AMEC International Cooperation Project
Arctic Military Environmental Cooperation
“The Mouse that Roared”
Captain Dieter K. Rudolph, US Navy (ret) OSI Director of Science +1 571 228 1684 drudolph@ocean-security.org
Background •A cooperative effort between Norway, Russia, US and UK to mitigate impact of military operations in the fragile Arctic environment.
• Projects addressed both radioactive waste (spent nuclear fuel, solid waste volume reduction and storage, radiation monitoring and personnel safety) and ecological issues (Clean Ship Technologies, Cleaner Production at Norilsk Nickel Co.). •Forum for dialogue and joint activities among military and environmental officials.
Accomplishments: • AMEC proved to be a highly successful, practical and accountable means of assisting with the reduction in radiological and ecological contamination in the fragile Arctic environment.
• The key to success: Limited scope - Technology Demonstration Projects that after successful completion were implemented by the host nation on a much larger scale.
• These projects were key in minimizing cross- border contamination by changing Russian SNF storage technology from a “wet” system- prone to failure- to a “dry” system used by most Western Nations.
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Design & production of a SNF transport and storage cask that can safely store SNF for 50 years. Cask used both by US and Russia. Construction of a safe, secure transport and storage pad to house approximately 19 SNF casks. This will reduce SNF shipment time. Plan to extend cask service life with dewatering technology.
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Design and construction of a radioactive waste treatment facility to process and safely store solid and liquid waste associated with submarine disnmantlement. Improved SRW processing through use of Mobile Pretreatment Facility (MPF). Design and construction of dual use containers for improved transport and Storage of SRW.
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Development of radiation and environmental monitoring systems to track releases or movement of fissile material at SNF pad and radioactive waste treatment complex.
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This system will also be employed in the four Russian Emergency Monitoring Centers located in NW and Far East Russia.
• Personnel safety of radioactive waste workers improved through training and use of US and Norwegian supplied dosimeters.
Other Benefits: • Regular engagement/professional dialogue with AMEC partners. • Confidence builder. • Positive success story with Russia.
• Proactive (vice reactive) approach to curtailing potential environmental disasters. • Limited Cost - funding shared by partners. 16 of 18 demonstration projects successfully completed: US provided $32 million.