the expanding space activity. In carrying out these responsibilities, the
Board maintains liaison with the National Aeronautics and Space Ad-
ministration and other appropriate government agencies, and works
with various State and regional groups interested in these developments.
Operating under an annual budget of around $70, 000, the Board con-
tinues to function as a promotional, advisory and information-
disseminating agency developing guidelines for the states to follow in
setting up nuclear and space programs, training courses, and informa-
tional seminars and conferences. A five-man executive committee,
elected at the Board's annual meetings, oversees the operations.
It is noteworthy that in 1955 each of our states was asked to con-
tribute $5, 000 to the operation of the regional nuclear effort; and
today, no state contributes more than that amount, although the pro-
gram has expanded many-fold.
SINE acts as a representative of its region when nuclear and space
considerations which could affect members of the 17-state compact,
arise in Washington. SINB's approach to federal agencies is, in itself,
an important contribution to the region in nuclear and space develop-
ment. For example, SINB has established long-term working relation-
ships with major government agencies, assuring the 17 states of
practical accessibility to expert guidance in various fields. The Board
itself does no actual research, but brings together technical, legal and
industrial experts as working teams and as advisors on specific projects,
both on a regional basis and on programs within a given state.
Within the past year, every state within this Conference was the site
of at least one program or activity carried out by the Southern Inter-
state Nuclear Board. As recently as August 12, 52 specialists from
areas of land, sea, and air transportation, insurance, health, physics,
engineering design, port operations, and allied fields, met in Baltimore
as part of the initial planning session of a SINB study on international
traffic of radioactive materials. This project represents the first com-
prehensive study concerning the multiple influences of radioactive and
fissile materials shipments to and from foreign ports. The Southern
Interstate Nuclear Board was selected by the Atomic Energy Commis-
sion to conduct this study because there are more southern ports cleared
to receive radioactive shipments than are represented in any other part
of the nation, and because the statutory, interstate structure of the
Board lends itself to a kind of pilot evaluation that will give a reliable
index to the national situation. The findings, recommendations, and
conclusions of this study will be applied in directing policy and pro-
grams for the national efforts in this important and growing area of
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