NUKE NEWS: May 2, 2011
1. HARDING: CAN WE VOTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY ON MAY 2nd?
2. ACTION: Stop Radioactive Nuclear Shipments on the Great Lakes
3. GROUPS ACROSS CANADA CALL FOR AN INQUIRY INTO THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER
4. Liability cap on Canada’s nuclear plants ‘outdated’
5. HARDING: HEALTH AND TRUST: Hard Lessons from Chernobyl and Fukushima
6. HARDING: PETITION FOR NUCLEAR WASTE BAN PRESENTED TO PREMIER WALL
7. Don't call them, they'll call you
8. Gov't too young to adopt habits of long-in-tooth
9. N.B. calls on Ottawa to pay extra costs of reactor refit
10. Terra Firma Withdraws from Restigouche: An Important Win for Baie des Chaleurs Uranium Opposition
11. Say NO to Australian Uranium
12. LISTEN: CBC Radio – The Current: Nuclear Crisis in Japan
13. WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS WEEKLY
14. NO NUKE NEWS – April 2011
15. HOFFMAN: Godspeed, indeed! Maybe we'll get on Oprah - if we hurry!
16. HOFFMAN: Protect our nuclear power plants!
17. Culture of Complicity Tied to Stricken Nuclear Plant
18. Nuclear Adviser Quits Over Handling of Crisis
19. Nuclear stance premature: mayor
20. WikiWeapons Canada
==============
1. CAN WE VOTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY ON MAY 2nd?
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2107#2107
http://jimharding.brinkster.net
BY Jim Harding Published in R-Towns News - April 29, 2011
If you’re like me you’ll have some disquiet about the outcome of the May 2nd federal election. Vital environmental matters weren’t included in the Leaders debates or the campaign. Yet the economy, our health and family wellbeing all depend on ecological sustainability. Whether from a more religious or scientific perspective, protecting the biosphere trumps all else. [ . . . ]
=================
2. ACTION: Stop Radioactive Nuclear Shipments on the Great Lakes
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/214/367/
304/?z00m=19963894
The recent earthquake and nuclear disaster in Japan showed us how dangerous nuclear power can be. If anything goes wrong with the handling or storage of radioactive materials, widespread disaster follows. *We can't afford risky nuclear shipments in one of North America's most cherished ecosystems -- the Great Lakes.*
Tell Canada and Ontario governments to stop radioactive nuclear shipments on the Great Lakes.
http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AgE01/zlfH/A96Wl
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) approved a plan to ship 15 radioactive steam generators on the Great Lakes, even though First Nation communities, city mayors, US senators, environmental group and social justice organizations all oppose the shipment.
It's not too late to stop this shipment! Protect the Great Lakes and the environment, wildlife and people who live nearby.
http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AgE01/zlfH/A96Wl
Before the shipment is made, the company must get permits from municipalities along the travel route, including many in Canada. *Tell the federal and Ontario government to stand up for the safety and protection of the public and our shared environment:* Ban nuclear shipments on the Great Lakes.
http://www.care2.com/go/z/e/AgE01/zlfH/A96Wl
Thanks for taking action!
Kayla
ThePetitionSite
- - - - - -
Bruce Power delays shipment of steam generators through Great Lakes
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/
Bruce+Power+delays+shipment+steam+generators/4520404/story.html
By April Lim, For Postmedia News March 29, 2011
Bruce Power said Tuesday it will delay its controversial plan to ship 16 school-bus-sized steam generators through the Great Lakes so the nuclear power company can consult with First Nations, Metis and others who have expressed concerns.
Last month, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission granted a licence to Bruce Power to transport the radiation-laced steel generators from its plant on the shores of Lake Huron through the Great Lakes on their way to Sweden for recycling.
"We're the kind of company that wants to, in all aspects of our business, make sure we're doing the right environmental thing. That's why we've taken a really careful approach to this and have gone through the process to make sure that it's safe," said Bruce Power spokesman Steve Cannon, adding the company has satisfied regulatory obligations but is aware that there are still some unanswered questions among some "legitimate groups."
"Our relationship with these groups, particularly with First Nations and Metis, are very important to us and we want to be respectful of their concerns and make sure their questions are answered," Cannon said. [ . . . ]
====================
3. GROUPS ACROSS CANADA CALL FOR AN INQUIRY INTO THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER
http://www.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/6812
MEDIA RELEASE March 31 2011 For Immediate Release
Three Mile Island taught us all that nuclear power is inherently dangerous. With Chernobyl the whole world witnessed the awesome power of a total nuclear meltdown.
At Fukushima we are seeing simultaneous partial meltdowns in 3 reactors and 4 spent fuel pools....
Canada's reactors have a different design, but the potential for catastrophe is ever present. It was not an earthquake and tsunami that caused Japan's nuclear catastrophe -- it was the resulting total electrical blackout at the plant: the loss of onsite and offsite power. Such a
blackout can be caused in a variety of ways....
Like other countries, Canada needs to reassess the risks and benefits of nuclear technology. This is too important a matter for nuclear engineers alone; it must be a societal decision.
Federal political parties are being challenged by groups across Canada to declare their support for a far-reaching non-partisan Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Nuclear Power in Canada, independent of the nuclear industry and the CNSC, to be launched at the earliest possible date. As part of that inquiry process, the groups are asking that no new licenses for nuclear power plants – whether new build projects or refurbishment projects, or off-site transportation of nuclear wastes produced by nuclear reactors – be granted until the Royal Commission has concluded its work.
Groups from across Canada are joining together in this appeal in hopes that the people of Canada will be adequately consulted on the future of this inherently dangerous industry. “The basic question is this: do Canadians wish nuclear power production to be expanded or to be phased out?” said Gordon Edwards, President of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
“The endorsing groups are unanimous in their view that the Canadian Nuclear Industry, the Canadian Regulatory Regime and the Canadian and Provincial governments have failed to disseminate sufficient objective scientific information about the hazards of nuclear reactors, the specific health dangers of radioactive exposures, and the potential ecological consequences of major reactor malfunctions, in language that citizens and decision-makers can readily understand,” said Michel Duguay, coordinator of le Mouvement Sortons le Québec du Nucléaire.
These groups are also unanimous in their feeling that political accountability and transparency has been insufficient in the nuclear field, as governments have often seemed to depend almost exclusively on the advice of the Canadian nuclear industry and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, without a sufficiently open and democratic process at the political level.
These groups feel that the risks of nuclear power should be assessed not only from the point of view of the physicists and engineers who populate the Canadian nuclear industry and its licensing agency, the CNSC, but also by independent bio-medical experts and people trained in the fields of biology and ecology, as well as experts drawn from the social sciences, who are independent of any promotional bias, and by our democratic institutions of government.
“Most importantly, however, the groups feel that ordinary citizens must have an opportunity to voice their views on nuclear power and to explore the implications of alternative non-nuclear energy technologies and strategies” said Michel Fugère of le Mouvement Vert Mauricie. Before proceeding any further down the nuclear path, we ask the Canadian government to finally give ordinary Canadians a chance to debate the risks and benefits of nuclear power in relation to its alternatives in a politically meaningful forum.
Additional Background Material:
(1) List of endorsing groups as of March 31 2011:
www.ccnr.org/list.pdf
(2) “Meltdowns in CANDU reactors” :
www.ccrn.org/Melt_CANDU.pdf
(3) CNSC safety concerns about CANDUs :
www.ccnr.org/concerns.pdf
Contacts:
Gordon Edwards, Ph.D., CCNR President, (514) 839 7214
Michel Duguay Ph.D., MSQN Coordinator, (418) 802 2740
Michel Fugère, Mouvmeent Vert Mauricie (MVM), (819) 532 2073
– see list (www.ccnr.org/list.pdf) for contacts in various provinces
=====================
4. Liability cap on Canada’s nuclear plants ‘outdated’
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/
industry-news/energy-and-resources/liability-cap-on-canadas-nuclear-plants-outdated/article1960595/
JEFF GRAY — LAW REPORTER From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Monday, Mar. 28, 2011 7:12PM EDT
Last updated Tuesday, Mar. 29, 2011 5:41PM EDT
- - - -
QUOTE:
"Greenpeace anti-nuclear activist Shawn-Patrick Stensil, also attending the hearings last week on the Toronto-area Darlington plant, said the need for a liability cap undermines the industry’s refrain about the safety of splitting atoms to make electricity.
“If you got rid of [the cap], a lot of [nuclear companies] would just pull out of the market because their own accountants would tell them it’s not worth the risk,” he said."
- - - - - -
Canadian nuclear plant operators would have to pay no more than $75-million in liability claims if a nuclear disaster like that unfolding in Japan were to occur in Canada.
Nuclear critics say that’s a tiny fraction of the billions in health and damage claims that could result, and even Canada’s nuclear industry thinks it is too low. But a 1970s-era law, still on the books, caps the operators’ civil liability.
Such caps are common for the nuclear business around the world, but Canada’s stands out as particularly inadequate. A government bill that would have increased the limit to $650-million died on the order paper last week with the defeat of the Conservative government.
Nuclear critics around the world have long attacked the caps as hidden subsidies designed to limit potentially crippling costs for nuclear operators. Now, with all eyes on Japan, those caps could be getting a second look. [ . . . ]
======================
5. HARDING: HEALTH AND TRUST: Hard Lessons from Chernobyl and Fukushima
by Jim Harding, Originally published in RTown News, April 15, 2011
https://sites.google.com/site/cleangreensaskca/Home/
jim-harding-s-column/health-and-trust-hard-lessons-from-chernobyl-and-fukushima
Health has barely made it into the federal election. But it and the related issue of “trust” are at the top of our concerns. There’s been some talk about increasing healthcare costs -- but nothing about protecting environmental and human health.
As we approach Chernobyl’s 25th anniversary (the melt-down occurred April 26, 1986), the nuclear disaster continues at Fukushima. As with Chernobyl, various “experts” continue to reassure us that the radioactivity isn’t a threat to our health. We knew otherwise before Fukushima. In 2010, Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe
for People and the Environment was published by the New York Academy of Sciences.
It was written by three internationally-noted scientists - a biologist, ecologist and physicist -- who reviewed 5,000 scientific reports and concluded that between 1986 and 2004 there were 985,000 people who died, mostly of cancer, as a result of Chernobyl.
MORE:
https://sites.google.com/site/cleangreensaskca/Home/
jim-harding-s-column/health-and-trust-hard-lessons-from-chernobyl-and-fukushima
===================
6. HARDING: PETITION FOR NUCLEAR WASTE BAN PRESENTED TO PREMIER WALL
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2105#2105
BY Jim Harding April 21, 2011
On April 14th a petition calling for a legislated ban on nuclear wastes was presented to Premier Wall’s government. The 4,800 names were collected after Bruce Power announced its proposal to build nuclear power plants along the North Saskatchewan River. Representatives from several member groups of the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan attended in support. This included RPIC (Renewable Energy the Intelligent Choice) and Council of Canadians from Prince Albert, the Fort Qu’Appelle ecumenical group KAIROS and ‘Clean Greens’ from Regina and Saskatoon.
Pat Atkinson, MLA from Saskatoon, agreed to present the Coalition’s petition to the Legislature. Karen Pederson of the North Saskatchewan River Environmental Society which initiated the petition in Cutknife, and Heidi Hougham of Save Our Saskatchewan (SOS), Lloydminster, spoke to the media on behalf of those who signed the petition.
Premier Wall’s government ended up rejecting Bruce Power’s proposal. However the industry-based Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) continues to negotiate with northern communities for a site for high-level nuclear wastes, mostly from southern Ontario. It’s estimated that it would take 18,000 truck loads to haul wastes accumulating at nuclear power plants in eastern Canada. Due to the nuclear decay process these wastes become even more radioactive after 100,000 years.
When asked about the petition Premier Wall admitted that there was ‘negative public opinion about a nuclear waste facility.’ He added ‘I don’t sense the mood of the province has changed, and frankly, what happening in Japan has got people thinking, just generally speaking about the issue.’. (Regina Leader Post, April 15, 2011, A3
http://www.leaderpost.com/news/
Petition+seen+further+evidence+nuclear+waste+facility+wanted/4620463/story.html [ . . . ]
===============
7. Don't call them, they'll call you
http://www.leaderpost.com/news/call+them+they+call/
4495079/story.html
BY GREG FINGAS, THE LEADER-POST MARCH 24, 2011
Yes, there's reason to be shocked by the news that Saskatchewan Party Enterprise Club members were promised that a $1,000 donation would "ensure" that their ideas were heard by bigwigs within the provincial government.
But the real surprise is that Premier Brad Wall's government was able to convince anybody to try to buy access at all.
After all, the Wall government's track record demonstrates that the groups from which the Saskatchewan Party actually wants to hear can count on having their interests heard and taken care of at public expense -while anybody else might as well not bother saying a single word.
The nuclear industry didn't have to wait for a luncheon meeting with Brad Wall to present a wish list for future development. Instead, it received $3 million of our money for the task -before a limited public consultation demonstrated that the industry's wishes didn't reflect the province's priorities.
And the business lobby never has to hope to catch a moment of a cabinet minister's time in a gabfest. Instead, it enjoys taxpayer- funded "sector teams" assigned the task of bringing public policy in line with private-sector interests. Indeed, at least one cabinet
minister has bragged about how public servants are available to consult with the corporate sector around the clock.
Now, it's worth asking why corporate actors would need public funding to lobby for their preferred policies. They're the ones who stand to profit from their proposed changes, so they would reasonably be expected to foot the bill.
But since they're the few voices the Wall government wants to hear from, they receive their own insider access on our dime. [ . . . ]
================================
8. Gov't too young to adopt habits of long-in-tooth
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/
young+adopt+habits+long+tooth/4628278/story.html
THE STAR PHOENIX APRIL 16, 2011
The Saskatchewan Party government is falling into a pattern of behaviour for which it once successfully criticized it predecessor.
From base political pandering to pork barreling to rewarding friends and striking secretive deals, it didn't take long for Premier Brad Wall and his gang to adopt habits that usually are typical of governments much longer in the tooth.
The latest evidence of it was the government pandering to a marginal group that opposes the storage of nuclear wastes in Saskatchewan.
There might be good reasons not to allow such wastes to be stored here, despite the blow it could deal to northern communities that are badly in need of the economic potential of such an enterprise and are pressing for solid scientific evidence on the project's safety and viability.
If Mr. Wall's statements this week are to be taken at face value, however, neither scientific evidence nor economic development amount to much in the face of a petition from a group calling itself the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan.
This group may be a coalition but, by the shape of its policy position, it can lay claim neither to being clean nor green. It brags of its success in scuttling the construction of a green nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan, and continues to tout the success of the anti-nuclear movement's opposition to a uranium refinery near Warman in the late 1970s.
Consider the global impact of these initiatives. Saskatchewan is among the most fossil fuel dependent jurisdictions -including its reliance on burning the dirtiest of coals to produce more than half the electricity used in the province.
Scientists point out the deadly dilemma of using such sources to provide energy. For example, while in 2005 the United Nations Chernobyl Forum reported that no more than 4,000 people would die prematurely because of the worst nuclear accident in history, by using a similar method to calculate mortality rates, epidemiologists postulate that every year 2,000 people in Southern Ontario die as a result of the province burning coal to produce electricity.
The movement to retard the development of nuclear power, which was at the heart of the Warman initiative, has to take at least some of the responsibility for the rapid expansion of the use of coal over the last decade, while the nuclear industry struggles to catch up.
At their side must stand those politicians who ignored the scientific evidence, refused to take a leadership role and instead buckled under the pressure of the minority.
It is worth remembering the passionate defence of the nuclear industry made by former premier Allan Blakeney, and his admonishments that Saskatchewan has a global responsibility to promote the use of this clean technology.
However, his government and the NDP failed to find the resolve to support what has subsequently demonstrated to be the morally correct course.
It is distressing to now have Mr. Wall speculate on the need for legislation to block the storage of nuclear wastes -presumably in spite of what any scientific study would determine -as he tries to cater to these same anti-technological ideologues rather than take a more pragmatic stance and a leadership role.
But it is not just the lack of leadership that is a concern.
MORE:
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/
young+adopt+habits+long+tooth/4628278/story.html
====================
9. N.B. calls on Ottawa to pay extra costs of reactor refit
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/atlantic/
nb-calls-on-ottawa-to-pay-extra-costs-of-reactor-refit/article1986044/
KEVIN BISSETT FREDERICTON— The Canadian Press Published Thursday, Apr. 14, 2011 6:25PM EDT
Members of the New Brunswick legislature have unanimously voted in favour of an Opposition motion to press the federal government to pay for the cost overruns at the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant.
The refurbishment project of Atlantic Canada's only nuclear power plant is three years behind schedule and $1 billion over budget.
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has run into numerous problems during the refurbishment — the first of its kind on a Candu-6 reactor.
Members of the provincial Tory government and the previous Liberal government have argued that taxpayers in New Brunswick shouldn't have to pay for the federal Crown corporation to climb the learning curve.
During debate on the motion Thursday, Opposition Leader Victor Boudreau said the province needs to secure a funding commitment during the federal election.
“The time is now, the time is not in a month or two,” Mr. Boudreau said. “Prime Minister Harper is promising everything to everyone all around the country, but not in New Brunswick.”
In particular, Mr. Boudreau pointed to the federal Conservative commitment to help with development of the Lower Churchill
hydroelectric project which would see electricity moved through Nova Scotia.
“There has got to be some money for New Brunswick at the end of the day,” he said.
Energy Minister Craig Leonard said he agrees Ottawa needs to pay and negotiations are going well. He said New Brunswick continues to push the federal government to provide full compensation for the cost overruns.
“The fact that the federal election is going on really doesn't enter into the strategy that we've had,” he said. “We continue to discuss with the federal government before, during and after the election.” [ . . . ]
======================
10. Terra Firma Withdraws from Restigouche: An Important Win for Baie des Chaleurs Uranium Opposition
http://www.miningwatch.ca/en/Terra+Firma+Withdraws
Apr 20 2011
Translated from the French and posted on behalf of the Coaltion Stop Uranium Baie des Chaleurs
Pointe a-la-Croix, Quebec – April 20, 2011. The Coalition Stop Uranium Baie des Chaleurs and the Citizens’ Committee of Pointe-à-la-Croix were very pleased to receive the news that Vancouver-based mining company Terra Firma Resources it is giving up its option on the Restigouche uranium prospect. “While an important victory for those of us who oppose uranium mining it’s still too soon to get out the champagne and celebrate,” says Coalition member Michel Goudreau.
With Terra Firma pulling out, the mineral claims will revert back to a local prospector who may try to find another company willing to invest in exploration activities. However, Luc Vallieres of the Citizens’ Committee points out that “any company who might think about doing exploration for uranium in our community will face the same opposition as Terra Firma”.
“This is an important victory for the Coalition but we won’t have really won until Quebec adopts a moratorium on uranium” added Mr. Goudreau. In Quebec and elsewhere in Canada uranium exploration and mining companies have faced stiff opposition from communities. In Quebec this has included communities on the North Shore, in the Laurentians and in Gaspé. [ . . . ]
===================
11. Say NO to Australian Uranium
http://ccwa.org.au/campaigns/nuclear-free-wa
"Marcus Atkinson" <marcus@footprintsforpeace.org>
Apr 28 11:07PM -0700
Hi Everyone.
Here is a long overdue update on the “Walk away from Uranium Mining” that will start in Wiluna, Western Australia on the 20 th of August.
Over the last two months we have been working hard to get the foundations for the walk set. We have made great contact with the Aboriginal communities in the area and are working closely with them to make sure that the walk does all it can to help get the message out to the public while supporting the local communities.
WANFA (Western Australia Nuclear Free Alliance) is an Aboriginal led group that is playing a major role in the walk and will help guide us through the land while explaining to walkers the situation facing many of the communities being threatened by the proposed uranium mines.
Please see attached Statement from the annual WANFA meeting 2 weeks ago.
There will be a bus leaving Perth on the 18 th of August and will return to Perth on the 26 th of August. Please contact Marcus at nffc@footprintsforpeace.org to book your seat.
We are currently working closely with CCWA, ANAWA, BUMP, PND and other groups in Western Australia along with a wide range of National and International Organisations so as the walk can have a global impact.
We are excited to announce that The Reseau Sortir du Nucleaire from France will be sending a delegation over for the walk. They will be sharing their experience of living in the country that produces the most nuclear power. They will also be reporting back to the French network about the environmental impacts of uranium mining in Australia and the human rights abuse's associated with this industry disregard of the Aboriginal population.
There is also a French crew who are organising a solidarity walk that will begin on July 1st .
More info at:
http://
marche-pour-sortirdunucleaire-et-pour-la-paix.over-blog.com/
Or contact Albert or Marc at marchesortirdunucleaire@gmail.com
There is a lot of interest from Indigenous peoples in the United States who have lived with the contamination of uranium mining on their land for decades. They would like to participate in the walk and build relationships with Aboriginal people and activists through out the world.
If any one can help with funding to make this possible, please contact me at Marcus@footprintsforpeace.org
A big thanks to the Great Walk Network as it looks like the walk will be able to use their 4-ton truck that is rigged up with kitchen equipment and a 1000 litre water tank.
We also have another support vehicle that is now rigged up on solar so as we can have film nights and other events as we walk through the desert. Big thanks to everyone who helped us with this. We are still looking for a small coaster bus that can help transport Elders and others around during the walk…
We are holding meetings every Thursday night in Mosman Park and are in the process of organising a few music events around Perth and Fremantle. So a special call out to artists, musicians and creative people to bring some life into the campaign.
Give me a call for more details (Marcus) 0400505765 or email
nffc@footprintsforpeace.org
We are excited that this is all coming together, but as always it is hard to finance such a big project. So we do also need your financial help to make this happen. For those in Australia you can make a direct deposit into:
Fremantle Anti Nuclear Group, Bendigo Bank, BSB: 633-000
ACC: 137443347, REF: "Walk"
Or you can make a tax-deductible donation at Everyday Hero:
http://www.everydayhero.com.au/footprints_for_peace
We have partnered with CCWA and Everyday Hero so if you are coming on the walk please register as an Everyday hero and join our team.
Please contact me at nffc@footprintsforpeace.org to become an Everyday hero as you will need a password
For those of you in the United States you can make a tax-deductible donation through our web page
http://footprints.footprintsforpeace.net/nffcampaign/
NFFDonations.htm
There is a lot we must do to Stop Uranium Mining.
Start by signing the Uranium Charter.
SAY NO to Australian Uranium Fuelling More Fukushimas
Footprints for Peace is working closely with CCWA to keep Western Australia free of Uranium Mining. Please sign on to the Charter, even for International people it is good to sign on so as the Government knows that the world is watching.
Sign on here:
http://ccwa.org.au/content/was-uranium-not-sale
If you use Facebook we have the walk as an event. Please visit this page and invite all your friends.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?ei ... 0346065407
I know it is a pain to go through and invite everyone, but please take 5 or 10 minutes to do it and give all your friends the opportunity to get involved or support this important issue.
Please contact us if you have any questions, or if your group would like to become a supporting organization.
We look forward to being able to share more with you as we led up to the walk and we hope that you will be able to join us or follow us online.
Peace & Solidarity
Footprints for Peace
Please feel free to forward this email around to all your friends, family and supporters.
Here is a great 3-minute video that has just been put together. Check it out ACF and number of groups including Footprints for Peace have launched a short video on the links between Chernobyl, Fukushima and Australia
View here:
http://youtu.be/10Uxcyc-lR4
Peace & Solidarity
Marcus Atkinson
Nuclear Free Future Campaign Coordinator
Footprints for Peace, Australia
www.nuclearfreefuture.com
PH: Australia: +61 0400505765
===================
12. LISTEN: CBC Radio – The Current: Nuclear Crisis in Japan
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2011/04/15/
nuclear-crisis-in-japan/#
150,000 people have been forced from their homes because of the nuclear crisis in Japan. And the situation seems likely to get worse now that the Japanese Government has widened the evacuation zone. This morning, we head into the heart of the disaster.
Listen to Part Two: (Pop-up)
PART TWO
Nuclear Crisis in Japan - Tetsuo Jimbo
We started this segment with the sound of Tetsuo Jimbo's journey into the 20-kilometre evacuation zone around Japan's crippled nuclear reactors. The clicking and beeping is the geiger counter in his car, alerting him to the radiation levels around him.
Tetsuo Jimbo is a Japanese journalist who decided to drive to ground zero to view the danger zone and to try to find anyone who had stayed behind after the evacuation. Tetsuo Jimbo was in Tokyo this morning.
Nuclear Crisis in Japan - Eric Talmadge
Tetsuo Jimbo never did find any of the people believed to still be living inside the nuclear evacuation zone. But Eric Talmadge did -- including one elderly man named Kunio Shiga who was left stranded after the earthquake and tsunami. Eric Talmadge is the Tokyo News Editor with the Associated Press. He was in Tokyo.
Nuclear Crisis in Japan - John Sparrow
Two weeks ago, a man named Katsunobu Sakurai issued a plea for help. He's the Mayor of Minamisoma -- one of the towns Eric Talmadge mentioned. And the Mayor told the world on Youtube that the situation was desperate -- not enough food, water or gas. At one point, he said his people were starving.
Since then, help has been coming in to the area. The Japanese Red Cross is one of the groups providing some relief. John Sparrow is a spokesperson with the International Federation of the Red Cross. He was in Tokyo.
Related Links: (All Links are at URL above)
Man stranded in empty Japanese town since tsunami By Eric Talmadge - Associated Press
New evacuation order may force Fukushima farmer to abandon beloved cows - The Mainichi Daily News
To Japan quake survivors, temporary homes feel like heaven By John M. Glionna - Los Angeles Times
Life away from home in shelters 'unbearable' - Kyodo News, The Japan Times Online
Japan/earthquake and tsunamis: Overview of resulting displacement - Internal displacement monitoring centre
===================
13. WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS WEEKLY: 29 March - 4 April 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=15f538f8ce&e=7a6d90bce5
WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS WEEKLY: 5-11 April 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=95b2970383&e=7a6d90bce5
WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS WEEKLY: April 12-18
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=c8b3cb220c&e=7a6d90bce5
WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS WEEKLY:
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=59465a8d39&e=7a6d90bce5
=====================
14. NO NUKE NEWS – April 2011
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
===================
15. HOFFMAN: Godspeed, indeed! Maybe we'll get on Oprah - if we hurry!
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/05/
godspeed-indeed-maybe-well-get-on-oprah.html
From: "Ace Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2011 6:35 PM
Subject: Godspeed, indeed! Maybe we'll get on Oprah - if we hurry!
May 1st, 2011
Dear Readers,
Thank you, dear readers -- I'm blushing (see below). Thank you very much!
Yesterday I learned that copies of both my books (Shut San Onofre, my new 20-page pictorial book, and The Code Killers, my handbook of nuclear information from 2008) have been personally handed to California's Senator Dianne Feinstein (possibly with a photo of the event taken by the Sacramento Bee),and to Vermont's Senator Bernie Sanders. The books were also given to an environmental aide to Jerry Brown, and Congressional candidate Norman Soloman, who was already calling for shutdown of California's four nuclear power plants at Diablo Canyon and San Onofre:
www.counterpunch.org/solomon04292011.html
Both my books are available as free downloads from my web site:
www.acehoffman.org
The new book only happened because someone asked for a short document to hand out at the then-upcoming Nuclear Regulatory Commission hearing held last Thursday in San Juan Capistrano, California. Of course it helped that I had been collecting hundreds of images for the past six weeks... I thought about what was needed for a day or so, and started creating the document on Wednesday, the day before the event, having decided to try to "say it with pictures" in a one page flyer. Almost immediately it didn't fit on a page, hence the new book.
At the hearing, even Victor Dricks (public affairs spokesman for the NRC's Region 4 district) asked for a copy! And I'm fairly certain a copy ended up with the executives of Southern California Edison too, or even Edison International's CEO, who was there. After all, they would at least want to know what they're up against, right?
This coming week, another subscriber, a reverend, will be trying to deliver copies in Washington D. C. (I overnighted several dozen copies to him over the weekend, and anyone else who wants printed copies should contact me by email). [ . . . ]
=======================
16. HOFFMAN: Protect our nuclear power plants!
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/
From: "Ace Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2011 9:06 PM
Subject: Protect our nuclear power plants!
Dear Readers,
Osama bin Laden is dead, killed in Pakistan today. We have the body.
We MUST protect our nuclear power plants!!!! They are surely going to be targeted (see below). This is a very dangerous time. I hope our politicians understand that! Please tell them that extraordinary measures MUST be taken immediately!
Yours,
Ace
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'NUCLEAR HELL' IF BIN LADEN DIES
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/242958/
-Nuclear-hell-if-Bin-Laden-dies
Terrorists have threatened to unleash a "nuclear hellstorm"
Tuesday April 26, 2011 by Daily Express reporter
AL QAEDA terrorists have threatened to unleash a "nuclear hellstorm" on Europe if Osama bin Laden is captured or killed, leaked documents have revealed.
Senior al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told interrogators at Guantanamo Bay they were prepared to kill tens of thousands of innocents.
Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind behind the 9/11 atrocity, warned there was a nuclear bomb ready, hidden somewhere in Europe.
He said al Qaeda was actively trying to recruit Heathrow ground staff to help it target the world's busiest airport.
The threat was contained among thousands of top-secret files given to whistleblowers' website Wikileaks. The papers detail interrogations of more than 700 terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay detention camp and were written by officials at the Cuban base.
Sheikh Mohammed's file reportedly says he was plotting attacks in Asia, Africa, America and Britain for "the greatest economic impact".
-----------------------------------------
Ace Hoffman
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/
==================
17. Culture of Complicity Tied to Stricken Nuclear Plant
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/world/asia/
27collusion.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
By NORIMITSU ONISHI and KEN BELSON Published: April 26, 2011
TOKYO — Given the fierce insularity of Japan’s nuclear industry, it was perhaps fitting that an outsider exposed the most serious safety cover-up in the history of Japanese nuclear power. It took place at Fukushima Daiichi, the plant that Japan has been struggling to get under control since last month’s earthquake and tsunami.
In 2000, Kei Sugaoka, a Japanese-American nuclear inspector who had done work for General Electric at Daiichi, told Japan’s main nuclear regulator about a cracked steam dryer that he believed was being concealed. If exposed, the revelations could have forced the operator, Tokyo Electric Power, to do what utilities least want to do: undertake costly repairs.
What happened next was an example, critics have since said, of the collusive ties that bind the nation’s nuclear power companies, regulators and politicians.
Despite a new law shielding whistle-blowers, the regulator, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, divulged Mr. Sugaoka’s identity to Tokyo Electric, effectively blackballing him from the industry. Instead of immediately deploying its own investigators to Daiichi, the agency instructed the company to inspect its own reactors. Regulators allowed the company to keep operating its reactors for the next two years even though, an investigation ultimately revealed, its executives had actually hidden other, far more serious problems, including cracks in the shrouds that cover reactor cores.
Investigators may take months or years to decide to what extent safety problems or weak regulation contributed to the disaster at Daiichi, the worst of its kind since Chernobyl. But as troubles at the plant and fears over radiation continue to rattle the nation, the Japanese are increasingly raising the possibility that a culture of complicity made the plant especially vulnerable to the natural disaster that struck the country on March 11.
Already, many Japanese and Western experts argue that inconsistent, nonexistent or unenforced regulations played a role in the accident — especially the low seawalls that failed to protect the plant against the tsunami and the decision to place backup diesel generators that power the reactors’ cooling system at ground level, which made them highly susceptible to flooding.
A 10-year extension for the oldest of Daiichi’s reactors suggests that the regulatory system was allowed to remain lax by politicians, bureaucrats and industry executives single-mindedly focused on expanding nuclear power. Regulators approved the extension beyond the reactor’s 40-year statutory limit just weeks before the tsunami despite warnings about its safety and subsequent admissions by Tokyo Electric, often called Tepco, that it had failed to carry out proper inspections of critical equipment.
The mild punishment meted out for past safety infractions has reinforced the belief that nuclear power’s main players are more interested in protecting their interests than increasing safety. In 2002, after Tepco’s cover-ups finally became public, its chairman and president resigned, only to be given advisory posts at the company. Other executives were demoted, but later took jobs at companies that do business with Tepco. Still others received tiny pay cuts for their role in the cover-up. And after a temporary shutdown and repairs at Daiichi, Tepco resumed operating the plant.
In a telephone interview from his home in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mr. Sugaoka said, “I support nuclear power, but I want to see complete transparency.”
MORE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/world/asia/
27collusion.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
=====================
18. Nuclear Adviser Quits Over Handling of Crisis
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052748703567404576293201211871250.html
By WILLIAM SPOSATO, Wall Street Journal (Asia), April 30 2011
TOKYO -- A special advisor to the Japanese government on radiation safety resigned Friday, saying that he was dissatisfied with the handling of the ongoing crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Toshiso Kosako, a professor at the prestigious University of Tokyo, said at a news conference that the prime minister's office and agencies within the government "have ignored the laws and have only dealt with the problem at the moment." Holding back tears, he said this approach would only prolong the crisis. [ . . . ]
======================
19. Nuclear stance premature: mayor
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
Nuclear+stance+premature+mayor/4695683/story.html#ixzz1KyBXJHjj
The StarPhoenix April 29, 2011
Premier Brad Wall should have consulted with northern communities before closing the door on nuclear waste strorage, says the mayor of the town of Creighton.
"I'm very disappointed in (Wall) for saying that. I have serious concerns," Mayor Bruce Fidler said.
Fidler said he wants a meeting with Wall over the issue of nuclear waste.
Earlier this month, a 4,500-signature petition opposing any expansion of the nuclear industry was presented in the provincial legislature.
Wall said it's unlikely the government would support a nuclear waste storage facility in Saskatchewan.
That came as a shock to Fidler, whose community is one of three in Saskatchewan - Patunak and Pinehouse are the others - which have expressed interest in hosting a nuclear waste facility. [ . . . ]
==================
20. WikiWeapons Canada
http://coat.ncf.ca/research/US.htm
By refusing to release data on military exports to the U.S., Liberal and Conservative governments alike have consistently concealed a full eighty percent of Canada's military exports.
To expose this cover up, COAT is releasing data to reveal the details of almost 19,000 Canadian military-export contracts to the U.S. worth US$7.2 Billion. [ . . . ]
NUKE NEWS
NUKE NEWS: May 2, 2011
by Oscar » Mon May 02, 2011 3:39 pm
Last edited by Oscar on Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:08 am, edited 2 times in total.
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
NUKE NEWS: May 9, 2011
by Oscar » Mon May 09, 2011 9:22 am
NUKE NEWS: May 9, 2011
1. EVENT: Roundtable: Nuclear Threats to the Great Lakes and Transition to Clean Safe Energy – International Roundtable
2. FINAL COMMENTS: Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project
3. WATCH: Shawn-Patrick Stensil: Ontario's Nuclear Future
4. No Nukes News - May 6, 2011
5. (Michigan) Citizen Watchdogs Accuse Entergy Nuclear and NRC of Breaking Safety Promises at Palisades Atomic Reactor
6. HOFFMAN: Scratch three more nuke plants. The easy way (See #7 below)
7. Kan Orders Operations Halt at Chubu Plant
8. D y i n g f o r T E P C O (Part 1)
9. Front line at Fukushima (Part 2)
10. Disastrous pattern of academic-government collusion must not be allowed to continue
11. Lessons from Chernobyl 25 years on
12. SOUTH ASIANS AGAINST NUKES (SAAN)
13. Nuclear Energy Policy – Wikipedia
14. New foreign policy website launched
15. The Never-Ending War Machine
16. Canada's Participation in the Global Arms Race
17. F-35 costs to rise: Pentagon
18. Canada’s F-35s: Engines not included
19. The Media War on Libya: Justifying War through Lies and Fabrications
=======================
1. EVENT: Roundtable: Nuclear Threats to the Great Lakes and Transition to Clean Safe Energy – International Roundtable
Saturday, May 14, 9 am - 5 pm
Henry Ford Community College, Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME) Bldg., 5101 Evergreen Rd. Dearborn, Michigan
Scheduled speakers:
Dr. Gordon Edwards - President of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility - to address the radioactive contamination of the Earth and its Waters - accidental or deliberate?
Brennain Lloyd - Community organizer with Northwatch, who has worked for more than two decades on nuclear waste issues in Canada, including those at the Bruce nuclear complex on Lake Huron speaking on the risks of a proposed deep underground radioactive dump by Lake Huron.
Michael Keegan - Co Chair of Don’t Waste Michigan & Chair of Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes on why we should oppose a proposed new reactor at Monroe and the 20-year re-license for Davis-Besse near Toledo.
Kevin Kamps - Radioactive Waste Watchdog from Beyond Nuclear to discuss reactor waste policy in the Great Lakes and nationally.
Greg Laskowsky - Henry Ford Community College, Lead Instructor, Energy Technology - Energy & Technology Department will discuss the renewable energy options available.
Kathleen Law - Former Michigan legislator who introduced the first German style renewable energy bill in North America and since adopted by Ontario
Victor McManemy - Great Lakes songwriter, troubadour, historian, musician and advocate for Indigenous Peoples
Sponsored by Sierra Club - S.E. Michigan Group, Sierra Club of Canada, Ohio Sierra Club Nuclear Issues Committee, and Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination
For info, Ed McArdle 313-388-6645 / ecoguy2@netzero.net - or Kay Cumbow 810-346-4513 at kcumbow@greatlakes.net
=====================
2. REQUEST FOR FINAL COMMENTS: Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project - Deadline May 17, 2011
- - - -
For further information, see the REVISED Procedure for Written Final Comments (April 8, 2011) at
http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/
document-eng.cfm?document=49510.
Submissions must conform to the procedures to be accepted by the Panel.
- - - - -
Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project Joint Review Panel
April 8, 2011 - REVISED Procedure for Written Final Comments
In its statement of decision on procedural and preliminary matters, the Joint Review Panel committed to providing hearing participants the opportunity to submit written final comments. Hearing participants will have 20 days notice to submit written final comments to the Panel. A notice advising hearing participants of the exact due date for receipt of final comments will be provided by the Panel at the appropriate time. Final comments that do not meet the submission deadline will not be accepted.
Written final comments will be accepted from any individual, organization or Aboriginal group that has participated in the hearing:
• as a government participant (federal or provincial),
• as an intervenor (by way of providing a written submission only or by way of providing a written submission followed by an oral presentation at the public hearing), or
• by providing an oral statement to the Joint Review Panel at the public hearing.
The provision of written final comments is at the discretion of the hearing participant and is not required from any party.
Written final comments are to briefly (maximum of 10,000 words) summarize the position and/or the opinions of the participant on the proposed Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant project and any aspect of the review, and to provide support for this position based on information that has already been presented to the Joint Review Panel. New information may not be presented in the final comment submission.
Written final comments will also be accepted from the proponent, Ontario Power Generation. Ontario Power will have 25 days notice to submit its written final comments to the Panel.
Please send written final comments by email, fax or in print by any means to:
Panel Secretariat
Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project Joint Review Panel
280 Slater Street
PO Box 1046, Station B, Ottawa ON K1P 5S9
Fax: 613-995-5086
JRP-OPG-Darlington@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
Contact Julie Bouchard, Tribunal Administrator at 1-800-668-5284 or 613-995-1703
====================
3. WATCH: Shawn-Patrick Stensil: Ontario's Nuclear Future
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WgGhs7H ... ture=share
Uploaded by AgendaStevePaikin on Apr 26, 2011
Greenpeace wants nuclear power out of Ontario's energy mix. Greenpeace nuclear analyst Shawn-Patrick Stensil sits down with Steve Paikin to explain why.
===================
4. No Nukes News - May 6, 2011
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
----------------------------------------------------------------
WATCH: Ontario's Nuclear Future
16 min. video interview. Greenpeace nuclear analyst Shawn-Patrick Stensil sits down with Steve Paikin to explain why Greenpeace wants nuclear power out of Ontario's energy mix.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WgGhs7H ... ture=share
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The Darlington Declaration: I Choose Green Energy
Please lend your voice to those who support a green energy future. Please endorse the Darlington Declaration and share with your friends.
http://stopdarlington.org/declaration/
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Nuclear Power in a Post-Fukushima World, By Amory B. LovinsWhile wind energy and solar power boom, nuclear power and coal-plant orders wither. Their cost and risk dissuade investors.
http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=11423
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Radioactivity level in contaminated seawater approaches record high
The level of radioactivity from contaminated water that leaked into the sea from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is close to the highest levels ever recorded.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104230223.html
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Dying for TEPCO? Fukushima’s Nuclear Contract Workers
http://www.japanfocus.org/-Paul-Jobin/3523
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Lessons from Chernobyl 25 years on
http://www.leadershiponline.co.za/articles/other/
1275-nuclear-dangers
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Watch my presentation to the Darlington Joint Panel Review explaining OCAA’s opposition to new reactors
11 min. video
http://ontariosgreenfuture.ca/
Or read the transcript here - Pg. 231-240:
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/pdfs/
jrp/cnsc-jrp-transcript-31-03-11-volume10.pdf
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Alta. oil pipeline leaked 28,000 barrels
Emergency crews working to clean up massive oil spill from northeast of Peace River
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/
2011/05/03/edmonton-pipeline-leak-alberta.html
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Truth Comes out on 'Fracking' Toxins
Who finally tells us the nasty chemicals used for shale gas drilling in Western Canada? The US Congress. By Andrew Nikiforuk
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2011/04/20/FrackingToxins/
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After the Apocalypse
Fri. May 6, 7:15 p.m., the Cumberland, Toronto
Sat. May 7, 7 p.m., Innis Town Hall, Toronto
One in 20 children born to women living near a Russian nuclear-weapon testing site in Kazakhstan has birth defects. As a prominent doctor plans to introduce “genetic passports,” two mothers fight for the right to keep their unborn children.
http://www.hotdocs.ca/
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Chornobyl 25 - Lessons for the Future
Sat. May 7th
Hospital For Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Daniels Hollywood Theatre, Toronto
8:00-8:30 Registration
8:30-9:00 Welcome
9:00- 10:30 Chornobyl: The Political and Social Aftermath
10:45 - 12:30 Energy: Quo Vadis?
13:15 - 15:00 Health effects
15:15 -17:00 Disaster Management & Emergency Preparedness
Sponsored by U of T Faculty of Medicine Chornobyl Project
The conference is free of charge but registration is necessary. RSVP 416 813 5278
For remote participation in English or Ukrainian via WFUMA’s web-system please register:
English:
http://mt202.centra.com/Reg/main/
0000007050996c012eb93b2f6a007ed8/en_US
Ukrainian:
http://mt202.centra.com/Reg/main/
0000001d3a7140012f5e71a52f007e62/en_US
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Mining Injustice Conference 2011 : Confronting Corporate Impunity
May 6 – 8
Sidney Smith Hall, U of T, 100 St. George Street, room 2117, Toronto
Winona LaDuke speaking Sat. 1:15 p.m.
Workshop on Disrupting the Uranium Supply Chain on Sat. 2:15 p.m.
http://www.facebook.com/
group.php?gid=48852021264&ref=ts#!/event.php?eid=208042585891073
http://www.solidarityresponse.net/
http://www.solidarityresponse.net/
mining-injustice-conference/conference-agenda-2011/
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Sign the Petition Calling for a Moratorium on New Nuclear Projects in ON
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/petition2.php
And order FREE anti-nuclear and anti-coal leaflets
They contain postcards to politicians. Courtesy of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
http://www.cleanairalliance.org/get_inv ... _pamphlets
Thanks…
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Angela Bischoff, Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Tel: 416 260-2080 x 1
160 John St., #300, Toronto, ON M5V 2E5
angela@cleanairalliance.org
www.cleanairalliance.org
www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca
No Nukes News
Health Power
Coal Must Go
Sign our Petition
Facebook – Ontario Clean Air Alliance
=====================
5. (Michigan) Citizen Watchdogs Accuse Entergy Nuclear and NRC of Breaking Safety Promises at Palisades Atomic Reactor
http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/scie ... ronmental/
24069-citizen-watchdogs-accuse-entergy-nuclear-and-nrc-of-breaking-safety-promises-at-palisades-atomic-reactor-.html
For Immediate Release, May 5, 2011
Contacts:
Kevin Kamps, Beyond Nuclear, (240) 462-3216
Alice Hirt, Don’t Waste Michigan, Holland, (616) 218-6511
Kathy Barnes, Don’t Waste Michigan, Sherwood, (517) 677-8312
Terry Lodge, Attorney, (419) 205-7084
Michael Keegan, Don’t Waste Michigan, Monroe, (734) 770-1441
Reactor and Radioactive Waste Risks Cited in Light of Chernobyl and Fukushima
South Haven, Michigan—At today’s U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) annual meeting on the performance of the Palisades atomic reactor, Beyond Nuclear and Don’t Waste Michigan will charge that Entergy Nuclear has indefinitely postponed several major safety repairs, putting the region at severe risk.
The anti-nuclear watchdogs will also assert that Palisades’ high-level radioactive waste storage facilities remain at serious risk of releasing their deadly contents into the environment, including Lake Michigan. The NRC meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at Lake Michigan College, 125 Veterans Blvd., South Haven, Michigan 49090. Palisades is located on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Covert, Michigan, about five miles south of South Haven.
Degradation of the Reactor Vessel
On March 24th, the 44 year old Palisades nuclear power plant began its 20 year license extension. Palisades received license extension approval from NRC in 2007. Don’t Waste Michigan, the statewide anti-nuclear watchdog coalition, led the resistance to the extension from 2005 to 2007, citing major safety concerns such as severe embrittlement of the pressure vessel. Pressurized thermal shock (PTS) could lead to a loss of coolant accident in the reactor core: upon activation of the emergency core cooling system, the vessel, made brittle by four decades of neutron radiation, could rupture like a hot glass held under cold water.
“Palisades first violated NRC’s pressurized thermal shock regulations in 1981, just ten years into operations,” said Michael Keegan of Coalition for a Nuclear-Free Great Lakes in Monroe. “Rather than deal with its embrittlement or else shut down, Palisades has instead successfully pressured NRC to weaken the safety regulations time and again in order to allow it to keep operating, despite the risks,” he added. [ . . . ]
====================
6. HOFFMAN: Scratch three more nuke plants. The easy way (See #7 below)
From: "Ace Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 11:47 AM
Dear Readers,
Japan's Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, has called for closing the Chuba Electric Power Company's Hamaoka reactor site. So scratch three more nuclear power plants. The easy way.
And if Japan didn't have about 45 other nuke plants still operating, this would be bigger and better news. But it's a start.
And if America's leaders were to do the same thing -- say, close San Onofre, Diablo Canyon, and Indian Point's reactors immediately -- THAT would be even bigger news! And an even better start.
As with the Hamaoka reactors in Japan, there is plenty of criticism that America's faulty nuke plants can't survive much of anything; that the populations around them cannot be evacuated; that the safety records speak for themselves and cry out for closure.
But this is good news, and we need all the good news we can get!
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
=======================
7. Kan Orders Operations Halt at Chubu Plant
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052748703992704576306692795339376.html
By HIROYUKI KACHI May 6, 2011
TOKYOJapanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday submitted a formal request for a halt to all electricity production at Chubu Electric Power Co.'s Hamaoka nuclear power plant in the central Chubu region due to concerns about the plant's preparedness for a major earthquake.
The move immediately affects the No. 4 and 5 units, which are currently operating with an output of around 2,500 megawatts. In addition, it cancels the potential resumption of electricity production at the No. 3 unit, which has a capacity of 1,100 megawatts and is currently on a planned maintenance outage.
In announcing the shutdown, Mr. Kan noted that the Science Ministry estimates an 87% chance of a massive magnitude 8 earthquake in the region over the next 30 years.
"I have requested Chubu Electric to suspend operation of all nuclear reactors at Hamaoka. The reason for this is for the safety of the Japanese people," Mr. Kan said in a televised news conference.
He said the shutdowns would be in effect until appropriate safety measures can be taken, but gave no time frame. [ . . . ]
=====================
8. D y i n g f o r T E P C O (Part 1)
http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/viewD ... ID=1043397
By Paul Jobin, Asia Times Online, 4 May 2011
While Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) experiences difficulties in recruiting workers willing to go to Fukushima to clean up the damaged reactors, the World Health Organization (WHO) is planning to conduct an epidemiological survey on the catastrophe. This is the first of two reports offering a worker-centered analysis of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
In the titanic struggle to bring to closure the dangerous situation at Fukushima Nuclear Plant No1, there are many signs that TEPCO is facing great difficulties in finding workers. At present, there are nearly 700 people at the site. As in ordinary times, workers rotate so as to limit the cumulative dose of radiation inherent in maintenance and cleanup work at the nuclear site. But this time, the risks are greater, and the method of
recruitment unusual. [ . . . ]
==========================
9. Front line at Fukushima (Part 2)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/ME05Dh01.html
Anne Roy interviews Paul Jobin, Asia Times Online, 5 May 2011
This interview concludes a two-part account of the use of contract workers in the Japanese nuclear power industry and particularly at the Fukushima power plant largely destroyed by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
(See Part 1: Dying for TEPCO, Asia Times Online, May 04, 2011.)
A specialist on Japan, sociologist Paul Jobin offers us his analysis at a moment when workers are attempting to get a hold on the situation at Fukushima.
We read that they are sleeping on the hard soil, that they have only two meals per day, and are rationed in drinking water. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and its subcontractors allow little information to filter out concerning workers fighting on the front lines at the Fukushima power plant. Jobin knows these places well. In 2002, while doing research on sub-contractors in the nuclear industry, he interviewed
managers and temporary workers in that plant. He analyzes the current situation in the light of this experience. [ . . . ]
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10. Disastrous pattern of academic-government collusion must not be allowed to continue
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/perspectives/news/
20110506p2a00m0na003000c.html
By Kensei Fukuoka, Kyushu News Department, Mainichi Daily News, May 7, 2011
I am struck with a sense of deja vu as the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant continues. National policy founded on a thirst for economic growth that has put the interests of industry first, and actions taken by politicians who have only lent their ears to experts whose views support their goals, has caused much irreparable damage over the years. If this destructive chain of action is not stopped, we are bound to face further tragedy.
A group of 16 pro-nuclear scientists led by a former president of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan (AESJ) and former members of the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) of Japan held a press conference on April 1. In it, they said that the amount of radioactive material stored in the reactors at the Fukushima plant far exceeds that which was stored at Chernobyl, and that even if we are to avoid immediate dangers, the Fukushima plant would require close monitoring for many years to come.
These remarks, which were coming not from anti-nuclear activists but from pro-nuclear experts, were evidence that nuclear energy proponents were finally acknowledging the seriousness of the current situation. [ . . . ]
=====================
11. Lessons from Chernobyl 25 years on
http://www.leadershiponline.co.za/articles/other/
1275-nuclear-dangers
Translated from the German by Christopher Sultan - Updated and adapted from an article in Der Spiegel) - May 3, 2011
On 26 April it was the 25th anniversary of the night-time explosion at the Soviet Union's Chernobyl nuclear power station. To this day it should serve as a warning that even the slightest risks associated with nuclear power developments will remain too high to tolerate.
Work on the new sarcophagus meant to contain Chernobyl's reactor 4 is a decade behind schedule. But significant problems will remain even once it is complete. For one, it is only meant to last for 100 years. For another, no one knows what to do with the vast quantities of radioactive waste left behind.
The world would probably be all too pleased to forget about Chernobyl and the surrounding villages, and with them all their problems: thousands of square kilometers of contaminated soil, radioactive seepage, the crumbling existing sarcophagus, all the past mistakes and the ongoing lack of funding. The global community has argued over the future of the contaminated area at four donor conferences since 1997. [ . . . ]
====================
12. SOUTH ASIANS AGAINST NUKES (SAAN)
An informal information platform for activists and scholars concerned about the dangers of Nuclearisation in South Asia
http://s-asians-against-nukes.org/
=====================
13. Nuclear Energy Policy - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_energy_policy
EXCERPT:
Following the March 2011 Fukushima I nuclear accidents, China, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, Malaysia, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the Philippines are reviewing their nuclear power programs. Indonesia and Vietnam still plan to build nuclear power plants.[1][2][3][4] Countries such as Australia, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, New Zealand, and Norway remain opposed to nuclear power. [ . . .]
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14. New foreign policy website launched
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=7819&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
May 5, 2011
Collaboration among civil society actors has been a key ingredient in numerous foreign policy achievements in Canada, including the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines and the coalition against missile defence.
A new online community has recently been launched in Canada to connect individuals and civil society organizations interested in international affairs and foreign policy.
verkko.ca
http://www.verkko.ca/?page=features#video
is a gathering place to exchange professional information, network, collaborate, and share information on issues relevant to international affairs.
The site is also a good place to be kept informed of upcoming events, job openings, news, blogs, and more.
Canadian defence policy, Canadian foreign policy, Verkko
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15. The Never-Ending War Machine
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24600
Global Research, May 4, 2011
Key Articles on The US-NATO Never-Ending War Machine
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16. Canada's Participation in the Global Arms Race
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=24544
Illusion of choice: Shared commitment to armament by all federal political parties by Kevin Afanasiff Global Research, April 29, 2011
Throughout Prime Minister Stephen Harper's term, Canada's current account balance has fallen from over +$18 billion in 2006, +$12 billion in 2007, and +$8 billion in 2008, to -$38 billion in 2009 and -$40 billion in 2010. With these figures, Canada slipped from being ranked 13th globally, to ranked 185th.
Considering the nation's financial position, budget cuts will obviously be required to get Canada back in the black, and to finance ongoing stimulus measures intended to promote long term growth and profitability. Few federal political candidates, unfortunately, are directly addressing how they intend to balance the budget. None are addressing rising military spending that is a growing drain on public finances.
Under Stephen Harper, Canada's military (National Defence) budget increased from $15 billion in 2005-2006 to $18 billion in 2008-2009. Another 9.7% increase is predicted for 2010-2011. The current 2010 Conservative budget projects continued annual growth in military spending beyond 2018. Increases in defence spending, however, began over a decade ago in 1999, and prior to 9/11 2001 that has been often used to justify increases. At least capping, if not actively decreasing military spending, is an absolute requirement for Canada to balance its international account. Doing so will provide billions of dollars year-on-year to reduce the national debt-load and to improve Canada's productivity and competitiveness. [ . . . ]
========================
17. F-35 costs to rise: Pentagon
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=7805
Tue, Apr 26, 2011
Two new Pentagon reports suggest that the purchase and operating costs for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be higher than originally projected (Murray Brewster, “F-35 service costs may be more than double Ottawa’s estimate,” Globe and Mail, 25 April 2011).
One report indicates (unsurprisingly) that the unit price of the F-35 will be higher than the $75 million that the government has long been insisting it will cost.
The other report suggests that the operating costs of the jets will also be much higher than earlier estimated:
An estimate by a Pentagon cost-analysis unit projects it will cost $915-billion to keep the U.S. fleet of 2,443 jets flying for 30 years.
The document, leaked to Bloomberg in Washington, forecasts a lifetime maintenance bill of roughly $375-million per aircraft.
Alan Williams, a former senior Canadian defence official, says the costs would be comparable for the 65 planes the Conservative government intends to purchase, starting in 2017.
Using the Pentagon numbers, the 65 planes would cost more than $24-billion to maintain over 30 years, well above Canadian government estimates.
The Conservative government has been insisting that the operating costs of the aircraft will be approximately $7 billion over the next 20 years. However, the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated 30-year operating costs of about $19.5 billion. (The expected lifetime of the aircraft is 30 years.)
The Conservatives, of course, deny that anything is amiss with the grand plan.
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18. Canada’s F-35s: Engines not included
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/
Canada+Engines+included/4629251/story.html
Government will be required to provide powerplant for stealth fighters, documents show
By DAVID PUGLIESE, The Ottawa Citizen April 17, 2011
- - - - -
QUOTE: "“The search and rescue aircraft are a casualty, so instead we’ll get some supersonic stealth fighter trying to find hikers lost in the woods.”" - Steven Staples, Pres., Rideau Institute
- - - - -
The multi-million dollar F-35 stealth fighter that the Conservatives want to purchase comes with all the accoutrements of a high-tech aircraft — everything, that is, except an engine.
The government will be required to provide engines for the 65 planes to be delivered by U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin, according to newly released Defence Department documents.
The proposed F-35 purchase, estimated to cost between $14 billion and $29 billion depending on what figures are used, has been controversial. Opposition parties are calling for a review or cancellation of the program, while the Tories have made it a key part of their defence policy.
The DND documents, which outline answers to questions about the F-35, also note that the stealth fighter could be used in a secondary role for search-and-rescue.
The records, obtained through the Access to Information law by peace activist Tamara Lorincz, are from a series of meetings last fall when defence bureaucrats and military officers toured the country to promote the F-35 deal.
“Engines are provided as gov’t furnished equipment,” noted the documents.
The term “government furnished equipment” signifies that the engines are being provided separately by Canada.
It is unclear how much extra the engines will cost or whether there would be additional costs for installing the power plants into the fighters.
In an e-mail late Friday, DND stated that Canada is purchasing the least costly variant of the F-35.
But DND did not provide an explanation about why the government is required to provide the engines.
It also did not provide any details on the price tag of the engines or the cost to install them.
But the e-mail suggested the cost of the engines is included in the overall price.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has labelled the F-35 as a good deal for Canada and notes that the aircraft will cost around $75 million per plane.
The Conservatives say the entire purchase will cost around $14 billion but a report from Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page puts the number at $29 billion.
The Government Accountability Office, the U.S government’s equivalent of the auditor general, has also warned about serious ongoing problems with the aircraft and rising costs. Mike Sullivan, a senior official with the Government Accountability Office, estimates that the F-35 model that Canada is buying will cost between $110 to $115 million.
U.S. defence specialist Winslow Wheeler, who has also raised concerns about the F-35, has warned that the extra cost of an engine could boost the price of an aircraft for Canada to around $148 million. [ . . . ]
=====================
19. The Media War on Libya: Justifying War through Lies and Fabrications
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24566
By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya
Global Research, May 2, 2011
The War on Libya - PART II
In the first part of this text , the events that led to the conditions that set the backdrop for the present conflict in Libya were discussed.
The present text examines the events which were conducive to the NATO-led war on Libya. Media distortion and misinformation have played a major role in opening the door to war in North Africa. The media has done nothing less than create a justification for war through a series of lies.
Libya and the Imperial Re-Division of Africa
The Imperialist Powers' Odyssey of “Return” into Africa - by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya - 2011-04-26
1. EVENT: Roundtable: Nuclear Threats to the Great Lakes and Transition to Clean Safe Energy – International Roundtable
2. FINAL COMMENTS: Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project
3. WATCH: Shawn-Patrick Stensil: Ontario's Nuclear Future
4. No Nukes News - May 6, 2011
5. (Michigan) Citizen Watchdogs Accuse Entergy Nuclear and NRC of Breaking Safety Promises at Palisades Atomic Reactor
6. HOFFMAN: Scratch three more nuke plants. The easy way (See #7 below)
7. Kan Orders Operations Halt at Chubu Plant
8. D y i n g f o r T E P C O (Part 1)
9. Front line at Fukushima (Part 2)
10. Disastrous pattern of academic-government collusion must not be allowed to continue
11. Lessons from Chernobyl 25 years on
12. SOUTH ASIANS AGAINST NUKES (SAAN)
13. Nuclear Energy Policy – Wikipedia
14. New foreign policy website launched
15. The Never-Ending War Machine
16. Canada's Participation in the Global Arms Race
17. F-35 costs to rise: Pentagon
18. Canada’s F-35s: Engines not included
19. The Media War on Libya: Justifying War through Lies and Fabrications
=======================
1. EVENT: Roundtable: Nuclear Threats to the Great Lakes and Transition to Clean Safe Energy – International Roundtable
Saturday, May 14, 9 am - 5 pm
Henry Ford Community College, Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME) Bldg., 5101 Evergreen Rd. Dearborn, Michigan
Scheduled speakers:
Dr. Gordon Edwards - President of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility - to address the radioactive contamination of the Earth and its Waters - accidental or deliberate?
Brennain Lloyd - Community organizer with Northwatch, who has worked for more than two decades on nuclear waste issues in Canada, including those at the Bruce nuclear complex on Lake Huron speaking on the risks of a proposed deep underground radioactive dump by Lake Huron.
Michael Keegan - Co Chair of Don’t Waste Michigan & Chair of Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes on why we should oppose a proposed new reactor at Monroe and the 20-year re-license for Davis-Besse near Toledo.
Kevin Kamps - Radioactive Waste Watchdog from Beyond Nuclear to discuss reactor waste policy in the Great Lakes and nationally.
Greg Laskowsky - Henry Ford Community College, Lead Instructor, Energy Technology - Energy & Technology Department will discuss the renewable energy options available.
Kathleen Law - Former Michigan legislator who introduced the first German style renewable energy bill in North America and since adopted by Ontario
Victor McManemy - Great Lakes songwriter, troubadour, historian, musician and advocate for Indigenous Peoples
Sponsored by Sierra Club - S.E. Michigan Group, Sierra Club of Canada, Ohio Sierra Club Nuclear Issues Committee, and Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination
For info, Ed McArdle 313-388-6645 / ecoguy2@netzero.net - or Kay Cumbow 810-346-4513 at kcumbow@greatlakes.net
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2. REQUEST FOR FINAL COMMENTS: Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project - Deadline May 17, 2011
- - - -
For further information, see the REVISED Procedure for Written Final Comments (April 8, 2011) at
http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/
document-eng.cfm?document=49510.
Submissions must conform to the procedures to be accepted by the Panel.
- - - - -
Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project Joint Review Panel
April 8, 2011 - REVISED Procedure for Written Final Comments
In its statement of decision on procedural and preliminary matters, the Joint Review Panel committed to providing hearing participants the opportunity to submit written final comments. Hearing participants will have 20 days notice to submit written final comments to the Panel. A notice advising hearing participants of the exact due date for receipt of final comments will be provided by the Panel at the appropriate time. Final comments that do not meet the submission deadline will not be accepted.
Written final comments will be accepted from any individual, organization or Aboriginal group that has participated in the hearing:
• as a government participant (federal or provincial),
• as an intervenor (by way of providing a written submission only or by way of providing a written submission followed by an oral presentation at the public hearing), or
• by providing an oral statement to the Joint Review Panel at the public hearing.
The provision of written final comments is at the discretion of the hearing participant and is not required from any party.
Written final comments are to briefly (maximum of 10,000 words) summarize the position and/or the opinions of the participant on the proposed Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant project and any aspect of the review, and to provide support for this position based on information that has already been presented to the Joint Review Panel. New information may not be presented in the final comment submission.
Written final comments will also be accepted from the proponent, Ontario Power Generation. Ontario Power will have 25 days notice to submit its written final comments to the Panel.
Please send written final comments by email, fax or in print by any means to:
Panel Secretariat
Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project Joint Review Panel
280 Slater Street
PO Box 1046, Station B, Ottawa ON K1P 5S9
Fax: 613-995-5086
JRP-OPG-Darlington@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
Contact Julie Bouchard, Tribunal Administrator at 1-800-668-5284 or 613-995-1703
====================
3. WATCH: Shawn-Patrick Stensil: Ontario's Nuclear Future
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WgGhs7H ... ture=share
Uploaded by AgendaStevePaikin on Apr 26, 2011
Greenpeace wants nuclear power out of Ontario's energy mix. Greenpeace nuclear analyst Shawn-Patrick Stensil sits down with Steve Paikin to explain why.
===================
4. No Nukes News - May 6, 2011
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
----------------------------------------------------------------
WATCH: Ontario's Nuclear Future
16 min. video interview. Greenpeace nuclear analyst Shawn-Patrick Stensil sits down with Steve Paikin to explain why Greenpeace wants nuclear power out of Ontario's energy mix.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WgGhs7H ... ture=share
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The Darlington Declaration: I Choose Green Energy
Please lend your voice to those who support a green energy future. Please endorse the Darlington Declaration and share with your friends.
http://stopdarlington.org/declaration/
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Nuclear Power in a Post-Fukushima World, By Amory B. LovinsWhile wind energy and solar power boom, nuclear power and coal-plant orders wither. Their cost and risk dissuade investors.
http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=11423
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Radioactivity level in contaminated seawater approaches record high
The level of radioactivity from contaminated water that leaked into the sea from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is close to the highest levels ever recorded.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104230223.html
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Dying for TEPCO? Fukushima’s Nuclear Contract Workers
http://www.japanfocus.org/-Paul-Jobin/3523
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Lessons from Chernobyl 25 years on
http://www.leadershiponline.co.za/articles/other/
1275-nuclear-dangers
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Watch my presentation to the Darlington Joint Panel Review explaining OCAA’s opposition to new reactors
11 min. video
http://ontariosgreenfuture.ca/
Or read the transcript here - Pg. 231-240:
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/pdfs/
jrp/cnsc-jrp-transcript-31-03-11-volume10.pdf
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Alta. oil pipeline leaked 28,000 barrels
Emergency crews working to clean up massive oil spill from northeast of Peace River
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/
2011/05/03/edmonton-pipeline-leak-alberta.html
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Truth Comes out on 'Fracking' Toxins
Who finally tells us the nasty chemicals used for shale gas drilling in Western Canada? The US Congress. By Andrew Nikiforuk
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2011/04/20/FrackingToxins/
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After the Apocalypse
Fri. May 6, 7:15 p.m., the Cumberland, Toronto
Sat. May 7, 7 p.m., Innis Town Hall, Toronto
One in 20 children born to women living near a Russian nuclear-weapon testing site in Kazakhstan has birth defects. As a prominent doctor plans to introduce “genetic passports,” two mothers fight for the right to keep their unborn children.
http://www.hotdocs.ca/
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Chornobyl 25 - Lessons for the Future
Sat. May 7th
Hospital For Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Daniels Hollywood Theatre, Toronto
8:00-8:30 Registration
8:30-9:00 Welcome
9:00- 10:30 Chornobyl: The Political and Social Aftermath
10:45 - 12:30 Energy: Quo Vadis?
13:15 - 15:00 Health effects
15:15 -17:00 Disaster Management & Emergency Preparedness
Sponsored by U of T Faculty of Medicine Chornobyl Project
The conference is free of charge but registration is necessary. RSVP 416 813 5278
For remote participation in English or Ukrainian via WFUMA’s web-system please register:
English:
http://mt202.centra.com/Reg/main/
0000007050996c012eb93b2f6a007ed8/en_US
Ukrainian:
http://mt202.centra.com/Reg/main/
0000001d3a7140012f5e71a52f007e62/en_US
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Mining Injustice Conference 2011 : Confronting Corporate Impunity
May 6 – 8
Sidney Smith Hall, U of T, 100 St. George Street, room 2117, Toronto
Winona LaDuke speaking Sat. 1:15 p.m.
Workshop on Disrupting the Uranium Supply Chain on Sat. 2:15 p.m.
http://www.facebook.com/
group.php?gid=48852021264&ref=ts#!/event.php?eid=208042585891073
http://www.solidarityresponse.net/
http://www.solidarityresponse.net/
mining-injustice-conference/conference-agenda-2011/
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Sign the Petition Calling for a Moratorium on New Nuclear Projects in ON
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/petition2.php
And order FREE anti-nuclear and anti-coal leaflets
They contain postcards to politicians. Courtesy of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
http://www.cleanairalliance.org/get_inv ... _pamphlets
Thanks…
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Angela Bischoff, Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Tel: 416 260-2080 x 1
160 John St., #300, Toronto, ON M5V 2E5
angela@cleanairalliance.org
www.cleanairalliance.org
www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca
No Nukes News
Health Power
Coal Must Go
Sign our Petition
Facebook – Ontario Clean Air Alliance
=====================
5. (Michigan) Citizen Watchdogs Accuse Entergy Nuclear and NRC of Breaking Safety Promises at Palisades Atomic Reactor
http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/scie ... ronmental/
24069-citizen-watchdogs-accuse-entergy-nuclear-and-nrc-of-breaking-safety-promises-at-palisades-atomic-reactor-.html
For Immediate Release, May 5, 2011
Contacts:
Kevin Kamps, Beyond Nuclear, (240) 462-3216
Alice Hirt, Don’t Waste Michigan, Holland, (616) 218-6511
Kathy Barnes, Don’t Waste Michigan, Sherwood, (517) 677-8312
Terry Lodge, Attorney, (419) 205-7084
Michael Keegan, Don’t Waste Michigan, Monroe, (734) 770-1441
Reactor and Radioactive Waste Risks Cited in Light of Chernobyl and Fukushima
South Haven, Michigan—At today’s U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) annual meeting on the performance of the Palisades atomic reactor, Beyond Nuclear and Don’t Waste Michigan will charge that Entergy Nuclear has indefinitely postponed several major safety repairs, putting the region at severe risk.
The anti-nuclear watchdogs will also assert that Palisades’ high-level radioactive waste storage facilities remain at serious risk of releasing their deadly contents into the environment, including Lake Michigan. The NRC meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at Lake Michigan College, 125 Veterans Blvd., South Haven, Michigan 49090. Palisades is located on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Covert, Michigan, about five miles south of South Haven.
Degradation of the Reactor Vessel
On March 24th, the 44 year old Palisades nuclear power plant began its 20 year license extension. Palisades received license extension approval from NRC in 2007. Don’t Waste Michigan, the statewide anti-nuclear watchdog coalition, led the resistance to the extension from 2005 to 2007, citing major safety concerns such as severe embrittlement of the pressure vessel. Pressurized thermal shock (PTS) could lead to a loss of coolant accident in the reactor core: upon activation of the emergency core cooling system, the vessel, made brittle by four decades of neutron radiation, could rupture like a hot glass held under cold water.
“Palisades first violated NRC’s pressurized thermal shock regulations in 1981, just ten years into operations,” said Michael Keegan of Coalition for a Nuclear-Free Great Lakes in Monroe. “Rather than deal with its embrittlement or else shut down, Palisades has instead successfully pressured NRC to weaken the safety regulations time and again in order to allow it to keep operating, despite the risks,” he added. [ . . . ]
====================
6. HOFFMAN: Scratch three more nuke plants. The easy way (See #7 below)
From: "Ace Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 11:47 AM
Dear Readers,
Japan's Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, has called for closing the Chuba Electric Power Company's Hamaoka reactor site. So scratch three more nuclear power plants. The easy way.
And if Japan didn't have about 45 other nuke plants still operating, this would be bigger and better news. But it's a start.
And if America's leaders were to do the same thing -- say, close San Onofre, Diablo Canyon, and Indian Point's reactors immediately -- THAT would be even bigger news! And an even better start.
As with the Hamaoka reactors in Japan, there is plenty of criticism that America's faulty nuke plants can't survive much of anything; that the populations around them cannot be evacuated; that the safety records speak for themselves and cry out for closure.
But this is good news, and we need all the good news we can get!
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
=======================
7. Kan Orders Operations Halt at Chubu Plant
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052748703992704576306692795339376.html
By HIROYUKI KACHI May 6, 2011
TOKYOJapanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Friday submitted a formal request for a halt to all electricity production at Chubu Electric Power Co.'s Hamaoka nuclear power plant in the central Chubu region due to concerns about the plant's preparedness for a major earthquake.
The move immediately affects the No. 4 and 5 units, which are currently operating with an output of around 2,500 megawatts. In addition, it cancels the potential resumption of electricity production at the No. 3 unit, which has a capacity of 1,100 megawatts and is currently on a planned maintenance outage.
In announcing the shutdown, Mr. Kan noted that the Science Ministry estimates an 87% chance of a massive magnitude 8 earthquake in the region over the next 30 years.
"I have requested Chubu Electric to suspend operation of all nuclear reactors at Hamaoka. The reason for this is for the safety of the Japanese people," Mr. Kan said in a televised news conference.
He said the shutdowns would be in effect until appropriate safety measures can be taken, but gave no time frame. [ . . . ]
=====================
8. D y i n g f o r T E P C O (Part 1)
http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/viewD ... ID=1043397
By Paul Jobin, Asia Times Online, 4 May 2011
While Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) experiences difficulties in recruiting workers willing to go to Fukushima to clean up the damaged reactors, the World Health Organization (WHO) is planning to conduct an epidemiological survey on the catastrophe. This is the first of two reports offering a worker-centered analysis of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
In the titanic struggle to bring to closure the dangerous situation at Fukushima Nuclear Plant No1, there are many signs that TEPCO is facing great difficulties in finding workers. At present, there are nearly 700 people at the site. As in ordinary times, workers rotate so as to limit the cumulative dose of radiation inherent in maintenance and cleanup work at the nuclear site. But this time, the risks are greater, and the method of
recruitment unusual. [ . . . ]
==========================
9. Front line at Fukushima (Part 2)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/ME05Dh01.html
Anne Roy interviews Paul Jobin, Asia Times Online, 5 May 2011
This interview concludes a two-part account of the use of contract workers in the Japanese nuclear power industry and particularly at the Fukushima power plant largely destroyed by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
(See Part 1: Dying for TEPCO, Asia Times Online, May 04, 2011.)
A specialist on Japan, sociologist Paul Jobin offers us his analysis at a moment when workers are attempting to get a hold on the situation at Fukushima.
We read that they are sleeping on the hard soil, that they have only two meals per day, and are rationed in drinking water. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and its subcontractors allow little information to filter out concerning workers fighting on the front lines at the Fukushima power plant. Jobin knows these places well. In 2002, while doing research on sub-contractors in the nuclear industry, he interviewed
managers and temporary workers in that plant. He analyzes the current situation in the light of this experience. [ . . . ]
=====================
10. Disastrous pattern of academic-government collusion must not be allowed to continue
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/perspectives/news/
20110506p2a00m0na003000c.html
By Kensei Fukuoka, Kyushu News Department, Mainichi Daily News, May 7, 2011
I am struck with a sense of deja vu as the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant continues. National policy founded on a thirst for economic growth that has put the interests of industry first, and actions taken by politicians who have only lent their ears to experts whose views support their goals, has caused much irreparable damage over the years. If this destructive chain of action is not stopped, we are bound to face further tragedy.
A group of 16 pro-nuclear scientists led by a former president of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan (AESJ) and former members of the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) of Japan held a press conference on April 1. In it, they said that the amount of radioactive material stored in the reactors at the Fukushima plant far exceeds that which was stored at Chernobyl, and that even if we are to avoid immediate dangers, the Fukushima plant would require close monitoring for many years to come.
These remarks, which were coming not from anti-nuclear activists but from pro-nuclear experts, were evidence that nuclear energy proponents were finally acknowledging the seriousness of the current situation. [ . . . ]
=====================
11. Lessons from Chernobyl 25 years on
http://www.leadershiponline.co.za/articles/other/
1275-nuclear-dangers
Translated from the German by Christopher Sultan - Updated and adapted from an article in Der Spiegel) - May 3, 2011
On 26 April it was the 25th anniversary of the night-time explosion at the Soviet Union's Chernobyl nuclear power station. To this day it should serve as a warning that even the slightest risks associated with nuclear power developments will remain too high to tolerate.
Work on the new sarcophagus meant to contain Chernobyl's reactor 4 is a decade behind schedule. But significant problems will remain even once it is complete. For one, it is only meant to last for 100 years. For another, no one knows what to do with the vast quantities of radioactive waste left behind.
The world would probably be all too pleased to forget about Chernobyl and the surrounding villages, and with them all their problems: thousands of square kilometers of contaminated soil, radioactive seepage, the crumbling existing sarcophagus, all the past mistakes and the ongoing lack of funding. The global community has argued over the future of the contaminated area at four donor conferences since 1997. [ . . . ]
====================
12. SOUTH ASIANS AGAINST NUKES (SAAN)
An informal information platform for activists and scholars concerned about the dangers of Nuclearisation in South Asia
http://s-asians-against-nukes.org/
=====================
13. Nuclear Energy Policy - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_energy_policy
EXCERPT:
Following the March 2011 Fukushima I nuclear accidents, China, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, Malaysia, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the Philippines are reviewing their nuclear power programs. Indonesia and Vietnam still plan to build nuclear power plants.[1][2][3][4] Countries such as Australia, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, New Zealand, and Norway remain opposed to nuclear power. [ . . .]
======================
14. New foreign policy website launched
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=7819&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
May 5, 2011
Collaboration among civil society actors has been a key ingredient in numerous foreign policy achievements in Canada, including the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines and the coalition against missile defence.
A new online community has recently been launched in Canada to connect individuals and civil society organizations interested in international affairs and foreign policy.
verkko.ca
http://www.verkko.ca/?page=features#video
is a gathering place to exchange professional information, network, collaborate, and share information on issues relevant to international affairs.
The site is also a good place to be kept informed of upcoming events, job openings, news, blogs, and more.
Canadian defence policy, Canadian foreign policy, Verkko
======================
15. The Never-Ending War Machine
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24600
Global Research, May 4, 2011
Key Articles on The US-NATO Never-Ending War Machine
======================
16. Canada's Participation in the Global Arms Race
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=24544
Illusion of choice: Shared commitment to armament by all federal political parties by Kevin Afanasiff Global Research, April 29, 2011
Throughout Prime Minister Stephen Harper's term, Canada's current account balance has fallen from over +$18 billion in 2006, +$12 billion in 2007, and +$8 billion in 2008, to -$38 billion in 2009 and -$40 billion in 2010. With these figures, Canada slipped from being ranked 13th globally, to ranked 185th.
Considering the nation's financial position, budget cuts will obviously be required to get Canada back in the black, and to finance ongoing stimulus measures intended to promote long term growth and profitability. Few federal political candidates, unfortunately, are directly addressing how they intend to balance the budget. None are addressing rising military spending that is a growing drain on public finances.
