4 June 59 meeting:
Wiener
This included discussion, among other things, of the Labs
capebilities and requirements to meet a 90-day readiness for underground testing in
Nevada.
The Board concluded that this readiness would be achieved by 1 August 59
FL
making 1 November the earliest realistic date for resumption of underground testing.
Capabilities would then allow firing at a rate of about one per month for each LASL
and Livermore in the following year.
To reach this readiness state, approval is
needed immediately for the LASL mobile ALPHA station, and approval for 1100 foot
vertical holes in Area 3 is needed if other than l. safety tests are to be done.
Of particular interest is the group's discussion of the Livermore "fast criticality
facility."
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The Board concluded that they approved the selected site
and egreed that even though some radio activity will be produced, this proposed
facility will not create a safety hazard.
Ppa
The minutes of this meeting, circulated
to the Group Members by Sewell on 17 June 59, are lengthy but contain extensive
details of the shots desired by the Labozétories if testing were resumed and the
projected test capability requirements at the NTS.
I wouldn't be at all surprised
if the 1 November 59 readiness date, which agrees with a 90-day readiness capability
by 1 August, wasn't due to the fact that the one year moritorium would run out on
that date.
The discussion of containment, indicates that a }00W to the one=third
rule seems to be acceptable to some people, even though the tumnels did not contain
GQuring HARDTACK.
This seems to be blamed on the zero he room being too large.
Hoerlin gave a summary of the LASL underground shots showing the percentage of activity
released and whether the concret block was blow: off or intact following the shots.
Ogle pointed out that the question of radio chemistry samples had to be considered
versus complete containment and affirmed that LASL had the capability for complete
sealing if requested to do so.
The discussion indicates that LASL seemed to plan
for some release of activity for sampling purposes whereas Livermore scemed to be
addressing the problem to attain complete containrent.
Also being prepared is the
Sendia balloon capability which Shuster felt could support on 90 day notice with
aerodynamic balloons in two or three areas at the NTS.