to full disclosure of past activities. In addition, this information may prove to be critical in reconstructing these past events, including whether individuals may have been put at risk. With regard to the Green Run, however, it is my I would appreciate a timely response to this request. Additionally, I would note that Assistant Secretary Harold Smith's January 31, 1 9 9 4 response to my December 1 4 , 1993 l e t t e r stated: "Please be assured that the Department will work closely with you, the Governmental Affairs Committee, and the GAO on this It is m y strong belief that the Administration's commitment to openness, initiated by Secretary O'Leary, deserves Congress' support and that of the American public. Only through this Openness initiative can w e regain the trust and erodibility which were unfortunately squandered during the cold War. Your leadership i a crucial to the success of this effort.
Page 3
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions about this request, My Governmental Affairs staff contact is Chris K l i n e (202) 2 2 4 - 7 9 5 4 . Ruth Faden, Chair, Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments