Washington's congressional delegation took another crack Wednesday at trying to change the minds of Oregon's congressional members about the Fast Flux Test Facility.

Nine of the 11 members of the Washington delegation sent a letter Wednesday to each member of Oregon's delegation, presenting counterarguments to the Oregon delegation's qualms about resurrecting the dormant reactor.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Sen.-elect Gordon Smith, R-Ore., and their appropriate staff members could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

The Department of Energy is expected to decide late this month whether to continue studying the FFTF as a potential producer of tritium.

Tritium gas boosts the explosive power of nuclear bombs. And the nation's supply is shrinking because of the isotope's 12-year half-life.

DOE is considering three sources for new tritium - the FFTF, building an accelerator in South Carolina or converting a commercial light-water reactor, probably in Alabama or Georgia.

After this month's decision, more study will be done for a final decision in 1998.

Oregon and Washington's political leaders are split on whether the FFTF should be resurrected.

Many Washington political leaders support tritium production solely as a short-term measure to get the FFTF financially viable before phasing in a long-term mission of producing medical isotopes. Supporters argue the FFTF can become operational faster than the other options and could produce tritium until another source comes on line.

But DOE is focusing its decision on tritium production, with isotope production being a minor consideration. That emphasis on tritium production has helped spur opposition from Oregon.

Oregon leaders have cited the Oregon Department of Energy's concerns about tritium production at the FFTF taking money from Hanford's cleanup. They also have cited the potential for increased secrecy at Hanford, worries about increased tritium contamination at Hanford, the FFTF's age and the unknowns of using an experimental reactor to produce tritium.

The Washington congressional delegation's letter Wednesday argues:

The proposed tritium mission would be a temporary one to set up the long-range isotope mission.

Reviving the FFTF would not divert money from Hanford's cleanup. The letter contends any new tritium source would take money from all DOE sites and says going with the other options would drain more money than using the FFTF on an interim basis.

Also, the letter contends some FFTF restart money could come from Department of Defense or private sources.

The FFTF still is a relatively young reactor and is one of the nation's "most thoroughly studied" reactors.

The FFTF is designed to prevent the release of tritium into the environment.

The Washington delegation's letter was put together by U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings of Pasco and Sens. Patty Murray and Slade Gorton. The two members who did not sign are Rep. Jim McDermott and Rep.-elect Adam Smith.