Under Stephen Harper, Canada's military (National Defence) budget increased from $15 billion in 2005-2006 to $18 billion in 2008-2009. Another 9.7% increase is predicted for 2010-2011. The current 2010 Conservative budget projects continued annual growth in military spending beyond 2018. Increases in defence spending, however, began over a decade ago in 1999, and prior to 9/11 2001 that has been often used to justify increases. At least capping, if not actively decreasing military spending, is an absolute requirement for Canada to balance its international account. Doing so will provide billions of dollars year-on-year to reduce the national debt-load and to improve Canada's productivity and competitiveness. [ . . . ]
========================
17. F-35 costs to rise: Pentagon
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=7805
Tue, Apr 26, 2011
Two new Pentagon reports suggest that the purchase and operating costs for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be higher than originally projected (Murray Brewster, “F-35 service costs may be more than double Ottawa’s estimate,” Globe and Mail, 25 April 2011).
One report indicates (unsurprisingly) that the unit price of the F-35 will be higher than the $75 million that the government has long been insisting it will cost.
The other report suggests that the operating costs of the jets will also be much higher than earlier estimated:
An estimate by a Pentagon cost-analysis unit projects it will cost $915-billion to keep the U.S. fleet of 2,443 jets flying for 30 years.
The document, leaked to Bloomberg in Washington, forecasts a lifetime maintenance bill of roughly $375-million per aircraft.
Alan Williams, a former senior Canadian defence official, says the costs would be comparable for the 65 planes the Conservative government intends to purchase, starting in 2017.
Using the Pentagon numbers, the 65 planes would cost more than $24-billion to maintain over 30 years, well above Canadian government estimates.
The Conservative government has been insisting that the operating costs of the aircraft will be approximately $7 billion over the next 20 years. However, the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated 30-year operating costs of about $19.5 billion. (The expected lifetime of the aircraft is 30 years.)
The Conservatives, of course, deny that anything is amiss with the grand plan.
=====================
18. Canada’s F-35s: Engines not included
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/
Canada+Engines+included/4629251/story.html
Government will be required to provide powerplant for stealth fighters, documents show
By DAVID PUGLIESE, The Ottawa Citizen April 17, 2011
- - - - -
QUOTE: "“The search and rescue aircraft are a casualty, so instead we’ll get some supersonic stealth fighter trying to find hikers lost in the woods.”" - Steven Staples, Pres., Rideau Institute
- - - - -
The multi-million dollar F-35 stealth fighter that the Conservatives want to purchase comes with all the accoutrements of a high-tech aircraft — everything, that is, except an engine.
The government will be required to provide engines for the 65 planes to be delivered by U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin, according to newly released Defence Department documents.
The proposed F-35 purchase, estimated to cost between $14 billion and $29 billion depending on what figures are used, has been controversial. Opposition parties are calling for a review or cancellation of the program, while the Tories have made it a key part of their defence policy.
The DND documents, which outline answers to questions about the F-35, also note that the stealth fighter could be used in a secondary role for search-and-rescue.
The records, obtained through the Access to Information law by peace activist Tamara Lorincz, are from a series of meetings last fall when defence bureaucrats and military officers toured the country to promote the F-35 deal.
“Engines are provided as gov’t furnished equipment,” noted the documents.
The term “government furnished equipment” signifies that the engines are being provided separately by Canada.
It is unclear how much extra the engines will cost or whether there would be additional costs for installing the power plants into the fighters.
In an e-mail late Friday, DND stated that Canada is purchasing the least costly variant of the F-35.
But DND did not provide an explanation about why the government is required to provide the engines.
It also did not provide any details on the price tag of the engines or the cost to install them.
But the e-mail suggested the cost of the engines is included in the overall price.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has labelled the F-35 as a good deal for Canada and notes that the aircraft will cost around $75 million per plane.
The Conservatives say the entire purchase will cost around $14 billion but a report from Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page puts the number at $29 billion.
The Government Accountability Office, the U.S government’s equivalent of the auditor general, has also warned about serious ongoing problems with the aircraft and rising costs. Mike Sullivan, a senior official with the Government Accountability Office, estimates that the F-35 model that Canada is buying will cost between $110 to $115 million.
U.S. defence specialist Winslow Wheeler, who has also raised concerns about the F-35, has warned that the extra cost of an engine could boost the price of an aircraft for Canada to around $148 million. [ . . . ]
=====================
19. The Media War on Libya: Justifying War through Lies and Fabrications
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=24566
By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya
Global Research, May 2, 2011
The War on Libya - PART II
In the first part of this text , the events that led to the conditions that set the backdrop for the present conflict in Libya were discussed.
The present text examines the events which were conducive to the NATO-led war on Libya. Media distortion and misinformation have played a major role in opening the door to war in North Africa. The media has done nothing less than create a justification for war through a series of lies.
Libya and the Imperial Re-Division of Africa
The Imperialist Powers' Odyssey of “Return” into Africa - by Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya - 2011-04-26
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
NUKE NEWS: June 3, 2011
by Oscar » Fri Jun 03, 2011 4:22 pm
NUKE NEWS: June 3, 2011
1. Port Hope, Ontario reaps uranium’s rewards and risks
2. A setback, not a meltdown
3. GERMANY - various
4. The World Nuclear Association - 36th Annual Symposium
5. Military Escalation: "Phase Two" of the War on Libya
6. Millions fewer girls born due to nuclear radiation?
7. Cellphone radiation may cause cancer, advisory panel says.
8. JAPAN - various
9. The Canadian Security and Intelligence Service
10. Canadian fighter jets have dropped 240 bombs over Libya in 324 flights.
11. HOFFMAN - various
===============
1. Port Hope, Ontario reaps uranium’s rewards and risks
http://business.financialpost.com/2011/06/02/
port-hope-ontario-reaps-uranium%E2%80%99s-rewards-and-risks/
Reuters Jun 2, 2011 4:32 PM ET By Julie Gordon
PORT HOPE, Ontario The lakeside town of Port Hope, Ontario, encompasses both the promise and the dark side of the nuclear industry, booming with the sector, yet saddled with contamination from when it helped build the bomb.
The town, some 110 kilometers (70 miles) from Ontario’s capital Toronto, is home to the world¹s longest running facility to process nuclear fuel, a massive white eyesore that towers over the sailboats bobbing in its tranquil harbour.
The plant was built in the 1930s to refine radium. It was converted to a uranium facility in 1942 as Canada helped the United States to build an atomic bomb, and now converts uranium for nuclear fuel.
- - - SNIP - - -
The nuclear power sector boomed on the prospect of soaring Chinese and Indian demand, only to crash as Japan’s earthquake brought the potential nuclear problems home.
”There’s still a lot of emotion,” Cameco Chief Executive Jerry Grandey told Reuters.
Referring to the Japan¹s earthquake stricken nuclear plant, he added: “I think it will take some time to work through Fukushima.”
Cameco, which mines and processes uranium, was a big winner in the buzz around a renaissance that could bring dozens of new reactors online around the world in the next decade. Its shares more than doubled from the beginning of 2009 to February [ . . . ]
= = = = =
2. A setback, not a meltdown
http://www.leaderpost.com/news/
setback%20meltdown/4865495/story.html?id=4865495
THE LEADER-POST MAY 31, 2011
Shocking is not too strong a word to describe the news that Germany plans to pull the plug on its nuclear power industry.
Europe's leading economy, reliant on nuclear power for almost a quarter of its electricity, says it will close all nuclear plants by 2022 and make up the shortfall by generating more green power and encouraging energy efficiency.
Monday's announcement came just days after Switzerland said it would, by 2034, close the five nuclear power plants that supply about 40 per cent of the country's electricity.
The moves follow reviews and debate in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that seriously damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan in March.
The Japanese disaster sparked public protests against the use of nuclear power in Germany and Switzerland.
These apparent setbacks for nuclear power are of particular interest to Saskatchewan, which produces 20 per cent of the world's uranium. Though the provincial government in 2009 ruled out building a nuclear power plant here because of the high cost involved, it is moving ahead with a $30-million nuclear medicine and research centre at the University of Saskatchewan.
SaskPower minister Rob Norris said the Japanese incident left the province with an "obligation" to do more research on the science and safety of nuclear power. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
3. GERMANY
Excellent News Clips: Germany's no-nuke decision and Implications – June 1, 2011
Excellent coverage on CTV News Channel (May 30 2011) of the German Government's decision to eliminate nuclear power by 2022, and implications for Canada and the world.
Please watch these linked videos and spread them around! I am just one of several that are interviewed on the subject.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/201105 ... 22-110530/
Gordon Edwards
- - - - - -
German government decides to shut down all nuclear power plants by 2022
http://www.thestar.com/business/markets/article/
999653--german-government-decides-to-shut-down-all-nuclear-power-plants-by-2022
May 30, 2011 Josh Rubin
Germany¹s decision to abandon nuclear power by 2022 could drive the already-sinking price of uranium even lower in the short term, but the energy needs of emerging economies such as China and India mean the long-term prospects for the nuclear industry are still very solid, according to analysts and the head of Saskatchewan-based Cameco Corp., the world’s largest uranium miner.
Monday, Germany announced it will phase out its 17 nuclear plants, with the last one expected to shut down by 2022. The decision comes in the wake of the partial meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear reactor after Japan’s earthquake and tsunami earlier this spring.
Cameco CEO Jerry Grandey says Germany¹s announcement was driven strictly by what he called “schizophrenic” politics. In her 2009 re-election campaign, German chancellor Angela Merkel had promised to extend the life of the country’s nuclear reactors.
“I don’t foresee any scenario where the politics of Germany - because that’s what this is - spread, because other countries don’t have the luxury of being stupid about it,” said Grandey, whose company is the largest publicly-traded uranium miner in the world. Cameco’s McArthur River mine in Saskatchewan is the world’s largest uranium mine.
In order to meet its own electricity needs, Grandey says Germany will in all likelihood need to import it from neighbouring countries who generate it using nuclear power.
[ . . . ]
- - - - - -
German nuclear cull to add 40 million tonnes CO2 per year. Germany's plan to shut all its nuclear power plants by 2022 will add up to 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually as the country turns to fossil fuels, analysts said on Tuesday. Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/31/
us-german-nuclear-carbon-idUSTRE74U2Y220110531
- - - - -
Nuclear power in Germany: The reasons behind Chancellor Merkel's U-turn.
In a decade, one of the world's biggest economies will have switched off the power stations that currently supply just under a quarter of its needs. What will take up the slack? Those who applaud the move say renewable energy, much of it from wind farms. More sceptical voices say it will mean renewed life for coal-fired power stations. BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13595171
- - - - -
German government wants nuclear exit by 2022 at latest.
Germany will shut all its nuclear reactors by 2022, parties in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government agreed on Monday, in a reaction to Japan's Fukushima disaster that marks a drastic policy reversal. Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/30/
us-germany-nuclear-idUSTRE74Q2P120110530
= = = = = =
4. The World Nuclear Association - 36th Annual Symposium
14-16 September 2011
at the Central Hall Westminster, London.
The Future of Nuclear Power: Now It’s Down to Us
http://www.wna-symposium.org/
As WNA membership has grown to encompass almost every enterprise in the global nuclear industry, the Annual WNA Symposium has established itself as the industry’s premier international meeting, attracting an attendance of over 500 leaders and specialists from more than 25 countries. The Symposium is also drawing increased attention from non-industry professionals who recognize nuclear power’s central importance in securing our world’s energy and environmental future.
The 2011 Symposium‘s theme will be “The Future of Nuclear Power: Now It’s Down to Us”.
= = = = = =
5. Military Escalation: "Phase Two" of the War on Libya
By Prof. Michel Chossudovsky
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25081
Global Research, June 1, 2011
A new phase of the war is unfolding leading to a process of military escalation as well the eventual landing of US-NATO commandos on Libya's shores.
An unprecedented deployment of naval power in the Mediterranean is occurring.
The USS George H W Bush supercarrier, the most advanced vessel in the US naval arsenal, together with its strike and carrier group has entered the Mediterranean, to join up with the Sixth Fleet in Naples.
Aircraft supercarrier USS George H W Bush (CVN77) is the World's largest naval vessel: with "four-and-a-half acres of space on its flight deck, making it capable of housing 90 jets and helicopters. It is home to 5,500 crew". Equipped with sophisticated electronic warfare systems, it is the World's largest "mobile military base" (Manlio Dinucci, "Boots on the Ground": Sarkozy and Cameron Prepare to Land in Libya, Global Research, May 31, 2011).
The USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group was sent on its "maiden voyage" to the Sixth Fleet area of naval operations, namely the Mediterranean. It was "certified ready for combat operations" a month before the onset of the war on Libya. USS George H.W. Bush Strike Group Certified Combat Ready, February 21, 2011) [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
6. Millions fewer girls born due to nuclear radiation?
Nuclear radiation from bomb tests and power plant accidents causes slightly more boys than girls to be born, a new study suggests. While effects were seen to be regional for incidents on the ground, like Chernobyl, atmospheric blasts were found to affect birth rates on a global scale. National Geographic News
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/
110602-millions-fewer-girls-nuclear-radiation-births-science
= = = = = = =
7. Cellphone radiation may cause cancer, advisory panel says.
A World Health Organization panel has concluded that cellphones are “possibly carcinogenic,’’ putting the popular devices in the same category as certain dry cleaning chemicals and pesticides, as a potential threat to human health. New York Times [Registration Required]
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/
cellphone-radiation-may-cause-cancer-advisory-panel-says/
= = = = = = =
8. JAPAN
Multinational panel calls for tougher 'stress tests' of nuclear plant safety systems.
A group of nuclear power experts and former regulators from 11 nations, responding to Japan's nuclear disaster, is calling for "stress tests" on the world's reactors to determine their ability to withstand natural disasters that strike singly or in combination. ClimateWire
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/06/02/
02climatewire-multinational-panel-calls-for-tougher-stress-33984.html
- - - - - -
Scientists estimate radiation doses to wildlife near Fukushima.
The first assessment of the ecological consequences from the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station finds that wildlife near the stricken power plant may have received radiation doses that far exceed safe levels for sensitive species. Chemical & Engineering News
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/89/i23/8923scene.html
- - - - - -
Japan miscalculated tsunami threat, according to IAEA reports.Japan did not properly protect its nuclear plants against tsunami threats prior to the March 11 disaster that caused radiation to spew from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a preliminary report released Wednesday by international nuclear experts concluded. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/
fgw-japan-fukushima-report,0,90270.story
- - - - - - -
In Japan, a culture that promotes nuclear dependency.
A system of subsidies and dependency Japan created to expand nuclear power makes it difficult for the country to reverse course. New York Times [Registration Required]
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/world ... japan.html
- - - - - -
Fukushima risks Chernobyl ‘dead zone.’
Radioactive soil in pockets of areas near Japan’s crippled nuclear plant have reached the same level as Chernobyl, where a “dead zone” remains 25 years after the reactor in the former Soviet Union exploded. Bloomberg News
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-30/
japan-risks-chernobyl-like-dead-zone-as-fukushima-soil-radiation-soars.html
= = = = =
9. The Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) continued to provide US intelligence agencies with the names of Canadians and foreign nationals in Canada they suspect of having ties to terrorism-related activities and groups. The names often end up on US watch-lists and no-fly lists, blocking those people from entering or flying over the United States. According to US diplomatic cables newly released by Wikileaks, in some cases, CSIS has no concrete proof of its allegations.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/05/15/
rfa-macdonald-csis.html
= = = = =
10. In a defense department briefing, the Canadian Military revealed that Canadian fighter jets have dropped 240 bombs over Libya in 324 flights.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/
996944--military-releases-libya-bombing-stats
= = = = = =
11. HOFFMAN
Shut San Onofre video: 5/17/11 public hearing in San Clemente, California
May 26th, 2011
Dear Readers,
My new video is about 13 minutes long and called: Shut San Onofre Public Hearing San Clemente CA May 17, 2011:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggnMzVde9c0
This event was organized and arranged by Gary Headrick, San Clemente Green. Gary had asked the city council for the time because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a few weeks earlier, had only let about half the public speak at their last hearing -- their first post-Fukushima hearing on San Onofre -- which was a complete whitewash of the dangers and risks we face. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
New video: 9-year-old Ella says: "Please shut down the nuclear power plant."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7wNIcBRIOA
May 18th, 2011
Dear Readers,
Yesterday I videotaped the San Clemente (California) Common Council meeting, where activists were seeking support from the city for a resolution asking for the immediate closure and decommissioning of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, in light of all we've learned from the ongoing tragedy in Japan at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
SHUT DOWN SAN ONOFRE NOW! Petition, debate, video, hearing...
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/05/
shut-down-san-onofre-now-petition.html
May 16th, 2011
Dear Readers,
The San Clemente Common Council has placed the issue of the dangers presented by San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station on its agenda for tomorrow night (May 17th, 2011). San Clemente is the nearest city to the power plant. Citizens will be given about 8 minutes to make a formal presentation, then additional time for comments. Below is a link to a proposed resolution. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
Cancer, Deformities and Chronic Diseases: The Future Children of Fukushima
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/05/
cancer-deformities-and-chronic-diseases.html
May 3rd, 2011
Dear Readers,
Below is an absolutely stunning, powerful article by Joe Giambrone, published in CounterPunch today and forwarded to me by Tim Sietz in Canada, along with Tim's letter to Stephen Harper, newly-reelected Prime Minister of Canada. (Below)
The only thing I would change is I would change the word "bordering on" to "amounting to". See if you don't agree.
Also, a very useful interview from Fairewinds Associates, also just posted today.
- - - - - -
Cancer, Deformities and Chronic Diseases - The Future Children of Fukushima
http://www.counterpunch.org/giambrone05032011.html
By JOE GIAMBRONE May 3, 2011
"[A] woman in her fourth month of pregnancy was contaminated with 137Cs [radioactive cesium]… The concentration of 137Cs in the mother (0.91 kBq/kg bw) was similar to that in her newborn child (0.97 kBq/kg bw)." 1
Children in Belarus, Ukraine and certain provinces of Russia tell us what to expect from a massive radiation contamination such as Japan is currently experiencing. Radiation attacks the young to a harsher degree than it does adults, and yet we do know that it kills adults. Radioactivity causes numerous illnesses including terminal cancers, and not just from a large initial dose but over time from absorbed emitting particles inside the body.
A senior nuclear adviser to the Japanese Prime Minister, professor Toshiso Kosako resigned in protest from his government. This as the Japanese government raised the level of permissible exposure to schoolchildren twenty fold, from 1mSv/year to 20mSv.
The atomic power industry, it can be proved, has been an unprecedented catastrophe for mankind. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
Who needs Osama bin Laden anyway?
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/05/
who-needs-osama-bin-laden-anyway.html
May 2nd, 2011
Dear Readers,
Who needs Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda anyway, when we've got the Nuclear Mafia and their lapdog regulators to do us in?
Item #2 (below) is a recent report about the Brown's Ferry General Electric Mark 1 Boiling Water Reactors -- which are the same design as the reactors in trouble in Fukushima. All three reactors at Browns Ferry were suddenly forced to SCRAM during storms earlier this week when offsite power was lost after tornadoes tore up scores of power lines. The reactors are currently in "cold" shut down (one isn't quite there yet...). "Cold" is a relative term, of course.
None of these reactors should EVER be restarted. Period. But we all know there's no stopping the TVA.
Browns Ferry is the site of the most notorious fire in U.S. commercial reactor history, in 1975. But fires didn't stop 'em. These tornados won't stop 'em.
Apparently only a meltdown -- or a cascading series of meltdowns like in Japan -- will stop the TVA (another spoiled child of Al Gore Sr.).
Today's items:
(1) Dr. Helen Caldicott: Unsafe at any dose
(2) Brown's Ferry nuke plant planning to melt down sooner rather than later...
(3) Contact information for the author of this newsletter [ . . . ]
1. Port Hope, Ontario reaps uranium’s rewards and risks
2. A setback, not a meltdown
3. GERMANY - various
4. The World Nuclear Association - 36th Annual Symposium
5. Military Escalation: "Phase Two" of the War on Libya
6. Millions fewer girls born due to nuclear radiation?
7. Cellphone radiation may cause cancer, advisory panel says.
8. JAPAN - various
9. The Canadian Security and Intelligence Service
10. Canadian fighter jets have dropped 240 bombs over Libya in 324 flights.
11. HOFFMAN - various
===============
1. Port Hope, Ontario reaps uranium’s rewards and risks
http://business.financialpost.com/2011/06/02/
port-hope-ontario-reaps-uranium%E2%80%99s-rewards-and-risks/
Reuters Jun 2, 2011 4:32 PM ET By Julie Gordon
PORT HOPE, Ontario The lakeside town of Port Hope, Ontario, encompasses both the promise and the dark side of the nuclear industry, booming with the sector, yet saddled with contamination from when it helped build the bomb.
The town, some 110 kilometers (70 miles) from Ontario’s capital Toronto, is home to the world¹s longest running facility to process nuclear fuel, a massive white eyesore that towers over the sailboats bobbing in its tranquil harbour.
The plant was built in the 1930s to refine radium. It was converted to a uranium facility in 1942 as Canada helped the United States to build an atomic bomb, and now converts uranium for nuclear fuel.
- - - SNIP - - -
The nuclear power sector boomed on the prospect of soaring Chinese and Indian demand, only to crash as Japan’s earthquake brought the potential nuclear problems home.
”There’s still a lot of emotion,” Cameco Chief Executive Jerry Grandey told Reuters.
Referring to the Japan¹s earthquake stricken nuclear plant, he added: “I think it will take some time to work through Fukushima.”
Cameco, which mines and processes uranium, was a big winner in the buzz around a renaissance that could bring dozens of new reactors online around the world in the next decade. Its shares more than doubled from the beginning of 2009 to February [ . . . ]
= = = = =
2. A setback, not a meltdown
http://www.leaderpost.com/news/
setback%20meltdown/4865495/story.html?id=4865495
THE LEADER-POST MAY 31, 2011
Shocking is not too strong a word to describe the news that Germany plans to pull the plug on its nuclear power industry.
Europe's leading economy, reliant on nuclear power for almost a quarter of its electricity, says it will close all nuclear plants by 2022 and make up the shortfall by generating more green power and encouraging energy efficiency.
Monday's announcement came just days after Switzerland said it would, by 2034, close the five nuclear power plants that supply about 40 per cent of the country's electricity.
The moves follow reviews and debate in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that seriously damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan in March.
The Japanese disaster sparked public protests against the use of nuclear power in Germany and Switzerland.
These apparent setbacks for nuclear power are of particular interest to Saskatchewan, which produces 20 per cent of the world's uranium. Though the provincial government in 2009 ruled out building a nuclear power plant here because of the high cost involved, it is moving ahead with a $30-million nuclear medicine and research centre at the University of Saskatchewan.
SaskPower minister Rob Norris said the Japanese incident left the province with an "obligation" to do more research on the science and safety of nuclear power. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
3. GERMANY
Excellent News Clips: Germany's no-nuke decision and Implications – June 1, 2011
Excellent coverage on CTV News Channel (May 30 2011) of the German Government's decision to eliminate nuclear power by 2022, and implications for Canada and the world.
Please watch these linked videos and spread them around! I am just one of several that are interviewed on the subject.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/201105 ... 22-110530/
Gordon Edwards
- - - - - -
German government decides to shut down all nuclear power plants by 2022
http://www.thestar.com/business/markets/article/
999653--german-government-decides-to-shut-down-all-nuclear-power-plants-by-2022
May 30, 2011 Josh Rubin
Germany¹s decision to abandon nuclear power by 2022 could drive the already-sinking price of uranium even lower in the short term, but the energy needs of emerging economies such as China and India mean the long-term prospects for the nuclear industry are still very solid, according to analysts and the head of Saskatchewan-based Cameco Corp., the world’s largest uranium miner.
Monday, Germany announced it will phase out its 17 nuclear plants, with the last one expected to shut down by 2022. The decision comes in the wake of the partial meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear reactor after Japan’s earthquake and tsunami earlier this spring.
Cameco CEO Jerry Grandey says Germany¹s announcement was driven strictly by what he called “schizophrenic” politics. In her 2009 re-election campaign, German chancellor Angela Merkel had promised to extend the life of the country’s nuclear reactors.
“I don’t foresee any scenario where the politics of Germany - because that’s what this is - spread, because other countries don’t have the luxury of being stupid about it,” said Grandey, whose company is the largest publicly-traded uranium miner in the world. Cameco’s McArthur River mine in Saskatchewan is the world’s largest uranium mine.
In order to meet its own electricity needs, Grandey says Germany will in all likelihood need to import it from neighbouring countries who generate it using nuclear power.
[ . . . ]
- - - - - -
German nuclear cull to add 40 million tonnes CO2 per year. Germany's plan to shut all its nuclear power plants by 2022 will add up to 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually as the country turns to fossil fuels, analysts said on Tuesday. Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/31/
us-german-nuclear-carbon-idUSTRE74U2Y220110531
- - - - -
Nuclear power in Germany: The reasons behind Chancellor Merkel's U-turn.
In a decade, one of the world's biggest economies will have switched off the power stations that currently supply just under a quarter of its needs. What will take up the slack? Those who applaud the move say renewable energy, much of it from wind farms. More sceptical voices say it will mean renewed life for coal-fired power stations. BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13595171
- - - - -
German government wants nuclear exit by 2022 at latest.
Germany will shut all its nuclear reactors by 2022, parties in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government agreed on Monday, in a reaction to Japan's Fukushima disaster that marks a drastic policy reversal. Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/30/
us-germany-nuclear-idUSTRE74Q2P120110530
= = = = = =
4. The World Nuclear Association - 36th Annual Symposium
14-16 September 2011
at the Central Hall Westminster, London.
The Future of Nuclear Power: Now It’s Down to Us
http://www.wna-symposium.org/
As WNA membership has grown to encompass almost every enterprise in the global nuclear industry, the Annual WNA Symposium has established itself as the industry’s premier international meeting, attracting an attendance of over 500 leaders and specialists from more than 25 countries. The Symposium is also drawing increased attention from non-industry professionals who recognize nuclear power’s central importance in securing our world’s energy and environmental future.
The 2011 Symposium‘s theme will be “The Future of Nuclear Power: Now It’s Down to Us”.
= = = = = =
5. Military Escalation: "Phase Two" of the War on Libya
By Prof. Michel Chossudovsky
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25081
Global Research, June 1, 2011
A new phase of the war is unfolding leading to a process of military escalation as well the eventual landing of US-NATO commandos on Libya's shores.
An unprecedented deployment of naval power in the Mediterranean is occurring.
The USS George H W Bush supercarrier, the most advanced vessel in the US naval arsenal, together with its strike and carrier group has entered the Mediterranean, to join up with the Sixth Fleet in Naples.
Aircraft supercarrier USS George H W Bush (CVN77) is the World's largest naval vessel: with "four-and-a-half acres of space on its flight deck, making it capable of housing 90 jets and helicopters. It is home to 5,500 crew". Equipped with sophisticated electronic warfare systems, it is the World's largest "mobile military base" (Manlio Dinucci, "Boots on the Ground": Sarkozy and Cameron Prepare to Land in Libya, Global Research, May 31, 2011).
The USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group was sent on its "maiden voyage" to the Sixth Fleet area of naval operations, namely the Mediterranean. It was "certified ready for combat operations" a month before the onset of the war on Libya. USS George H.W. Bush Strike Group Certified Combat Ready, February 21, 2011) [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
6. Millions fewer girls born due to nuclear radiation?
Nuclear radiation from bomb tests and power plant accidents causes slightly more boys than girls to be born, a new study suggests. While effects were seen to be regional for incidents on the ground, like Chernobyl, atmospheric blasts were found to affect birth rates on a global scale. National Geographic News
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/
110602-millions-fewer-girls-nuclear-radiation-births-science
= = = = = = =
7. Cellphone radiation may cause cancer, advisory panel says.
A World Health Organization panel has concluded that cellphones are “possibly carcinogenic,’’ putting the popular devices in the same category as certain dry cleaning chemicals and pesticides, as a potential threat to human health. New York Times [Registration Required]
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/
cellphone-radiation-may-cause-cancer-advisory-panel-says/
= = = = = = =
8. JAPAN
Multinational panel calls for tougher 'stress tests' of nuclear plant safety systems.
A group of nuclear power experts and former regulators from 11 nations, responding to Japan's nuclear disaster, is calling for "stress tests" on the world's reactors to determine their ability to withstand natural disasters that strike singly or in combination. ClimateWire
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/06/02/
02climatewire-multinational-panel-calls-for-tougher-stress-33984.html
- - - - - -
Scientists estimate radiation doses to wildlife near Fukushima.
The first assessment of the ecological consequences from the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station finds that wildlife near the stricken power plant may have received radiation doses that far exceed safe levels for sensitive species. Chemical & Engineering News
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/89/i23/8923scene.html
- - - - - -
Japan miscalculated tsunami threat, according to IAEA reports.Japan did not properly protect its nuclear plants against tsunami threats prior to the March 11 disaster that caused radiation to spew from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a preliminary report released Wednesday by international nuclear experts concluded. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/
fgw-japan-fukushima-report,0,90270.story
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In Japan, a culture that promotes nuclear dependency.
A system of subsidies and dependency Japan created to expand nuclear power makes it difficult for the country to reverse course. New York Times [Registration Required]
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/world ... japan.html
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Fukushima risks Chernobyl ‘dead zone.’
Radioactive soil in pockets of areas near Japan’s crippled nuclear plant have reached the same level as Chernobyl, where a “dead zone” remains 25 years after the reactor in the former Soviet Union exploded. Bloomberg News
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-30/
japan-risks-chernobyl-like-dead-zone-as-fukushima-soil-radiation-soars.html
= = = = =
9. The Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) continued to provide US intelligence agencies with the names of Canadians and foreign nationals in Canada they suspect of having ties to terrorism-related activities and groups. The names often end up on US watch-lists and no-fly lists, blocking those people from entering or flying over the United States. According to US diplomatic cables newly released by Wikileaks, in some cases, CSIS has no concrete proof of its allegations.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/05/15/
rfa-macdonald-csis.html
= = = = =
10. In a defense department briefing, the Canadian Military revealed that Canadian fighter jets have dropped 240 bombs over Libya in 324 flights.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/
996944--military-releases-libya-bombing-stats
= = = = = =
11. HOFFMAN
Shut San Onofre video: 5/17/11 public hearing in San Clemente, California
May 26th, 2011
Dear Readers,
My new video is about 13 minutes long and called: Shut San Onofre Public Hearing San Clemente CA May 17, 2011:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggnMzVde9c0
This event was organized and arranged by Gary Headrick, San Clemente Green. Gary had asked the city council for the time because the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a few weeks earlier, had only let about half the public speak at their last hearing -- their first post-Fukushima hearing on San Onofre -- which was a complete whitewash of the dangers and risks we face. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
New video: 9-year-old Ella says: "Please shut down the nuclear power plant."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7wNIcBRIOA
May 18th, 2011
Dear Readers,
Yesterday I videotaped the San Clemente (California) Common Council meeting, where activists were seeking support from the city for a resolution asking for the immediate closure and decommissioning of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, in light of all we've learned from the ongoing tragedy in Japan at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
SHUT DOWN SAN ONOFRE NOW! Petition, debate, video, hearing...
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/05/
shut-down-san-onofre-now-petition.html
May 16th, 2011
Dear Readers,
The San Clemente Common Council has placed the issue of the dangers presented by San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station on its agenda for tomorrow night (May 17th, 2011). San Clemente is the nearest city to the power plant. Citizens will be given about 8 minutes to make a formal presentation, then additional time for comments. Below is a link to a proposed resolution. [ . . . ]
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Cancer, Deformities and Chronic Diseases: The Future Children of Fukushima
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/05/
cancer-deformities-and-chronic-diseases.html
May 3rd, 2011
Dear Readers,
Below is an absolutely stunning, powerful article by Joe Giambrone, published in CounterPunch today and forwarded to me by Tim Sietz in Canada, along with Tim's letter to Stephen Harper, newly-reelected Prime Minister of Canada. (Below)
The only thing I would change is I would change the word "bordering on" to "amounting to". See if you don't agree.
Also, a very useful interview from Fairewinds Associates, also just posted today.
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Cancer, Deformities and Chronic Diseases - The Future Children of Fukushima
http://www.counterpunch.org/giambrone05032011.html
By JOE GIAMBRONE May 3, 2011
"[A] woman in her fourth month of pregnancy was contaminated with 137Cs [radioactive cesium]… The concentration of 137Cs in the mother (0.91 kBq/kg bw) was similar to that in her newborn child (0.97 kBq/kg bw)." 1
Children in Belarus, Ukraine and certain provinces of Russia tell us what to expect from a massive radiation contamination such as Japan is currently experiencing. Radiation attacks the young to a harsher degree than it does adults, and yet we do know that it kills adults. Radioactivity causes numerous illnesses including terminal cancers, and not just from a large initial dose but over time from absorbed emitting particles inside the body.
A senior nuclear adviser to the Japanese Prime Minister, professor Toshiso Kosako resigned in protest from his government. This as the Japanese government raised the level of permissible exposure to schoolchildren twenty fold, from 1mSv/year to 20mSv.
The atomic power industry, it can be proved, has been an unprecedented catastrophe for mankind. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
Who needs Osama bin Laden anyway?
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/05/
who-needs-osama-bin-laden-anyway.html
May 2nd, 2011
Dear Readers,
Who needs Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda anyway, when we've got the Nuclear Mafia and their lapdog regulators to do us in?
Item #2 (below) is a recent report about the Brown's Ferry General Electric Mark 1 Boiling Water Reactors -- which are the same design as the reactors in trouble in Fukushima. All three reactors at Browns Ferry were suddenly forced to SCRAM during storms earlier this week when offsite power was lost after tornadoes tore up scores of power lines. The reactors are currently in "cold" shut down (one isn't quite there yet...). "Cold" is a relative term, of course.
None of these reactors should EVER be restarted. Period. But we all know there's no stopping the TVA.
Browns Ferry is the site of the most notorious fire in U.S. commercial reactor history, in 1975. But fires didn't stop 'em. These tornados won't stop 'em.
Apparently only a meltdown -- or a cascading series of meltdowns like in Japan -- will stop the TVA (another spoiled child of Al Gore Sr.).
Today's items:
(1) Dr. Helen Caldicott: Unsafe at any dose
(2) Brown's Ferry nuke plant planning to melt down sooner rather than later...
(3) Contact information for the author of this newsletter [ . . . ]
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
NUKE NEWS: June 9, 2011
by Oscar » Fri Jun 10, 2011 9:36 pm
NUKE NEWS: June 9, 2011
1. WHY THE NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN FORUM VOTED TO BAN NUCLEAR WASTES
2. NORTHERN FORUM CONFRONTS NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE IN SASKATCHEWAN
3. Saskatchewan government needs to listen
4. "No Shred of Evidence", Iran Building Nukes, Ex Head of IAEA Says
5. German Utilities Push Back on Merkel’s Plan to Phase Out Nukes
6. Japan may have no nuclear reactors running by next April
7. Nuclear fuel has melted through base of Fukushima plant
8. Fukushima Reactor No. 1 more radioactive than ever
9. Stunner: New Nuclear costs as much as German Solar Power Today
10. EDWARDS: Excellent coverage on CTV News Channel (May 30 2011)
11. European Ombudsman slams secrecy over Fukushima contamination
12. Switzerland Decides on Nuclear Phase-Out
13. As Japan Nuclear Crisis Worsens, Citizen-Led Radiation Monitors Pressure Govt to Increase Evacuations
14. HOFFMAN: It's shutdown or meltdown. Take our pick.
15. Japan fears meltdown worse than first thought
16. Overwhelming public interest in Beyond Nuclear's meeting with the NRC on US Mark I reactors crashes agency phone line
17. The Rise of the Second-String Psychopaths
18. State seeks compensation for Nevada test site contamination.
19. After nuclear crisis, Japan’s biggest utility faces insolvency risk.
20. After Japan, where's the next nuclear weak link?
21. NRC chief hid information, Inspector General says.’
22. Problem of where to put waste continues to dog nuclear industry.
23. HELP CLOSE DANGEROUS GE MARK I NUCLEAR REACTORS
================
1. WHY THE NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN FORUM VOTED TO BAN NUCLEAR WASTES
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2139#2139
By Jim Harding R-Town Papers, June 10, 2011
On the afternoon of June 2nd two hundred people mostly from ten northern communities gathered in the school auditorium at Beauval for the "Forum for Truth on Nuclear Waste Storage". It was organized by the recently formed Committee for Future Generations, which in barely two weeks got the word out all across northern Saskatchewan. When I arrived at Beauval late on June 1st I was astonished by the number of road signs announcing the event.
People came from Beauval, La Loche, Buffalo Narrows, Ile a la Crosse, Canoe Narrows, Turnor Lake, Pinehouse, Patuanak and La Ronge. A few also came from Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Lloydminster and Regina. Northern mayors, elders, women and youth attended, with the presence of youth being remarkably strong. When I walked into the school auditorium I was greeted by students holding signs they had painted for the forum, saying: "Why here?; "We Want To Keep Our Environment Clean and Safe"; "Why Is This Happening?", and "Is Mother Earth Important To You?" One read: "We Don't Want Your Death Money!"
Great concern was expressed about the way the nuclear industry was trying to buy its way into northern politics and culture. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has created a committee of hand-picked, paid "elders" who they say will bring an "Aboriginal perspective" to the search for a northern community to host a nuclear dump. The Committee for Future Generations has asked "who are they, how were they appointed, what is the protocol for representation, how are they being accountable to the people, and how are they getting paid?" These are questions the NWMO should answer.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and Métis Council of Canada have warned of this insidious approach. In its 2005 report the AFN said "To cite with favour the seven generations teaching while at the same time promoting nuclear energy is inconsistent at best and at worst denigrates and belittles the value of Traditional Knowledge and the First Nations cultures, beliefs and spiritual practices."
DEATH MONEY
If NWMO sincerely wanted to get aboriginal community perspective it would have come to this widely-attended gathering. But Pat Patton, who heads up NWMO's "Aboriginal Relations", declined. It turned out that her previous commitment was taking Pinehouse and Patuanak officials to tour a nuclear facility in eastern Canada. So while people from the communities being targeted for a nuclear dump gathered to ask questions and air concerns, some elected community officials were away on a nuclear industry-sponsored tour.
This is clearly more about manipulation than consultation.
The Committee for Future Generations calls for complete transparency of NWMO's activities in the north. Many at the forum expressed concerns and even anger about all the meetings behind closed doors. A closed NWMO strategy meeting at Pinehouse May 4th inadvertently left its flip-charts behind. These were most revealing. One recorded comment was about "sugar-coating the information" going into the north. Another was about being sure there were "knowledge interpreters". Some NWMO-selected, paid "elders" were in attendance.
The NWMO is following a two-track strategy in the north. On the one hand it says that a community has to agree to "host" a nuclear dump; that there must be "informed consent". On the other hand it works behind the scene, with multi-million dollar inducements, to make sure some people are already benefitting, while sugar-coating a nuclear dump to sound good for the north. Several Métis and First Nations leaders spoke eloquently about how NWMO's process is undermining the duty to consult. NWMO's deceit is starting to unravel.
FINDING BALANCE
The NWMO wouldn't send anyone to this first large northern forum on nuclear wastes. It also wrote the organizers that high-profile paid "elders" like Jim Sinclair couldn't speak for NWMO. But the Committee for Future Generations didn't want the forum to occur without the NWMO's position being fairly presented. They did not want to repeat what the NWMO does and present only one side of the controversy. So right at the beginning they played two NWMO's video's describing the nuclear waste repository project.
I was then invited to speak about why Saskatchewan should declare a ban on nuclear wastes. I've read most NWMO documents as part of my ongoing research, but was still taken by the statement in one video that their nuclear waste containers would "last 100,000 years". How can any credible organization make such a claim? And how would future generations ever verify this? Would people continue to communicate about NWMO's guarantee of a period ten times recorded history, and then, after 100,000 years, risk digging down to see if the containers were still intact? And if they weren't intact, where would they go? And anyway we know that the radioactivity in the nuclear wastes would actually rise after 100,000 years.
Such absurd NWMO claims show why an arms-length body, not controlled by industry, should be considering what to do with nuclear wastes. I asked those at the forum what they would think if DOW Chemical or DuPont came to their community to entice them to take their toxic chemical wastes. We wouldn't tolerate this. So why are the Wall and Harper governments even allowing the nuclear industry to try to find a place to dump their wastes in the north?
ARMS LENGTH GROUP
A non-industry group should be looking at realistic options for nuclear wastes, including stopping producing them. And you can be sure that it wouldn't consider trucking 18,000 truckloads of high-level nuclear wastes half way across Canada to dump in northern Saskatchewan. The only reason the industry is shopping around here is because Ontario doesn't want to have to dump its nuclear wastes within its more densely populated province. And the major rationale for centralizing waste storage is to be able to get the plutonium as a future fuel source.
If a geological repository was such a safe idea and would bring such economic benefits, why isn't it happening in southern Ontario, near the nuclear plants? The nuclear plants are, after all, also in the Canadian Shield. History explains! Northern Ontario kicked the industry out in the 1970s, Manitoba did the same thing in the 1980s, and now Quebec has banned importing nuclear wastes. When the industry came to Saskatchewan in 1991, to the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC), they were also told to go home. But the industry has come back in sheep's clothing, peddling the same idea that was rejected by the federal inquiry in 1998. This time the NWMO is playing the economic card in a big way.
FORUM SAYS NO!
The Committee for Future Generations has seen through the deceit. After seeing NWMO's videos, hearing the argument for a nuclear waste ban, and hearing from many people from the north, the forum voted unanimously to ban nuclear wastes in Saskatchewan. It also voted to hold more open forums, the next one to be held in Pinehouse where the NWMO is in negotiations to host a nuclear dump. After that they will go to Patuanak, the other targeted community. Some elders also asked for their names and photos to be removed from NWMO documents, so there was no impression being left that they supported a nuclear dump in the north. Now we will have to wait and see whether the NWMO just ups the ante, and pours even more "death money" into the north, or whether the hand-picked "elders" still receiving NWMO money finally realize they don't speak for their communities.
This is self-determination and participatory democracy in action. People throughout the south who don't want to see nuclear wastes trucked along their highways should support the northerners who have spoken at this forum. You can show your support by contacting: committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com or going to their Face book: "Say No To Nuclear Waste Storage In Northern Saskatchewan".
More on nuclear waste at: http://jimharding.brinkster.net
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2. NORTHERN FORUM CONFRONTS NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE IN SASKATCHEWAN
http://northernprideml.com/2011/06/08/
northern-forum-confronts-nuclear-waste-storage-in-saskatchewan/
June 8, 2011
PHOTO: Citizens from several parts of northwest Saskatchewan gathered in the gym at Valley View Elementary School in Beauval for the forum on nuclear waste on Thursday June 2. Outside the school were makeshift fabric signs that read "We want to keep our environment," and "We don’t need your death money." Here, Dr. Jim Harding lectures the guests on the risks of allowing a nuclear waste storage facility to be built in northern Saskatchewan
By Ben Ingram June 8, 2011
A public forum was held in Beauval last Thursday to create discussion around the potential of long-term nuclear waste storage in northern Saskatchewan.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization has been searching for a willing community to host an underground storage facility for nuclear waste, most of which is generated by the province of Ontario.
While the communities of Pinehouse and Patuanak have expressed interest in the plan, which could mean jobs and other economic benefits, outlying areas like Beauval are more concerned about what the long-term impact of waste storage could mean.
Max Morin, a retired police officer and youth worker in Beauval, was one of the organizers of the June 2 forum.
"We called for a forum to wake up people," Morin said. "The process is happening right in their back yard. If they're not involved, then the process will happen."
NWMO was invited to join the discussion, to address the issues surrounding the possibility of a long-term nuclear waste storage facility in the north becoming a reality. Their representatives declined the offer.
In place of NWMO representation, a slideshow created by the organization's communications department was presented, as well as a video outlining the process of burying nuclear waste deep inside the bedrock for centuries to come.
"We tried our best to accommodate NWMO," Morin said, describing the forum as an opportunity to consider information from both sides. "We don'¹t want to be bullied into having a nuclear waste site in our backyard."
The speaker recruited to address the negative aspects of nuclear waste storage was Dr. Jim Harding, a former professor of environmental studies at the University of Waterloo and anti-nuclear advocate.
"Fukushima changed everything," Harding said of the recent nuclear disaster in Japan. "I think Fukushima's changed the world outlook on nuclear power, because they kept saying it wouldn't happen again."
Harding said his presentation aimed to characterize the NWMO proposal as an "incredible waste of billions."
"If we're going to spend that kind of money, let's spend it to create a different kind of energy system," he said, pointing to Saskatchewan's lack of renewable energy. "It's already been done globally, Saskatchewans very far behind."
Jim Sinclair, the former president of the Metis Society of Saskatchewan and Order of the Metis Nation recipient, was also present for the forum. Throughout the discussion he could be seen with his head bowed, frustrated at the position he said his people find themselves as a result of the proposal.
"I was on the front lines when they started digging the [uranium] mines. What did we get? Nothing," he said.
Sinclair said he sits on a forum of elders tasked with advising on nuclear waste. While he personally feels nuclear waste storage would be a negative thing for the future of his people and the province's environment, Sinclair called for an informed and engaging discussion with the community.
"We¹re caught in the middle," he said. "I want to make sure people are informed and they're not going to bury this stuff without our consent."
"The people will make that decision. The communities are going to make that decision, not someone else," he added.
While communities like Pinehouse and Patuanak may wish to explore nuclear waste storage as a possibility, the decision could affect the entire province.
The proposal includes transport of waste from Ontario to the north by use of the province's highways. There is also concern that the waterbed that links all of the surrounding communities could multiply any potential disasters.
Georgina Jolibois, the mayor of La Loche, was also on hand to learn what nuclear waste storage could mean for her community.
"The young people and old people alike, when they think about what's happened in Japan, they're very concerned," she said.
Jolibois was upset that NWMO did not agree to send a representative, saying that information will be crucial in making the right decision.
"They ultimately need a buy-in from the people," Jolibois said. "If they don't show up, what does that say? This is really concerning."
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3. Saskatchewan government needs to listen
http://northernprideml.com/editorial/#comment-3
June 8, 2011
The issue: Burying nuclear waste in Saskatchewan. We say: There's too much at stake to ignore the voice of the people
If the Nuclear Waste Management Organization wants to bury radioactive waste in Saskatchewan, they need to directly consult the people.
Yet when a forum to educate people on the costs and benefits of such a proposal is held and NWMO turns down the opportunity to send a representative, it would appear their intention is to avoid consultation.
The prospect of a northern community becoming a dumping site for the rest of Canada's nuclear waste is one that cannot be taken lightly.
With material that remains highly radioactive and toxic for a period of up to 100,000 years being buried deep below the surface of the earth, the risk of it coming into contact with the groundwater reservoir linking all of Saskatchewan is too hard to ignore.
Saskatchewan is a rural province that depends upon the stability of its environment. From the farmers who grow their crops in our soil using our water, to the First Nations communities that make their livelihood off a long-lasting relationship with nature, there are very few people in this province who would support jeopardizing our very way of life for a short-term economic benefit.
There is hardly a financial incentive that could seemingly make it worthwhile.
While the industrial interests at every step of the nuclear conveyer belt have an interest in courting a small community like Pinehouse to take the waste, it's a decision that will invariably affect us all.
On its trip from places as far as New Brunswick, the waste must necessarily pass through several communities on its journey to Saskatchewan's north, through many regions that will have to live with the constant threat of environmental disaster.
Buried below the surface, out-of-sight and out-of-mind it may be, nuclear waste remains a highly experimental material that has proven time and again its potential for disastrous environmental consequences.
No insurance company, government, or multi-billion dollar corporation exists
that can guarantee the safety of Saskatchewan¹s environment for the next 100,000 years to come if this proposal were to become a reality.
But a reality it just might be if we choose to ignore it.
As people in Japan come to terms with our most recent nuclear disaster, the future of atomic power is being questioned more each day. In Germany where nuclear power generated a quarter of their supply heading in to 2011, a new ban following the Japanese disaster means completely abandoning the method by 2022.
Looking to the future, it's clear that the future of energy rests with clean, renewable sources like wind, tidal, geothermal and solar power, methods which Saskatchewan could take advantage of right away.
The choice is clear, spend billions on more environmental short-sightedness, or invest in the future?
If people fail to speak up, it's a choice that will already have been made.
= = = = = =
4. "No Shred of Evidence", Iran Building Nukes, Ex Head of IAEA Says
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25088
Global Research, June 2, 2011 By Sherwood Ross
QUOTE: "According to Hersh, Pickering has been involved "in secret, back-channel talks with...some of the key advisers close to Ahmadinejad" and has long sought a meeting with President Obama. Hersh quotes one of Pickering's colleagues as saying if Obama were to grant a meeting, Pickering would tell him: "Get off your no-enrichment policy, which is getting you nowhere. Stop your covert activities. Give the Iranians a sign that you're not pursuing regime change. Instead, the Iranians see continued threats, sanctions, and covert operations."
The former Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) said in a new published report that he had not seen "a shred of evidence" that Iran was "building nuclear-weapons facilities and using enriched materials." [ . . . ]
= == = = = =
5. German Utilities Push Back on Merkel’s Plan to Phase Out Nukes
http://www.indypendent.org/2011/06/07/
german-utilities-push-back-on-merkel%E2%80%99s-plan/
by Tina Gerhardt
Published on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 by Earth Island Journal
Berlin, Germany — German Chancellor Angela Merkel signed off today on a bill phasing out all nuclear energy in Germany by the end of 2022, underscoring the economic and environmental benefits of this shift.
Merkel had announced the decision last Monday (May 30) after more than 100,000 people protested nuclear energy in over 20 cities across Germany on May 28. In Berlin alone, over 20,000 demonstrated.
Merkel’s decision marks a reversal of her previous policy. Last fall, she had announced that she would extend the life span of nuclear plants by 12 years on average. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
6. Japan may have no nuclear reactors running by next April
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/08/
us-japan-nuclear-reactors-idUSTRE7572P920110608
By Risa Maeda, TOKYO, via Reuters, Wed Jun 8, 2011
(Reuters) - All 54 of Japan's nuclear reactors may be shut by next April, adding more than $30 billion a year to the country's energy costs, if communities object to plant operating plans due to safety concerns, trade ministry officials said on Wednesday.
Since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which triggered a radiation crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant north of Tokyo, concern among local authorities has kept nuclear generators from restarting at least four reactors that had been expected to come online after routine maintenance and inspection.
Several more reactors have since shut for regular maintenance, slashing Japan's nuclear generating capacity to just 7,580 megawatts, or only 36 percent of its registered nuclear capacity.
In May, Japan's average nuclear run rate fell to 40.9 percent, the lowest in at least a decade and well below 62.1 percent a year earlier.
Before the quake and tsunami, which forced the closure of three other power plants in addition to Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi facility, nuclear power supplied about 30 percent of Japan's electricity.
Although a reactor is legally cleared for restart once it receives approval from the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), a trade ministry watchdog, nuclear operators always seek local government approvals as well, in recognition of the importance of support from the community around the plant.
If no reactors that shut for regular maintenance after the disaster are restarted, it would cost an extra 2.4 trillion yen ($30 billion) to make up lost power generation during the financial year to next March, a trade ministry estimate showed.
If all of Japan's reactors end up offline without any restarts, the extra cost would escalate to 3 trillion yen a year, reflecting the need to buy more fossil fuels from abroad while the use of renewable energy remains limited. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
7. Nuclear fuel has melted through base of Fukushima plant
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8565020/
Nuclear-fuel-has-melted-through-base-of-Fukushima-plant.html
By Julian Ryall, Tokyo, The Telegraph, June 9 2011
The nuclear fuel in three of the reactors at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant has melted through the base of the pressure vessels and is pooling in the outer containment vessels, according to a report by the Japanese government.
The findings of the report, which has been given to the International Atomic Energy Agency, were revealed by the Yomiuri newspaper, which described a "melt-through" as being "far worse than a core meltdown" and "the worst possibility in a nuclear accident."
A spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power Co. said the company is presently revising the road-map for bringing the plant under control, including the time required to achieve cold shutdown of the reactors.
In a best-case scenario, the company says it will be able to achieve that by October, although that may have to be revised in light of the report.
Water that was pumped into the pressure vessels to cool the fuel rods, becoming highly radioactive in the process, has been confirmed to have leaked out of the containment vessels and outside the buildings that house the reactors.
Tepco said it is trying to contain the contaminated water and prevent it from leaking into the sea, but elevated levels of radiation have been confirmed in the ocean off the plant.
The radiation will also have contaminated the soil and plant and animal life around the facility, making the task of cleaning up more difficult and expensive, as well as taking longer. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
8. Fukushima Reactor No. 1 more radioactive than ever
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/06/04/
fukushima-reactor-no-1-more-radioactive-than-ever/
By David Ferguson, The Raw Story, Saturday, June 4th, 2011
At the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant, a robot sent into the building housing Reactor No. 1 on Saturday detected the highest levels of radiation measured since the crisis began on March 11.
According to the Japan Times, The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported that radiation levels in the air around Reactor 1 were at 4000 millisieverts per hour, an exposure level equivalent to approximately 40,000 chest x-rays. TEPCO says it has no plans to send workers into the area because of its dangerously high radioactivity.
On Friday, a spokesman for TEPCO announced that steam was rising from underneath the reactor building. That afternoon, Japanese national television carried blurry footage of smoke rising from an opening in the floor.
Underneath the reactor, an estimated 40,000 tons of "highly contaminated" radioactive water have collected in what is known as the pressure suppression containment vessel, and it's this water that is believed to be producing the steam. TEPCO officials warn that the water will begin to overflow from the storage vessel by June 20 as it reaches its maximum capacity, sooner if there are heavy rains.
Massive tanks are being sent to contain the water from nearby Tochigi Prefecture. An estimated 370 will be needed for the job, two of which are due to arrive this weekend. The tanks each hold 100 tons of water and will continue to arrive at the plant through August. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
9. Stunner: New Nuclear costs as much as German Solar Power Today � and up to 34� per kilowatt-hour in 2018
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/06/06/237150/
stunner-new-nuclear-costs-as-much-as-german-solar-power-today-and-up-to-0-34kwh-in-2018/
By Stephen Lacey, thinkprogress.org, June 6, 2011
The future of nuclear power in addressing climate change is hotly debated. As a reliable form of low-carbon, baseload power, some see it as the only way to bridge to a clean energy future � depending on what your definition of �clean� is. But along with renewed concerns about safety issues after Fukushima, there are two major factors holding back new nukes in market economies that Climate Progress has analyzed repeatedly � Cost and insurability.
In this guest post outlining the rising cost of nuclear, author and renewable energy advocate Paul Gipe shows that solar electricity has become competitive with new nuclear.
The world's beleaguered nuclear industry continues to take a battering. The 'nuclear renaissance' juggernaut that once seemed unstoppable now appears dead in its tracks.
- - - SNIP - - -
Nuclear Uninsurable
In an unrelated study for the German Renewable Energy Association (Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energie), consultants in Leipzig found that nuclear reactors are effectively uninsurable.
While this has been common knowledge in the energy industry for decades, the question has again been raised in light of the costly disaster in Japan and claims by proponents of a nuclear �renaissance� that the technology is �safe�.
The 157 page report by Versicherungsforen Leipzig estimated that the premium necessary to insure a nuclear reactor from accident would cost from �0.14/kWh ($0.20/kWh) to a staggering �2.36/kWh ($3.40/kWh).
Thus, the cost to insure a nuclear reactor � at a minimum � would cost as much as the electricity itself from a nuclear plant built in California in 2018.
Earlier German studies of the cost for insuring reactors against catastrophic failure found similar results. A 1999 report for the European Commission, ExterneE, on the externalities of energy found that the external cost of nuclear power was �1.80/kWh ($2.59/kWh) largely due to the cost of insurance.
These studies indicate that the cost of nuclear energy is far higher than proponents have led policymakers to believe.
Renewable energy, even costly solar photovoltaics, begins to look like a bargain to consumers when realistic costs of new nuclear plants come to light.
� Paul Gipe, Wind-Works
Related Posts:
Does Nuclear Power Have a Negative Learning Curve?
Exclusive Analysis: The Staggering Cost of Nuclear
Nuclear power, Part 2: The price is not right
The Self-Limiting Future of Nuclear Power, Part 1
Nuclear storage at Yucca jumps 38% � to $96B
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10. EDWARDS: Excellent coverage on CTV News Channel (May 30 2011) of the German Government's decision to eliminate nuclear power by 2022, and implications for Canada and the world.
Please watch these linked videos and spread them around!
I am just one of several that are interviewed on the subject.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110530/
coalition-agrees-nuclear-free-germany-by-2022-110530/
Gordon Edwards, President
CCNR
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11. European Ombudsman slams secrecy over Fukushima contamination
http://www.euractiv.com/en/consumers/
ombudsman-slams-secrecy-fukushima-contamination-news-505245
EurActiv Network, 31 May 2011
Following complaints from citizens, the European Ombudsman has opened an investigation into the EU's permitted levels of food contamination following the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan and their communication to the wider public.
Similar complaints are also being heard in France.
"Based on complaints submitted to me, it appears that a number of Union citizens perceive a lack of precise and reliable information as regards the changes made to the maximum permitted levels in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident," wrote EU Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros in a letter addressed to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso on 19 May.
Diamandouros noted that while the EU executive's websites provide links to relevant adopted legislation (297/2011 and 351/2011), "no comparative information on the maximum permitted levels before and after the Fukushima accident has apparently been made available".
Therefore, the Ombudsman decided to launch an own-initiative inquiry into the matter as a way to provide "citizen-friendly" information.
He asked the Commission to submit an opinion on the issue by 30 June 2011, calling for "precise figures, preferably also in the form of graphs and charts, which would allow an easy identification of the maximum permitted levels in force" both before and after the Japanese nuclear accident. [ . . . ]
External Links
European Union
European Ombudsman: Ombudsman asks Commission to clarify permitted food contamination levels after Fukushima nuclear accident (30 May 2011) [FR] [DE]
European Ombudsman: Case opened: Maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs in the EU before and after the Fukushima nuclear accident (19 May 2011)
European Ombudsman: Letter from the European Ombudsman opening own-initiative inquiry OI/5/2011/BEH concerning the European Commission (19 May 2011)
Commission: European Ombudsman [FR] [DE]
Commission memo: Questions and Answers: Safety of food products imported from Japan (8 April 2011)
NGOs and Think-Tanks
CRIIRAD: La contamination de la France métropolitaine dès le 22 mars 2011 a été cachée à la population. La CRIIRAD saisit le Premier ministre et l'ASN d'une demande d'enquête (25 May 2011)
Press articles
TF1: Fukushima : on ne nous a pas tout dit ? (26 May 2011)
AFP: Fukushima: la Criirad réclame une enquête sur l'évaluation de l'impact en France
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12. Switzerland Decides on Nuclear Phase-Out
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/busin ... clear.html
By JAMES KANTER, New York Times, May 25, 20
BRUSSELS — The Swiss government decided Wednesday to abandon plans to build new nuclear reactors, while European Union regulators agreed on a framework for stress-testing theirs, as repercussions from the disaster in Japan continue to ripple across Europe.
The Swiss Energy Minister Doris Leuthard had suspended the approvals process for three new reactors, pending a safety review, after the accident that struck the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami of March 11.
On Wednesday — days after an anti-nuclear rally in Switzerland drew a large crowd of 20,000 people — the Cabinet said it had decided to make the ban permanent. [ . . . ]
Paul Geitner contributed reporting from Paris.
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13. As Japan Nuclear Crisis Worsens, Citizen-Led Radiation Monitors Pressure Govt to Increase Evacuations
http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2011/6/10/
as_japan_nuclear_crisis_worsens_citizen
Democracy Now! Daily News Digest June 10, 2011
Almost three months after the earthquake and tsunami that triggered a nuclear disaster in Japan, new radiation "hot spots" may require the evacuation of more areas further from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency recently admitted for the first time that full nuclear meltdowns occurred at three of the plant’s reactors, and more than doubled its estimate for the amount of radiation that leaked from the plant in the first week of the disaster in March. We speak with Robert Alvarez, former senior policy adviser to the U.S. Secretary of Energy, and Aileen Mioko Smith, executive director of the group Green Action. Watch/Listen/Read
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14. HOFFMAN: It's shutdown or meltdown. Take our pick.
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/06/
its-shutdown-or-meltdown-take-our-pick.html
June 10th, 2011
Dear Readers,
Nuclear power is losing ground everywhere in the world. Literally and figuratively.
Nuclear accidents have permanently poisoning large swaths of northern Japan, having similarly poisoned Ukraine and Belarus 25 years ago, and not to mention Hanford, Washington, the Nevada Test Site, the Savannah River Site, and THOUSANDS of other places around the globe.
The latest poll by the uber-pro-nuclear World Nuclear Association indicates less than half the 34,000 people polled in 47 countries favor nuclear power -- a drop of 8 percent since before the accident, by their own admission. And that poll was conducted in late-March to early-April! Undoubtedly, disfavor has continued to increase sharply, as the revelations about the lies are uncovered, and as the reactors continue to smoulder and poison the earth, wind, and water.
The World Nuclear News report about their poll adds, with the happiest spin possible that a pro-nuker could put on the situation: "Unsurprisingly, Japan saw the biggest drop in support for nuclear energy, with the number of people in favour dropping from 62% before the accident to 39% afterwards. Meanwhile, those saying they were opposed to nuclear increased from 28% to 47%."
Clearly, nuclear power's "popularity" is at an all-time low (along with TEPCO's stock price).
It's strange that those of us in America, who have the most freedom to speak out and stop nuclear power, a relatively high education level, and were the birthplace of this global mistake and have more proof that it was a mistake than anyone, actually seem to have the most apathy.
But that lack-of-attitude IS changing! Even in -- and in many ways especially in -- the hometowns of nuclear power plants (where all the workers live and the nuclear power corporations have been pouring funds into the community for decades) the nuclear reactors are suddenly being reviled as the tools of death they really are.
With this new awakening, it may NOT take a meltdown in America to stop nuclear power dead in its tracks after all! I sure hope it doesn't "require" a trillion-dollar accident, with its hundreds of thousands of deaths over the coming years, and the nuclear industry's hollow talk about "lessons learned" while slipping you the bill for the damage and laughing all the way to the bank.
No: Let's not let it come to that. But it's shut down or meltdown. One or the other is inevitable.
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com
Today's items:
---------------------------------------------
(1) Letter to FT (by Ace Hoffman)
(2) The lie that nuclear power is expensive continues
(3) Is Yucca Mountain the solution? Not bloody likely!
(4) Palo Verde's power lines threatened! But with what?
(5) Why are you against music?
(6) Contact information for the author of this newsletter
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15. Japan fears meltdown worse than first thought
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/ ... 241508.htm
Mark Willacy, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, June 10 2011
Japanese authorities admit nuclear material in the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant's reactor may have leaked into the ground.
Transcript
ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: Japanese authorities have admitted the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant in March may have been worse than a core meltdown.
In an official report that will go to the UN's nuclear watchdog, Japan says nuclear fuel in three reactors possibly melted through several pressure vessels and into the earth below.
As North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy reports, a so-called melt-through is the worst outcome in a nuclear accident.
MARK WILLACY, REPORTER: For the Japanese the news from Fukushima gets worse every day.
This week it went from a reactor meltdown to what they're calling a melt-through.
GOSHI HOSONO, SPECIAL ADVISOR TO JAPANESE PM
(Translation): At present there is damage to the bottom of the reactor container, we call this ‘core melting’ in English. Part of the nuclear fuel has fallen onto the dry earth floor and it's possible that it's still lodged there.
MARK WILLACY: According to atomic experts, this is about as serious as it gets in a nuclear disaster. Dangerous levels
of radioactive iodine and cesium have already contaminated the sea, the soil, groundwater, and the air.
This week plutonium was detected for the first time outside the stricken plant, and Strontium-90, known as a bone seeker because it can cause bone cancer and Leukaemia, has now been found as far away as 60 kilometres from the facility.
Higher levels were found closer to the plant in Minamisoma, a city of 70,000. [ . . . ]
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16. Overwhelming public interest in Beyond Nuclear's meeting with the NRC on US Mark I reactors crashes agency phone line
http://nuclear-news.net/2011/06/11/
huge-public-interest-as-beyond-nuclear-meets-nuclear-regulatory-commission/
Beyond Nuclear staffers Paul Gunter and Kevin Kamps met with a review board of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission on June 8, 2011 to supplement its April 13th petition calling for the suspension the operation of the 23 Fukushima-style General Electric Mark I Boiling Water Reactors in the US.
Access via the NRC telephone bridge line attracted such “unprecedented” public interest that the line crashed, delaying the start of the meeting by nearly 30 minutes.
The meeting was convened at the request of Beyond Nuclear by the petition process and opened to the public by Federal law. Become a co-petitioner with Beyond Nuclear.
Please support our work by making a donation to Beyond Nuclear today.
Thank you for working with us for a nuclear-free world.
www.beyondnuclear.org
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17. The Rise of the Second-String Psychopaths
http://www.informationclearinghouse.inf ... e28256.htm
By David Schwartz
June 05, 2011 "Common Dreams" -- The great writer Kurt Vonnegut titled his final book A Man without a Country. He was the man; the country was the United States of America. Vonnegut felt that his country had disappeared right under his – and the Constitution’s – feet, through what he called “the sleaziest, low-comedy Keystone Cops-style coup d’état imaginable.” He was talking about the Bush administration. Were Vonnegut still alive in the post-Bush era, he would not have felt that his country had returned.
How had our country disappeared? Vonnegut proposed that among the contributing factors was that it had been invaded – as if by the Martians – by people with a particularly frightening mental illness. People with this illness were termed psychopaths. (The term nowadays is anti-social personality disorder.) These are terms for people who are smart, personable, and engaging, but who have no consciences. They are not guided by a sense of right or wrong. They seem to be unaffected by the feelings of others, including feelings of distress caused by their actions. Straying from a decent way of treating people, or violating ethical codes causes no anxiety, the anxiety which is what causes the rest of us to moderate our more greedy impulses. If most children feel anxiety when they are pilfering the forbidden cookie jar, psychopaths feel just fine. They can devour the cookies, shatter the jar as evidence and stuff it in the trash can. When accused, they can argue with apparent sincerity that the cookie jar has been missing for at least a week. There suffer no remorse, no guilt, no shame. They are free to do anything, no matter how harmful. [ . . . ]
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18. State seeks compensation for Nevada test site contamination.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/
la-na-0610-radioactive-water-20110610,0,1208277.story
The Nevada Legislature has taken the first step in demanding that the federal government make amends for massive radioactive contamination left by decades of nuclear weapons testing on a swath of desert the size of Rhode Island. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]
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19. After nuclear crisis, Japan’s biggest utility faces insolvency risk.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/busin ... tepco.html
The physical damage from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been so widespread that even conservative estimates of compensation claims amount to tens of billions of dollars — a burden that could render Japan’s largest utility insolvent. New York Times [Registration Required]
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20. After Japan, where's the next nuclear weak link?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/09/
us-nuclear-power-emerging-idUSTRE75828N20110609
Imagine a country where corruption is rampant, infrastructure is very poor, or the quality of security is in question. Now what if that country built a nuclear power plant? It may sound alarming but that is what could happen in many developing countries which are either building nuclear power plants or considering doing so. Reuters
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21. NRC chief hid information, Inspector General says.
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/
20110610_ap_nrcchiefhidinformationigsays.html
While he apparently broke no laws, the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission withheld and manipulated information to make the case for shutting down the proposed radioactive waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, according to an internal investigation. Associated Press
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22. Problem of where to put waste continues to dog nuclear industry.
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702304778304576375990718887036.html
No question has bedeviled the U.S. nuclear-power industry more than what to do with the thousands of tons of radioactive waste generated by its reactors every year. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required]
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23. HELP CLOSE DANGEROUS GE MARK I NUCLEAR REACTORS
BECOME A CO-PETITIONER TO FORMAL PETITION TO SUSPEND MARK I LICENSES AND HOLD HEARINGS NEAR EVERY MARK I SITE
June 9, 2011
Dear Friends,
Thank you to everyone who called the NRC yesterday afternoon and tried to participate in their public meeting on the petition submitted by our friends at Beyond Nuclear to immediately suspend the licenses of all GE Mark I reactors.
Hundreds of people tried to call in and completely overwhelmed the NRC's system, delaying the meeting by 1/2 hour. Eventually, more than 100 people managed to successfully call in and hear great presentations by Beyond Nuclear, and co-petitioners like Pilgrim Watch, Nuclear Energy Information Service, New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution and GE Stockholders Alliance. However, the NRC allowed only formal co-petitioners to speak.
We are told that a second meeting on this petition will be held this summer.
Now it's time for all of us to become Co-Petitioners! You can submit your request here.
Background Information
On April 13, Beyond Nuclear submitted a formal emergency petition to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to immediately suspend the operating license of all General Electric Mark 1 reactors in the U.S. (the same reactor design that failed so catastrophically at Fukushima) and to hold public meetings near every Mark I site. A list of the Mark 1 reactors can be found here. A factsheet on the 40-year history of the design deficiencies of the Mark I's can be found here. The full text of the petition can be found here.
Now we are asking every organization and every individual--especially the more than 7,500 who already have sent letters to their Congressmembers and President Obama demanding shutdown of these dangerous reactors--to join NIRS and other organizations and individuals in becoming Co-Petitioners to this petition. Let's make sure the NRC doesn't get off easy--let's make sure they know the people of the world are watching them.
The Mark I's account for less than 4% of the U.S. electricity supply. Unlike the homes and livelihoods of the people near Fukushima, their power can easily be replaced. We need to close these reactors now.
You can submit your request to be a Co-Petitioner here.
Note: please read the special instructions on the action page for this action before submitting your request to the NRC.
Please contact us at nirsnet@nirs.org if you have any questions.
Thanks for all you do,
Michael Mariotte
Executive Director
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
nirsnet@nirs.org
www.nirs.org
We rely on your activism and financial support to do our work. Thank you for both! Please make a tax-deductible donation after submitting your Co-Petitioner request or by going here now.
Stay Informed:
NIRS on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Nuclear-Information-and-Resource-Service/26490791479?sk=wall&filter=12
http://www.facebook.com/nonukesnirs
http://www.causes.com/causes/
49098-no-nukes-nuclear-information-and-resource-service
NIRS on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/nirsnet
1. WHY THE NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN FORUM VOTED TO BAN NUCLEAR WASTES
2. NORTHERN FORUM CONFRONTS NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE IN SASKATCHEWAN
3. Saskatchewan government needs to listen
4. "No Shred of Evidence", Iran Building Nukes, Ex Head of IAEA Says
5. German Utilities Push Back on Merkel’s Plan to Phase Out Nukes
6. Japan may have no nuclear reactors running by next April
7. Nuclear fuel has melted through base of Fukushima plant
8. Fukushima Reactor No. 1 more radioactive than ever
9. Stunner: New Nuclear costs as much as German Solar Power Today
10. EDWARDS: Excellent coverage on CTV News Channel (May 30 2011)
11. European Ombudsman slams secrecy over Fukushima contamination
12. Switzerland Decides on Nuclear Phase-Out
13. As Japan Nuclear Crisis Worsens, Citizen-Led Radiation Monitors Pressure Govt to Increase Evacuations
14. HOFFMAN: It's shutdown or meltdown. Take our pick.
15. Japan fears meltdown worse than first thought
16. Overwhelming public interest in Beyond Nuclear's meeting with the NRC on US Mark I reactors crashes agency phone line
17. The Rise of the Second-String Psychopaths
18. State seeks compensation for Nevada test site contamination.
19. After nuclear crisis, Japan’s biggest utility faces insolvency risk.
20. After Japan, where's the next nuclear weak link?
21. NRC chief hid information, Inspector General says.’
22. Problem of where to put waste continues to dog nuclear industry.
23. HELP CLOSE DANGEROUS GE MARK I NUCLEAR REACTORS
================
1. WHY THE NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN FORUM VOTED TO BAN NUCLEAR WASTES
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2139#2139
By Jim Harding R-Town Papers, June 10, 2011
On the afternoon of June 2nd two hundred people mostly from ten northern communities gathered in the school auditorium at Beauval for the "Forum for Truth on Nuclear Waste Storage". It was organized by the recently formed Committee for Future Generations, which in barely two weeks got the word out all across northern Saskatchewan. When I arrived at Beauval late on June 1st I was astonished by the number of road signs announcing the event.
People came from Beauval, La Loche, Buffalo Narrows, Ile a la Crosse, Canoe Narrows, Turnor Lake, Pinehouse, Patuanak and La Ronge. A few also came from Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Lloydminster and Regina. Northern mayors, elders, women and youth attended, with the presence of youth being remarkably strong. When I walked into the school auditorium I was greeted by students holding signs they had painted for the forum, saying: "Why here?; "We Want To Keep Our Environment Clean and Safe"; "Why Is This Happening?", and "Is Mother Earth Important To You?" One read: "We Don't Want Your Death Money!"
Great concern was expressed about the way the nuclear industry was trying to buy its way into northern politics and culture. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has created a committee of hand-picked, paid "elders" who they say will bring an "Aboriginal perspective" to the search for a northern community to host a nuclear dump. The Committee for Future Generations has asked "who are they, how were they appointed, what is the protocol for representation, how are they being accountable to the people, and how are they getting paid?" These are questions the NWMO should answer.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and Métis Council of Canada have warned of this insidious approach. In its 2005 report the AFN said "To cite with favour the seven generations teaching while at the same time promoting nuclear energy is inconsistent at best and at worst denigrates and belittles the value of Traditional Knowledge and the First Nations cultures, beliefs and spiritual practices."
DEATH MONEY
If NWMO sincerely wanted to get aboriginal community perspective it would have come to this widely-attended gathering. But Pat Patton, who heads up NWMO's "Aboriginal Relations", declined. It turned out that her previous commitment was taking Pinehouse and Patuanak officials to tour a nuclear facility in eastern Canada. So while people from the communities being targeted for a nuclear dump gathered to ask questions and air concerns, some elected community officials were away on a nuclear industry-sponsored tour.
This is clearly more about manipulation than consultation.
The Committee for Future Generations calls for complete transparency of NWMO's activities in the north. Many at the forum expressed concerns and even anger about all the meetings behind closed doors. A closed NWMO strategy meeting at Pinehouse May 4th inadvertently left its flip-charts behind. These were most revealing. One recorded comment was about "sugar-coating the information" going into the north. Another was about being sure there were "knowledge interpreters". Some NWMO-selected, paid "elders" were in attendance.
The NWMO is following a two-track strategy in the north. On the one hand it says that a community has to agree to "host" a nuclear dump; that there must be "informed consent". On the other hand it works behind the scene, with multi-million dollar inducements, to make sure some people are already benefitting, while sugar-coating a nuclear dump to sound good for the north. Several Métis and First Nations leaders spoke eloquently about how NWMO's process is undermining the duty to consult. NWMO's deceit is starting to unravel.
FINDING BALANCE
The NWMO wouldn't send anyone to this first large northern forum on nuclear wastes. It also wrote the organizers that high-profile paid "elders" like Jim Sinclair couldn't speak for NWMO. But the Committee for Future Generations didn't want the forum to occur without the NWMO's position being fairly presented. They did not want to repeat what the NWMO does and present only one side of the controversy. So right at the beginning they played two NWMO's video's describing the nuclear waste repository project.
I was then invited to speak about why Saskatchewan should declare a ban on nuclear wastes. I've read most NWMO documents as part of my ongoing research, but was still taken by the statement in one video that their nuclear waste containers would "last 100,000 years". How can any credible organization make such a claim? And how would future generations ever verify this? Would people continue to communicate about NWMO's guarantee of a period ten times recorded history, and then, after 100,000 years, risk digging down to see if the containers were still intact? And if they weren't intact, where would they go? And anyway we know that the radioactivity in the nuclear wastes would actually rise after 100,000 years.
Such absurd NWMO claims show why an arms-length body, not controlled by industry, should be considering what to do with nuclear wastes. I asked those at the forum what they would think if DOW Chemical or DuPont came to their community to entice them to take their toxic chemical wastes. We wouldn't tolerate this. So why are the Wall and Harper governments even allowing the nuclear industry to try to find a place to dump their wastes in the north?
ARMS LENGTH GROUP
A non-industry group should be looking at realistic options for nuclear wastes, including stopping producing them. And you can be sure that it wouldn't consider trucking 18,000 truckloads of high-level nuclear wastes half way across Canada to dump in northern Saskatchewan. The only reason the industry is shopping around here is because Ontario doesn't want to have to dump its nuclear wastes within its more densely populated province. And the major rationale for centralizing waste storage is to be able to get the plutonium as a future fuel source.
If a geological repository was such a safe idea and would bring such economic benefits, why isn't it happening in southern Ontario, near the nuclear plants? The nuclear plants are, after all, also in the Canadian Shield. History explains! Northern Ontario kicked the industry out in the 1970s, Manitoba did the same thing in the 1980s, and now Quebec has banned importing nuclear wastes. When the industry came to Saskatchewan in 1991, to the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC), they were also told to go home. But the industry has come back in sheep's clothing, peddling the same idea that was rejected by the federal inquiry in 1998. This time the NWMO is playing the economic card in a big way.
