Preparing for Entry into Force of the U.S. Additional Protocol – DOE/NNSA Guidance, Outreach and Training Program

To bolster U.S. diplomatic efforts and strengthen the IAEA nonproliferation regime, the United States voluntarily opted to implement the Additional Protocol. France, Russia, China, and the United Kingdom also adopted the AP, although the United States is unique in that it adopted the full text of the AP, with only the addition of a National Security Exclusion (NSE) which helps meet the requirement not to reveal to the IAEA any classified information [1]. Universal acceptance of the AP is one of the cornerstones of current U.S. nonproliferation policy, particularly in non-nuclear weapon states with large civilian nuclear fuel cycles and in countries with research and development (R&D) programs to develop enrichment or reprocessing technologies. In 2002, President George W. Bush sent the U.S. AP to the Senate for its advice and consent to ratification [2]. On March 31, 2004, the Senate gave its positive advice and consent to ratification [3]. The final step is for the President to sign the AP and inform the IAEA that it has entered into force. While impossible to predict the date of entry into force, once that date nears the pace of preparing for the initial expanded declaration will intensify. The DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) nuclear complex has mobilized to prepare for the 180- day period to submit the initial declaration. Issuance of an AP Declaration Development Handbook, and its companion training program for site personnel involved in implementing the AP, are key elements of this preparation. This paper will focus on the present and future activities of the Outreach Program, the status of its implementation, lessons learned from the training conducted to date, and the next steps to prepare DOE/NNSA sites for AP implementation.