SOME COMMENTS ON RECENT REGULATORY ACTIONS AFFECTING SAFEGUARDS

With the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, the responsibility for safeguarding source and special nuclear material was transferred from the military to the civilian arm of the Government. In January, 1947, the Atomic Energy Commission became operational and undertook to inventory all the source and special nuclear materials in the hands of the military and assumed responsibility for it. In the subsequent months the basic material control policy and procedures were developed. By 1950 a well established system for control of source and special nuclear material was operational and able to handle the rapidly expanding production capacity in the nation.