FORUM SAYS NO!
The Committee for Future Generations has seen through the deceit. After seeing NWMO's videos, hearing the argument for a nuclear waste ban, and hearing from many people from the north, the forum voted unanimously to ban nuclear wastes in Saskatchewan. It also voted to hold more open forums, the next one to be held in Pinehouse where the NWMO is in negotiations to host a nuclear dump. After that they will go to Patuanak, the other targeted community. Some elders also asked for their names and photos to be removed from NWMO documents, so there was no impression being left that they supported a nuclear dump in the north. Now we will have to wait and see whether the NWMO just ups the ante, and pours even more "death money" into the north, or whether the hand-picked "elders" still receiving NWMO money finally realize they don't speak for their communities.
This is self-determination and participatory democracy in action. People throughout the south who don't want to see nuclear wastes trucked along their highways should support the northerners who have spoken at this forum. You can show your support by contacting: committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com or going to their Face book: "Say No To Nuclear Waste Storage In Northern Saskatchewan".
More on nuclear waste at: http://jimharding.brinkster.net
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2. NORTHERN FORUM CONFRONTS NUCLEAR WASTE STORAGE IN SASKATCHEWAN
http://northernprideml.com/2011/06/08/
northern-forum-confronts-nuclear-waste-storage-in-saskatchewan/
June 8, 2011
PHOTO: Citizens from several parts of northwest Saskatchewan gathered in the gym at Valley View Elementary School in Beauval for the forum on nuclear waste on Thursday June 2. Outside the school were makeshift fabric signs that read "We want to keep our environment," and "We don’t need your death money." Here, Dr. Jim Harding lectures the guests on the risks of allowing a nuclear waste storage facility to be built in northern Saskatchewan
By Ben Ingram June 8, 2011
A public forum was held in Beauval last Thursday to create discussion around the potential of long-term nuclear waste storage in northern Saskatchewan.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization has been searching for a willing community to host an underground storage facility for nuclear waste, most of which is generated by the province of Ontario.
While the communities of Pinehouse and Patuanak have expressed interest in the plan, which could mean jobs and other economic benefits, outlying areas like Beauval are more concerned about what the long-term impact of waste storage could mean.
Max Morin, a retired police officer and youth worker in Beauval, was one of the organizers of the June 2 forum.
"We called for a forum to wake up people," Morin said. "The process is happening right in their back yard. If they're not involved, then the process will happen."
NWMO was invited to join the discussion, to address the issues surrounding the possibility of a long-term nuclear waste storage facility in the north becoming a reality. Their representatives declined the offer.
In place of NWMO representation, a slideshow created by the organization's communications department was presented, as well as a video outlining the process of burying nuclear waste deep inside the bedrock for centuries to come.
"We tried our best to accommodate NWMO," Morin said, describing the forum as an opportunity to consider information from both sides. "We don'¹t want to be bullied into having a nuclear waste site in our backyard."
The speaker recruited to address the negative aspects of nuclear waste storage was Dr. Jim Harding, a former professor of environmental studies at the University of Waterloo and anti-nuclear advocate.
"Fukushima changed everything," Harding said of the recent nuclear disaster in Japan. "I think Fukushima's changed the world outlook on nuclear power, because they kept saying it wouldn't happen again."
Harding said his presentation aimed to characterize the NWMO proposal as an "incredible waste of billions."
"If we're going to spend that kind of money, let's spend it to create a different kind of energy system," he said, pointing to Saskatchewan's lack of renewable energy. "It's already been done globally, Saskatchewans very far behind."
Jim Sinclair, the former president of the Metis Society of Saskatchewan and Order of the Metis Nation recipient, was also present for the forum. Throughout the discussion he could be seen with his head bowed, frustrated at the position he said his people find themselves as a result of the proposal.
"I was on the front lines when they started digging the [uranium] mines. What did we get? Nothing," he said.
Sinclair said he sits on a forum of elders tasked with advising on nuclear waste. While he personally feels nuclear waste storage would be a negative thing for the future of his people and the province's environment, Sinclair called for an informed and engaging discussion with the community.
"We¹re caught in the middle," he said. "I want to make sure people are informed and they're not going to bury this stuff without our consent."
"The people will make that decision. The communities are going to make that decision, not someone else," he added.
While communities like Pinehouse and Patuanak may wish to explore nuclear waste storage as a possibility, the decision could affect the entire province.
The proposal includes transport of waste from Ontario to the north by use of the province's highways. There is also concern that the waterbed that links all of the surrounding communities could multiply any potential disasters.
Georgina Jolibois, the mayor of La Loche, was also on hand to learn what nuclear waste storage could mean for her community.
"The young people and old people alike, when they think about what's happened in Japan, they're very concerned," she said.
Jolibois was upset that NWMO did not agree to send a representative, saying that information will be crucial in making the right decision.
"They ultimately need a buy-in from the people," Jolibois said. "If they don't show up, what does that say? This is really concerning."
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3. Saskatchewan government needs to listen
http://northernprideml.com/editorial/#comment-3
June 8, 2011
The issue: Burying nuclear waste in Saskatchewan. We say: There's too much at stake to ignore the voice of the people
If the Nuclear Waste Management Organization wants to bury radioactive waste in Saskatchewan, they need to directly consult the people.
Yet when a forum to educate people on the costs and benefits of such a proposal is held and NWMO turns down the opportunity to send a representative, it would appear their intention is to avoid consultation.
The prospect of a northern community becoming a dumping site for the rest of Canada's nuclear waste is one that cannot be taken lightly.
With material that remains highly radioactive and toxic for a period of up to 100,000 years being buried deep below the surface of the earth, the risk of it coming into contact with the groundwater reservoir linking all of Saskatchewan is too hard to ignore.
Saskatchewan is a rural province that depends upon the stability of its environment. From the farmers who grow their crops in our soil using our water, to the First Nations communities that make their livelihood off a long-lasting relationship with nature, there are very few people in this province who would support jeopardizing our very way of life for a short-term economic benefit.
There is hardly a financial incentive that could seemingly make it worthwhile.
While the industrial interests at every step of the nuclear conveyer belt have an interest in courting a small community like Pinehouse to take the waste, it's a decision that will invariably affect us all.
On its trip from places as far as New Brunswick, the waste must necessarily pass through several communities on its journey to Saskatchewan's north, through many regions that will have to live with the constant threat of environmental disaster.
Buried below the surface, out-of-sight and out-of-mind it may be, nuclear waste remains a highly experimental material that has proven time and again its potential for disastrous environmental consequences.
No insurance company, government, or multi-billion dollar corporation exists
that can guarantee the safety of Saskatchewan¹s environment for the next 100,000 years to come if this proposal were to become a reality.
But a reality it just might be if we choose to ignore it.
As people in Japan come to terms with our most recent nuclear disaster, the future of atomic power is being questioned more each day. In Germany where nuclear power generated a quarter of their supply heading in to 2011, a new ban following the Japanese disaster means completely abandoning the method by 2022.
Looking to the future, it's clear that the future of energy rests with clean, renewable sources like wind, tidal, geothermal and solar power, methods which Saskatchewan could take advantage of right away.
The choice is clear, spend billions on more environmental short-sightedness, or invest in the future?
If people fail to speak up, it's a choice that will already have been made.
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4. "No Shred of Evidence", Iran Building Nukes, Ex Head of IAEA Says
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25088
Global Research, June 2, 2011 By Sherwood Ross
QUOTE: "According to Hersh, Pickering has been involved "in secret, back-channel talks with...some of the key advisers close to Ahmadinejad" and has long sought a meeting with President Obama. Hersh quotes one of Pickering's colleagues as saying if Obama were to grant a meeting, Pickering would tell him: "Get off your no-enrichment policy, which is getting you nowhere. Stop your covert activities. Give the Iranians a sign that you're not pursuing regime change. Instead, the Iranians see continued threats, sanctions, and covert operations."
The former Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) said in a new published report that he had not seen "a shred of evidence" that Iran was "building nuclear-weapons facilities and using enriched materials." [ . . . ]
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5. German Utilities Push Back on Merkel’s Plan to Phase Out Nukes
http://www.indypendent.org/2011/06/07/
german-utilities-push-back-on-merkel%E2%80%99s-plan/
by Tina Gerhardt
Published on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 by Earth Island Journal
Berlin, Germany — German Chancellor Angela Merkel signed off today on a bill phasing out all nuclear energy in Germany by the end of 2022, underscoring the economic and environmental benefits of this shift.
Merkel had announced the decision last Monday (May 30) after more than 100,000 people protested nuclear energy in over 20 cities across Germany on May 28. In Berlin alone, over 20,000 demonstrated.
Merkel’s decision marks a reversal of her previous policy. Last fall, she had announced that she would extend the life span of nuclear plants by 12 years on average. [ . . . ]
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6. Japan may have no nuclear reactors running by next April
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/08/
us-japan-nuclear-reactors-idUSTRE7572P920110608
By Risa Maeda, TOKYO, via Reuters, Wed Jun 8, 2011
(Reuters) - All 54 of Japan's nuclear reactors may be shut by next April, adding more than $30 billion a year to the country's energy costs, if communities object to plant operating plans due to safety concerns, trade ministry officials said on Wednesday.
Since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, which triggered a radiation crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant north of Tokyo, concern among local authorities has kept nuclear generators from restarting at least four reactors that had been expected to come online after routine maintenance and inspection.
Several more reactors have since shut for regular maintenance, slashing Japan's nuclear generating capacity to just 7,580 megawatts, or only 36 percent of its registered nuclear capacity.
In May, Japan's average nuclear run rate fell to 40.9 percent, the lowest in at least a decade and well below 62.1 percent a year earlier.
Before the quake and tsunami, which forced the closure of three other power plants in addition to Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi facility, nuclear power supplied about 30 percent of Japan's electricity.
Although a reactor is legally cleared for restart once it receives approval from the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), a trade ministry watchdog, nuclear operators always seek local government approvals as well, in recognition of the importance of support from the community around the plant.
If no reactors that shut for regular maintenance after the disaster are restarted, it would cost an extra 2.4 trillion yen ($30 billion) to make up lost power generation during the financial year to next March, a trade ministry estimate showed.
If all of Japan's reactors end up offline without any restarts, the extra cost would escalate to 3 trillion yen a year, reflecting the need to buy more fossil fuels from abroad while the use of renewable energy remains limited. [ . . . ]
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7. Nuclear fuel has melted through base of Fukushima plant
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8565020/
Nuclear-fuel-has-melted-through-base-of-Fukushima-plant.html
By Julian Ryall, Tokyo, The Telegraph, June 9 2011
The nuclear fuel in three of the reactors at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant has melted through the base of the pressure vessels and is pooling in the outer containment vessels, according to a report by the Japanese government.
The findings of the report, which has been given to the International Atomic Energy Agency, were revealed by the Yomiuri newspaper, which described a "melt-through" as being "far worse than a core meltdown" and "the worst possibility in a nuclear accident."
A spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power Co. said the company is presently revising the road-map for bringing the plant under control, including the time required to achieve cold shutdown of the reactors.
In a best-case scenario, the company says it will be able to achieve that by October, although that may have to be revised in light of the report.
Water that was pumped into the pressure vessels to cool the fuel rods, becoming highly radioactive in the process, has been confirmed to have leaked out of the containment vessels and outside the buildings that house the reactors.
Tepco said it is trying to contain the contaminated water and prevent it from leaking into the sea, but elevated levels of radiation have been confirmed in the ocean off the plant.
The radiation will also have contaminated the soil and plant and animal life around the facility, making the task of cleaning up more difficult and expensive, as well as taking longer. [ . . . ]
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8. Fukushima Reactor No. 1 more radioactive than ever
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/06/04/
fukushima-reactor-no-1-more-radioactive-than-ever/
By David Ferguson, The Raw Story, Saturday, June 4th, 2011
At the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant, a robot sent into the building housing Reactor No. 1 on Saturday detected the highest levels of radiation measured since the crisis began on March 11.
According to the Japan Times, The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported that radiation levels in the air around Reactor 1 were at 4000 millisieverts per hour, an exposure level equivalent to approximately 40,000 chest x-rays. TEPCO says it has no plans to send workers into the area because of its dangerously high radioactivity.
On Friday, a spokesman for TEPCO announced that steam was rising from underneath the reactor building. That afternoon, Japanese national television carried blurry footage of smoke rising from an opening in the floor.
Underneath the reactor, an estimated 40,000 tons of "highly contaminated" radioactive water have collected in what is known as the pressure suppression containment vessel, and it's this water that is believed to be producing the steam. TEPCO officials warn that the water will begin to overflow from the storage vessel by June 20 as it reaches its maximum capacity, sooner if there are heavy rains.
Massive tanks are being sent to contain the water from nearby Tochigi Prefecture. An estimated 370 will be needed for the job, two of which are due to arrive this weekend. The tanks each hold 100 tons of water and will continue to arrive at the plant through August. [ . . . ]
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9. Stunner: New Nuclear costs as much as German Solar Power Today � and up to 34� per kilowatt-hour in 2018
http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/06/06/237150/
stunner-new-nuclear-costs-as-much-as-german-solar-power-today-and-up-to-0-34kwh-in-2018/
By Stephen Lacey, thinkprogress.org, June 6, 2011
The future of nuclear power in addressing climate change is hotly debated. As a reliable form of low-carbon, baseload power, some see it as the only way to bridge to a clean energy future � depending on what your definition of �clean� is. But along with renewed concerns about safety issues after Fukushima, there are two major factors holding back new nukes in market economies that Climate Progress has analyzed repeatedly � Cost and insurability.
In this guest post outlining the rising cost of nuclear, author and renewable energy advocate Paul Gipe shows that solar electricity has become competitive with new nuclear.
The world's beleaguered nuclear industry continues to take a battering. The 'nuclear renaissance' juggernaut that once seemed unstoppable now appears dead in its tracks.
- - - SNIP - - -
Nuclear Uninsurable
In an unrelated study for the German Renewable Energy Association (Bundesverband Erneuerbare Energie), consultants in Leipzig found that nuclear reactors are effectively uninsurable.
While this has been common knowledge in the energy industry for decades, the question has again been raised in light of the costly disaster in Japan and claims by proponents of a nuclear �renaissance� that the technology is �safe�.
The 157 page report by Versicherungsforen Leipzig estimated that the premium necessary to insure a nuclear reactor from accident would cost from �0.14/kWh ($0.20/kWh) to a staggering �2.36/kWh ($3.40/kWh).
Thus, the cost to insure a nuclear reactor � at a minimum � would cost as much as the electricity itself from a nuclear plant built in California in 2018.
Earlier German studies of the cost for insuring reactors against catastrophic failure found similar results. A 1999 report for the European Commission, ExterneE, on the externalities of energy found that the external cost of nuclear power was �1.80/kWh ($2.59/kWh) largely due to the cost of insurance.
These studies indicate that the cost of nuclear energy is far higher than proponents have led policymakers to believe.
Renewable energy, even costly solar photovoltaics, begins to look like a bargain to consumers when realistic costs of new nuclear plants come to light.
� Paul Gipe, Wind-Works
Related Posts:
Does Nuclear Power Have a Negative Learning Curve?
Exclusive Analysis: The Staggering Cost of Nuclear
Nuclear power, Part 2: The price is not right
The Self-Limiting Future of Nuclear Power, Part 1
Nuclear storage at Yucca jumps 38% � to $96B
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10. EDWARDS: Excellent coverage on CTV News Channel (May 30 2011) of the German Government's decision to eliminate nuclear power by 2022, and implications for Canada and the world.
Please watch these linked videos and spread them around!
I am just one of several that are interviewed on the subject.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20110530/
coalition-agrees-nuclear-free-germany-by-2022-110530/
Gordon Edwards, President
CCNR
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11. European Ombudsman slams secrecy over Fukushima contamination
http://www.euractiv.com/en/consumers/
ombudsman-slams-secrecy-fukushima-contamination-news-505245
EurActiv Network, 31 May 2011
Following complaints from citizens, the European Ombudsman has opened an investigation into the EU's permitted levels of food contamination following the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan and their communication to the wider public.
Similar complaints are also being heard in France.
"Based on complaints submitted to me, it appears that a number of Union citizens perceive a lack of precise and reliable information as regards the changes made to the maximum permitted levels in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident," wrote EU Ombudsman P. Nikiforos Diamandouros in a letter addressed to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso on 19 May.
Diamandouros noted that while the EU executive's websites provide links to relevant adopted legislation (297/2011 and 351/2011), "no comparative information on the maximum permitted levels before and after the Fukushima accident has apparently been made available".
Therefore, the Ombudsman decided to launch an own-initiative inquiry into the matter as a way to provide "citizen-friendly" information.
He asked the Commission to submit an opinion on the issue by 30 June 2011, calling for "precise figures, preferably also in the form of graphs and charts, which would allow an easy identification of the maximum permitted levels in force" both before and after the Japanese nuclear accident. [ . . . ]
External Links
European Union
European Ombudsman: Ombudsman asks Commission to clarify permitted food contamination levels after Fukushima nuclear accident (30 May 2011) [FR] [DE]
European Ombudsman: Case opened: Maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs in the EU before and after the Fukushima nuclear accident (19 May 2011)
European Ombudsman: Letter from the European Ombudsman opening own-initiative inquiry OI/5/2011/BEH concerning the European Commission (19 May 2011)
Commission: European Ombudsman [FR] [DE]
Commission memo: Questions and Answers: Safety of food products imported from Japan (8 April 2011)
NGOs and Think-Tanks
CRIIRAD: La contamination de la France métropolitaine dès le 22 mars 2011 a été cachée à la population. La CRIIRAD saisit le Premier ministre et l'ASN d'une demande d'enquête (25 May 2011)
Press articles
TF1: Fukushima : on ne nous a pas tout dit ? (26 May 2011)
AFP: Fukushima: la Criirad réclame une enquête sur l'évaluation de l'impact en France
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12. Switzerland Decides on Nuclear Phase-Out
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/busin ... clear.html
By JAMES KANTER, New York Times, May 25, 20
BRUSSELS — The Swiss government decided Wednesday to abandon plans to build new nuclear reactors, while European Union regulators agreed on a framework for stress-testing theirs, as repercussions from the disaster in Japan continue to ripple across Europe.
The Swiss Energy Minister Doris Leuthard had suspended the approvals process for three new reactors, pending a safety review, after the accident that struck the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami of March 11.
On Wednesday — days after an anti-nuclear rally in Switzerland drew a large crowd of 20,000 people — the Cabinet said it had decided to make the ban permanent. [ . . . ]
Paul Geitner contributed reporting from Paris.
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13. As Japan Nuclear Crisis Worsens, Citizen-Led Radiation Monitors Pressure Govt to Increase Evacuations
http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2011/6/10/
as_japan_nuclear_crisis_worsens_citizen
Democracy Now! Daily News Digest June 10, 2011
Almost three months after the earthquake and tsunami that triggered a nuclear disaster in Japan, new radiation "hot spots" may require the evacuation of more areas further from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency recently admitted for the first time that full nuclear meltdowns occurred at three of the plant’s reactors, and more than doubled its estimate for the amount of radiation that leaked from the plant in the first week of the disaster in March. We speak with Robert Alvarez, former senior policy adviser to the U.S. Secretary of Energy, and Aileen Mioko Smith, executive director of the group Green Action. Watch/Listen/Read
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14. HOFFMAN: It's shutdown or meltdown. Take our pick.
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/06/
its-shutdown-or-meltdown-take-our-pick.html
June 10th, 2011
Dear Readers,
Nuclear power is losing ground everywhere in the world. Literally and figuratively.
Nuclear accidents have permanently poisoning large swaths of northern Japan, having similarly poisoned Ukraine and Belarus 25 years ago, and not to mention Hanford, Washington, the Nevada Test Site, the Savannah River Site, and THOUSANDS of other places around the globe.
The latest poll by the uber-pro-nuclear World Nuclear Association indicates less than half the 34,000 people polled in 47 countries favor nuclear power -- a drop of 8 percent since before the accident, by their own admission. And that poll was conducted in late-March to early-April! Undoubtedly, disfavor has continued to increase sharply, as the revelations about the lies are uncovered, and as the reactors continue to smoulder and poison the earth, wind, and water.
The World Nuclear News report about their poll adds, with the happiest spin possible that a pro-nuker could put on the situation: "Unsurprisingly, Japan saw the biggest drop in support for nuclear energy, with the number of people in favour dropping from 62% before the accident to 39% afterwards. Meanwhile, those saying they were opposed to nuclear increased from 28% to 47%."
Clearly, nuclear power's "popularity" is at an all-time low (along with TEPCO's stock price).
It's strange that those of us in America, who have the most freedom to speak out and stop nuclear power, a relatively high education level, and were the birthplace of this global mistake and have more proof that it was a mistake than anyone, actually seem to have the most apathy.
But that lack-of-attitude IS changing! Even in -- and in many ways especially in -- the hometowns of nuclear power plants (where all the workers live and the nuclear power corporations have been pouring funds into the community for decades) the nuclear reactors are suddenly being reviled as the tools of death they really are.
With this new awakening, it may NOT take a meltdown in America to stop nuclear power dead in its tracks after all! I sure hope it doesn't "require" a trillion-dollar accident, with its hundreds of thousands of deaths over the coming years, and the nuclear industry's hollow talk about "lessons learned" while slipping you the bill for the damage and laughing all the way to the bank.
No: Let's not let it come to that. But it's shut down or meltdown. One or the other is inevitable.
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com
Today's items:
---------------------------------------------
(1) Letter to FT (by Ace Hoffman)
(2) The lie that nuclear power is expensive continues
(3) Is Yucca Mountain the solution? Not bloody likely!
(4) Palo Verde's power lines threatened! But with what?
(5) Why are you against music?
(6) Contact information for the author of this newsletter
= = = = = = =
15. Japan fears meltdown worse than first thought
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/ ... 241508.htm
Mark Willacy, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, June 10 2011
Japanese authorities admit nuclear material in the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant's reactor may have leaked into the ground.
Transcript
ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: Japanese authorities have admitted the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant in March may have been worse than a core meltdown.
In an official report that will go to the UN's nuclear watchdog, Japan says nuclear fuel in three reactors possibly melted through several pressure vessels and into the earth below.
As North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy reports, a so-called melt-through is the worst outcome in a nuclear accident.
MARK WILLACY, REPORTER: For the Japanese the news from Fukushima gets worse every day.
This week it went from a reactor meltdown to what they're calling a melt-through.
GOSHI HOSONO, SPECIAL ADVISOR TO JAPANESE PM
(Translation): At present there is damage to the bottom of the reactor container, we call this ‘core melting’ in English. Part of the nuclear fuel has fallen onto the dry earth floor and it's possible that it's still lodged there.
MARK WILLACY: According to atomic experts, this is about as serious as it gets in a nuclear disaster. Dangerous levels
of radioactive iodine and cesium have already contaminated the sea, the soil, groundwater, and the air.
This week plutonium was detected for the first time outside the stricken plant, and Strontium-90, known as a bone seeker because it can cause bone cancer and Leukaemia, has now been found as far away as 60 kilometres from the facility.
Higher levels were found closer to the plant in Minamisoma, a city of 70,000. [ . . . ]
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16. Overwhelming public interest in Beyond Nuclear's meeting with the NRC on US Mark I reactors crashes agency phone line
http://nuclear-news.net/2011/06/11/
huge-public-interest-as-beyond-nuclear-meets-nuclear-regulatory-commission/
Beyond Nuclear staffers Paul Gunter and Kevin Kamps met with a review board of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission on June 8, 2011 to supplement its April 13th petition calling for the suspension the operation of the 23 Fukushima-style General Electric Mark I Boiling Water Reactors in the US.
Access via the NRC telephone bridge line attracted such “unprecedented” public interest that the line crashed, delaying the start of the meeting by nearly 30 minutes.
The meeting was convened at the request of Beyond Nuclear by the petition process and opened to the public by Federal law. Become a co-petitioner with Beyond Nuclear.
Please support our work by making a donation to Beyond Nuclear today.
Thank you for working with us for a nuclear-free world.
www.beyondnuclear.org
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17. The Rise of the Second-String Psychopaths
http://www.informationclearinghouse.inf ... e28256.htm
By David Schwartz
June 05, 2011 "Common Dreams" -- The great writer Kurt Vonnegut titled his final book A Man without a Country. He was the man; the country was the United States of America. Vonnegut felt that his country had disappeared right under his – and the Constitution’s – feet, through what he called “the sleaziest, low-comedy Keystone Cops-style coup d’état imaginable.” He was talking about the Bush administration. Were Vonnegut still alive in the post-Bush era, he would not have felt that his country had returned.
How had our country disappeared? Vonnegut proposed that among the contributing factors was that it had been invaded – as if by the Martians – by people with a particularly frightening mental illness. People with this illness were termed psychopaths. (The term nowadays is anti-social personality disorder.) These are terms for people who are smart, personable, and engaging, but who have no consciences. They are not guided by a sense of right or wrong. They seem to be unaffected by the feelings of others, including feelings of distress caused by their actions. Straying from a decent way of treating people, or violating ethical codes causes no anxiety, the anxiety which is what causes the rest of us to moderate our more greedy impulses. If most children feel anxiety when they are pilfering the forbidden cookie jar, psychopaths feel just fine. They can devour the cookies, shatter the jar as evidence and stuff it in the trash can. When accused, they can argue with apparent sincerity that the cookie jar has been missing for at least a week. There suffer no remorse, no guilt, no shame. They are free to do anything, no matter how harmful. [ . . . ]
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18. State seeks compensation for Nevada test site contamination.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/
la-na-0610-radioactive-water-20110610,0,1208277.story
The Nevada Legislature has taken the first step in demanding that the federal government make amends for massive radioactive contamination left by decades of nuclear weapons testing on a swath of desert the size of Rhode Island. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]
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19. After nuclear crisis, Japan’s biggest utility faces insolvency risk.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/busin ... tepco.html
The physical damage from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been so widespread that even conservative estimates of compensation claims amount to tens of billions of dollars — a burden that could render Japan’s largest utility insolvent. New York Times [Registration Required]
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20. After Japan, where's the next nuclear weak link?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/09/
us-nuclear-power-emerging-idUSTRE75828N20110609
Imagine a country where corruption is rampant, infrastructure is very poor, or the quality of security is in question. Now what if that country built a nuclear power plant? It may sound alarming but that is what could happen in many developing countries which are either building nuclear power plants or considering doing so. Reuters
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21. NRC chief hid information, Inspector General says.
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/nation/
20110610_ap_nrcchiefhidinformationigsays.html
While he apparently broke no laws, the head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission withheld and manipulated information to make the case for shutting down the proposed radioactive waste dump at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, according to an internal investigation. Associated Press
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22. Problem of where to put waste continues to dog nuclear industry.
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702304778304576375990718887036.html
No question has bedeviled the U.S. nuclear-power industry more than what to do with the thousands of tons of radioactive waste generated by its reactors every year. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required]
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23. HELP CLOSE DANGEROUS GE MARK I NUCLEAR REACTORS
BECOME A CO-PETITIONER TO FORMAL PETITION TO SUSPEND MARK I LICENSES AND HOLD HEARINGS NEAR EVERY MARK I SITE
June 9, 2011
Dear Friends,
Thank you to everyone who called the NRC yesterday afternoon and tried to participate in their public meeting on the petition submitted by our friends at Beyond Nuclear to immediately suspend the licenses of all GE Mark I reactors.
Hundreds of people tried to call in and completely overwhelmed the NRC's system, delaying the meeting by 1/2 hour. Eventually, more than 100 people managed to successfully call in and hear great presentations by Beyond Nuclear, and co-petitioners like Pilgrim Watch, Nuclear Energy Information Service, New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution and GE Stockholders Alliance. However, the NRC allowed only formal co-petitioners to speak.
We are told that a second meeting on this petition will be held this summer.
Now it's time for all of us to become Co-Petitioners! You can submit your request here.
Background Information
On April 13, Beyond Nuclear submitted a formal emergency petition to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to immediately suspend the operating license of all General Electric Mark 1 reactors in the U.S. (the same reactor design that failed so catastrophically at Fukushima) and to hold public meetings near every Mark I site. A list of the Mark 1 reactors can be found here. A factsheet on the 40-year history of the design deficiencies of the Mark I's can be found here. The full text of the petition can be found here.
Now we are asking every organization and every individual--especially the more than 7,500 who already have sent letters to their Congressmembers and President Obama demanding shutdown of these dangerous reactors--to join NIRS and other organizations and individuals in becoming Co-Petitioners to this petition. Let's make sure the NRC doesn't get off easy--let's make sure they know the people of the world are watching them.
The Mark I's account for less than 4% of the U.S. electricity supply. Unlike the homes and livelihoods of the people near Fukushima, their power can easily be replaced. We need to close these reactors now.
You can submit your request to be a Co-Petitioner here.
Note: please read the special instructions on the action page for this action before submitting your request to the NRC.
Please contact us at nirsnet@nirs.org if you have any questions.
Thanks for all you do,
Michael Mariotte
Executive Director
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
nirsnet@nirs.org
www.nirs.org
We rely on your activism and financial support to do our work. Thank you for both! Please make a tax-deductible donation after submitting your Co-Petitioner request or by going here now.
Stay Informed:
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http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Nuclear-Information-and-Resource-Service/26490791479?sk=wall&filter=12
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- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
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NUKE NEWS: June 16, 2011
by Oscar » Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:00 am
NUKE NEWS: June 16, 2011
1. WATCH: Fort Calhoun near Omaha, Nebraska (40 min.)
2. Northern communities discuss nuclear waste
3. Ignace Mayor and Council meet Swedes to talk about underground repository
4. Port Hope Contaminated Homes: A Tough sell
5. Former N.B. cabinet minister urges Point Lepreau legal action
6. Are We on the Brink of Burying Nuke Power Forever?
7. Fukushima - The Elephant in the Room
8. HOFFMAN: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
9. Behind the myth: A town built on nuclear subsidies, emptied by nuclear disaster. (Parts 3 & 4
10. The downside of Germany's nuclear phaseout.
11. Partisan split widens over nuclear regulator.
12. Protests challenge Japan's use of nuclear power.
13. All your base are lease to us?
14. Leger & Dorn: Re-engage in peacekeeping
15. Libya mission deserves debate
16. America's Next War Theater: Syria and Lebanon?
17. The Battle against Neoliberalism: Massive Popular Uprising in Greece
18. Rafting to the Ring of Fire.
19. Re: WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was elected
==================
1. WATCH: Fort Calhoun near Omaha, Nebraska (40 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHZdub3n0mI
"On June 6, 2011, the Fort Calhoun pressurized water nuclear reactor 20 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska entered emergency status due to imminent flooding from the Missouri River. A day later, there was an electrical fire requiring plant evacuation.
Then, on June 8th, NRC event reports confirmed the fire resulted in the loss of cooling for the reactor's spent fuel pool. The discussion includes specific details of the technical failures at Fort Calhoun, the risks of coolant loss at overcrowded "spent" fuel pools, and the national hazards of nuclear facilities along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, and other water sites during the current period of floods and climate change."
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSvvmrB7qEg
Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lva5N9VpAgw
Download the audio podcast here:
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/52367
Arnie Gundersen's Updates on Fukushima:
http://www.fairewinds.com
KETV News' Piece on the Nuclear Plant:
http://www.ketv.com/news/27392766/detail.html
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2. Northern communities discuss nuclear waste
http://www.meadowlakeprogress.com/
ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3165326
By Mark Melnychuk June 10, 2011
Both the benefits and risks of storing nuclear waste were up for discussion at an open forum in Beauval.
The Northern Forum for Truth on Nuclear Waste Storage was hosted by the Committee for Future Generations, and was held on June 2. More than 200 people attended the event.
Mayors and band councillors from as far south as Saskatoon were invited. Although community leaders were asked to show up, organizers said they didn't want the forum to become a political battleground. Instead, they wanted to inform members of the public who could one day have the responsibility of deciding if they would like to store nuclear waste.
"We want transparency, we want the truth, and we want to be included," said organizer Max C.D. Morin.
So far Pinehouse, English River First Nation and Creighton have expressed interest in the project.
Dr. Jim Harding, a retired justice studies professor and staunch opponent of nuclear power, delivered the keynote address.
Harding warned that the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) couldn't guarantee that radioactive plutonium rods wouldn't affect the environment, even when buried 500 metres below ground.
"Do you want to be a party to an experiment that's potentially playing with a whole region of water and life and biodiversity, that is completely an experiment unproven anywhere," Harding asked the crowd.
Harding said an impartial scientific team needs to look at the effects of storage, and that Saskatchewan shouldn't be a dumping ground for nuclear power users in southern Canada. [ . . ]
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3. Ignace Mayor and Council meet Swedes to talk about underground repository
http://town.ignace.on.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp
June (?), 2011
As posted on the Municipality of Ignace's web site at Ignace Mayor and Council members, at the invitation of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), travelled to Halifax to meet with a Swedish delegation who talked about how their communities came forward as willing hosts for used nuclear fuel.
Mayor Kennard, Councillors Chicki Pesola and Larry Fraser, were accompanied by Township staff Wayne Hanchard and Doug Pronger. They attended the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference where the Swedish delegation presented a session entitled, "Deciding to Host a National Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel: Swedish Experience."
"The opportunity for a private meeting with the Swedes was really interesting," says Mayor Lee Kennard. "Even after 15 years of being involved in the site selection process, the community can still say no if they decide they don’t want to go ahead with the project." [ . . . ]
- - - - -
TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE
http://town.ignace.on.ca/siteengine/act ... ?PageID=92
Nuclear Topics:
NWMO Adaptive Phase Management Initial Screening Report
http://www.nwmo.ca/uploads/File/Ignace- ... rt_med.pdf
Nuclear Waste Management and Safety Report "Learn More Project"
http://www.town.ignace.on.ca/files/
%7B6B140E16-FD0C-4E63-958F-90CC8713BE92%7DIgnace%20Socioeconomic%20Impact%20Report%20may%2026%2009.pdf
Council Visits Pickering Nuclear Plant
http://town.ignace.on.ca/files/
%7B9A6D2F24-9A41-43F3-A483-5A066F5639E1%7DIgnace%20Communicaiton%20re%20%20Learn%20More%20Visit%20march%2024%202011%20revised.doc
Frequently Asked Questions - Seismic Events (no Link)
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4. Port Hope Contaminated Homes: A Tough sell
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1006749--tough-sell
Raveena Aulakh, Toronto Star, Staff reporter, June 10, 2011
Christine Ball's plans to sell her house at Harcourt St. in Port Hope were thwarted by the discovery it contains low-level radioactive waste. Even if it sells after being cleaned up, she's been told she's ineligible to receive property value compensation under a federal plan.
PORT HOPE-Buying or selling a house is stressful during the best of times, in the best of places.
Christine Ball knew that.
What she didn't know was that there was low-level radioactive waste all over her house, which would thwart its sale. She also didn't know that a federal program to compensate homeowners suffering the stigma of being part of the biggest radioactive waste cleanup in Canadian history would deem her ineligible.
"It's been a nightmare," says Ball, sitting on the couch in her three-bedroom Harcourt St. home, a 10-minute walk from the town's charming downtown, with her beagle mix Lucy perched next to her.
"What am I supposed to do now?" she asks, with a wan smile. "I can't sell my house and the government says I can't even apply for the property value protection program."
The unique program, known as PVP, was introduced in 2001, when Ottawa decided to clean up the town. Homeowners who sell for considerably less than the appraised value can get the difference from the government.
At least, that's what's supposed to happen.
But some residents, victims of the town's peculiar atomic history, say they're not being given access because they don't fit the highly specific criteria.
The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI), the federal agency in charge of the big cleanup, says the rules were decided a decade ago in a signed agreement between the federal government and the municipality of Port Hope.
Politicians, including Mayor Linda Thompson, are toeing the line, saying the
process is still unfolding.
The result, on the eve of the cleanup, has been a year's worth of angry emails and acrimonious meetings between homeowners and PHAI, on top of the rancour that has enveloped the town over differing views on the contamination and its solution.
Port Hope is riddled with low-level radioactive waste, the result of 50 years of radium and uranium refining at the Cameco refinery, formerly the Crown corporation Eldorado Nuclear Ltd., from the 1930s to the 1980s. It's strewn all over town - around homes, in parks, office buildings, even under the asphalt.
The cleanup will entail digging out more than 1.2 million cubic metres of soil. It will last a decade, and cost at least $260 million. The waste will be trucked to a storage mound south of Highway 401, where it will be sealed up for centuries. [ . . . ]
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5. Former N.B. cabinet minister urges Point Lepreau legal action
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/n ... le/1411326
Michael Murphy says province not responsible?for costs incurred after project's 18-month timeline
by Brett Bundale, (Moncton) Times & transcript, June 1st, 2011
FREDERICTON -- A former New Brunswick cabinet minister is urging the province to pursue legal action against Ottawa and the federal agency in charge of the Point Lepreau generating station refurbishment to recoup billions in cost overruns.
Michael Murphy, a Moncton-based lawyer and leadership candidate for the New Brunswick Liberal Party, says according to the terms of the contract, the province is not responsible for costs incurred after the project's original 18-month timeline.
When asked if Ottawa would foot the bill for the delays and spiraling refurbishment costs, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's response has been that the federal government will "honour the contract."
But Murphy said honouring the contract means Ottawa should pick up the tab for ballooning cost overruns incurred during the three-year delay.
"The contract for Lepreau was to pay for replacement power for 18 months, the duration of the refurbishment, and the prime minister constantly refers to 'honouring that contract,'" he said recently.
"The reality is the contract is fundamentally breached," Murphy said, noting that the cost of replacement power can be referred to as damages in the legal sphere. [ . . . ]
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6. Are We on the Brink of Burying Nuke Power Forever?
http://www.opednews.com/articles/
Are-We-on-the-Brink-of-Bur-by-Harvey-Wasserman-110615-840.html
By Harvey Wasserman (about the author) June 15, 2011
This may be the moment history has turned definitively against atomic energy.
To be sure: we are still required to fight hard to bury reactor loan guarantees in the United States. There are parallel struggles in China, Indian, England, France and South Korea.
The great fear is that until every single reactor on this planet is shut, none of us is really safe from another radioactive horror show.
Thus the moment is clearly marked at Fukushima by three reactors and a radioactive fuel pool still untamed after three months, with the horrific potential to do far more apocalyptic damage than we've seen even to date.
That image includes Japanese school children being issued Geiger counters to carry with them 24/7
(http://nukefree.org/
japanese-government-give-kids-radiation-monitors-carry-them ).
And Fukushima's radiation raining down on the United States, with links to reports of a heightened infant death rate in Seattle
http://nukefree.org/
janette-sherman-joe-mangano-rise-infant-deaths-pacific-northwest-due-fukushima .
And by countless other on-going disasters and near-misses at reactors everywhere on the planet. Included is Cooper, in Nebraska, which got zero corporate media coverage as it was nearly flooded and did lose power to its radioactive fuel pool
http://nukefree.org/
electrical-fire-knocks-out-fuel-pool-nebraska-nuke .
From well-reasoned fear, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Israel and other critical players have announced they will build no more reactors. Some will start shutting the ones they have. [ . . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
7. Fukushima - The Elephant in the Room
http://www.opednews.com/articles/
Fukushima--The-Elephant-i-by-lila-york-110611-262.html
By lila york June 11, 2011
Remember Chandra Levy? Her disappearance following an affair with her congressman was the national obsession in the summer of 2001 - until we awoke one Tuesday morning to see the World Trade Center towers on fire In the summer of 2011 the nation, or at least the nation's media, seems similarly obsessed with the murder trial of Casey Anthony and the twitter account of a New York congressman. Meanwhile, the crisis at the Fukushima Daichi plant rages on with no resolution in sight and a cold shutdown now projected to be years away.
Until last week there was an apparent media blackout on the crisis, although some Americans, this writer included, have followed the status of the reactors daily at Energy News and Fairewinds, the website of nuclear energy expert, Arnie Gundersen. The Fukushima reactors were built by General Electric, which also owns Comcast, NBC, CNBC and MSNBC, so the absence of timely information is not surprising. One article early on in the crisis suggested that the reinsurance on Fukushima was held in part by AIG and Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway, a supposition I cannot substantiate, but that may be true. There is no doubt that we live in a time when corporate profits trump human safety and well-being, and we are seeing that manifest in this current crisis. The best MSM sources for information over these last months have been Bloomberg, online and on television, and The Wall Street Journal, which have tracked the crisis primarily because it affects investment in Japanese companies.
Last week the Japanese government made startling announcements. Three of the five reactors experienced total meltdowns on March 11th, the day of the initial earthquake, and all three reactors have "melted through" leaky containment vessels, molten masses of melted fuel rods now fissioning on the basement floors of those reactors. The statement further confessed that levels of radiation released from the explosions were actually twice as high as initially reported, blaming the miscalculation on bad math. (Indeed in the days after the March explosions plutonium was discovered on the ground in northern California and tritium in Vermont.) In light of these revelations Arnie Gundersen did an interview on CNN last week, recommending that Americans wash produce thoroughly and stop drinking milk and eating dairy products. He also suggested that any Americans wealthy enough to relocate to the southern hemisphere consider doing so, adding that Seattle residents were inhaling 5 "hot particles" or "fuel fleas" per day in the weeks following the explosions. Democracy Now, Amy Goodman's radio and television news program, which has not ignored the story over these months, did an extensive update on yesterday's broadcast. [ . . . ]
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8. HOFFMAN: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/06/
scariest-thing-ive-read-since-3112011.html
June 10th, 2011
Dear Readers,
It is now known that women are more susceptible -- approximately twice as susceptible, or worse -- to radiation's harmful effects than men who get the same dose. Young people are more susceptible than old.
Young children are perhaps ten times as susceptible to radiation's dangers as adults are, because their cells are dividing and establishing themselves. The cells of some organs will continue to divide; but cells such as neurons and heart muscle cells stop dividing at adulthood. Cancer can also get established at this early stage. Cancer usually requires a long sequence of cell changes to occur -- often 10 or 12 or more changes in the cell DNA's structure will have to occur, which can take many years. Starting early is a very bad thing. Infants are even more susceptible than young children. Newborns, preemies... immune-challenged... even more so. Since Fukushima, on the west coast of the United States, our babies are dying at a significantly increased rate (see article, below). Across the country deaths are up as well, though not as much (ibid). And fetuses. Can we even talk about fetuses? As two cells, separated by space - the sperm and the egg -- "it" is utterly vulnerable! One zap from a nuclear buzzsaw and it's over. So much for the next Einstein! Another Da Vinci? Gone! Oh well, there's millions where they came from, right? (If so, I haven't seen them.)
After the cells start to multiply, they begin "specification", becoming hearts, lungs, brains, bones, intestines, and all the other little warts and dimples that make us who we are as individuals and as a species. Fetuses vary from "infinitely" more susceptible to radiation's dangers, to thousands of times when they are very small, to "merely" hundreds of times as they grow, to whatever they are at birth -- no one knows precisely. Reasonable estimates can be made. If what is reported below is, indeed, caused by Fukushima, it should surprise no one. The authors of the article shown below are both friends of mine; I've known them for years. I authored an article or two with one of them. They've both written extensively about the scientific data which condemns nuclear power and been involved in all aspects of research into the dangers of radiation, and are both book authors of wonderful scientific books on the subjects, as well.
They research everything they do very carefully and shoot straight when they talk about it. They are scientists in the best sense of the word. Nevertheless, let's hope they're wrong. If what they report below is even half true, we're all in for a whole lot of hurt. Our babies are taking the "hits" now. We all will in one way or another -- by losing loved ones, if nothing else. If this anomaly has any other explanation, I challenge anyone to find it. And stop it.
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com
- - - - -
A 35% Spike in Infant Mortality in Northwest Cities Since Meltdown
http://www.counterpunch.org/sherman06102011.html
June 10 - 12, 2011 Weekend Edition
Is the Dramatic Increase in Baby Deaths in the US a Result of Fukushima Fallout?
By JANETTE D. SHERMAN, MD and JOSEPH MANGANO
U.S. babies are dying at an increased rate. While the United States spends billions on medical care, as of 2006, the US ranked 28th in the world in infant mortality, more than twice that of the lowest ranked countries. (DHHS, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. Health United States 2010, Table 20, p. 131, February 2011.)
The recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicates that eight cities in the northwest U.S. (Boise ID, Seattle WA, Portland OR, plus the northern California cities of Santa Cruz, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, and Berkeley) reported the following data on deaths among those younger than one year of age:
4 weeks ending March 19, 2011 - 37 deaths (avg. 9.25 per week) 10 weeks ending May 28, 2011 - 125 deaths (avg.12.50 per week)
This amounts to an increase of 35% (the total for the entire U.S. rose about 2.3%), and is statistically significant. Of further significance is that those dates include the four weeks before and the ten weeks after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster. In 2001 the infant mortality was 6.834 per 1000 live births, increasing to 6.845 in 2007. All years from 2002 to 2007 were higher than the 2001 rate.
Spewing from the Fukushima reactor are radioactive isotopes including those of iodine (I-131), strontium (Sr-90) and cesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) all of which are taken up in food and water. Iodine is concentrated in the thyroid, Sr-90 in bones and teeth and Cs-134 and Cs-137 in soft tissues, including the heart. The unborn and babies are more vulnerable because the cells are rapidly dividing and the delivered dose is proportionally larger than that delivered to an adult. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
9. Behind the myth: A town built on nuclear subsidies, emptied by nuclear disaster. (Parts 3 & 4) (Unable to locate Parts 1 & 2. Ed.)
Futaba, in Fukushima Prefecture, is now a ghost town. Like other communities that host nuclear power facilities, Futaba ended up being overly dependent on subsidies from the central government while failing to develop other industries (Part 3 of 4). Asahi Shimbun, Japan.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106090181.html
Behind the myth: Japan turned deaf ear to warnings about quake risks.
Seismologist Kojiro Irikura, who has chaired the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan's Investigatory Advisory Board on Assessment of Seismic Safety since 2007, believes that warnings about earthquake risks to nuclear power plants were not taken seriously for many years (Part 4 of 4). Asahi Shimbun, Japan.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106100215.html
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10. The downside of Germany's nuclear phaseout.
Most Germans support Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to phase out nuclear energy in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. But not all of the consequences will be welcome. Der Spiegel
http://www.spiegel.de/international/ger ... 00,00.html
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11. Partisan split widens over nuclear regulator.
Lawmakers clashed along partisan lines Friday over how to interpret a government report that says the U.S. nuclear industry's top regulator "strategically" withheld information from colleagues in an effort to halt work on a contested waste dump, but that he didn't break any laws in doing so. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required]
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702304778304576377931029886172.html
= = = = = = = =
12. Protests challenge Japan's use of nuclear power.
From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Saturday, June 11, 2011 1:10 PM
Subject: Protests Challenge Japan's Use of Nuclear Power
Background:
In Germany there have been anti-nuclear protests involving tens of thousands of people reported on many occasions. But tens of thousands of people protesting in Japan? That is unheard of - until now. Gordon Edwards.
- - - - - -
Protests Challenge Japan's Use of Nuclear Power
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/
people/t/hiroko_tabuchi/index.html?inline=nyt-per
By HIROKO TABUCHI, New York Times, June 11, 2011
TOKYO - Beating drums and waving flowers, protesters in Tokyo and other major cities rallied against the use of nuclear power on Saturday, three months after a devastating tsunami set off a nuclear crisis.
Anger over the government's handling of the accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant has erupted in recent weeks after revelations that the damage at the plant, and the release of radioactive material, was far worse than previously thought. Mothers worried for their children's health, as well as farmers and fishermen angry about their damaged livelihoods, have been especially critical of the government of Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
The disaster has also prompted a national debate about Japan's heavy reliance on nuclear power despite the country's history of devastating earthquakes and a deep public distrust of the nuclear industry. In perhaps his sole move that has won popular support, Mr. Kan ordered the shutdown of a separate nuclear power plant in central Japan until it can bolster its tsunami defenses. But recent politicking in a gridlocked Parliament has added to the public's disenchantment.
"We now know the dangers of relying on nuclear power, and it's time to make a change," Hajime Matsumoto, one of the rally's organizers, told a crowd in a central Tokyo square that eventually grew to about 20,000 people, according to organizers' estimates.
"And, yes, I believe Japan can change," he shouted, as the crowd roared back and people pumped their fists in the air.
Supporters of the rally here in Tokyo, and in coordinated events in many other cities in Japan, say the demonstration was remarkable not because of its size, but because it happened at all in a country that so values conformity and order.
"The Japanese haven't been big protesters, at least recently," said Junichi Sato, program director of the environmental group Greenpeace Japan, who said he had organized enough poorly attended rallies to know. "They're taking the first steps toward making themselves heard." Many in the crowd said they were protesting for the first time. [ . . . ]
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13. All your base are lease to us?
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=7966&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Posted: 08 Jun 2011 10:59 AM PDT
The Conservative government is negotiating to establish a series of military support bases around the world, Defence Minister Peter MacKay has confirmed (Tristin Hopper, Canada to expand military reach with new facilities across the globe, National Post, 2 June 2011): The plan, dubbed the Operation Support Hubs Network, involves establishing a permanent presence in up [...]
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14. Leger & Dorn: Re-engage in peacekeeping
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8022&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Posted: 09 Jun 2011 09:10 PM PDT
Canada's role on the international stage is in urgent need of clear direction. Dominic Leger and Walter Dorn argue that the time has come for Canada to re-engage in UN peacekeeping (Dominic Leger & Walter Dorn, "It's time to keep the peace again," National Post, 3 June 2011): Peacekeeping is a key tool in maintaining [...]
= = = = = =
15. Libya mission deserves debate
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8004&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Posted: 09 Jun 2011 12:40 PM PDT
The Edmonton Journal adds its name to the list of those urging Canadians to conduct a more thorough debate on Canada's role in Libya and expeditionary operations in general (Libya Mission Deserves Debate, Edmonton Journal, 7 June 2011): Debate about Canada's role in Libya is long overdue. Discussion in Parliament should also spark a new [...]
= = = = = =
16. America's Next War Theater: Syria and Lebanon?
Washington's War against the Resistance Bloc
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25000
By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya Global Research, June 10, 2011
Washington and its allies, Israel and the Al-Sauds, are taking advantage of the upheavals in the Arab World. They are now working to dismantle the Resistance Bloc and weaken any drive for democracy in the Arab World. The geo-political chessboard is now being prepared for a broader confrontation that will target Tehran and include Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and the Palestinians. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = = = =
17. The Battle against Neoliberalism: Massive Popular Uprising in Greece
By Yorgos Mitralias
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25219
Global Research, June 11, 2011
Greek Committee Against the Debt and CADTM
Hundreds of thousands of Greek 'Indignés' ('Outraged') walk out to wage war against their neoliberal persecutors
Two weeks after it started the Greek movement of 'outraged' people has the main squares in all cities overflowing with crowds that shout their anger, and makes the Papandreou government and its local and international supporters tremble. It is now more than just a protest movement or even a massive mobilization against austerity measures. It has turned into a genuine popular uprising that is sweeping over the country. An uprising that makes it know at large its refusal to pay for 'their crisis' or 'their debt' while vomiting the two big neoliberal parties, if not the whole political world in complete disarray.
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18. Rafting to the Ring of Fire.
The race to develop Ontario's pristine northern wilderness is already furiously underway. Now, environmental groups are calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government to create a body of experts that would closely monitor mining of a treasure trove of chromite, platinum and diamonds - to ensure development adheres to environmental
standards. Toronto Star, Ontario.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/
1006854--rafting-to-the-ring-of-fire
= = = = = = =
19. Re: WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was elected
From: "Ace Hoffman"
<rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was
elected
Dear Canada,
What, you didn't know we thought we could manipulate you like a third-world country?
Why do you THINK we plan to "give" you the "spent" nuclear reactor cores after they've been in the reactor and are about 10,000,000 times more dangerous than when you gave the uranium to us?
Yours,
Ace (an American)
Carlsbad, CA
= = = = =
WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was elected
http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2011/06/
wikileaks-us-bid-to-shore-up-harper.html
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
An embassy cable
[ http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=06OTTAWA194 ]
written by US Ambassador David Wilkins the day the Cons were first elected in 2006 suggests Harper would be useful in advancing the US agenda for Canada and that giving him " a success story" like the softwood lumber deal would "shore up" his ability to stay in office without appearing to "sell out to the Americans".
It's pretty well a quid pro quo blueprint for every Canada-US initiative Harper has dutifully followed ever since.
Excerpted :
”The election of a new government, after thirteen years of Liberal rule, presents opportunities for advancing U.S. interests in such areas as law enforcement and continental security, and in developing Canada as a more useful partner in the Hemisphere and around the globe.
Significantly, the socially liberal core values of the opposition are more in line with most Canadians than the minority Conservatives, weakening their mandate even further. Given a relatively weak mandate and tenuous hold on power, Harper will move deliberately but cautiously to get a few successes under his belt before doing anything even remotely bold.
Relations with the U.S. will be tricky for Harper, who along with many members of his caucus has an ideological and cultural affinity for America. But as he has done already with many of his core social and fiscal values, he will simply have to sideline this affinity in order to not be painted as "selling out to the Americans" to a skeptical Canadian public. I know Harper will be warm and cordial in his dealings with the U.S., but he also has to demonstrate that he has the ability to advance Canada's interests with Washington, and he may feel compelled to step back from gestures that could be construed as a close embrace.
That said, I see a real opportunity for us to advance our agenda with the new government. I recommend early on that we look for an opportunity to give Harper a bilateral success story by resolving an irritant such as the Devil's Lake filter system or entering into good faith negotiations to reach a solution on softwood lumber. Early success on a bilateral issue will bolster Harper and allow him to take a more pro-American position publicly without as much political risk.
Another area where the new government will seek engagement will undoubtedly be border security. Finding a few high-profile SPP-type deliverables to improve cross border movement of goods and services would help our image here as well as shore up Harper's credentials. Laying this groundwork would then open the way for progress on cross-border law enforcement initiatives of interest to us, such as enhanced information-sharing, joint maritime operations, and more robust counter-narcotics efforts.
Enhanced info sharing on Canadians, the shiprider program, the imported war on drugs.
On other issues, Harper is committed to increasing spending on the armed forces and will do so, making the Canadian Armed Forces a more capable and deployable force; we have little to contribute to this debate and should stay out of it. He has also suggested that the missile defense decision could be re-examined.
With regards to our transformational agenda, there will be numerous opportunities for engagement. However, I suggest quietly working such cooperation with the new government through official, non-public channels, and that we focus on a handful of priority areas -- keeping Canada in the game in Afghanistan as the mission turns more difficult and possibly more bloody; continuing to work together to keep the pressure on Iran; increasing support to the new government in Haiti, possibly even taking on more of a leadership role there.”
And right about now I'm guessing you're remembering some of
http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2006/07/
matter-of-judgment.html
Harper's more bizarre outbursts on Iran, his caginess about withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, and
http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2010/01/
haiti-its-security-circus-now.html
Canada's new "leadership role in Haiti" where DFAIT is buying up property to house an infusion of Canadian officials.
Back to Wilkins' cable:
"We're going to be recommending senior level visits and consultations on
foreign policy issues to help bring Harper and his new, generally
inexperienced team into the fold as more useful partners.
I look forward to helping connect the dots with the new government so we can effectively advance our agenda."
Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, enhanced information sharing, war on drugs, joint
maritime operations, security perimeter ... There's also a section on Canada "engaging more actively in other hemispheric trouble spots such as Venezuela, Colombia, and Cuba."
Has Canada done anything independent of this cable under Harper?
David Emerson, who crossed the floor to the Cons to implement the soft wood lumber deal a week after he was elected as a Liberal in Vancouver, is mentioned in second Wilkins cable
[ <http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=06OTTAWA2837>a ]
just after the deal was signed with USTR Ambassador Susan Schwab eight months later.
Here they are quoted discussing
[ http://www.fmc-law.com/upload/en/publications/2007/
z_AckahE_An_Examination_of_ITAR_July2007.pdf ]
International Traffic in Arms Regulations, a US law which proscribes Canadian dual nationals from some countries from work on the arms deals that comprise 40% of Canadian defense procurement from the US, and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative :
"It would be better, she continued, if we could look at issues as if there were a common border surrounding Canada and the U.S., rather than as an issue caused by the Canadian-U.S. border. Emerson agreed. He said that policies such as the WHTI are a "running sore" in the bilateral relationship and are inconsistent with policies to integrate the Canadian and U.S. economies to the maximum extent possible."
So, again, Steve, we ask: How's that US security perimeter deal with Barry coming along?
. . . . . . .
Posted by Alison at
http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2011/06/
wikileaks-us-bid-to-shore-up-harper.html/opermanent%20link
5:18 AM
= = = = = = = =
Was softwood lumber deal a gift so Harper government could be more pro-American?
http://www.embassymag.ca/dailyupdate/view/
us_gave_harper_softwood_lumber_deal_as_a_gift_to_allow_closer_cooperation_on_drugs_americas_cable_06-062011
Even before Conservatives were elected, leaked cables show US was looking to influence new government on Americas, Afghanistan, cross-border initiatives.
http://www.embassymag.ca/column/author/15
by Lee Berthiaume Published Jun 6, 2011 6:05 PM
A newly-released diplomatic cable
http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=06OTTAWA194
indicates the deal to end the softwood lumber dispute in summer 2006 was a gift from the Americans to bolster the Harper government's credibility so it could be more pro-US in future dealings.
In addition, the document shows that even before it was elected, American officials were planning on how they could use a Harper government to advance their own agenda on law enforcement, border security and co-operation in the hemisphere. The cable lays out a number of potential policies and areas of co-operation-most of which have since come to pass. The document from the US Embassy in Ottawa is dated Jan. 23, 2006, hours before Paul Martin's Liberals were defeated by Stephen Harper's Conservatives, giving the latter their first minority government.
"The election of a new government, after 13 years of Liberal rule, presents opportunities for advancing US interests in such areas as law enforcement and continental security, and in developing Canada as a more useful partner in the Hemisphere and around the globe," reads the cable from then-US ambassador David Wilkins.
It does go to pains to note the weak position the Harper government would be in, not just because of its minority status, but also because most Canadians were more socially liberal than the Conservative government. In addition, "relations with the US will be tricky for Harper, who along with many members of his caucus has an ideological and cultural affinity for America," Mr. Wilkins wrote. The new prime minister would "have to sideline this affinity in order to not be painted as 'selling out to the Americans' to a skeptical Canadian public."
"That said, I see a real opportunity for us to advance our agenda with the new government," Mr. Wilkins wrote. "I recommend early on that we look for an opportunity to give Harper a bilateral success story by resolving an irritant such as the Devil's Lake filter system or entering into good faith negotiations to reach a solution on softwood lumber. Press reports here indicate a growing willingness across Canada to get back to the table. Early success on a bilateral issue will bolster Harper and allow him to take a more pro-American position publicly without as much political risk."
Less than four months later, Canada and the US reached an agreement on softwood lumber, with the Americans returning 80 per cent of the $5.3 billion in duties it had collected on lumber imports over the years.
However, if the deal was supposed to give the Conservative government an accomplishment to show the public it could stand up for the country and defend Canada's interests in dealing with the US, it badly backfired.
A large number of softwood lumber industry groups, the BC government and the federal Liberals and NDP strongly opposed the agreement, declaring that the Harper government had in fact sold out to the Americans. The Conservatives retaliated by describing it as the best agreement possible and made the deal a confidence motion. The Bloc Québécois ended up supporting it to avoid an election, and the BC government also eventually signed on after a number of amendments. [ . . . ]
1. WATCH: Fort Calhoun near Omaha, Nebraska (40 min.)
2. Northern communities discuss nuclear waste
3. Ignace Mayor and Council meet Swedes to talk about underground repository
4. Port Hope Contaminated Homes: A Tough sell
5. Former N.B. cabinet minister urges Point Lepreau legal action
6. Are We on the Brink of Burying Nuke Power Forever?
7. Fukushima - The Elephant in the Room
8. HOFFMAN: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
9. Behind the myth: A town built on nuclear subsidies, emptied by nuclear disaster. (Parts 3 & 4
10. The downside of Germany's nuclear phaseout.
11. Partisan split widens over nuclear regulator.
12. Protests challenge Japan's use of nuclear power.
13. All your base are lease to us?
14. Leger & Dorn: Re-engage in peacekeeping
15. Libya mission deserves debate
16. America's Next War Theater: Syria and Lebanon?
17. The Battle against Neoliberalism: Massive Popular Uprising in Greece
18. Rafting to the Ring of Fire.
19. Re: WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was elected
==================
1. WATCH: Fort Calhoun near Omaha, Nebraska (40 min.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHZdub3n0mI
"On June 6, 2011, the Fort Calhoun pressurized water nuclear reactor 20 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska entered emergency status due to imminent flooding from the Missouri River. A day later, there was an electrical fire requiring plant evacuation.
Then, on June 8th, NRC event reports confirmed the fire resulted in the loss of cooling for the reactor's spent fuel pool. The discussion includes specific details of the technical failures at Fort Calhoun, the risks of coolant loss at overcrowded "spent" fuel pools, and the national hazards of nuclear facilities along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, and other water sites during the current period of floods and climate change."
Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSvvmrB7qEg
Part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lva5N9VpAgw
Download the audio podcast here:
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/52367
Arnie Gundersen's Updates on Fukushima:
http://www.fairewinds.com
KETV News' Piece on the Nuclear Plant:
http://www.ketv.com/news/27392766/detail.html
= = = = = = =
2. Northern communities discuss nuclear waste
http://www.meadowlakeprogress.com/
ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3165326
By Mark Melnychuk June 10, 2011
Both the benefits and risks of storing nuclear waste were up for discussion at an open forum in Beauval.
The Northern Forum for Truth on Nuclear Waste Storage was hosted by the Committee for Future Generations, and was held on June 2. More than 200 people attended the event.
Mayors and band councillors from as far south as Saskatoon were invited. Although community leaders were asked to show up, organizers said they didn't want the forum to become a political battleground. Instead, they wanted to inform members of the public who could one day have the responsibility of deciding if they would like to store nuclear waste.
"We want transparency, we want the truth, and we want to be included," said organizer Max C.D. Morin.
So far Pinehouse, English River First Nation and Creighton have expressed interest in the project.
Dr. Jim Harding, a retired justice studies professor and staunch opponent of nuclear power, delivered the keynote address.
Harding warned that the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) couldn't guarantee that radioactive plutonium rods wouldn't affect the environment, even when buried 500 metres below ground.
"Do you want to be a party to an experiment that's potentially playing with a whole region of water and life and biodiversity, that is completely an experiment unproven anywhere," Harding asked the crowd.
Harding said an impartial scientific team needs to look at the effects of storage, and that Saskatchewan shouldn't be a dumping ground for nuclear power users in southern Canada. [ . . ]
= = = = = = = =
3. Ignace Mayor and Council meet Swedes to talk about underground repository
http://town.ignace.on.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp
June (?), 2011
As posted on the Municipality of Ignace's web site at Ignace Mayor and Council members, at the invitation of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), travelled to Halifax to meet with a Swedish delegation who talked about how their communities came forward as willing hosts for used nuclear fuel.
Mayor Kennard, Councillors Chicki Pesola and Larry Fraser, were accompanied by Township staff Wayne Hanchard and Doug Pronger. They attended the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) conference where the Swedish delegation presented a session entitled, "Deciding to Host a National Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel: Swedish Experience."
"The opportunity for a private meeting with the Swedes was really interesting," says Mayor Lee Kennard. "Even after 15 years of being involved in the site selection process, the community can still say no if they decide they don’t want to go ahead with the project." [ . . . ]
- - - - -
TOWNSHIP OF IGNACE
http://town.ignace.on.ca/siteengine/act ... ?PageID=92
Nuclear Topics:
NWMO Adaptive Phase Management Initial Screening Report
http://www.nwmo.ca/uploads/File/Ignace- ... rt_med.pdf
Nuclear Waste Management and Safety Report "Learn More Project"
http://www.town.ignace.on.ca/files/
%7B6B140E16-FD0C-4E63-958F-90CC8713BE92%7DIgnace%20Socioeconomic%20Impact%20Report%20may%2026%2009.pdf
Council Visits Pickering Nuclear Plant
http://town.ignace.on.ca/files/
%7B9A6D2F24-9A41-43F3-A483-5A066F5639E1%7DIgnace%20Communicaiton%20re%20%20Learn%20More%20Visit%20march%2024%202011%20revised.doc
Frequently Asked Questions - Seismic Events (no Link)
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4. Port Hope Contaminated Homes: A Tough sell
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1006749--tough-sell
Raveena Aulakh, Toronto Star, Staff reporter, June 10, 2011
Christine Ball's plans to sell her house at Harcourt St. in Port Hope were thwarted by the discovery it contains low-level radioactive waste. Even if it sells after being cleaned up, she's been told she's ineligible to receive property value compensation under a federal plan.
PORT HOPE-Buying or selling a house is stressful during the best of times, in the best of places.
Christine Ball knew that.
What she didn't know was that there was low-level radioactive waste all over her house, which would thwart its sale. She also didn't know that a federal program to compensate homeowners suffering the stigma of being part of the biggest radioactive waste cleanup in Canadian history would deem her ineligible.
"It's been a nightmare," says Ball, sitting on the couch in her three-bedroom Harcourt St. home, a 10-minute walk from the town's charming downtown, with her beagle mix Lucy perched next to her.
"What am I supposed to do now?" she asks, with a wan smile. "I can't sell my house and the government says I can't even apply for the property value protection program."
The unique program, known as PVP, was introduced in 2001, when Ottawa decided to clean up the town. Homeowners who sell for considerably less than the appraised value can get the difference from the government.
At least, that's what's supposed to happen.
But some residents, victims of the town's peculiar atomic history, say they're not being given access because they don't fit the highly specific criteria.
The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI), the federal agency in charge of the big cleanup, says the rules were decided a decade ago in a signed agreement between the federal government and the municipality of Port Hope.
Politicians, including Mayor Linda Thompson, are toeing the line, saying the
process is still unfolding.
The result, on the eve of the cleanup, has been a year's worth of angry emails and acrimonious meetings between homeowners and PHAI, on top of the rancour that has enveloped the town over differing views on the contamination and its solution.
Port Hope is riddled with low-level radioactive waste, the result of 50 years of radium and uranium refining at the Cameco refinery, formerly the Crown corporation Eldorado Nuclear Ltd., from the 1930s to the 1980s. It's strewn all over town - around homes, in parks, office buildings, even under the asphalt.
The cleanup will entail digging out more than 1.2 million cubic metres of soil. It will last a decade, and cost at least $260 million. The waste will be trucked to a storage mound south of Highway 401, where it will be sealed up for centuries. [ . . . ]
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5. Former N.B. cabinet minister urges Point Lepreau legal action
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/n ... le/1411326
Michael Murphy says province not responsible?for costs incurred after project's 18-month timeline
by Brett Bundale, (Moncton) Times & transcript, June 1st, 2011
FREDERICTON -- A former New Brunswick cabinet minister is urging the province to pursue legal action against Ottawa and the federal agency in charge of the Point Lepreau generating station refurbishment to recoup billions in cost overruns.
Michael Murphy, a Moncton-based lawyer and leadership candidate for the New Brunswick Liberal Party, says according to the terms of the contract, the province is not responsible for costs incurred after the project's original 18-month timeline.
When asked if Ottawa would foot the bill for the delays and spiraling refurbishment costs, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's response has been that the federal government will "honour the contract."
But Murphy said honouring the contract means Ottawa should pick up the tab for ballooning cost overruns incurred during the three-year delay.
"The contract for Lepreau was to pay for replacement power for 18 months, the duration of the refurbishment, and the prime minister constantly refers to 'honouring that contract,'" he said recently.
"The reality is the contract is fundamentally breached," Murphy said, noting that the cost of replacement power can be referred to as damages in the legal sphere. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
6. Are We on the Brink of Burying Nuke Power Forever?
http://www.opednews.com/articles/
Are-We-on-the-Brink-of-Bur-by-Harvey-Wasserman-110615-840.html
By Harvey Wasserman (about the author) June 15, 2011
This may be the moment history has turned definitively against atomic energy.
To be sure: we are still required to fight hard to bury reactor loan guarantees in the United States. There are parallel struggles in China, Indian, England, France and South Korea.
The great fear is that until every single reactor on this planet is shut, none of us is really safe from another radioactive horror show.
Thus the moment is clearly marked at Fukushima by three reactors and a radioactive fuel pool still untamed after three months, with the horrific potential to do far more apocalyptic damage than we've seen even to date.
That image includes Japanese school children being issued Geiger counters to carry with them 24/7
(http://nukefree.org/
japanese-government-give-kids-radiation-monitors-carry-them ).
And Fukushima's radiation raining down on the United States, with links to reports of a heightened infant death rate in Seattle
http://nukefree.org/
janette-sherman-joe-mangano-rise-infant-deaths-pacific-northwest-due-fukushima .
And by countless other on-going disasters and near-misses at reactors everywhere on the planet. Included is Cooper, in Nebraska, which got zero corporate media coverage as it was nearly flooded and did lose power to its radioactive fuel pool
http://nukefree.org/
electrical-fire-knocks-out-fuel-pool-nebraska-nuke .
From well-reasoned fear, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Israel and other critical players have announced they will build no more reactors. Some will start shutting the ones they have. [ . . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
7. Fukushima - The Elephant in the Room
http://www.opednews.com/articles/
Fukushima--The-Elephant-i-by-lila-york-110611-262.html
By lila york June 11, 2011
Remember Chandra Levy? Her disappearance following an affair with her congressman was the national obsession in the summer of 2001 - until we awoke one Tuesday morning to see the World Trade Center towers on fire In the summer of 2011 the nation, or at least the nation's media, seems similarly obsessed with the murder trial of Casey Anthony and the twitter account of a New York congressman. Meanwhile, the crisis at the Fukushima Daichi plant rages on with no resolution in sight and a cold shutdown now projected to be years away.
Until last week there was an apparent media blackout on the crisis, although some Americans, this writer included, have followed the status of the reactors daily at Energy News and Fairewinds, the website of nuclear energy expert, Arnie Gundersen. The Fukushima reactors were built by General Electric, which also owns Comcast, NBC, CNBC and MSNBC, so the absence of timely information is not surprising. One article early on in the crisis suggested that the reinsurance on Fukushima was held in part by AIG and Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway, a supposition I cannot substantiate, but that may be true. There is no doubt that we live in a time when corporate profits trump human safety and well-being, and we are seeing that manifest in this current crisis. The best MSM sources for information over these last months have been Bloomberg, online and on television, and The Wall Street Journal, which have tracked the crisis primarily because it affects investment in Japanese companies.
Last week the Japanese government made startling announcements. Three of the five reactors experienced total meltdowns on March 11th, the day of the initial earthquake, and all three reactors have "melted through" leaky containment vessels, molten masses of melted fuel rods now fissioning on the basement floors of those reactors. The statement further confessed that levels of radiation released from the explosions were actually twice as high as initially reported, blaming the miscalculation on bad math. (Indeed in the days after the March explosions plutonium was discovered on the ground in northern California and tritium in Vermont.) In light of these revelations Arnie Gundersen did an interview on CNN last week, recommending that Americans wash produce thoroughly and stop drinking milk and eating dairy products. He also suggested that any Americans wealthy enough to relocate to the southern hemisphere consider doing so, adding that Seattle residents were inhaling 5 "hot particles" or "fuel fleas" per day in the weeks following the explosions. Democracy Now, Amy Goodman's radio and television news program, which has not ignored the story over these months, did an extensive update on yesterday's broadcast. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
8. HOFFMAN: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/06/
scariest-thing-ive-read-since-3112011.html
June 10th, 2011
Dear Readers,
It is now known that women are more susceptible -- approximately twice as susceptible, or worse -- to radiation's harmful effects than men who get the same dose. Young people are more susceptible than old.
Young children are perhaps ten times as susceptible to radiation's dangers as adults are, because their cells are dividing and establishing themselves. The cells of some organs will continue to divide; but cells such as neurons and heart muscle cells stop dividing at adulthood. Cancer can also get established at this early stage. Cancer usually requires a long sequence of cell changes to occur -- often 10 or 12 or more changes in the cell DNA's structure will have to occur, which can take many years. Starting early is a very bad thing. Infants are even more susceptible than young children. Newborns, preemies... immune-challenged... even more so. Since Fukushima, on the west coast of the United States, our babies are dying at a significantly increased rate (see article, below). Across the country deaths are up as well, though not as much (ibid). And fetuses. Can we even talk about fetuses? As two cells, separated by space - the sperm and the egg -- "it" is utterly vulnerable! One zap from a nuclear buzzsaw and it's over. So much for the next Einstein! Another Da Vinci? Gone! Oh well, there's millions where they came from, right? (If so, I haven't seen them.)
After the cells start to multiply, they begin "specification", becoming hearts, lungs, brains, bones, intestines, and all the other little warts and dimples that make us who we are as individuals and as a species. Fetuses vary from "infinitely" more susceptible to radiation's dangers, to thousands of times when they are very small, to "merely" hundreds of times as they grow, to whatever they are at birth -- no one knows precisely. Reasonable estimates can be made. If what is reported below is, indeed, caused by Fukushima, it should surprise no one. The authors of the article shown below are both friends of mine; I've known them for years. I authored an article or two with one of them. They've both written extensively about the scientific data which condemns nuclear power and been involved in all aspects of research into the dangers of radiation, and are both book authors of wonderful scientific books on the subjects, as well.
They research everything they do very carefully and shoot straight when they talk about it. They are scientists in the best sense of the word. Nevertheless, let's hope they're wrong. If what they report below is even half true, we're all in for a whole lot of hurt. Our babies are taking the "hits" now. We all will in one way or another -- by losing loved ones, if nothing else. If this anomaly has any other explanation, I challenge anyone to find it. And stop it.
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com
- - - - -
A 35% Spike in Infant Mortality in Northwest Cities Since Meltdown
http://www.counterpunch.org/sherman06102011.html
June 10 - 12, 2011 Weekend Edition
Is the Dramatic Increase in Baby Deaths in the US a Result of Fukushima Fallout?
By JANETTE D. SHERMAN, MD and JOSEPH MANGANO
U.S. babies are dying at an increased rate. While the United States spends billions on medical care, as of 2006, the US ranked 28th in the world in infant mortality, more than twice that of the lowest ranked countries. (DHHS, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. Health United States 2010, Table 20, p. 131, February 2011.)
The recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicates that eight cities in the northwest U.S. (Boise ID, Seattle WA, Portland OR, plus the northern California cities of Santa Cruz, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, and Berkeley) reported the following data on deaths among those younger than one year of age:
4 weeks ending March 19, 2011 - 37 deaths (avg. 9.25 per week) 10 weeks ending May 28, 2011 - 125 deaths (avg.12.50 per week)
This amounts to an increase of 35% (the total for the entire U.S. rose about 2.3%), and is statistically significant. Of further significance is that those dates include the four weeks before and the ten weeks after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster. In 2001 the infant mortality was 6.834 per 1000 live births, increasing to 6.845 in 2007. All years from 2002 to 2007 were higher than the 2001 rate.
Spewing from the Fukushima reactor are radioactive isotopes including those of iodine (I-131), strontium (Sr-90) and cesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) all of which are taken up in food and water. Iodine is concentrated in the thyroid, Sr-90 in bones and teeth and Cs-134 and Cs-137 in soft tissues, including the heart. The unborn and babies are more vulnerable because the cells are rapidly dividing and the delivered dose is proportionally larger than that delivered to an adult. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
9. Behind the myth: A town built on nuclear subsidies, emptied by nuclear disaster. (Parts 3 & 4) (Unable to locate Parts 1 & 2. Ed.)
Futaba, in Fukushima Prefecture, is now a ghost town. Like other communities that host nuclear power facilities, Futaba ended up being overly dependent on subsidies from the central government while failing to develop other industries (Part 3 of 4). Asahi Shimbun, Japan.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106090181.html
Behind the myth: Japan turned deaf ear to warnings about quake risks.
Seismologist Kojiro Irikura, who has chaired the Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan's Investigatory Advisory Board on Assessment of Seismic Safety since 2007, believes that warnings about earthquake risks to nuclear power plants were not taken seriously for many years (Part 4 of 4). Asahi Shimbun, Japan.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106100215.html
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10. The downside of Germany's nuclear phaseout.
Most Germans support Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to phase out nuclear energy in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. But not all of the consequences will be welcome. Der Spiegel
http://www.spiegel.de/international/ger ... 00,00.html
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11. Partisan split widens over nuclear regulator.
Lawmakers clashed along partisan lines Friday over how to interpret a government report that says the U.S. nuclear industry's top regulator "strategically" withheld information from colleagues in an effort to halt work on a contested waste dump, but that he didn't break any laws in doing so. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required]
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702304778304576377931029886172.html
= = = = = = = =
12. Protests challenge Japan's use of nuclear power.
From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Saturday, June 11, 2011 1:10 PM
Subject: Protests Challenge Japan's Use of Nuclear Power
Background:
In Germany there have been anti-nuclear protests involving tens of thousands of people reported on many occasions. But tens of thousands of people protesting in Japan? That is unheard of - until now. Gordon Edwards.
- - - - - -
Protests Challenge Japan's Use of Nuclear Power
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/
people/t/hiroko_tabuchi/index.html?inline=nyt-per
By HIROKO TABUCHI, New York Times, June 11, 2011
TOKYO - Beating drums and waving flowers, protesters in Tokyo and other major cities rallied against the use of nuclear power on Saturday, three months after a devastating tsunami set off a nuclear crisis.
