Scientists have weighed in on the potential health and environmental impact of BWX Technology's proposed high-purity depleted uranium (HPDU) facility in Jonesborough, Tennessee, according to two scientists. One scientist, Michael Ketterer, has offered to assist a community group fighting against the proposed facility and another recommended by BWXT as an expert in nuclear safety. The retired analytical chemist, who has aided community groups in nuclear-affected areas, believes the process can be done relatively safely if environmental regulations are applied rigorously. The company plans to build a new plant to make a metal form of HPDU, with much of the material going to the national Y-12 complex in Oak Ridge. Much of the product is likely to be used in maintenance and modernization of nuclear weapons. However, Keterer remains skeptical about environmental practices, stating that nuclear materials are easy to monitor with any kind of monitor. The National Nuclear Security Administration awarded BWXT a $1.6 billion contract last year to complete the work.