Fortenberry Facilitates Removal of Cobalt-60 Irradiator from UNL Campus

LINCOLN, NE - Facilitating efforts between the University of Nebraska and the Department of Energy, Congressman Jeff Fortenberry in December helped ensure thesafe removal of a cobalt-60 irradiator on campus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration recovered the irradiator which contained radiological material.

"The University asked the Department of Energy to promptly remove the irradiator unit from campus," Fortenberry said. "Our office alerted the Department as to the legitimacy and urgency of the university's request."

"I commend the University for working to ensure its safe removal," Fortenberrysaid. Fortenberry said the irradiator posed an unnecessary risk to public safety, and worked to have it removed and secured funding for the removal project. UNL, NNSA, and the Office of Congressman Jeff Fortenberry worked together to develop and carry out a safe removal and transportation strategy.

NNSA's Global Threat Reduction Initiative removes and secures excess and unwanted radioactive materials that pose safety, health, and national security risks. The Initiative successfully recovered and removed the irradiator from Manter Hall on the UNL campus on Dec. 17. The irradiator was loaned to UNL in 1968 for research purposes, but has not been used for research for some time.

UNL vice chancellor for business and finance Christine Jackson said the university provided the required oversight of the equipment while it was on loan to UNL.

"We are grateful for Congressman Fortenberry's help on this matter. The unit was disposed of safely and he was able to save substantial cost and avoid potential liability to the university by bringing in the NNSA," she said.

"It is critical to our national security that owners of unwanted radioactive materials of this sort are able to get rid of them in a responsible and safe manner," said NNSA Principal Deputy Administrator Jerry Paul.

To date, NNSA has recovered over 12,000 excess and unwanted radioactive sources and placed them in safe and secure storage.

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