Anger over the government's handling of the accident at the Fukushima nuclear plant has erupted in recent weeks after revelations that the damage at the plant, and the release of radioactive material, was far worse than previously thought. Mothers worried for their children's health, as well as farmers and fishermen angry about their damaged livelihoods, have been especially critical of the government of Prime Minister Naoto Kan.
The disaster has also prompted a national debate about Japan's heavy reliance on nuclear power despite the country's history of devastating earthquakes and a deep public distrust of the nuclear industry. In perhaps his sole move that has won popular support, Mr. Kan ordered the shutdown of a separate nuclear power plant in central Japan until it can bolster its tsunami defenses. But recent politicking in a gridlocked Parliament has added to the public's disenchantment.
"We now know the dangers of relying on nuclear power, and it's time to make a change," Hajime Matsumoto, one of the rally's organizers, told a crowd in a central Tokyo square that eventually grew to about 20,000 people, according to organizers' estimates.
"And, yes, I believe Japan can change," he shouted, as the crowd roared back and people pumped their fists in the air.
Supporters of the rally here in Tokyo, and in coordinated events in many other cities in Japan, say the demonstration was remarkable not because of its size, but because it happened at all in a country that so values conformity and order.
"The Japanese haven't been big protesters, at least recently," said Junichi Sato, program director of the environmental group Greenpeace Japan, who said he had organized enough poorly attended rallies to know. "They're taking the first steps toward making themselves heard." Many in the crowd said they were protesting for the first time. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
13. All your base are lease to us?
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=7966&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Posted: 08 Jun 2011 10:59 AM PDT
The Conservative government is negotiating to establish a series of military support bases around the world, Defence Minister Peter MacKay has confirmed (Tristin Hopper, Canada to expand military reach with new facilities across the globe, National Post, 2 June 2011): The plan, dubbed the Operation Support Hubs Network, involves establishing a permanent presence in up [...]
= = = = = = =
14. Leger & Dorn: Re-engage in peacekeeping
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8022&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Posted: 09 Jun 2011 09:10 PM PDT
Canada's role on the international stage is in urgent need of clear direction. Dominic Leger and Walter Dorn argue that the time has come for Canada to re-engage in UN peacekeeping (Dominic Leger & Walter Dorn, "It's time to keep the peace again," National Post, 3 June 2011): Peacekeeping is a key tool in maintaining [...]
= = = = = =
15. Libya mission deserves debate
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8004&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Posted: 09 Jun 2011 12:40 PM PDT
The Edmonton Journal adds its name to the list of those urging Canadians to conduct a more thorough debate on Canada's role in Libya and expeditionary operations in general (Libya Mission Deserves Debate, Edmonton Journal, 7 June 2011): Debate about Canada's role in Libya is long overdue. Discussion in Parliament should also spark a new [...]
= = = = = =
16. America's Next War Theater: Syria and Lebanon?
Washington's War against the Resistance Bloc
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25000
By Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya Global Research, June 10, 2011
Washington and its allies, Israel and the Al-Sauds, are taking advantage of the upheavals in the Arab World. They are now working to dismantle the Resistance Bloc and weaken any drive for democracy in the Arab World. The geo-political chessboard is now being prepared for a broader confrontation that will target Tehran and include Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and the Palestinians. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = = = =
17. The Battle against Neoliberalism: Massive Popular Uprising in Greece
By Yorgos Mitralias
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25219
Global Research, June 11, 2011
Greek Committee Against the Debt and CADTM
Hundreds of thousands of Greek 'Indignés' ('Outraged') walk out to wage war against their neoliberal persecutors
Two weeks after it started the Greek movement of 'outraged' people has the main squares in all cities overflowing with crowds that shout their anger, and makes the Papandreou government and its local and international supporters tremble. It is now more than just a protest movement or even a massive mobilization against austerity measures. It has turned into a genuine popular uprising that is sweeping over the country. An uprising that makes it know at large its refusal to pay for 'their crisis' or 'their debt' while vomiting the two big neoliberal parties, if not the whole political world in complete disarray.
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18. Rafting to the Ring of Fire.
The race to develop Ontario's pristine northern wilderness is already furiously underway. Now, environmental groups are calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government to create a body of experts that would closely monitor mining of a treasure trove of chromite, platinum and diamonds - to ensure development adheres to environmental
standards. Toronto Star, Ontario.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/
1006854--rafting-to-the-ring-of-fire
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19. Re: WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was elected
From: "Ace Hoffman"
<rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was
elected
Dear Canada,
What, you didn't know we thought we could manipulate you like a third-world country?
Why do you THINK we plan to "give" you the "spent" nuclear reactor cores after they've been in the reactor and are about 10,000,000 times more dangerous than when you gave the uranium to us?
Yours,
Ace (an American)
Carlsbad, CA
= = = = =
WikiLeaks : US bid to "shore up" Harper from the day he was elected
http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2011/06/
wikileaks-us-bid-to-shore-up-harper.html
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
An embassy cable
[ http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=06OTTAWA194 ]
written by US Ambassador David Wilkins the day the Cons were first elected in 2006 suggests Harper would be useful in advancing the US agenda for Canada and that giving him " a success story" like the softwood lumber deal would "shore up" his ability to stay in office without appearing to "sell out to the Americans".
It's pretty well a quid pro quo blueprint for every Canada-US initiative Harper has dutifully followed ever since.
Excerpted :
”The election of a new government, after thirteen years of Liberal rule, presents opportunities for advancing U.S. interests in such areas as law enforcement and continental security, and in developing Canada as a more useful partner in the Hemisphere and around the globe.
Significantly, the socially liberal core values of the opposition are more in line with most Canadians than the minority Conservatives, weakening their mandate even further. Given a relatively weak mandate and tenuous hold on power, Harper will move deliberately but cautiously to get a few successes under his belt before doing anything even remotely bold.
Relations with the U.S. will be tricky for Harper, who along with many members of his caucus has an ideological and cultural affinity for America. But as he has done already with many of his core social and fiscal values, he will simply have to sideline this affinity in order to not be painted as "selling out to the Americans" to a skeptical Canadian public. I know Harper will be warm and cordial in his dealings with the U.S., but he also has to demonstrate that he has the ability to advance Canada's interests with Washington, and he may feel compelled to step back from gestures that could be construed as a close embrace.
That said, I see a real opportunity for us to advance our agenda with the new government. I recommend early on that we look for an opportunity to give Harper a bilateral success story by resolving an irritant such as the Devil's Lake filter system or entering into good faith negotiations to reach a solution on softwood lumber. Early success on a bilateral issue will bolster Harper and allow him to take a more pro-American position publicly without as much political risk.
Another area where the new government will seek engagement will undoubtedly be border security. Finding a few high-profile SPP-type deliverables to improve cross border movement of goods and services would help our image here as well as shore up Harper's credentials. Laying this groundwork would then open the way for progress on cross-border law enforcement initiatives of interest to us, such as enhanced information-sharing, joint maritime operations, and more robust counter-narcotics efforts.
Enhanced info sharing on Canadians, the shiprider program, the imported war on drugs.
On other issues, Harper is committed to increasing spending on the armed forces and will do so, making the Canadian Armed Forces a more capable and deployable force; we have little to contribute to this debate and should stay out of it. He has also suggested that the missile defense decision could be re-examined.
With regards to our transformational agenda, there will be numerous opportunities for engagement. However, I suggest quietly working such cooperation with the new government through official, non-public channels, and that we focus on a handful of priority areas -- keeping Canada in the game in Afghanistan as the mission turns more difficult and possibly more bloody; continuing to work together to keep the pressure on Iran; increasing support to the new government in Haiti, possibly even taking on more of a leadership role there.”
And right about now I'm guessing you're remembering some of
http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2006/07/
matter-of-judgment.html
Harper's more bizarre outbursts on Iran, his caginess about withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, and
http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2010/01/
haiti-its-security-circus-now.html
Canada's new "leadership role in Haiti" where DFAIT is buying up property to house an infusion of Canadian officials.
Back to Wilkins' cable:
"We're going to be recommending senior level visits and consultations on
foreign policy issues to help bring Harper and his new, generally
inexperienced team into the fold as more useful partners.
I look forward to helping connect the dots with the new government so we can effectively advance our agenda."
Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, enhanced information sharing, war on drugs, joint
maritime operations, security perimeter ... There's also a section on Canada "engaging more actively in other hemispheric trouble spots such as Venezuela, Colombia, and Cuba."
Has Canada done anything independent of this cable under Harper?
David Emerson, who crossed the floor to the Cons to implement the soft wood lumber deal a week after he was elected as a Liberal in Vancouver, is mentioned in second Wilkins cable
[ <http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=06OTTAWA2837>a ]
just after the deal was signed with USTR Ambassador Susan Schwab eight months later.
Here they are quoted discussing
[ http://www.fmc-law.com/upload/en/publications/2007/
z_AckahE_An_Examination_of_ITAR_July2007.pdf ]
International Traffic in Arms Regulations, a US law which proscribes Canadian dual nationals from some countries from work on the arms deals that comprise 40% of Canadian defense procurement from the US, and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative :
"It would be better, she continued, if we could look at issues as if there were a common border surrounding Canada and the U.S., rather than as an issue caused by the Canadian-U.S. border. Emerson agreed. He said that policies such as the WHTI are a "running sore" in the bilateral relationship and are inconsistent with policies to integrate the Canadian and U.S. economies to the maximum extent possible."
So, again, Steve, we ask: How's that US security perimeter deal with Barry coming along?
. . . . . . .
Posted by Alison at
http://creekside1.blogspot.com/2011/06/
wikileaks-us-bid-to-shore-up-harper.html/opermanent%20link
5:18 AM
= = = = = = = =
Was softwood lumber deal a gift so Harper government could be more pro-American?
http://www.embassymag.ca/dailyupdate/view/
us_gave_harper_softwood_lumber_deal_as_a_gift_to_allow_closer_cooperation_on_drugs_americas_cable_06-062011
Even before Conservatives were elected, leaked cables show US was looking to influence new government on Americas, Afghanistan, cross-border initiatives.
http://www.embassymag.ca/column/author/15
by Lee Berthiaume Published Jun 6, 2011 6:05 PM
A newly-released diplomatic cable
http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=06OTTAWA194
indicates the deal to end the softwood lumber dispute in summer 2006 was a gift from the Americans to bolster the Harper government's credibility so it could be more pro-US in future dealings.
In addition, the document shows that even before it was elected, American officials were planning on how they could use a Harper government to advance their own agenda on law enforcement, border security and co-operation in the hemisphere. The cable lays out a number of potential policies and areas of co-operation-most of which have since come to pass. The document from the US Embassy in Ottawa is dated Jan. 23, 2006, hours before Paul Martin's Liberals were defeated by Stephen Harper's Conservatives, giving the latter their first minority government.
"The election of a new government, after 13 years of Liberal rule, presents opportunities for advancing US interests in such areas as law enforcement and continental security, and in developing Canada as a more useful partner in the Hemisphere and around the globe," reads the cable from then-US ambassador David Wilkins.
It does go to pains to note the weak position the Harper government would be in, not just because of its minority status, but also because most Canadians were more socially liberal than the Conservative government. In addition, "relations with the US will be tricky for Harper, who along with many members of his caucus has an ideological and cultural affinity for America," Mr. Wilkins wrote. The new prime minister would "have to sideline this affinity in order to not be painted as 'selling out to the Americans' to a skeptical Canadian public."
"That said, I see a real opportunity for us to advance our agenda with the new government," Mr. Wilkins wrote. "I recommend early on that we look for an opportunity to give Harper a bilateral success story by resolving an irritant such as the Devil's Lake filter system or entering into good faith negotiations to reach a solution on softwood lumber. Press reports here indicate a growing willingness across Canada to get back to the table. Early success on a bilateral issue will bolster Harper and allow him to take a more pro-American position publicly without as much political risk."
Less than four months later, Canada and the US reached an agreement on softwood lumber, with the Americans returning 80 per cent of the $5.3 billion in duties it had collected on lumber imports over the years.
However, if the deal was supposed to give the Conservative government an accomplishment to show the public it could stand up for the country and defend Canada's interests in dealing with the US, it badly backfired.
A large number of softwood lumber industry groups, the BC government and the federal Liberals and NDP strongly opposed the agreement, declaring that the Harper government had in fact sold out to the Americans. The Conservatives retaliated by describing it as the best agreement possible and made the deal a confidence motion. The Bloc Québécois ended up supporting it to avoid an election, and the BC government also eventually signed on after a number of amendments. [ . . . ]
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
NUKE NEWS: June 24, 2011
by Oscar » Fri Jun 24, 2011 12:17 pm
NUKE NEWS: June 24, 2011
1. LISTEN: Nuclear Waste in Saskatchewan: Committee for Future Generations
2. Northern communities discuss nuclear waste
3. NWMO: Deciding to Host a National Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel: Swedish Experience
4. Canada ill-prepared for radiation emergencies
5. Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant - update
6. Nuclear Plant Safety Rules Inadequate, Group Says
7. Strong global opposition towards nuclear power
8. EPA Halted Extra Testing for Radiation From Japan Weeks Ago
9. HOFFMAN: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
10. Prestigious doctor: US nuclear 'Baby valley of death,' Millions to die (video)
11. No Nukes News - June 20, 2011
12. Nuclear Information and Resource Service - Stay Informed
13. JAPAN UPDATE
14. WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS June 7-13 and June 14-20
15. Federal nuclear regulators repeatedly weaken or fail to enforce safety standards.
16. GE official sees cheaper solar power
17. Ceasefire.ca Members’ survey results on Libya mission
18. Layton, Harris criticize timing of document dump
19. Defining 'Withdrawal' From Afghanistan
= = = = = = =
1. LISTEN: Nuclear Waste in Saskatchewan: Committee for Future Generations
http://humanrightsradio.podbean.com/2011/06/18/
nuclear-waste-in-saskatchewan-committee-for-future-generations/
Jun 18th, 2011 by humanrightsradio
On Friday June 17, 2011, Human Rights Radio spoke with Max and Debby Morin from Beauval, as well as Dan Lindsey from Regina about the efforts of the newly formed Committee for Future Generations to make all residents of Saskatchewan, particularly those in the North, aware of the Nuclear industry's intention to site nuclear waste repositories and eventually nuclear waste reprocessing facilities in this province. This would involve transporting nuclear waste through Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan then depositing this waste deep in the Canadian Shield. We discuss what has gone on in some northern communities and the efforts of the new committee to ensure that people of Saskatchewan are made aware of all of the facts.
LISTEN:
http://humanrightsradio.podbean.com/2011/06/18/
nuclear-waste-in-saskatchewan-committee-for-future-generations/
= = = = = =
2. Northern communities discuss nuclear waste
http://www.meadowlakeprogress.com/Artic ... ?e=3165326
June 10, 2011
Both the benefits and risks of storing nuclear waste were up for discussion at an open forum in Beauval.
The Northern Forum for Truth on Nuclear Waste Storage was hosted by the Committee for Future Generations, and was held on June 2. More than 200 people attended the event.
Mayors and band councillors from as far south as Saskatoon were invited. Although community leaders were asked to show up, organizers said they didn't want the forum to become a political battleground. Instead, they wanted to inform members of the public who could one day have the responsibility of deciding if they would like to store nuclear waste.
"We want transparency, we want the truth, and we want to be included," said organizer Max C.D. Morin.
So far Pinehouse, English River First Nation and Creighton have expressed interest in the project.
Dr. Jim Harding, a retired justice studies professor and staunch opponent of nuclear power, delivered the keynote address.
Harding warned that the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) couldn't guarantee that radioactive plutonium rods wouldn't affect the environment, even when buried 500 metres below ground.
"Do you want to be a party to an experiment that's potentially playing with a whole region of water and life and biodiversity, that is completely an experiment unproven anywhere," Harding asked the crowd.
Harding said an impartial scientific team needs to look at the effects of storage, and that Saskatchewan shouldn't be a dumping ground for nuclear power users in southern Canada.
The NWMO was unable to attend the conference due to scheduling conflicts. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
3. NWMO: Deciding to Host a National Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel: Swedish Experience
http://www.nwmo.ca/sitingprocess_fcmhalifax2011
ALSO: Scroll down to WATCH:
NWMO panel presentation a the FCM conference. (27 min.)
The NWMO regularly participates in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Annual Conference in order to update municipalities throughout Canada about the progress in implementing Canada's plan for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel and to support the sharing of experience among communities, which is the focus of many of the sessions during the conference.
At the most recent FCM conference (Halifax, June 3–6), the NWMO participated in the trade show with its travelling exhibit focused on describing Canada's plan, Adaptive Phased Management, and the NWMO's recent activities to implement this plan. The NWMO also sponsored an industry exchange session titled, "Deciding to Host a National Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel: Swedish Experience." In this session, representatives from two Swedish communities shared their experience with community-driven decision-making processes, what worked and what did not work, using their participation in Sweden's deep geological repository project as a case study.
The NWMO invited representatives of communities participating in Canada's site selection process for Adaptive Phased Management to attend the FCM conference, including the panel session hosted by the NWMO. This panel session was open to all conference participants. Community representatives also met representatives of municipal associations in their area, as well as mayors and past mayors of communities that have hosted nuclear facilities, in order to facilitate sharing of information and experience. Over the course of the conference, each community met with the representatives of the Swedish communities to allow for private and frank discussion.
The NWMO's involvement in this conference included: payment to FCM for exhibit space and for an industry exchange session as is standard practice for conference participants; and payment of the travel and accommodation expenses associated with attendance at the conference for representatives from the communities involved in Canada's site selection process, for the Swedish communities that participated in the panel session and for some members of the NWMO Municipal Forum, consistent with the NWMO's participant expense guidelines.
Be involved! Photographs of the NWMO's exhibit as it appeared on the trade show floor can be viewed below. Participate in the dialogue by sharing your questions and comments!
= = = = = = =
4. Canada ill-prepared for radiation emergencies
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/183/9/1001?etoc&eaf
Roger Collier CMAJ
CMAJ • June 14, 2011; 183 (9). First published May 16, 2011; doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-3890
© 2011 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Assoc
Most Canadian hospitals are ill-prepared to handle the surge of patients that could result from a large-scale radiation emergency, say Canadian disaster preparedness experts. The ongoing radiation threat in Japan, the result of damage to a nuclear power plant during the country’s recent earthquake, has rekindled concerns about the lackadaisical approach to preparing for such an event in Canada, which has 22 nuclear power plants.
"The level of preparedness across the country is poor," says Dr. Carl Jarvis, an emergency physician and director of disaster planning at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Though many Canadian emergency departments have disaster plans, those plans are often out of date, are infrequently reviewed and are rarely tested using live exercises. Canada also lacks formal guidelines and national standards in preparedness for radiation emergencies.
"Health Canada has no formal guidelines, but has developed with partner organisations a training package to help hospitals and the medical community to prepare for radiation emergencies," Leslie Meerburg, media relations officer for Health Canada, writes in an email. "Health Canada provides this training free of charge to medical communities interested in hosting a training session."
That training package is the METER (Medical Emergency Treatment for Exposures to Radiation) course. From 2007–2009, Jarvis taught the course to first responders and first receivers across Canada. According to Jarvis, the impetus for creating the program was to increase preparedness for a possible terrorist attack during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. But national interest in preparing medical professionals for radiation emergencies appears to have waned after the Olympics, says Jarvis, who considers this training too important to be tied only to large events.
"We need to get some level of government interested in funding ongoing teaching, particularly in communities near nuclear reactors," he says. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
5. Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant Update
US orders news blackout over crippled Nebraska Nuclear Plant: report
http://nation.com.pk/
pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/18-Jun-2011/US-orders-news-blackout-over-crippled-Nebraska-Nuclear-Plant-report
June 18, 2011
A shocking report prepared by Russia’s Federal Atomic Energy Agency (FAAE) on information provided to them by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) states that the Obama regime has ordered a “total and complete” news blackout relating to any information regarding the near catastrophic meltdown of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant located in Nebraska.
According to this report, the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant suffered a “catastrophic loss of cooling” to one of its idle spent fuel rod pools on 7 June after this plant was deluged with water caused by the historic flooding of the Missouri River which resulted in a fire causing the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to issue a “no-fly ban” over the area.
Located about 20 minutes outside downtown Omaha, the largest city in Nebraska, the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant is owned by Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) who on their website denies their plant is at a “Level 4” emergency by stating: “This terminology is not accurate, and is not how emergencies at nuclear power plants are classified.”
Russian atomic scientists in this FAAE report, however, say that this OPPD statement is an “outright falsehood” as all nuclear plants in the world operate under the guidelines of the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) which clearly states the “events” occurring at the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant do, indeed, put it in the “Level 4” emergency category of an “accident with local consequences” thus making this one of the worst nuclear accidents in US history.
Though this report confirms independent readings in the United States of “negligible release of nuclear gasses” related to this accident it warns that by the Obama regimes censoring of this event for “political purposes” it risks a “serious blowback” from the American public should they gain knowledge of this being hidden from them.
Interesting to note about this event was the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chief, Gregory B. Jaczko, blasting the Obama regime just days before the near meltdown of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant by declaring that “the policy of not enforcing most fire code violations at dozens of nuclear plants is “unacceptable” and has tied the hands of NRC inspectors.”
- - - - - -
Reactor Accidents: FLOOD at FORT CALHOUN
http://www.nirs.org/reactorwatch/accide ... alhoun.htm
June 14, 2011. (Updated June 17) Flood at Fort Calhoun. Nebraska's Fort Calhoun reactor is surrounded by floodwaters from the Missouri River. Updated page, including photo and video & other links on the situation and background information on the reactor and fuel pool. [ . . . ]
- - - - - - - -
Midwest Floods: Both Nebraska Nuke Stations Threatened
http://www.countercurrents.org/ananda170611.htm
= = = = = = = =
6. Nuclear Plant Safety Rules Inadequate, Group Says
By Matthew L. Wald, New York Times, June 15, 2011
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/
people/w/matthew_l_wald/index.html?inline=nyt-per
ROCKVILLE, Md. — Nuclear safety rules in the United States do not adequately weigh the risk that a single event would knock out electricity from both the grid and from emergency generators, as an earthquake and tsunami recently did at a nuclear plant in Japan, officials of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.
A task force created after the accident at the nuclear plant, Fukushima Daiichi, delivered an oral progress report on Wednesday to the five-member commission. In that session, commission officials said they had learned that some of the safety equipment installed at American nuclear plants over the years, including hardware added after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is not maintained or inspected as diligently as the original components are.
A crucial reason for the extensive damage to the Fukushima plant’s reactors was the loss of electricity needed to run water pumps and to reposition valves. The American nuclear industry has argued in recent months that its reactors are better prepared to cope with that kind of emergency.
But Charlie Miller, the chairman of the task force, said that studies by safety experts in the United States had analyzed the risk of losing electricity from the grid or from on-site emergency generators, but not both at the same time. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
7. Strong global opposition towards nuclear power
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpubli ... hive/2817/
Strong-global-opposition-towards-nuclear-power.aspx
Ipsos Global @dvisor, 23 June 2011 [Fieldwork May 6 - 21, 2011]
New research by Ipsos MORI shows that three in five global citizens (62%) oppose the use of nuclear energy – a quarter (26%) of those have been influenced by the recent nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan.
The latest Ipsos Global @dvisor survey shows that support for nuclear energy is far below that for solar power (97%), wind power (93%), hydroelectric power (91%) and natural gas (80%) as a source of electricity.
Just one in four (38%) adults across 24 countries support the use of nuclear energy. Support is highest in India (61%), Poland (57%) and the United States (52%).
Britons are split on the issue with half supporting (48%) and half opposing (51%) the use of nuclear energy. One in five (20%) Britons that are against the use of nuclear energy say they their opinion has been influenced by the events in Fukushima.
Managing Director of the Ipsos MORI Reputation Centre, Milorad Ajder, said:
“Nuclear energy is a controversial issue at the best of times and the disaster in Fukushima has clearly had a negative impact on the way people see its use. With mounting global opposition, some countries are already decided to scale back its use, with some abandoning it all together.”
Download the full presentation slides:
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/Assets/Docs/Polls/
ipsos-global-advisor-nuclear-power-june-2011.pdf
Technical Note
This survey was conducted in 24 countries including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America. An international sample of 18,787 adults aged 18-64 in the US and Canada, and age 16-64 in all other countries, were interviewed between May 6 and May 21, 2011 via the Ipsos Online Panel system.
Approximately 1000+ individuals participated on a country by country basis with the exception of Argentina, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Russia and Turkey, where each have a sample 500+. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflected that of the adult population according to the most recent country Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe.
A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points for a sample of 1,000 and an estimated margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage points for a sample of 500 19 times out of 20 per country of what the results would have been had the entire population of the specifically aged adults in that country been polled
= = = = = =
8. EPA Halted Extra Testing for Radiation From Japan Weeks Ago
http://www.truth-out.org/
epa-halted-extra-testing-radiation-japan-weeks-ago/1308835471
Thursday 23 June 2011 by: Mike Ludwig, Truthout | Report
Radiation is expected to continue spewing for months from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that suffered a meltdown following an earthquake and tsunami in March, but despite grim reports from Japan, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has quietly stopped running extra tests for radioactive material in America's milk, rain and drinking water.
The EPA initially ramped up nationwide testing in the weeks following the disaster in Japan, and radioactive materials like cesium and iodine-131 were detected on US soil. Citing declining levels of radiation, the EPA has abandoned the extra tests, even as reports from Japan indicate that the Fukushima plant continues to emit radiation and the disaster is one of the worst in world history.
The EPA posted a statement online saying it would return to routine testing on May 3, but the agency did not send out a press release. The media widely ignored the change, even as Japanese officials admitted just weeks later that they were battling a full nuclear meltdown.
In March and April, samples of milk, rain and drinking water from across the country tested positive for radiation from the Fukushima plant. The radiation fell in rain across the US and was absorbed by plants and dairy cows.
The EPA insisted that the radiation levels were too low to cause public health concern, but Truthout identified gaps in the agency's data and nuclear critics said the EPA has failed to acknowledge that even small amounts of radiation could be dangerous.
Now the EPA has returned to routine testing of milk and drinking water once every three months and testing rainwater once a month. The EPA continuously monitors background radiation with more than 100 air filter monitors, but nuclear critics say more testing should be done.
"The Fukushima disaster is unlike any nuclear accident we have ever had," said Dan Hirsch of the nuclear watchdog group Committee to Bridge the Gap. "We haven't had anything that has gone on for a year, and that is what the Japanese authorities are predicting - if they're lucky. It might even take longer. The fuel has melted through, there are breaches at the containment structures, and there are constant radioactive releases." [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
9. HOFFMAN: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/06/
scariest-thing-ive-read-since-3112011.html
From: "Ace Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 8:47 PM
Subject: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
June 10th, 2011
Dear Readers,
It is now known that women are more susceptible -- approximately twice as susceptible, or worse -- to radiation's harmful effects than men who get the same dose. Young people are more susceptible than old.
Young children are perhaps ten times as susceptible to radiation's dangers as adults are, because their cells are dividing and establishing themselves. The cells of some organs will continue to divide; but cells such as neurons and heart muscle cells stop dividing at adulthood. Cancer can also get established at this early stage. Cancer usually requires a long sequence of cell changes to occur -- often 10 or 12 or more changes in the cell DNA's structure will have to occur, which can take many years.
Starting early is a very bad thing.
Infants are even more susceptible than young children. Newborns, preemies... immune-challenged... even more so.
Since Fukushima, on the west coast of the United States, our babies are dying at a significantly increased rate (see article, below). Across the country deaths are up as well, though not as much (ibid).
And fetuses. Can we even talk about fetuses? As two cells, separated by space - the sperm and the egg -- "it" is utterly vulnerable! One zap from a nuclear buzzsaw and it's over. So much for the next Einstein! Another Da Vinci? Gone! Oh well, there's millions where they came from, right? (If so, I haven't seen them.)
After the cells start to multiply, they begin "specification", becoming hearts, lungs, brains, bones, intestines, and all the other little warts and dimples that make us who we are as individuals and as a species.
Fetuses vary from "infinitely" more susceptible to radiation's dangers, to thousands of times when they are very small, to "merely" hundreds of times as they grow, to whatever they are at birth -- no one knows precisely. Reasonable estimates can be made. If what is reported below is, indeed, caused by Fukushima, it should surprise no one.
The authors of the article shown below are both friends of mine; I've known them for years. I authored an article or two with one of them. They've both written extensively about the scientific data which condemns nuclear power and been involved in all aspects of research into the dangers of radiation, and are both book authors of wonderful scientific books on the subjects, as well.
They research everything they do very carefully and shoot straight when they talk about it.
They are scientists in the best sense of the word.
Nevertheless, let's hope they're wrong.
If what they report below is even half true, we're all in for a whole lot of hurt. Our babies are taking the "hits" now. We all will in one way or another -- by losing loved ones, if nothing else.
If this anomaly has any other explanation, I challenge anyone to find it. And stop it.
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
email: rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com
-----------------------------------------
A 35% Spike in Infant Mortality in Northwest Cities Since Meltdown
http://www.counterpunch.org/sherman06102011.html
Weekend Edition June 10 - 12, 2011
Is the Dramatic Increase in Baby Deaths in the US a Result of Fukushima Fallout?
By JANETTE D. SHERMAN, MD and JOSEPH MANGANO
U.S. babies are dying at an increased rate. While the United States spends billions on medical care, as of 2006, the US ranked 28th in the world in infant mortality, more than twice that of the lowest ranked countries. (DHHS, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. Health United States 2010, Table 20, p. 131, February 2011.)
The recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicates that eight cities in the northwest U.S. (Boise ID, Seattle WA, Portland OR, plus the northern California cities of Santa Cruz, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, and Berkeley) reported the following data on deaths among those younger than one year of age:
4 weeks ending March 19, 2011 - 37 deaths (avg. 9.25 per week)
10 weeks ending May 28, 2011 - 125 deaths (avg.12.50 per week)
This amounts to an increase of 35% (the total for the entire U.S. rose about 2.3%), and is statistically significant. Of further significance is that those dates include the four weeks before and the ten weeks after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster. In 2001 the infant mortality was 6.834 per 1000 live births, increasing to 6.845 in 2007. All years from 2002 to 2007 were higher than the 2001 rate.
Spewing from the Fukushima reactor are radioactive isotopes including those of iodine (I-131), strontium (Sr-90) and cesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) all of which are taken up in food and water. Iodine is concentrated in the thyroid, Sr-90 in bones and teeth and Cs-134 and Cs-137 in soft tissues, including the heart. The unborn and babies are more vulnerable because the cells are rapidly dividing and the delivered dose is proportionally larger than that delivered to an adult.
Data from Chernobyl, which exploded 25 years ago, clearly shows increased numbers of sick and weak newborns and increased numbers of deaths in the unborn and newborns, especially soon after the meltdown. These occurred in Europe as well as the former Soviet Union. Similar findings are also seen in wildlife living in areas with increased radioactive fallout levels.
(Chernobyl Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment, Alexeiy V. Yablokov, Vasily B. Nesterenko, and Alexey V. Nesterenko. Consulting Editor: Janette D. Sherman-Nevinger. New York Academy of Sciences, 2009.)
Levels of radioisotopes were measured in children who had died in the Minsk area that had received Chernobyl fallout. The cardiac findings were the same as those seen in test animals that had been administered Cs-137. Bandashevsky, Y. I, Pathology of Incorporated Ionizing Radiation, Belarus Technical University, Minsk. 136 pp., 1999. For his pioneering work, Prof. Bandashevsky was arrested in 2001 and imprisoned for five years of an eight year sentence.
The national low-weight (under 2500 grams, or 5.5 lbs) rate has risen 23% from 1984 to 2006. Nearly 400,000 infants are born under 2500g each year in the U.S. Most of the increase in infant mortality is due specifically to infants born weighing less than 750 grams (1 lb 10 1/2 oz). Multiple births commonly result in underweight babies, but most of the increase in births at less than 750 grams occurred among singletons and among mothers 20-34 years of age. (CDC, National Vital Statistics Report, 52 (12): 1-24, 2005.)
From an obstetrical point of view, women in the age bracket 20 to 34 are those most physically able to deliver a healthy child. So what has gone wrong? Clues to causation are often revealed when there is a change in incidence, a suspicious geographical distribution, and/or an increase in hazards known to adversely affect health and development.
The risk of having a baby with birth defects is estimated at three to four of every 100 babies born. As of 2005, the Institute of medicine estimated the cost of pre-term births in the US at more than $2.6 billion, or $51,600 for each infant.
Low birth weight babies, born too soon and too small, face a lifetime of health problems, including cerebral palsy, and behavioral and learning problems placing an enormous physical, emotional and economic burdens on society as a whole and on those caring for them. Death of a young child is devastating to a family.
As of June 5, 2011, The Japan Times reported that radiation in the No. 1 plant was measured at 4,000 milliseverts per hour. To put that in perspective, a worker would receive a maximal "permissible" dose in 4 minutes. In addition there are over 40,000 tons of radioactive water under that reactor with more radioactivity escaping into the air and sea. Fuel rods are believed to have melted and sunk to the bottom of reactors 1, 2, and 3.
Tepco, the corporate owner took more than two months to confirm the meltdowns and admitted lying about the levels of destruction and subsequent contamination, resulting in "Public Distrust." Over 100,000 tons of radioactive waste are on the site.
Why should we care if there may be is a link between Fukushima and the death of children? Because we need to measure the actual levels of isotopes in the environment and in the bodies of people exposed to determine if the fallout is killing our most vulnerable. The research is not technically difficult the political and economic barriers may be greater. Bandshevsky and others did it and confirmed the connection. The information is available in the Chernobyl book. (Previously cited.)
The biological findings of Chernobyl cannot be ignored: isotope incorporation will determine the future of all life on earth animal, fish, bird, plant and human. It is crucial to know this information if we are to avoid further catastrophic damage.
- - - -
Janette D. Sherman, M. D. is the author of Life's Delicate Balance: Causes and Prevention of Breast Cancer and Chemical Exposure and Disease, and is a specialist in internal medicine and toxicology. She edited the bookChernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and Nature, written by A. V. Yablokov, V. B., Nesterenko and A. V. Nesterenko, published by the New York Academy of Sciences in 2009. Her primary interest is the prevention of illness through public education. She can be reached at: toxdoc.js@verizon.net and www.janettesherman.com
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Joseph Mangano is an epidemiologist, and Executive Director of the Radiation and Public Health Project research group.
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10. Prestigious doctor: US nuclear 'Baby valley of death,' Millions to die (video)
http://www.examiner.com/human-rights-in-national/
prestigious-doctor-japan-us-nuclear-valley-of-death
June 20, 2011 2:14 am EST
Dr. Mark Sircus bearer of tragic radiation news
Sunday, the prestigious Doctor Mark Sircus released a new report concurring with a host of scientists and other doctors giving evidence that people of Japan and United States have been subjected to dangerous levels of radiation since Fukushima nuclear plant meltdowns, and also subjected to a tight cover-up by authorities and media, the result of which will be millions of baby deaths and new cancer victims. Japanese and American children are already suffering with symptoms that appear to be the first signs of Radiation Sickness.
"Finally, three months later, we are getting some numbers on what the real dangers are. And finally we can begin to understand the enormous cover-up of the nuclear doom that is reaching lungs all over the west coast of America, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and at least half of Japan!" stated Dr. Mark Sircus.
Dr. Sircus Ac., OMD, is director of International Medical Veritas Association (IMVA)
http://www.imva.info/
He was trained in acupuncture and oriental medicine at Institute of Traditional Medicine in Sante Fe, N.M., and at the School of Traditional Medicine of New England in Boston. He served at the Central Public Hospital of Pochutla in Mexico, and was awarded the title of doctor of oriental medicine for his work including one of the first nationally certified acupuncturists in the U.S. Dr. Sircus's IMVA is dedicated to unifying various disciplines in medicine with the goal of creating a new dawn in healthcare.
"For infants, it’s a terrible valley of death we have created for them." says Dr. Sircus. "As we shall see for years, all of them have been born with already polluted bloodstreams and now, the very young ones are dying in greater numbers on the west coast of the United States since Fukushima blew up." [ . . . ]
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11. No Nukes News - June 20, 2011
"Fukushima is the biggest industrial catastrophe in the history of mankind" - Arnold Gundersen, a former nuclear industry senior vice president
“The absurd belief that no one will be harmed by Fukushima is perhaps the strongest evidence of the pattern of deception and denial by nuclear officials in industry and government.” - Joseph Mangano, executive director of the Radiation and Public Health Project
“We’ve known about radioactive isotopes for decades. I worked for the Atomic Energy Commission in the 1950s and we knew about the effects then. To ignore the biology is to our peril. This is not new science. Cesium-137 goes to soft tissue. Strontium-90 goes to the bones and teeth. Iodine-131 goes to the thyroid gland.” All have been released in large amounts in the Fukushima disaster since it began on March 11. – Dr. Janet Sherman
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Japan Admits 3 Nuclear Meltdowns, More Radiation Leaked into Sea; U.S. Nuclear Waste Poses Deadly Risks
Fantastic 30 min. video and transcript: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/10/
as_japan_nuclear_crisis_worsens_citizen
Fukushima: It's much worse than you think
Scientific experts believe Japan's nuclear disaster to be far worse than governments are revealing to the public.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/06/
201161664828302638.html
Contaminated sewage sludge worries Japanese http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3244096.htm
Fukushima and the Nuclear Establishment
Will the nuclear establishment be able to get away with telling what, indeed, would be one of the most outrageous Big Lies of all time—that no one will die as a result of Fukushima? Will it be able to continue its new nuclear push despite the catastrophe?
http://counterpunch.org/grossman06162011.html
Fukushima media cover-up - PR success, public health disaster
5 min. news video:
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=C_rAX9TzY2A&feature=player_detailpage
Is the Dramatic Increase in Baby Deaths in the US a Result of Fukushima Fallout?
A 35% Spike in Infant Mortality in Northwest Cities Since Meltdown
http://www.counterpunch.org/sherman06102011.html
Great photos from the recent Anti-Nuke demos in Tokyo which brought out 20,000
http://shoottokyo.com/2011/06/13/
anti-nuclear-protests-across-tokyo/
http://shoottokyo.com/2011/06/12/
anti-nuclear-protests-tokyo-2/
Toxic strontium found in Fukushima groundwater
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2011/6/15/
toxic-strontium-found-in-fukushima-groundwater.html
Radiation "hotspots" hinder Japan response to nuclear crisis
"I was more than shocked," said Nakamura, 74, who, like other tea farmers in Kanagawa has been forced to throw away an early harvest because of radiation being released by the Fukushima Daiichi plant 300 kilometers (180 miles) away.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/14/
us-japan-nuclear-hotspots-idUSTRE75D1JT20110614?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+reuters/environment+%28News+/+US+/+Environment%29&utm_content=Twitter
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Former N.B. cabinet minister urges Point Lepreau legal action
But a plethora of setbacks later and the nuclear plant is still offline and only expected to return to service in the fall of 2012 -- three years behind schedule.
Energy Minister Craig Leonard has pegged the total cost overruns, including replacement power while the nuclear reactor is offline, at about $2.4 billion -- assuming there are no further delays.
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/n ... le/1411326
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Nuclear Plant Safety Rules Inadequate
Nuclear safety rules in the United States do not adequately weigh the risk that a single event would knock out electricity from both the grid and from emergency generators, as an earthquake and tsunami recently did at a nuclear plant in Japan, officials of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/
people/w/matthew_l_wald/index.html?inline=nyt-per
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Airspace Over Flooded Nebraska Nuclear Power Plant Still Closed
http://www.businessinsider.com/
faa-closes-airspace-over-flooded-nebraska-nuclear-power-plant-2011-6
US Orders News Blackout Over Crippled Nebraska Nuclear Plant
http://www.pakalertpress.com/2011/06/17/
us-orders-news-blackout-over-crippled-nebraska-nuclear-plant/
It doesn't take a tsunami... ...as this AP picture shows, with the Ft. Calhoun nuclear power plant in Nebraska now completely surrounded by water as levels continue to rise in the Missouri River.
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2011/6/15/
it-doesnt-take-a-tsunami.html
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Canada ill-prepared for radiation emergencies
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/183/9/1001?etoc&eaf
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Earth Custodian Extraordinaire
In this half hour audio interview, Angela Bischoff share’s surprising statistics on who’s using how much energy, underlying reasons for our slow progression towards sustainable energy, how the ON Clean Air Alliance is working towards practically making change, and empowers us with tips on what we can do to make a difference.
http://pholia.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/
earth-custodian-extraordinaire/
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Environment Commissioner slams Liberals for cutting hydro bills Ontario’s Liberal government sent the wrong signal by giving people 10 per cent off their electricity bills because it discourages conservation, Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller said Tuesday. Miller was similarly unimpressed with promises by the Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats to remove the eight per cent provincial portion of the HST from electricity bills if they win the Oct. 6 Ontario election. “I think it should be taxed to express the full cost to consumers so that they will see the value of conservation,” he said.
http://www.therecord.com/news/ontario/article/
547659--environment-commissioner-slams-liberals-for-cutting-hydro-bills
The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario released Volume 1 of his 2010 Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report to the Legislature on June 14th, 2011.
Watch the webcast of the media conference and the short videos of the Commissioner outlining key points of the report including: overview, electricity pricing, smart grid, and more. You can also download the report.
http://www.eco.on.ca/
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Green Energy Act is saving us money
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/columns/article/
545814--green-energy-act-is-saving-us-money
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Why so much noise about wind?
The time for that choice is now. Do we allow our health to suffer by continuing to rely on coal? Do we gamble on nuclear? Or do we choose a less harmful path toward renewable energy? How do we compare a simple annoyance and obstructed views with the suffering of hundreds of thousands? Our diagnosis is clear - Ontario needs renewable energy, including wind turbines.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/
why-so-much-noise-about-wind/article1216749/
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Will Natural Gas 'Outmuscle' Renewables?
The falling price of natural gas has prompted both supporters, who believe natural gas is a proven, reliable transitional fuel away from coal and nuclear, and critics, who are afraid that wide-scale adoption of natural gas will undermine the switch to renewables. The booming shale gas industry has received particular attention recently, not least because of its potentially enormous environmental impacts.
http://blogs.worldwatch.org/revolt/
wrestling-for-world-energy-dominance-will-natural-gas-%E2%80%9Coutmuscle%E2%80%9D-renewables/
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Cut Nukes, Not xxx
World leaders will spend $1 trillion on nukes in the next 10 years while cutting essential services that we all need!
Will you take 1 minute to tell them what matters most to you?
http://cutnukes.globalzero.org
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Nuclear Abolition Day – Global Day of Action June 25th
There are still more than 20,000 nuclear weapons in the world today. A single bomb is powerful enough to obliterate a city, killing millions in an instant. Abolishing nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that they will never be used again.
http://www.nuclearabolition.org/
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Harvesting Clean Energy on Ontario Farms Southern-Ontario Speaking Tour
Monday, June 27, Ottawa Area
Tuesday, June 28, Kingston Area
Wednesday, June 29 Toronto, Guelph & Cambridge
Thursday, June 30, Guelph
The report and tour will highlight the untapped business opportunities for Ontario’s farmers that can be found in the field of renewable energy; the numerous other benefits of renewable energy, such as rural economic development and improved environmental conditions; and finally, the government policies needed to allow farmers to embrace the benefits of renewable energy.
More details here:
http://www.climateactionnetwork.ca/e/news/2011/release/
index.php?WEBYEP_DI=18
Sponsored by: Climate Action Network Canada, Pembina Institute, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and The United Church of Canada
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Sign the Petition Calling for a Moratorium on New Nuclear Projects in ON
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/petition2.php
And order FREE anti-nuclear and anti-coal leaflets
They contain postcards to politicians. Courtesy of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
http://www.cleanairalliance.org/
get_involved_order_pamphlets
Thank you for helping get the word out!
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Angela Bischoff, Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Tel: 416 260-2080 x 1
160 John St., #300
Toronto, ON M5V 2E5
angela@cleanairalliance.org
www.cleanairalliance.org
No Nukes News
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12. Nuclear Information and Resource Service - Stay Informed
http://www.nirs.org/
NIRS on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Nuclear-Information-and-Resource-Service/26490791479?sk=wall&filter=12
http://www.facebook.com/nonukesnirs
http://www.causes.com/causes/
49098-no-nukes-nuclear-information-and-resource-service
NIRS on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/nirsnet
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13. JAPAN UPDATE
Fukushima and the Mass Media Meltdown
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25334
The Repercussions of a Pro-Nuclear Corporate Press
By Keith Harmon Snow Global Research, June 20, 2011
ConsciousBeingAlliance.com - 2011-06-19
A sociological and technological discussion -- in the wake of the out-of-control nuclear apocalypse in Japan -- addressing the compromise of public health and security created by the failure of the western corporate mass media to equitably report on, mildly investigate, or even moderately challenge, the nuclear power industry.
Author's note, 19 June 2011:
The following report was written after learning about the pro-nuclear and corporate bias of the Society of Environmental Journalists. It was originally published by VOICE NEWS, Winstead CT, in 2001 and was originally titled "The Potential Repercussions of a Pro-Nuclear Press." I have made a few minor changes, added hyperlinks, and inserted a few comments in [brackets].
The report was originally sent to Noel Grove, then an SEJ official and an editor in some capacity for the National Geographic, who I was communicating with at the time (and hoping to land a story assignment from). After perusing my article to some (unknown) extent, Mr. Grove -- who was somewhat hysterical about it-- criticized this writing as hysterical, and the thesis as impossible, and the writer as lacking all credibility. [ . . . ]
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Beyond our imagination: Fukushima and the problem of assessing risk
http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/
beyond-our-imagination-fukushima-and-the-problem-of-assessing-risk
By M. V. Ramana | 19 April 2011
The multiple and ongoing accidents at the Fukushima reactors come as a reminder of the hazards associated with nuclear power. As with the earlier severe accidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, it will take a long time before the full extent of what happened at Fukushima becomes clear. Even now, though, Fukushima sheds light on the troublesome and important question of whether nuclear reactors can ever be operated safely.
Engineers and other technical experts have two approaches for making nuclear reactors safe: The first is to design the reactor so that it is likely to recover from various initiating failures -- lowering the probability that the damage will spread, even in the absence of any protective actions, automatic or deliberate. The second approach, used in addition to the first, is to incorporate multiple protective systems, all of which would have to fail before a radioactive release could occur. This latter approach is known as "defense-in-depth," and it is often advertised as an assurance of nuclear safety. The World Nuclear Association, for example, claims that "reactors in the western world" use defense-in-depth "to achieve optimum safety." [ . . . ]
Japan pensioners volunteer to tackle nuclear crisis
May 31, 2011, BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13598607
A group of more than 200 Japanese pensioners are volunteering to tackle the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima power station. The Skilled Veterans Corps, as they call themselves, is made up of retired engineers and other professionals, all over the age of 60. They say they should be facing the dangers of radiation, not the young. It was while watching the television news that Yasuteru Yamada decided it was time for his generation to stand up. No longer could he be just an observer of the struggle to stabilise the Fukushima nuclear plant. The retired engineer is reporting back for duty at the age of 72, and he is organising a team of pensioners to go with him. For weeks now Mr Yamada has been getting back in touch with old friends, sending out e-mails and even messages on Twitter. Volunteering to take the place of younger workers at the power station is not brave, Mr Yamada says, but logical. "I am 72 and on average I probably have 13 to 15 years left to live," he says. "Even if I were exposed to radiation, cancer could take 20 or 30 years or longer to develop. Therefore us older ones have less chance of getting cancer." Mr Yamada is lobbying the government hard for his volunteers to be allowed into the power station. The government has expressed gratitude for the offer but is cautious.
Japan finds hotspots in areas that seemed safe. One hundred days into the nuclear emergency here, Japan is learning that danger doesn’t recede in tidy concentric circles centered on the damaged nuclear plant. Officials have found that radioactive particles concentrate in random hot spots, raising fresh problems for residents who thought they were a safe distance from danger. Washington Post [Registration Required]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/
japan-finds-hotspots-in-areas-that-seemed-safe/2011/06/18/AG2PYkaH_story.html
Radiation in Japan: Nosebleed, diarrhea, lack of energy in children in
Koriyama City, Fukushima
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/722/067/
Radiation_in_Japan:_Nosebleed,_diarrhea,_lack_of_energy_in_children_in_Koriyama_City,_Fukushima.html
Citizens find radiation far from Fukushima.
Frustrated by a dearth of information on what happened to all of the radiological isotopes released from the ravaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, civic groups and individuals have been monitoring radiation on their own. Science [Subscription Required]
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/332/6036/1368.full
Japan strains to fix a reactor damaged before quake.
The Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor -- a long-troubled national project -- has been in a precarious state of shutdown since a 3.3-ton device crashed into the reactor’s inner vessel, cutting off access to the plutonium and uranium fuel rods at its core. New York Times [Registration Required]
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/world ... japan.html
TEPCO documents show problems encountered in venting, pumping water to damaged reactors.
Despite the orders of Masao Yoshida, head of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, venting of reactors and injections of water did not proceed smoothly in the early stage of the crisis, documents showed. Asahi Shimbun, Japan.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106170391.html
System to treat Japan nuke plant's radioactive water halted hours after full operations begin.
A system to clean massive amounts of contaminated water at the site of Japan’s nuclear disaster was shut down Saturday, just hours after it began full operations, because a component filled with radioactivity much more quickly than expected. Associated Press
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/
system-to-treat-radioactive-water-at-japan-nuke-plant-halted-hours-after-full-operations-start/2011/06/18/AGmUSxZH_story.html
Two million Fukushima residents to undergo radiation health checks.
The health of residents in Fukushima prefecture in northeast Japan will be monitored over the next 30 years in order to ease growing concerns surrounding radiation contamination. The project is believed to be unprecedented. London Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/
8585961/Two-million-Fukushima-residents-to-undergo-radiation-health-checks.html
Japan Strains to Fix a Reactor Damaged Before Quake
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/world/asia/
18japan.html?_r=2&emc=eta1
By HIROKO TABUCHI Published: June 17, 2011
TSURUGA, Japan — Three hundred miles southwest of Fukushima, at a nuclear reactor perched on the slopes of this rustic peninsula, engineers are engaged in another precarious struggle.
The Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor — a long-troubled national project — has been in a precarious state of shutdown since a 3.3-ton device crashed into the reactor’s inner vessel, cutting off access to the plutonium and uranium fuel rods at its core.
Engineers have tried repeatedly since the accident last August to recover the device, which appears to have gotten stuck. They will make another attempt as early as next week. [ . . . ]
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14. WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS 14-20 June 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=e6e117552d&e=7a6d90bce5
- - - - - -
WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS June 7 – 13, 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=d10e4976dc&e=7a6d90bce5
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15. Federal nuclear regulators repeatedly weaken or fail to enforce safety standards.
Federal regulators have been working closely with the nuclear power industry to keep the nation’s aging reactors operating within safety standards by repeatedly weakening those standards, or simply failing to enforce them, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. Associated Press
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/
federal-nuclear-regulators-repeatedly-weaken-or-fail-to-enforce-safety-standards/2011/06/19/AG9J8XbH_story.html
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16. GE official sees cheaper solar power
May 27, 2011, Boston Globe/Bloomberg News
http://articles.boston.com/2011-05-27/business/
29600903_1_solar-panels-solar-power-first-solar
Solar power may be cheaper than electricity generated by fossil fuels and nuclear reactors in three to five years because of innovations, said Mark M. Little, global research director for General Electric Co. “If we can get solar at 15 cents a kilowatt-hour or lower, which I’m hopeful that we will do, you’re going to have a lot of people that are going to want to have solar at home,’’ Little said. The 2009 average US retail rate per kilowatt-hour for electricity ranged from 6.1 cents in Wyoming to 18.1 cents in Connecticut, according to federal data. GE said in April that it had boosted the efficiency of thin-film solar panels to a record 12.8 percent. Improving efficiency, or the amount of sunlight converted to electricity, helps reduce costs. The panels will be made at a plant GE intends to open in 2013. Most solar panels use silicon-based photovoltaic cells. The thin-film versions, made of glass or other material coated with cadmium telluride or copper indium gallium selenide alloys, account for about 15 percent of the $28 billion in worldwide solar-panel sales. First Solar Inc. is the world’s largest producer of thin-film panels, with $2.6 billion in yearly revenue.
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17. Ceasefire.ca Members’ survey results on Libya mission
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8092&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
June 21, 2011
(GRAPH shows Survey Results)
See also:
Canadian mission in Libya,
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?tag=canadian-mission-in-libya
Libya :
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?tag=libya
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18. Layton, Harris criticize timing of document dump
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8110&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
June 23, 2011
Opposition leader Jack Layton has accused the Harper government of taking a “very cynical” approach in its release of documents on the Afghan detainee file. The release of 4000 pages worth of documents came just as MPs are gearing down for summer recess. “[The Government] chose a date that will prevent parliamentarians from asking questions in the House of Commons.
It’s just one day before our work here must end,” Layton said (Colin Horgan, “Set for the Afghan detainee doc dump?,”
< http://ipolitics.ca/2011/06/21/
set-for-the-afghan-detainee-doc-dump-25000-land-wednesday/ >
Ipolitics.ca, 21 June 2011, and Sonya Bell, “If 4,000 pages fall in the summer, do they make a sound?,” (Subscription required.)
(Photos of pages of document showing blacked-out sections.)
Last year then-Speaker Peter Milliken ruled that withholding the documents breached parliamentary privilege and asked the parties to come up with a solution. A secretive committee of selected MPs began examining the documents, but the NDP boycotted the process because of concerns about the limitations applied to it.
After Tuesday’s Question Period, NDP National Defence critic Jack Harris told reporters that the timing of the release was “obviously designed to keep this sunk below the level of public discourse…. They really don’t want a full objective public inquiry.”
Calls for a public inquiry remain unanswered.
ShareThis
Afghanistan, Canadian military mission in Afghanistan, Richard Colvin, Torture of Afghan detainees
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19. Defining 'Withdrawal' From Afghanistan
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4321
Media's selective memory on Obama escalations
6/23/11
Barack Obama's June 22 announcement of a phased troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was often portrayed as a major step towards ending the war, with many outlets neglecting to accurately explain the pace of escalation that has happened under his watch.
When Obama took office in 2009, the U.S. had about 34,000 troops in Afghanistan. Obama has initiated two major troop increases in Afghanistan: about 20,000 additional troops were announced in February 2009, followed by the December 2009 announcement that an another 33,000 would be deployed as well; other smaller increases have brought the total to 100,000. Much of the media conversation portrays the announced withdrawal schedule as a removal of all the surge troops--"the withdrawal of the entire surge force by the end of next summer," as the New York Times put it (6/23/11)--which ignores the initial escalation.
News accounts over how many troops might leave should account for the total U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, in historical context. As ThinkProgress noted (6/22/11), if the reductions are carried out as planned, the United States would still have far more troops in Afghanistan than it did when Obama came into office and more than at any point during former president George W. Bush’s administration. This means that the troop reduction would not put us much closer to actually ending the war by the end of 2012. [ . . . ]
1. LISTEN: Nuclear Waste in Saskatchewan: Committee for Future Generations
2. Northern communities discuss nuclear waste
3. NWMO: Deciding to Host a National Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel: Swedish Experience
4. Canada ill-prepared for radiation emergencies
5. Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant - update
6. Nuclear Plant Safety Rules Inadequate, Group Says
7. Strong global opposition towards nuclear power
8. EPA Halted Extra Testing for Radiation From Japan Weeks Ago
9. HOFFMAN: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
10. Prestigious doctor: US nuclear 'Baby valley of death,' Millions to die (video)
11. No Nukes News - June 20, 2011
12. Nuclear Information and Resource Service - Stay Informed
13. JAPAN UPDATE
14. WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS June 7-13 and June 14-20
15. Federal nuclear regulators repeatedly weaken or fail to enforce safety standards.
16. GE official sees cheaper solar power
17. Ceasefire.ca Members’ survey results on Libya mission
18. Layton, Harris criticize timing of document dump
19. Defining 'Withdrawal' From Afghanistan
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1. LISTEN: Nuclear Waste in Saskatchewan: Committee for Future Generations
http://humanrightsradio.podbean.com/2011/06/18/
nuclear-waste-in-saskatchewan-committee-for-future-generations/
Jun 18th, 2011 by humanrightsradio
On Friday June 17, 2011, Human Rights Radio spoke with Max and Debby Morin from Beauval, as well as Dan Lindsey from Regina about the efforts of the newly formed Committee for Future Generations to make all residents of Saskatchewan, particularly those in the North, aware of the Nuclear industry's intention to site nuclear waste repositories and eventually nuclear waste reprocessing facilities in this province. This would involve transporting nuclear waste through Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan then depositing this waste deep in the Canadian Shield. We discuss what has gone on in some northern communities and the efforts of the new committee to ensure that people of Saskatchewan are made aware of all of the facts.
LISTEN:
http://humanrightsradio.podbean.com/2011/06/18/
nuclear-waste-in-saskatchewan-committee-for-future-generations/
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2. Northern communities discuss nuclear waste
http://www.meadowlakeprogress.com/Artic ... ?e=3165326
June 10, 2011
Both the benefits and risks of storing nuclear waste were up for discussion at an open forum in Beauval.
The Northern Forum for Truth on Nuclear Waste Storage was hosted by the Committee for Future Generations, and was held on June 2. More than 200 people attended the event.
Mayors and band councillors from as far south as Saskatoon were invited. Although community leaders were asked to show up, organizers said they didn't want the forum to become a political battleground. Instead, they wanted to inform members of the public who could one day have the responsibility of deciding if they would like to store nuclear waste.
"We want transparency, we want the truth, and we want to be included," said organizer Max C.D. Morin.
So far Pinehouse, English River First Nation and Creighton have expressed interest in the project.
Dr. Jim Harding, a retired justice studies professor and staunch opponent of nuclear power, delivered the keynote address.
Harding warned that the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) couldn't guarantee that radioactive plutonium rods wouldn't affect the environment, even when buried 500 metres below ground.
"Do you want to be a party to an experiment that's potentially playing with a whole region of water and life and biodiversity, that is completely an experiment unproven anywhere," Harding asked the crowd.
Harding said an impartial scientific team needs to look at the effects of storage, and that Saskatchewan shouldn't be a dumping ground for nuclear power users in southern Canada.
The NWMO was unable to attend the conference due to scheduling conflicts. [ . . . ]
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3. NWMO: Deciding to Host a National Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel: Swedish Experience
http://www.nwmo.ca/sitingprocess_fcmhalifax2011
ALSO: Scroll down to WATCH:
NWMO panel presentation a the FCM conference. (27 min.)
The NWMO regularly participates in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Annual Conference in order to update municipalities throughout Canada about the progress in implementing Canada's plan for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel and to support the sharing of experience among communities, which is the focus of many of the sessions during the conference.
At the most recent FCM conference (Halifax, June 3–6), the NWMO participated in the trade show with its travelling exhibit focused on describing Canada's plan, Adaptive Phased Management, and the NWMO's recent activities to implement this plan. The NWMO also sponsored an industry exchange session titled, "Deciding to Host a National Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel: Swedish Experience." In this session, representatives from two Swedish communities shared their experience with community-driven decision-making processes, what worked and what did not work, using their participation in Sweden's deep geological repository project as a case study.
The NWMO invited representatives of communities participating in Canada's site selection process for Adaptive Phased Management to attend the FCM conference, including the panel session hosted by the NWMO. This panel session was open to all conference participants. Community representatives also met representatives of municipal associations in their area, as well as mayors and past mayors of communities that have hosted nuclear facilities, in order to facilitate sharing of information and experience. Over the course of the conference, each community met with the representatives of the Swedish communities to allow for private and frank discussion.
The NWMO's involvement in this conference included: payment to FCM for exhibit space and for an industry exchange session as is standard practice for conference participants; and payment of the travel and accommodation expenses associated with attendance at the conference for representatives from the communities involved in Canada's site selection process, for the Swedish communities that participated in the panel session and for some members of the NWMO Municipal Forum, consistent with the NWMO's participant expense guidelines.
Be involved! Photographs of the NWMO's exhibit as it appeared on the trade show floor can be viewed below. Participate in the dialogue by sharing your questions and comments!
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4. Canada ill-prepared for radiation emergencies
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/183/9/1001?etoc&eaf
Roger Collier CMAJ
CMAJ • June 14, 2011; 183 (9). First published May 16, 2011; doi:10.1503/cmaj.109-3890
© 2011 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Assoc
Most Canadian hospitals are ill-prepared to handle the surge of patients that could result from a large-scale radiation emergency, say Canadian disaster preparedness experts. The ongoing radiation threat in Japan, the result of damage to a nuclear power plant during the country’s recent earthquake, has rekindled concerns about the lackadaisical approach to preparing for such an event in Canada, which has 22 nuclear power plants.
"The level of preparedness across the country is poor," says Dr. Carl Jarvis, an emergency physician and director of disaster planning at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Though many Canadian emergency departments have disaster plans, those plans are often out of date, are infrequently reviewed and are rarely tested using live exercises. Canada also lacks formal guidelines and national standards in preparedness for radiation emergencies.
"Health Canada has no formal guidelines, but has developed with partner organisations a training package to help hospitals and the medical community to prepare for radiation emergencies," Leslie Meerburg, media relations officer for Health Canada, writes in an email. "Health Canada provides this training free of charge to medical communities interested in hosting a training session."
That training package is the METER (Medical Emergency Treatment for Exposures to Radiation) course. From 2007–2009, Jarvis taught the course to first responders and first receivers across Canada. According to Jarvis, the impetus for creating the program was to increase preparedness for a possible terrorist attack during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. But national interest in preparing medical professionals for radiation emergencies appears to have waned after the Olympics, says Jarvis, who considers this training too important to be tied only to large events.
"We need to get some level of government interested in funding ongoing teaching, particularly in communities near nuclear reactors," he says. [ . . . ]
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5. Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant Update
US orders news blackout over crippled Nebraska Nuclear Plant: report
http://nation.com.pk/
pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/International/18-Jun-2011/US-orders-news-blackout-over-crippled-Nebraska-Nuclear-Plant-report
June 18, 2011
A shocking report prepared by Russia’s Federal Atomic Energy Agency (FAAE) on information provided to them by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) states that the Obama regime has ordered a “total and complete” news blackout relating to any information regarding the near catastrophic meltdown of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant located in Nebraska.
According to this report, the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant suffered a “catastrophic loss of cooling” to one of its idle spent fuel rod pools on 7 June after this plant was deluged with water caused by the historic flooding of the Missouri River which resulted in a fire causing the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to issue a “no-fly ban” over the area.
Located about 20 minutes outside downtown Omaha, the largest city in Nebraska, the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Plant is owned by Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) who on their website denies their plant is at a “Level 4” emergency by stating: “This terminology is not accurate, and is not how emergencies at nuclear power plants are classified.”
Russian atomic scientists in this FAAE report, however, say that this OPPD statement is an “outright falsehood” as all nuclear plants in the world operate under the guidelines of the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES) which clearly states the “events” occurring at the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant do, indeed, put it in the “Level 4” emergency category of an “accident with local consequences” thus making this one of the worst nuclear accidents in US history.
Though this report confirms independent readings in the United States of “negligible release of nuclear gasses” related to this accident it warns that by the Obama regimes censoring of this event for “political purposes” it risks a “serious blowback” from the American public should they gain knowledge of this being hidden from them.
Interesting to note about this event was the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chief, Gregory B. Jaczko, blasting the Obama regime just days before the near meltdown of the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant by declaring that “the policy of not enforcing most fire code violations at dozens of nuclear plants is “unacceptable” and has tied the hands of NRC inspectors.”
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Reactor Accidents: FLOOD at FORT CALHOUN
http://www.nirs.org/reactorwatch/accide ... alhoun.htm
June 14, 2011. (Updated June 17) Flood at Fort Calhoun. Nebraska's Fort Calhoun reactor is surrounded by floodwaters from the Missouri River. Updated page, including photo and video & other links on the situation and background information on the reactor and fuel pool. [ . . . ]
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Midwest Floods: Both Nebraska Nuke Stations Threatened
http://www.countercurrents.org/ananda170611.htm
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6. Nuclear Plant Safety Rules Inadequate, Group Says
By Matthew L. Wald, New York Times, June 15, 2011
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/
people/w/matthew_l_wald/index.html?inline=nyt-per
ROCKVILLE, Md. — Nuclear safety rules in the United States do not adequately weigh the risk that a single event would knock out electricity from both the grid and from emergency generators, as an earthquake and tsunami recently did at a nuclear plant in Japan, officials of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.
A task force created after the accident at the nuclear plant, Fukushima Daiichi, delivered an oral progress report on Wednesday to the five-member commission. In that session, commission officials said they had learned that some of the safety equipment installed at American nuclear plants over the years, including hardware added after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is not maintained or inspected as diligently as the original components are.
A crucial reason for the extensive damage to the Fukushima plant’s reactors was the loss of electricity needed to run water pumps and to reposition valves. The American nuclear industry has argued in recent months that its reactors are better prepared to cope with that kind of emergency.
But Charlie Miller, the chairman of the task force, said that studies by safety experts in the United States had analyzed the risk of losing electricity from the grid or from on-site emergency generators, but not both at the same time. [ . . . ]
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7. Strong global opposition towards nuclear power
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpubli ... hive/2817/
Strong-global-opposition-towards-nuclear-power.aspx
Ipsos Global @dvisor, 23 June 2011 [Fieldwork May 6 - 21, 2011]
New research by Ipsos MORI shows that three in five global citizens (62%) oppose the use of nuclear energy – a quarter (26%) of those have been influenced by the recent nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan.
The latest Ipsos Global @dvisor survey shows that support for nuclear energy is far below that for solar power (97%), wind power (93%), hydroelectric power (91%) and natural gas (80%) as a source of electricity.
Just one in four (38%) adults across 24 countries support the use of nuclear energy. Support is highest in India (61%), Poland (57%) and the United States (52%).
Britons are split on the issue with half supporting (48%) and half opposing (51%) the use of nuclear energy. One in five (20%) Britons that are against the use of nuclear energy say they their opinion has been influenced by the events in Fukushima.
Managing Director of the Ipsos MORI Reputation Centre, Milorad Ajder, said:
“Nuclear energy is a controversial issue at the best of times and the disaster in Fukushima has clearly had a negative impact on the way people see its use. With mounting global opposition, some countries are already decided to scale back its use, with some abandoning it all together.”
Download the full presentation slides:
http://www.ipsos-mori.com/Assets/Docs/Polls/
ipsos-global-advisor-nuclear-power-june-2011.pdf
Technical Note
This survey was conducted in 24 countries including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America. An international sample of 18,787 adults aged 18-64 in the US and Canada, and age 16-64 in all other countries, were interviewed between May 6 and May 21, 2011 via the Ipsos Online Panel system.
Approximately 1000+ individuals participated on a country by country basis with the exception of Argentina, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Russia and Turkey, where each have a sample 500+. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflected that of the adult population according to the most recent country Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe.
A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points for a sample of 1,000 and an estimated margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage points for a sample of 500 19 times out of 20 per country of what the results would have been had the entire population of the specifically aged adults in that country been polled
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8. EPA Halted Extra Testing for Radiation From Japan Weeks Ago
http://www.truth-out.org/
epa-halted-extra-testing-radiation-japan-weeks-ago/1308835471
Thursday 23 June 2011 by: Mike Ludwig, Truthout | Report
Radiation is expected to continue spewing for months from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that suffered a meltdown following an earthquake and tsunami in March, but despite grim reports from Japan, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has quietly stopped running extra tests for radioactive material in America's milk, rain and drinking water.
The EPA initially ramped up nationwide testing in the weeks following the disaster in Japan, and radioactive materials like cesium and iodine-131 were detected on US soil. Citing declining levels of radiation, the EPA has abandoned the extra tests, even as reports from Japan indicate that the Fukushima plant continues to emit radiation and the disaster is one of the worst in world history.
The EPA posted a statement online saying it would return to routine testing on May 3, but the agency did not send out a press release. The media widely ignored the change, even as Japanese officials admitted just weeks later that they were battling a full nuclear meltdown.
In March and April, samples of milk, rain and drinking water from across the country tested positive for radiation from the Fukushima plant. The radiation fell in rain across the US and was absorbed by plants and dairy cows.
The EPA insisted that the radiation levels were too low to cause public health concern, but Truthout identified gaps in the agency's data and nuclear critics said the EPA has failed to acknowledge that even small amounts of radiation could be dangerous.
Now the EPA has returned to routine testing of milk and drinking water once every three months and testing rainwater once a month. The EPA continuously monitors background radiation with more than 100 air filter monitors, but nuclear critics say more testing should be done.
"The Fukushima disaster is unlike any nuclear accident we have ever had," said Dan Hirsch of the nuclear watchdog group Committee to Bridge the Gap. "We haven't had anything that has gone on for a year, and that is what the Japanese authorities are predicting - if they're lucky. It might even take longer. The fuel has melted through, there are breaches at the containment structures, and there are constant radioactive releases." [ . . . ]
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9. HOFFMAN: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/06/
scariest-thing-ive-read-since-3112011.html
From: "Ace Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 8:47 PM
Subject: The scariest thing I've read since 3/11/2011
June 10th, 2011
Dear Readers,
It is now known that women are more susceptible -- approximately twice as susceptible, or worse -- to radiation's harmful effects than men who get the same dose. Young people are more susceptible than old.
Young children are perhaps ten times as susceptible to radiation's dangers as adults are, because their cells are dividing and establishing themselves. The cells of some organs will continue to divide; but cells such as neurons and heart muscle cells stop dividing at adulthood. Cancer can also get established at this early stage. Cancer usually requires a long sequence of cell changes to occur -- often 10 or 12 or more changes in the cell DNA's structure will have to occur, which can take many years.
Starting early is a very bad thing.
Infants are even more susceptible than young children. Newborns, preemies... immune-challenged... even more so.
Since Fukushima, on the west coast of the United States, our babies are dying at a significantly increased rate (see article, below). Across the country deaths are up as well, though not as much (ibid).
And fetuses. Can we even talk about fetuses? As two cells, separated by space - the sperm and the egg -- "it" is utterly vulnerable! One zap from a nuclear buzzsaw and it's over. So much for the next Einstein! Another Da Vinci? Gone! Oh well, there's millions where they came from, right? (If so, I haven't seen them.)
After the cells start to multiply, they begin "specification", becoming hearts, lungs, brains, bones, intestines, and all the other little warts and dimples that make us who we are as individuals and as a species.
Fetuses vary from "infinitely" more susceptible to radiation's dangers, to thousands of times when they are very small, to "merely" hundreds of times as they grow, to whatever they are at birth -- no one knows precisely. Reasonable estimates can be made. If what is reported below is, indeed, caused by Fukushima, it should surprise no one.
The authors of the article shown below are both friends of mine; I've known them for years. I authored an article or two with one of them. They've both written extensively about the scientific data which condemns nuclear power and been involved in all aspects of research into the dangers of radiation, and are both book authors of wonderful scientific books on the subjects, as well.
They research everything they do very carefully and shoot straight when they talk about it.
They are scientists in the best sense of the word.
Nevertheless, let's hope they're wrong.
If what they report below is even half true, we're all in for a whole lot of hurt. Our babies are taking the "hits" now. We all will in one way or another -- by losing loved ones, if nothing else.
If this anomaly has any other explanation, I challenge anyone to find it. And stop it.
Sincerely,
Ace Hoffman
Carlsbad, CA
email: rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com
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A 35% Spike in Infant Mortality in Northwest Cities Since Meltdown
http://www.counterpunch.org/sherman06102011.html
Weekend Edition June 10 - 12, 2011
Is the Dramatic Increase in Baby Deaths in the US a Result of Fukushima Fallout?
By JANETTE D. SHERMAN, MD and JOSEPH MANGANO
U.S. babies are dying at an increased rate. While the United States spends billions on medical care, as of 2006, the US ranked 28th in the world in infant mortality, more than twice that of the lowest ranked countries. (DHHS, CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. Health United States 2010, Table 20, p. 131, February 2011.)
The recent CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicates that eight cities in the northwest U.S. (Boise ID, Seattle WA, Portland OR, plus the northern California cities of Santa Cruz, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, and Berkeley) reported the following data on deaths among those younger than one year of age:
4 weeks ending March 19, 2011 - 37 deaths (avg. 9.25 per week)
10 weeks ending May 28, 2011 - 125 deaths (avg.12.50 per week)
This amounts to an increase of 35% (the total for the entire U.S. rose about 2.3%), and is statistically significant. Of further significance is that those dates include the four weeks before and the ten weeks after the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster. In 2001 the infant mortality was 6.834 per 1000 live births, increasing to 6.845 in 2007. All years from 2002 to 2007 were higher than the 2001 rate.
Spewing from the Fukushima reactor are radioactive isotopes including those of iodine (I-131), strontium (Sr-90) and cesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) all of which are taken up in food and water. Iodine is concentrated in the thyroid, Sr-90 in bones and teeth and Cs-134 and Cs-137 in soft tissues, including the heart. The unborn and babies are more vulnerable because the cells are rapidly dividing and the delivered dose is proportionally larger than that delivered to an adult.
Data from Chernobyl, which exploded 25 years ago, clearly shows increased numbers of sick and weak newborns and increased numbers of deaths in the unborn and newborns, especially soon after the meltdown. These occurred in Europe as well as the former Soviet Union. Similar findings are also seen in wildlife living in areas with increased radioactive fallout levels.
(Chernobyl Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment, Alexeiy V. Yablokov, Vasily B. Nesterenko, and Alexey V. Nesterenko. Consulting Editor: Janette D. Sherman-Nevinger. New York Academy of Sciences, 2009.)
Levels of radioisotopes were measured in children who had died in the Minsk area that had received Chernobyl fallout. The cardiac findings were the same as those seen in test animals that had been administered Cs-137. Bandashevsky, Y. I, Pathology of Incorporated Ionizing Radiation, Belarus Technical University, Minsk. 136 pp., 1999. For his pioneering work, Prof. Bandashevsky was arrested in 2001 and imprisoned for five years of an eight year sentence.
The national low-weight (under 2500 grams, or 5.5 lbs) rate has risen 23% from 1984 to 2006. Nearly 400,000 infants are born under 2500g each year in the U.S. Most of the increase in infant mortality is due specifically to infants born weighing less than 750 grams (1 lb 10 1/2 oz). Multiple births commonly result in underweight babies, but most of the increase in births at less than 750 grams occurred among singletons and among mothers 20-34 years of age. (CDC, National Vital Statistics Report, 52 (12): 1-24, 2005.)
From an obstetrical point of view, women in the age bracket 20 to 34 are those most physically able to deliver a healthy child. So what has gone wrong? Clues to causation are often revealed when there is a change in incidence, a suspicious geographical distribution, and/or an increase in hazards known to adversely affect health and development.
The risk of having a baby with birth defects is estimated at three to four of every 100 babies born. As of 2005, the Institute of medicine estimated the cost of pre-term births in the US at more than $2.6 billion, or $51,600 for each infant.
Low birth weight babies, born too soon and too small, face a lifetime of health problems, including cerebral palsy, and behavioral and learning problems placing an enormous physical, emotional and economic burdens on society as a whole and on those caring for them. Death of a young child is devastating to a family.
As of June 5, 2011, The Japan Times reported that radiation in the No. 1 plant was measured at 4,000 milliseverts per hour. To put that in perspective, a worker would receive a maximal "permissible" dose in 4 minutes. In addition there are over 40,000 tons of radioactive water under that reactor with more radioactivity escaping into the air and sea. Fuel rods are believed to have melted and sunk to the bottom of reactors 1, 2, and 3.
Tepco, the corporate owner took more than two months to confirm the meltdowns and admitted lying about the levels of destruction and subsequent contamination, resulting in "Public Distrust." Over 100,000 tons of radioactive waste are on the site.
Why should we care if there may be is a link between Fukushima and the death of children? Because we need to measure the actual levels of isotopes in the environment and in the bodies of people exposed to determine if the fallout is killing our most vulnerable. The research is not technically difficult the political and economic barriers may be greater. Bandshevsky and others did it and confirmed the connection. The information is available in the Chernobyl book. (Previously cited.)
The biological findings of Chernobyl cannot be ignored: isotope incorporation will determine the future of all life on earth animal, fish, bird, plant and human. It is crucial to know this information if we are to avoid further catastrophic damage.
- - - -
Janette D. Sherman, M. D. is the author of Life's Delicate Balance: Causes and Prevention of Breast Cancer and Chemical Exposure and Disease, and is a specialist in internal medicine and toxicology. She edited the bookChernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and Nature, written by A. V. Yablokov, V. B., Nesterenko and A. V. Nesterenko, published by the New York Academy of Sciences in 2009. Her primary interest is the prevention of illness through public education. She can be reached at: toxdoc.js@verizon.net and www.janettesherman.com
- - - -
Joseph Mangano is an epidemiologist, and Executive Director of the Radiation and Public Health Project research group.
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10. Prestigious doctor: US nuclear 'Baby valley of death,' Millions to die (video)
http://www.examiner.com/human-rights-in-national/
prestigious-doctor-japan-us-nuclear-valley-of-death
June 20, 2011 2:14 am EST
Dr. Mark Sircus bearer of tragic radiation news
Sunday, the prestigious Doctor Mark Sircus released a new report concurring with a host of scientists and other doctors giving evidence that people of Japan and United States have been subjected to dangerous levels of radiation since Fukushima nuclear plant meltdowns, and also subjected to a tight cover-up by authorities and media, the result of which will be millions of baby deaths and new cancer victims. Japanese and American children are already suffering with symptoms that appear to be the first signs of Radiation Sickness.
