ML20236F329
| ML20236F329 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/12/1987 |
| From: | Bradborne J NRC OFFICE OF GOVERNMENTAL & PUBLIC AFFAIRS (GPA) |
| To: | Asselstine, Bernthal, Zech NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20236F271 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-87-288 NUDOCS 8708030299 | |
| Download: ML20236F329 (11) | |
Text
- _ . _ _ - - - - _ _ _-__- -_______
o.'
.- )
UNiiED sT ATEs NUCLE AR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- i, <. AsmNctoN o c 20sss
- [ : Fay 12, 1987
( $:, /
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Chairman Zech Commissioner Asselstine Commissioner Commissioner Carr Bernthal ,/ ' ' /
.N ,,' '
John C. Bradburne, Director FROM:
Congressional Affairs, G 3/
(
SUBJECT:
SOUTH AFRICAN URANIUM IMPORTS Attached for your information are several letters addressed to the Department of the Treasury providing the comments of varioits members o Congress regarding Treasury's interim rule impleme expressing Attachment 1 is a letter signed by 24 membersAttachments of the Senate. 2 and 3 are their support for Treasury's interim rule.
separate letters from Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and Senator Pete Domenici rule.
(R-NM) providing personal cc,mments to Trea to shipments of uranium ore to the United States for processing and reexport. !
Attachment 4 is a letter draf ted by Representative Howard Wolpe Mr. Wolpe is (D-MI),
Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa.
circulating this letter to his colleagues in order to obtain additional signers. According to his staff, he has about two' dozen House members to date. The Wolpe letter's bottom line is that, "There is ample ;
plain language of the Act It is to our understanding make clear that a.that Sec i
ban all South African uranium imports." number of senators ha
-~
f views to Treasury.
I CONTACT: Steve Kent 4-1443 Attachments:
As stated 1
TROSTEN87-200 PDR ,
c
- r.
cc: EC0 OGC GPA/Denton GPA/SLITP GPA/IP GPA/PA SECY (2)
\
- f k
p
I l
g 4
- ' * ~ ' ~ ^
P
-..~.'..'...'N
.. . ,' ' . .'. ;s .'[.
,- 3 . o . , ,. . . >
- c. ; c :.::::. ;..-
..... :. .;. -;.....nr.
se
.-,. COMMirTEe ON sopE GN DE'.C ONS !
" " * ". m e c m,o 2:;6' %".': M'.'.".\'.'M*.
I l
3 i
l May 7, 1987 l l
a The Honorable James Baker, III l Secretary Department of Treasury Washington, D.C.20220
Dear Secretary Baker:
t i
In response to your request for public comment, we are writing to express our support for thp Treasury Department's interim rule We regardins Section 309 of the Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986.
strongly urge you to make 0,his ruling permanent. We believe the j Treasury Department's inteqim interpretation is consistent witn l
l Congressional intent explicitly stated prior to final passage'or l the legislation.
As noted in the regulations, "The domestic conversion industry j and the Fede ral government 's enrichment industry could'be !
seriously injured in a manner unintended by the Con 6 cess if the l i
section 309 import ban on uranium ore and uranium oxide were implemented to bar imports for processing and export through a mistaken interpretation." No memcer of Congress intended for the ,
l legislation to cost American jobs, damage a vital American l industry, or allow South Af rican uranium to be converted by our fore 16n competitors with the potential for eventual use by-American utilities.
Specifically, we are concerned that without some provision for temporary entry of uranium for-processing and reexport, foreign customers with long term uranium supply contracts with South Africa will simply shift their processing business to Europe and the Soviet Union. This would inflict serious , unintended damage r
l on the U.S. conversion, enrichment and f abrication industries ,
while having no sanction effect on South Africa.
'tn.a h.,>r, :::
n,e . .- ~1 c '. e . l
'.'.1 :. ~, ;
. !~
F2 ;e 2 l
\
'de appreciate this opportunity to clarify Congressional intent'de ccncurl regarding Section 309 interim decision which of In the interest preserves the public and pri assuring.:ne uranium processing industry.
industry's future, we urge you to make the ruling permanent.
