RECENT INTERACTIONS WITH NRC RE STAR GATE REVIEW: PROPOSED DATE FOR FINAL CONCLUSIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00791R000100030032-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 1, 2004
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: March 29, 1995
• Content Type: MF

Approvecor'Rele$e 2004/09/09 : CIA-RDP96-00791R00010003002-0
Confidential
MEMO FOR:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
ExDir/Comptroller
Director ORD
Recent Interactions with NRC re Star Gate Review:
Proposed Date for Final Conclusions
SG1I Dear
1. During ORD's recent meeting with National Research
Council (NRC) management, we were informed that on 16 May its
governing board will formally consider the Agency's request
to conduct an unclassified retrospective review of the Star
Gate program. While we believe that approval is likely, it
is not automatic; The NRC historically does not typically
engage in studies for intelligence community, nor is the NRC
is being tasked directly by Congress in this instance which
would be more compelling. However, it is clear that the NRC
is both interested and highly capable of performing the Star
Gate review directed to CIA in the recent CDA. Furthermore,
because of the controversial nature of this study, and in
accordance with the NRC's careful and conservative procedures
for review and publication, the likely date of final
publication of its conclusions would be between February and
May of 1996. While the NRC provides progress reports, it does
not release interim reports relating to the study's probable
conclusions.
2. ORD continues to believe that among the existing
bodies of technical reviewers, only the NRC, the working arm
of the National Academy of Sciences, has the current
expertise and objectivity to provide a persuasive review of
investigations relating to paranormal phenomena. More
importantly, it is one of the few technical organizations
having sufficient standing within Congress to impact the
ultimate sponsorship of the Star Gate program, which appears
at this point to be primarily Congressional. We cannot
accomplish the restructuring of the Star Gate program in a
logical or productive way without completing the NRC review.
3. D/ORD originally clarified the need for a Blue Ribbon
Panel of Star Gate prior to program in his memo to the ExDir
of [...] CIA submitted a formal response the CDA which was
hand delivered to Congress 24 March. This response contained
a Terms of Reference for ORD's management of the Star Gate
program transfer specifying our choice of the NRC to conduct
the Blue Ribbon Panel review. D/ORD subsequently met with
Approved For Release 200410910(IP96-00791 R000100030032-0
 Approved For Release 2004/09/0; CIA-RDP96-00791R000100030032-0
Con iaential
Mr. Dick D'Amato (SAC) regarding the Terms of Reference and
discussed the NRC's basic approach. It was stated at that
meeting that the NRC would not conclude its review by 1 July,
but that CIA itself would provide some type of interim
progress report regarding the program evaluation. It was
clear that D'Amato did not want to delay the program
transfer, however, he approved of the NRC approach.
4. Star Gate has had several incarnations in various
government agencies. Congress has proposed relocating and
restructuring Star Gate three times in the last five years.
Without a persuasive technical review, ORD can only speculate
as to what the appropriate management strategy should be for
the program. Therefore, we wish to inform you that we will
proceed in engaging the NRC despite the fact it may take
nearly one year for them to publish their final conclusions.
We strongly believe that the value of having the NRC perform
the twenty-year retrospective review outweighs the
inconvenience of not restructuring the program until these
results are available.
Approved For Release 200ddtk96-00791 R000100030032-0