"Finally, three months later, we are getting some numbers on what the real dangers are. And finally we can begin to understand the enormous cover-up of the nuclear doom that is reaching lungs all over the west coast of America, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and at least half of Japan!" stated Dr. Mark Sircus.
Dr. Sircus Ac., OMD, is director of International Medical Veritas Association (IMVA)
http://www.imva.info/
He was trained in acupuncture and oriental medicine at Institute of Traditional Medicine in Sante Fe, N.M., and at the School of Traditional Medicine of New England in Boston. He served at the Central Public Hospital of Pochutla in Mexico, and was awarded the title of doctor of oriental medicine for his work including one of the first nationally certified acupuncturists in the U.S. Dr. Sircus's IMVA is dedicated to unifying various disciplines in medicine with the goal of creating a new dawn in healthcare.
"For infants, it’s a terrible valley of death we have created for them." says Dr. Sircus. "As we shall see for years, all of them have been born with already polluted bloodstreams and now, the very young ones are dying in greater numbers on the west coast of the United States since Fukushima blew up." [ . . . ]
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11. No Nukes News - June 20, 2011
"Fukushima is the biggest industrial catastrophe in the history of mankind" - Arnold Gundersen, a former nuclear industry senior vice president
“The absurd belief that no one will be harmed by Fukushima is perhaps the strongest evidence of the pattern of deception and denial by nuclear officials in industry and government.” - Joseph Mangano, executive director of the Radiation and Public Health Project
“We’ve known about radioactive isotopes for decades. I worked for the Atomic Energy Commission in the 1950s and we knew about the effects then. To ignore the biology is to our peril. This is not new science. Cesium-137 goes to soft tissue. Strontium-90 goes to the bones and teeth. Iodine-131 goes to the thyroid gland.” All have been released in large amounts in the Fukushima disaster since it began on March 11. – Dr. Janet Sherman
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Japan Admits 3 Nuclear Meltdowns, More Radiation Leaked into Sea; U.S. Nuclear Waste Poses Deadly Risks
Fantastic 30 min. video and transcript: http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/10/
as_japan_nuclear_crisis_worsens_citizen
Fukushima: It's much worse than you think
Scientific experts believe Japan's nuclear disaster to be far worse than governments are revealing to the public.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/06/
201161664828302638.html
Contaminated sewage sludge worries Japanese http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3244096.htm
Fukushima and the Nuclear Establishment
Will the nuclear establishment be able to get away with telling what, indeed, would be one of the most outrageous Big Lies of all time—that no one will die as a result of Fukushima? Will it be able to continue its new nuclear push despite the catastrophe?
http://counterpunch.org/grossman06162011.html
Fukushima media cover-up - PR success, public health disaster
5 min. news video:
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=C_rAX9TzY2A&feature=player_detailpage
Is the Dramatic Increase in Baby Deaths in the US a Result of Fukushima Fallout?
A 35% Spike in Infant Mortality in Northwest Cities Since Meltdown
http://www.counterpunch.org/sherman06102011.html
Great photos from the recent Anti-Nuke demos in Tokyo which brought out 20,000
http://shoottokyo.com/2011/06/13/
anti-nuclear-protests-across-tokyo/
http://shoottokyo.com/2011/06/12/
anti-nuclear-protests-tokyo-2/
Toxic strontium found in Fukushima groundwater
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2011/6/15/
toxic-strontium-found-in-fukushima-groundwater.html
Radiation "hotspots" hinder Japan response to nuclear crisis
"I was more than shocked," said Nakamura, 74, who, like other tea farmers in Kanagawa has been forced to throw away an early harvest because of radiation being released by the Fukushima Daiichi plant 300 kilometers (180 miles) away.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/14/
us-japan-nuclear-hotspots-idUSTRE75D1JT20110614?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+reuters/environment+%28News+/+US+/+Environment%29&utm_content=Twitter
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Former N.B. cabinet minister urges Point Lepreau legal action
But a plethora of setbacks later and the nuclear plant is still offline and only expected to return to service in the fall of 2012 -- three years behind schedule.
Energy Minister Craig Leonard has pegged the total cost overruns, including replacement power while the nuclear reactor is offline, at about $2.4 billion -- assuming there are no further delays.
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/n ... le/1411326
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Nuclear Plant Safety Rules Inadequate
Nuclear safety rules in the United States do not adequately weigh the risk that a single event would knock out electricity from both the grid and from emergency generators, as an earthquake and tsunami recently did at a nuclear plant in Japan, officials of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/
people/w/matthew_l_wald/index.html?inline=nyt-per
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Airspace Over Flooded Nebraska Nuclear Power Plant Still Closed
http://www.businessinsider.com/
faa-closes-airspace-over-flooded-nebraska-nuclear-power-plant-2011-6
US Orders News Blackout Over Crippled Nebraska Nuclear Plant
http://www.pakalertpress.com/2011/06/17/
us-orders-news-blackout-over-crippled-nebraska-nuclear-plant/
It doesn't take a tsunami... ...as this AP picture shows, with the Ft. Calhoun nuclear power plant in Nebraska now completely surrounded by water as levels continue to rise in the Missouri River.
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2011/6/15/
it-doesnt-take-a-tsunami.html
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Canada ill-prepared for radiation emergencies
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/183/9/1001?etoc&eaf
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Earth Custodian Extraordinaire
In this half hour audio interview, Angela Bischoff share’s surprising statistics on who’s using how much energy, underlying reasons for our slow progression towards sustainable energy, how the ON Clean Air Alliance is working towards practically making change, and empowers us with tips on what we can do to make a difference.
http://pholia.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/
earth-custodian-extraordinaire/
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Environment Commissioner slams Liberals for cutting hydro bills Ontario’s Liberal government sent the wrong signal by giving people 10 per cent off their electricity bills because it discourages conservation, Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller said Tuesday. Miller was similarly unimpressed with promises by the Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats to remove the eight per cent provincial portion of the HST from electricity bills if they win the Oct. 6 Ontario election. “I think it should be taxed to express the full cost to consumers so that they will see the value of conservation,” he said.
http://www.therecord.com/news/ontario/article/
547659--environment-commissioner-slams-liberals-for-cutting-hydro-bills
The Environmental Commissioner of Ontario released Volume 1 of his 2010 Annual Energy Conservation Progress Report to the Legislature on June 14th, 2011.
Watch the webcast of the media conference and the short videos of the Commissioner outlining key points of the report including: overview, electricity pricing, smart grid, and more. You can also download the report.
http://www.eco.on.ca/
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Green Energy Act is saving us money
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/columns/article/
545814--green-energy-act-is-saving-us-money
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Why so much noise about wind?
The time for that choice is now. Do we allow our health to suffer by continuing to rely on coal? Do we gamble on nuclear? Or do we choose a less harmful path toward renewable energy? How do we compare a simple annoyance and obstructed views with the suffering of hundreds of thousands? Our diagnosis is clear - Ontario needs renewable energy, including wind turbines.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/
why-so-much-noise-about-wind/article1216749/
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Will Natural Gas 'Outmuscle' Renewables?
The falling price of natural gas has prompted both supporters, who believe natural gas is a proven, reliable transitional fuel away from coal and nuclear, and critics, who are afraid that wide-scale adoption of natural gas will undermine the switch to renewables. The booming shale gas industry has received particular attention recently, not least because of its potentially enormous environmental impacts.
http://blogs.worldwatch.org/revolt/
wrestling-for-world-energy-dominance-will-natural-gas-%E2%80%9Coutmuscle%E2%80%9D-renewables/
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Cut Nukes, Not xxx
World leaders will spend $1 trillion on nukes in the next 10 years while cutting essential services that we all need!
Will you take 1 minute to tell them what matters most to you?
http://cutnukes.globalzero.org
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Nuclear Abolition Day – Global Day of Action June 25th
There are still more than 20,000 nuclear weapons in the world today. A single bomb is powerful enough to obliterate a city, killing millions in an instant. Abolishing nuclear weapons is the only guarantee that they will never be used again.
http://www.nuclearabolition.org/
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Harvesting Clean Energy on Ontario Farms Southern-Ontario Speaking Tour
Monday, June 27, Ottawa Area
Tuesday, June 28, Kingston Area
Wednesday, June 29 Toronto, Guelph & Cambridge
Thursday, June 30, Guelph
The report and tour will highlight the untapped business opportunities for Ontario’s farmers that can be found in the field of renewable energy; the numerous other benefits of renewable energy, such as rural economic development and improved environmental conditions; and finally, the government policies needed to allow farmers to embrace the benefits of renewable energy.
More details here:
http://www.climateactionnetwork.ca/e/news/2011/release/
index.php?WEBYEP_DI=18
Sponsored by: Climate Action Network Canada, Pembina Institute, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and The United Church of Canada
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Sign the Petition Calling for a Moratorium on New Nuclear Projects in ON
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/petition2.php
And order FREE anti-nuclear and anti-coal leaflets
They contain postcards to politicians. Courtesy of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
http://www.cleanairalliance.org/
get_involved_order_pamphlets
Thank you for helping get the word out!
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Angela Bischoff, Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Tel: 416 260-2080 x 1
160 John St., #300
Toronto, ON M5V 2E5
angela@cleanairalliance.org
www.cleanairalliance.org
No Nukes News
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12. Nuclear Information and Resource Service - Stay Informed
http://www.nirs.org/
NIRS on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/
Nuclear-Information-and-Resource-Service/26490791479?sk=wall&filter=12
http://www.facebook.com/nonukesnirs
http://www.causes.com/causes/
49098-no-nukes-nuclear-information-and-resource-service
NIRS on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/nirsnet
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13. JAPAN UPDATE
Fukushima and the Mass Media Meltdown
www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25334
The Repercussions of a Pro-Nuclear Corporate Press
By Keith Harmon Snow Global Research, June 20, 2011
ConsciousBeingAlliance.com - 2011-06-19
A sociological and technological discussion -- in the wake of the out-of-control nuclear apocalypse in Japan -- addressing the compromise of public health and security created by the failure of the western corporate mass media to equitably report on, mildly investigate, or even moderately challenge, the nuclear power industry.
Author's note, 19 June 2011:
The following report was written after learning about the pro-nuclear and corporate bias of the Society of Environmental Journalists. It was originally published by VOICE NEWS, Winstead CT, in 2001 and was originally titled "The Potential Repercussions of a Pro-Nuclear Press." I have made a few minor changes, added hyperlinks, and inserted a few comments in [brackets].
The report was originally sent to Noel Grove, then an SEJ official and an editor in some capacity for the National Geographic, who I was communicating with at the time (and hoping to land a story assignment from). After perusing my article to some (unknown) extent, Mr. Grove -- who was somewhat hysterical about it-- criticized this writing as hysterical, and the thesis as impossible, and the writer as lacking all credibility. [ . . . ]
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Beyond our imagination: Fukushima and the problem of assessing risk
http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/
beyond-our-imagination-fukushima-and-the-problem-of-assessing-risk
By M. V. Ramana | 19 April 2011
The multiple and ongoing accidents at the Fukushima reactors come as a reminder of the hazards associated with nuclear power. As with the earlier severe accidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, it will take a long time before the full extent of what happened at Fukushima becomes clear. Even now, though, Fukushima sheds light on the troublesome and important question of whether nuclear reactors can ever be operated safely.
Engineers and other technical experts have two approaches for making nuclear reactors safe: The first is to design the reactor so that it is likely to recover from various initiating failures -- lowering the probability that the damage will spread, even in the absence of any protective actions, automatic or deliberate. The second approach, used in addition to the first, is to incorporate multiple protective systems, all of which would have to fail before a radioactive release could occur. This latter approach is known as "defense-in-depth," and it is often advertised as an assurance of nuclear safety. The World Nuclear Association, for example, claims that "reactors in the western world" use defense-in-depth "to achieve optimum safety." [ . . . ]
Japan pensioners volunteer to tackle nuclear crisis
May 31, 2011, BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13598607
A group of more than 200 Japanese pensioners are volunteering to tackle the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima power station. The Skilled Veterans Corps, as they call themselves, is made up of retired engineers and other professionals, all over the age of 60. They say they should be facing the dangers of radiation, not the young. It was while watching the television news that Yasuteru Yamada decided it was time for his generation to stand up. No longer could he be just an observer of the struggle to stabilise the Fukushima nuclear plant. The retired engineer is reporting back for duty at the age of 72, and he is organising a team of pensioners to go with him. For weeks now Mr Yamada has been getting back in touch with old friends, sending out e-mails and even messages on Twitter. Volunteering to take the place of younger workers at the power station is not brave, Mr Yamada says, but logical. "I am 72 and on average I probably have 13 to 15 years left to live," he says. "Even if I were exposed to radiation, cancer could take 20 or 30 years or longer to develop. Therefore us older ones have less chance of getting cancer." Mr Yamada is lobbying the government hard for his volunteers to be allowed into the power station. The government has expressed gratitude for the offer but is cautious.
Japan finds hotspots in areas that seemed safe. One hundred days into the nuclear emergency here, Japan is learning that danger doesn’t recede in tidy concentric circles centered on the damaged nuclear plant. Officials have found that radioactive particles concentrate in random hot spots, raising fresh problems for residents who thought they were a safe distance from danger. Washington Post [Registration Required]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/
japan-finds-hotspots-in-areas-that-seemed-safe/2011/06/18/AG2PYkaH_story.html
Radiation in Japan: Nosebleed, diarrhea, lack of energy in children in
Koriyama City, Fukushima
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/722/067/
Radiation_in_Japan:_Nosebleed,_diarrhea,_lack_of_energy_in_children_in_Koriyama_City,_Fukushima.html
Citizens find radiation far from Fukushima.
Frustrated by a dearth of information on what happened to all of the radiological isotopes released from the ravaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, civic groups and individuals have been monitoring radiation on their own. Science [Subscription Required]
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/332/6036/1368.full
Japan strains to fix a reactor damaged before quake.
The Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor -- a long-troubled national project -- has been in a precarious state of shutdown since a 3.3-ton device crashed into the reactor’s inner vessel, cutting off access to the plutonium and uranium fuel rods at its core. New York Times [Registration Required]
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/world ... japan.html
TEPCO documents show problems encountered in venting, pumping water to damaged reactors.
Despite the orders of Masao Yoshida, head of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, venting of reactors and injections of water did not proceed smoothly in the early stage of the crisis, documents showed. Asahi Shimbun, Japan.
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106170391.html
System to treat Japan nuke plant's radioactive water halted hours after full operations begin.
A system to clean massive amounts of contaminated water at the site of Japan’s nuclear disaster was shut down Saturday, just hours after it began full operations, because a component filled with radioactivity much more quickly than expected. Associated Press
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/
system-to-treat-radioactive-water-at-japan-nuke-plant-halted-hours-after-full-operations-start/2011/06/18/AGmUSxZH_story.html
Two million Fukushima residents to undergo radiation health checks.
The health of residents in Fukushima prefecture in northeast Japan will be monitored over the next 30 years in order to ease growing concerns surrounding radiation contamination. The project is believed to be unprecedented. London Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/
8585961/Two-million-Fukushima-residents-to-undergo-radiation-health-checks.html
Japan Strains to Fix a Reactor Damaged Before Quake
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/18/world/asia/
18japan.html?_r=2&emc=eta1
By HIROKO TABUCHI Published: June 17, 2011
TSURUGA, Japan — Three hundred miles southwest of Fukushima, at a nuclear reactor perched on the slopes of this rustic peninsula, engineers are engaged in another precarious struggle.
The Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor — a long-troubled national project — has been in a precarious state of shutdown since a 3.3-ton device crashed into the reactor’s inner vessel, cutting off access to the plutonium and uranium fuel rods at its core.
Engineers have tried repeatedly since the accident last August to recover the device, which appears to have gotten stuck. They will make another attempt as early as next week. [ . . . ]
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14. WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS 14-20 June 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=e6e117552d&e=7a6d90bce5
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WORLD NUCLEAR NEWS June 7 – 13, 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=d10e4976dc&e=7a6d90bce5
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15. Federal nuclear regulators repeatedly weaken or fail to enforce safety standards.
Federal regulators have been working closely with the nuclear power industry to keep the nation’s aging reactors operating within safety standards by repeatedly weakening those standards, or simply failing to enforce them, an investigation by The Associated Press has found. Associated Press
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/
federal-nuclear-regulators-repeatedly-weaken-or-fail-to-enforce-safety-standards/2011/06/19/AG9J8XbH_story.html
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16. GE official sees cheaper solar power
May 27, 2011, Boston Globe/Bloomberg News
http://articles.boston.com/2011-05-27/business/
29600903_1_solar-panels-solar-power-first-solar
Solar power may be cheaper than electricity generated by fossil fuels and nuclear reactors in three to five years because of innovations, said Mark M. Little, global research director for General Electric Co. “If we can get solar at 15 cents a kilowatt-hour or lower, which I’m hopeful that we will do, you’re going to have a lot of people that are going to want to have solar at home,’’ Little said. The 2009 average US retail rate per kilowatt-hour for electricity ranged from 6.1 cents in Wyoming to 18.1 cents in Connecticut, according to federal data. GE said in April that it had boosted the efficiency of thin-film solar panels to a record 12.8 percent. Improving efficiency, or the amount of sunlight converted to electricity, helps reduce costs. The panels will be made at a plant GE intends to open in 2013. Most solar panels use silicon-based photovoltaic cells. The thin-film versions, made of glass or other material coated with cadmium telluride or copper indium gallium selenide alloys, account for about 15 percent of the $28 billion in worldwide solar-panel sales. First Solar Inc. is the world’s largest producer of thin-film panels, with $2.6 billion in yearly revenue.
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17. Ceasefire.ca Members’ survey results on Libya mission
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8092&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
June 21, 2011
(GRAPH shows Survey Results)
See also:
Canadian mission in Libya,
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?tag=canadian-mission-in-libya
Libya :
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?tag=libya
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18. Layton, Harris criticize timing of document dump
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8110&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
June 23, 2011
Opposition leader Jack Layton has accused the Harper government of taking a “very cynical” approach in its release of documents on the Afghan detainee file. The release of 4000 pages worth of documents came just as MPs are gearing down for summer recess. “[The Government] chose a date that will prevent parliamentarians from asking questions in the House of Commons.
It’s just one day before our work here must end,” Layton said (Colin Horgan, “Set for the Afghan detainee doc dump?,”
< http://ipolitics.ca/2011/06/21/
set-for-the-afghan-detainee-doc-dump-25000-land-wednesday/ >
Ipolitics.ca, 21 June 2011, and Sonya Bell, “If 4,000 pages fall in the summer, do they make a sound?,” (Subscription required.)
(Photos of pages of document showing blacked-out sections.)
Last year then-Speaker Peter Milliken ruled that withholding the documents breached parliamentary privilege and asked the parties to come up with a solution. A secretive committee of selected MPs began examining the documents, but the NDP boycotted the process because of concerns about the limitations applied to it.
After Tuesday’s Question Period, NDP National Defence critic Jack Harris told reporters that the timing of the release was “obviously designed to keep this sunk below the level of public discourse…. They really don’t want a full objective public inquiry.”
Calls for a public inquiry remain unanswered.
ShareThis
Afghanistan, Canadian military mission in Afghanistan, Richard Colvin, Torture of Afghan detainees
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19. Defining 'Withdrawal' From Afghanistan
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4321
Media's selective memory on Obama escalations
6/23/11
Barack Obama's June 22 announcement of a phased troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was often portrayed as a major step towards ending the war, with many outlets neglecting to accurately explain the pace of escalation that has happened under his watch.
When Obama took office in 2009, the U.S. had about 34,000 troops in Afghanistan. Obama has initiated two major troop increases in Afghanistan: about 20,000 additional troops were announced in February 2009, followed by the December 2009 announcement that an another 33,000 would be deployed as well; other smaller increases have brought the total to 100,000. Much of the media conversation portrays the announced withdrawal schedule as a removal of all the surge troops--"the withdrawal of the entire surge force by the end of next summer," as the New York Times put it (6/23/11)--which ignores the initial escalation.
News accounts over how many troops might leave should account for the total U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, in historical context. As ThinkProgress noted (6/22/11), if the reductions are carried out as planned, the United States would still have far more troops in Afghanistan than it did when Obama came into office and more than at any point during former president George W. Bush’s administration. This means that the troop reduction would not put us much closer to actually ending the war by the end of 2012. [ . . . ]
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
NUKE NEWS: July 1, 2011
by Oscar » Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
NUKE NEWS: July 1, 2011
1. EVENT: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
2. LISTEN: KOSSICK Interview - Committee for Future Generations – nuclear waste dump for northern Saskatchewan
3. Cameco CEO makes 'Grandey' gesture
4. Sale of AECL: A good deal for federal taxpayers, but who will protect Ontario’s consumers and taxpayers?
5. Point Lepreau receives failing grade
6. Council of Canadians opposes nuclear waste dump on Lake Huron
7. Revealed: British government's plan to play down Fukushima
8. State of NUKES in the USA
9. LISTEN: Israel's nukes: Don't ask, don't tell
10. Confessions of a Nuclear Power Safety Expert
11. State of NUKES in JAPAN
12. Dangers Arise at Chernobyl
13. “Crown jewel” of Canadian peacekeeping closing NS offices
14. Ottawa finally releases Afghan detainee documents just before summer break
15. Libya, Canada's Other Ugly War - Is NATO's real target African unity, financed by Gadhafi?
16. Going Beyond the Border: Council of Canadians, Common Frontiers on fact-finding trip to Washington, D.C.
17. WATCH: Feeding Resistance: Food Not Bombs Members Arrested in Orlando for Serving Meals Without a Permit
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1. EVENT: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
The Committee for Future Generations is gearing up for its summer campaign to demand a legislated ban on nuclear waste in Saskatchewan.
This from the Committee:
Dear Committee Members, Friends and Supporters:
RE: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
The Committee of Future Generations is announcing our walk against nuclear waste, departing July 27th, 2011 from Pinehouse for the Regina Legislature.
The purpose of this walk is to wake people up to the grave dangers of storing millions of radioactive nuclear bundles in Saskatchewan, and to take action by signing a petition to the government to legislate a ban against nuclear waste.
As we pass through each community, we hope to be joined by as many people as possible, and will collect petitions from the surrounding area via adjoining highways. By the end of our walk, we hope to have collected the equivalent of 100 signatures per kilometer on this petition.
Our route will be Pinehouse > Beauval > Green Lake > Big River > Prince Albert > Saskatoon > Regina. We're aiming at 30 km/day, with a rest day in P.A., which on paper calculates to 29 days, so we expect to arrive in Regina anytime after August 24th.
Committee artists have almost completed a beautiful traditional painting for our walk logo, endearingly depicting the love and care for future generations. We're looking at having t-shirts and prints made with this logo as a fundraiser. We'll make the posters available for you to advertise as soon as they're ready.
In the meantime, whether or not your community is on the walk route, please contact any groups and individuals that may be interested in joining us for any length possible.
As well, if you know of any groups and individuals who may be interested in donating funds and/or any kind of support like water, food, lodging etc. to the walk, please let us know and we'll follow proper protocol by contacting them in person if possible, backed up with a letter from our committee. (Please remember when communicating with potential supporters, to be clear that our walk is against nuclear waste.)
Looking forward to our combined effort for success on this inspirational venture.
Together in Community,
Max Morin, President
Committee for Future Generations
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
Let's Be Active Participants in the Lives of Our Children's Children
_______________________________
The walk will kick off with a Public Forum on Nuclear Waste in Pinehouse on July 26, 2011. Keynote speaker will be Francois Paulette. From the Committee:
"Francois Paulette became the youngest Chief in the Northwest Territories Indian Brotherhood. In 1972 he challenged the crown to recognize treaty and aboriginal rights and won a Supreme Court victory, launching the era of modern land claims. He served on the National Indian Brotherhood Treaty Implementation Committee, Assembly of First Nations Renewal Commission, Parks Canada Aboriginal Consultative Committee & has spoken internationally on Dene history & Aboriginal rights. He recently invited Avatar director James Cameron to visit Fort Chip, out of which came the 2011 documentary "Tipping Point" with David Suzuki.
Paulette's address to a conference of oil investors in Norway held back no punches. "What you do with your money is your business. But when you begin to spend your money in my territory, then that becomes my business."
__________________
We are in the process of setting up a dedicated page for this action, in the meantime you will find links on our home page at
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
The Committee needs support; there is postering to do in Saskatoon, petitions to sign and word to spread about this action, so please consider donating some time and/or financial resources to this project.
The Coalition has been providing literature to the Committee, including a new brochure on nuclear waste, so any financial help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Here is our contact information:
https://sites.google.com/site/cleangree ... clear_info
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2. LISTEN: KOSSICK Interview - Committee for Future Generations – nuclear waste dump for northern Saskatchewan
http://soundcloud.com/marychoma/
committee-for-future-generations-june-24-2011
Don Kossick, host of Making The Links, talks with members of the Committee for Future Generations in Northern Saskatchewan about fighting the nuclear waste dump attempt in northern Saskatchewan.
The Committee has formed to resist plans by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to site a nuclear waste dump in Saskatchewan - recorded in Beauval, SK
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3. Cameco CEO makes 'Grandey' gesture
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/
Cameco+makes+Grandey+gesture/4962292/story.html#
BY CASSANDRA KYLE, THE STAR PHOENIX JUNE 17, 2011
Outgoing Cameco Corp. CEO Jerry Grandey hopes a $1-million gift to the Edwards school of business creates a new generation of leaders in Saskatchewan.
Grandey, along with wife Tina, announced the million-dollar donation Wednesday at a University of Saskatchewan farewell party in his honour.
The CEO, also a member of the dean's advisory council at the business school, will retire from his role at the uranium firm at the end of the month. [ . . . ]
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4. Sale of AECL: A good deal for federal taxpayers, but who will protect Ontario’s consumers and taxpayers?
http://www.cleanairalliance.org/node/991
June 28, 2011
It appears that engineering giant SNC Lavalin is about to take Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) off the federal government’s hands. We applaud this sale. But the billion dollar question is: will the deal truly end the siphoning of $$ from taxpayers’ pockets that has been a hallmark of AECL’s operations for decades?
At a time when nuclear investments are riskier than ever and interest in nuclear energy around the world has all but collapsed in the wake of the ongoing Japanese crisis, how will SNC Lavalin keep AECL in business without government bailouts? Or will the Ontario government once again backstop the building of reactors in this province with taxpayer money, as they have with every nuclear project in Ontario’s history?
With both the Ontario Liberals and Conservatives supporting new nuclear spending, this is a great time to insist that the real costs of going nuclear be made crystal clear with no more hidden subsidies and costly bailouts.
Please click here to send a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty and Conservative Leader Tim Hudak and ask them for assurances that SNC Lavalin – or any other nuclear provider – not be allowed to pass its cost overruns onto taxpayers and ratepayers. It’s your money – make your voice heard now before new nuclear contracts are signed.
Thank you for contributing to Ontario energy policy!
Angela Bischoff
Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
160 John St., #300, Toronto M5V 2E5
Phone: 416 260-2080 x 1
angela@cleanairalliance.org
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
http://cleanairalliance.org/
No Nukes News
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
P.S. We encourage you to write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper about this. The province is planning to invest billions in new nuclear projects. The time to speak up is now!
The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a diverse, multi-stakeholder coalition of approximately 90 organizations including cities, health associations, environmental and public interest groups, corporations, public utilities, unions, faith communities and individuals, representing more than six million Ontarians. We are working for cleaner air through a coal phase-out and a shift to a renewable electricity future.
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Ottawa basically paying SNC to take AECL
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/06/29/
aecl-sale-snc-weston.html
By Greg Weston, CBC News, Jun 29, 2011
The federal government's long-awaited deal to sell off its money-losing nuclear reactor business is more like a perpetual partnership than a sale, leaving Canadian
taxpayers stuck with the fiscal fall-out for years to come.
The government-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has announced it has finally reached a tentative deal to sell its commercial reactor development and repair
division to Quebec-based engineering giant SNC-Lavalin.
The Montreal-based company was the only suitor in the world left at the negotiating table, a fact that helps to explain why the government is effectively paying
SNC-Lavalin to take over the Crown corporation.
Under the deal, SNC will pay a paltry $15 million for AECL's nuclear reactor division, plus some as yet undisclosed "royalties" on future reactor sales.
In return, the government will give SNC up to $75 million toward the development of the next generation of AECL's once internationally successful Candu reactors.
In other words, Canadian taxpayers are giving the Quebec company $60 million to take AECL off their hands.
If that were the whole deal, it would actually be a bargain for taxpayers.
AECL may be world-famous for its Candu reactors, but it hasn't sold one in 15 years, and now generates mainly massive amounts of red ink, the Crown corporation having cost Canadian taxpayers more than $820 million last year alone. [ . . . .]
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Ottawa to sell Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. to SNC-Lavalin
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/
ottawa-to-sell-atomic-energy-of-canada-ltd-to-snc-lavalin/article2078110/singlepage/#articlecontent
Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail, June 27, 2011
The Harper government is set to announce the sale of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. to Montreal-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin Group, a major gamble that Canada’s nuclear program can stand on its own amid growing global resistance to nuclear energy.
The sale of AECL’s commercial division could come as early as this week, although negotiators are still working out the final details of the deal, sources close to the talks said Monday.
The sale completes the Conservative government’s long-held plan to get out of the nuclear-energy business, which has been a drain on federal resources. AECL has had billions of dollars of government support and faced major cost overruns at key projects in recent years while failing to find an international partner in sale talks.
After an international bidding process, SNC-Lavalin emerged as the sole bidder to meet Ottawa’s conditions for buying the financially troubled Crown corporation. The Candu reactor sales and service division will be split from the Chalk River laboratory and its research reactor that produces isotopes for medical imaging and diagnostic procedures, which the federal government will continue to own but will be managed by outside contract.
SNC-Lavalin has assured the government that it is buying AECL with the expectation that it will boost reactor sales and servicing.
Critics say putting AECL into private hands could leave the nuclear company starved for resources and unable to compete effectively with global giants in the industry without federal subsidies. They fear AECL will be slimmed down and largely operate to service and refurbish existing reactors because SNC-Lavalin will try to avoid risk by reducing
spending on research and development and new generation reactors.
The ambitious goal of building new generation reactors is crucial to the company’s future; no company can survive long on yesterday’s technology. [ . . . ]
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Atomic Energy sold to SNC-Lavalin for $15 million
http://www.thestar.com/article/
1016964--atomic-energy-sold-to-snc-lavalin-for-15-million?bn=1
Maria Babbage, The Canadian Press (Toronto Star), June 29 2011
TORONTO—The federal government has sold nuclear company Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. to Montreal-based engineering giant SNC-Lavalin Group.
Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver announced the sale late Wednesday, ending at least two years of attempts by Ottawa to privatize AECL.
The sale price was $15 million, but Osborne said the government will have opportunity to get royalties down the road because it’s keeping intellectual property rights.
Meanwhile, SNC-Lavalin is creating a new division called CANDU Energy that will house AECL’s three former business lines.
SNC-Lavalin (TSX: SNC) was the sole bidder to meet Ottawa’s conditions for buying the financially troubled Crown corporation.
AECL has long been a headache for successive federal governments and has cost Canadian taxpayers billions of dollars in subsidies, including about $1 billion in the last two years alone.
The company has also faced major cost overruns at key projects in recent years while struggling to find a buyer. [ . . . ]
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5. Point Lepreau receives failing grade
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/ ... le/1418105
Chris Morris, Times & Transcript Staff, June 24th, 2011
FREDERICTON - The Point Lepreau nuclear reactor will not be allowed to return to service until it has corrected shortcomings in emergency management and fire protection, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission says in its latest report. The commission's 2010 report on the safety performance of Canadian nuclear power plants, released yesterday, gave the New Brunswick plant a failing grade in the emergency and fire protection categories.
As a result, NB power has been told to improve the conduct, performance and proficiency of the ERT in conducting fire fighting operations, amongst other recommendations.
[. . . . ]
= = = = = =
6. Council of Canadians opposes nuclear waste dump on Lake Huron
http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8371
Friday, June 24th, 2011
Bayshore Broadcasting reports, “A plan to bury low level radioactive waste 680 metres underground at the Bruce Power site on Lake Huron, is running into opposition from the Council of Canadians. It warns that ‘extreme caution is needed when nuclear waste and freshwater are involved.’ …Council of Canadians spokesperson, Emma Lui tells Bayshore Broadcasting news, some of this material will be around for hundreds of years. Lui says there are plans for public meetings in Canada next year (2012) but residents on the Michigan side of Lake Huron have no opportunity to comment.”
= = = = = =
7. Revealed: British government's plan to play down Fukushima
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/30/
british-government-plan-play-down-fukushima
Rob Edwards, The Guardian, Thursday 30 June 2011 21.36 BST
Internal emails seen by Guardian show PR campaign was launched to protect
UK nuclear plans after tsunami in Japan
Read the emails here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/i ... 11/jun/30/
email-nuclear-uk-government-fukushima
British government officials approached nuclear companies to draw up a co-ordinated public relations strategy to play down the Fukushima nuclear accident just two days after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and before the extent of the radiation leak was
known.
Internal emails seen by the Guardian show how the business and energy departments worked closely behind the scenes with the multinational companies EDF Energy, Areva and Westinghouse to try to ensure the accident did not derail their plans for a new
generation of nuclear stations in the UK.
"This has the potential to set the nuclear industry back globally," wrote one official at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), whose name has been redacted. "We need to ensure the anti-nuclear chaps and chapesses do not gain ground on this.
We need to occupy the territory and hold it. We really need to show the safety of nuclear."
Officials stressed the importance of preventing the incident from undermining public support for nuclear power.
The Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith, who sits on the Commons environmental audit committee, condemned the extent of co-ordination between the government and nuclear companies that the emails appear to reveal.
"The government has no business doing PR for the industry and it would be appalling if its departments have played down the impact of Fukushima," he said.
Louise Hutchins, a spokeswoman for Greenpeace, said the emails looked like "scandalous collusion". "This highlights the government's blind obsession with nuclear power and shows neither they, nor the industry, can be trusted when it comes to nuclear," she said. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
8. State of NUKES in the USA
Nuclear Plant Safety Rules Inadequate, Group Says
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/refere ... /people/w/
matthew_l_wald/index.html?inline=nyt-per
By Matthew L. Wald, New York Times, June 15, 2011
ROCKVILLE, Md. — Nuclear safety rules in the United States do not adequately weigh the risk that a single event would knock out electricity from both the grid and from emergency generators, as an earthquake and tsunami recently did at a nuclear plant in Japan, officials of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.
A task force created after the accident at the nuclear plant, Fukushima Daiichi, delivered an oral progress report on Wednesday to the five-member commission. In that session, commission officials said they had learned that some of the safety equipment installed at American nuclear plants over the years, including hardware added after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is not maintained or inspected as diligently as the original components are.
A crucial reason for the extensive damage to the Fukushima plant’s reactors was the loss of electricity needed to run water pumps and to reposition valves. The American nuclear industry has argued in recent months that its reactors are better prepared to cope with that kind of emergency.
But Charlie Miller, the chairman of the task force, said that studies by safety experts in the United States had analyzed the risk of losing electricity from the grid or from on-site emergency generators, but not both at the same time.
Steven P. Kraft, an executive of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry’s trade association, speaking after the meeting said that in the past it was “not considered credible” that a single event could knock out both supplies. In view of recent events, he said, it is time to prepare for the possibility of an extended blackout. [ . . . ]
- - - - - - -
NEWS: Aging nuclear plant threatens Lake Michigan
http://michiganmessenger.com/50292/
groups-warned-of-deterioration-at-palisades-nuke-plant
The Michigan Messenger reports, “For the last 18 years environmental groups in Michigan have been warning that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has weakened or ignored safety rules in order to allow the (40-year-old) Palisades nuclear power plant (on the shore of Lake Michigan) to keep operating, and a new (Associated Press series published last week) seems to support that contention.”
Take action on nuclear safety
The aging nuclear reactors in the U.S. are not safe.*
But instead of following the lead of countries like Germany, Italy and Switzerland — which have pledged to shift away from nuclear power since the crisis in Japan — U.S. leadership has failed to grasp the risks of staying the nuclear course.
At a minimum, policymakers must embrace the commonsense legislation introduced by Representative Edward Markey to reduce existing risks to our nation’s nuclear reactors.
Take Action: Urge your representative to sponsor the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act of 2011.
As evidence against nuclear power continues to stack up, some policymakers are starting to awaken to the threat.
Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) have directed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate potential problems at aging nuclear power plants. And Senator Robert Casey (D-Pa.) has asked the GAO to report on whether evacuation planning has kept pace with population growth and other factors.
Much more action is required to shake Congress out of its nuclear haze, but these reports and the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act are steps in the right direction.
Keep the pressure on — urge your representative to co-sponsor Markey’s bill!
www.citizen.org/support-nuclear-safety-bill
Remember, your representative is being hounded by industry lobbyists. In fact, the main lobby group for the nuclear industry, the Nuclear Energy Institute, spent $545,000 on lobbying in the first quarter of this year — up 26% from the previous quarter.
Make sure your representative hears from you, too.
Take action today on the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act!
And stay tuned for upcoming e-alerts about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a big No Nukes action.
Thank you for all you do,
Allison Fisher, Outreach Director
Public Citizen’s Climate & Energy Program
*If you missed my earlier email, read my blog post about the threats facing reactors in the U.S.
- - - - - - - -
WATCH: New Exposé Reveals Nuclear Regulatory Commission Colluded with Industry to Weaken Safety Standards
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/24/
new_expos_reveals_nuclear_regulatory_commission
Three U.S. senators have called for a congressional probe on safety issues at the nation’s aging nuclear plants following a pair of new exposés. In a special series called “Aging Nukes,” the Associated Press revealed that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the nuclear power industry have been working in tandem to weaken safety standards to keep aging reactors within the rules. The AP report also revealed radioactive tritium has leaked from 48 of the 65 U.S. commercial nuclear power sites, often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping. We speak with AP investigative journalist Jeff Donn. Watch/Listen/Read
- - - - - -
Three US Nuclear Facilities Threatened by Flood, Fire
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/308469
Published on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by Digital Journal
Just months after a tsunami set off a nuclear crisis in Japan, three nuclear facilities in the United States are under siege, threatened by two separate natural disasters.
It almost seems as if Mother Nature is decidedly anti-nuke.
Just months after a tsunami slammed into a Japanese nuclear plant, causing a meltdown only miles from Tokyo, US authorities struggled to sustain three separate nuclear facilities from being consumed by natural disasters.
In Nebraska, the Missouri River overran its banks on June 17 and threatened two nuclear facilities, according to the Associated Press.
The floodwater surrounded one of the nuclear power plants, Fort Calhoun, pouring into a turbine building there. The rising water threatened a second nuclear facility, the Cooper plant, but authorities believe the higher elevation of the Cooper plant will protect it from the encroaching flood.
Both Nebraska plants are operated by the Omaha Public Power District.
"There is no possibility of a meltdown," Omaha Public Power District's CEO Gary Gates told the Associated Press on Monday. "The floodwaters are outside of Fort Calhoun, not inside."
Separately, the largest wildfire in Arizona's history has crossed into New Mexico and is threatening the Los Alamos nuclear facility, Reuters reported on Monday.
Los Alamos is home to the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the United States.
[ . . . ]
- - - - - -
WATCH: Greg Mello on US Nuclear Weapons Renaissance & Wildfire Threatens Los Alamos Nuclear Lab
http://therealnews.com/t2/component/seyret/
?task=videodirectlink&id=10257
Uploaded by democracynow on 28 Jun 2011 DemocracyNow.org -
In New Mexico, an out-of-control wildfire that began Sunday has already burned nearly 80-square miles and is a mile or less from Los Alamos National Laboratory, home to a nuclear weapons plutonium facility. Pieces of ash from the fire have dropped onto the laboratory grounds, sparking "spot" fires. A senior investigator with the Project on Government Oversight said a fire at the facility would be a "disaster" that could result in large and lethal releases of radiation. Officials insist explosive materials on the laboratory's grounds are safely stored in underground bunkers made of concrete and steel. But the group, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, told the Associated Press that the fire appeared to be about 3.5 miles from a dumpsite where as many as 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste were stored in fabric tents above ground. The group said the drums were awaiting transport to a low-level radiation dump site in southern New Mexico.
Democracy Now! interviews Greg Mello, the director of the Los Alamos Study Group, a citizen-led nuclear disarmament group based in New Mexico. "Los Alamos National Laboratory is becoming the center of plutonium manufacturing for the country," Mello says, even though [quote[it is a place with a lot of natural hazards, not just fires, but also earthquakes.[end quote] [ . . .]
- - - - - -
Los Alamos nuclear laboratory under siege from raging wildfire
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/
usa/8606536/Los-Alamos-nuclear-laboratory-under-siege-from-raging-wildfire.html
One thousand firefighters are battling to contain wildfires raging on the edges of America’s premier nuclear weapons laboratory.
By Nick Allen, Los Angeles 4:52PM BST 29 Jun 2011
The vast nuclear complex at Los Alamos, New Mexico is under siege from a blaze which reached to within two miles of where 30,000 drums of Cold War-era plutonium-contaminated waste are sitting in the open.
Flames extended to an area of 95 square miles and at one point reached within 50ft of the nuclear laboratory’s grounds, just across a road. All 11,000 residents of the nearby city of Los Alamos have been evacuated.
The Los Alamos site was the birthplace of the atomic bomb in the 1940s and still maintains America’s biggest nuclear arsenal.
Officials have said there is no risk of contaminated material getting into the giant smoke plume rising over the area.
But they have stepped up efforts to monitor radiation levels in the air, using 60 monitors. The Environmental Protection Agency also deployed a special plane to test the air at higher levels. [ . . . ]
- - - - - - -
NRC Waives Enforcement of Fire Rules at Nuclear Plants
http://www.propublica.org/article/
nrc-waives-enforcement-of-fire-rules-at-nuclear-plants
by John Sullivan, Special to ProPublica May 11, 1:19 p.m.
Editor’s Note on Our Investigation Into Fire Risks at Nuclear Power Plants [1]
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is routinely waiving fire rule violations at nearly half the nation's 104 commercial reactors, even though fire presents one of the chief hazards at nuclear plants.
The policy, the result of a series of little-noticed decisions in recent years, is meant to encourage nuclear companies to remedy longstanding fire safety problems. But critics say it is leaving decades-old fire hazards in place as the NRC fails to enforce its own rules.
Fires present a special risk to nuclear plants because they can knock out cables that control-room operators need to safely cool down a reactor. The explosions [2] and fires [2] at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant have shown what can happen when operators can't activate pumps, valves and other equipment needed to prevent damage to the radioactive core.
At the Browns Ferry plant [3] in Alabama, where a devastating cable fire 36 years ago prompted the NRC to adopt tough new fire rules, the plant still doesn't comply [4] with the requirements to protect cables.
Hazards at other plants include unprotected equipment, inadequate fire doors and missing alarms and sprinklers. To compensate for being out of compliance with the rules, Browns Ferry and other plants are relying on temporary measures such as stationing workers on a fire watch. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Editor's Note (All Links are at URL above. Ed.)
Note on Our Investigation Into Fire Risks at Nuclear Power Plants
by Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica, May 11 . . .Map
U.S. Nuclear Plants Drafting Customized Fire Plans
by John Sullivan, Special to ProPublica, May 11
Related Stories
U.S. Nuclear Regulator Lets Industry Help With the Fine Print
by John Sullivan, Special to ProPublica, April 13
Can U.S. Nuclear Plants Handle a Major Natural Disaster?
by John Sullivan, Special to ProPublica, March 13
Related Resources
A More Likely Nuclear Nightmare
by Susan Q. Stranahan, iWatch, May 11
Interactive:
How Many People Live Near a Nuclear Power Plant in the USA?
Zeit Online
- - - - - - -
Nukes, Floods, Fires and Alternatives
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/
nuclear-reactors-whatsnew/2011/6/30/nukes-floods-fires-and-alternatives.html
Main | Public Citizen's Tyson Slocum on Russia Today T.V. about flooding at Ft. Calhoun » Thursday Jun 30 2011
If the recent and frequent occurrence of the largest earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, tornados and wildfires has taught us anything, one important lesson is that nuclear power is more of a liability than an asset in times of natural disaster and national emergency.
The latest worries from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan focus on internal radioactive contamination in the urine of children tested. The radioactive contamination is still spreading in food, weather, groundwater and the ocean currents. The deleterious impacts and consequences can only be measured and realized over time. Just how far reaching is as much guess work as it is science. But one report by a Japanese nuclear oversight agency predicts that the radioactive cesium plume released into the ocean will reach the West Coast of the United States in 3 to 5 years.
Here in the US, flooding on the Missouri River is now at the walls of the nuclear reactor at Fort Calhoun just north of Omaha, Nebraska after a makeshift rubber “Aqua-Berm” collapsed causing the reactor site to go to emergency diesel power for 12 hours to cool the reactor fuel. The safety risk is moderated by the reactor being shut down for refueling and maintenance in April and since kept shut down due to the threat of rising flood water. The attention stays focused on more rain in the forecast and rising water behind the six aging dams on the Missouri River above Fort Calhoun and the Cooper nuclear power station below Omaha, Nebraska. Building nuclear power plants on flood plains flaunts danger and hundreds of tons nuclear waste in casks sits on an island amid still rising water.
Further scrutiny will need to focus on underground safety-related electrical cables now completely submerged beneath these reactors that were never qualified to stay wet and may not be accessible for inspection.
Elsewhere, Las Conchas wildfire has burned over 90,000 acres and surrounded New Mexico’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of the nation’s oldest nuclear weapons facilities. Early air monitoring tests have not found radiation in the tons of smoke being lofted into the atmosphere and spot fires inside the DOE facility’s perimeter were being extinguished. Moreover, 30,000 radioactive waste barrels are still sitting at the facility stand as a reminder of the vulnerability from the timeless legacy of nuclear power and weapons technology.
We need an energy transformation beyond nuclear like the tremendous resource available in abundance in Nebraska. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory not only is there an abundance of wind but thousands of Cornhusker jobs in safe, renewable and durable to climate change energy.
- - - - - - - -
Missouri River soaks Nebraska nuclear plant, but it's no Fukushima
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0627/
Missouri-River-soaks-Nebraska-nuclear-plant-but-it-s-no-Fukushima
Much of the grounds at Fort Calhoun nuclear plant in Nebraska are under two feet of water from the rising Missouri River. But the plant's critical systems sit six feet above the flood's expected crest.
Pete Spotts, Staff writer, Christian Science Monitor, June 27, 2011
Flooding along the Missouri River has overspread much of one nuclear power plant's boundaries, forcing it onto emergency generators, and threatens a second plant downstream. In both cases, regulators and operators say the plants appear to be in no danger of the kind of sequence of events – exacerbated by plant-design flaws – that led to the tsunami-spawned nuclear disaster in March at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
9. LISTEN: Israel's nukes: Don't ask, don't tell
http://www.cbc.ca/dispatches/2010season ... 011/06/30/
june-30-july-3-from-israel---colombia---berlin---democratic-republic-of-congo---agra-india/
CBC Radio - Dispatches - June 30 and July 3
You could forgive Israel its nuclear nervousness. A couple of well-placed bombs over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv could end the country. Survival was the reason it began building its own back in the 60's, though it's never publicly admitted to having any.
Consequently, Israel is a precedent in international affairs. The world's only unacknowledged nuclear power. It's got nukes, and other states pretend not to know. But that policy of "don't ask don't tell" is no longer appropriate, says Avner Cohen, who first revealed Israel's nuclear history in a 1998 book. He's a respected academic, currently Senior Fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS)
http://cns.miis.edu/index.htm
of the Monterey Institute of International Studies. And he has more to say in his most recent book,
The Worst Kept Secret: Israel's Bargain With The Bomb.
http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-13698-3/
the-worstkept-secret
It reveals Israel's atomic weapons are not accountable to any legal process.
And for Cohen, it's a betrayal of the democratic values Israel purports to uphold.
Avner Cohen joined Rick in studio earlier this year.
= = = = = =
10. Confessions of a Nuclear Power Safety Expert
http://www.miller-mccune.com/science/
confessions-of-a-nuclear-power-safety-expert-32220/?UA-3354517-1
Nuclear engineer Cesare Silvi studied unlikely outside threats to nuclear plants in Italy, which soured him on the energy source and caused him to go solar.
By John Perlin, Miller-McCune, June 14, 2011
When Italy decided in the mid-’70s to add nuclear power to its power portfolio, young mechanical and nuclear engineer Cesare Silvi was among those attracted to the opportunities it presented. His work centered on nuclear safety issues — in particular, what might happen if something unexpected struck a power plant.
Corners he saw cut there eventually soured Silvi on that endeavor. His next position — at the Italian Commission on Nuclear and Alternative Energy Sources, which included work on nuclear disarmament — eventually soured him on nuclear energy itself.
“[If we] continue with nuclear power, there will definitely be worse accidents,” he argued in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi disaster. Over the weekend, Italian voters agreed and overwhelming rejected restarting nuclear power in their country.
“Why not consider Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima as warnings of greater catastrophes to come and avoid the inevitable by shutting them down, much like changing your diet and/or lifestyle after finding out that your cholesterol or blood pressure is elevated, rather than continuing down the same path until a heart attack or stroke strikes?” [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
11. State of NUKES IN JAPAN
Fukushima residents' urine now radioactive
From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2011 10:53 PM
Background:
The maximum permissible radiation exposure for a member of the general public has been set (by regulatory bodies such as Canada's CNSC or the US NRC) at 1 millisievert per year.
Gordon Edwards
- - - - - -
Fukushima residents' urine now radioactive
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 627a2.html
Kyodo: The Japan Times, Monday, June 27, 2011
More than 3 millisieverts of radiation has been measured in the urine of 15 Fukushima residents of the village of Iitate and the town of Kawamata, confirming internal radiation exposure, it was learned Sunday.
Both are about 30 to 40 km from the Fukushima No. 1 power plant, which has been releasing radioactive material into the environment since the week of March 11, when the quake and tsunami caused core meltdowns. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Fukushima children test positive for internal radiation exposure From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Friday, July 01, 2011 2:17 PM
Background:
It was recently reported that over ten thousand children in Japan, some as young as 4 years old, are being given radiation monitors to wear.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/28/
fukushima-radiation-fears-children-monitors
These monitors record the amount of penetrating gamma radiation that children are exposed to over a given period of time -- mostly external rays coming from outside the body -- but these monitors give no indication of how much radioactive material is being taken into a child's body.
Many radioactive materials are very dangerous when lodged in the tissues of the body -- materials such as strontium-90, plutonium-239, carbon-14, americium-241 -- but are virtually undetectable by standard radiation monitors that may be worn by exposed individuals.
Other materials, such as radioactive iodine and radioactive cesium, do give off penetrating radiation which can be picked up by radiation monitors. But without further tests it cannot be determined how much is taken into the body of the child through inhalation, ingestion, or absorption through the skin (especially where there are cuts or abrasions).
Once in the body, these radioactive materials can continue to irradiate the living cells 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, sometimes giving a large cumulative exposure even at a very low rate of exposure. Not only can such chronic exposure cause cancers years later, but it can also undermine the body's immune system and contribute to a host of other non-cancerous diseases.
In addition, radioactive particles can cling to a child's hair or clothing, or lodge under a child's fingernails, or be trapped in pores or hair follicles, and thus be tracked into the children's homes. In this way even infant brothers and sisters can become contaminated.
Children should be evacuated far away from zones where there is any measurable radioactive contamination of soil.
After all, the children of Japan are the future of Japan.
Gordon Edwards.
--------------------------
Fukushima children test positive for internal radiation exposure
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/30/
fukushima-children-radiation-tests-caesium?intcmp=239
Traces of caesium-134 and 137 isotopes found in urine tests on 10 children in city near stricken nuclear power pant
Justin McCurry in Tokyo, The Guardian, Thursday 30 June 2011
Trace amounts of radioactive substances have been found in urine samples taken from children from Fukushima city, raising concerns that residents have been exposed internally to radiation from the
stricken nuclear power plant 37 miles (60km) away.
Tests were conducted in May on 10 children, aged between 6 and 16, by a Japanese civic group and Acro, a French body that measures radioactivity. All 10 tested positive for tiny amounts of caesium-134 and caesium-137.
The chief cabinet secretary, Yukio Edano, said he was concerned by the findings and the government would thoroughly examine the results.
The Fukushima network to save children from radiation said it was certain the readings were due to radiation leaks from the power plant, where workers are still struggling to stabilise reactors that suffered core meltdowns after the 11 March earthquake and tsunami.
Acro's president, David Boilley, said the results suggested a strong likelihood that children living in or near Fukushima city had been exposed to radiation internally. [ . . . .]
- - - - - - - -
Fukushima radiation fears: Children near nuclear plant to be given radiation monitors
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/28/
fukushima-radiation-fears-children-monitors
Dosimeters to be given to 34,000 children in city 45 miles from Tepco plant after high radiation readings
by Justin McCurry (Tokyo), The Guardian, June 28 2011
Tens of thousands of children living near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are to be given personal radiation monitors, as concern grows over the long-term health effects of exposure to radiation.
Dosimeters will be given to 34,000 children aged between four and 15 living in Fukushima city, 45 miles from the plant, after abnormally high radiation readings were recorded in the area.
The risks posed by radiation from the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl have already driven 80,000 people from homes within 12 miles of the plant. Many of the child evacuees from communities that now lie empty attend schools in Fukushima, a city of 300,000 people.
Local authorities have provided monitors to schools outside the exclusion zone, but this is the first time they have been supplied to individual pupils. Data from the dosimeters will be analysed to assess the risks posed by cumulative radiation exposure.
The move, the latest concession to growing parental anger over patchy official information about the risks of radiation exposure, came as the company that operates the plant faced repeated verbal attacks at a rowdy annual shareholders' meeting in Tokyo.
More than 9,000 investors attended the meeting, held at a hotel under heavy police guard, with many berating Tokyo Electric Power [Tepco] executives over their response to the 11 March tsunami, which crashed into the plant and knocked out vital cooling systems to reactors.
The crisis has knocked 85% off the value of Tepco shares and resulted in annual losses of $15bn (�9.4bn). The company also faces a compensation bill that could exceed $100bn, while a government plan to help fund damages claims has yet to be put to a parliamentary vote. [ . . . ]
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‘Safety Myth’ Left Japan Ripe for Nuclear Crisis
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/25/world/asia/
25myth.html?_r=2&ref=world
By NORIMITSU ONISHI, New York Times, June 24, 2011
SHIKA, Japan — Near a nuclear power plant facing the Sea of Japan, a series of exhibitions in a large public relations building here extols the virtues of the energy source with some help from “Alice in Wonderland.”
“It’s terrible, just terrible,” the White Rabbit says in the first exhibit.
“We’re running out of energy, Alice.”
A Dodo robot figure, swiveling to address Alice and the visitors to the building, declares that there is an “ace” form of energy called nuclear power. It is clean, safe and renewable if you reprocess uranium and plutonium, the Dodo says.
“Wow, you can even do that!” Alice says of nuclear power. “You could say that it’s optimal for resource-poor Japan!”
Over several decades, Japan’s nuclear establishment has devoted vast resources to persuade the Japanese public of the safety and necessity of nuclear power. Plant operators built lavish, fantasy-filled public relations buildings that became tourist attractions. Bureaucrats spun elaborate advertising campaigns through a multitude of organizations established solely to advertise the safety of nuclear plants. Politicians pushed through the adoption of government-mandated school textbooks with friendly views of nuclear power.
The result was the widespread adoption of the belief — called the “safety myth” — that Japan’s nuclear power plants were absolutely safe. Japan single-mindedly pursued nuclear power even as Western nations distanced themselves from it.
The belief helps explains why in the only nation to have been attacked with atomic bombs, the Japanese acceptance of nuclear power was so strong that the accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl barely registered. Even with the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the reaction against nuclear power has been much stronger in Europe and the United States than in Japan itself. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Fukushima: The Crisis is Not Over
http://www.ccnr.org/Gundersen.pdf
by Arnie Gundersen, Fairewinds Associates, Inc
Radioactive byproducts produce heat
During the normal operation of a nuclear reactor, there is an accumulation of many man-made radioactive materials such as iodine-131, cesium-137, strontium-90, plutonium-239, and many others.
These radioactive byproducts continue to produce a lot of heat, even after the reactor is shut down, because radioactivity cannot be stopped. This unstoppable heat is called “decay heat”.
Heat damages fuel, releasing hydrogen and radioactive gases
Unless the decay heat is removed as fast as it is produced, the temperature will continue to rise, eventually damaging the fuel and letting radioactive gases and vapors escape.
When you see hydrogen explosions, that means that the outside of the fuel has gone past 1000 degrees Celsius and the inside of the fuel is well over 2000 degrees Celsius. At that point the fuel gets brittle, and the zirconium coating burns, giving off hydrogen gas.
[ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Nuclear terrorism can cause another Fukushima: expert
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/23/
us-nuclear-security-idUSTRE75M1SU20110623
VIENNA, Reuters, Thu Jun 23, 2011
(Reuters) -- Global action to protect the nuclear industry against possible terrorist attacks is urgently needed, a leading expert said, as are safety steps to prevent any repeat of Japan's Fukushima accident.
"Both al Qaeda and Chechen terrorist groups have repeatedly considered sabotaging nuclear reactors -- and Fukushima provided a compelling example of the scale of terror such an attack might cause," Matthew Bunn of Harvard University said.
Some countries had "extraordinarily weak security measures in place," he said in an Internet blog posted this week, without naming them. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Yukiya Amano, IAEA Head, on Nuclear Safety: 'We Need To Have A Sense Of Urgency'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/20/
yukiya-amano-iaea-nuclear-safety_n_880479.html
GEORGE JAHN, Huffington Post, June 20 2011
VIENNA -- The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Tuesday urged a worldwide review of safety measures to prevent new nuclear disasters, but acknowledged that since his organization lacks the authority to enforce rules any improvements are only effective if countries apply them.
While some countries at the 151-member IAEA's meeting want any new safety regime to be mandatory, most prefer them to be voluntary and don't want a regulatory role for IAEA. If the IAEA cannot enforce safety standards, those rules will be only as good as they are being enforced by IAEA nations.
"Even the best safety standards are useless unless they are actually implemented," Amano said. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
12. Dangers Arise at Chernobyl
http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=42734
Posted By Circles Robinson On April 30, 2011 (7:09 pm) In World
HAVANA TIMES, April 30 (IPS) — In the aftermath of the anniversary of the worst nuclear disaster in history, Ukrainian authorities have pledged not to abandon those still in need of assistance. But many of the country's policies may be increasing the risk of a new catastrophe.
In April 1986 an explosion at reactor four of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, 100km north of the capital Kiev, lead to the release of massive amounts of radiation, causing at least 4,000 deaths and the evacuation of up to 400,000 people.
The release of radiation only stopped after several months, when the damaged reactor was finally covered by a concrete structure known as the sarcophagus.
"Chernobyl is still one of the most dangerous nuclear facilities in the world," Arthur Denisnko, energy expert at the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine told IPS. "The existing confinement is unstable and was built 25 years ago in a rush. If the structure collapses, radioactive dust would be released."
Authorities are proceeding with the construction of a new sarcophagus that will cover the previous structure, a 1.5 billion euro project for which only one billion has been collected.
"The sarcophagous is welcome, but officials who say that this will solve the problem are not telling the truth: It will remain dangerous as long as there are 185 tons of nuclear fuel in it, fuel that is not contained in rods but is melted and spread out," says Denisenko.
"Today there is no technology to remove it, but this fuel can reach the underground water and eventually Ukraine's main rivers," he says. [ . . . ]
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13. “Crown jewel” of Canadian peacekeeping closing NS offices
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=8102#comment-7835
June 27, 2011
The Pearson Peacekeeping Centre (PPC) has announced that it is shutting down its operations in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia (David Pugliese,
“Cash-strapped peacekeeping centre closing Nova Scotia office,” Ottawa Citizen, 10 June 2011).
(http://www.canada.com/news/
Cash+strapped+peacekeeping+centre+closing+Nova+Scotia+office/4922618/story.html )
The organization is attempting to cut costs after having been advised in 2009 that its annual $4 million funding from the federal government would be cut by the spring of 2012. The PPC’s mandate is to support and to enhance Canada’s contribution to international security by providing quality peacekeeping research, education, and training.
Steven Staples, President of the Rideau Institute, cites partisanship as one of the reasons for the cuts: “The centre was named for a famous Liberal prime minister. Maybe if it was called the Diefenbaker Peacekeeping Centre its budget would have been tripled.” He also notes that the government of Stephen Harper has distanced itself from peacekeeping, preferring more “robust” activities such as the Afghanistan and Libya missions.
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14. Ottawa finally releases Afghan detainee documents just before summer break
http://goto.thetyee.ca/
t?ctl=168F207:6D244622054605D007FDBC70AD998EA68F7D795DAFB9E650&
By The Canadian Press Wednesday, June 22, 2011
OTTAWA -- The Conservative government is releasing 4,000 of some 40,000 classified pages on the treatment of detainees in Afghanistan and says that brings the matter to a close.
About documents detailing the treatment of suspected enemy prisoners are being released more a year after the Harper government almost fell over claims it was turning a blind eye to abuse. Treasury Board President John Baird says the document vetting process cost $12 million and will go no further.
NDP Leader Jack Layton says the real question is: what's the government holding back — and why? The Conservatives' initial refusal to disclose thousands of pages of Foreign Affairs and Defence Department reports prompted a parliamentary crisis two years ago.
Two former Supreme Court justices, a former B.C. judge, and an ad-hoc committee of MPs have combed through the massive file to determine what can be released without endangering national security.
The NDP had no faith in the process and refused to take part.
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15. Libya, Canada's Other Ugly War - Is NATO's real target African unity, financed by Gadhafi?
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2011/06/20/Libya/
By Murray Dobbin Monday, June 20, 2011
NATO members, including Canada, are continuing their massive bombing campaign against Libya in a war that may just break the record for the casual breaking of international law, and lying about the motives for the war. There is no mandate to engage in "regime change" yet everyone, including the Harper government, openly admit that that is, in fact, what they are doing.
Canada has stated that only the removal of Gadhafi will satisfy NATO. Note that the goal is to satisfy not the United Nations -- which gave a mandate to protect civilians from the Libyan government's attacks -- but NATO, that alliance whose mandate is supposed to be the mutual self-defence of nations of the North Atlantic.
No one refers to this war against Libya as a criminal conspiracy but the term would be perfectly appropriate. And I suppose we should not be surprised that an organization that constantly violates its own mandate can hardly be expected to wince at violating someone else's they have taken over. NATO, with almost no comment from anywhere, has become a military intervention agency aimed at protecting Western industrial nations -- not from military threat but from an economic one: the threat of higher oil prices and the gradual loss of its dominant access to Middle East oil and gas. [ . . . ]
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16. Going Beyond the Border: Council of Canadians, Common Frontiers on fact finding trip to Washington, D.C.
(. . . .PLUS Follow-up below.)
http://www.canadians.org/tradeblog/?p=1677
by Stuart Trew, Trade campaigner, Council of Canadians June 20, 2011
This week I’ll be joining John Foster of Common Frontiers in Washington, D.C. to meet with allied organizations, politicians and others regarding the Canada-U.S. perimeter security agreement. The deal is still in development by civil servants near Parliament and Capital hills, with advice from the usual corporate sources (CCCE, Canadian and U.S. chambers of commerce). Some of their suggestions make sense, but much of the Beyond the Border plan as Harper and Obama describe it doesn’t. I have an article in Foreign Policy in Focus this week explaining what I mean by this.
“The continentalists are out of the cupboard,” it starts. “The United States and Canada are taking another crack at North American integration, this time without Mexico. Civil servants are dusting off their policy playbooks, business lobbyists are flexing their muscles, and politicians are sexing up their communications strategies. Their opponents, activists fighting for a new economic model, are preparing a counteroffensive that we hope will succeed - again.”
We’re going to Washington to build resistance across borders to an anti-democratic process of neoliberal integration which cannot make either Canada or the U.S. economically or physically secure. Economic and social insecurity are today’s norms. If NAFTA did not create them both it certainly didn’t help with North America’s declining manufacturing, persistent unemployment, stagnant wages and total impotence faced with catastrophic ecological destruction. Harper and Obama claim they’re trying to improve NAFTA. The Beyond the Border action plan may just shield it from criticism and fortify the status quo.
The Institute for Policy Studies and Public Citizen are among the friends we’ll be meeting, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union because of the privacy, surveillance and policing aspects of the perimeter security deal. These will likely prove the most controversial part of the Beyond the Border action plan when it is released at the end of the summer. Already Canada has copied many U.S. security measures (ex. no-fly lists) and integrated others (Shiprider on the Great Lakes and west coast) since September 2001. Harper clearly intends to take Canada further down this road than most people are willing or should ever be forced to go.
I’ll be busy for the next few days but will report on the week in Washington once I’m back.
- - - - - - - -
Follow-up: Report back on the fact-finding trip to Washington, D.C.
http://www.canadians.org/tradeblog/?p=1689
by Stuart, Trew, Trade Campaigner, Council of Canadians Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
Last week I spent two days in Washington, D.C. for meetings with U.S. allies and other organizations on the Beyond the Border perimeter deal. I was there with John Foster representing Common Frontiers. Together we met with the Institute for Policy Studies, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Hudson Institute, AFL-CIO, a staffer in Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur’s office, Friends of the Earth (U.S.), the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, and the Global Trade Watch team at Public Citizen. Separately, John met with the Can-Am Business Council, Canadian embassy staff and a staffer in Senator Sherrod Brown’s office, and I met with the American Civil Liberties Union and Privacy International - U.S.
It’s not an exhaustive list, but here are a few of the things we learned during our valuable exchanges in Washington, as well as from a briefing by a Canadian embassy official last Thursday set up by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives:
1. The perimeter deal is a bigger deal for Canada: On the privacy side, the U.S. blazed a trail toward the security state which Canada is slowly trudging (too slow for U.S. interests, which is why we are back in security integration talks with Obama). The U.S. National Security Agency currently spies on all satellite and broadband communications. Obama is interpreting PATRIOT ACT and other terrorism legislation more broadly than even Bush did, according to the ACLU. Barry Steinhardt, a senior advisor with Privacy International nonetheless called the perimeter deal “an important privacy issue for North America.” He said there are many loopholes in U.S. privacy legislation which should give Canadians pause before accepting assurances from Harper or Obama that personal data will be safe, and surveillance minimal. On the trade side, all attention in the U.S. is focused on bilateral free trade agreements, which Obama is desperately trying to push through Congress and the Senate (Colombia, Panama, South Korea, and eventually the TransPacific Partnership).
2. NAFTA is still hotly debated in the U.S.: Even though groups are occupied with bilaterals it’s on the grounds that they reproduce the failed NAFTA model, which kills jobs at home. There is a strong and unified progressive/labour challenge to Obama’s export-led growth strategy based on antipathy or opposition to NAFTA among Democrats and Republicans. Groups we met expressed surprise that this kind of dialogue doesn’t happen in Canada where the consensus in the media is that NAFTA has been overwhelmingly good for Canada.
3. The border and regulatory cooperation discussions are separate: From a briefing with DFAIT, organized by the CCPA last Thursday, we know that Beyond the Border is about the border–data sharing, harmonized risk assessments, trade facilitation, customs procedures, etc–and the Regulatory Cooperation Council is doing its own thing. We don’t know what that thing is but the council, made up of Canadian and U.S. bureaucrats, has a very broad mandate. It will be talking about the size of trucks on North American highways, but probably also intellectual property rules, product safety, environmental standards, etc. Where in Canada the chief negotiators on both fronts answer to the Prime Ministers Office, their U.S. counterparts are just senior staff people in the relevant departments. This gives a good sense of the relative priority of the border talks in both countries.
4. Obama wants our data but sees election gains in economic pact: Obama is just coming around to the economic argument made by Canada, that finding efficiencies at the border will create jobs in the U.S. and Canada. This is according to Chris Sands at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank which is generally supportive of integration talks. Obama sees election gains in a deal with Canada that he can say creates jobs in trade-related or integrated industries, Sands told us. But security is the main interest in Washington. Several U.S. committees have recently raised alarms about risk north of the border. The U.S. proposal in the Beyond the Border action plan is to exchange entry data (information on who enters Canada across land, sea and air borders) to save costs (i.e. rather than both countries putting into place entry-exit systems). Harper is apparently saying the federal government needs something good in return.
5. The security-economy trade-off is out of whack: According to the DFAIT official who briefed us last Thursday but who couldn’t go into specifics, there has to be a strong level of ambition on the economic front in order to reach an agreement on anything on the security front. Canada wants pre-clearance of goods and people, better trusted traveller and trusted shipper systems (where the U.S. actually trusts Canadian people and goods), fewer fees at the border, no requirements on flights that baggage be checked twice at the airline’s expense, etc. It’s small potatoes. It’s our privacy and data for very weak promises of a thinner border.
6. Harper could but likely won’t walk away from a bad deal: There are apparently hard lines on privacy/security that the Canadian government won’t cross. For example, according to Sands, risk in the U.S. is based on where you were born. But the Charter in Canada protects people against discrimination based on nationality, race, etc. On joint projects in the military realm, the U.S. wants to know exactly who is working in Canadian defence/security firms doing joint work with U.S. firms. Canada has offered to do thorough federal security checks of workers but the fear is they will have to hold back nationality data, which the U.S. won’t accept. Harper could walk away from a deal that goes too far on privacy without offering gains on the economy… but will he? Harper has signed many a bad deal in his five years (Softwood lumber, Can-U.S. procurement agreement) and is negotiating others like the lopsided CETA with the EU.
7. Tar sands, solidarity across borders are important: At a meeting organized by IPS, we heard that tar sands, mountaintop removal, and movement building across borders were all important to U.S. groups working on trade and environmental issues. We discussed with IPS how Common Frontiers might work with Peter Julian (NDP Industry Critic), Democratic Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Mexican legislators on setting up another tri-national civil society/legislators meeting to discuss fair trade efforts across the continent. These meetings stopped about the same time that Obama cancelled the Security and Prosperity Partnership disc
1. EVENT: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
2. LISTEN: KOSSICK Interview - Committee for Future Generations – nuclear waste dump for northern Saskatchewan
3. Cameco CEO makes 'Grandey' gesture
4. Sale of AECL: A good deal for federal taxpayers, but who will protect Ontario’s consumers and taxpayers?
5. Point Lepreau receives failing grade
6. Council of Canadians opposes nuclear waste dump on Lake Huron
7. Revealed: British government's plan to play down Fukushima
8. State of NUKES in the USA
9. LISTEN: Israel's nukes: Don't ask, don't tell
10. Confessions of a Nuclear Power Safety Expert
11. State of NUKES in JAPAN
12. Dangers Arise at Chernobyl
13. “Crown jewel” of Canadian peacekeeping closing NS offices
14. Ottawa finally releases Afghan detainee documents just before summer break
15. Libya, Canada's Other Ugly War - Is NATO's real target African unity, financed by Gadhafi?
16. Going Beyond the Border: Council of Canadians, Common Frontiers on fact-finding trip to Washington, D.C.
17. WATCH: Feeding Resistance: Food Not Bombs Members Arrested in Orlando for Serving Meals Without a Permit
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1. EVENT: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
The Committee for Future Generations is gearing up for its summer campaign to demand a legislated ban on nuclear waste in Saskatchewan.
This from the Committee:
Dear Committee Members, Friends and Supporters:
RE: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
The Committee of Future Generations is announcing our walk against nuclear waste, departing July 27th, 2011 from Pinehouse for the Regina Legislature.
The purpose of this walk is to wake people up to the grave dangers of storing millions of radioactive nuclear bundles in Saskatchewan, and to take action by signing a petition to the government to legislate a ban against nuclear waste.
As we pass through each community, we hope to be joined by as many people as possible, and will collect petitions from the surrounding area via adjoining highways. By the end of our walk, we hope to have collected the equivalent of 100 signatures per kilometer on this petition.
Our route will be Pinehouse > Beauval > Green Lake > Big River > Prince Albert > Saskatoon > Regina. We're aiming at 30 km/day, with a rest day in P.A., which on paper calculates to 29 days, so we expect to arrive in Regina anytime after August 24th.
Committee artists have almost completed a beautiful traditional painting for our walk logo, endearingly depicting the love and care for future generations. We're looking at having t-shirts and prints made with this logo as a fundraiser. We'll make the posters available for you to advertise as soon as they're ready.
In the meantime, whether or not your community is on the walk route, please contact any groups and individuals that may be interested in joining us for any length possible.
As well, if you know of any groups and individuals who may be interested in donating funds and/or any kind of support like water, food, lodging etc. to the walk, please let us know and we'll follow proper protocol by contacting them in person if possible, backed up with a letter from our committee. (Please remember when communicating with potential supporters, to be clear that our walk is against nuclear waste.)
Looking forward to our combined effort for success on this inspirational venture.
Together in Community,
Max Morin, President
Committee for Future Generations
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
Let's Be Active Participants in the Lives of Our Children's Children
_______________________________
The walk will kick off with a Public Forum on Nuclear Waste in Pinehouse on July 26, 2011. Keynote speaker will be Francois Paulette. From the Committee:
"Francois Paulette became the youngest Chief in the Northwest Territories Indian Brotherhood. In 1972 he challenged the crown to recognize treaty and aboriginal rights and won a Supreme Court victory, launching the era of modern land claims. He served on the National Indian Brotherhood Treaty Implementation Committee, Assembly of First Nations Renewal Commission, Parks Canada Aboriginal Consultative Committee & has spoken internationally on Dene history & Aboriginal rights. He recently invited Avatar director James Cameron to visit Fort Chip, out of which came the 2011 documentary "Tipping Point" with David Suzuki.
Paulette's address to a conference of oil investors in Norway held back no punches. "What you do with your money is your business. But when you begin to spend your money in my territory, then that becomes my business."
__________________
We are in the process of setting up a dedicated page for this action, in the meantime you will find links on our home page at
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
The Committee needs support; there is postering to do in Saskatoon, petitions to sign and word to spread about this action, so please consider donating some time and/or financial resources to this project.
The Coalition has been providing literature to the Committee, including a new brochure on nuclear waste, so any financial help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Here is our contact information:
https://sites.google.com/site/cleangree ... clear_info
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2. LISTEN: KOSSICK Interview - Committee for Future Generations – nuclear waste dump for northern Saskatchewan
http://soundcloud.com/marychoma/
committee-for-future-generations-june-24-2011
Don Kossick, host of Making The Links, talks with members of the Committee for Future Generations in Northern Saskatchewan about fighting the nuclear waste dump attempt in northern Saskatchewan.
The Committee has formed to resist plans by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to site a nuclear waste dump in Saskatchewan - recorded in Beauval, SK
= = = = =
3. Cameco CEO makes 'Grandey' gesture
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/
Cameco+makes+Grandey+gesture/4962292/story.html#
BY CASSANDRA KYLE, THE STAR PHOENIX JUNE 17, 2011
Outgoing Cameco Corp. CEO Jerry Grandey hopes a $1-million gift to the Edwards school of business creates a new generation of leaders in Saskatchewan.
Grandey, along with wife Tina, announced the million-dollar donation Wednesday at a University of Saskatchewan farewell party in his honour.
The CEO, also a member of the dean's advisory council at the business school, will retire from his role at the uranium firm at the end of the month. [ . . . ]
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4. Sale of AECL: A good deal for federal taxpayers, but who will protect Ontario’s consumers and taxpayers?
http://www.cleanairalliance.org/node/991
June 28, 2011
It appears that engineering giant SNC Lavalin is about to take Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) off the federal government’s hands. We applaud this sale. But the billion dollar question is: will the deal truly end the siphoning of $$ from taxpayers’ pockets that has been a hallmark of AECL’s operations for decades?
At a time when nuclear investments are riskier than ever and interest in nuclear energy around the world has all but collapsed in the wake of the ongoing Japanese crisis, how will SNC Lavalin keep AECL in business without government bailouts? Or will the Ontario government once again backstop the building of reactors in this province with taxpayer money, as they have with every nuclear project in Ontario’s history?
With both the Ontario Liberals and Conservatives supporting new nuclear spending, this is a great time to insist that the real costs of going nuclear be made crystal clear with no more hidden subsidies and costly bailouts.
Please click here to send a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty and Conservative Leader Tim Hudak and ask them for assurances that SNC Lavalin – or any other nuclear provider – not be allowed to pass its cost overruns onto taxpayers and ratepayers. It’s your money – make your voice heard now before new nuclear contracts are signed.
Thank you for contributing to Ontario energy policy!
Angela Bischoff
Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
160 John St., #300, Toronto M5V 2E5
Phone: 416 260-2080 x 1
angela@cleanairalliance.org
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
http://cleanairalliance.org/
No Nukes News
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
P.S. We encourage you to write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper about this. The province is planning to invest billions in new nuclear projects. The time to speak up is now!
The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a diverse, multi-stakeholder coalition of approximately 90 organizations including cities, health associations, environmental and public interest groups, corporations, public utilities, unions, faith communities and individuals, representing more than six million Ontarians. We are working for cleaner air through a coal phase-out and a shift to a renewable electricity future.
