Bromley Letter on Legislation to Close High Flux Beam Reactor

Reacting to bills introduced by Senator Alfonse D’Amato (R-NY), S. 1140, and Rep. Michael Forbes (R-NY), H.R. 2384, stating: “The Secretary of Energy shall ensure that the High Flux Beam Reactor at Brookhaven National Laboratory is not reactivated,” Dr. D. Allan Bromley has sent the following letter. Bromley is President of The American Physical Society and former Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Bromley’s letter was sent to Senator D’Amato and Rep. Forbes, with copies to all members of the House and Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittees.

The Bromley letter is as follows:

Dear Senator D’Amato:

“On behalf of more than 40,000 physicists throughout the United States, the Council of The American Physical Society last April adopted a statement on neutron scattering facilities. That statement, a copy of which I am enclosing, stresses the critical role that neutron science plays in a wide range of technologies across many fields. The statement also calls attention to the loss of American leadership in this area of research and the risks that our nation will face if the problem is not soon redressed.

“I have learned recently that you and Representative Michael Forbes have submitted companion legislation that would permanently close Brookhaven’s High Flux Beam Reactor, one of only four major neutron scattering facilities in our country. From a scientific standpoint, I believe that such action is unwise and unwarranted. For almost half a century, Brookhaven has been one of the gems in our nation’s scientific enterprise, and the High Flux Beam Reactor has been an integral part of the laboratory’s outstanding program.

“Should the High Flux Beam Reactor remain unavailable for future use, however, it is urgent that Congress provide the Department of Energy with the financial resources necessary to move forward rapidly with the development and construction of new neutron science facilities and the upgrades of other existing facilities. As the former Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy under President George Bush, I hope I can enlist your support in convincing your colleagues that a strong program in neutron science is necessary if America is to remain a technological leader and that Congress must move aggressively to provide the resources required to achieve that goal. I would be happy to discuss this issue with you at your future convenience.”

Sincerely,

D. Allan Bromley

The APS statement on neutron scattering facilities is below:

“STATEMENT ON NEUTRON SCATTERING FACILITIES

(Adopted by the APS Council, 19 April 1997)

“The American Physical Society recognizes the scientific importance of neutron scattering science as a key area of endeavor for physics, chemistry, materials and biomedical research. For many decades, the United States was preeminent in neutron scattering science with state-of-the-art reactor and spallation neutron facilities. Today we have lost that preeminence and could well cease to be a major player in this field -- in spite of its centrality to fundamental scientific studies as well as many areas of science important to national needs.

“The critical need for modern neutron scattering facilities has been well documented and recommendations have been made to upgrade US capabilities, but the needed developments have not come to fruition. If our neutron scattering facilities are not enhanced soon, this field will suffer damage to its research programs that will take decades to rebuild. As US leadership is lost, important technologies that depend upon the knowledge gained from neutron scattering studies -- including the development of new polymers, superconductors and chemical catalysts and the use of neutron probes to study the stresses and impurities in materials that affect the performance and safety of structures such as bridges and aircraft -- are increasingly at risk. In addition, we are no longer able to supply our growing needs for neutron-produced radiopharmaceuticals.

“The Council of the American Physical Society stresses the critical importance of neutron scattering to a wide spectrum of scientific and technical fields and urges the US government to proceed rapidly with the renewal and development of national reactor and spallation neutron facilities.”