Sincerely,
. . < . c-iw u l' YW . . . ~
UNITED STATES SENATOR gN ED STATES 3ENATOR R f ,
ED STATES SENpTOR NITER STATESSEffATOR
/1
,gkh
'NI~_' STATES ENATOR UNITED STATES SENATOR /
n 73TATES SEN AIDE ~
UNITED ST A': 96 SENATOR N ._
t %
/
/
- l
~- .
LW!ED STATES SENATOR IITTfD STATES SEN ATOR
=
- GA U.
& . Y >
.W W(nU" STATES SENATOR f UN[ITED ST ATES SENATO ,
UNITED STATES @ ATOR
- do G%
UNITED STATES SENATOR 1 h UNITED STATES SENATOR I UNITED STATES SENATOR
t
~
Tre " '-. : r n ; e J r.es :: 1,. e , .::
v.2 ; ~, .i:~
=
.ase ?
UNITED S A:ES SENAToa-UNI E STATES SENATOR ;
m h UNITED JIATES SENATCEt STATE 5 SENATOR l
i m_u dw 40 iLW UNITED STATES SENATOR JNITED(STATES SENATOR I g UNITED STATES 5ENATOR USIMD ST ATES SEN ATOR
\
I l O
~
4 : 1 __ > i . ' o e. . i. ,
'A !U s n'e's >
',?
, , q ,, VI II ' l
,,, ,,, h { s C D
' Enked $tates salatt gp W48HINoTcN. DC 20$ 10 March 20, . 1967 The Honorable James BsWer, III Secretary Department of the Treasury 15th Street and Pennsylvania Av Washington, DC 20220 Dear Sooretary Bakers This lettar is in response to the invitation to hip-f South comment African on the Hinterim rule" permitting importation o is uranium ment.
in any form for further processing and tra d that prohibiting such transshipment l South Africa in that the material would simplyii i be processe ' abroad, and (b) at the same time, would osu d , measures which do not sanction industrias. SouthAccord- Afric t l simply harm, or potentially harm, U.S.ingly I supp with regard to the transshipment issue. I strenuously object to Treasury's At the same time, This uranium as 1:ng as it is converted to UF6 abroad. of South Af nfinsi ruis" Which allows domestic use !' interprmistion allows easy circumvention ofAtSection h 309 severely ,yeakens it as an effective sanction against Cout the, Africa, contrary to obvious Congressional intsnt. industries k in same time, it harms U.S.stimuista domestic asles of natural loss of domestic sales of conversion. In short, Mr. Secretary, Treasury has looked to funds-leH mental policy and effectiveness in issuing itst "o inter on tranashipmenn. tivenssa require a revision of the "finsi rule," at leas ? ..,
', 3
e . ., 5 i n,si, a : 2 s e ri i ... u. . i..ii i f James Baker, W j The honoraM e ' Harch 20, 1987 Page 2 , which purports to allow impor- l 545 425, n uranium in any form the point of deletin5 i tation produced forfrom det:estic uranium uasoreofandSouth Af r ca oxide. Sincerely, .
/ .
- l l.
J ef f 8Logannn United States Senator l JS/ mfd oo. office of foreign Assets Control l l l e j e i . A t, 0
. . ..anuumanb 2_
=
I AMA 3 8t t '. :wamo t c .r- !
.. . i < o ar m:e. e . v.