- - - - -
Ottawa basically paying SNC to take AECL
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/06/29/
aecl-sale-snc-weston.html
By Greg Weston, CBC News, Jun 29, 2011
The federal government's long-awaited deal to sell off its money-losing nuclear reactor business is more like a perpetual partnership than a sale, leaving Canadian
taxpayers stuck with the fiscal fall-out for years to come.
The government-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has announced it has finally reached a tentative deal to sell its commercial reactor development and repair
division to Quebec-based engineering giant SNC-Lavalin.
The Montreal-based company was the only suitor in the world left at the negotiating table, a fact that helps to explain why the government is effectively paying
SNC-Lavalin to take over the Crown corporation.
Under the deal, SNC will pay a paltry $15 million for AECL's nuclear reactor division, plus some as yet undisclosed "royalties" on future reactor sales.
In return, the government will give SNC up to $75 million toward the development of the next generation of AECL's once internationally successful Candu reactors.
In other words, Canadian taxpayers are giving the Quebec company $60 million to take AECL off their hands.
If that were the whole deal, it would actually be a bargain for taxpayers.
AECL may be world-famous for its Candu reactors, but it hasn't sold one in 15 years, and now generates mainly massive amounts of red ink, the Crown corporation having cost Canadian taxpayers more than $820 million last year alone. [ . . . .]
- - - - - -
Ottawa to sell Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. to SNC-Lavalin
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/
ottawa-to-sell-atomic-energy-of-canada-ltd-to-snc-lavalin/article2078110/singlepage/#articlecontent
Shawn McCarthy, Globe and Mail, June 27, 2011
The Harper government is set to announce the sale of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. to Montreal-based engineering firm SNC-Lavalin Group, a major gamble that Canada’s nuclear program can stand on its own amid growing global resistance to nuclear energy.
The sale of AECL’s commercial division could come as early as this week, although negotiators are still working out the final details of the deal, sources close to the talks said Monday.
The sale completes the Conservative government’s long-held plan to get out of the nuclear-energy business, which has been a drain on federal resources. AECL has had billions of dollars of government support and faced major cost overruns at key projects in recent years while failing to find an international partner in sale talks.
After an international bidding process, SNC-Lavalin emerged as the sole bidder to meet Ottawa’s conditions for buying the financially troubled Crown corporation. The Candu reactor sales and service division will be split from the Chalk River laboratory and its research reactor that produces isotopes for medical imaging and diagnostic procedures, which the federal government will continue to own but will be managed by outside contract.
SNC-Lavalin has assured the government that it is buying AECL with the expectation that it will boost reactor sales and servicing.
Critics say putting AECL into private hands could leave the nuclear company starved for resources and unable to compete effectively with global giants in the industry without federal subsidies. They fear AECL will be slimmed down and largely operate to service and refurbish existing reactors because SNC-Lavalin will try to avoid risk by reducing
spending on research and development and new generation reactors.
The ambitious goal of building new generation reactors is crucial to the company’s future; no company can survive long on yesterday’s technology. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Atomic Energy sold to SNC-Lavalin for $15 million
http://www.thestar.com/article/
1016964--atomic-energy-sold-to-snc-lavalin-for-15-million?bn=1
Maria Babbage, The Canadian Press (Toronto Star), June 29 2011
TORONTO—The federal government has sold nuclear company Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. to Montreal-based engineering giant SNC-Lavalin Group.
Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver announced the sale late Wednesday, ending at least two years of attempts by Ottawa to privatize AECL.
The sale price was $15 million, but Osborne said the government will have opportunity to get royalties down the road because it’s keeping intellectual property rights.
Meanwhile, SNC-Lavalin is creating a new division called CANDU Energy that will house AECL’s three former business lines.
SNC-Lavalin (TSX: SNC) was the sole bidder to meet Ottawa’s conditions for buying the financially troubled Crown corporation.
AECL has long been a headache for successive federal governments and has cost Canadian taxpayers billions of dollars in subsidies, including about $1 billion in the last two years alone.
The company has also faced major cost overruns at key projects in recent years while struggling to find a buyer. [ . . . ]
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5. Point Lepreau receives failing grade
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/ ... le/1418105
Chris Morris, Times & Transcript Staff, June 24th, 2011
FREDERICTON - The Point Lepreau nuclear reactor will not be allowed to return to service until it has corrected shortcomings in emergency management and fire protection, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission says in its latest report. The commission's 2010 report on the safety performance of Canadian nuclear power plants, released yesterday, gave the New Brunswick plant a failing grade in the emergency and fire protection categories.
As a result, NB power has been told to improve the conduct, performance and proficiency of the ERT in conducting fire fighting operations, amongst other recommendations.
[. . . . ]
= = = = = =
6. Council of Canadians opposes nuclear waste dump on Lake Huron
http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8371
Friday, June 24th, 2011
Bayshore Broadcasting reports, “A plan to bury low level radioactive waste 680 metres underground at the Bruce Power site on Lake Huron, is running into opposition from the Council of Canadians. It warns that ‘extreme caution is needed when nuclear waste and freshwater are involved.’ …Council of Canadians spokesperson, Emma Lui tells Bayshore Broadcasting news, some of this material will be around for hundreds of years. Lui says there are plans for public meetings in Canada next year (2012) but residents on the Michigan side of Lake Huron have no opportunity to comment.”
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7. Revealed: British government's plan to play down Fukushima
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/30/
british-government-plan-play-down-fukushima
Rob Edwards, The Guardian, Thursday 30 June 2011 21.36 BST
Internal emails seen by Guardian show PR campaign was launched to protect
UK nuclear plans after tsunami in Japan
Read the emails here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/i ... 11/jun/30/
email-nuclear-uk-government-fukushima
British government officials approached nuclear companies to draw up a co-ordinated public relations strategy to play down the Fukushima nuclear accident just two days after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and before the extent of the radiation leak was
known.
Internal emails seen by the Guardian show how the business and energy departments worked closely behind the scenes with the multinational companies EDF Energy, Areva and Westinghouse to try to ensure the accident did not derail their plans for a new
generation of nuclear stations in the UK.
"This has the potential to set the nuclear industry back globally," wrote one official at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), whose name has been redacted. "We need to ensure the anti-nuclear chaps and chapesses do not gain ground on this.
We need to occupy the territory and hold it. We really need to show the safety of nuclear."
Officials stressed the importance of preventing the incident from undermining public support for nuclear power.
The Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith, who sits on the Commons environmental audit committee, condemned the extent of co-ordination between the government and nuclear companies that the emails appear to reveal.
"The government has no business doing PR for the industry and it would be appalling if its departments have played down the impact of Fukushima," he said.
Louise Hutchins, a spokeswoman for Greenpeace, said the emails looked like "scandalous collusion". "This highlights the government's blind obsession with nuclear power and shows neither they, nor the industry, can be trusted when it comes to nuclear," she said. [ . . . ]
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8. State of NUKES in the USA
Nuclear Plant Safety Rules Inadequate, Group Says
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/refere ... /people/w/
matthew_l_wald/index.html?inline=nyt-per
By Matthew L. Wald, New York Times, June 15, 2011
ROCKVILLE, Md. — Nuclear safety rules in the United States do not adequately weigh the risk that a single event would knock out electricity from both the grid and from emergency generators, as an earthquake and tsunami recently did at a nuclear plant in Japan, officials of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.
A task force created after the accident at the nuclear plant, Fukushima Daiichi, delivered an oral progress report on Wednesday to the five-member commission. In that session, commission officials said they had learned that some of the safety equipment installed at American nuclear plants over the years, including hardware added after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, is not maintained or inspected as diligently as the original components are.
A crucial reason for the extensive damage to the Fukushima plant’s reactors was the loss of electricity needed to run water pumps and to reposition valves. The American nuclear industry has argued in recent months that its reactors are better prepared to cope with that kind of emergency.
But Charlie Miller, the chairman of the task force, said that studies by safety experts in the United States had analyzed the risk of losing electricity from the grid or from on-site emergency generators, but not both at the same time.
Steven P. Kraft, an executive of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry’s trade association, speaking after the meeting said that in the past it was “not considered credible” that a single event could knock out both supplies. In view of recent events, he said, it is time to prepare for the possibility of an extended blackout. [ . . . ]
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NEWS: Aging nuclear plant threatens Lake Michigan
http://michiganmessenger.com/50292/
groups-warned-of-deterioration-at-palisades-nuke-plant
The Michigan Messenger reports, “For the last 18 years environmental groups in Michigan have been warning that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has weakened or ignored safety rules in order to allow the (40-year-old) Palisades nuclear power plant (on the shore of Lake Michigan) to keep operating, and a new (Associated Press series published last week) seems to support that contention.”
Take action on nuclear safety
The aging nuclear reactors in the U.S. are not safe.*
But instead of following the lead of countries like Germany, Italy and Switzerland — which have pledged to shift away from nuclear power since the crisis in Japan — U.S. leadership has failed to grasp the risks of staying the nuclear course.
At a minimum, policymakers must embrace the commonsense legislation introduced by Representative Edward Markey to reduce existing risks to our nation’s nuclear reactors.
Take Action: Urge your representative to sponsor the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act of 2011.
As evidence against nuclear power continues to stack up, some policymakers are starting to awaken to the threat.
Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) have directed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate potential problems at aging nuclear power plants. And Senator Robert Casey (D-Pa.) has asked the GAO to report on whether evacuation planning has kept pace with population growth and other factors.
Much more action is required to shake Congress out of its nuclear haze, but these reports and the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act are steps in the right direction.
Keep the pressure on — urge your representative to co-sponsor Markey’s bill!
www.citizen.org/support-nuclear-safety-bill
Remember, your representative is being hounded by industry lobbyists. In fact, the main lobby group for the nuclear industry, the Nuclear Energy Institute, spent $545,000 on lobbying in the first quarter of this year — up 26% from the previous quarter.
Make sure your representative hears from you, too.
Take action today on the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act!
And stay tuned for upcoming e-alerts about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and a big No Nukes action.
Thank you for all you do,
Allison Fisher, Outreach Director
Public Citizen’s Climate & Energy Program
*If you missed my earlier email, read my blog post about the threats facing reactors in the U.S.
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WATCH: New Exposé Reveals Nuclear Regulatory Commission Colluded with Industry to Weaken Safety Standards
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/24/
new_expos_reveals_nuclear_regulatory_commission
Three U.S. senators have called for a congressional probe on safety issues at the nation’s aging nuclear plants following a pair of new exposés. In a special series called “Aging Nukes,” the Associated Press revealed that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the nuclear power industry have been working in tandem to weaken safety standards to keep aging reactors within the rules. The AP report also revealed radioactive tritium has leaked from 48 of the 65 U.S. commercial nuclear power sites, often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping. We speak with AP investigative journalist Jeff Donn. Watch/Listen/Read
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Three US Nuclear Facilities Threatened by Flood, Fire
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/308469
Published on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by Digital Journal
Just months after a tsunami set off a nuclear crisis in Japan, three nuclear facilities in the United States are under siege, threatened by two separate natural disasters.
It almost seems as if Mother Nature is decidedly anti-nuke.
Just months after a tsunami slammed into a Japanese nuclear plant, causing a meltdown only miles from Tokyo, US authorities struggled to sustain three separate nuclear facilities from being consumed by natural disasters.
In Nebraska, the Missouri River overran its banks on June 17 and threatened two nuclear facilities, according to the Associated Press.
The floodwater surrounded one of the nuclear power plants, Fort Calhoun, pouring into a turbine building there. The rising water threatened a second nuclear facility, the Cooper plant, but authorities believe the higher elevation of the Cooper plant will protect it from the encroaching flood.
Both Nebraska plants are operated by the Omaha Public Power District.
"There is no possibility of a meltdown," Omaha Public Power District's CEO Gary Gates told the Associated Press on Monday. "The floodwaters are outside of Fort Calhoun, not inside."
Separately, the largest wildfire in Arizona's history has crossed into New Mexico and is threatening the Los Alamos nuclear facility, Reuters reported on Monday.
Los Alamos is home to the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the United States.
[ . . . ]
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WATCH: Greg Mello on US Nuclear Weapons Renaissance & Wildfire Threatens Los Alamos Nuclear Lab
http://therealnews.com/t2/component/seyret/
?task=videodirectlink&id=10257
Uploaded by democracynow on 28 Jun 2011 DemocracyNow.org -
In New Mexico, an out-of-control wildfire that began Sunday has already burned nearly 80-square miles and is a mile or less from Los Alamos National Laboratory, home to a nuclear weapons plutonium facility. Pieces of ash from the fire have dropped onto the laboratory grounds, sparking "spot" fires. A senior investigator with the Project on Government Oversight said a fire at the facility would be a "disaster" that could result in large and lethal releases of radiation. Officials insist explosive materials on the laboratory's grounds are safely stored in underground bunkers made of concrete and steel. But the group, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, told the Associated Press that the fire appeared to be about 3.5 miles from a dumpsite where as many as 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste were stored in fabric tents above ground. The group said the drums were awaiting transport to a low-level radiation dump site in southern New Mexico.
Democracy Now! interviews Greg Mello, the director of the Los Alamos Study Group, a citizen-led nuclear disarmament group based in New Mexico. "Los Alamos National Laboratory is becoming the center of plutonium manufacturing for the country," Mello says, even though [quote[it is a place with a lot of natural hazards, not just fires, but also earthquakes.[end quote] [ . . .]
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Los Alamos nuclear laboratory under siege from raging wildfire
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/
usa/8606536/Los-Alamos-nuclear-laboratory-under-siege-from-raging-wildfire.html
One thousand firefighters are battling to contain wildfires raging on the edges of America’s premier nuclear weapons laboratory.
By Nick Allen, Los Angeles 4:52PM BST 29 Jun 2011
The vast nuclear complex at Los Alamos, New Mexico is under siege from a blaze which reached to within two miles of where 30,000 drums of Cold War-era plutonium-contaminated waste are sitting in the open.
Flames extended to an area of 95 square miles and at one point reached within 50ft of the nuclear laboratory’s grounds, just across a road. All 11,000 residents of the nearby city of Los Alamos have been evacuated.
The Los Alamos site was the birthplace of the atomic bomb in the 1940s and still maintains America’s biggest nuclear arsenal.
Officials have said there is no risk of contaminated material getting into the giant smoke plume rising over the area.
But they have stepped up efforts to monitor radiation levels in the air, using 60 monitors. The Environmental Protection Agency also deployed a special plane to test the air at higher levels. [ . . . ]
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NRC Waives Enforcement of Fire Rules at Nuclear Plants
http://www.propublica.org/article/
nrc-waives-enforcement-of-fire-rules-at-nuclear-plants
by John Sullivan, Special to ProPublica May 11, 1:19 p.m.
Editor’s Note on Our Investigation Into Fire Risks at Nuclear Power Plants [1]
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is routinely waiving fire rule violations at nearly half the nation's 104 commercial reactors, even though fire presents one of the chief hazards at nuclear plants.
The policy, the result of a series of little-noticed decisions in recent years, is meant to encourage nuclear companies to remedy longstanding fire safety problems. But critics say it is leaving decades-old fire hazards in place as the NRC fails to enforce its own rules.
Fires present a special risk to nuclear plants because they can knock out cables that control-room operators need to safely cool down a reactor. The explosions [2] and fires [2] at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant have shown what can happen when operators can't activate pumps, valves and other equipment needed to prevent damage to the radioactive core.
At the Browns Ferry plant [3] in Alabama, where a devastating cable fire 36 years ago prompted the NRC to adopt tough new fire rules, the plant still doesn't comply [4] with the requirements to protect cables.
Hazards at other plants include unprotected equipment, inadequate fire doors and missing alarms and sprinklers. To compensate for being out of compliance with the rules, Browns Ferry and other plants are relying on temporary measures such as stationing workers on a fire watch. [ . . . ]
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Editor's Note (All Links are at URL above. Ed.)
Note on Our Investigation Into Fire Risks at Nuclear Power Plants
by Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica, May 11 . . .Map
U.S. Nuclear Plants Drafting Customized Fire Plans
by John Sullivan, Special to ProPublica, May 11
Related Stories
U.S. Nuclear Regulator Lets Industry Help With the Fine Print
by John Sullivan, Special to ProPublica, April 13
Can U.S. Nuclear Plants Handle a Major Natural Disaster?
by John Sullivan, Special to ProPublica, March 13
Related Resources
A More Likely Nuclear Nightmare
by Susan Q. Stranahan, iWatch, May 11
Interactive:
How Many People Live Near a Nuclear Power Plant in the USA?
Zeit Online
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Nukes, Floods, Fires and Alternatives
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/
nuclear-reactors-whatsnew/2011/6/30/nukes-floods-fires-and-alternatives.html
Main | Public Citizen's Tyson Slocum on Russia Today T.V. about flooding at Ft. Calhoun » Thursday Jun 30 2011
If the recent and frequent occurrence of the largest earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, tornados and wildfires has taught us anything, one important lesson is that nuclear power is more of a liability than an asset in times of natural disaster and national emergency.
The latest worries from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan focus on internal radioactive contamination in the urine of children tested. The radioactive contamination is still spreading in food, weather, groundwater and the ocean currents. The deleterious impacts and consequences can only be measured and realized over time. Just how far reaching is as much guess work as it is science. But one report by a Japanese nuclear oversight agency predicts that the radioactive cesium plume released into the ocean will reach the West Coast of the United States in 3 to 5 years.
Here in the US, flooding on the Missouri River is now at the walls of the nuclear reactor at Fort Calhoun just north of Omaha, Nebraska after a makeshift rubber “Aqua-Berm” collapsed causing the reactor site to go to emergency diesel power for 12 hours to cool the reactor fuel. The safety risk is moderated by the reactor being shut down for refueling and maintenance in April and since kept shut down due to the threat of rising flood water. The attention stays focused on more rain in the forecast and rising water behind the six aging dams on the Missouri River above Fort Calhoun and the Cooper nuclear power station below Omaha, Nebraska. Building nuclear power plants on flood plains flaunts danger and hundreds of tons nuclear waste in casks sits on an island amid still rising water.
Further scrutiny will need to focus on underground safety-related electrical cables now completely submerged beneath these reactors that were never qualified to stay wet and may not be accessible for inspection.
Elsewhere, Las Conchas wildfire has burned over 90,000 acres and surrounded New Mexico’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of the nation’s oldest nuclear weapons facilities. Early air monitoring tests have not found radiation in the tons of smoke being lofted into the atmosphere and spot fires inside the DOE facility’s perimeter were being extinguished. Moreover, 30,000 radioactive waste barrels are still sitting at the facility stand as a reminder of the vulnerability from the timeless legacy of nuclear power and weapons technology.
We need an energy transformation beyond nuclear like the tremendous resource available in abundance in Nebraska. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory not only is there an abundance of wind but thousands of Cornhusker jobs in safe, renewable and durable to climate change energy.
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Missouri River soaks Nebraska nuclear plant, but it's no Fukushima
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0627/
Missouri-River-soaks-Nebraska-nuclear-plant-but-it-s-no-Fukushima
Much of the grounds at Fort Calhoun nuclear plant in Nebraska are under two feet of water from the rising Missouri River. But the plant's critical systems sit six feet above the flood's expected crest.
Pete Spotts, Staff writer, Christian Science Monitor, June 27, 2011
Flooding along the Missouri River has overspread much of one nuclear power plant's boundaries, forcing it onto emergency generators, and threatens a second plant downstream. In both cases, regulators and operators say the plants appear to be in no danger of the kind of sequence of events – exacerbated by plant-design flaws – that led to the tsunami-spawned nuclear disaster in March at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant [ . . . ]
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9. LISTEN: Israel's nukes: Don't ask, don't tell
http://www.cbc.ca/dispatches/2010season ... 011/06/30/
june-30-july-3-from-israel---colombia---berlin---democratic-republic-of-congo---agra-india/
CBC Radio - Dispatches - June 30 and July 3
You could forgive Israel its nuclear nervousness. A couple of well-placed bombs over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv could end the country. Survival was the reason it began building its own back in the 60's, though it's never publicly admitted to having any.
Consequently, Israel is a precedent in international affairs. The world's only unacknowledged nuclear power. It's got nukes, and other states pretend not to know. But that policy of "don't ask don't tell" is no longer appropriate, says Avner Cohen, who first revealed Israel's nuclear history in a 1998 book. He's a respected academic, currently Senior Fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS)
http://cns.miis.edu/index.htm
of the Monterey Institute of International Studies. And he has more to say in his most recent book,
The Worst Kept Secret: Israel's Bargain With The Bomb.
http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-13698-3/
the-worstkept-secret
It reveals Israel's atomic weapons are not accountable to any legal process.
And for Cohen, it's a betrayal of the democratic values Israel purports to uphold.
Avner Cohen joined Rick in studio earlier this year.
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10. Confessions of a Nuclear Power Safety Expert
http://www.miller-mccune.com/science/
confessions-of-a-nuclear-power-safety-expert-32220/?UA-3354517-1
Nuclear engineer Cesare Silvi studied unlikely outside threats to nuclear plants in Italy, which soured him on the energy source and caused him to go solar.
By John Perlin, Miller-McCune, June 14, 2011
When Italy decided in the mid-’70s to add nuclear power to its power portfolio, young mechanical and nuclear engineer Cesare Silvi was among those attracted to the opportunities it presented. His work centered on nuclear safety issues — in particular, what might happen if something unexpected struck a power plant.
Corners he saw cut there eventually soured Silvi on that endeavor. His next position — at the Italian Commission on Nuclear and Alternative Energy Sources, which included work on nuclear disarmament — eventually soured him on nuclear energy itself.
“[If we] continue with nuclear power, there will definitely be worse accidents,” he argued in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi disaster. Over the weekend, Italian voters agreed and overwhelming rejected restarting nuclear power in their country.
“Why not consider Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima as warnings of greater catastrophes to come and avoid the inevitable by shutting them down, much like changing your diet and/or lifestyle after finding out that your cholesterol or blood pressure is elevated, rather than continuing down the same path until a heart attack or stroke strikes?” [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
11. State of NUKES IN JAPAN
Fukushima residents' urine now radioactive
From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2011 10:53 PM
Background:
The maximum permissible radiation exposure for a member of the general public has been set (by regulatory bodies such as Canada's CNSC or the US NRC) at 1 millisievert per year.
Gordon Edwards
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Fukushima residents' urine now radioactive
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 627a2.html
Kyodo: The Japan Times, Monday, June 27, 2011
More than 3 millisieverts of radiation has been measured in the urine of 15 Fukushima residents of the village of Iitate and the town of Kawamata, confirming internal radiation exposure, it was learned Sunday.
Both are about 30 to 40 km from the Fukushima No. 1 power plant, which has been releasing radioactive material into the environment since the week of March 11, when the quake and tsunami caused core meltdowns. [ . . . ]
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Fukushima children test positive for internal radiation exposure From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Friday, July 01, 2011 2:17 PM
Background:
It was recently reported that over ten thousand children in Japan, some as young as 4 years old, are being given radiation monitors to wear.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/28/
fukushima-radiation-fears-children-monitors
These monitors record the amount of penetrating gamma radiation that children are exposed to over a given period of time -- mostly external rays coming from outside the body -- but these monitors give no indication of how much radioactive material is being taken into a child's body.
Many radioactive materials are very dangerous when lodged in the tissues of the body -- materials such as strontium-90, plutonium-239, carbon-14, americium-241 -- but are virtually undetectable by standard radiation monitors that may be worn by exposed individuals.
Other materials, such as radioactive iodine and radioactive cesium, do give off penetrating radiation which can be picked up by radiation monitors. But without further tests it cannot be determined how much is taken into the body of the child through inhalation, ingestion, or absorption through the skin (especially where there are cuts or abrasions).
Once in the body, these radioactive materials can continue to irradiate the living cells 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, sometimes giving a large cumulative exposure even at a very low rate of exposure. Not only can such chronic exposure cause cancers years later, but it can also undermine the body's immune system and contribute to a host of other non-cancerous diseases.
In addition, radioactive particles can cling to a child's hair or clothing, or lodge under a child's fingernails, or be trapped in pores or hair follicles, and thus be tracked into the children's homes. In this way even infant brothers and sisters can become contaminated.
Children should be evacuated far away from zones where there is any measurable radioactive contamination of soil.
After all, the children of Japan are the future of Japan.
Gordon Edwards.
--------------------------
Fukushima children test positive for internal radiation exposure
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/30/
fukushima-children-radiation-tests-caesium?intcmp=239
Traces of caesium-134 and 137 isotopes found in urine tests on 10 children in city near stricken nuclear power pant
Justin McCurry in Tokyo, The Guardian, Thursday 30 June 2011
Trace amounts of radioactive substances have been found in urine samples taken from children from Fukushima city, raising concerns that residents have been exposed internally to radiation from the
stricken nuclear power plant 37 miles (60km) away.
Tests were conducted in May on 10 children, aged between 6 and 16, by a Japanese civic group and Acro, a French body that measures radioactivity. All 10 tested positive for tiny amounts of caesium-134 and caesium-137.
The chief cabinet secretary, Yukio Edano, said he was concerned by the findings and the government would thoroughly examine the results.
The Fukushima network to save children from radiation said it was certain the readings were due to radiation leaks from the power plant, where workers are still struggling to stabilise reactors that suffered core meltdowns after the 11 March earthquake and tsunami.
Acro's president, David Boilley, said the results suggested a strong likelihood that children living in or near Fukushima city had been exposed to radiation internally. [ . . . .]
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Fukushima radiation fears: Children near nuclear plant to be given radiation monitors
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/28/
fukushima-radiation-fears-children-monitors
Dosimeters to be given to 34,000 children in city 45 miles from Tepco plant after high radiation readings
by Justin McCurry (Tokyo), The Guardian, June 28 2011
Tens of thousands of children living near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant are to be given personal radiation monitors, as concern grows over the long-term health effects of exposure to radiation.
Dosimeters will be given to 34,000 children aged between four and 15 living in Fukushima city, 45 miles from the plant, after abnormally high radiation readings were recorded in the area.
The risks posed by radiation from the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl have already driven 80,000 people from homes within 12 miles of the plant. Many of the child evacuees from communities that now lie empty attend schools in Fukushima, a city of 300,000 people.
Local authorities have provided monitors to schools outside the exclusion zone, but this is the first time they have been supplied to individual pupils. Data from the dosimeters will be analysed to assess the risks posed by cumulative radiation exposure.
The move, the latest concession to growing parental anger over patchy official information about the risks of radiation exposure, came as the company that operates the plant faced repeated verbal attacks at a rowdy annual shareholders' meeting in Tokyo.
More than 9,000 investors attended the meeting, held at a hotel under heavy police guard, with many berating Tokyo Electric Power [Tepco] executives over their response to the 11 March tsunami, which crashed into the plant and knocked out vital cooling systems to reactors.
The crisis has knocked 85% off the value of Tepco shares and resulted in annual losses of $15bn (�9.4bn). The company also faces a compensation bill that could exceed $100bn, while a government plan to help fund damages claims has yet to be put to a parliamentary vote. [ . . . ]
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‘Safety Myth’ Left Japan Ripe for Nuclear Crisis
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/25/world/asia/
25myth.html?_r=2&ref=world
By NORIMITSU ONISHI, New York Times, June 24, 2011
SHIKA, Japan — Near a nuclear power plant facing the Sea of Japan, a series of exhibitions in a large public relations building here extols the virtues of the energy source with some help from “Alice in Wonderland.”
“It’s terrible, just terrible,” the White Rabbit says in the first exhibit.
“We’re running out of energy, Alice.”
A Dodo robot figure, swiveling to address Alice and the visitors to the building, declares that there is an “ace” form of energy called nuclear power. It is clean, safe and renewable if you reprocess uranium and plutonium, the Dodo says.
“Wow, you can even do that!” Alice says of nuclear power. “You could say that it’s optimal for resource-poor Japan!”
Over several decades, Japan’s nuclear establishment has devoted vast resources to persuade the Japanese public of the safety and necessity of nuclear power. Plant operators built lavish, fantasy-filled public relations buildings that became tourist attractions. Bureaucrats spun elaborate advertising campaigns through a multitude of organizations established solely to advertise the safety of nuclear plants. Politicians pushed through the adoption of government-mandated school textbooks with friendly views of nuclear power.
The result was the widespread adoption of the belief — called the “safety myth” — that Japan’s nuclear power plants were absolutely safe. Japan single-mindedly pursued nuclear power even as Western nations distanced themselves from it.
The belief helps explains why in the only nation to have been attacked with atomic bombs, the Japanese acceptance of nuclear power was so strong that the accidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl barely registered. Even with the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the reaction against nuclear power has been much stronger in Europe and the United States than in Japan itself. [ . . . ]
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Fukushima: The Crisis is Not Over
http://www.ccnr.org/Gundersen.pdf
by Arnie Gundersen, Fairewinds Associates, Inc
Radioactive byproducts produce heat
During the normal operation of a nuclear reactor, there is an accumulation of many man-made radioactive materials such as iodine-131, cesium-137, strontium-90, plutonium-239, and many others.
These radioactive byproducts continue to produce a lot of heat, even after the reactor is shut down, because radioactivity cannot be stopped. This unstoppable heat is called “decay heat”.
Heat damages fuel, releasing hydrogen and radioactive gases
Unless the decay heat is removed as fast as it is produced, the temperature will continue to rise, eventually damaging the fuel and letting radioactive gases and vapors escape.
When you see hydrogen explosions, that means that the outside of the fuel has gone past 1000 degrees Celsius and the inside of the fuel is well over 2000 degrees Celsius. At that point the fuel gets brittle, and the zirconium coating burns, giving off hydrogen gas.
[ . . . ]
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Nuclear terrorism can cause another Fukushima: expert
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/23/
us-nuclear-security-idUSTRE75M1SU20110623
VIENNA, Reuters, Thu Jun 23, 2011
(Reuters) -- Global action to protect the nuclear industry against possible terrorist attacks is urgently needed, a leading expert said, as are safety steps to prevent any repeat of Japan's Fukushima accident.
"Both al Qaeda and Chechen terrorist groups have repeatedly considered sabotaging nuclear reactors -- and Fukushima provided a compelling example of the scale of terror such an attack might cause," Matthew Bunn of Harvard University said.
Some countries had "extraordinarily weak security measures in place," he said in an Internet blog posted this week, without naming them. [ . . . ]
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Yukiya Amano, IAEA Head, on Nuclear Safety: 'We Need To Have A Sense Of Urgency'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/20/
yukiya-amano-iaea-nuclear-safety_n_880479.html
GEORGE JAHN, Huffington Post, June 20 2011
VIENNA -- The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Tuesday urged a worldwide review of safety measures to prevent new nuclear disasters, but acknowledged that since his organization lacks the authority to enforce rules any improvements are only effective if countries apply them.
While some countries at the 151-member IAEA's meeting want any new safety regime to be mandatory, most prefer them to be voluntary and don't want a regulatory role for IAEA. If the IAEA cannot enforce safety standards, those rules will be only as good as they are being enforced by IAEA nations.
"Even the best safety standards are useless unless they are actually implemented," Amano said. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
12. Dangers Arise at Chernobyl
http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=42734
Posted By Circles Robinson On April 30, 2011 (7:09 pm) In World
HAVANA TIMES, April 30 (IPS) — In the aftermath of the anniversary of the worst nuclear disaster in history, Ukrainian authorities have pledged not to abandon those still in need of assistance. But many of the country's policies may be increasing the risk of a new catastrophe.
In April 1986 an explosion at reactor four of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, 100km north of the capital Kiev, lead to the release of massive amounts of radiation, causing at least 4,000 deaths and the evacuation of up to 400,000 people.
The release of radiation only stopped after several months, when the damaged reactor was finally covered by a concrete structure known as the sarcophagus.
"Chernobyl is still one of the most dangerous nuclear facilities in the world," Arthur Denisnko, energy expert at the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine told IPS. "The existing confinement is unstable and was built 25 years ago in a rush. If the structure collapses, radioactive dust would be released."
Authorities are proceeding with the construction of a new sarcophagus that will cover the previous structure, a 1.5 billion euro project for which only one billion has been collected.
"The sarcophagous is welcome, but officials who say that this will solve the problem are not telling the truth: It will remain dangerous as long as there are 185 tons of nuclear fuel in it, fuel that is not contained in rods but is melted and spread out," says Denisenko.
"Today there is no technology to remove it, but this fuel can reach the underground water and eventually Ukraine's main rivers," he says. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
13. “Crown jewel” of Canadian peacekeeping closing NS offices
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=8102#comment-7835
June 27, 2011
The Pearson Peacekeeping Centre (PPC) has announced that it is shutting down its operations in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia (David Pugliese,
“Cash-strapped peacekeeping centre closing Nova Scotia office,” Ottawa Citizen, 10 June 2011).
(http://www.canada.com/news/
Cash+strapped+peacekeeping+centre+closing+Nova+Scotia+office/4922618/story.html )
The organization is attempting to cut costs after having been advised in 2009 that its annual $4 million funding from the federal government would be cut by the spring of 2012. The PPC’s mandate is to support and to enhance Canada’s contribution to international security by providing quality peacekeeping research, education, and training.
Steven Staples, President of the Rideau Institute, cites partisanship as one of the reasons for the cuts: “The centre was named for a famous Liberal prime minister. Maybe if it was called the Diefenbaker Peacekeeping Centre its budget would have been tripled.” He also notes that the government of Stephen Harper has distanced itself from peacekeeping, preferring more “robust” activities such as the Afghanistan and Libya missions.
= = = = = = =
14. Ottawa finally releases Afghan detainee documents just before summer break
http://goto.thetyee.ca/
t?ctl=168F207:6D244622054605D007FDBC70AD998EA68F7D795DAFB9E650&
By The Canadian Press Wednesday, June 22, 2011
OTTAWA -- The Conservative government is releasing 4,000 of some 40,000 classified pages on the treatment of detainees in Afghanistan and says that brings the matter to a close.
About documents detailing the treatment of suspected enemy prisoners are being released more a year after the Harper government almost fell over claims it was turning a blind eye to abuse. Treasury Board President John Baird says the document vetting process cost $12 million and will go no further.
NDP Leader Jack Layton says the real question is: what's the government holding back — and why? The Conservatives' initial refusal to disclose thousands of pages of Foreign Affairs and Defence Department reports prompted a parliamentary crisis two years ago.
Two former Supreme Court justices, a former B.C. judge, and an ad-hoc committee of MPs have combed through the massive file to determine what can be released without endangering national security.
The NDP had no faith in the process and refused to take part.
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15. Libya, Canada's Other Ugly War - Is NATO's real target African unity, financed by Gadhafi?
http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2011/06/20/Libya/
By Murray Dobbin Monday, June 20, 2011
NATO members, including Canada, are continuing their massive bombing campaign against Libya in a war that may just break the record for the casual breaking of international law, and lying about the motives for the war. There is no mandate to engage in "regime change" yet everyone, including the Harper government, openly admit that that is, in fact, what they are doing.
Canada has stated that only the removal of Gadhafi will satisfy NATO. Note that the goal is to satisfy not the United Nations -- which gave a mandate to protect civilians from the Libyan government's attacks -- but NATO, that alliance whose mandate is supposed to be the mutual self-defence of nations of the North Atlantic.
No one refers to this war against Libya as a criminal conspiracy but the term would be perfectly appropriate. And I suppose we should not be surprised that an organization that constantly violates its own mandate can hardly be expected to wince at violating someone else's they have taken over. NATO, with almost no comment from anywhere, has become a military intervention agency aimed at protecting Western industrial nations -- not from military threat but from an economic one: the threat of higher oil prices and the gradual loss of its dominant access to Middle East oil and gas. [ . . . ]
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16. Going Beyond the Border: Council of Canadians, Common Frontiers on fact finding trip to Washington, D.C.
(. . . .PLUS Follow-up below.)
http://www.canadians.org/tradeblog/?p=1677
by Stuart Trew, Trade campaigner, Council of Canadians June 20, 2011
This week I’ll be joining John Foster of Common Frontiers in Washington, D.C. to meet with allied organizations, politicians and others regarding the Canada-U.S. perimeter security agreement. The deal is still in development by civil servants near Parliament and Capital hills, with advice from the usual corporate sources (CCCE, Canadian and U.S. chambers of commerce). Some of their suggestions make sense, but much of the Beyond the Border plan as Harper and Obama describe it doesn’t. I have an article in Foreign Policy in Focus this week explaining what I mean by this.
“The continentalists are out of the cupboard,” it starts. “The United States and Canada are taking another crack at North American integration, this time without Mexico. Civil servants are dusting off their policy playbooks, business lobbyists are flexing their muscles, and politicians are sexing up their communications strategies. Their opponents, activists fighting for a new economic model, are preparing a counteroffensive that we hope will succeed - again.”
We’re going to Washington to build resistance across borders to an anti-democratic process of neoliberal integration which cannot make either Canada or the U.S. economically or physically secure. Economic and social insecurity are today’s norms. If NAFTA did not create them both it certainly didn’t help with North America’s declining manufacturing, persistent unemployment, stagnant wages and total impotence faced with catastrophic ecological destruction. Harper and Obama claim they’re trying to improve NAFTA. The Beyond the Border action plan may just shield it from criticism and fortify the status quo.
The Institute for Policy Studies and Public Citizen are among the friends we’ll be meeting, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union because of the privacy, surveillance and policing aspects of the perimeter security deal. These will likely prove the most controversial part of the Beyond the Border action plan when it is released at the end of the summer. Already Canada has copied many U.S. security measures (ex. no-fly lists) and integrated others (Shiprider on the Great Lakes and west coast) since September 2001. Harper clearly intends to take Canada further down this road than most people are willing or should ever be forced to go.
I’ll be busy for the next few days but will report on the week in Washington once I’m back.
- - - - - - - -
Follow-up: Report back on the fact-finding trip to Washington, D.C.
http://www.canadians.org/tradeblog/?p=1689
by Stuart, Trew, Trade Campaigner, Council of Canadians Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
Last week I spent two days in Washington, D.C. for meetings with U.S. allies and other organizations on the Beyond the Border perimeter deal. I was there with John Foster representing Common Frontiers. Together we met with the Institute for Policy Studies, Centre for Economic Policy Research, Hudson Institute, AFL-CIO, a staffer in Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur’s office, Friends of the Earth (U.S.), the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, and the Global Trade Watch team at Public Citizen. Separately, John met with the Can-Am Business Council, Canadian embassy staff and a staffer in Senator Sherrod Brown’s office, and I met with the American Civil Liberties Union and Privacy International - U.S.
It’s not an exhaustive list, but here are a few of the things we learned during our valuable exchanges in Washington, as well as from a briefing by a Canadian embassy official last Thursday set up by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives:
1. The perimeter deal is a bigger deal for Canada: On the privacy side, the U.S. blazed a trail toward the security state which Canada is slowly trudging (too slow for U.S. interests, which is why we are back in security integration talks with Obama). The U.S. National Security Agency currently spies on all satellite and broadband communications. Obama is interpreting PATRIOT ACT and other terrorism legislation more broadly than even Bush did, according to the ACLU. Barry Steinhardt, a senior advisor with Privacy International nonetheless called the perimeter deal “an important privacy issue for North America.” He said there are many loopholes in U.S. privacy legislation which should give Canadians pause before accepting assurances from Harper or Obama that personal data will be safe, and surveillance minimal. On the trade side, all attention in the U.S. is focused on bilateral free trade agreements, which Obama is desperately trying to push through Congress and the Senate (Colombia, Panama, South Korea, and eventually the TransPacific Partnership).
2. NAFTA is still hotly debated in the U.S.: Even though groups are occupied with bilaterals it’s on the grounds that they reproduce the failed NAFTA model, which kills jobs at home. There is a strong and unified progressive/labour challenge to Obama’s export-led growth strategy based on antipathy or opposition to NAFTA among Democrats and Republicans. Groups we met expressed surprise that this kind of dialogue doesn’t happen in Canada where the consensus in the media is that NAFTA has been overwhelmingly good for Canada.
3. The border and regulatory cooperation discussions are separate: From a briefing with DFAIT, organized by the CCPA last Thursday, we know that Beyond the Border is about the border–data sharing, harmonized risk assessments, trade facilitation, customs procedures, etc–and the Regulatory Cooperation Council is doing its own thing. We don’t know what that thing is but the council, made up of Canadian and U.S. bureaucrats, has a very broad mandate. It will be talking about the size of trucks on North American highways, but probably also intellectual property rules, product safety, environmental standards, etc. Where in Canada the chief negotiators on both fronts answer to the Prime Ministers Office, their U.S. counterparts are just senior staff people in the relevant departments. This gives a good sense of the relative priority of the border talks in both countries.
4. Obama wants our data but sees election gains in economic pact: Obama is just coming around to the economic argument made by Canada, that finding efficiencies at the border will create jobs in the U.S. and Canada. This is according to Chris Sands at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank which is generally supportive of integration talks. Obama sees election gains in a deal with Canada that he can say creates jobs in trade-related or integrated industries, Sands told us. But security is the main interest in Washington. Several U.S. committees have recently raised alarms about risk north of the border. The U.S. proposal in the Beyond the Border action plan is to exchange entry data (information on who enters Canada across land, sea and air borders) to save costs (i.e. rather than both countries putting into place entry-exit systems). Harper is apparently saying the federal government needs something good in return.
5. The security-economy trade-off is out of whack: According to the DFAIT official who briefed us last Thursday but who couldn’t go into specifics, there has to be a strong level of ambition on the economic front in order to reach an agreement on anything on the security front. Canada wants pre-clearance of goods and people, better trusted traveller and trusted shipper systems (where the U.S. actually trusts Canadian people and goods), fewer fees at the border, no requirements on flights that baggage be checked twice at the airline’s expense, etc. It’s small potatoes. It’s our privacy and data for very weak promises of a thinner border.
6. Harper could but likely won’t walk away from a bad deal: There are apparently hard lines on privacy/security that the Canadian government won’t cross. For example, according to Sands, risk in the U.S. is based on where you were born. But the Charter in Canada protects people against discrimination based on nationality, race, etc. On joint projects in the military realm, the U.S. wants to know exactly who is working in Canadian defence/security firms doing joint work with U.S. firms. Canada has offered to do thorough federal security checks of workers but the fear is they will have to hold back nationality data, which the U.S. won’t accept. Harper could walk away from a deal that goes too far on privacy without offering gains on the economy… but will he? Harper has signed many a bad deal in his five years (Softwood lumber, Can-U.S. procurement agreement) and is negotiating others like the lopsided CETA with the EU.
7. Tar sands, solidarity across borders are important: At a meeting organized by IPS, we heard that tar sands, mountaintop removal, and movement building across borders were all important to U.S. groups working on trade and environmental issues. We discussed with IPS how Common Frontiers might work with Peter Julian (NDP Industry Critic), Democratic Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Mexican legislators on setting up another tri-national civil society/legislators meeting to discuss fair trade efforts across the continent. These meetings stopped about the same time that Obama cancelled the Security and Prosperity Partnership disc
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NUKE NEWS: July 13, 2011
by Oscar » Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:34 pm
NUKE NEWS: July 13, 2011
1. PETITION: The Committee for Future Generations
2. COMING EVENT: Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
3. SIGN PETITION: Nuclear Free by 2045
4. Lac Seul First Nation Opposes Nuclear Waste Storage Within Traditional Territory
5. CURRY: Angela Merkel, physicist
6. EDWARDS: DO RADIOACTIVE WASTES PRODUCE HEAT?
7. RESOURCE: The Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan (CCGS)
8. Turning Point - Spring 2011 Issue Now Available Online (2 Excerpts)
9. "Nuclear Power's Other Tragedy: Communities Living With Uranium Mining"
10. Harper's Great AECL RIP-OFF
11. MiningWatch Canada Newsletter 30: Spring 2011 - PDF version
12. JAPAN NUKES UPDATE
13. US NUKES UPDATE
14. EATON: FRANCE: Droughts threatening Nuclear Reactor Complex [Digest & Summary of 5 Articles]
15. Crossroads on the Tundra: Baker Lake struggles under pressure to allow uranium mining
16. New threat to Grand Canyon and clean water!
17. World Nuclear News - Weekly 5-11 July 2011
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1. PETITION: The Committee for Future Generations
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
PETITION: Scroll down to Northern Saskatchewan Says No To Nuclear Waste and Click on Links in article…..
The Committee for Future Generations has launched a petition calling on the Saskatchewan Government to permanently ban nuclear waste storage & transportation into, out of & through Saskatchewan.
Read the Open Letter to the People of Saskatchewan & share widely.
The Committee is planning an 820 km walk from Pinehouse to Regina this summer to raise awareness of this issue. They will be collecting petitions calling for a legislated ban on nuclear waste. Stay tuned or contact the group for more details.
The Committee is encouraging the formation of chapters in other communities to demonstrate solidarity to Say No to Nuclear Waste.
Post on the Facebook page or send an email to
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
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2. COMING EVENT: "Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
The Committee for Future Generations is gearing up for its summer campaign to demand a legislated ban on nuclear waste in Saskatchewan.
This from the Committee:
Dear Committee Members, Friends and Supporters:
RE: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
The Committee of Future Generations is announcing our walk against nuclear waste, departing July 27th, 2011 from Pinehouse for the Regina Legislature.
The purpose of this walk is to wake people up to the grave dangers of storing millions of radioactive nuclear bundles in Saskatchewan, and to take action by signing a petition to the government to legislate a ban against nuclear waste.
As we pass through each community, we hope to be joined by as many people as possible, and will collect petitions from the surrounding area via adjoining highways. By the end of our walk, we hope to have collected the equivalent of 100 signatures per kilometer on this petition.
Our route will be Pinehouse > Beauval > Green Lake > Big River > Prince Albert > Saskatoon > Regina. We're aiming at 30 km/day, with a rest day in P.A., which on paper calculates to 29 days, so we expect to arrive in Regina anytime after August 24th.
Committee artists have almost completed a beautiful traditional painting for our walk logo, endearingly depicting the love and care for future generations. We're looking at having t-shirts and prints made with this logo as a fundraiser. We'll make the posters available for you to advertise as soon as they're ready.
In the meantime, whether or not your community is on the walk route, please contact any groups and individuals that may be interested in joining us for any length possible.
As well, if you know of any groups and individuals who may be interested in donating funds and/or any kind of support like water, food, lodging etc. to the walk, please let us know and we'll follow proper protocol by contacting them in person if possible, backed up with a letter from our committee. (Please remember when communicating with potential supporters, to be clear that our walk is against nuclear waste.)
Looking forward to our combined effort for success on this inspirational venture.
Together in Community,
Max Morin, President
Committee for Future Generations
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
Let's Be Active Participants in the Lives of Our Children's Children
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3. SIGN PETITION: Nuclear Free by 2045
http://nf2045.blogspot.com/
One century of the nuclear era is enough! This blog is a campaign to make the world nuclear free before the centennial of the Trinity Nuclear Bomb Test at Alomogordo, July 16, 1945 and the bombs that were dropped soon after on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
2011/07/10
One nuclear century is enough! Please add your name to the petition at the bottom of this page.
"So anyone who claims that I am a dreamer who expects to transform hell into heaven is wrong. I have few illusions. But I feel a responsibility to work towards the things I consider good and right. I don't know whether I'll be able to change certain things for the better, or not at all. Both outcomes are possible. There is only one thing I will not concede: that it might be meaningless to strive in a good cause." - Vaclav Havel
I came up with the idea for this petition after having lived in Japan during the spring of 2011. Before this experience I had been gradually coming around to the belief that nuclear energy was the least bad energy alternative that we have to accept - that is, if I thought about it all. I knew the arguments that coal and oil extraction kill more people each year than radiation. I agreed with the pro-nuclear side that it was a matter of risk assessment and trade-offs. One cannot just advocate that everything dangerous should be abolished. However, I now say that it is my rational risk assessment that makes me conclude that the nuclear age has to end. [ . . . ]
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4. Lac Seul First Nation Opposes Nuclear Waste Storage Within Traditional Territory
http://www.marketwire.com/news_room/
PreSearchType=org&q=Lac+Seul+First+Nation
LAC SEUL FIRST NATION, ONTARIO, Media Release. July 12, 2011
Chief Clifford Bull and the Council of the Lac Seul First Nation have announced that the Lac Seul Band will not support any nuclear waste storage initiatives by regional municipalities within the LSFN traditional territory.
"We are aware that the towns such as Sioux Lookout, Ignace and Ear Falls have either expressed or are expressing their interest as potential host repository sites for nuclear waste, in response to the recent call for Expressions of Interest by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization," said Chief Bull.
"We borrow this world from our children, and Lac Seul does not want to create an impossible problem for our future generations to struggle with."
Lac Seul First Nation stands with the Grand Council of Treaty 3, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, and many Northwestern Ontario First Nations in opposing the potential development of nuclear waste storage sites. "This is not a matter of consultation and
accommodation for Lac Seul. This is a matter of opposition," stated Chief Bull. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
5. CURRY: Angela Merkel, physicist
From: "Bill Curry" <prairie@web.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2011 9:07 AM
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel jolted the nuclear industry on the weekend with her announcement that Europe's industrial powerhouse will close all 17 of its nuclear reactors by 2022, pulling the plug on a technology that until recently supplied Germany wth 23% of its power." (Globe & Mail, May 31, 2011 - See Below: "Getting nervous about nuclear)
Among pronuclear reactions to this and previous announcements, we have been hearing diatribes denouncing German authorities as a bunch of know-nothings, etc. Chancellor Merkel is a physicist. Her doctoral dissertation was in quantum chemistry.
For a number of years, Dr Merkel was the German minister responsible for Environment and Nuclear Safety. As Chancellor, she has supported nuclear expansion, making the current German decision all the more significant. Chancellor Merkel understands the operations, complexities and risks of nuclear, so this was a deeply considered technical and political decision.
The nuclear industry also throws up the "if not nuclear, therefore coal" fallacy. Angela Merkel presides over a country that has made enormous strides with all form of renewables. It already demonstrates the viability of these energy systems. Though still faced with the problems of decommissioning and dealing with its nuclear wastes, Germany is determined
and confident to become an advanced non-nuclear society.
Canadian authorities and the Canadian people have a lot to learn from Germany.
EcoHealth, Just Peace,
Bill Curry
Wynyard, SK
- - - - - - - -
Getting nervous about nuclear power
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/
getting-nervous-about-nuclear-power/article2040659/
SHAWN McCARTHY AND RICHARD BLACKWELL
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Monday, May. 30, 2011 9:46PM EDT
Last updated Saturday, Jun. 04, 2011 11:18AM EDT
The meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima power station unleashed a wave that threatens to swamp the nuclear industry’s much-hyped global renaissance, although many governments insist nuclear remains a favoured option as they face hard choices over future energy supply.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel jolted the nuclear industry on the weekend with her announcement that Europe’s industrial powerhouse will close all 17 of its nuclear reactors by 2022, pulling the plug on a technology that until recently supplied Germany with 23 per cent of its power
The announcement is bound to send further shock waves through an industry grappling with the consequences of the Fukushima disaster. It will certainly cause casualties – both directly as some governments back away from their nuclear ambitions, and indirectly, by forcing the industry to improve its safety technology, further raising the already daunting price of new reactors. [ . . . ]
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"A Reversal of the Nuclear Phase-Out is Hard to Imagine"
http://www.spiegel.de/international/ger ... 97,00.html
by Michael Scott Moore, by Der Spiegel on-line, July 1, 2011
It's been tried before, but this time Germany means it: In about a decade, the world's fourth-largest industrial nation will have to get by without atomic energy, following parliament's approval of the government's nuclear phase-out plans on Thursday.
German commentators agree there is no going back.
Thursday's vote by German lawmakers to approve the government's plan to shut down the country's nuclear power supply by 2022 was not just the culmination of a culture war lasting three decades; it also featured a little more colorful bickering before all five political parties reached a basic agreement. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
6. EDWARDS: DO RADIOACTIVE WASTES PRODUCE HEAT?
http://www.ccnr.org/Radwaste_Heat.html
A background piece by Gordon Edwards, July 12, 2011
Once radioactive materials have been created, nobody knows how to shut off the radioactivity. Radioactivity is caused by the spontaneous disintegration of unstable
atoms; in fact the unit of radioactivity is the "becquerel" which indicates that one disintegration is taking place every second. If we knew how to shut off radioactivity,
there would be no nuclear waste problem.
In a nuclear reactor, under normal operation, more than 90 percent of the heat is produced by splitting uranium atoms -- this process is called nuclear fission, and it CAN be stopped. That's why every reactor has control rods (for slow shutdown) and shut-off rods (for fast shutdown).
But radioactivity cannot be shut off, so even after the fission process has been totally stopped (no more splitting of atoms), a lot of heat is still being produced by the disintegrating atoms of the radioactive waste materials in the core of the reactor.
This "unstoppable" heat, due to radioactivity alone, is called "decay heat".
For example, in a 1000 megawatt reactor, immediately after shutdown the decay heat would be about 200 megawatts. And if the pumps do not keep pumping water through the core to remove that decay heat, the fuel will get hotter and hotter as more and more
heat is added, so the temperature will rise higher and higher until the fuel itself begins to melt at about 2800 degrees celsius.
The radioactive wastes inside a nuclear reactor are not just hot, but they actually GENERATE heat – like a furnace that just never stops burning. So there is really no limit as to how hot the surroundings can get if that heat is allowed to keep building up. The wastes from the core of a nuclear reactor that has recently been shut down generate so much heat that they will eventually melt through any container they are in, unless
there is a method for removing the heat as it is being produced. That's why nuclear reactors need to keep pumping coolant through the core of the reactor for days and weeks after shutdown.
Because of the decay heat, the irradiated fuel that is removed from the core of the reactor after it is "used up" or "spent" has to be stored in a deep pool of circulating water which is used to cool the fuel for at least 7 to 10 years. If the fuel is uncovered during the first few years it will slowly overheat and eventually damage its metallic container at hundreds of degrees celsius and release a lot of radioactive gasses and vapours into the air.
The problem is that even though the fuel is "spent" (meaning the fission process no longer works well) it still contains an enormous quantity of radioactive junk (mostly the unstable broken pieces of atoms that were created when the atoms were split -- these are called the "fission products") and that's where the heat comes from -- from the unremitting and unstoppable disintegration of trillions and trillions of unstable atoms.
AECL has produced graphs showing how the decay heat from buried spent fuel will heat up the underground rock formations, which will finally return to their "ambient level" of temperature after about 50,000 years.
'This graphic is taken from one of the technical appendices of AECL's EIS for the Geologic Disposal Concept. The dark horizontal layers represent underground rock strata, whereas the brightly coloured portion in the first graphic represents the buried spent fuel. Colours are used to indicate temperatures. The decay heat from the spent fuel raises the temperature of the surrounding rock strata for thousands of years, because the heat cannot escape. However the heat output does decrease over time, so the temperatures will eventually return to more normal levels, close to the "ambient temperature" they started with.'
Gordon Edwards, Ph.D., President,
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
www.ccnr.org
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7. RESOURCE: The Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan (CCGS)
https://sites.google.com/site/cleangree ... clear_info
Welcome to the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan's website.
As citizens we face a momentous public decision regarding our province's future. Use this website to become more informed about the nuclear issue and renewable energy alternatives in Saskatchewan. The "Learn More" section has detailed information and links on the key issues we are facing. Click on the links in the sidebar to your left to find pages on upcoming events, local communities, downloadable materials, and contact information. Take Action! has suggestions for what you can do. For regular updates, subscribe to our email information list. Send us an email or visit us on Facebook. Read more about us!
Contact Us
You can email us at cleangreensask@yahoo.ca
You can visit us on Facebook!
You may also subscribe to our information email list
= = = = = = =
8. Turning Point - Spring 2011 Issue Now Available Online (2 Excerpts)
http://pgs.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/
TPt-1105_web.pdf
Newsletter of the Physicians for Global Survival
Is Nuclear Power Green? (Page 6)
. . . . Short term storage is usually two stages: cooling tanks where the rods are placed in circulating water for about ten years and cask assemblies requiring a further estimated 25 years of monitoring. “Permanent” disposition of nuclear wastes remains unproven. No plant has been successfully and completely decommissioned. An estimated 60 years will be required using as much as 50% more energy than needed for original construction. Mine sites also need reclamation. [ . . . ]
The Upside of Nuclear War (Page 11)
. . . . . Global warming would be eradicated. A limited war would bring global temperatures down to Little Ice Age levels; an all-out nuclear war would take us down to temperatures far below the Ice Ages.* Perhaps we could have a limited war that would lower temperatures just enough to offset global warming! Of course this would involve massive famine and disruption of climate, but that would help solve problem 1), above.
[ . . . ]
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9. "Nuclear Power's Other Tragedy: Communities Living With Uranium Mining"
http://earthworksaction.org/pubs/Nuclea ... dy-low.pdf
June 2011
INTRODUCTION
Uranium was first mined in the United States in 1871, but industrial-scale uranium mining boomed at the end of World War II and the dawn of the Atomic Age.1 The industry’s history of contaminating streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater with radioactive or toxic wastes is just as long, and it persists as abandoned open-pit mines from the Cold War era continue to leach pollutants into waterways, mostly on public or tribal lands, in 14 Western states. By 2009, 14 uranium mines were in operation in the U.S., and four were in situ operations that involve injecting chemical-laced solutions into the ground to dissolve uranium from ore and then pumping out the uranium-containing fluids. But as we will see, modern-day uranium exploration and mining are far from being as safe as they claim to be. The legacy and the future of uranium mining are threatening communities who, under the lax provisions of the 1872 Mining Law, have little recourse against the reach of large multinational mining companies. The new 21st century push for nuclear power in the U.S. and worldwide significantly increases the risk of future uranium development leading to more tragic contamination stories like those outlined in this report.
This report tells only some of the stories of communities impacted by uranium mining. We highlight the more serious cases of contamination from past and present mining. We spotlight the special places threatened by the devastating and lasting impacts of exploration and drilling. And we recommend policy changes that are urgently needed to protect the public from an industry whose byproducts too often include environmental degradation and health hazards. It is long past time that regulation of uranium mining is brought into the 21st Century. [ . . . ]
Full text (20 p.):
http://earthworksaction.org/pubs/Nuclea ... dy-low.pdf
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10. Harper's Great AECL RIP-OFF
Market offers verdict on nuclear option
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
Market+offers+verdict+nuclear+option/5087138/story.html
by Paul Hanley, Special to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, July 12, 2011
Don't you wish you could have bought Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) from the federal government? Had you been the buyer, you would have pocketed $60 million from the transaction. Sound like a strange deal? It is, but it's the kind of deal that is normal in the weird world of nuclear energy. [ . . . ]
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AECL saga shows Conservatives have no business being in government
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/
1018123--walkom-aecl-saga-shows-conservatives-have-no-business-being-in-government
By Thomas Walkom National Affairs Columnist July 1, 2011
Let me see if I’ve got this straight.
Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has agreed to sell the reactor division of its billion-dollar crown corporation, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., to the private firm SNC-Lavalin Inc.
But taxpayers aren’t guaranteed any money from this sale. In fact, when the back and forth is totalled (Lavalin gives Ottawa $15 million; Ottawa gives Lavalin $75 million), we end up paying $60 million for the privilege of no longer owning that chunk of AECL.
Lavalin gets the lion’s share of the nuclear technology company’s $1.1 billion worth of assets — including land, buildings and tools.
The public, on the other hand, is stuck with all of all of AECL’s $4.5 billion worth of liabilities.
That means, says Lavalin vice-president Leslie Quinton, that the public is still responsible for decommission existing AECL atomic reactors and disposing of their waste.
Canadian taxpayers are also on the hook for any cost overruns from past and current AECL projects, including an estimated $1 billion that New Brunswick says it is owed for its Point Lepreau nuclear power station. [ . . . ]
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AGREEMENT SIGNED TO ACQUIRE AECL’S COMMERCIAL REACTOR DIVISION BY CANDU ENERGY
http://www.snclavalin.com/
news.php?lang=en&action=press_release_details¤t_year=2011&id=1469
Toronto | June 29, 2011
CANDU Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. (TSX: SNC), is pleased to announce that it has agreed with the Government of Canada to acquire certain assets of Atomic Energy of Canada’s (AECL) commercial reactor division for a purchase price of $15 million and royalty payments from future new build and life extension projects. AECL will retain its past liabilities.
Approximately 1,200 employees are expected to be transitioned from AECL to CANDU Energy. [ . . . ]
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SNC-LAVALIN Board of directors:
http://www.snclavalin.com/investors_boa ... en　
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Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. sold to SNC-Lavalin Group for $15 million
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/aecl-sold-otta ... 36145.html
By Maria Babbage, The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – Wed, 29 Jun, 2011
TORONTO - Ottawa unloaded Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.'s nuclear reactor business Wednesday to SNC-Lavalin Group, ending a two-year privatization saga for the troubled Crown corporation.
Called the crown jewel of Canadian technology, the company that has cost taxpayers $1.2 billion over the past five years was sold for a mere $15 million to the Montreal-based engineering giant.
SNC (TSX:SNC) has promised to protect 1,200 AECL jobs, but neither the company nor the federal government would say what will happen to the other 800 employees. [ . . .]
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800 jobs on the block after Atomic Energy sold to SNC-Lavalin
http://www.thestar.com/article/
1016964--atomic-energy-sold-to-snc-lavalin-for-15-million?bn=1
John Spears Business Reporter June 29, 2011
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has been sold to SNC-Lavalin Inc., federal minister of natural resources Joe Oliver announced Wednesday.
The new agreement will protect 1,200 jobs, but the union representing workers at AECL says that means about 800 jobs will be lost, most of them in Ontario. [ . . . ]
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Ottawa basically paying SNC to take AECL
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/06/29/
aecl-sale-snc-weston.html
By Greg Weston, Jun 29, 2011
The federal government's long-awaited deal to sell off its money-losing nuclear reactor business is more like a perpetual partnership than a sale, leaving Canadian taxpayers stuck with the fiscal fall-out for years to come.
The government-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has announced it has finally reached a tentative deal to sell its commercial reactor development and repair division to Quebec-based engineering giant SNC-Lavalin.
The Montreal-based company was the only suitor in the world left at the negotiating table, a fact that helps to explain why the government is effectively paying SNC-Lavalin to take over the Crown corporation.
Under the deal, SNC will pay a paltry $15 million for AECL's nuclear reactor division, plus some as yet undisclosed "royalties" on future reactor sales.
In return, the government will give SNC up to $75 million toward the development of the next generation of AECL's once internationally successful Candu reactors.
In other words, Canadian taxpayers are giving the Quebec company $60 million to take AECL off their hands.
If that were the whole deal, it would actually be a bargain for taxpayers.
AECL may be world-famous for its Candu reactors, but it hasn't sold one in 15 years, and now generates mainly massive amounts of red ink, the Crown corporation having cost Canadian taxpayers more than $820 million last year alone. [ . . . ]
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Used nuclear company is no bargain
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editoria ... n/article/
927373--used-nuclear-company-is-no-bargain
Jack Gibbons, Toronto Star, Monday January 24 2011
(Jack Gibbons is chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.)
Hey buddy, want to buy a used nuclear company?
Sure, there’s a huge pile of debt under the hood and nobody will buy its products without massive taxpayer handouts, but there might be a few miles left in fixing crumbling reactors in Ontario and if it could ever get that New Brunswick job finished that would be one less anchor tied to the back bumper.
SNC Lavalin, the engineering and construction giant, and Bruce Power have both kicked the tires and decided to pass on the idea of buying Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL). But that hasn’t stopped Ontario Energy Minister Brad Duguid from asking taxpayers all across Canada to pony up for AECL so Ontario can build more high-cost nuclear generating stations. [. . . . ]
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Ottawa must get deal quickly on AECL: minister
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/ ... /20110118/
aecl-duguid-110118/20110118/?hub=TorontoNewHome
BY MARIA BABBAGE, Canadian Press, Mon Jan 17 2011
TORONTO -- With the sale of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. possibly in jeopardy, Ontario's energy minister is calling on Ottawa to move quickly in deciding the fate of the Crown-owned company.
Two major bidders for AECL have apparently bowed out, which leaves Ontario's plan to buy two nuclear units in limbo.
The federal government put AECL's troubled CANDU reactor business up for sale in 2009, which delayed the province's ability to move ahead with the purchase, Duguid said Monday.
"We feel the federal government has an obligation here to ensure that it gets this together quickly," he said in an interview. “They have a responsibility to Ontario and Ontario families to get their act together on this file."
The Conservative government also needs to get behind Canada's nuclear industry and the 70,000 workers it employs, Duguid added.
"What's been frustrating for us is that in most other countries with a nuclear industry, their national governments take a much greater level of commitment towards ensuring that that industry is viable," he said.
"We're not sure we're seeing that level of commitment from the federal government in the nuclear industry." [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
What Ever Happened to Linda Keen . . . .
http://voices-voix.ca/en/facts/profile/linda-keen
Former President and CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)
Linda Keen was fired in January 2008 after closing down a nuclear reactor for safety reasons. The government cited a shortage of isotopes essential to medical tests and procedures.
It was a case of direct political interference of an arm’s length, independent regulator of a potentially hazardous industry.
The CNSC regulates Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) and its research reactor at Chalk River northwest of Ottawa. It produces 30% to 40% of the world’s medical isotopes. The reactor is built on a fault line. [ . . . ]
- - -
BACKGROUND SOURCES:
http://voices-voix.ca/en/facts/profile/linda-keen
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11. MiningWatch Canada Newsletter 30: Spring 2011 - PDF version
http://www.miningwatch.ca/article/
newsletter-30-spring-2011-pdf-version
Jun 6, 2011
Contents (All Links are at URL above. Ed.)
Crossroads on the Tundra: Baker Lake struggles under pressure to allow uranium mining
Courting Justice: Victims of mining abuses sue in Canada
Having the Ruggie Pulled Out From Under Us: From “Sanction and Remedy” to non-judicial grievance mechanisms
Outdated Mining Act Leads to Multiple Conflicts Over Exploration and Mine Development in Quebec
Quebec Mining Conflicts from East to West, North to South
MiningWatch and Papua New Guinea Partners File Complaint on Porgera Mine
Mining Mongolia: Ivanhoe, T-shirts, NGOs, and Wikileaks
MiningWatch Canada
http://www.miningwatch.ca/
Changing public policy and mining practices to ensure the health of individuals, communities and ecosystems
Check back often for the latest updates.
= = = = = =
12. JAPAN NUKES UPDATE
Industry Views Prevail on Radiation Risks
https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/07/05-7
Health experts unheard on health effects of Fukushima
by Steve Rendall and Patrick Morrison Published on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 by Extra!
U.S. media coverage of the nuclear disaster in Japan contains vanishingly little serious discussion of the human health risks posed by the radiation escaping from the Fukushima nuclear facility.
In place of a discussion informed by experts on these risks, journalism largely conveys vague, industry-friendly reassurances, frequently including no sources with expertise on the health effects of radiation on humans.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandocap/5605795213/
sizes/m/in/photostream/
New York Times reporter William Broad reported (3/22/11) that “health experts” deemed a radiation plume that had reached the U.S. from Japan to be harmless:
Health experts said that the plume’s radiation had been diluted enormously in its journey of thousands of miles and that—at least for now, with concentrations so low—its presence will have no health consequences in the United States. In a similar way, faint radiation from the Chernobyl disaster spread around the globe and reached the West Coast in 10 days, its levels detectable but minuscule. [ . . . ]
- - - - - - -
Radiation Expert Predicts More Threats
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702304450604576419560689685524.html
BY YUKA HAYASHI, Wall Street Journal, July 2, 2011
TOKYO—A former nuclear adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan blasted the government's handling of the crisis, and predicted more revelations of radiation threats to the public in the coming months.
In his first media interview since resigning his post in protest in April, Toshiso Kosako, one of the country's leading experts on radiation safety, said Mr. Kan's government has been slow to test for dangers in the sea and to fish, and has understated certain radiation
threats to minimize clean-up costs. In his post, Mr. Kosako's role was to advise the prime minister on radiation safety.[ . . . ]
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WATCH: Radioactive Sewage Sludge Accumulates in Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=yhQepqpFQck&feature=player_embedded
This video was shot in July 2011 from the Keisei Line that goes from Narita Airport to Ueno Station in Tokyo. Radioactive treated sewage can be seen piling up in front of the Mikawashima Water Treatment Facility near Nippori Station. Visitors to Japan can take it all in during their ride in from the airport.
- - - - -
Unwanted radioactive sewage sludge piling up
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106070178.html
2011/06/08
Radioactive sewage sludge is quickly filling up treatment facilities in eastern Japan as recycling companies have refused to accept it for safety reasons.
The central government, which has only presented guidelines for temporary storage, plans to set standards on final disposal.
Radioactive cesium was first detected in sludge at a sewage treatment facility in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, on May 1.
Radioactive sewage sludge has since turned up at facilities in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and other prefectures.
Officials believe that radioactive materials from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant flowed into sewage pipes with rainwater and were condensed during sewage treatment. [ . . . ]
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Japan PM Naoto Kan urges nuclear-free future
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14137186
Protesters have targeted Naoto Kan for criticism on the nuclear issue
BBC World News, July 13, 2011
Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has called for his country to develop into a nuclear-free society, amid rising public anger at the continuing crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
In a televised news conference, Mr Kan said the country should harness renewable energy sources.
The 11 March earthquake and tsunami wrecked the Fukushima plant, which continues to leak radioactive material.
A large section of public opinion has turned against nuclear power.
About 30% of Japan's electricity was nuclear generated before the Fukushima crisis, and the country had targeted raising that figure to 53% by 2030.
But Mr Kan had already said this commitment should be scrapped.
On Wednesday, he went a step further, saying: "We will aim at realising a society which can exist without nuclear power."
He said the country should aim to develop alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass.
But he did not lay out a timescale for his plan. [ . . . ]
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Japan PM Contender Says Ditch Nuclear Power
http://tinyurl.com/6aztjcb
Stock Market News, July 4th, 2011
A leading contender to replace Naoto Kan as Japan’s prime minister has called for the country to phase out nuclear power over the next two decades.
Seiji Maehara, one of the most popular figures in the ruling Democratic party, told the Financial Times in an interview that construction of new nuclear reactors should basically be stopped” following the crisis at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi atomic plant.
Mr Maehara’s comments — seen as a strong candidate to succeed Mr Kan — will fuel expectations that the nuclear crisis will prompt sweeping changes in Japan’s energy policy.
The Mainichi newspaper reported that Yoshito Sengoku, chief cabinet secretary, was backing a confidential plan to separate the electricity generation and distribution arms of Tokyo Electric Power, Fukushima’s operator, and nationalise its nuclear assets. [ . . . ]
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A Governor’s Power to Shape the Future of a Nuclear Japan
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/world ... .html?_r=3
By New York Times, July 2, 2011
SAGA, Japan — In a nation plagued by weak political leadership, it has fallen to the local governor of an obscure southern prefecture to make a crucial decision that could help determine the future of nuclear power in in Japan after the Fukushima Daiichi accident.
The governor, Yasushi Furukawa of Saga Prefecture, must decide in coming days whether to support a request by Prime Minister Naoto Kan to restart two reactors at a local nuclear plant that have been shut down since last winter for regular maintenance. There are growing warnings here that if he decides no, and other governors follow his lead, every nuclear reactor in Japan could end up idled in less than a year. [ . . . ]
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Meltdown: What Really Happened at Fukushima?
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2011/07/
meltdown-what-really-happened-fukushima/39541/
Jake Edelstein and David McNeill, The Atlantic Wire, July 2, 2011
It’s been one of the mysteries of Japan’s ongoing nuclear disaster: How much of the damage did the March 11 earthquake inflict on Fukushima Daiichi’s reactors in the 40 minutes before the devastating tsunami arrived? The stakes are high: If the quake alone structurally compromised the plant and the safety of its nuclear fuel, then every other similar reactor in Japan is at risk.
Throughout the months of lies and misinformation, one story has stuck: "The earthquake knocked out the plant’s electric power, halting cooling to its reactors," as the government spokesman Yukio Edano said at a March 15 press conference in Tokyo.
The story, which has been repeated again and again, boils down to this: "after the earthquake, the tsunami -- a unique, unforeseeable [the Japanese word is soteigai] event -- then washed out the plant’s back-up generators, shutting down all cooling and starting the chain of events that would cause the world’s first triple meltdown to occur."
But what if recirculation pipes and cooling pipes, burst, snapped, leaked, and broke completely after the earthquake -- long before the tidal wave reached the facilities, long before the electricity went out? This would surprise few people familiar with the 40-year-old Unit 1, the grandfather of the nuclear reactors still operating in Japan.
The authors have spoken to several workers at the plant who recite the same story: [ . . . ]
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13. US NUKES UPDATE
PHOTOS: Wildfire threatens nuclear facility
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/07/
wildfire_threatens_nuclear_fac.html
July 1, 2011
The Las Conchas wildfire in New Mexico spread dangerously close to the Los Alamos National Laboratory this week, causing the evacuation of the town and the shutdown of the lab, which is the headquarters for US military research. The laboratory was created during World War II to develop the first atomic bomb for the Manhattan Project and houses highly sensitive materials. As a precaution, scientists are monitoring radioactivity in the air. The fire is the largest wildfire in the state's history, covering more than 100,000 acres.(Editor's Note: We will not post on Monday, July 4th, we'll see you again on Wednesday, July 6, 2011.) -Leanne Burden Seidel
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Fukushima Spews, Los Alamos Burns, Vermont Rages and We’ve Almost Lost Nebraska
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/06/29-1
by Harvey Wasserman Published on Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Humankind is now threatened by the simultaneous implosion, explosion, incineration, courtroom contempt and drowning of its most lethal industry.
We know only two things for certain: worse is yet to come, and those in charge are lying about it---at least to the extent of what they actually know, which is nowhere near enough.
Indeed, the assurances from the nuke power industry continue to flow like the floodwaters now swamping the Missouri Valley heartland.
But major breakthroughs have come from a Pennsylvania Senator and New York’s Governor on issues of evacuation and shut-down. And a public campaign for an end to loan guarantees could put an end to the US industry once and for all. [ . . . ]
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HOFFMAN: San Onofre: A trillion-dollar threat to SoCal; Tritium 101
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/07/
san-onofre-trillion-dollar-threat-to.html
by Ace Hoffman July 12th, 2011
Dear Readers,
San Onofre Nuclear Waste Generating Station (SONWGS) is a pair of aging Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) in the midst of Southern California's burgeoning, vibrant, forward-thinking, technologically advanced, interconnected, health-conscious population.
It doesn't belong here at all, and it's well past time to get rid of it.
Conceived in the 1950s, the two units that still operate were designed in the 60s, built in the 70s, went online in the 80s, and have been falling apart ever since. And they have been piling up nuclear waste along our coast ever since, too -- at the horrific rate of 500 pounds per day, with nowhere to put it. There are over eight million pounds of so-called "spent fuel" at the site right now -- making it potentially worse than Fukushima in an accident.
And "spent fuel" is quite a euphemism, considering that after use, it is about 10 million times MORE hazardous than before it went into the reactor. And it will remain so for tens of thousands of years. After use, it's full of biological-systems targeting fission products. [ . . . ]
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WATCH: As Obama Quietly Pushes for a Nuclear Weapons Renaissance, Wildfire Threatens Los Alamos Nuclear Lab
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/28/
as_obama_quietly_pushes_for_a
June 28, 2011
In New Mexico, an out-of-control wildfire that began Sunday has already burned nearly 80 square miles and is a mile or less from Los Alamos National Laboratory, home to a nuclear weapons plutonium facility. Pieces of ash from the fire have dropped onto the laboratory grounds, sparking "spot" fires. A senior investigator with the Project on Government Oversight said a fire at the facility would be a "disaster" that could result in large and lethal releases of radiation. Officials insist explosive materials on the laboratory’s grounds are safely stored in underground bunkers made of concrete and steel. But the group, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, told the Associated Press that the fire appeared to be about 3.5 miles from a dump site where as many as 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste were stored in fabric tents above ground. The group said the drums were awaiting transport to a low-level radiation dump site in southern New Mexico. We speak with Greg Mello, the director of the Los Alamos Study Group, a citizen-led nuclear disarmament group based in New Mexico. “Los Alamos Lab is becoming the center of plutonium manufacture for the country,” Mello says, even though “it’s a place with a lot of natural hazards, not just fire, but also earthquakes.” [includes rush transcript]
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14. EATON: FRANCE: Droughts threatening Nuclear Reactor Complex [Digest & Summary of 5 Articles]
From: "Janet M Eaton"
Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2011 11:26 AM
Dear All:
On the heels of the Fukushima meltdown with its threat to humanity and to the nuclear industry come further threats from the flooding of rivers in the U.S. and prolonged drought in France reducing the levels and volume of water in rivers which are used to cool France's plethora of inland power plants. On June 9, Nebraska´s Cooper Nuclear Power Station near Brownville, advised it was unable to discharge sludge into the Missouri River due to flooding, and therefore "overtopped" its sludge pond...[2]
While In France the worst drought in at least 35 years is threatening France´s complex nuclear reactor network which supplies France with nearly 80% of the country´s electricity from 59 operating nuclear reactors of which 44 are cooled by river water. [1]
The crisis in France is particularly critical and potentially catastrophic. L'Observatoire nucléaire - a non-government organisation that monitors France's nuclear reactors warned that the drop in water levels posed "serious threat" to the 44 reactors noting: "If they were to dry up, there exists a real risk of fusion of the (reactor) cores and thus an accident comparable to the one currently under way in Fukushima (Japan)"
Other reports have also noted the disruption of ecosystems caused by the drought which is lowering water levels and overheating river systems. Not to mention the impact to agriculture already being experienced.
