Members of Congress Send Letter to Clinton Protesting N-Waste Sh

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

PRESS ADVISORY

January 17, 1998 -- Members of Congress from the Caribbean and
Pacific regions have sent a strongly worded letter to President
Clinton, protesting the impending first-time shipment through
the Panama Canal of intensely radioactive waste aboard a British
ship from France to Japan. The waste results from plutonium
production for Japan's nuclear program.

The letter, dated January 15, expresses their "deepest concerns"
about the potential for catastrophic consequences from an
accident or act of sabotage during the voyage. (See letter
below). The Congressmen call on President Clinton to notify the
countries involved to halt the shipment until the United States
reviews outstanding safety and security questions under
procedures spelled out in a U.S.-EURATOM agreement pertaining to
retransfers of "irradiated nuclear material" derived from spent
power-reactor fuel originally supplied by the U.S. to Japan.

Greenpeace and NCI, which disclosed secret details of the
planned shipment at a Washington press conference on January 13,
commended the Congressmen for taking such a strong position in
opposition to the shipment. The two organizations also condemned
the countries involved for keeping enroute countries in the dark
about the details and dangers of the shipment. 

At their press conference, Greenpeace and NCI revealed that the
British-flagged freighter, Pacific Swan, is scheduled to depart
from Cherbourg on January 23 with about 30 tons of the deadly
waste. Greenpeace has just learned that the ship departed from
its home English port, Barrow-in-Furness, on January 17,
suggesting that the ship may pick up its nuclear cargo early in
France and thereby leave Caribbean and Pacific governments with
less time to seek to stop the shipment. The U.S. Virgin Islands
and the Dominican Republic have issued protests thus far. Other
governments and organizations are expected to be heard from
shortly.

Signers of the letter are Carlos Romero-Barcel" (Democrat-Puerto
Rico), Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), Robert A. Underwood (D-
Guam), Donna Christian-Green (D-Virgin Islands), and Eni F.H.
Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa).

More information on the shipment is available from the
Greenpeace and NCI websites (www.greenpeace.org;
www.nci.org/nci/seatrans.htp). A copy of the Congressional
letter is available on request.

ENDS

Greenpeace on the Internet at http://www.greenpeace.org