For Immediate Release
Contact: Scott Cullen
September 29, 2025
(516) 324-0655

STAR CALLS UPON THE ENERGY SECRETARY TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF BROOKHAVEN GRAPHITE REACTOR CONTAMINATION

Graphite Reactor must be decontaminated and decommissioned before considering HFBR restart

Today, while newly confirmed Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson was visiting Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), STAR (Standing for Truth About Radiation) formally requested that the Secretary delay the decision on the fate of the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL).

"STAR believes that a restart decision for the HFBR is irresponsible until the contamination from the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR) has been better characterized and the BGRR has been decontaminated and decommissioned," stated Alice Slater, Executive Committee Member of STAR. "Constructed in 1947, the BGRR closed over 30 years ago (in 1968), and has yet to be decontaminated and decommissioned. Recently, it was discovered that this old reactor was leaking radioactive contaminants into the groundwater and BNL cannot verify how long the contamination has been leaking from this closed and aging reactor," said Slater. "Operations at the Graphite Reactor have resulted in radioactive contamination in the groundwater at concentrations 8 times higher than permissible levels and these important issues must be addressed before considering HFBR restart," added Ms. Slater.

"The High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) is situated on top of Long Island's only source of drinking water and high level Department of Energy (DOE) officials have stated publicly that, if they knew in 1950 what they now know, a reactor would not have been built over Long Island's sole-source aquifer," said Ms. Slater. "Furthermore, the Department of Energy has acknowledged that the aquifer is extremely susceptible to contamination and that continued operations at the HFBR could result in further contamination of the groundwater," she added.

"Given the extensive contamination of the Peconic River and the soil and the groundwater around BNL, an extensive and focused cleanup effort beyond that already planned will only begin to address the mistakes of the past. If we are still trying to grapple with the impacts of a reactor closed in 1968, we cannot allow BNL to add insult to injury by restarting another reactor on Long Island," stated Slater.

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