France has created a special "surveillance cell" to monitor electricity supply amid fears a severe drought could force 44 of its nuclear reactors to cut production levels.... [4]
It should be noted that France is the world's largest net exporter of electric power, providing 18 percent of its total electrical power generation to neighboring, Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, as its nuclear base allows its electrical generating
costs to be among the lowest in Europe. [3] At the same time both Germany and Switzerland have decided to phase out their nuclear power infrastructure, while an Italian plebiscite June 12, 13th overwhelmingly rejected Berlusconi´s intention to restart the
country´s dormant nuclear program. [2]
Fortunately, as Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research [IEER] notes below: " there are sources of electricity that emit no greenhouse
gases and use no cooling water at all e.g. wind power, solar cells, tidal plants, and plants that tap wave energy. He concludes: "Many problems arising from climate change have been researched and much discussed. But this particular problem – a negative spiral of diminishing water supplies and diminishing electricity supplies strangling society - is not one of them. It is essential that discussions of energy policy take note of it." [5]
FYI- janet
===========================
[1] Nuclear is Drying out in France - Nuclear faces an extreme drought
http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/post/
nuclear-is-drying-out-in-france-%E2%80%93-nuclear-faces-an-extreme-drought/
Published on June 20, 2011 | By Jennifer Helgeson greenconduct.com/news
EXCERPT:
.... the worst drought in at least 35 years (according to the French farming unions) is threatening France´s complex nuclear reactor network. France gets 78.8 % of the country´s electricity from 59 operating nuclear reactors; this is the highest percentage in the world. As 44 of the 59 reactors are cooled by river water (the rest are located on the coast), the drought conditions seriously threaten energy supply.
The French government has established a committee to monitor the electricity supply with regards to river flow. Any reduction on the part of France in nuclear energy production could affect large parts of Europe. France is the world´s largest net energy exporter; 18 percent of the energy generated by France is exported to Great Britain, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands at present. About half of the nuclear reactors in France are older than 25 years and are coming online for replacement. Thus, should France decide to do so, it is a prime time to switch direction in energy generation methodology. In many ways, the direction will depend on the severity of the current drought on France´s ability to generate nuclear power reliably.....
-----------------------------------------
[2] HAVEN OF VERMONT: Hot Fusion in a Changing Climate
http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/2011/06/
haven-vermont-hot-fusion-changing-climate
Submitted by Simha Bode on Mon, 06/20/2011 - 5:18pm.
In a time of Climate Extremes such as the present, hot-fusion Nuclear Power's viability is being tested by Mother Nature. Nuclear power production is being threatened by the flooding in Nebraska and the droughts in France, along with the threat of energy production, is the threat to our livable environment!
- - - - -
On June 9, Nebraska´s other plant, Cooper Nuclear Power Station near Brownville, filed a Notice of Unusual Event (NOUE), advising it is unable to discharge sludge into the Missouri River due to flooding, and therefore "overtopped" its sludge pond...
- - - - - -
Most French rivers have seen a significant drop in their water levels because the drought has affected half of the country's counties, which farming unions maintain is the worst in 35 years.
- - - - - - -
Since Fuskushima erupted, both Germany and Switzerland have decided to phase out their nuclear power infrastructure, while an Italian plebiscite on 12 - 13 June overwhelmingly rejected Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi´s intention to restart the country´s dormant nuclear program.
------------------------
[3] Water Shortages Threatening France's Nuclear Reactor Complex
http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/
Water-Shortages-Threatening-France-s-Nuclear-Reactor-Complex.html
Written by John Daly Thursday, 16 June 2011 12:31
Nuclear energy company executives worldwide can be forgiven for wondering if Mother Nature is pursuing a vendetta against them.
The 11 March 9.0 Richter scale earthquake that rattled Japan saw its shoreline structures survive, but the 50-foot waves generated by tsunami that followed less than an hour later destroyed many Japanese coastal installations and knocked out power to Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) six nuclear reactor complex at Fukushima, instigating a crisis that has yet to be resolved.
Now, half a world away, a shortage of water is threatening France´s nuclear reactor complex, as the region´s worst drought in more than a half-century drains rivers and free-flowing water to cooling reactors.....
Given its commitment, France is the world's largest net exporter of electric power, providing 18 percent of its total electrical power generation to neighboring, Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, as its nuclear base allows it electrical generating
costs among the lowest in Europe.
------------------------------
[4] French drought fears cause government to set up 'surveillance cell'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... pe/france/
8546573/French-drought-fears-cause-government-to-set-up-surveillance-cell.html
By Henry Samuel, Paris May 30, 2011
Many French rivers have seen water levels drop due to a drought that has struck half of the country's 100 departments or counties and which farming unions say is the worst since 1976. Some 44 out of France's 58 reactors are by fresh waterways, with the remainder located by the sea.
L'Observatoire nucléaire - a non-government organisation that monitors France's nuclear reactors warned that the drop in water levels posed a "serious threat" to the 44 reactors. "If they were to dry up, there exists a real risk of fusion of the (reactor) cores and thus an accident comparable to the one currently under way in Fukushima (Japan)," it warned....
The French government has created a special "surveillance cell" to monitor electricity supply amid fears a severe drought could force 44 of its nuclear reactors to cut production levels....
------------------------------------
[5] LISTEN: Drought threatens nukes
http://www.ieer.org/op-eds/radio/17drought.html
By Arjun Makhijani
Transcript of radio commentary that aired in September 2003 on KUNM public radio 89.9 fm in Albuquerque
Listen with Real Audio
Nuclear power plants have often been touted as a solution to the problem of climate change because they emit no carbon dioxide. A moribund nuclear power industry hopes that this feature can rescue it from the dustbin of history. Congress is considering vast subsidies for nuclear power - once advertised as "too cheap to meter."
But climate change may kill the nuclear industry's hopes before it can conquer climate change. A severe drought last August in France, the nuclear power capital of the world, is the bearer of this bad news. It has cast doubt on the future reliability of France's electricity supply.
Like many nuclear power plants around the world, dozens of French nuclear reactors use huge amounts of river water for cooling. But the drought severely reduced the available water last August. Without enough water, the power output of some of these reactors had to be cut back, even as people were frantically buying up air-conditioners to keep cool. France gets about 80 percent of its electricity from nukes......
Many problems arising from climate change have been researched and much discussed. But this particular problem - a negative spiral of diminishing water supplies and diminishing electricity supplies strangling society - is not one of them. It is essential that discussions of energy policy take note of it.
Fortunately there are sources of electricity that emit no greenhouse gases and use no cooling water at all. Examples include wind power, solar cells, tidal plants, and plants that tap wave energy. The wind energy potential of 12 mid-western states, including North and South Dakota, Texas, and New Mexico equals three times the entire electricity output of the United States.
If you want to know more about nuclear power, renewable energy, and efficiency, visit the website of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research,
www.ieer.org.
This is Arjun Makhijani.
= = = = = = =
15. Crossroads on the Tundra: Baker Lake struggles under pressure to allow uranium mining
http://rabble.ca/news/2011/04/
crossroads-tundra-baker-lake-struggles-under-pressure-allow-uranium-mining
By Jamie Kneen, April 7, 2011
MiningWatch Canada Newsletter Number 30: Spring 2011
Baker Lake, Nunavut, is the geographic centre of Canada, but it's rarely the centre of attention for most Canadians. And yet what's going on here is nothing less than a test of democracy in Canada's newest territory. A huge complex of uranium mines is being proposed for the tundra west of Baker Lake, in the middle of important caribou habitat.
The community faces a stark choice: allow the mine to proceed in return for jobs, business opportunities, and royalties - or protect the long-term well-being of the wildlife, the ecosystem, and the community. The choice is made more stark by the fact that relatively little has been done to create other economic opportunities for one of the country's poorest communities. It's also made more complicated by the fact that there are other mines being proposed for other metals, and one, the Meadowbank gold mine, is already in operation. [ . . . ]
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16. New threat to Grand Canyon and clean water!
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/676/p/dia/
action/public/?action_KEY=7264
Recently, we asked you to take action to protect our most treasured places and our clean water and you responded.
In June, after more than 300,000 people sent comments to the Interior Department, the Obama Administration announced their intention to prevent new uranium mining in the Grand Canyon.
The Administration is also considering new rules to keep the waters in our rivers, lakes and streams clean. Thousands of you sent messages supporting these efforts.
Now Congress is trying to un-do these common sense proposals
Last week, Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced a new spending bill for 2012 that would dramatically cut the budgets of environmental agencies. The bill also contains riders that would exempt polluters from science-based regulations.
The House appropriations bill would:
Cut the Environmental Protection Agency's budget by 20%
Overrule the Department of the Interior's provisional decision to protect the Grand Canyon from new uranium mining
Prevent the EPA from taking steps to protect streams that flow only part of the year from harmful pollution.
This is outrageous!
We need your help to stop this bill. Members of the House need to know that the American people don't want Congress to gut environmental protection.
(AMERICAN RESIDENTS: TAKE ACTION: Click here to tell Congress to protect the Grand Canyon and clean water by rejecting this bad spending bill! )
Thanks,
Lauren Pagel, EARTHWORKS' Policy Director
Instructions:
Go to the action page.
Read the sample letter and edit it if possible. Customized letters have greater impact.
Click "Send My Message" to send a message to your Member of Congress.
= = = = = =
17. World Nuclear News - Weekly 5-11 July 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=0ce59fd0c6&e=7a6d90bce5
1. PETITION: The Committee for Future Generations
2. COMING EVENT: Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
3. SIGN PETITION: Nuclear Free by 2045
4. Lac Seul First Nation Opposes Nuclear Waste Storage Within Traditional Territory
5. CURRY: Angela Merkel, physicist
6. EDWARDS: DO RADIOACTIVE WASTES PRODUCE HEAT?
7. RESOURCE: The Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan (CCGS)
8. Turning Point - Spring 2011 Issue Now Available Online (2 Excerpts)
9. "Nuclear Power's Other Tragedy: Communities Living With Uranium Mining"
10. Harper's Great AECL RIP-OFF
11. MiningWatch Canada Newsletter 30: Spring 2011 - PDF version
12. JAPAN NUKES UPDATE
13. US NUKES UPDATE
14. EATON: FRANCE: Droughts threatening Nuclear Reactor Complex [Digest & Summary of 5 Articles]
15. Crossroads on the Tundra: Baker Lake struggles under pressure to allow uranium mining
16. New threat to Grand Canyon and clean water!
17. World Nuclear News - Weekly 5-11 July 2011
= = = = = = = = =
1. PETITION: The Committee for Future Generations
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
PETITION: Scroll down to Northern Saskatchewan Says No To Nuclear Waste and Click on Links in article…..
The Committee for Future Generations has launched a petition calling on the Saskatchewan Government to permanently ban nuclear waste storage & transportation into, out of & through Saskatchewan.
Read the Open Letter to the People of Saskatchewan & share widely.
The Committee is planning an 820 km walk from Pinehouse to Regina this summer to raise awareness of this issue. They will be collecting petitions calling for a legislated ban on nuclear waste. Stay tuned or contact the group for more details.
The Committee is encouraging the formation of chapters in other communities to demonstrate solidarity to Say No to Nuclear Waste.
Post on the Facebook page or send an email to
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
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2. COMING EVENT: "Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
The Committee for Future Generations is gearing up for its summer campaign to demand a legislated ban on nuclear waste in Saskatchewan.
This from the Committee:
Dear Committee Members, Friends and Supporters:
RE: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
The Committee of Future Generations is announcing our walk against nuclear waste, departing July 27th, 2011 from Pinehouse for the Regina Legislature.
The purpose of this walk is to wake people up to the grave dangers of storing millions of radioactive nuclear bundles in Saskatchewan, and to take action by signing a petition to the government to legislate a ban against nuclear waste.
As we pass through each community, we hope to be joined by as many people as possible, and will collect petitions from the surrounding area via adjoining highways. By the end of our walk, we hope to have collected the equivalent of 100 signatures per kilometer on this petition.
Our route will be Pinehouse > Beauval > Green Lake > Big River > Prince Albert > Saskatoon > Regina. We're aiming at 30 km/day, with a rest day in P.A., which on paper calculates to 29 days, so we expect to arrive in Regina anytime after August 24th.
Committee artists have almost completed a beautiful traditional painting for our walk logo, endearingly depicting the love and care for future generations. We're looking at having t-shirts and prints made with this logo as a fundraiser. We'll make the posters available for you to advertise as soon as they're ready.
In the meantime, whether or not your community is on the walk route, please contact any groups and individuals that may be interested in joining us for any length possible.
As well, if you know of any groups and individuals who may be interested in donating funds and/or any kind of support like water, food, lodging etc. to the walk, please let us know and we'll follow proper protocol by contacting them in person if possible, backed up with a letter from our committee. (Please remember when communicating with potential supporters, to be clear that our walk is against nuclear waste.)
Looking forward to our combined effort for success on this inspirational venture.
Together in Community,
Max Morin, President
Committee for Future Generations
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
Let's Be Active Participants in the Lives of Our Children's Children
= = = = = =
3. SIGN PETITION: Nuclear Free by 2045
http://nf2045.blogspot.com/
One century of the nuclear era is enough! This blog is a campaign to make the world nuclear free before the centennial of the Trinity Nuclear Bomb Test at Alomogordo, July 16, 1945 and the bombs that were dropped soon after on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
2011/07/10
One nuclear century is enough! Please add your name to the petition at the bottom of this page.
"So anyone who claims that I am a dreamer who expects to transform hell into heaven is wrong. I have few illusions. But I feel a responsibility to work towards the things I consider good and right. I don't know whether I'll be able to change certain things for the better, or not at all. Both outcomes are possible. There is only one thing I will not concede: that it might be meaningless to strive in a good cause." - Vaclav Havel
I came up with the idea for this petition after having lived in Japan during the spring of 2011. Before this experience I had been gradually coming around to the belief that nuclear energy was the least bad energy alternative that we have to accept - that is, if I thought about it all. I knew the arguments that coal and oil extraction kill more people each year than radiation. I agreed with the pro-nuclear side that it was a matter of risk assessment and trade-offs. One cannot just advocate that everything dangerous should be abolished. However, I now say that it is my rational risk assessment that makes me conclude that the nuclear age has to end. [ . . . ]
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4. Lac Seul First Nation Opposes Nuclear Waste Storage Within Traditional Territory
http://www.marketwire.com/news_room/
PreSearchType=org&q=Lac+Seul+First+Nation
LAC SEUL FIRST NATION, ONTARIO, Media Release. July 12, 2011
Chief Clifford Bull and the Council of the Lac Seul First Nation have announced that the Lac Seul Band will not support any nuclear waste storage initiatives by regional municipalities within the LSFN traditional territory.
"We are aware that the towns such as Sioux Lookout, Ignace and Ear Falls have either expressed or are expressing their interest as potential host repository sites for nuclear waste, in response to the recent call for Expressions of Interest by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization," said Chief Bull.
"We borrow this world from our children, and Lac Seul does not want to create an impossible problem for our future generations to struggle with."
Lac Seul First Nation stands with the Grand Council of Treaty 3, Nishnawbe Aski Nation, and many Northwestern Ontario First Nations in opposing the potential development of nuclear waste storage sites. "This is not a matter of consultation and
accommodation for Lac Seul. This is a matter of opposition," stated Chief Bull. [ . . . ]
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5. CURRY: Angela Merkel, physicist
From: "Bill Curry" <prairie@web.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2011 9:07 AM
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel jolted the nuclear industry on the weekend with her announcement that Europe's industrial powerhouse will close all 17 of its nuclear reactors by 2022, pulling the plug on a technology that until recently supplied Germany wth 23% of its power." (Globe & Mail, May 31, 2011 - See Below: "Getting nervous about nuclear)
Among pronuclear reactions to this and previous announcements, we have been hearing diatribes denouncing German authorities as a bunch of know-nothings, etc. Chancellor Merkel is a physicist. Her doctoral dissertation was in quantum chemistry.
For a number of years, Dr Merkel was the German minister responsible for Environment and Nuclear Safety. As Chancellor, she has supported nuclear expansion, making the current German decision all the more significant. Chancellor Merkel understands the operations, complexities and risks of nuclear, so this was a deeply considered technical and political decision.
The nuclear industry also throws up the "if not nuclear, therefore coal" fallacy. Angela Merkel presides over a country that has made enormous strides with all form of renewables. It already demonstrates the viability of these energy systems. Though still faced with the problems of decommissioning and dealing with its nuclear wastes, Germany is determined
and confident to become an advanced non-nuclear society.
Canadian authorities and the Canadian people have a lot to learn from Germany.
EcoHealth, Just Peace,
Bill Curry
Wynyard, SK
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Getting nervous about nuclear power
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/
getting-nervous-about-nuclear-power/article2040659/
SHAWN McCARTHY AND RICHARD BLACKWELL
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail
Published Monday, May. 30, 2011 9:46PM EDT
Last updated Saturday, Jun. 04, 2011 11:18AM EDT
The meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima power station unleashed a wave that threatens to swamp the nuclear industry’s much-hyped global renaissance, although many governments insist nuclear remains a favoured option as they face hard choices over future energy supply.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel jolted the nuclear industry on the weekend with her announcement that Europe’s industrial powerhouse will close all 17 of its nuclear reactors by 2022, pulling the plug on a technology that until recently supplied Germany with 23 per cent of its power
The announcement is bound to send further shock waves through an industry grappling with the consequences of the Fukushima disaster. It will certainly cause casualties – both directly as some governments back away from their nuclear ambitions, and indirectly, by forcing the industry to improve its safety technology, further raising the already daunting price of new reactors. [ . . . ]
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"A Reversal of the Nuclear Phase-Out is Hard to Imagine"
http://www.spiegel.de/international/ger ... 97,00.html
by Michael Scott Moore, by Der Spiegel on-line, July 1, 2011
It's been tried before, but this time Germany means it: In about a decade, the world's fourth-largest industrial nation will have to get by without atomic energy, following parliament's approval of the government's nuclear phase-out plans on Thursday.
German commentators agree there is no going back.
Thursday's vote by German lawmakers to approve the government's plan to shut down the country's nuclear power supply by 2022 was not just the culmination of a culture war lasting three decades; it also featured a little more colorful bickering before all five political parties reached a basic agreement. [ . . . ]
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6. EDWARDS: DO RADIOACTIVE WASTES PRODUCE HEAT?
http://www.ccnr.org/Radwaste_Heat.html
A background piece by Gordon Edwards, July 12, 2011
Once radioactive materials have been created, nobody knows how to shut off the radioactivity. Radioactivity is caused by the spontaneous disintegration of unstable
atoms; in fact the unit of radioactivity is the "becquerel" which indicates that one disintegration is taking place every second. If we knew how to shut off radioactivity,
there would be no nuclear waste problem.
In a nuclear reactor, under normal operation, more than 90 percent of the heat is produced by splitting uranium atoms -- this process is called nuclear fission, and it CAN be stopped. That's why every reactor has control rods (for slow shutdown) and shut-off rods (for fast shutdown).
But radioactivity cannot be shut off, so even after the fission process has been totally stopped (no more splitting of atoms), a lot of heat is still being produced by the disintegrating atoms of the radioactive waste materials in the core of the reactor.
This "unstoppable" heat, due to radioactivity alone, is called "decay heat".
For example, in a 1000 megawatt reactor, immediately after shutdown the decay heat would be about 200 megawatts. And if the pumps do not keep pumping water through the core to remove that decay heat, the fuel will get hotter and hotter as more and more
heat is added, so the temperature will rise higher and higher until the fuel itself begins to melt at about 2800 degrees celsius.
The radioactive wastes inside a nuclear reactor are not just hot, but they actually GENERATE heat – like a furnace that just never stops burning. So there is really no limit as to how hot the surroundings can get if that heat is allowed to keep building up. The wastes from the core of a nuclear reactor that has recently been shut down generate so much heat that they will eventually melt through any container they are in, unless
there is a method for removing the heat as it is being produced. That's why nuclear reactors need to keep pumping coolant through the core of the reactor for days and weeks after shutdown.
Because of the decay heat, the irradiated fuel that is removed from the core of the reactor after it is "used up" or "spent" has to be stored in a deep pool of circulating water which is used to cool the fuel for at least 7 to 10 years. If the fuel is uncovered during the first few years it will slowly overheat and eventually damage its metallic container at hundreds of degrees celsius and release a lot of radioactive gasses and vapours into the air.
The problem is that even though the fuel is "spent" (meaning the fission process no longer works well) it still contains an enormous quantity of radioactive junk (mostly the unstable broken pieces of atoms that were created when the atoms were split -- these are called the "fission products") and that's where the heat comes from -- from the unremitting and unstoppable disintegration of trillions and trillions of unstable atoms.
AECL has produced graphs showing how the decay heat from buried spent fuel will heat up the underground rock formations, which will finally return to their "ambient level" of temperature after about 50,000 years.
'This graphic is taken from one of the technical appendices of AECL's EIS for the Geologic Disposal Concept. The dark horizontal layers represent underground rock strata, whereas the brightly coloured portion in the first graphic represents the buried spent fuel. Colours are used to indicate temperatures. The decay heat from the spent fuel raises the temperature of the surrounding rock strata for thousands of years, because the heat cannot escape. However the heat output does decrease over time, so the temperatures will eventually return to more normal levels, close to the "ambient temperature" they started with.'
Gordon Edwards, Ph.D., President,
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
www.ccnr.org
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7. RESOURCE: The Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan (CCGS)
https://sites.google.com/site/cleangree ... clear_info
Welcome to the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan's website.
As citizens we face a momentous public decision regarding our province's future. Use this website to become more informed about the nuclear issue and renewable energy alternatives in Saskatchewan. The "Learn More" section has detailed information and links on the key issues we are facing. Click on the links in the sidebar to your left to find pages on upcoming events, local communities, downloadable materials, and contact information. Take Action! has suggestions for what you can do. For regular updates, subscribe to our email information list. Send us an email or visit us on Facebook. Read more about us!
Contact Us
You can email us at cleangreensask@yahoo.ca
You can visit us on Facebook!
You may also subscribe to our information email list
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8. Turning Point - Spring 2011 Issue Now Available Online (2 Excerpts)
http://pgs.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/
TPt-1105_web.pdf
Newsletter of the Physicians for Global Survival
Is Nuclear Power Green? (Page 6)
. . . . Short term storage is usually two stages: cooling tanks where the rods are placed in circulating water for about ten years and cask assemblies requiring a further estimated 25 years of monitoring. “Permanent” disposition of nuclear wastes remains unproven. No plant has been successfully and completely decommissioned. An estimated 60 years will be required using as much as 50% more energy than needed for original construction. Mine sites also need reclamation. [ . . . ]
The Upside of Nuclear War (Page 11)
. . . . . Global warming would be eradicated. A limited war would bring global temperatures down to Little Ice Age levels; an all-out nuclear war would take us down to temperatures far below the Ice Ages.* Perhaps we could have a limited war that would lower temperatures just enough to offset global warming! Of course this would involve massive famine and disruption of climate, but that would help solve problem 1), above.
[ . . . ]
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9. "Nuclear Power's Other Tragedy: Communities Living With Uranium Mining"
http://earthworksaction.org/pubs/Nuclea ... dy-low.pdf
June 2011
INTRODUCTION
Uranium was first mined in the United States in 1871, but industrial-scale uranium mining boomed at the end of World War II and the dawn of the Atomic Age.1 The industry’s history of contaminating streams, rivers, lakes and groundwater with radioactive or toxic wastes is just as long, and it persists as abandoned open-pit mines from the Cold War era continue to leach pollutants into waterways, mostly on public or tribal lands, in 14 Western states. By 2009, 14 uranium mines were in operation in the U.S., and four were in situ operations that involve injecting chemical-laced solutions into the ground to dissolve uranium from ore and then pumping out the uranium-containing fluids. But as we will see, modern-day uranium exploration and mining are far from being as safe as they claim to be. The legacy and the future of uranium mining are threatening communities who, under the lax provisions of the 1872 Mining Law, have little recourse against the reach of large multinational mining companies. The new 21st century push for nuclear power in the U.S. and worldwide significantly increases the risk of future uranium development leading to more tragic contamination stories like those outlined in this report.
This report tells only some of the stories of communities impacted by uranium mining. We highlight the more serious cases of contamination from past and present mining. We spotlight the special places threatened by the devastating and lasting impacts of exploration and drilling. And we recommend policy changes that are urgently needed to protect the public from an industry whose byproducts too often include environmental degradation and health hazards. It is long past time that regulation of uranium mining is brought into the 21st Century. [ . . . ]
Full text (20 p.):
http://earthworksaction.org/pubs/Nuclea ... dy-low.pdf
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10. Harper's Great AECL RIP-OFF
Market offers verdict on nuclear option
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
Market+offers+verdict+nuclear+option/5087138/story.html
by Paul Hanley, Special to the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, July 12, 2011
Don't you wish you could have bought Atomic Energy of Canada (AECL) from the federal government? Had you been the buyer, you would have pocketed $60 million from the transaction. Sound like a strange deal? It is, but it's the kind of deal that is normal in the weird world of nuclear energy. [ . . . ]
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AECL saga shows Conservatives have no business being in government
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/
1018123--walkom-aecl-saga-shows-conservatives-have-no-business-being-in-government
By Thomas Walkom National Affairs Columnist July 1, 2011
Let me see if I’ve got this straight.
Stephen Harper’s Conservative government has agreed to sell the reactor division of its billion-dollar crown corporation, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., to the private firm SNC-Lavalin Inc.
But taxpayers aren’t guaranteed any money from this sale. In fact, when the back and forth is totalled (Lavalin gives Ottawa $15 million; Ottawa gives Lavalin $75 million), we end up paying $60 million for the privilege of no longer owning that chunk of AECL.
Lavalin gets the lion’s share of the nuclear technology company’s $1.1 billion worth of assets — including land, buildings and tools.
The public, on the other hand, is stuck with all of all of AECL’s $4.5 billion worth of liabilities.
That means, says Lavalin vice-president Leslie Quinton, that the public is still responsible for decommission existing AECL atomic reactors and disposing of their waste.
Canadian taxpayers are also on the hook for any cost overruns from past and current AECL projects, including an estimated $1 billion that New Brunswick says it is owed for its Point Lepreau nuclear power station. [ . . . ]
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AGREEMENT SIGNED TO ACQUIRE AECL’S COMMERCIAL REACTOR DIVISION BY CANDU ENERGY
http://www.snclavalin.com/
news.php?lang=en&action=press_release_details¤t_year=2011&id=1469
Toronto | June 29, 2011
CANDU Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. (TSX: SNC), is pleased to announce that it has agreed with the Government of Canada to acquire certain assets of Atomic Energy of Canada’s (AECL) commercial reactor division for a purchase price of $15 million and royalty payments from future new build and life extension projects. AECL will retain its past liabilities.
Approximately 1,200 employees are expected to be transitioned from AECL to CANDU Energy. [ . . . ]
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SNC-LAVALIN Board of directors:
http://www.snclavalin.com/investors_boa ... en　
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Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. sold to SNC-Lavalin Group for $15 million
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/aecl-sold-otta ... 36145.html
By Maria Babbage, The Canadian Press | The Canadian Press – Wed, 29 Jun, 2011
TORONTO - Ottawa unloaded Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.'s nuclear reactor business Wednesday to SNC-Lavalin Group, ending a two-year privatization saga for the troubled Crown corporation.
Called the crown jewel of Canadian technology, the company that has cost taxpayers $1.2 billion over the past five years was sold for a mere $15 million to the Montreal-based engineering giant.
SNC (TSX:SNC) has promised to protect 1,200 AECL jobs, but neither the company nor the federal government would say what will happen to the other 800 employees. [ . . .]
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800 jobs on the block after Atomic Energy sold to SNC-Lavalin
http://www.thestar.com/article/
1016964--atomic-energy-sold-to-snc-lavalin-for-15-million?bn=1
John Spears Business Reporter June 29, 2011
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has been sold to SNC-Lavalin Inc., federal minister of natural resources Joe Oliver announced Wednesday.
The new agreement will protect 1,200 jobs, but the union representing workers at AECL says that means about 800 jobs will be lost, most of them in Ontario. [ . . . ]
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Ottawa basically paying SNC to take AECL
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/06/29/
aecl-sale-snc-weston.html
By Greg Weston, Jun 29, 2011
The federal government's long-awaited deal to sell off its money-losing nuclear reactor business is more like a perpetual partnership than a sale, leaving Canadian taxpayers stuck with the fiscal fall-out for years to come.
The government-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. has announced it has finally reached a tentative deal to sell its commercial reactor development and repair division to Quebec-based engineering giant SNC-Lavalin.
The Montreal-based company was the only suitor in the world left at the negotiating table, a fact that helps to explain why the government is effectively paying SNC-Lavalin to take over the Crown corporation.
Under the deal, SNC will pay a paltry $15 million for AECL's nuclear reactor division, plus some as yet undisclosed "royalties" on future reactor sales.
In return, the government will give SNC up to $75 million toward the development of the next generation of AECL's once internationally successful Candu reactors.
In other words, Canadian taxpayers are giving the Quebec company $60 million to take AECL off their hands.
If that were the whole deal, it would actually be a bargain for taxpayers.
AECL may be world-famous for its Candu reactors, but it hasn't sold one in 15 years, and now generates mainly massive amounts of red ink, the Crown corporation having cost Canadian taxpayers more than $820 million last year alone. [ . . . ]
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Used nuclear company is no bargain
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editoria ... n/article/
927373--used-nuclear-company-is-no-bargain
Jack Gibbons, Toronto Star, Monday January 24 2011
(Jack Gibbons is chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.)
Hey buddy, want to buy a used nuclear company?
Sure, there’s a huge pile of debt under the hood and nobody will buy its products without massive taxpayer handouts, but there might be a few miles left in fixing crumbling reactors in Ontario and if it could ever get that New Brunswick job finished that would be one less anchor tied to the back bumper.
SNC Lavalin, the engineering and construction giant, and Bruce Power have both kicked the tires and decided to pass on the idea of buying Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL). But that hasn’t stopped Ontario Energy Minister Brad Duguid from asking taxpayers all across Canada to pony up for AECL so Ontario can build more high-cost nuclear generating stations. [. . . . ]
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Ottawa must get deal quickly on AECL: minister
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/ ... /20110118/
aecl-duguid-110118/20110118/?hub=TorontoNewHome
BY MARIA BABBAGE, Canadian Press, Mon Jan 17 2011
TORONTO -- With the sale of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. possibly in jeopardy, Ontario's energy minister is calling on Ottawa to move quickly in deciding the fate of the Crown-owned company.
Two major bidders for AECL have apparently bowed out, which leaves Ontario's plan to buy two nuclear units in limbo.
The federal government put AECL's troubled CANDU reactor business up for sale in 2009, which delayed the province's ability to move ahead with the purchase, Duguid said Monday.
"We feel the federal government has an obligation here to ensure that it gets this together quickly," he said in an interview. “They have a responsibility to Ontario and Ontario families to get their act together on this file."
The Conservative government also needs to get behind Canada's nuclear industry and the 70,000 workers it employs, Duguid added.
"What's been frustrating for us is that in most other countries with a nuclear industry, their national governments take a much greater level of commitment towards ensuring that that industry is viable," he said.
"We're not sure we're seeing that level of commitment from the federal government in the nuclear industry." [ . . . ]
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What Ever Happened to Linda Keen . . . .
http://voices-voix.ca/en/facts/profile/linda-keen
Former President and CEO of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)
Linda Keen was fired in January 2008 after closing down a nuclear reactor for safety reasons. The government cited a shortage of isotopes essential to medical tests and procedures.
It was a case of direct political interference of an arm’s length, independent regulator of a potentially hazardous industry.
The CNSC regulates Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) and its research reactor at Chalk River northwest of Ottawa. It produces 30% to 40% of the world’s medical isotopes. The reactor is built on a fault line. [ . . . ]
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BACKGROUND SOURCES:
http://voices-voix.ca/en/facts/profile/linda-keen
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11. MiningWatch Canada Newsletter 30: Spring 2011 - PDF version
http://www.miningwatch.ca/article/
newsletter-30-spring-2011-pdf-version
Jun 6, 2011
Contents (All Links are at URL above. Ed.)
Crossroads on the Tundra: Baker Lake struggles under pressure to allow uranium mining
Courting Justice: Victims of mining abuses sue in Canada
Having the Ruggie Pulled Out From Under Us: From “Sanction and Remedy” to non-judicial grievance mechanisms
Outdated Mining Act Leads to Multiple Conflicts Over Exploration and Mine Development in Quebec
Quebec Mining Conflicts from East to West, North to South
MiningWatch and Papua New Guinea Partners File Complaint on Porgera Mine
Mining Mongolia: Ivanhoe, T-shirts, NGOs, and Wikileaks
MiningWatch Canada
http://www.miningwatch.ca/
Changing public policy and mining practices to ensure the health of individuals, communities and ecosystems
Check back often for the latest updates.
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12. JAPAN NUKES UPDATE
Industry Views Prevail on Radiation Risks
https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/07/05-7
Health experts unheard on health effects of Fukushima
by Steve Rendall and Patrick Morrison Published on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 by Extra!
U.S. media coverage of the nuclear disaster in Japan contains vanishingly little serious discussion of the human health risks posed by the radiation escaping from the Fukushima nuclear facility.
In place of a discussion informed by experts on these risks, journalism largely conveys vague, industry-friendly reassurances, frequently including no sources with expertise on the health effects of radiation on humans.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sandocap/5605795213/
sizes/m/in/photostream/
New York Times reporter William Broad reported (3/22/11) that “health experts” deemed a radiation plume that had reached the U.S. from Japan to be harmless:
Health experts said that the plume’s radiation had been diluted enormously in its journey of thousands of miles and that—at least for now, with concentrations so low—its presence will have no health consequences in the United States. In a similar way, faint radiation from the Chernobyl disaster spread around the globe and reached the West Coast in 10 days, its levels detectable but minuscule. [ . . . ]
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Radiation Expert Predicts More Threats
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702304450604576419560689685524.html
BY YUKA HAYASHI, Wall Street Journal, July 2, 2011
TOKYO—A former nuclear adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan blasted the government's handling of the crisis, and predicted more revelations of radiation threats to the public in the coming months.
In his first media interview since resigning his post in protest in April, Toshiso Kosako, one of the country's leading experts on radiation safety, said Mr. Kan's government has been slow to test for dangers in the sea and to fish, and has understated certain radiation
threats to minimize clean-up costs. In his post, Mr. Kosako's role was to advise the prime minister on radiation safety.[ . . . ]
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WATCH: Radioactive Sewage Sludge Accumulates in Tokyo
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=yhQepqpFQck&feature=player_embedded
This video was shot in July 2011 from the Keisei Line that goes from Narita Airport to Ueno Station in Tokyo. Radioactive treated sewage can be seen piling up in front of the Mikawashima Water Treatment Facility near Nippori Station. Visitors to Japan can take it all in during their ride in from the airport.
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Unwanted radioactive sewage sludge piling up
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201106070178.html
2011/06/08
Radioactive sewage sludge is quickly filling up treatment facilities in eastern Japan as recycling companies have refused to accept it for safety reasons.
The central government, which has only presented guidelines for temporary storage, plans to set standards on final disposal.
Radioactive cesium was first detected in sludge at a sewage treatment facility in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, on May 1.
Radioactive sewage sludge has since turned up at facilities in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama and other prefectures.
Officials believe that radioactive materials from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant flowed into sewage pipes with rainwater and were condensed during sewage treatment. [ . . . ]
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Japan PM Naoto Kan urges nuclear-free future
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14137186
Protesters have targeted Naoto Kan for criticism on the nuclear issue
BBC World News, July 13, 2011
Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has called for his country to develop into a nuclear-free society, amid rising public anger at the continuing crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
In a televised news conference, Mr Kan said the country should harness renewable energy sources.
The 11 March earthquake and tsunami wrecked the Fukushima plant, which continues to leak radioactive material.
A large section of public opinion has turned against nuclear power.
About 30% of Japan's electricity was nuclear generated before the Fukushima crisis, and the country had targeted raising that figure to 53% by 2030.
But Mr Kan had already said this commitment should be scrapped.
On Wednesday, he went a step further, saying: "We will aim at realising a society which can exist without nuclear power."
He said the country should aim to develop alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass.
But he did not lay out a timescale for his plan. [ . . . ]
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Japan PM Contender Says Ditch Nuclear Power
http://tinyurl.com/6aztjcb
Stock Market News, July 4th, 2011
A leading contender to replace Naoto Kan as Japan’s prime minister has called for the country to phase out nuclear power over the next two decades.
Seiji Maehara, one of the most popular figures in the ruling Democratic party, told the Financial Times in an interview that construction of new nuclear reactors should basically be stopped” following the crisis at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi atomic plant.
Mr Maehara’s comments — seen as a strong candidate to succeed Mr Kan — will fuel expectations that the nuclear crisis will prompt sweeping changes in Japan’s energy policy.
The Mainichi newspaper reported that Yoshito Sengoku, chief cabinet secretary, was backing a confidential plan to separate the electricity generation and distribution arms of Tokyo Electric Power, Fukushima’s operator, and nationalise its nuclear assets. [ . . . ]
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A Governor’s Power to Shape the Future of a Nuclear Japan
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/world ... .html?_r=3
By New York Times, July 2, 2011
SAGA, Japan — In a nation plagued by weak political leadership, it has fallen to the local governor of an obscure southern prefecture to make a crucial decision that could help determine the future of nuclear power in in Japan after the Fukushima Daiichi accident.
The governor, Yasushi Furukawa of Saga Prefecture, must decide in coming days whether to support a request by Prime Minister Naoto Kan to restart two reactors at a local nuclear plant that have been shut down since last winter for regular maintenance. There are growing warnings here that if he decides no, and other governors follow his lead, every nuclear reactor in Japan could end up idled in less than a year. [ . . . ]
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Meltdown: What Really Happened at Fukushima?
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2011/07/
meltdown-what-really-happened-fukushima/39541/
Jake Edelstein and David McNeill, The Atlantic Wire, July 2, 2011
It’s been one of the mysteries of Japan’s ongoing nuclear disaster: How much of the damage did the March 11 earthquake inflict on Fukushima Daiichi’s reactors in the 40 minutes before the devastating tsunami arrived? The stakes are high: If the quake alone structurally compromised the plant and the safety of its nuclear fuel, then every other similar reactor in Japan is at risk.
Throughout the months of lies and misinformation, one story has stuck: "The earthquake knocked out the plant’s electric power, halting cooling to its reactors," as the government spokesman Yukio Edano said at a March 15 press conference in Tokyo.
The story, which has been repeated again and again, boils down to this: "after the earthquake, the tsunami -- a unique, unforeseeable [the Japanese word is soteigai] event -- then washed out the plant’s back-up generators, shutting down all cooling and starting the chain of events that would cause the world’s first triple meltdown to occur."
But what if recirculation pipes and cooling pipes, burst, snapped, leaked, and broke completely after the earthquake -- long before the tidal wave reached the facilities, long before the electricity went out? This would surprise few people familiar with the 40-year-old Unit 1, the grandfather of the nuclear reactors still operating in Japan.
The authors have spoken to several workers at the plant who recite the same story: [ . . . ]
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13. US NUKES UPDATE
PHOTOS: Wildfire threatens nuclear facility
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/07/
wildfire_threatens_nuclear_fac.html
July 1, 2011
The Las Conchas wildfire in New Mexico spread dangerously close to the Los Alamos National Laboratory this week, causing the evacuation of the town and the shutdown of the lab, which is the headquarters for US military research. The laboratory was created during World War II to develop the first atomic bomb for the Manhattan Project and houses highly sensitive materials. As a precaution, scientists are monitoring radioactivity in the air. The fire is the largest wildfire in the state's history, covering more than 100,000 acres.(Editor's Note: We will not post on Monday, July 4th, we'll see you again on Wednesday, July 6, 2011.) -Leanne Burden Seidel
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Fukushima Spews, Los Alamos Burns, Vermont Rages and We’ve Almost Lost Nebraska
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/06/29-1
by Harvey Wasserman Published on Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Humankind is now threatened by the simultaneous implosion, explosion, incineration, courtroom contempt and drowning of its most lethal industry.
We know only two things for certain: worse is yet to come, and those in charge are lying about it---at least to the extent of what they actually know, which is nowhere near enough.
Indeed, the assurances from the nuke power industry continue to flow like the floodwaters now swamping the Missouri Valley heartland.
But major breakthroughs have come from a Pennsylvania Senator and New York’s Governor on issues of evacuation and shut-down. And a public campaign for an end to loan guarantees could put an end to the US industry once and for all. [ . . . ]
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HOFFMAN: San Onofre: A trillion-dollar threat to SoCal; Tritium 101
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011/07/
san-onofre-trillion-dollar-threat-to.html
by Ace Hoffman July 12th, 2011
Dear Readers,
San Onofre Nuclear Waste Generating Station (SONWGS) is a pair of aging Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs) in the midst of Southern California's burgeoning, vibrant, forward-thinking, technologically advanced, interconnected, health-conscious population.
It doesn't belong here at all, and it's well past time to get rid of it.
Conceived in the 1950s, the two units that still operate were designed in the 60s, built in the 70s, went online in the 80s, and have been falling apart ever since. And they have been piling up nuclear waste along our coast ever since, too -- at the horrific rate of 500 pounds per day, with nowhere to put it. There are over eight million pounds of so-called "spent fuel" at the site right now -- making it potentially worse than Fukushima in an accident.
And "spent fuel" is quite a euphemism, considering that after use, it is about 10 million times MORE hazardous than before it went into the reactor. And it will remain so for tens of thousands of years. After use, it's full of biological-systems targeting fission products. [ . . . ]
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WATCH: As Obama Quietly Pushes for a Nuclear Weapons Renaissance, Wildfire Threatens Los Alamos Nuclear Lab
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/28/
as_obama_quietly_pushes_for_a
June 28, 2011
In New Mexico, an out-of-control wildfire that began Sunday has already burned nearly 80 square miles and is a mile or less from Los Alamos National Laboratory, home to a nuclear weapons plutonium facility. Pieces of ash from the fire have dropped onto the laboratory grounds, sparking "spot" fires. A senior investigator with the Project on Government Oversight said a fire at the facility would be a "disaster" that could result in large and lethal releases of radiation. Officials insist explosive materials on the laboratory’s grounds are safely stored in underground bunkers made of concrete and steel. But the group, Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, told the Associated Press that the fire appeared to be about 3.5 miles from a dump site where as many as 30,000 55-gallon drums of plutonium-contaminated waste were stored in fabric tents above ground. The group said the drums were awaiting transport to a low-level radiation dump site in southern New Mexico. We speak with Greg Mello, the director of the Los Alamos Study Group, a citizen-led nuclear disarmament group based in New Mexico. “Los Alamos Lab is becoming the center of plutonium manufacture for the country,” Mello says, even though “it’s a place with a lot of natural hazards, not just fire, but also earthquakes.” [includes rush transcript]
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14. EATON: FRANCE: Droughts threatening Nuclear Reactor Complex [Digest & Summary of 5 Articles]
From: "Janet M Eaton"
Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2011 11:26 AM
Dear All:
On the heels of the Fukushima meltdown with its threat to humanity and to the nuclear industry come further threats from the flooding of rivers in the U.S. and prolonged drought in France reducing the levels and volume of water in rivers which are used to cool France's plethora of inland power plants. On June 9, Nebraska´s Cooper Nuclear Power Station near Brownville, advised it was unable to discharge sludge into the Missouri River due to flooding, and therefore "overtopped" its sludge pond...[2]
While In France the worst drought in at least 35 years is threatening France´s complex nuclear reactor network which supplies France with nearly 80% of the country´s electricity from 59 operating nuclear reactors of which 44 are cooled by river water. [1]
The crisis in France is particularly critical and potentially catastrophic. L'Observatoire nucléaire - a non-government organisation that monitors France's nuclear reactors warned that the drop in water levels posed "serious threat" to the 44 reactors noting: "If they were to dry up, there exists a real risk of fusion of the (reactor) cores and thus an accident comparable to the one currently under way in Fukushima (Japan)"
Other reports have also noted the disruption of ecosystems caused by the drought which is lowering water levels and overheating river systems. Not to mention the impact to agriculture already being experienced.
France has created a special "surveillance cell" to monitor electricity supply amid fears a severe drought could force 44 of its nuclear reactors to cut production levels.... [4]
It should be noted that France is the world's largest net exporter of electric power, providing 18 percent of its total electrical power generation to neighboring, Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, as its nuclear base allows its electrical generating
costs to be among the lowest in Europe. [3] At the same time both Germany and Switzerland have decided to phase out their nuclear power infrastructure, while an Italian plebiscite June 12, 13th overwhelmingly rejected Berlusconi´s intention to restart the
country´s dormant nuclear program. [2]
Fortunately, as Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research [IEER] notes below: " there are sources of electricity that emit no greenhouse
gases and use no cooling water at all e.g. wind power, solar cells, tidal plants, and plants that tap wave energy. He concludes: "Many problems arising from climate change have been researched and much discussed. But this particular problem – a negative spiral of diminishing water supplies and diminishing electricity supplies strangling society - is not one of them. It is essential that discussions of energy policy take note of it." [5]
FYI- janet
===========================
[1] Nuclear is Drying out in France - Nuclear faces an extreme drought
http://www.climaticoanalysis.org/post/
nuclear-is-drying-out-in-france-%E2%80%93-nuclear-faces-an-extreme-drought/
Published on June 20, 2011 | By Jennifer Helgeson greenconduct.com/news
EXCERPT:
.... the worst drought in at least 35 years (according to the French farming unions) is threatening France´s complex nuclear reactor network. France gets 78.8 % of the country´s electricity from 59 operating nuclear reactors; this is the highest percentage in the world. As 44 of the 59 reactors are cooled by river water (the rest are located on the coast), the drought conditions seriously threaten energy supply.
The French government has established a committee to monitor the electricity supply with regards to river flow. Any reduction on the part of France in nuclear energy production could affect large parts of Europe. France is the world´s largest net energy exporter; 18 percent of the energy generated by France is exported to Great Britain, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands at present. About half of the nuclear reactors in France are older than 25 years and are coming online for replacement. Thus, should France decide to do so, it is a prime time to switch direction in energy generation methodology. In many ways, the direction will depend on the severity of the current drought on France´s ability to generate nuclear power reliably.....
-----------------------------------------
[2] HAVEN OF VERMONT: Hot Fusion in a Changing Climate
http://www.vtcommons.org/blog/2011/06/
haven-vermont-hot-fusion-changing-climate
Submitted by Simha Bode on Mon, 06/20/2011 - 5:18pm.
In a time of Climate Extremes such as the present, hot-fusion Nuclear Power's viability is being tested by Mother Nature. Nuclear power production is being threatened by the flooding in Nebraska and the droughts in France, along with the threat of energy production, is the threat to our livable environment!
- - - - -
On June 9, Nebraska´s other plant, Cooper Nuclear Power Station near Brownville, filed a Notice of Unusual Event (NOUE), advising it is unable to discharge sludge into the Missouri River due to flooding, and therefore "overtopped" its sludge pond...
- - - - - -
Most French rivers have seen a significant drop in their water levels because the drought has affected half of the country's counties, which farming unions maintain is the worst in 35 years.
- - - - - - -
Since Fuskushima erupted, both Germany and Switzerland have decided to phase out their nuclear power infrastructure, while an Italian plebiscite on 12 - 13 June overwhelmingly rejected Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi´s intention to restart the country´s dormant nuclear program.
------------------------
[3] Water Shortages Threatening France's Nuclear Reactor Complex
http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/
Water-Shortages-Threatening-France-s-Nuclear-Reactor-Complex.html
Written by John Daly Thursday, 16 June 2011 12:31
Nuclear energy company executives worldwide can be forgiven for wondering if Mother Nature is pursuing a vendetta against them.
The 11 March 9.0 Richter scale earthquake that rattled Japan saw its shoreline structures survive, but the 50-foot waves generated by tsunami that followed less than an hour later destroyed many Japanese coastal installations and knocked out power to Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) six nuclear reactor complex at Fukushima, instigating a crisis that has yet to be resolved.
Now, half a world away, a shortage of water is threatening France´s nuclear reactor complex, as the region´s worst drought in more than a half-century drains rivers and free-flowing water to cooling reactors.....
Given its commitment, France is the world's largest net exporter of electric power, providing 18 percent of its total electrical power generation to neighboring, Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, as its nuclear base allows it electrical generating
costs among the lowest in Europe.
------------------------------
[4] French drought fears cause government to set up 'surveillance cell'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... pe/france/
8546573/French-drought-fears-cause-government-to-set-up-surveillance-cell.html
By Henry Samuel, Paris May 30, 2011
Many French rivers have seen water levels drop due to a drought that has struck half of the country's 100 departments or counties and which farming unions say is the worst since 1976. Some 44 out of France's 58 reactors are by fresh waterways, with the remainder located by the sea.
L'Observatoire nucléaire - a non-government organisation that monitors France's nuclear reactors warned that the drop in water levels posed a "serious threat" to the 44 reactors. "If they were to dry up, there exists a real risk of fusion of the (reactor) cores and thus an accident comparable to the one currently under way in Fukushima (Japan)," it warned....
The French government has created a special "surveillance cell" to monitor electricity supply amid fears a severe drought could force 44 of its nuclear reactors to cut production levels....
------------------------------------
[5] LISTEN: Drought threatens nukes
http://www.ieer.org/op-eds/radio/17drought.html
By Arjun Makhijani
Transcript of radio commentary that aired in September 2003 on KUNM public radio 89.9 fm in Albuquerque
Listen with Real Audio
Nuclear power plants have often been touted as a solution to the problem of climate change because they emit no carbon dioxide. A moribund nuclear power industry hopes that this feature can rescue it from the dustbin of history. Congress is considering vast subsidies for nuclear power - once advertised as "too cheap to meter."
But climate change may kill the nuclear industry's hopes before it can conquer climate change. A severe drought last August in France, the nuclear power capital of the world, is the bearer of this bad news. It has cast doubt on the future reliability of France's electricity supply.
Like many nuclear power plants around the world, dozens of French nuclear reactors use huge amounts of river water for cooling. But the drought severely reduced the available water last August. Without enough water, the power output of some of these reactors had to be cut back, even as people were frantically buying up air-conditioners to keep cool. France gets about 80 percent of its electricity from nukes......
Many problems arising from climate change have been researched and much discussed. But this particular problem - a negative spiral of diminishing water supplies and diminishing electricity supplies strangling society - is not one of them. It is essential that discussions of energy policy take note of it.
Fortunately there are sources of electricity that emit no greenhouse gases and use no cooling water at all. Examples include wind power, solar cells, tidal plants, and plants that tap wave energy. The wind energy potential of 12 mid-western states, including North and South Dakota, Texas, and New Mexico equals three times the entire electricity output of the United States.
If you want to know more about nuclear power, renewable energy, and efficiency, visit the website of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research,
www.ieer.org.
This is Arjun Makhijani.
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15. Crossroads on the Tundra: Baker Lake struggles under pressure to allow uranium mining
http://rabble.ca/news/2011/04/
crossroads-tundra-baker-lake-struggles-under-pressure-allow-uranium-mining
By Jamie Kneen, April 7, 2011
MiningWatch Canada Newsletter Number 30: Spring 2011
Baker Lake, Nunavut, is the geographic centre of Canada, but it's rarely the centre of attention for most Canadians. And yet what's going on here is nothing less than a test of democracy in Canada's newest territory. A huge complex of uranium mines is being proposed for the tundra west of Baker Lake, in the middle of important caribou habitat.
The community faces a stark choice: allow the mine to proceed in return for jobs, business opportunities, and royalties - or protect the long-term well-being of the wildlife, the ecosystem, and the community. The choice is made more stark by the fact that relatively little has been done to create other economic opportunities for one of the country's poorest communities. It's also made more complicated by the fact that there are other mines being proposed for other metals, and one, the Meadowbank gold mine, is already in operation. [ . . . ]
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16. New threat to Grand Canyon and clean water!
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/676/p/dia/
action/public/?action_KEY=7264
Recently, we asked you to take action to protect our most treasured places and our clean water and you responded.
In June, after more than 300,000 people sent comments to the Interior Department, the Obama Administration announced their intention to prevent new uranium mining in the Grand Canyon.
The Administration is also considering new rules to keep the waters in our rivers, lakes and streams clean. Thousands of you sent messages supporting these efforts.
Now Congress is trying to un-do these common sense proposals
Last week, Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced a new spending bill for 2012 that would dramatically cut the budgets of environmental agencies. The bill also contains riders that would exempt polluters from science-based regulations.
The House appropriations bill would:
Cut the Environmental Protection Agency's budget by 20%
Overrule the Department of the Interior's provisional decision to protect the Grand Canyon from new uranium mining
Prevent the EPA from taking steps to protect streams that flow only part of the year from harmful pollution.
This is outrageous!
We need your help to stop this bill. Members of the House need to know that the American people don't want Congress to gut environmental protection.
(AMERICAN RESIDENTS: TAKE ACTION: Click here to tell Congress to protect the Grand Canyon and clean water by rejecting this bad spending bill! )
Thanks,
Lauren Pagel, EARTHWORKS' Policy Director
Instructions:
Go to the action page.
Read the sample letter and edit it if possible. Customized letters have greater impact.
Click "Send My Message" to send a message to your Member of Congress.
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17. World Nuclear News - Weekly 5-11 July 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=0ce59fd0c6&e=7a6d90bce5
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
NUKE NEWS: July 21, 2011
by Oscar » Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:59 am
NUKE NEWS: July 21, 2011
1. Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste - Pinehouse to Regina – starts July 27
2. PETITION: Permanently Ban Nuclear Waste Storage & Transportation into, of out & through Saskatchewan
3. Gov't too young to adopt habits of long-in-tooth - April 16, 2011
4. NO NUKE NEWS: - Check back often!
5. NEW: Know Nuclear Waste
6. WATCH: FOGAL: Dangerous Radioactive rain in Lake Louise, BC
7. Aging nuclear plant threatens Lake Michigan
8. France includes nuclear power exit among options
9. Ending Nuclear Evil
10. The Nuclear Disconnect – Part 1
11. Antinuke stance within establishment slowly gathers steam
12. Murakami puts a bomb under his compatriots' atomic complacency
13. Japan's Tsunami: The First 24 Hours
14. EDWARDS: Thorium Reactors: Back to the Dream Factory
15. PETITION: JAPAN: Say "no" to nuclear business-as-usual
16. JAPAN UPDATE
17. Who has final say over the fate of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant?
18. Report Reveals America Now Receives More Power From Renewable Sources Than Nuclear
19. Montérégie wind farm gets green light
20. Lawsuits on mining-related abuses will test limits of Canadian law
21. Afghan mission numbers don't add up to success
22. KURTENBACH: The Bombing of Libya
23. KURTENBACH: All Quiet on the Libya Front
24. Israeli warplanes bomb Gaza
25. WATCH: Canadian Military Sales to Israel - March 14, 2011
26. A letter from a Palestinian woman to the supporters of Palestine – by Hekmat Bessiso
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1. Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste - Pinehouse to Regina – starts July 27
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
RE: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
The Committee of Future Generations is announcing our walk against nuclear waste, departing July 27th, 2011 from Pinehouse for the Regina Legislature.
The purpose of this walk is to wake people up to the grave dangers of storing millions of radioactive nuclear bundles in Saskatchewan, and to take action by signing a petition to the government to legislate a ban against nuclear waste.
As we pass through each community, we hope to be joined by as many people as possible, and will collect petitions from the surrounding area via adjoining highways. By the end of our walk, we hope to have collected the equivalent of 100 signatures per kilometer on this petition.
Our route will be Pinehouse > Beauval > Green Lake > Big River > Prince Albert > Saskatoon > Regina.
We're aiming at 30 km/day, with a rest day in P.A., which on paper calculates to 29 days, so we expect to arrive in Regina anytime after August 24th.
Committee artists have almost completed a beautiful traditional painting for our walk logo, endearingly depicting the love and care for future generations. We're looking at having t-shirts and prints made with this logo as a fundraiser. We'll make the posters available for you to advertise as soon as they're ready.
In the meantime, whether or not your community is on the walk route, please contact any groups and individuals that may be interested in joining us for any length possible.
As well, if you know of any groups and individuals who may be interested in donating funds and/or any kind of support like water, food, lodging etc. to the walk, please let us know and we'll follow proper protocol by contacting them in person if possible, backed up with a letter from our committee. (Please remember when communicating with potential supporters, to be clear that our walk is against nuclear waste.)
Looking forward to our combined effort for success on this inspirational venture.
Together in Community,
Max Morin, President
Committee for Future Generations
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
Let's Be Active Participants in the Lives of Our Children's Children
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Walk against nuclear waste to challenge NWMO
Individuals in Northern Saskatchewan opposed to efforts by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO)
< http://www.nwmo.ca/sitingprocess >
to site a long-term nuclear waste depository in northern Saskatchewan are gearing up for a summer of action to move towards a legislated ban on nuclear waste in the province.
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2. PETITION: Permanently Ban Nuclear Waste Storage & Transportation into, of out & through Saskatchewan
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
Scroll down to Northern Saskatchewan Says No To Nuclear Waste and Click on Links in article…..
The Committee for Future Generations has launched a petition calling on the Saskatchewan Government to permanently ban nuclear waste storage & transportation into, out of & through Saskatchewan.
Read the Open Letter to the People of Saskatchewan & share widely.
The Committee is planning an 820 km walk from Pinehouse to Regina this summer to raise awareness of this issue. They will be collecting petitions calling for a legislated ban on nuclear waste. Stay tuned or contact the group for more details.
The Committee is encouraging the formation of chapters in other communities to demonstrate solidarity to Say No to Nuclear Waste.
Post on the Facebook page or send an email to
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
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3. Gov't too young to adopt habits of long-in-tooth - April 16, 2011
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/
young+adopt+habits+long+tooth/4628278/story.html
The StarPhoenix April 16, 2011
The Saskatchewan Party government is falling into a pattern of behaviour for which it once successfully criticized it predecessor.
From base political pandering to pork barreling to rewarding friends and striking secretive deals, it didn't take long for Premier Brad Wall and his gang to adopt habits that usually are typical of governments much longer in the tooth.
The latest evidence of it was the government pandering to a marginal group that opposes the storage of nuclear wastes in Saskatchewan.
There might be good reasons not to allow such wastes to be stored here, despite the blow it could deal to northern communities that are badly in need of the economic potential of such an enterprise and are pressing for solid scientific evidence on the project's safety and viability.
If Mr. Wall's statements this week are to be taken at face value, however, neither scientific evidence nor economic development amount to much in the face of a petition from a group calling itself the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan.
This group may be a coalition but, by the shape of its policy position, it can lay claim neither to being clean nor green. It brags of its success in scuttling the construction of a green nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan, and continues to tout the success of the anti-nuclear movement's opposition to a uranium refinery near Warman in the late 1970s.
Consider the global impact of these initiatives. Saskatchewan is among the most fossil fuel dependent jurisdictions -including its reliance on burning the dirtiest of coals to produce more than half the electricity used in the province.
Scientists point out the deadly dilemma of using such sources to provide energy. For example, while in 2005 the United Nations Chernobyl Forum reported that no more than 4,000 people would die prematurely because of the worst nuclear accident in history, by using a similar method to calculate mortality rates, epidemiologists postulate that every year 2,000 people in Southern Ontario die as a result of the province burning coal to produce electricity. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
4500 Signature Petition Presented to Saskatchewan Government, Premier says province not in the "mood" for waste
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
Member groups of the Coalition attended the Saskatchewan Legislature on April 14, 2011 to present a petition calling for a ban on nuclear waste disposal in the province.
Read our press release 'Reaction was swift, with Premier Brad Wall
<http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
nuclear+waste+storage+facility+Sask+Wall/4620567/story.html>
acknowledging the "mood" of the province didn't seem to be supporting nuclear waste storage at this time. Wall told reporters "what's happened in Japan has got people thinking, just generally speaking, about the issue".
- - - - - - -
No nuclear waste storage facility for Sask: Wall
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
nuclear+waste+storage+facility+Sask+Wall/4620567/story.html
Negative public opinion makes option unlikely
By James Wood, The StarPhoenix; With Files By Cassandra Kyle
April 15, 2011
Premier Brad Wall says Saskatchewan residents haven't warmed to the idea of storing nuclear waste in the province and it is highly unlikely the government would allow such a facility to be built.
Wall made the comments Thursday after a petition with more than 4,500 signatures opposing a nuclear waste facility was presented in the provincial legislature.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is eyeing Saskatchewan as a potential site for underground storage of nuclear waste, although a decision is likely a decade away. Three northern communities have expressed interest as a possible host.
While Wall's Saskatchewan Party government has been bullish on "adding value" to the province's large reserves of uranium, it has said in the past negative public opinion has ruled out a nuclear waste facility.
"I don't sense the mood of the province has changed and frankly, what's happened in Japan has got people thinking, just generally speaking, about the issue," Wall told reporters.
"This would be very much a provincial issue and while we would respect the fact that different communities do want this, there should be a sense that the province in general is supportive and I don't have that sense," he added. [ . . . ]
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4. NO NUKE NEWS: - Check back often
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
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5. NEW: Know Nuclear Waste
http://www.knownuclearwaste.ca/Home_Page.html
A public interest information project
Welcome to our information web site about nuclear waste. This site has been created to provide ordinary people with information about an extra-ordinary challenge: the long term management of the highly radioactive waste that is created as a byproduct of using nuclear power to generate electricity.
In Canada - as in several other countries that use nuclear power - the nuclear industry is committed to the idea of burying the nuclear fuel waste in a rock formation in a yet-to-be-identified location. In 2002 the federal government gave the nuclear industry permission to begin a search for a suitable site and a willing community, and in May 2010 the Nuclear Waste Management Organization formally launched their search for just such a community.
Please visit this site often as we add more information and updates.
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6. WATCH: FOGAL: Dangerous Radioactive rain in Lake Louise, BC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dccszCEKFdY
CRMT- connectingdots1 finds Dangerous Radioactive rain in Lake Louise,BC (1.66 mcSv/hr)
Please watch this video showing measurement of danger levels of Fukushima's radiation being taken 7 miles outside of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.
I hope Frances will share her plan with us. These radiation danger levels are very disconcerting.
Instead of the millions of dollars government(s) are spending around the world installing smart meters which spy on us, they should be spending money monitoring and advising us daily of the radiation levels and then providing protection remedies.
I am told that a private school in Vancouver is issuing iodine to the children daily.
I do not understand how it is that all politicians have become deaf and blind with none in opposition helping the public.
Connie Fogal,
Former Leader of the Canada Action Party
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7. Aging nuclear plant threatens Lake Michigan
http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8428
June 28, 2011
The Michigan Messenger reports, “For the last 18 years environmental groups in Michigan have been warning that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has weakened or ignored safety rules in order to allow the (40-year-old) Palisades nuclear power plant (on the shore of Lake Michigan) to keep operating, and a new (Associated Press series published last week) seems to support that contention.”
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8. France includes nuclear power exit among options
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/08/
france-nuclear-idUSLDE7670UN20110708
France mulls full exit by 2040-2050, not govt's choice - Option part of wider study on French future energy mix - Poll showed three quarters of French want full exit
Reporting Emmanuel Jarry, Writing Sybille de La Hamaide;
Editing Anthony Barker, Reuters, Fri Jul 8, 2011
PARIS, July 8 (Reuters) - France raised the possibility for the first time of pulling out of nuclear power although its energy minister stressed on Friday that this was just one of many scenarios, not the one favoured by the government.
Energy Minister Eric Besson announced on radio Europe 1 the launch of a study on Friday on the country's energy mix by 2050, with options including a complete exit from nuclear production, a cut in the share of nuclear to 50 percent and a progressive reduction of total electricity production in France.
"We will study all possible scenarios for what we call the energy mix," he said. "It will be done with total objectivity, in full transparency, without avoiding any scenario (...) including the scenarios of a nuclear exit."
An energy ministry official told Reuters one scenario would consider a total exit from nuclear by 2050, or even 2040.
However, Besson stressed that he favoured keeping nuclear's share in France's overall power output at two thirds, compared with 74 percent in 2010.
"(A pullout) is not my conviction, it is not the choice of the government and of the president but at the same time we can't exclude anything," he stressed. [ . . . ]
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9. Ending Nuclear Evil
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commen ... 12/English
Desmond Tutu, CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 29 2011
CAPE TOWN – Eliminating nuclear weapons is the democratic wish of the world’s people. Yet no nuclear-armed country currently appears to be preparing for a future without these terrifying devices. In fact, all are squandering billions of dollars on modernization of their nuclear forces, making a mockery of United Nations disarmament pledges. If we allow this madness to continue, the eventual use of these instruments of terror seems all but inevitable.
The nuclear power crisis at Japan’s Fukushima power plant has served as a dreadful reminder that events thought unlikely can and do happen. It has taken a tragedy of great proportions to prompt some leaders to act to avoid similar calamities at nuclear reactors elsewhere in the world. But it must not take another Hiroshima or Nagasaki – or an even greater disaster – before they finally wake up and recognize the urgent necessity of nuclear disarmament.
This week, the foreign ministers of five nuclear-armed countries – the United States, Russia, Britain, France, and China – will meet in Paris to discuss progress in implementing the nuclear-disarmament commitments that they made at last year’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference. It will be a test of their resolve to transform the vision of a future free of nuclear arms into reality.
If they are serious about preventing the spread of these monstrous weapons – and averting their use – they will work energetically and expeditiously to eliminate them completely. One standard must apply to all countries: zero. Nuclear arms are wicked, regardless of who possesses them. The unspeakable human suffering that they inflict is the same whatever flag they may bear. So long as these weapons exist, the threat of their use – either by accident or through an act of sheer madness – will remain.
We must not tolerate a system of nuclear apartheid, in which it is considered legitimate for some states to possess nuclear arms but patently unacceptable for others to seek to acquire them. Such a double standard is no basis for peace and
security in the world. [ . . . ]
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10. The Nuclear Disconnect – Part 1
http://environmentalresearchweb.org/blog/2011/07/
nuclear-disconnect-1.html
by Dave Elliott (blog), Environmental Research, July 16, 2011
A Mori IPSOS opinion poll just after Fukushima found that 67% of the French public opposed new nuclear projects, and the long-standing support for nuclear power in the French technocratic elite is showing signs of strain, following Germanys phase out plan. The share price of French reactor vendor Areva dropped by 25% in response to the German nuclear exit. It had already fallen 14% following the Japanese crisis.
Then came the news of a new French government review of the future energy mix, which would look at all scenarios ‘with total objectivity, in full transparency’, including the complete phase out of nuclear by 2050 or even 2040. Reuters reported that an opinion poll in June found that showed three quarters of the French people interviewed wanted to withdraw from nuclear energy, against 22% who back the nuclear expansion programme.
The new critical view is developed in a book ‘The Truth about Nuclear’, by Corrine Lepage, who served as Minister for the Environment in the government of conservative President Jacques Chirac. It lists a litany of damning allegations about the French nuclear industry, such as the escallating cost of Areva’s Finnish reactors which will have to be borne by French taxpayers. She suggests that exiting nuclear power, rather than penalizing the economy, could in fact lead to reindustrialization. If France developed its large renewable resources to replace nuclear power, the country would create new industries and jobs like those seen in Germany. Meanwhile the French nuclear industry could turn its attention to the growing trend toward phasing out nuclear.
She proposes that France could become a leader in decommissioning nuclear power plants worldwide.
She is currently serving as a member of the European Parliament and in that role she has questioned France’s nuclear choice, calling it a “strategic error” of historic proportions. The new leader of the far-right National Front, Marine Le Pen, has also said that nuclear power is a “dangerous form of energy”. [ . . . ]
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11. Antinuke stance within establishment slowly gathers steam
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fd20110703pb.html
By PHILIP BRASOR, Japan Times, July 3, 2011
In May, Wakamono Manifest Sakutei Iinkai, a policy research group dedicated to issues relevant to people under 40, posted results of a survey in which members were asked who they wanted to lead Japan. There was no consensus, but the individual who received the most votes was Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Taro Kono, followed by Osaka Governor Toru Hashimoto and "no one."
Kono, the son of former foreign minister Yohei Kono, is often referred to as an LDP heretic because of his opposition to Japan's nuclear energy policy, which predated the March 11 disaster. In a recent interview with Reuters, he said he would form an alliance with like-minded politicians in both the LDP and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan to change the country's energy policy, though the LDP leadership seems determined to keep a lid on him. He was one of only two lower house LDP lawmakers who voted in favor of Prime Minister Naoto Kan's request for a 70-day extension of the current Diet session
and as a result was denied the ¥1 million summertime bonus LDP Diet members receive. "That's the equivalent of half my annual operating expenses," he told reporters ruefully.
Though his pedigree guarantees him a certain degree of exposure, Kono's views were never taken seriously by the media, which isn't to say they were extreme. Kono is a fiscal and social conservative. He is also cocky and ambitious, which is why he hasn't quit the LDP. He wants to become prime minister, an office his father never achieved despite having once been president of the party, and believes the LDP is his best chance at achieving that goal. Since March 11 he's finally gotten the attention he always felt he deserved. [ . . . ]
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12. Murakami puts a bomb under his compatriots' atomic complacency
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fl20110703rp.html
By ROGER PULVERS, The Japan Times, Sunday, July 3, 2011
"The Japanese will someday outgrow their nuclear allergy." I've never forgotten futurologist and Cold War military strategist Herman Kahn saying this to me on his visit to Japan in 1969, when I was his guide and occasional interpreter.
The American author of the best-sellers "On Thermonuclear War" (1960) and "Thinking about the Unthinkable" (1962), Kahn believed that nuclear war was both probable and winnable.
He told me that "tolerable" levels of victims would be in the "ballpark" of the tens of millions.
In fact, Kahn — one of the prototypes that Stanley Kubrick used to create the crazed character Dr. Strangelove (played by Peter Sellers) in his 1964 antiwar film, "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" — was urged on during that visit, and subsequently, by elements in the government here who would have liked nothing more than to see Japan armed with nuclear weapons.
At the time, two things struck me about Kahn's pithy comment concerning a Japan with atomic weapons: the words "allergy" and "outgrow."
By labeling Japan's staunch stance against possessing such weapons or even allowing them to enter its territorial waters as an "allergy," the inference was that, with some testing and remedial care, this condition could be cured. By using the word "outgrow," Kahn was explicitly calling Japanese convictions "immature."
However, Japan's government, virtually synonymous in those days with the Liberal Democratic Party (which held nearly unbroken power until 2009), had forged ahead with the nuclearization of the power industry in the decades of growth after the war without any national debate on the multifarious issues of safety related to it.
This railroading through of lax laws and permissive regulations indicated that the sleepers had been laid; and all that was then needed was to lay the tracks toward nuclear weaponry — and Japan would have come of age.
I was reminded of this history by Haruki Murakami's brilliant speech on June 9 in Barcelona, Spain, delivered in acceptance of the International Catalunya Prize. In January 2009, in his acceptance speech for the Jerusalem Prize in Israel, the author had used his podium time to deliver a keenly aimed attack on the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In Barcelona, by turning his sights to "peaceful uses of atoms," he again gave voice to the Japanese conscience of our era.
"This massive earthquake (on March 11) delivered a severe shock to practically all Japanese," he told his audience in Barcelona. "We think of ourselves as generally being used to earthquakes, but this one has thrown us for a loop. We feel helpless and even insecure about the future of the country. ... What brought about this disastrous situation?
"The cause is quite apparent. The people who built the nuclear power stations had not accounted for a tsunami of such magnitude, ... the reason being that a profit-making organization does not welcome the investment of the immense amount of money required (to deal with) a huge tsunami that might or might not come once a century." [ . . . ]
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13. Japan's Tsunami: The First 24 Hours
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/03/
japans-tsunami-the-first-24-hours_n_889365.html
Eric Talmadge and Mari Yamaguchi, Huffington Post, July 3, 2011
-------
EDITOR'S NOTE: It was an ordinary Friday afternoon, and then the shaking began – harbinger of a nuclear nightmare that rages on, three months later. A moment-by-moment account of the crucial first 24 hours after an earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.
___
FUKUSHIMA, Japan -- When Unit 2 began to shake, Hiroyuki Kohno's first hunch was that something was wrong with the turbines. He paused for a moment, then went back to logging the day's radioactivity readings.
He expected it to pass. Until the shakes became jolts.
As sirens wailed, he ran to an open space, away from the walls, and raced down a long corridor with two colleagues. Parts of the ceiling fell around them. Outside, he found more pandemonium.
"People were shouting about a tsunami," he said. "At that point, I really thought I might die."
Breathless, Kohno climbed a small hill and turned to look back. Black plumes rose from the reactor units. The emergency generators, burning diesel, had kicked in.
He saw the wave. It crashed over the plant's seawall, stopping only when it reached the foot of the slope about 500 yards (460 meters) from where he stood.
Unit 2, one of six reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power station, is ordinary by nuclear standards: a drab labyrinth of switches and valves, ladders and bulkheads, meters and gauges. That's how Kohno, a veteran radioactivity specialist, knew it.
Now, nothing about what he saw was normal.
Kohno kept moving.
The events of the next 24 hours brought the promise of nuclear power into question, both in Japan and around the world.
___
Through interviews with dozens of officials, workers and experts, and hundreds of pages of newly released documents, The Associated Press found the early response to the crisis was marked by confusion, inadequate preparation, a lack of forthrightness with the public and a reluctance to make quick decisions. These problems set the tone for the troubled recovery effort since. [ . . .]
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14. EDWARDS: Thorium Reactors: Back to the Dream Factory
http://ccnr.org/Thorium_Reactors.html
by Gordon Edwards, July 13, 2011
The Nuclear Dream Factory
Every time a nuclear power reactor idea doesn't work out, and ordinary people get down-hearted and even start to doubt the magnificence and benificence of nuclear energy, the nuclear proponents rush back to their well-stocked dream factory to
fetch another idea -- one that is sufficiently unfamiliar and sufficiently untested that ordinary people have no idea whether it is good or bad, safe or dangerous, feasible or foolish, or whether the almost miraculous claims made about it are true or false.
Just a few years ago, nuclear proponents were pushing Generation 3 reactors -- enormous plants that would generate huge amounts of electricity, yet be cheaper and faster to build than earlier models, as well as being safer and longer-lived.
Then Areva ran into a blizzard of problems trying to build one of these behemoths in Finland -- the cost soaring by billions of dollars, the construction time extended by years, and fundamental safety-related design problems surfacing late in the game. Check and mate. Undaunted, nuclear proponents quickly executed a 180-degree turn and are now promoting small reactors which can be mass-produced by the thousands and sprinkled on the landscape like cinnamon on toast. Pebble-bed reactors, molten-salt reactors, thorium reactors, have been paraded before the public with as many bells and whistles as the nuclear industry can muster, to distract people's gaze away from the construction fiascos, the litany of broken promises from the past, the still-unsolved problems of nuclear waste and weapons proliferation, and the horror that is Fukushima.
The following paragraphs are written to dispel some of the mystique surrounding the idea of "thorium reactors" -- a very old idea that is now being dressed up in modern clothes and made to seem like a major scientific breakthrough, which it is
not. [ . . . ]
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15. PETITION: JAPAN: Say "no" to nuclear business-as-usual
Sign a petition to protect the children of Fukushima against radioactivity
Aileen Mioko Smith, director of Green Action Japan, has just announced an opportunity for individuals and organizations across the world to sign a petition demanding increased protection for the children of Fukushima against the clear and present danger from the Dai-ichi nuclear power plant's ongoing releases of hazardous radioactivity.
To read and sign the petition, go to the Green Action Fukushima Updates website.
http://fukushima.greenaction-japan.com/
Japan learns lessons of Fukushima; US ignores dangers of its own Mark I reactors
Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/
japans-prime-minister-calls-for-phase-out-of-nuclear-power/2011/07/13/gIQAXxUJCI_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend>
this week that Japan needs to decrease and eventually eliminate nuclear energy and must "aim to bring about a society that can exist without nuclear power." As Japanese reactors come off line for inspection, they may not be re-started which could potentially mean no reactors in operation there as early as April 2012. But Kan did not put a timetable on the nuclear exit. Germany and Switzerland have already announced nuclear phase-outs. The Italian public voted never to re-start that country’s nuclear program. But the US continues to turn a blind eye to the unacceptable risks posed by its own Mark I reactors almost identical in design to those at Fukushima. Worse, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission instead envisages "more than 100 nuclear power plants operating throughout the United States for decades to come."
Such backward thinking, along with a continued policy of allowing the nuclear industry self oversight through "voluntary initiatives" were revealed in the publication of the NRC’s "Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident" released on the same day as Kan’s announcement. That’s not something Beyond Nuclear believes should continue. Please join us as a co-petitioner to suspend the operation of all Fukushima-style reactors in the United States. More
Thanks for taking action. And please also consider making a donation to Beyond Nuclear today. Your support will help us build a grassroots movement to close dangerous nuclear plants and create a safe energy future for our children.
Thank you for working with us for a nuclear-free world.
The Beyond Nuclear Team
www.beyondnuclear.org
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16. JAPAN UPDATE
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has stabilized, officials say.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/
world/la-fgw-japan-fukushima-stabilized-20110720,0,769161.story
Just over four months after it was crippled by an earthquake-generated tsunami, Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has stabilized and workers are on track for achieving a cold shutdown within six months, government and utility officials say. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]
- - - - - - - -
Japan halts sale of Fukushima beef.
