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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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,:.”.,:,’’:’,:,: Mr. Strauss was en route to the IAEA Conference in Vienna.., .,,. , The Commissioners resumed
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Burkels recent comments. hadincludedtiis project intie 1959 sbipthe completed vessel. Mr. Vance sequested that an inquiry be made to determine whether there has been any change concerning this item in the Mr. Bloch reviewed the Equipment and Process Development items in the ape cial nuclear materials budget estimates. He said that $20 million of the equipment item is considered essential to prwide for replacemen~ of equipment, and that the $29.6 million for the Process Development item would be necessary to maintain an adequate program of plant supports although it would not provide for further cost reductions. Mr. Vance observed that the Equipment item had been substantially increased from the F Y 1957 figure of $12,8 milliom Ms. Burrows explained that the F Y 1957 funds had been insufficient and that? therefore at least $20 million was required to maintain this program at a Mr, Bloch then reviewed the various improvements which could be made under the $78 million request for feed materials. Mr. Vance remaarked that this was a reasonable request in view of the scale of Mr. Libby suggested that existing facilities at Hanford and Savannah River rather than a new plant be utilized for development work on the reprocessing of fuel elements f~om civilian power reactors$ and be submitted to the Commission. General Starbird summarized the such a course of action would weapons testing operations planned for FY 1959 and described the programs planned at the Nevada and Pacific Test Sites at an approacimate cost of $45 million. as opposed to the cost of $53.8 million for Operation REDWING. In response to a question by Mr. Libbyt General Starbird said thatp although a comparison of respective costs was not available for Operations REDWING and HARDTACK due to the overlapping of the
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fiscal yearss the AEC test psogram for Operation HARDTACK was scheduled to include 25 shots t while Operation REDWING had included Ody 17 shots. Mr. Vance said that he believed the scope of Operation HARDTACK would be reduced in view of the President~s statement regarding future tests, but General Starbird observed that even under prospective reductions, the total number of shots for the AEC and the DOD would probably be the same as that in Operation REDWING. Mr. Libby inquired whether savings would be achieved by including a greater number of underground shots in the test planned at the Nevada Test Site and General Starbird replied that balloon 8hots had proved to be less expensive than the underground detonations l General Starbird then reviewed in detail the construction items fox the Nevada Test Site and the Eniwetok Proving Grouxid and said that these items were considered essential for the execution of fuxther tests. k reply to a question by Mrs v=~e~ Mro Fields exPlai~e~ that the $2 million xequested foz construction of Site 300 additions for Livermore was considered essential for continuation of the high explosives progr~~ ‘.:.,..’.,., the Research Division in order to expand basic research activities in,,, ,.,,,,.,,..,,.’:,.,,,,,,,: ..:,..: physicss chemistry and metallurgy. Mr. Vance observed that the,’, ,.,;.;,, Division request for $86.3 million represented an increase of. .,’.,.’..:.;,,,,., ,,. ,,:.,.,,, . ....... approximately $15 million over the level of F Y 1958 expendi~res~ Mro ,..:,/!,,,,.,!’.’,.:., Burrows pointed Out$ howevert that the Commission was asked to,,, ,,, consider the Gene ml Managerts request of $71 million. Training, Education and Information Mr. Vance commented on the increase of funds over the FY 1958 level in the Operation of Schools item and in the Division of hternational ““ Affairs request. Mr. Burrows explained that these additional funds were required for operation of the Puerto Rico Training Center.