Unitcd Statcs Scnatt "" * * :;c; " = WA$WNGTON. DC 20510 May ?, 13 d ? The Honoracle James A. Baker, ::: ] Secretary of tne Treasury 15th and Pennsylvania Av. T4
'4a s h in g t o n , 3C 20220
Dear Mr. Secretary:
I am_ writing to comment on t he Treasury Department 's interim I rule amending the South Af rican Tran saction Reg u la t ion s . This J interim rule, published on :ia rc h 10 and codified at 545 C.F.R. l 545.427, seeks to interpret tne prohibition on the importation of
~
J' South African uranium ore and uranium oxide contained in in Section 309 of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartneid Act of 1986. The Department's interim rule a llo w s the importation in bond o f So u t h 'A f r ic a n uranium ore and uranium oxide when tne i importation is made solely for processing in the United States and export of the processed products. The importation must be ; authorized by the Nuclear Regula tory Commission-and p ro pe r l y j classified under the United States Tariff Senedules. 1 The Department's interp reta tion ac curately reflect s the intent of Congress in enacting Section 309 I encourage the Department to adopt this interim rule as a final rule. South Africa's apartheid system is morally re prehen sic le . Social and political change is inevitable in South Africa, and it is preferable that the United States play a positive role in bringing about democratic change in South Africa. The Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 is tne product of tne realization that the United States has tne ability to effect change in South Africa througn economic sanctions because of the close econoEic relationship that our two natio ns have established. In adopting the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act, Congress sought to p ro hib it the import 3 tion of South A f ric an prod uct s 'in t o ' the United States which were intended to be consumed in the United-States. The Act sends a clear message to the South Af rican government that the practice of apar th e id runs counter to the moral value s o f the United States and that we as a natio n will not stand by idly while this practico cont?.nues. However, ;t was neve r the intent of Congress to ban tne temporary 1: port atio n o f South African uranium ore and oxide for processing'and export- as , such an action would seriously impair U.S. industries and would have no effect on the South African economy. Barring the temporary importation o f uranium ore and oxide for processing and export would se riou sly damage the vitality of
*m.
. i 3
. s, .3 1..,... . m ,
,2 . . .
- 1. ;, "
) **, . , .
. . , . . s
.a..,..,,.
.,, ..s., ; .. ...
. , u, a4 .;. . a.s . , - J , ... .J . . ,.9
.....,.q.,
.g
. ..gg.
. . ."e
.. ' . ~ . . ,. ,. ,. ' . . ' .,. . . ' ' , . .
s . ,
, . , ., 3 .s . , . . . .
,J .e 3 o n. s, .,.,, ., ., .
s3.,,.....
- .q . ,
s...;..
,,,.. . . ,. , s. . , , . , .,, ,3
.. .. ,. ,.. .. ,. ,, . .p
..a.
c ...n, . g... -
. ~.. , . ... .. . . . , ., y . . n. . 4, 3 .
,, ) .u ,
, s .. .a ....,
. . . .. .; ,. n. . . . s.. >
. . . . . . s... . . . . , . . ppg...s. .., . . . . , ., 3
] . a* . ... , n . . 3 . a p ,.. g 3. o. s. s. . . . .. . , .. 4.s.
.. . ... .,,,') ...a.. 3, J a., .,. ) X ...r. .. , r. ,
. . , 3 a, ..
. . . . . . s.
....,..D
. . . O ,. 3 .] .y ..., o .,, .. a . 3 n 3 d;.. nO! .2?3.!
- 33 $ 3 1 ^. EI'103n UIa n ' J2 p .* o C O S ; n .', and exP0rt .
under:3ge anduc,ry, a: European n a ", . a n , ;n: t r. 2 ;av;2: 'J n ; o n ,i ; . . One pro 003:133 Of 00utn .\ f * ; 0 3 ^. J r i n ; ;; 3 .' ? 2n; 3X;2e. s '. . - - . .s> . ~ o,. .. n . ..
* ' - a u *., . . .' .s. *.1 e s~?op ' -g o . . -o"o , .
A . *. .^. o u .a . . .. . s
*0 ',, . 0 ' .' 1 3 1 .ule f3und 30
'lo u l d 3.33 11'0 4 *0 Vo;00
., *y 00.,00.1.0*i
. a ,. .. .,. ,, , .. .. n
. .J o s.
.-,3
..a., ....O.
. .. o 31 v . r . 3. . 2.e. .
*J 4-- uJ. n.s s..
. 3 . 3 . ,. .s ic 3 .,.. , . . , . . ,, . . . . .
.on a u a .,.On 3- ., . O p4., a .i , ,.,
r o ,, dO e .,,.. . . . J .- .3....,;.. n . ga.. .a . , o n .a, go . , . , .s 3 .. .~ o 3 X .-...a,. .
. . 3, , s3 . ...*3
. ao o.p o. 3s. . 3. 3 .) ,.. 3 . .
OnOy naVO B 0 0 .7 O o n V O '* t J d 2Dr03 \ q i
.. ,s.,.,,.....
