Chornobyl Report
       A biweekly update of Chornobyl support activities for September 4, 1998

U.S.-Ukraine Foundation project begins to take shape

Tom Gittins, a U.S.-Ukraine Foundation representative, visited Richland, Washington, on August 26 to meet with local community leaders and International Nuclear Safety Program (INSP) staff to discuss a joint Richland-Slavutych Community Partnership project.

Tom Gittins - U.S.-Ukraine Foundation

The Richland and Slavutych pair recently received a two-year Community Partnership grant from the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation. The grant is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S. AID) and is awarded as part of the Community Partnership Program, the focus of which is local government education and training for Ukrainian communities. Specific projects accomplished through the program vary for each community pair and involve one of the following five areas: local budgeting, housing and communal services, transportation, local economic development, and citizen participation. Economic development has been identified as top priority by 98 percent of Ukrainian communities.

LoAnn Ayers - Washington State University Tri-Cities Business LINKS

Gittins visited Richland to become familiar with the community, understand its existing relationship with Slavutych, and discuss the upcoming Community Partnership project. He met with City of Richland Mayor Larry Haler, several City Council members and Chamber of Commerce officials, and LoAnn Ayers, director of the Washington State University Tri-Cities Business LINKS program. Discussions involved topics such as Richland community government, the city's experience in economic development, local government aspects in Ukraine, and the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation's mission and goals.

Mr. Gittins noted that as most partner communities in the Community Partnership program are new to each other, Richland and Slavutych are very unique in their shared background and existing relationship. He expressed hope that Richland and Slavutych's participation in the program will bring great benefits to other communities as well.

The Richland-Slavutych project most likely will be in the area of economic development. Plans are to involve the Business LINKS program in helping Slavutych to create its own center that will provide assistance to emerging and growing businesses. The initial assessment team of several INSP staff and Richland community leaders will travel to Slavutych this fall to discuss the project with their Ukrainian counterparts. The project itself will start in early 1999.

Chornobyl Heat Plant News

Effective this month, Mikhael Bogdanov is the new manager for the Chornobyl Heat Plant project. Bogdanov is in the process of establishing organizational structure, roles and responsibilities for the Project Construction Management Group.

A Ukrainian government commission was tasked recently with exploring funding alternatives for the heat plant, spent fuel storage, and liquid radioactive waste projects at Chornobyl. Alexander Slavis, Chornobyl nuclear power plant (NPP) representative in Kyiv, will perform an analysis of the Commission's findings, which might include using revenues from electricity and/or barter to fund these projects.

News items and comments can be directed to INSP Communications, (509) 372-6015, or e-mail susan.senner@pnl.gov.

See also Chornobyl Initiatives/General Information on Chornobyl and the Biweekly Report Archive.