Shundahai Network

Sept 18th

Sept 24th appears the next likely "shot" date

Sept. 7th Update

According to Livermore Lab that the projected "shot" date for "Bagpipe" was September 17. The Dept. of Energy's Nevada Operations Office said that the LIKELY "shot" date would be "the latter part of September", not mid-September. The reason given was, "The Lab still hasn't put the 'package' together properly yet for the experiment."

The Nevada DOE staffer went on to say that the "experimental packages" were in the Device Assembly Facility (DAF) at the Nevada Test Site and that there were "technical difficulties," the details of which he did not know.

Livermore Lab revealed that while "the advertised date is still September 17, there could be a week's slip, though." That staffer then confirmed that, yes, there are "assembly problems in the DAF."

According to the Livermore Lab, the two "specimens" (that is, the two plutonium parts) machined at the Los Alamos Lab in New Mexico were shipped to Livermore Lab, and, then, along with the two plutonium parts machined at Livermore, all of the parts went to the Nevada Test Site.

Regarding the "shot" date, I would not totally rule out that it could happen on or around September 17, as previously planned. However, as of now, Thursday afternoon, Sept. 4, it is more likely to happen about a week later.

When everything is set, DOE's Nevada Operations Office will release a media advisory. This is typically done about 48 hours in advance.

Of importance is the fact that fiscal year 1999 begins on October 1, 1998. If DOE does not get the subcritical detonated before that date, the agency will have collected money from Congress for four subcritical tests in fiscal year 1998, and only detonated one. That is why DOE is trying so hard to at least "up" its total for the fiscal year to two. DOE is fearful that Congress will ask them what they are doing with all the money. (Last year they got paid for four tests and delivered two. The year before that DOE took the money, but delivered zero tests.)

DOE is also faced with a new GAO Report that says Congress can save up to 20 million by cutting the subcritical test budget. Moreover, the report says that limitations in the underground facility at the test site mean DOE can only conduct 2 subcritical tests per year. While I would advocate much deeper cuts, like the whole darn program!!!, the prospect of losing even $20 million is probably not very appealing to DOE.

Sept. 1st

Hello Friends,

Today (Sept 1st) is the first "Mandatory" dry run for the subcritical nuclear weapons test "Bagpipe" This puts them closer to conducting the actual test. This is the quickest I have seen them move from conducting "signal" dry runs to "mandatory" dry runs. From monitoring the situation at the test site, we believe that the five "devices" containing the plutonium to be exploded were delivered two nights ago and installed on Monday. "In the hole" as they call it. This means that a "shot" date of next week (Sept 7-11) is very likely. We will keep updating you with new information as it breaks to help in your planning.

Thank you to all of those around the world who have responded to the need for generating more attention around the subcritical s. All of the letters and phone calls do make a difference.

There is a rough sample letter included below.

Please call the Department of Energy and the White House and your Congressional representatives and demand:

"DON'T BY HYPOCRITICAL! STOP THE SUBCRITICAL!"
The subcritical nuclear weapons test be canceled!
Stop all new and modified nuclear weapons development.
Close down the Nevada Test Site and all nuclear weapons development facilities except for programs based disarmament.
Begin immediate clean up and containment of the nuclear nightmare caused by the U.S. Nuclear Weapons program.

President Bill Clinton, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC 20001, 202-456-1111
Secretary of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave, Washington DC, 20585
To leave a message for Bill Richardson, new Secretary of DOE please call 202-586-6210 and the press office at 202-586 -806 (Thanks to Bob Kinsey for that information)
Or Fax the Executive Assistant, Energy Secretary 202-586-4403 or Defense Programs Office c/o Robin Staffin 202-586-1567

THE HONORABLE PRESIDENT  CLINTON,
THE WHITE HOUSE,
WASHINGTON, U.S.,
1-202-456-2461, 1-202-456-2883.

Dear President Clinton,

I am writing to demand that you  "DON'T BY HYPOCRITICAL! STOP THE
SUBCRITICAL!"

By this, I mean that you must immediately cancel the subcritical nuclear
weapons test code named "Bagpipe" which could be detonated as early as next
week (Sept 7 - 11) and all future subcritical tests. 

These tests explode plutonium, which is the most deadly material ever
created, 980 feet below the ground at the Nevada Test Site dangerously
close to the largest aquifer in Southern Nevada. This precious groundwater
has already been contaminated by past nuclear tests. It is time to stop the
contamination and begin the clean up!

These tests should really be called "hypocritical." They clearly violate
the spirit of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) signed in September
1996, by you, Mr President.  The CTBT commits the U.S. "not to carry out
any nuclear weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion..." DOE
claims these experiments are permissible because the CTBT does not define
"nuclear weapon" test. These tests make global adoption of the CTBT less
likely by encouraging other nations to copy the U.S. decision to continue
testing and update their nuclear arsenals. 