. ,. , .3
. ....,,a.., . . .. 3 .r ;
9 o 7 3 ...-.. g n. . i .,., . ,, 3 .3 ! .,.,.3 ; r , . . e ,,s
,..O..., a.
. . .,: ,3.,.,,..,. . . . . . . . . . . . . .J, .
s 0 ..3 .. .>s. .. . t. ,
.. ,. ..s- . , . ., . , . .s
..., .o , ,. .,,,...,a, . .. ,
.,3.,. 3 ,r aoueo e e a' .r e. .. . , a. 1 ....ea
. , . s a o .,
san,.
.m 30s 3 .,33 .
n s.. ., a 0 ,J. ... . a a 4
.. .3 ,.. . . . , . .. ... ., ) .e 3 .,. .. ...e . . . s .
.$.".". '.'.s-^. =.'.'.s.,*.
g .' .' ^ -s." . , . ' a. "a., .
.,e.d ,a. 3 . a. .
.c ,, a .- . u.,
.. . oaVA 3 ^.. .
... . -. .. ... .. , .,, . ,.e _., e ,. 3 . .. ., a 3 n .e. ,J
.,s. . . .
.J .,,. a. .. .J 1 a. n s- ., ., n ,/ ,.,. . . . , o n . . . . .
3 aa o p...On
.. .a .a...dn. 3 ..
.., 0 .r ...... ...
p e, ... .. .. .. . n , . , e. .
. . .. .. . . asi . . 3 ..,. . .. .,,s,... ,
.. 3 ., . .- a . an ., . . .,... ...3 s., .
purpo;e and uran;uJ oxide into the 'f r. ; ; e d 3: 3;e: f o .* : .l e . .***^** :.: : ; e O .' ','.O. a. , .a a .". s-
) g n .e .> o i .q
- and a. .v. p O .'* *. '. a* C o .a. s .' -* * .
s...
' . '. ' .* . *..t e. . . . . . . . . ,
of .,, s in enacting ;;1 e Comprenen ;Ve An,;-;03r:1e;; A:: of 1985, ,n e 3 r d u ", 0 w;;;.e of y l a l l o',1 . n g the iuportat.on into : .10 U n . *. e d 503: 33 O f
;one::.:
Souta Afr.can ucantua. ore . and uran.2- a .: . e f:. belieVc : :a , : o r s . ", . n .; : .; e ;empor3ry 00nsumption 60 noL. . importa:,lon of ucantu:a are and ox;da und2r : ;e .;tar.;n; of t .: e ~' 2 a , u r 'e an
- 3;.on
- : n .2 )
established by the d e p a r t :e n t, f o .- J o * . *. *. * - ov n. ., u ' * . . a . . s
. . . . , 3 .' a s^ a- .~. n' .' . . a . ,
,po .,gg,on . . .. .
;a. uran;u:
l uranium ore and oxide 'iii. ;u a r a n :, e e O n 3 *, :o .~ a ; ;; ; A 'j.J. .
; r3n;;a
- 3. .a w ;n ; tqe l 10 con:umed i n t .i c 'J n i t e d S t 3 :, e : sn;.2 1.3D.2.
1 p ." o C 0 0 31 n .; indu0try ;O T 0 0 3 '. n
. . 3. s an : .; . :
Thank you for tne o p p o r *, a n ; ; j , 0 o r0 02: : :j .
!4 s J s, ,... .,, .
.O ./ s,, u. {
,l
./
7., 8. .
. ., g
/, .
KY f'
.y ../ ) /J e n . O ;
.3Ud ee
- un.:e; :: 2:n 3en3:;r l,
I J
, . , . . , ..-;. (%fM "f '. ........ _ gu g g %. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ . . . . . .. .>. . . .. - . ~ . . . . . . . . . .
- c;
- -.r.. . t. .=. ". ..- On TCSS OL. t C ldnitCd StatCB m....e .......
u e n.. =
=r . w:r : . . Committte on fortign 3lTain , . . . .
. . . .. ... .w.........
glJ :. .T, .'. c hourit of Rtputmatus ::: .. c ". i])ashin on,
...:.. 10515
...t . . . . 6. I ..1.* . . ' . .
