Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978: origins, contradictions, and implications for control of peaceful nuclear activities
The US Congress has written stringent nonproliferation legislation that attempts to tighten US nuclear export criteria and strengthen the international nonproliferation regime. NNPA/78 created worldwide controversy because of its unilateral nature, and assertations by Congress that commercial reprocessing, plutonium, and breeder reactors are inherently dangerous. Nonetheless, efforts continue in Congress to close loopholes in nonproliferation law and to prevent commercial trafficking in explosives-grade material. This paper chronicles the history of those efforts, using extensive interviews with members of the nuclear priesthood and with nuclear reformers seeking to reorient energy policy and to prevent the second nuclear era from repeating the alleged mistakes of the first. Beginning with the Acheson-Lilienthal Report, and moving through both military and commercial nuclear history, the study highlights critical shifts in thought on nuclear dangers: Atoms for Peace, arms control efforts, the NPT, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Energy Reorganization Act, energy crises, the Indian explosion, and crucial legislative roles played by antinuclear activists and zealous congressional staff members. Extensive attention is paid to shifts in philosophical orientations in Congress about nuclear power, and to the growing distrust of the AEC, the JCAE, and the IAEA safeguards regime.
- OSTI ID:
- 5952040
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290600* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
ACTINIDES
ATOMIC ENERGY CONTROL
CONTROL
ELEMENTS
ENRICHED URANIUM
EXPORTS
FUEL CYCLE
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
INTERNATIONAL CONTROL
ISOTOPE ENRICHED MATERIALS
MATERIALS
METALS
NON-PROLIFERATION POLICY
NORTH AMERICA
PLUTONIUM
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
URANIUM
USA