The New Nuclear Age

Livermore protest is mere theater, but lab's research raises real questions

Comments (0) By David Pasztor Wednesday, Mar 18 1998

...continued from page 1

Sporkin had ordered such a review in 1990 as part of a lawsuit brought by the same coalition of environmental groups.

But the cleanup plan DOE eventually produced, Kelley says, was woefully inadequate and does little to address restoring the environmental damage done during decades of nuclear research and testing at federal labs. The environmental groups are asking Sporkin to fine DOE more than $5 million for failing to come up with the required plan, and asking for additional fines of $5,000 a day if the agency drags its feet much longer.

Sporkin has scheduled an October trial to hear evidence on the portion of the case dealing with environmental cleanup.

With any possible boost from the courts months away, at the earliest, the anti-nuclear forces know they face a challenge in keeping Livermore in the public eye. That means another batch of "U.N. inspectors" is bound to show up at the Livermore plant within the next few weeks.

While the legal gears grind slowly behind the scenes, Johnson and Kelley say plans for the next protest are already under way.

"I think the whole idea of site inspections is good," Kelley says. "Our goal is to hold DOE to its commitment to clean up its mess.