In August of 1995, Pocatello resident and scrap-metal maven Tom Johansen bought state-of-the-art nuclear reprocessing equipment from a Department of Energy (DOE) surplus sale. It was absolutely legal. Johansen was able to obtain operating instructions for making bomb-grade uranium with the equipment by paying DOE only $280 for the photocopying fee. Also legal. The sale went through because the DOE man in charge was about to retire and could not persuade his superiors of the “inappropriateness” of selling such dangerous materials.
