If I'm conducting research on nuclear fusion in California, what sorts
or permits and licenses do I need?

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Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 29 Apr 2005 05:47 PDT

Possibly none, possibly many.

It would depend entirely on the nature of the research, and more
specifically, on the types and amounts of any dangerous materials you
might be handling in the course of your research.

Can you provide more detail?  Also let me know where it would occur --
would this be university-based, business-based, a strictly private
effort, or something else?

pafalafa-ga

As an inventor I can take a guess, yes and no.
You can't really have regulations on something that doesn?t exist, but
there are probably some paragraphs in regulations on nuclear bombs
that might apply.
Also you probably have to satisfy normal health and safety regulations
so that what you are doing is reasonably safe and does not endanger
public health. Remember that the real law is decided by people so use
common sense.

You may find this link useful

http://fusor.net.cgi.moses.com/cgi-bin/sboxphp/board/view.php?site=fusor&bn=fusor_neutrons&key=1120704290

If your research involves an electrostatic-containment fusor, as most
amateur researchers does, or if it involves a method that does not
create a dangerous amount of neutron flux, and assuming you're not
using anything radioactive, like tritium as fuel, then you're probably
okay without a licence.

there may be state or local concerns, but I think it's unlikely.