- u. i.c. t b.l ..--
ci==.....-. , , , , . . . . . , c o.m,ss.au.- s as ...,-. t c.ii $ c. n.n., c s . - . . . . . - l
. .a .i. ~. ,u
. f
. $ g.
..o.,.e ,. o. i s . .m s : .
x e. ., .=e. s,.
, .ua.y 5, 1c.,e.,
'Ihe Honorable Ja-es Baker Secreta ry l
l Depart-ent of the Treasury .,
'Sth St. 6 . Pennsylvar.ia :.ve . , N.W.
l nashington, D.C. 20220
Dear Mr. Secretari:
Cr. Oc tooe r 2, 19 86 t ne U . S . Conar s s , ir a s t r ong bi p3 r+ i s an vote , overrode the President's veto ofi H.R. 4260 and put into la.Mea ce series of sanctions against the rarist South i Govem tee.t.apartneidr s Af r icander:2e3 ? 1 s.ceauna. in support of the bill u.nanimous;v. . policy cf the South Af rican Govern ~'ent and advorated strov;, : r.eaningf ul sanctions; s.anctio".s wt.ich wo;ld enable Avrican pclicj to 'l
--- ," construrt;ve enasgevnt.
turn asar fror the failure ofr I A:ong the sarctions pra/ided in the Anti-Ap3rtheid Act is Section K9(3) whic5. bans the irport of South Af rican era-'.le- cre ri ur aniu-
-t.: r. has c.ude into the United States. Tne TTess ri :Mrart v t, tne Act ir re:-p?nsicil:ty witnin tne Exe ative bran:r f or 1 plev *.in: r;;c r eg a rd to So;th Af ricar ur a .lu- impor ts , is s ued an ir.te r :r.S.
for per- t ting So;th Af ricar uranlu . to te bro;; .i into tne Tre stated f urther processing and re-export until June 3C,1987 p;r7 rase for this grace period is to enable F.oncress to clarif. its intent on the legislation. Mr . Secreta ry, s.o that t M r e:: i s r f ur tr.e rar all
.-;sinterpretatio,n, when enacting Sectior 329 we intende.:- tv LY.i ted So;th Af rican uranius vnether inten5e5 f or c .su .pticr S .a tes or f or re-ixport to othe r ra tio .s .
~he Aati-Apartheid Art also calls for a br cr tM i ;rrtaticr. cf 0o51, stesi, textiles r' a:ricult;ra'. prod;rts. N? e cf tn+se We-articles are sub3ect t.: tne p;rpc r .e5 r e-t qcm ex:ept:: .
p3Ising H.R. 43U wc intended to.treit all tne ar ticles c ,r.S; stent'.y - a total ban. Tnis intent is maru f ested in Congressr.3n Ho.crd Wolpe's state-ent on the House floor when he stated " . . . . H.R. 4 868, as amended by the Senate, bans imports of textiles, agricultural products, coal, uraniu , and steel f rce South Africa, as well as any prodxts prodred, ranuf actured, marketed, or otherwise exported by South A.f rican parastatal agencies." t
l
*~ l l
.. 1 m
c' Es. c.'s ?.'.:.e.c u
- r A. 3. . . ' i t. . : pu .
5 ci the So;t - Af :ce ura- - ;,4- *...
?: ;r;m , a: ,st *w-e. s . , 10:
tt c,# -s 195. and ;9% trs l'ra t ed S t a t e s e p: x (ME 'W^ i Ctr.s t: ,.: . -v *. to tn a; '. r e-ev.pm t o f or eic- car t 7.- r s . : .-.,. . .- . i
, a c.
. .. ...t-l,
,....m... - .. .c.s..
. ..7_ . 2 .
