A Sensitive Department of Energy document is removed from governmental websites at the request of Three Mile Island Alert

(Harrisburg, PA) A threat to national security has been removed from US governmental websites thanks to the vigilance of Three Mile Island Alert’s Scott Portzline. The document published by one of the National Laboratories provided details on how to crash an aircraft into a nuclear plant and cause a catastrophic release of radioactivity or a meltdown.

Although this report had been identified years ago as a potential threat to national security, the Department of Energy (DOE) added it to its downloadable database in June of 2008. It was also made available for sale from a US Department of Commerce website for $40 dollars.

Portzline discovered the document’s availability in March 2010 while performing his ongoing research on sabotage and terrorism of nuclear power plants. He sent a letter describing the problem to the Department of Homeland Security, the DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other governmental leaders requesting that it be removed from public availability without delay.

The Department of Energy reviewed the circumstances and removed the document from its web-portal known as the “Information Bridge.” The Department of Commerce also removed the report from its “National Technical Information Service” website database after being alerted by the NRC. DOE then notified Portzline in a letter dated April 16th.

Portzline said, “I was pleasantly surprised that swift action was taken. In the past, it would take an embarrassing media expose’ to move these bureaucracies into action. I’m not ignorant to the fact that more sensitive information is out there, but I don’t want our government making it easy like this.”

(The letters between the DOE and Portzline are attached. Scott Portzline has researched nuclear plant security issues for 26 years and has testified to numerous governmental agencies.)