Considerations Regarding the 1978 Nonproliferation Act and Its Impact

The Nonproliferation Act (NNPA) of 19781 was adopted in 1974 as a result of growing concerns over non- restrained sales of nuclear fuel cycle technologies and an interest to use plutonium in civilian nuclear programs. The NNPA impacted not only international trades by US companies but domestic research and development as well. Its objective was stated by President Carter as “a halt in the spread of nuclear weapons capability while preserving the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”2 With graying workforce at the DOE laboratories that will be replaced by younger generations, there have been concerns about erosion of skills in radiochemistry, Pu metallurgy and other related disciplines and it will have implications not only on domestic weapons programs but also on the U.S. standing on arms control, nuclear nonproliferation and renewed global interest in nuclear power engineering. Los Alamos National Laboratory relies on its National Security Education Center to maintain strong student and postdoctoral fellow programs and ensure a pipeline of new talent for the Laboratory.