"'ne r .w ; rc ~ena rt v - w a '. so d: a f t ed n. ec ;;a t ' ~ p -utt:ng t s of u-aniu- heya f ' ucr:de (76 ; or icinatirn. ir. Srath Africa.
r W., irr-x>r . - T .. . _ . i s re a. a ,. a t i o- a '. s: rJ n s d i r eT t ,' . , are arm. .e: at t":s deve.. m. ent. Tre ef f ee. of t ;s rec. ulat:en :s l contrar.c to the intent c f COna.ress. t ion total'."1 incffert;ve a : -ea.Ingless. to render the uraniu- sa The Npa r ,- t 's pos i t ; cr. is th a t LTFE repr esents a "s ostantial hever , Bruce Tucker d ' ; / ( ' '/ . t.ransfor 3 tion" of the orig:,nal South Af rican uraniu- and is rot af fected bi the ban on uraniu- ore and ox.ade. of SWJ03, a leading' exp=rt :n the industry has stated that conversion ;h - f ro- an evide ocader tc S f '.rur ide gas ir tne p focess :f ura.:.: . Wro, rak.ing f ue: j does not f l Retor t N. 'r.vc;ve :. ,
/ ,
van, 19:<> a substar tial trans o:~a tion c_ne prccess tc convert ura-i uraniu . hex 3 fluoride is neitner expansive ror dif ficc'.t. The cost of conversicr. to uraniur hexaflouride repressnts only atc.;* 21 of the overall cost of nuclear fue.. QDEJ E.erc. Info: atic- Ad ministration, I Pro'ected ^osts of Electr :;tv f ror. No: lear and Coal-F . red Pwer - Flants, Ncc. 'M E T- It nt+:s to te s t res sed tna t ura .r ere tus Tre paricse virtually no rar .et v v a '. ue .:- t ; '. it is co verted ;ntc .76. of the Ar* to sanctic- Sr Af::ca is cri,t hese rc. .. ;' ine provision is
- x :. ; .1, te rcedily interpreted to cover cTp;;nds ir.*.o wnicr tr ans f ormd.
Evidence exists tnat Ccn;ressir.L., ef forts to stop L-c= 2~ c.portation of
'. . ) ' W. .
e o. -. .,. s, .41.. . . . ,. . 0 :..e,1. . L..- 2. . . . - an. a'rc=-; . M.~~......-.. m7
, 7 ,.ig. .- ;. , , . - 33.2
%. . g .,, ., e. '. . ... . ,4. .. .q. .a. .
,)2. .
g .
.t3 : 1. g : (
.. . -..- . . . r .
' W_ #i."., a :
,. *. ". *. C># . ' . ' --' . ' . ' - 4 ~,. t~ C". *. .C .#.".^'~ So ' *. '. . h.# ." .' ". ". e .c
, ig "r .". .' .' t' .
. 'r . - ..... . .:. v...,.t....c..;
- e. .t.r. t-- m. ..1.r-. :
,..y ' . , .); , .y.. . .. .. .;
.c ,... . . c.
. .: '. ~. . ,. .
r
- w. ..3.. ..s a
. - ;j. ...2
. . . 3 e. ... t '. r o.r Asg 2. .7m. . .
e g. , .,. . 2
.n. ... . . . - . ( o . e s ..
. i..
t n ... Tn;s re e: .: increase ;r ura.lu- 1. por*.ed. (Nucle ar Fuel, 2/2^* T prop 0 sed '.76 1"~p';rts sJggs s ts thit indus*.Jf castrers pl39 *o usc N .;" i". ; T LPpcris. T!f.sS;r.'E 1Coph '.e to OV350 thE Cong!95 sio'i. . r4"
..,c. c.... i- .-f. !*O'.' ".c."..*_-
..k.. .. W %' c. e- -
.."<..a..
.c 1 p .. c'.g....
- r . c. g
%. . .; e. .. .
t .-. .. a. ..:. .. . .
.:, ,.. ,.y,s.- o. .w.c:: n..
A,,< co 4 ,. .-
..,+. . t.r..c. e.-a. c. l ..
SN t ' Afr;:1- url .r '. ; Orts. Se-tior 3'.9 was intereded t- r a- a . r b r'.;;' S *N.:ngles? Indeed, a*) oth@! i nt e "p r e *. i t ; C ' *O l '. 'i D'E~.5
,, .. ~a ., .
>-.9 n.... - .- .c--
.- .. . - - ~ - a. c . -
3--.-- . .
.. . C .s.... . ,,-v.$ r. ,;
r.,
~~
e. y . si, ere: c, k/dfe ,d (
, /
;"'c y. f J ~~ ..'
" ;"V ~% . ' % ne ** y y g;j,[
1* - n g L. , *
- y .. ,}}