These tests especially contradict the condemnation expressed  by the U.S.
government against India and Pakistan for conducting their own series of
nuclear weapons tests earlier this year. 

The subcritical tests are part of a massive "Stockpile Stewardship and
Management" program, intended to maintain and expand U.S. nuclear weapons
capabilities well into the next century. During the next decade, taxpayers
will spend more than $40 billion for the program, an annual rate higher
than the Cold War average. Thus, it is fair to say these tests are intended
to signal to the rest of the world an unflagging U.S. commitment to nuclear
weapons as the ultimate "big stick."

Last year, in the U.S. 44 members of Congress, including key California
Representatives, urged you not to go ahead with the tests. At the
grassroots level, protesters gathered in  California, Nevada, Texas, New
York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere around the country to
demand the cancelation of this testing program. There is currently a
lawsuit against DOE, charging the agency failed to conduct an adequate
environmental analysis of the Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan,
including the subcritical tests.

This decision is largely in your hands. I urge you to be courageous and
recognize that the U.S. needs to take the lead in halting our nuclear
weapons designing, testing and production capabilities so that the rest of
the world can take us seriously when we talk about non-proliferation issues
and the Comprehensive Test ban Treaty. 

It is time, Mr President, to build that bridge to the 21st century that you
always talk about. The time for nuclear disarmament is now. Do the right
thing. Stop the Subcritical Nuclear Weapons Tests!

Yours Sincerely,
Signed:






Previous Alert Aug 27th
From: Shundahai Network 
Subject: ACTION ALERT: Subcritical Nuclear Test Announcement

Hello Friends,

Yesterday the Department of Energy conducted the first "signal dry run" for
the subcritical nuclear weapons test "Bagpipe" at the U-1a underground
center on the Nevada Test Site.

There is another "signal dry run" scheduled this afternoon at 2pm pacific
standard time. It seems that they will do daily dry runs. When they begin
to do daily "Mandatory" Dry runs, we will be getting closer to the
explosion date. 

This morning some friends caught the end of a local TV news program doing a
story on the U-1a complex and they mentioned "2 weeks from now" Some people
believe they were talking about the test. We have a call into the TV
station and a call into D.O.E.

If it is two weeks from now that would put it on September 11. We are
certainly not ready to confirm this date now, but we will have a better
feeling for it next week. There is still some speculation that the test
could be delayed until toward the end of September.

Two weeks ago there was an interview with Derrick Scammel, DOE
spokesperson, and he said the DOE was prepared to do three tests before the
end of the year. We are not certain weather that means fiscal year or
calendar year.

We will start holding demonstrations and possibly daily vigils here in Las
Vegas beginning with a kick off on September 8th:

"DON'T BY HYPOCRITICAL! STOP THE SUBCRITICAL!" Protest Demonstration at the
Foley Federal Building 300 S. Las Vegas Blvd, 9:00 am - ?

and of course there will be assorted actions at the test site before the
test I am sure. 

(Email us at shundahai@shundahai.org or call us at (702) 647-3095 for more
information about these actions)

In the Bay Area: there will be a 

Vigil at Livermore 4 PM to 6 PM the evening before the test.
Demonstrate at Bechtel HQ in San Francisco at NOON the day of the test.
Bechtel manages the test site for DOE, and is located at 50 Beale St. (near
the Embarcadero BART station).

For more info please call or email Marylia Kelly at Tri-Valley CAREs
www.igc.org/tvc/ or marylia@igc.org (925) 443-7148 


If any one else is planning actions or public events around the subcritical
please let us know. If any body has any ideas for strategies to stop these
tests please let us know. Is there any way that we can file for an
injunction without taking a lot of time or resources of which we have
almost neither.

We will post an update on Monday and probably do bi-weekly updates from now
on.

In the meantime...

Please call the Department of Energy and the White House and your
Congressional representatives and demand:

	"DON'T BY HYPOCRITICAL! STOP THE SUBCRITICAL!"
The subcritical nuclear weapons test be canceled!
	
Stop all new and modified nuclear weapons development.
	
Close down the Nevada Test Site and all nuclear weapons development
facilities except for programs based disarmament.
	
Begin immediate clean up and containment of the nuclear nightmare caused
by 		the U.S. Nuclear Weapons program.

President Bill Clinton, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC 20001, (202)
456-1111
Secretary of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave, Washington DC, 20585 (202)
586-5230
State Senators and Representatives (202) 224-3121 (Congressional switchboard)


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