NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY AND THE EXPORT CONTROL LAWS

Year
1988
Author(s)
James L. Munroe - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Michael C. Pankratz - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Victor H. Hogsett - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Arvid S. Lundy - Los Alamos National Laboratory
Abstract
Three basic US laws regulate the export of commodities, services, and technical data. People working in nuclear fields need to know of these laws and their impact on professional endeavors. Export of technical data means the communication of any information by oral, written, or any other means to foreign nationals within or outside the US. The medium for the communication may be a model, blueprint, sketch, or any other device that can convey information. If the data relates to items on one of the control lists, a license must be sought from the appropriate federal agency. The Militarily Critical Technologies List (MCTL), though not itself a control list, plays a major role in determining what technical data will require a validated license. The US Department of Energy (DOE), through Technical Working Group (TWG) 11, is responsible for the Nuclear Technology chapter of the MCTL. TWG 11 also prepares the Nuclear Technology Reference Book (NTRB), a classified guide to sensitive nuclear technology.