INL urges business leaders to back nuclear mission

The Idaho National Laboratory runs the risk of losing out on a lucrative nuclear research mission because of a perception of public disinterest, a top INL official said Thursday.

Harold McFarlane, the INL’s deputy associate laboratory director of nuclear programs, said critical comments aired at a series of public meetings on the possibility of consolidating plutonium production in Idaho made national leaders take note.

"The perception about Idaho in Washington today is kind of negative because they haven’t seen the enthusiasm they’ve seen at other sites," he said. "There aren’t any guarantees of this (mission). The competition is very fierce."

By Dan Boyd – Journal Writer

Full Story: http://www.journalnet.com/articles/2005/09/24/news/local/news04.txt