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702303661904576455852125359570.html
The Japanese government Tuesday halted sales of all beef cattle from Fukushima and unveiled a 30-year plan to monitor the health of the two million residents of the prefecture, a step that acknowledges the effects of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant will be long-lasting and far-reaching. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required]
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17. Who has final say over the fate of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant?
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0719/
Who-has-final-say-over-the-fate-of-Vermont-Yankee-nuclear-power-plant
If a state wants to shutter a nuclear power plant, but the feds have relicensed it, does the state have legal grounds for closure? That question is being wrestled with in federal court, with implications for dozens of older nuclear plants seeking to renew operating licenses to extend their lifetimes another 20 years beyond their original 40-year licenses. Christian Science Monitor
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18. Report Reveals America Now Receives More Power From Renewable Sources Than Nuclear
http://tinyurl.com/3zl8lwa
by Tafline Laylin, inhabitat.com, July 6 2011
A recent report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration reveals that America now receives more of its energy from renewable sources than it does from nuclear generation plants. In the first three months of 2011, the country’s biomass/biofuel, hydropower, wind, geothermal, and solar energy generation plants produced a combined 2.245 quadrillion Btus of energy or 11.73 percent of U.S. energy production. During the same period, nuclear energy plants produced 2.125 quadrillion Btus.
According to data taken from the Monthly Energy Review, renewable energy production in the United States has increased by 25 percent since the first quarter of 2009. Biomass/biofuel production makes up a whopping 48 percent of this total. Hydropower contributes 35.41 percent to overall production, while wind, geothermal, and solar account for 12.87, 2.45, and 1.16 percent respectively.
Although it seems that solar production is particularly low, the study found that solar energy generation has increased by 104.8 percent since early 2010, while wind power has increased by 40.3 percent during the same time frame. This renewable thrust bodes well for the United States, particularly given the continued environmental and health impacts expected following the Fukushima disaster in Japan earlier this year.
Renewable Energy Now Neck and Neck with Nuclear in the US http://inhabitat.com/
renewable-energy-now-neck-and-neck-with-nuclear-in-the-us/
New renewable energy projects are popping up left and right and we’re stoked to report that in 2010, the amount of green energy generation was finally on
World's Biggest Producer of Wind Energy Records $4 Billion in Profits in 2010
http://inhabitat.com/
worlds-biggest-producer-of-wind-energy-records-4-billion-in-profits-in-2010/
The world's largest producer of wind energy, Spain-based Iberdrola SA, blew way analysts' expectations last year with a whopping $4 billion in profits – analysts
Sweden Aims for 2000 New Wind Turbines, 50% Renewable Energy by 2020
http://inhabitat.com/
sweden-aims-for-2000-new-wind-turbines-50-renewable-energy-by-2020/
John McConnico for The New York Times Maud Olofsson, Sweden's Enterprise and Energy Minister, announced recently the addition of 2,000 wind turbines to the country's alternative
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19. Montérégie wind farm gets green light
http://tinyurl.com/6bknsuj
Jan Ravensbergen, Montreal Gazette, July 13, 2011
MONTREAL – A $300-million wind farm that will feature 44 large windmills on agricultural land just south of Montreal has received Quebec government approval, the province announced Tuesday.
Each of the Enercon windmills will be equipped with blades reaching 139 metres into the sky.
The power towers, expected to feed into the Hydro-Québec electricity-distribution network for at least the next two decades, will be erected on the outskirts of Mercier, St. Constant, St. Isidore, St. Rémi and St. Michel.
Almost half, 20 towers in total, will be installed around St. Isidore.
The Montérégie project, known as Kémont and developed by Kruger Energy, is expected to begin operating in December 2012.
It is "the first such project in Quebec developed in an urbanized zone such as those of these municipalities," according to the project’s website.
No such tower will be installed closer than 750 metres from a residence, and none will be located closer than two kilometres from a designated urbanized zone around each of the towns.
During an inquiry, the province’s Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) "received no expression of concern from the public concerning the installation of the project on the countryside," according to a 112-page report it issued in approving the project. [ . . . .]
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20. Lawsuits on mining-related abuses will test limits of Canadian law
http://www.kairoscanada.org/nc/en/news/archive/2011/07/
article/lawsuits-on-mining-related-abuses-will-test-limits-of-canadian-law/print.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&cHash=66a1cb5d35
July 11, 2011
Four groundbreaking lawsuits have been launched in Canada over the past two years by plaintiffs alleging that they or their family members suffered grave human rights violations linked to the activities of Canadian mining companies operating abroad. KAIROS is hopeful that these cases will test the limits of existing law and of the Canadian justice system.
Efforts to hold Canadian resource extraction companies accountable when they commit human rights abuses or environmental damage abroad faced a major setback when Bill C-300 was narrowly defeated last October in the House of Commons. But communities affected by Canadian mining companies are not waiting around for lawmakers in Canada.
Three of the lawsuits, all involving conflicts in Latin America, have been launched with the help of Toronto lawyer Murray Klippenstein. The first suit, Ramirez v. Copper Mesa, was dismissed in Ontario court in March 2011 on grounds that duties of the company’s directors and the Toronto Stock Exchange did not extend to ensuring the safety of Ecuadorian villagers who were allegedly attacked by armed men sent in by the company. Another two cases involving Toronto-based HudBay Minerals Inc., whose Fenix mine project in Guatemala has been the scene of forced evictions and allegations of gang rape of local women by company security guards, are still before the courts.
The fourth lawsuit was launched in Quebec court last November as a class action against Anvil Mining Ltd. The plaintiffs are family members of Congolese villagers who were massacred by the Congolese military in a raid that was allegedly carried out with assistance from Anvil Mining.
The Anvil case set an important legal precedent in Canada when, in April 2011, the judge ruled that Quebec was the appropriate jurisdiction to hear the case. Previous attempts to hold Canadian corporations accountable in Canada have been tossed out on grounds that the cases should be heard in the country where the acts were committed. Yet, very often these countries have weak judicial systems or lack the political will to address such cases. As Judge Benoît Emery stated his decision in the Anvil case: "In fact, at this stage of the proceedings, everything indicates that if the Tribunal dismissed the action [...], there would exist no other possibility for the victims to be heard by civil justice." [ . . . ]
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21. Afghan mission numbers don't add up to success
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/
canada-in-afghanistan/Afghan+mission+numbers+success/5099407/story.html
By Colin Kenny, Citizen Special July 14, 2011
In the National Post last week, I argued that our military mission to Afghanistan was pretty much a failure. There were some successes - we pleased our American allies and we gave our troops combat experience.
But there were plenty of negatives on the other side of the balance sheet.
For a start, if one of the main reasons for the mission was to root out al-Qaeda, they were long gone by the time our troops got to Kandahar - scattered to less vulnerable international hiding places.
There are a number of facts that Canadians should consider when reflecting on the mission: we exit with the Taliban stronger than it was when we came; we exit with a corrupt government in place as the only alternative to the Taliban; we exit with the Afghan army and police ineffectual protectors of democracy; we exit with only traces of successful foreign aid expenditures (despite all the money spent); we exit with the drug trade in full and unmolested swing; we exit with the Taliban unwilling to sign on to a peace deal because they know the westerners will soon be gone, so why deal?
For what Canada gained - and I acknowledge that pleasing the Americans and giving our troops combat experience are worthy achievements - we lost 157 heroic soldiers, sent many more home physically and/or psychologically wounded, and spent billions of dollars that could have done a lot of good in other poor countries - or, for that matter, at home.
I applaud the fact that, for those who survived this ordeal, morale is up in the Canadian Forces.
That shouldn't come as a surprise; soldiers like to test their mettle, and our soldiers' courageous performance in Afghanistan, despite not always having a sufficient number of personnel or the right equipment, won the admiration of military people around the world, not to mention the Canadian public. So, bravo.
But at what price?
-------------
Colin Kenny is former chair of the Senate Committee on Security and Defence.
E-mail: Kennyco@sen.parl.gc.ca
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22. KURTENBACH: The Bombing of Libya
July 2, 2011
To the Editor,
The bombing of Libya by NATO, which includes Canadian bombers, is really quite worrisome. I do not understand how this destructive mission is carried out. We have been told it had to be done for humanitarian and compassionate reasons. And so, after a hundred days of bombing, I wonder: are the humanitarian bombs used to eradicate Gaddafi and the compassionate bombs used to help the rebels dependent on how you find out which groups are civilians or rebels? It is all quite confusing!
Major-General Lewis MacKenzie, a well-known retired Canadian military leader, was recently interviewed on a Canadian TV station. He stated that the aerial war against Libya was a "mess" with no end in sight.
It appears that the western industrialized world, particularly global oil corporations, view Muammar al-Gaddafi as a pariah. He may be that, but he is not Africa's worst pariah. However, he, Gaddafi, incurred the wrath of the global oil tycoons when he nationalized Libya's high quality oil reserves in 1993. To add insult to injury, he then sold that oil in Europe for euros instead of dollars. Presently, China purchases 17 percent of their imported oil from Libya. Is that good or bad?
Africa is a resource-rich continent. It has been stated that Gaddafi is trying to establish the use of a gold dinar for all the countries in Africa. Obviously this would hamper the endeavours of the U.S. to be the world's greatest permanent military power in the Middle East and the quest of American power brokers to become a world empire. The rebel force in Libya is sponsored by The National Front for the Salvation of Libya and has the support of the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
Our present federal government is aligning itself to the American war machine. From 1890 to 2000, the U.S. has led military actions in at least 60 foreign countries. And that is not counting their recent wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, the sending of drones into Pakistan, and now the bombing of Libya. It also does not include offshore shows of naval strength nor the permanent stationing of American armed forces in foreign lands.
Polls have repeatedly shown that Canadians want to be seen by the rest of the world as peacemakers and peacekeepers. We want to keep a democratic sovereign Canada free of armed violence and the obscenity of war.
Leo Kurtenbach,
Saskatoon, SK
Phone (306) 652-5129
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23. KURTENBACH: All Quiet on the Libya Front
July 15, 2011
Dear Editor:
Although I am not normally enamoured by visiting royalty, I must say Kate and William are a pleasant, congenial couple. However, for the moment, they did take away our concerns about the horrors of war in Libya. Should we be indebted to our considerate media sources for sparing us the details of what war is really all about?
Certainly we wonder, do the pilots and their bombers feel some exhilaration or satisfaction from a mission completed, having destroyed strategic properties, and in the process, probably having killed and maimed some innocent human beings?
But I am getting ahead of this story.
In the beginning, the U.N. approved NATO conducting a no-fly zone over Ghaddfi's Libya. The war is now in the fourth month. Approximately 35,000 aerial missions have flown over Libya. The no-fly zone has evolved into about 4,000 aerial bombing strikes. The leaders of the rebel ground forces in Libya are sponsored by The Front for the Salvation of Libya which has the support of the U.S.A. and Saudi Arabia. However, an American official stated that the bombing and shooting in Libya is really not a war, since there are no NATO troops fighting there.
We hear very little about the war in Libya, and even less about Canada's military involvement in the bombing of that country. It certainly appears our so-called majority government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Harper, is aligning Canada and its citizens to the American quest for control of the Middle East and beyond.
In a recent interview with Mr. Harper, Kenneth Whyte, author and journalist, noted that Harper did not view Canada as "a nation of peacekeepers", but rather as "courageous warrior". When asked about the nature of the present threat to Canada, Harper replied: "The most obvious is terrorism, Islamic extremist terrorism". And then added, ". . . and the ability of our most important allies, and most importantly, the United States, to single-handedly shape outcomes and protect our interests has been diminishing and so I'm saying we have to be prepared to contribute more and that is what this government is doing"!
This begs the question: should Canadian mothers prepare their sons and daughters to contribute to American global military ventures, to insure permanent control and access to oil in the Middle East? If Canada goes along with our present government's foreign policies, we could soon be facing the same economic woes that now plague our American neighbors.
May I humbly suggest that, if the western powers pulled all their military troops and equipment out of the Middle East, this continent would have to worry only about our own extremist terrorists.
No country or power can bring peace to our planet Earth by making war.
Leo Kurtenbach,
Saskatoon. Phone
(306) 652-5129
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24. Israeli warplanes bomb Gaza
http://gazatvnews.com/2011/07/israeli-w ... bomb-gaza/
No details are yet available on the possible casualties.
The attack comes as Israeli fighter jets on Wednesday targeted the tunnel network in Rafah, south of the enclave, claiming that Palestinian resistance fighters use the tunnels to smuggle in weapons.
Palestinians, however, dismiss such allegations, insisting that they are forced to resort to the underground tunnels to bring in basic living supplies to the impoverished strip because the territory has been closed off the outside world by an Israeli blockade for over three years.
Some 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including the freedom of movement and appropriate living conditions, in the coastal sliver.
The Israeli regime launched an all-out war on the Gaza Strip three days before the turn of 2009. The three-week war killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, including many women and children
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24. WATCH: Canadian Military Sales to Israel - March 14, 2011
http://therealnews.com/t2/
index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6353
Canada's political support of Israel is well known; its military, intelligence and arms trade with Israel are not.
While portraying the image of the "honest broker" Canada's military and intelligence cooperation and arms trade with Israel paint a different picture. The Real News' Lia Tarachansky interviews Yves Engler, the author of Canada and Israel: Building Apartheid about the political, military, and corporate support Canada extends Israel and its meddling in Palestinian internal politics. She also speaks to Richard Sanders of the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade about Canada's weapons export to Israel and the government's failure to report accurate exports statistics.
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25. A letter from a Palestinian woman to the supporters of Palestine – by Hekmat Bessiso
http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/
a-letter-from-a-palestinian-woman-to-the-supporters-of-palestine-by-hekmat-bessiso/
July 11, 2011 by occupiedpalestine
Hekmat Bessiso for Salem-News.com | July 10, 2011
I hope one day to share a coffee with you in my home or in yours, for when this day comes we will have reached our freedom.
(RAMALLAH) – I would like to talk to you as the voice of the thousands of Palestinians who appreciate what you are doing. You who have a great commitment to human rights and who actually act upon your beliefs.
You risk your life to both witness and tell the truth of what you see. You are a group of people who understand what is happening in the holy land and have decided to dedicate your time, money and energy to the issue. You demonstrate that religion nor race is important when it comes to standing up for the rights human beings.
And every step you take justice and humanity wins.
I want you to trust that your actions are making a difference and changing the violence we see here in our land. Your solidarity is helping fuel our non violent fight. Palestinians face many kinds of violence and torture, however, being ignored is the worst punishment of all. Those who refuse to hear and see us are just as bad as those who occupy us.
Those who stand in solidarity with us send a strong message of humanity and are helping us to overcome our suffering. In the middle of all this crisis, your help puts a smile on our face. From this smile you will always be welcome in our hearts even if you are unable to enter our land.
Your solidarity reminds the world that we are all one human family and that we Palestinians are still part of it. Please do not give up. Even if your boats do not make it to the shores of Gaza or if your planes refuse to fly, the unseen effects are still huge.
I want to say thank you for all that your work involves. Thank you for booking your tickets, taking time off from work, leaving your loved ones, and for all of the other small things, I am truly grateful.
Please continue to be with us, hand in hand, in our non-violent struggle. We need to reach the end of the path of occupation and your presence on this journey is crucial, we cannot make it alone.
I hope one day to share a coffee with you in my home or in yours, for when this day comes we will have reached our freedom.
--------
Hekmat Bessiso – Gazan living in Ramallah
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26. Children of War - American arms pacified Fallujah—and poisoned a generation
http://www.uruknet.info/?new=79555
by Kelley Beaucar Vlahos
July 13, 2011 - According to studies and eyewitness accounts over the past few years, Fallujah — an Iraqi city that was practically obliterated by U.S. heavy artillery in two major offensives in 2004 — is experiencing a staggering rate of birth defects. The situation echoes similar reports from Basra that began to circulate after the first Gulf War in 1991. The litany of horrors is gut-wrenching: babies born with one eye in the middle of the face, missing limbs, too many limbs, brain damage, cardiac defects, and missing genitalia. Upon touring a clinic in Fallujah in March 2010, the BBC’s John Simpson said, "We were given details of dozens upon dozens of cases of children with serious birth defects. . . . One photograph I saw showed a newborn baby with three heads." Later, at the main U.S.-funded hospital in the city, a stream of parents arrived with children who had limb defects, spinal conditions, and other problems. Authorities in Fallujah reportedly warned women to hold off on having babies at all....
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27. WATCH: 75,000 US veterans face homelessness
http://www.presstv.com/detail/189320.html
Over 75,000 US military personnel face the predicament of homelessness after they return home from US-led wars abroad, feeling the burden of increased mental pressure.
According to data published by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the number of US veterans, homeless on any given night as of June this year, stands at a staggering 75,700, a Press TV correspondent reported Friday.
"It's a critical time; we have veterans that are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan that are potentially becoming homeless in higher numbers than they have in the past," said Anne Oliva, director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's homeless office.
Formerly deployed in military missions overseas, the veterans are finding it more difficult to find employment at home.
The unemployment rate among American young veterans stood at nearly 21 percent last year according to the US Labor Department.
"It's a national disgrace, the situation of returning soldiers and veterans. And it reflects the overall situation of the US economy, which is in a state of collapse and it's only going to get worse with all the budget cuts," said Edward Spannaus, Legal Affairs Editor.
"Young men and women join the army these days precisely because it's the only job they can get. The people tend to come from the poor layers of the society and overwhelmingly from the poor states in the country," he added.
Meanwhile, the detrimental psychological effects of war upon the combatants coupled with economy-driven plights have sounded alarms concerning the veterans' mental health.
A recent study has revealed that 300,000 American veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Critics say the US government has failed in its duty to ease the transition of the military lives of its war veterans into civilian lives.
HMV/HJL/HRF
1. Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste - Pinehouse to Regina – starts July 27
2. PETITION: Permanently Ban Nuclear Waste Storage & Transportation into, of out & through Saskatchewan
3. Gov't too young to adopt habits of long-in-tooth - April 16, 2011
4. NO NUKE NEWS: - Check back often!
5. NEW: Know Nuclear Waste
6. WATCH: FOGAL: Dangerous Radioactive rain in Lake Louise, BC
7. Aging nuclear plant threatens Lake Michigan
8. France includes nuclear power exit among options
9. Ending Nuclear Evil
10. The Nuclear Disconnect – Part 1
11. Antinuke stance within establishment slowly gathers steam
12. Murakami puts a bomb under his compatriots' atomic complacency
13. Japan's Tsunami: The First 24 Hours
14. EDWARDS: Thorium Reactors: Back to the Dream Factory
15. PETITION: JAPAN: Say "no" to nuclear business-as-usual
16. JAPAN UPDATE
17. Who has final say over the fate of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant?
18. Report Reveals America Now Receives More Power From Renewable Sources Than Nuclear
19. Montérégie wind farm gets green light
20. Lawsuits on mining-related abuses will test limits of Canadian law
21. Afghan mission numbers don't add up to success
22. KURTENBACH: The Bombing of Libya
23. KURTENBACH: All Quiet on the Libya Front
24. Israeli warplanes bomb Gaza
25. WATCH: Canadian Military Sales to Israel - March 14, 2011
26. A letter from a Palestinian woman to the supporters of Palestine – by Hekmat Bessiso
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1. Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste - Pinehouse to Regina – starts July 27
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
RE: "Wanska, Nah-Thi-Rehn-Ta, Wake Up! Walk Against Nuclear Waste"
The Committee of Future Generations is announcing our walk against nuclear waste, departing July 27th, 2011 from Pinehouse for the Regina Legislature.
The purpose of this walk is to wake people up to the grave dangers of storing millions of radioactive nuclear bundles in Saskatchewan, and to take action by signing a petition to the government to legislate a ban against nuclear waste.
As we pass through each community, we hope to be joined by as many people as possible, and will collect petitions from the surrounding area via adjoining highways. By the end of our walk, we hope to have collected the equivalent of 100 signatures per kilometer on this petition.
Our route will be Pinehouse > Beauval > Green Lake > Big River > Prince Albert > Saskatoon > Regina.
We're aiming at 30 km/day, with a rest day in P.A., which on paper calculates to 29 days, so we expect to arrive in Regina anytime after August 24th.
Committee artists have almost completed a beautiful traditional painting for our walk logo, endearingly depicting the love and care for future generations. We're looking at having t-shirts and prints made with this logo as a fundraiser. We'll make the posters available for you to advertise as soon as they're ready.
In the meantime, whether or not your community is on the walk route, please contact any groups and individuals that may be interested in joining us for any length possible.
As well, if you know of any groups and individuals who may be interested in donating funds and/or any kind of support like water, food, lodging etc. to the walk, please let us know and we'll follow proper protocol by contacting them in person if possible, backed up with a letter from our committee. (Please remember when communicating with potential supporters, to be clear that our walk is against nuclear waste.)
Looking forward to our combined effort for success on this inspirational venture.
Together in Community,
Max Morin, President
Committee for Future Generations
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
Let's Be Active Participants in the Lives of Our Children's Children
- - - - -
Walk against nuclear waste to challenge NWMO
Individuals in Northern Saskatchewan opposed to efforts by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO)
< http://www.nwmo.ca/sitingprocess >
to site a long-term nuclear waste depository in northern Saskatchewan are gearing up for a summer of action to move towards a legislated ban on nuclear waste in the province.
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2. PETITION: Permanently Ban Nuclear Waste Storage & Transportation into, of out & through Saskatchewan
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
Scroll down to Northern Saskatchewan Says No To Nuclear Waste and Click on Links in article…..
The Committee for Future Generations has launched a petition calling on the Saskatchewan Government to permanently ban nuclear waste storage & transportation into, out of & through Saskatchewan.
Read the Open Letter to the People of Saskatchewan & share widely.
The Committee is planning an 820 km walk from Pinehouse to Regina this summer to raise awareness of this issue. They will be collecting petitions calling for a legislated ban on nuclear waste. Stay tuned or contact the group for more details.
The Committee is encouraging the formation of chapters in other communities to demonstrate solidarity to Say No to Nuclear Waste.
Post on the Facebook page or send an email to
committeeforfuturegenerations@gmail.com
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3. Gov't too young to adopt habits of long-in-tooth - April 16, 2011
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/
young+adopt+habits+long+tooth/4628278/story.html
The StarPhoenix April 16, 2011
The Saskatchewan Party government is falling into a pattern of behaviour for which it once successfully criticized it predecessor.
From base political pandering to pork barreling to rewarding friends and striking secretive deals, it didn't take long for Premier Brad Wall and his gang to adopt habits that usually are typical of governments much longer in the tooth.
The latest evidence of it was the government pandering to a marginal group that opposes the storage of nuclear wastes in Saskatchewan.
There might be good reasons not to allow such wastes to be stored here, despite the blow it could deal to northern communities that are badly in need of the economic potential of such an enterprise and are pressing for solid scientific evidence on the project's safety and viability.
If Mr. Wall's statements this week are to be taken at face value, however, neither scientific evidence nor economic development amount to much in the face of a petition from a group calling itself the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan.
This group may be a coalition but, by the shape of its policy position, it can lay claim neither to being clean nor green. It brags of its success in scuttling the construction of a green nuclear power plant in Saskatchewan, and continues to tout the success of the anti-nuclear movement's opposition to a uranium refinery near Warman in the late 1970s.
Consider the global impact of these initiatives. Saskatchewan is among the most fossil fuel dependent jurisdictions -including its reliance on burning the dirtiest of coals to produce more than half the electricity used in the province.
Scientists point out the deadly dilemma of using such sources to provide energy. For example, while in 2005 the United Nations Chernobyl Forum reported that no more than 4,000 people would die prematurely because of the worst nuclear accident in history, by using a similar method to calculate mortality rates, epidemiologists postulate that every year 2,000 people in Southern Ontario die as a result of the province burning coal to produce electricity. [ . . . ]
- - - - -
4500 Signature Petition Presented to Saskatchewan Government, Premier says province not in the "mood" for waste
http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
Member groups of the Coalition attended the Saskatchewan Legislature on April 14, 2011 to present a petition calling for a ban on nuclear waste disposal in the province.
Read our press release 'Reaction was swift, with Premier Brad Wall
<http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
nuclear+waste+storage+facility+Sask+Wall/4620567/story.html>
acknowledging the "mood" of the province didn't seem to be supporting nuclear waste storage at this time. Wall told reporters "what's happened in Japan has got people thinking, just generally speaking, about the issue".
- - - - - - -
No nuclear waste storage facility for Sask: Wall
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
nuclear+waste+storage+facility+Sask+Wall/4620567/story.html
Negative public opinion makes option unlikely
By James Wood, The StarPhoenix; With Files By Cassandra Kyle
April 15, 2011
Premier Brad Wall says Saskatchewan residents haven't warmed to the idea of storing nuclear waste in the province and it is highly unlikely the government would allow such a facility to be built.
Wall made the comments Thursday after a petition with more than 4,500 signatures opposing a nuclear waste facility was presented in the provincial legislature.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is eyeing Saskatchewan as a potential site for underground storage of nuclear waste, although a decision is likely a decade away. Three northern communities have expressed interest as a possible host.
While Wall's Saskatchewan Party government has been bullish on "adding value" to the province's large reserves of uranium, it has said in the past negative public opinion has ruled out a nuclear waste facility.
"I don't sense the mood of the province has changed and frankly, what's happened in Japan has got people thinking, just generally speaking, about the issue," Wall told reporters.
"This would be very much a provincial issue and while we would respect the fact that different communities do want this, there should be a sense that the province in general is supportive and I don't have that sense," he added. [ . . . ]
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4. NO NUKE NEWS: - Check back often
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
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5. NEW: Know Nuclear Waste
http://www.knownuclearwaste.ca/Home_Page.html
A public interest information project
Welcome to our information web site about nuclear waste. This site has been created to provide ordinary people with information about an extra-ordinary challenge: the long term management of the highly radioactive waste that is created as a byproduct of using nuclear power to generate electricity.
In Canada - as in several other countries that use nuclear power - the nuclear industry is committed to the idea of burying the nuclear fuel waste in a rock formation in a yet-to-be-identified location. In 2002 the federal government gave the nuclear industry permission to begin a search for a suitable site and a willing community, and in May 2010 the Nuclear Waste Management Organization formally launched their search for just such a community.
Please visit this site often as we add more information and updates.
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6. WATCH: FOGAL: Dangerous Radioactive rain in Lake Louise, BC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dccszCEKFdY
CRMT- connectingdots1 finds Dangerous Radioactive rain in Lake Louise,BC (1.66 mcSv/hr)
Please watch this video showing measurement of danger levels of Fukushima's radiation being taken 7 miles outside of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.
I hope Frances will share her plan with us. These radiation danger levels are very disconcerting.
Instead of the millions of dollars government(s) are spending around the world installing smart meters which spy on us, they should be spending money monitoring and advising us daily of the radiation levels and then providing protection remedies.
I am told that a private school in Vancouver is issuing iodine to the children daily.
I do not understand how it is that all politicians have become deaf and blind with none in opposition helping the public.
Connie Fogal,
Former Leader of the Canada Action Party
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7. Aging nuclear plant threatens Lake Michigan
http://www.canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=8428
June 28, 2011
The Michigan Messenger reports, “For the last 18 years environmental groups in Michigan have been warning that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has weakened or ignored safety rules in order to allow the (40-year-old) Palisades nuclear power plant (on the shore of Lake Michigan) to keep operating, and a new (Associated Press series published last week) seems to support that contention.”
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8. France includes nuclear power exit among options
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/08/
france-nuclear-idUSLDE7670UN20110708
France mulls full exit by 2040-2050, not govt's choice - Option part of wider study on French future energy mix - Poll showed three quarters of French want full exit
Reporting Emmanuel Jarry, Writing Sybille de La Hamaide;
Editing Anthony Barker, Reuters, Fri Jul 8, 2011
PARIS, July 8 (Reuters) - France raised the possibility for the first time of pulling out of nuclear power although its energy minister stressed on Friday that this was just one of many scenarios, not the one favoured by the government.
Energy Minister Eric Besson announced on radio Europe 1 the launch of a study on Friday on the country's energy mix by 2050, with options including a complete exit from nuclear production, a cut in the share of nuclear to 50 percent and a progressive reduction of total electricity production in France.
"We will study all possible scenarios for what we call the energy mix," he said. "It will be done with total objectivity, in full transparency, without avoiding any scenario (...) including the scenarios of a nuclear exit."
An energy ministry official told Reuters one scenario would consider a total exit from nuclear by 2050, or even 2040.
However, Besson stressed that he favoured keeping nuclear's share in France's overall power output at two thirds, compared with 74 percent in 2010.
"(A pullout) is not my conviction, it is not the choice of the government and of the president but at the same time we can't exclude anything," he stressed. [ . . . ]
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9. Ending Nuclear Evil
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commen ... 12/English
Desmond Tutu, CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 29 2011
CAPE TOWN – Eliminating nuclear weapons is the democratic wish of the world’s people. Yet no nuclear-armed country currently appears to be preparing for a future without these terrifying devices. In fact, all are squandering billions of dollars on modernization of their nuclear forces, making a mockery of United Nations disarmament pledges. If we allow this madness to continue, the eventual use of these instruments of terror seems all but inevitable.
The nuclear power crisis at Japan’s Fukushima power plant has served as a dreadful reminder that events thought unlikely can and do happen. It has taken a tragedy of great proportions to prompt some leaders to act to avoid similar calamities at nuclear reactors elsewhere in the world. But it must not take another Hiroshima or Nagasaki – or an even greater disaster – before they finally wake up and recognize the urgent necessity of nuclear disarmament.
This week, the foreign ministers of five nuclear-armed countries – the United States, Russia, Britain, France, and China – will meet in Paris to discuss progress in implementing the nuclear-disarmament commitments that they made at last year’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference. It will be a test of their resolve to transform the vision of a future free of nuclear arms into reality.
If they are serious about preventing the spread of these monstrous weapons – and averting their use – they will work energetically and expeditiously to eliminate them completely. One standard must apply to all countries: zero. Nuclear arms are wicked, regardless of who possesses them. The unspeakable human suffering that they inflict is the same whatever flag they may bear. So long as these weapons exist, the threat of their use – either by accident or through an act of sheer madness – will remain.
We must not tolerate a system of nuclear apartheid, in which it is considered legitimate for some states to possess nuclear arms but patently unacceptable for others to seek to acquire them. Such a double standard is no basis for peace and
security in the world. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
10. The Nuclear Disconnect – Part 1
http://environmentalresearchweb.org/blog/2011/07/
nuclear-disconnect-1.html
by Dave Elliott (blog), Environmental Research, July 16, 2011
A Mori IPSOS opinion poll just after Fukushima found that 67% of the French public opposed new nuclear projects, and the long-standing support for nuclear power in the French technocratic elite is showing signs of strain, following Germanys phase out plan. The share price of French reactor vendor Areva dropped by 25% in response to the German nuclear exit. It had already fallen 14% following the Japanese crisis.
Then came the news of a new French government review of the future energy mix, which would look at all scenarios ‘with total objectivity, in full transparency’, including the complete phase out of nuclear by 2050 or even 2040. Reuters reported that an opinion poll in June found that showed three quarters of the French people interviewed wanted to withdraw from nuclear energy, against 22% who back the nuclear expansion programme.
The new critical view is developed in a book ‘The Truth about Nuclear’, by Corrine Lepage, who served as Minister for the Environment in the government of conservative President Jacques Chirac. It lists a litany of damning allegations about the French nuclear industry, such as the escallating cost of Areva’s Finnish reactors which will have to be borne by French taxpayers. She suggests that exiting nuclear power, rather than penalizing the economy, could in fact lead to reindustrialization. If France developed its large renewable resources to replace nuclear power, the country would create new industries and jobs like those seen in Germany. Meanwhile the French nuclear industry could turn its attention to the growing trend toward phasing out nuclear.
She proposes that France could become a leader in decommissioning nuclear power plants worldwide.
She is currently serving as a member of the European Parliament and in that role she has questioned France’s nuclear choice, calling it a “strategic error” of historic proportions. The new leader of the far-right National Front, Marine Le Pen, has also said that nuclear power is a “dangerous form of energy”. [ . . . ]
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11. Antinuke stance within establishment slowly gathers steam
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fd20110703pb.html
By PHILIP BRASOR, Japan Times, July 3, 2011
In May, Wakamono Manifest Sakutei Iinkai, a policy research group dedicated to issues relevant to people under 40, posted results of a survey in which members were asked who they wanted to lead Japan. There was no consensus, but the individual who received the most votes was Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Taro Kono, followed by Osaka Governor Toru Hashimoto and "no one."
Kono, the son of former foreign minister Yohei Kono, is often referred to as an LDP heretic because of his opposition to Japan's nuclear energy policy, which predated the March 11 disaster. In a recent interview with Reuters, he said he would form an alliance with like-minded politicians in both the LDP and the ruling Democratic Party of Japan to change the country's energy policy, though the LDP leadership seems determined to keep a lid on him. He was one of only two lower house LDP lawmakers who voted in favor of Prime Minister Naoto Kan's request for a 70-day extension of the current Diet session
and as a result was denied the ¥1 million summertime bonus LDP Diet members receive. "That's the equivalent of half my annual operating expenses," he told reporters ruefully.
Though his pedigree guarantees him a certain degree of exposure, Kono's views were never taken seriously by the media, which isn't to say they were extreme. Kono is a fiscal and social conservative. He is also cocky and ambitious, which is why he hasn't quit the LDP. He wants to become prime minister, an office his father never achieved despite having once been president of the party, and believes the LDP is his best chance at achieving that goal. Since March 11 he's finally gotten the attention he always felt he deserved. [ . . . ]
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12. Murakami puts a bomb under his compatriots' atomic complacency
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fl20110703rp.html
By ROGER PULVERS, The Japan Times, Sunday, July 3, 2011
"The Japanese will someday outgrow their nuclear allergy." I've never forgotten futurologist and Cold War military strategist Herman Kahn saying this to me on his visit to Japan in 1969, when I was his guide and occasional interpreter.
The American author of the best-sellers "On Thermonuclear War" (1960) and "Thinking about the Unthinkable" (1962), Kahn believed that nuclear war was both probable and winnable.
He told me that "tolerable" levels of victims would be in the "ballpark" of the tens of millions.
In fact, Kahn — one of the prototypes that Stanley Kubrick used to create the crazed character Dr. Strangelove (played by Peter Sellers) in his 1964 antiwar film, "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" — was urged on during that visit, and subsequently, by elements in the government here who would have liked nothing more than to see Japan armed with nuclear weapons.
At the time, two things struck me about Kahn's pithy comment concerning a Japan with atomic weapons: the words "allergy" and "outgrow."
By labeling Japan's staunch stance against possessing such weapons or even allowing them to enter its territorial waters as an "allergy," the inference was that, with some testing and remedial care, this condition could be cured. By using the word "outgrow," Kahn was explicitly calling Japanese convictions "immature."
However, Japan's government, virtually synonymous in those days with the Liberal Democratic Party (which held nearly unbroken power until 2009), had forged ahead with the nuclearization of the power industry in the decades of growth after the war without any national debate on the multifarious issues of safety related to it.
This railroading through of lax laws and permissive regulations indicated that the sleepers had been laid; and all that was then needed was to lay the tracks toward nuclear weaponry — and Japan would have come of age.
I was reminded of this history by Haruki Murakami's brilliant speech on June 9 in Barcelona, Spain, delivered in acceptance of the International Catalunya Prize. In January 2009, in his acceptance speech for the Jerusalem Prize in Israel, the author had used his podium time to deliver a keenly aimed attack on the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In Barcelona, by turning his sights to "peaceful uses of atoms," he again gave voice to the Japanese conscience of our era.
"This massive earthquake (on March 11) delivered a severe shock to practically all Japanese," he told his audience in Barcelona. "We think of ourselves as generally being used to earthquakes, but this one has thrown us for a loop. We feel helpless and even insecure about the future of the country. ... What brought about this disastrous situation?
"The cause is quite apparent. The people who built the nuclear power stations had not accounted for a tsunami of such magnitude, ... the reason being that a profit-making organization does not welcome the investment of the immense amount of money required (to deal with) a huge tsunami that might or might not come once a century." [ . . . ]
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13. Japan's Tsunami: The First 24 Hours
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/03/
japans-tsunami-the-first-24-hours_n_889365.html
Eric Talmadge and Mari Yamaguchi, Huffington Post, July 3, 2011
-------
EDITOR'S NOTE: It was an ordinary Friday afternoon, and then the shaking began – harbinger of a nuclear nightmare that rages on, three months later. A moment-by-moment account of the crucial first 24 hours after an earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.
___
FUKUSHIMA, Japan -- When Unit 2 began to shake, Hiroyuki Kohno's first hunch was that something was wrong with the turbines. He paused for a moment, then went back to logging the day's radioactivity readings.
He expected it to pass. Until the shakes became jolts.
As sirens wailed, he ran to an open space, away from the walls, and raced down a long corridor with two colleagues. Parts of the ceiling fell around them. Outside, he found more pandemonium.
"People were shouting about a tsunami," he said. "At that point, I really thought I might die."
Breathless, Kohno climbed a small hill and turned to look back. Black plumes rose from the reactor units. The emergency generators, burning diesel, had kicked in.
He saw the wave. It crashed over the plant's seawall, stopping only when it reached the foot of the slope about 500 yards (460 meters) from where he stood.
Unit 2, one of six reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power station, is ordinary by nuclear standards: a drab labyrinth of switches and valves, ladders and bulkheads, meters and gauges. That's how Kohno, a veteran radioactivity specialist, knew it.
Now, nothing about what he saw was normal.
Kohno kept moving.
The events of the next 24 hours brought the promise of nuclear power into question, both in Japan and around the world.
___
Through interviews with dozens of officials, workers and experts, and hundreds of pages of newly released documents, The Associated Press found the early response to the crisis was marked by confusion, inadequate preparation, a lack of forthrightness with the public and a reluctance to make quick decisions. These problems set the tone for the troubled recovery effort since. [ . . .]
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14. EDWARDS: Thorium Reactors: Back to the Dream Factory
http://ccnr.org/Thorium_Reactors.html
by Gordon Edwards, July 13, 2011
The Nuclear Dream Factory
Every time a nuclear power reactor idea doesn't work out, and ordinary people get down-hearted and even start to doubt the magnificence and benificence of nuclear energy, the nuclear proponents rush back to their well-stocked dream factory to
fetch another idea -- one that is sufficiently unfamiliar and sufficiently untested that ordinary people have no idea whether it is good or bad, safe or dangerous, feasible or foolish, or whether the almost miraculous claims made about it are true or false.
Just a few years ago, nuclear proponents were pushing Generation 3 reactors -- enormous plants that would generate huge amounts of electricity, yet be cheaper and faster to build than earlier models, as well as being safer and longer-lived.
Then Areva ran into a blizzard of problems trying to build one of these behemoths in Finland -- the cost soaring by billions of dollars, the construction time extended by years, and fundamental safety-related design problems surfacing late in the game. Check and mate. Undaunted, nuclear proponents quickly executed a 180-degree turn and are now promoting small reactors which can be mass-produced by the thousands and sprinkled on the landscape like cinnamon on toast. Pebble-bed reactors, molten-salt reactors, thorium reactors, have been paraded before the public with as many bells and whistles as the nuclear industry can muster, to distract people's gaze away from the construction fiascos, the litany of broken promises from the past, the still-unsolved problems of nuclear waste and weapons proliferation, and the horror that is Fukushima.
The following paragraphs are written to dispel some of the mystique surrounding the idea of "thorium reactors" -- a very old idea that is now being dressed up in modern clothes and made to seem like a major scientific breakthrough, which it is
not. [ . . . ]
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15. PETITION: JAPAN: Say "no" to nuclear business-as-usual
Sign a petition to protect the children of Fukushima against radioactivity
Aileen Mioko Smith, director of Green Action Japan, has just announced an opportunity for individuals and organizations across the world to sign a petition demanding increased protection for the children of Fukushima against the clear and present danger from the Dai-ichi nuclear power plant's ongoing releases of hazardous radioactivity.
To read and sign the petition, go to the Green Action Fukushima Updates website.
http://fukushima.greenaction-japan.com/
Japan learns lessons of Fukushima; US ignores dangers of its own Mark I reactors
Prime Minister Naoto Kan announced
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/
japans-prime-minister-calls-for-phase-out-of-nuclear-power/2011/07/13/gIQAXxUJCI_story.html?wpisrc=emailtoafriend>
this week that Japan needs to decrease and eventually eliminate nuclear energy and must "aim to bring about a society that can exist without nuclear power." As Japanese reactors come off line for inspection, they may not be re-started which could potentially mean no reactors in operation there as early as April 2012. But Kan did not put a timetable on the nuclear exit. Germany and Switzerland have already announced nuclear phase-outs. The Italian public voted never to re-start that country’s nuclear program. But the US continues to turn a blind eye to the unacceptable risks posed by its own Mark I reactors almost identical in design to those at Fukushima. Worse, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission instead envisages "more than 100 nuclear power plants operating throughout the United States for decades to come."
Such backward thinking, along with a continued policy of allowing the nuclear industry self oversight through "voluntary initiatives" were revealed in the publication of the NRC’s "Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident" released on the same day as Kan’s announcement. That’s not something Beyond Nuclear believes should continue. Please join us as a co-petitioner to suspend the operation of all Fukushima-style reactors in the United States. More
Thanks for taking action. And please also consider making a donation to Beyond Nuclear today. Your support will help us build a grassroots movement to close dangerous nuclear plants and create a safe energy future for our children.
Thank you for working with us for a nuclear-free world.
The Beyond Nuclear Team
www.beyondnuclear.org
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16. JAPAN UPDATE
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has stabilized, officials say.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/
world/la-fgw-japan-fukushima-stabilized-20110720,0,769161.story
Just over four months after it was crippled by an earthquake-generated tsunami, Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has stabilized and workers are on track for achieving a cold shutdown within six months, government and utility officials say. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required]
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Japan halts sale of Fukushima beef.
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB10001424052702303661904576455852125359570.html
The Japanese government Tuesday halted sales of all beef cattle from Fukushima and unveiled a 30-year plan to monitor the health of the two million residents of the prefecture, a step that acknowledges the effects of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant will be long-lasting and far-reaching. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required]
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17. Who has final say over the fate of Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant?
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0719/
Who-has-final-say-over-the-fate-of-Vermont-Yankee-nuclear-power-plant
If a state wants to shutter a nuclear power plant, but the feds have relicensed it, does the state have legal grounds for closure? That question is being wrestled with in federal court, with implications for dozens of older nuclear plants seeking to renew operating licenses to extend their lifetimes another 20 years beyond their original 40-year licenses. Christian Science Monitor
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18. Report Reveals America Now Receives More Power From Renewable Sources Than Nuclear
http://tinyurl.com/3zl8lwa
by Tafline Laylin, inhabitat.com, July 6 2011
A recent report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration reveals that America now receives more of its energy from renewable sources than it does from nuclear generation plants. In the first three months of 2011, the country’s biomass/biofuel, hydropower, wind, geothermal, and solar energy generation plants produced a combined 2.245 quadrillion Btus of energy or 11.73 percent of U.S. energy production. During the same period, nuclear energy plants produced 2.125 quadrillion Btus.
According to data taken from the Monthly Energy Review, renewable energy production in the United States has increased by 25 percent since the first quarter of 2009. Biomass/biofuel production makes up a whopping 48 percent of this total. Hydropower contributes 35.41 percent to overall production, while wind, geothermal, and solar account for 12.87, 2.45, and 1.16 percent respectively.
Although it seems that solar production is particularly low, the study found that solar energy generation has increased by 104.8 percent since early 2010, while wind power has increased by 40.3 percent during the same time frame. This renewable thrust bodes well for the United States, particularly given the continued environmental and health impacts expected following the Fukushima disaster in Japan earlier this year.
Renewable Energy Now Neck and Neck with Nuclear in the US http://inhabitat.com/
renewable-energy-now-neck-and-neck-with-nuclear-in-the-us/
New renewable energy projects are popping up left and right and we’re stoked to report that in 2010, the amount of green energy generation was finally on
World's Biggest Producer of Wind Energy Records $4 Billion in Profits in 2010
http://inhabitat.com/
worlds-biggest-producer-of-wind-energy-records-4-billion-in-profits-in-2010/
The world's largest producer of wind energy, Spain-based Iberdrola SA, blew way analysts' expectations last year with a whopping $4 billion in profits – analysts
Sweden Aims for 2000 New Wind Turbines, 50% Renewable Energy by 2020
http://inhabitat.com/
sweden-aims-for-2000-new-wind-turbines-50-renewable-energy-by-2020/
John McConnico for The New York Times Maud Olofsson, Sweden's Enterprise and Energy Minister, announced recently the addition of 2,000 wind turbines to the country's alternative
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19. Montérégie wind farm gets green light
http://tinyurl.com/6bknsuj
Jan Ravensbergen, Montreal Gazette, July 13, 2011
MONTREAL – A $300-million wind farm that will feature 44 large windmills on agricultural land just south of Montreal has received Quebec government approval, the province announced Tuesday.
Each of the Enercon windmills will be equipped with blades reaching 139 metres into the sky.
The power towers, expected to feed into the Hydro-Québec electricity-distribution network for at least the next two decades, will be erected on the outskirts of Mercier, St. Constant, St. Isidore, St. Rémi and St. Michel.
Almost half, 20 towers in total, will be installed around St. Isidore.
The Montérégie project, known as Kémont and developed by Kruger Energy, is expected to begin operating in December 2012.
It is "the first such project in Quebec developed in an urbanized zone such as those of these municipalities," according to the project’s website.
No such tower will be installed closer than 750 metres from a residence, and none will be located closer than two kilometres from a designated urbanized zone around each of the towns.
During an inquiry, the province’s Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) "received no expression of concern from the public concerning the installation of the project on the countryside," according to a 112-page report it issued in approving the project. [ . . . .]
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20. Lawsuits on mining-related abuses will test limits of Canadian law
http://www.kairoscanada.org/nc/en/news/archive/2011/07/
article/lawsuits-on-mining-related-abuses-will-test-limits-of-canadian-law/print.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=1&cHash=66a1cb5d35
July 11, 2011
Four groundbreaking lawsuits have been launched in Canada over the past two years by plaintiffs alleging that they or their family members suffered grave human rights violations linked to the activities of Canadian mining companies operating abroad. KAIROS is hopeful that these cases will test the limits of existing law and of the Canadian justice system.
Efforts to hold Canadian resource extraction companies accountable when they commit human rights abuses or environmental damage abroad faced a major setback when Bill C-300 was narrowly defeated last October in the House of Commons. But communities affected by Canadian mining companies are not waiting around for lawmakers in Canada.
Three of the lawsuits, all involving conflicts in Latin America, have been launched with the help of Toronto lawyer Murray Klippenstein. The first suit, Ramirez v. Copper Mesa, was dismissed in Ontario court in March 2011 on grounds that duties of the company’s directors and the Toronto Stock Exchange did not extend to ensuring the safety of Ecuadorian villagers who were allegedly attacked by armed men sent in by the company. Another two cases involving Toronto-based HudBay Minerals Inc., whose Fenix mine project in Guatemala has been the scene of forced evictions and allegations of gang rape of local women by company security guards, are still before the courts.
The fourth lawsuit was launched in Quebec court last November as a class action against Anvil Mining Ltd. The plaintiffs are family members of Congolese villagers who were massacred by the Congolese military in a raid that was allegedly carried out with assistance from Anvil Mining.
The Anvil case set an important legal precedent in Canada when, in April 2011, the judge ruled that Quebec was the appropriate jurisdiction to hear the case. Previous attempts to hold Canadian corporations accountable in Canada have been tossed out on grounds that the cases should be heard in the country where the acts were committed. Yet, very often these countries have weak judicial systems or lack the political will to address such cases. As Judge Benoît Emery stated his decision in the Anvil case: "In fact, at this stage of the proceedings, everything indicates that if the Tribunal dismissed the action [...], there would exist no other possibility for the victims to be heard by civil justice." [ . . . ]
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21. Afghan mission numbers don't add up to success
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/
canada-in-afghanistan/Afghan+mission+numbers+success/5099407/story.html
By Colin Kenny, Citizen Special July 14, 2011
In the National Post last week, I argued that our military mission to Afghanistan was pretty much a failure. There were some successes - we pleased our American allies and we gave our troops combat experience.
But there were plenty of negatives on the other side of the balance sheet.
For a start, if one of the main reasons for the mission was to root out al-Qaeda, they were long gone by the time our troops got to Kandahar - scattered to less vulnerable international hiding places.
There are a number of facts that Canadians should consider when reflecting on the mission: we exit with the Taliban stronger than it was when we came; we exit with a corrupt government in place as the only alternative to the Taliban; we exit with the Afghan army and police ineffectual protectors of democracy; we exit with only traces of successful foreign aid expenditures (despite all the money spent); we exit with the drug trade in full and unmolested swing; we exit with the Taliban unwilling to sign on to a peace deal because they know the westerners will soon be gone, so why deal?
For what Canada gained - and I acknowledge that pleasing the Americans and giving our troops combat experience are worthy achievements - we lost 157 heroic soldiers, sent many more home physically and/or psychologically wounded, and spent billions of dollars that could have done a lot of good in other poor countries - or, for that matter, at home.
I applaud the fact that, for those who survived this ordeal, morale is up in the Canadian Forces.
That shouldn't come as a surprise; soldiers like to test their mettle, and our soldiers' courageous performance in Afghanistan, despite not always having a sufficient number of personnel or the right equipment, won the admiration of military people around the world, not to mention the Canadian public. So, bravo.
But at what price?
-------------
Colin Kenny is former chair of the Senate Committee on Security and Defence.
E-mail: Kennyco@sen.parl.gc.ca
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22. KURTENBACH: The Bombing of Libya
July 2, 2011
To the Editor,
The bombing of Libya by NATO, which includes Canadian bombers, is really quite worrisome. I do not understand how this destructive mission is carried out. We have been told it had to be done for humanitarian and compassionate reasons. And so, after a hundred days of bombing, I wonder: are the humanitarian bombs used to eradicate Gaddafi and the compassionate bombs used to help the rebels dependent on how you find out which groups are civilians or rebels? It is all quite confusing!
Major-General Lewis MacKenzie, a well-known retired Canadian military leader, was recently interviewed on a Canadian TV station. He stated that the aerial war against Libya was a "mess" with no end in sight.
It appears that the western industrialized world, particularly global oil corporations, view Muammar al-Gaddafi as a pariah. He may be that, but he is not Africa's worst pariah. However, he, Gaddafi, incurred the wrath of the global oil tycoons when he nationalized Libya's high quality oil reserves in 1993. To add insult to injury, he then sold that oil in Europe for euros instead of dollars. Presently, China purchases 17 percent of their imported oil from Libya. Is that good or bad?
Africa is a resource-rich continent. It has been stated that Gaddafi is trying to establish the use of a gold dinar for all the countries in Africa. Obviously this would hamper the endeavours of the U.S. to be the world's greatest permanent military power in the Middle East and the quest of American power brokers to become a world empire. The rebel force in Libya is sponsored by The National Front for the Salvation of Libya and has the support of the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.
Our present federal government is aligning itself to the American war machine. From 1890 to 2000, the U.S. has led military actions in at least 60 foreign countries. And that is not counting their recent wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, the sending of drones into Pakistan, and now the bombing of Libya. It also does not include offshore shows of naval strength nor the permanent stationing of American armed forces in foreign lands.
Polls have repeatedly shown that Canadians want to be seen by the rest of the world as peacemakers and peacekeepers. We want to keep a democratic sovereign Canada free of armed violence and the obscenity of war.
Leo Kurtenbach,
Saskatoon, SK
Phone (306) 652-5129
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23. KURTENBACH: All Quiet on the Libya Front
July 15, 2011
Dear Editor:
Although I am not normally enamoured by visiting royalty, I must say Kate and William are a pleasant, congenial couple. However, for the moment, they did take away our concerns about the horrors of war in Libya. Should we be indebted to our considerate media sources for sparing us the details of what war is really all about?
Certainly we wonder, do the pilots and their bombers feel some exhilaration or satisfaction from a mission completed, having destroyed strategic properties, and in the process, probably having killed and maimed some innocent human beings?
But I am getting ahead of this story.
In the beginning, the U.N. approved NATO conducting a no-fly zone over Ghaddfi's Libya. The war is now in the fourth month. Approximately 35,000 aerial missions have flown over Libya. The no-fly zone has evolved into about 4,000 aerial bombing strikes. The leaders of the rebel ground forces in Libya are sponsored by The Front for the Salvation of Libya which has the support of the U.S.A. and Saudi Arabia. However, an American official stated that the bombing and shooting in Libya is really not a war, since there are no NATO troops fighting there.
We hear very little about the war in Libya, and even less about Canada's military involvement in the bombing of that country. It certainly appears our so-called majority government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Harper, is aligning Canada and its citizens to the American quest for control of the Middle East and beyond.
In a recent interview with Mr. Harper, Kenneth Whyte, author and journalist, noted that Harper did not view Canada as "a nation of peacekeepers", but rather as "courageous warrior". When asked about the nature of the present threat to Canada, Harper replied: "The most obvious is terrorism, Islamic extremist terrorism". And then added, ". . . and the ability of our most important allies, and most importantly, the United States, to single-handedly shape outcomes and protect our interests has been diminishing and so I'm saying we have to be prepared to contribute more and that is what this government is doing"!
This begs the question: should Canadian mothers prepare their sons and daughters to contribute to American global military ventures, to insure permanent control and access to oil in the Middle East? If Canada goes along with our present government's foreign policies, we could soon be facing the same economic woes that now plague our American neighbors.
May I humbly suggest that, if the western powers pulled all their military troops and equipment out of the Middle East, this continent would have to worry only about our own extremist terrorists.
No country or power can bring peace to our planet Earth by making war.
Leo Kurtenbach,
Saskatoon. Phone
(306) 652-5129
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24. Israeli warplanes bomb Gaza
http://gazatvnews.com/2011/07/israeli-w ... bomb-gaza/
No details are yet available on the possible casualties.
The attack comes as Israeli fighter jets on Wednesday targeted the tunnel network in Rafah, south of the enclave, claiming that Palestinian resistance fighters use the tunnels to smuggle in weapons.
Palestinians, however, dismiss such allegations, insisting that they are forced to resort to the underground tunnels to bring in basic living supplies to the impoverished strip because the territory has been closed off the outside world by an Israeli blockade for over three years.
Some 1.5 million people are being denied their basic rights, including the freedom of movement and appropriate living conditions, in the coastal sliver.
The Israeli regime launched an all-out war on the Gaza Strip three days before the turn of 2009. The three-week war killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, including many women and children
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24. WATCH: Canadian Military Sales to Israel - March 14, 2011
http://therealnews.com/t2/
index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=6353
Canada's political support of Israel is well known; its military, intelligence and arms trade with Israel are not.
While portraying the image of the "honest broker" Canada's military and intelligence cooperation and arms trade with Israel paint a different picture. The Real News' Lia Tarachansky interviews Yves Engler, the author of Canada and Israel: Building Apartheid about the political, military, and corporate support Canada extends Israel and its meddling in Palestinian internal politics. She also speaks to Richard Sanders of the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade about Canada's weapons export to Israel and the government's failure to report accurate exports statistics.
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25. A letter from a Palestinian woman to the supporters of Palestine – by Hekmat Bessiso
http://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/
a-letter-from-a-palestinian-woman-to-the-supporters-of-palestine-by-hekmat-bessiso/
July 11, 2011 by occupiedpalestine
Hekmat Bessiso for Salem-News.com | July 10, 2011
I hope one day to share a coffee with you in my home or in yours, for when this day comes we will have reached our freedom.
(RAMALLAH) – I would like to talk to you as the voice of the thousands of Palestinians who appreciate what you are doing. You who have a great commitment to human rights and who actually act upon your beliefs.
You risk your life to both witness and tell the truth of what you see. You are a group of people who understand what is happening in the holy land and have decided to dedicate your time, money and energy to the issue. You demonstrate that religion nor race is important when it comes to standing up for the rights human beings.
And every step you take justice and humanity wins.
I want you to trust that your actions are making a difference and changing the violence we see here in our land. Your solidarity is helping fuel our non violent fight. Palestinians face many kinds of violence and torture, however, being ignored is the worst punishment of all. Those who refuse to hear and see us are just as bad as those who occupy us.
Those who stand in solidarity with us send a strong message of humanity and are helping us to overcome our suffering. In the middle of all this crisis, your help puts a smile on our face. From this smile you will always be welcome in our hearts even if you are unable to enter our land.
Your solidarity reminds the world that we are all one human family and that we Palestinians are still part of it. Please do not give up. Even if your boats do not make it to the shores of Gaza or if your planes refuse to fly, the unseen effects are still huge.
I want to say thank you for all that your work involves. Thank you for booking your tickets, taking time off from work, leaving your loved ones, and for all of the other small things, I am truly grateful.
Please continue to be with us, hand in hand, in our non-violent struggle. We need to reach the end of the path of occupation and your presence on this journey is crucial, we cannot make it alone.
I hope one day to share a coffee with you in my home or in yours, for when this day comes we will have reached our freedom.
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Hekmat Bessiso – Gazan living in Ramallah
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26. Children of War - American arms pacified Fallujah—and poisoned a generation
http://www.uruknet.info/?new=79555
by Kelley Beaucar Vlahos
July 13, 2011 - According to studies and eyewitness accounts over the past few years, Fallujah — an Iraqi city that was practically obliterated by U.S. heavy artillery in two major offensives in 2004 — is experiencing a staggering rate of birth defects. The situation echoes similar reports from Basra that began to circulate after the first Gulf War in 1991. The litany of horrors is gut-wrenching: babies born with one eye in the middle of the face, missing limbs, too many limbs, brain damage, cardiac defects, and missing genitalia. Upon touring a clinic in Fallujah in March 2010, the BBC’s John Simpson said, "We were given details of dozens upon dozens of cases of children with serious birth defects. . . . One photograph I saw showed a newborn baby with three heads." Later, at the main U.S.-funded hospital in the city, a stream of parents arrived with children who had limb defects, spinal conditions, and other problems. Authorities in Fallujah reportedly warned women to hold off on having babies at all....
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27. WATCH: 75,000 US veterans face homelessness
http://www.presstv.com/detail/189320.html
Over 75,000 US military personnel face the predicament of homelessness after they return home from US-led wars abroad, feeling the burden of increased mental pressure.
According to data published by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the number of US veterans, homeless on any given night as of June this year, stands at a staggering 75,700, a Press TV correspondent reported Friday.
"It's a critical time; we have veterans that are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan that are potentially becoming homeless in higher numbers than they have in the past," said Anne Oliva, director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's homeless office.
Formerly deployed in military missions overseas, the veterans are finding it more difficult to find employment at home.
The unemployment rate among American young veterans stood at nearly 21 percent last year according to the US Labor Department.
"It's a national disgrace, the situation of returning soldiers and veterans. And it reflects the overall situation of the US economy, which is in a state of collapse and it's only going to get worse with all the budget cuts," said Edward Spannaus, Legal Affairs Editor.
"Young men and women join the army these days precisely because it's the only job they can get. The people tend to come from the poor layers of the society and overwhelmingly from the poor states in the country," he added.
Meanwhile, the detrimental psychological effects of war upon the combatants coupled with economy-driven plights have sounded alarms concerning the veterans' mental health.
A recent study has revealed that 300,000 American veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Critics say the US government has failed in its duty to ease the transition of the military lives of its war veterans into civilian lives.
HMV/HJL/HRF
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
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NUKE NEWS: August 4, 2011
by Oscar » Thu Aug 04, 2011 12:24 pm
NUKE NEWS: August 4, 2011
1. UPDATES: Saskatchewan - 800 kilometre Walk Heats Up Nuclear Waste Controversy – check back often
2. Cameco's Q2 profits drop 22 per cent
3. Japan’s Fukushima catastrophe brings big radiation spikes to B.C.
4. Monitoring stations catch a fraction of Fukushima fallout
5. Health Canada's Radiation Monitoring Data
6. The Implications of Germany Decision to End Their Nuclear Energy Programme
7. Commission on waste promotes nuclear power but rejects reprocessing - for now
8. Yucca Mountain commission to recommend that a new site be found for nuclear waste.
9. Safety concerns cloud US nuclear renaissance.
10. Tennessee awaits tons of German nuclear waste.
11. Japan utilities push to extend life of nuclear plants.
12. BOOK: Chernobyl Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment – Reduced Price!
13. HOFFMAN: NASA hopes you won't get too curious about Curiosity, their newest, nuttiest, nuke-powered Mars rover. But you should!
14. World Nuclear News Weekly: 26 July - 1 August 2011
15. INTRODUCING WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION UPDATE
16. Upcoming World Nuclear Association’s Symposiums (3):
17. Afghan interpreters allowed into Canada “disappointed”
18. British nuclear test veterans take cancer claims to supreme court.
19. "Our" Troops vs. Our Eco-System
20. Mayors Tell Congress: Bring War Dollars Home
21. 1 Million Dead in Iraq? 6 Reasons the Media Hide the True Human Toll of War -- And Why We Let Them
22. KURTENBACH: Letter: Where is Global Justice?
23. Our Commando War in 120 Countries: Uncovering The Military's Secret Operations In The Obama Era
24. Canada considering international bases: MacKay
25. How we helped pave Haiti’s road to hell
26. Bilderberg 2011: The Rockefeller World Order and the "High Priests of Globalization"
27. San Francisco passes cell phone radiation law.
28. LISTEN: SMART METERS
29. (2006) Spill site is free of radioactive waste, says Corridor Resources
30. Chasing China - For rare earths, an abundance of interest
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1. UPDATES: Saskatchewan: 800 kilometre Walk Heats Up Nuclear Waste Controversy - ITINERARY, ENTERTAINMENT, PETITION, HOW TO DONATE & MORE:
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/
viewtopic.php?p=2188#2188
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800 KM WALK HEATS UP NUCLEAR WASTE CONTROVERSY
BY Jim Harding
For publication in R-Town News - August 5, 2011
Much has happened since the Forum for Truth on Nuclear Waste Storage was held in Beauval June 2nd. Organized in two weeks by the newly-formed Committee for Future Generations, the forum was attended by 200 people, most from ten northern communities. Within a few weeks committee members had organized a second forum, held in Pinehouse July 26th. The next day thirty northerners left Pinehouse to begin a twenty day, 7000 Generations Walk Against Nuclear Waste, which will end up at the Regina Legislature.
The 800 km walk will pass through twelve communities, with rallies in Prince Albert on August 3nd, Saskatoon on August 8th and Regina August 15th. On August 16th the walk will go down The Green Mile along Albert Street to present petitions to the Wall government. Organizers are encouraging supporters to join in the walk wherever they can and for however long they can. Several carloads are expected to join the walkers at Lumsden the morning of August 15th.
This is no small feat and walkers are bound to be tested by this summer’s extreme weather. First Nations, Métis, environmental and ecumenical networks are providing lodging, food and support along the route. This is an unprecedented event, with northerners calling for southern support to win a nuclear waste ban.
The mainstream media is finally reporting the growing opposition to a nuclear dump in the north. Provincial politics is heating up and the nuclear waste controversy may yet become a fall election issue. The NDP, which has a policy against a nuclear dump, has now indicated it will support the walk. We will see whether this resonates with the voting public or is seen as getting on the band wagon late in the game. Organizers want support from any and all groups that are willing to help; it’s a politically non-partisan action.
NWMO’S RESPONSE
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), which has been promoting a nuclear dump In the north, appears to have changed its approach since the success of the Beauval forum. On July 21st, a week prior to the July 26th Pinehouse forum, NWMO’s Communications Director, Jamie Robinson, contacted the Committee for Future Generations, the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES). It invited members to come on an all-expense paid tour “to a waste management facility at a nuclear generating station in South Ontario where used nuclear fuel is currently stored on an interim basis.” NWMO said it wanted to “hear their concerns and questions and to provide a briefing about our activities.”
These tours are regularly given to political officials and business groups to try to get them onside. The timing of this invitation to opponents of a nuclear dump is most interesting, for it came after the NWMO declined to send anyone to the Beauval forum. This was the largest, broadest-based discussion of nuclear wastes to occur in the north to date, and would have been an opportune time for them to hear “concerns and questions”. (The forum organizers wanted the industry view presented and when no one turned up they bent over backwards and played two NWMO videos at the beginning of the meeting.)
NWMO’s invitation could have created divisions, but on July 25th the Committee simply responded “we are unable to attend at this time as we are extremely busy with our forum in Pinehouse and our 7000 Generations Walk to the legislature in Regina.” We’ll have to wait and see whether the offer to take people opposed to a nuclear dump here, to Ontario, where the wastes are produced and should be stored, still stands after the summer’s activities.
TRANSPARENCY REQUIRED
The Committee for Future Generations has been calling for more transparency from NWMO; they want to know what money is going into the north as part of its promotions. A July 27th Star Phoenix story sheds some light on this, reporting that “Resources of up to $75,000 per community were made available for expenses incurred at this stage of the selection process…” The story fails, however, to mention the $1,000,000 that went to the FSIN or the $400,000 that went to the Métis Nation.
The Committee has also been asking NWMO what payments have been going to the hand-picked elders that are “advising” it. When pushed on this, NWMO’s Toronto-based spokesman, Michael Krizanc, admitted they received “a per diem that would be several hundred dollars a day”. That means that when NWMO-appointed elder, Jim Sinclair, for example, goes to any community forum to try to convince people to consider a nuclear dump, he is getting paid. Such monetary inducements completely go against the meaning of “duty to consult” and “informed consent”.
There’s a lot of twisting of words in this controversy. Pinehouse official Glen McCallum suggests that the community is “just interested in gathering information”, yet village officials haven’t contacted people outside the industry, and it took forming the Committee for Future Generations to get an open public forum in the community. It’s hard to accept that “there is no coercion” going on behind the scene. Industry spokesperson Krizanc says NWMO wants an “informed and willing” community to display its willingness in a “compelling” way, but then adds “we haven’t defined what a compelling way is yet”. What is compelling is the growing opposition to a nuclear dump!
MANIPULATION EXPOSED
Those working behind the scene may be getting nervous. Pinehouse spokesperson, Vince Natomagan, had an op ed in the July 28th Star Phoenix, just the day after the 7000 Generations Walk left his community. He attacked the June 2nd Beauval forum as sending a “fear-based, short-sighted message”, while failing to say anything about the opposition to a nuclear dump expressed at the July 26th Pinehouse forum . Natomagan tried to make the SES sound like it supported his position, without mentioning that the SES supports a ban on nuclear wastes in Saskatchewan. Natomagan supported Jim Sinclair, who was heckled at the Beauval forum, without mentioning that Sinclair was actually applauded when he started his speech by opposing a nuclear dump. Sinclair then flip-flopped and ended up supporting a dump as if that was the way to help the next generation avoid addiction, suicide and prison. Many present were aghast!
Such manipulation of the deep concern about the social crisis in the north may be backfiring. One of the founders of the Committee for Future Generations, retired RCMP officer, Max Morin, told the Star Phoenix he “was invited to be part of an elder’s summit focused on problems of death and addiction among the community’s youth. Two hours in, the meeting turned out to be a presentation on nuclear waste storage set up by those working with NWMO.”
Northern Saskatchewan remains the second poorest region in all of Canada in spite of the uranium mining “boom”, and bringing 20,000 truckloads of highly radioactive nuclear wastes to the north will not change the highly inequitable pattern of mal-development. A new, sustainable path will need to be charted. Natomagan talks rhetorically about “standing up straight and making an informed decision”. The northerners walking from Pinehouse to Regina are not only standing up for the future of the north but for the future of the whole province.
Other articles:
http://jimharding.brinkster.net
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Travelling protest marches through Prince Albert
http://saskatoon.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loca ... /20110803/
sas-nuclearwalk-110803/20110803/?hub=Saskatoon
CTV Saskatoon Date: Wednesday Aug. 3, 2011 1:48 PM CST
A travelling protest marched through Prince Albert Wednesday morning, fighting against a proposal to store nuclear waste in this province.
Many of the marchers started the journey at Pinehouse Lake, nearly 400 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert, and organizers say about 100 people have joined them for the walk to Prince Albert city hall. [ . . . ]
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WATCH: Protest over nuclear waste
http://saskatoon.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/
20110727/sask-sas-nuclear-protest-110727/20110727/?hub=Saskatoon
CTV Saskatchewan Wednesday Jul. 27, 2011 6:40 PM CST
A group plans to march 800 kilometers from the northern village of Pinehouse Lake to Regina, to protest a proposal to store nuclear waste in northern Saskatchewan.
About 30 of them kicked off the march with a rally Wednesday morning in Pinehouse.
Fred Peterson was one of them.
"The forests that we have," said Peterson, "the living we have with trapping, fishing, and hunting, its so beautiful, why do they want to destroy this?"
The village of Pinehouse Lake is exploring the possibility of having a nuclear waste storage facility in the region.
They've been talking with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization – a body that is trying to find a permanent home for spent nuclear fuel produced in Canada. [ . . . ]
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Group begins trek to legislature - Industry defends its plan
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/
Group+begins+trek+legislature/5164350/story.html
BY JEANETTE STEWART, THE STAR PHOENIXJULY 27, 2011
Seven semi-truckloads of nuclear waste per day, every day for 20 years, trucked into Saskatchewan's north en route to a storage facility deep underground - that's the scenario a group of people walking 800 kilometres from Pinehouse Lake to the legislature in Regina say they are trying to prevent.
The walkers will leave Pinehouse Lake this morning and plan to arrive in Regina Aug. 16.
The nuclear industry is searching for a permanent home for the waste accumulated since Canada's nuclear power program began in the mid-1970s. The used fuel is stored at the reactor sites in an "interim" storage situation. Reactors in Ontario, New Brunswick and Quebec have created about two million used fuel bundles, each the size of a fireplace log.
The nuclear industry says the used fuel is toxic, radioactive and must be isolated from humans and the environment forever.
Some northern residents say the nuclear industry is bribing elders and leaders in their community to support the controversial project. [ . . . ]
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Northern protesters begin 820-km walk
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/
Northern+protesters+begin+walk/5170779/story.html
BY JEANETTE STEWART, THE STAR PHOENIX JULY 28, 2011
Fourteen residents of northern Saskatchewan have now begun an 820-kilometre walk from Pinehouse Lake to Regina to protest nuclear waste storage in Saskatchewan.
The 7000 Generations Walk Against Nuclear Waste is organized by a group called the Committee for Future Generations. The group plans to travel from the community of Pinehouse Lake to Regina, where it will present a petition against a proposed nuclear waste storage site in northern Saskatchewan.
The walk will take more than 20 days and participants will stop in more than 12 communities along the way before arriving in Regina on Aug. 16. The group will hold rallies in Prince Albert on Aug. 3 and in Saskatoon Aug. 8. The rallies will be held in each city at City Hall at noon. Participants hope to raise awareness along the way and invite more people to join the group as they travel south.
"We speak for the children of the next 7,000 generations. As long as there's one margin of error, it's unacceptable," said Debby Morin, a spokesperson for the Committee for Future Generations and a resident of the northern community of Beauval. [ . . . ]
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Informed choice should be made on nuclear waste
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
todays-paper/Informed+choice+should+made+nuclear+waste/5170792/story.html
BY VINCE NATOMAGAN, THE STAR PHOENIX JULY 28, 2011
Natomagan is the lead spokesperson for the northern community of Pinehouse on issues related to the Nuclear Waste Management Organization.
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I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman from the Saskatchewan Environmental Society. I was delighted to meet him because he was so honest and straightforward about my current situation - about how the world is outstripping resources, about the true energy needs of the entire planet.
But most of all, he agreed that an underground repository for nuclear waste is the most viable option. For the first time, I heard a balanced story and it was refreshing. We both agreed not to prematurely oppose something, based on fear and misinformation. The only caveat he had was: "If the nuclear waste people can assure me of technical competence and safety with minimal risk to the environment, then you and I would be on common ground." [ . . . ]
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2. Cameco's Q2 profits drop 22 per cent
http://saskatoon.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/
20110804/sask-cameco-plunge-110804/20110804/?hub=Saskatoon
The Canadian Press Thursday Aug. 4, 2011 8:53 AM CST
SASKATOON — Cameco says profits tumbled 23 per cent in the second quarter as its results were driven lower by weak uranium sales.
The Saskatoon, Sask.-based uranium miner said that profits were $54 million, or 14 cents per share, a decline from $70 million, or 18 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, earnings were 18 cents per share which was on par with analyst expectations according to a Thomson Reuters poll.
The lower quarterly uranium sales pushed revenue down 22 per cent to $426 million from $546 million.
Cameco is one of the world's largest uranium producers with mines, mills, conversion plants and exploration projects in Saskatchewan, Ontario, the United States and Australia. [ . . . ]
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3. Japan’s Fukushima catastrophe brings big radiation spikes to B.C.
http://tinyurl.com/3zsopor
by Alex Roslin, the Georgia Straight, August 4, 2011
QUOTE:
“"It shows you these standards are not scientifically based," Edwards said. "They’re arbitrary and really based on political considerations. We have a government strongly committed to the export of uranium and promotion of nuclear energy."
"Dale Dewar agrees. “The government always downgrades the results. They want to soft-pedal the extent of the accident because it will threaten our own nuclear industry,” said Dewar, a family physician and the executive director of Canadian antinuclear group Physicians for Global Survival, in a phone interview from her home near
Wynyard, Saskatchewan."
- - - - - -
After Japan's Fukushima catastrophe, Canadian government officials reassured jittery Canadians that the radioactive plume billowing from the destroyed nuclear reactors posed zero health risks in this country.
In fact, there was reason to worry. Health Canada detected massive amounts of radioactive material from Fukushima in Canadian air in March and April at monitoring stations across the country.
The level of radioactive iodine spiked above the federal maximum allowed limit in the air at four of the five sites where Health Canada monitors levels of specific radioisotopes.
On March 18, seven days after an earthquake and tsunami triggered eventual nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, the first radioactive material wafted over the Victoria suburb of Sidney on Vancouver Island.
For 22 days, a Health Canada monitoring station in Sidney detected iodine-131 levels in the air that were 61 percent above the government’s allowable limit. In Resolute Bay, Nunavut, the levels were 3.5 times the limit.
Meanwhile, government officials claimed there was nothing to worry about. “The quantities of radioactive materials reaching Canada as a result of the Japanese nuclear incident are very small and do not pose any health risk to Canadians,” Health Canada says on its website. “The very slight increases in radiation across the country have been smaller than the normal day-to-day fluctuations from background radiation.”
In fact, Health Canada’s own data shows this isn’t true. The iodine-131 level in the air in Sidney peaked at 3.6 millibecquerels per cubic metre on March 20. That’s more than 300 times higher than the background level, which is 0.01 or fewer millibecquerels per cubic metre.
“There have been massive radiation spikes in Canada because of Fukushima,” said Gordon Edwards, president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
“The authorities don’t want people to have an understanding of this. The government of Canada tends to pooh-pooh the dangers of nuclear power because it is a promoter of nuclear energy and uranium sales.” [ . . . ]
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4. Monitoring stations catch a fraction of Fukushima fallout
http://www.straight.com/article-415216/vancouver/
monitoring-stations-catch-fraction-fukushima-fallout
By Alex Roslin, August 4, 2011
Confused by all the nuke lingo about becquerels and sieverts and what it means for your health? So were most of the nuclear experts we talked to for this story.
It also doesn’t help that Health Canada’s data on the radioactive fallout from Fukushima is so sparse and confusingly reported that it’s hard to figure out whether or not it exceeds government limits.
Health Canada reports on monitoring data for only three or four of the hundreds of radioactive substances spewing out of the crippled Japanese nuclear plant.
Canada also has only five monitoring stations that contain equipment sensitive enough to notice levels of specific radioactive substances from Fukushima in the air.
“They’re measuring only a fraction of the radioactive fallout from Fukushima,” said Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, speaking from Montreal. [ . . . ]
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5. Health Canada's Radiation Monitoring Data
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/ed-ud/respond/nuclea/
data-donnees-eng.php#ddrl_mar2011
As part of routine operations, Health Canada's Radiation Protection Bureau monitors radiation levels across Canada 24/7 using two networks of radiation monitoring stations. Measurements from these networks have confirmed that the quantities of radioactive materials reaching Canada as a result of the Japanese nuclear incident are very small and do not pose any health risk to Canadians. The very slight increases in radiation across the country have been smaller than the normal day to day fluctuations from background radiation. An overview of these two networks and their data are provided below. [ . . . ]
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6. The Implications of Germany Decision to End Their Nuclear Energy Programme
http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/
The-Implications-of-Germany-Decision-to-End-Their-Nuclear-Energy-Programme.html
Written by Open Democracy July 28, 2011
Germany’s anti-nuclear movement is the poster-boy of its kind in Europe, even worldwide. Over the course of nearly forty years this potent, enduring campaign swayed German public opinion decisively against nuclear power. In June 2011, Germany became the first industrialised nation to commit to abandoning the atom as an energy source once and for all by 2022 - a move unthinkable without the unremitting pressure of Germany’s tenacious anti-nukes movement.
The reactor meltdowns in Fukushima, Japan, following the tsunami of March 2011 forced the German government’s hand; but it was the popular distrust and solid arguments against nuclear technology that left chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative administration with no alternative but to abruptly reverse itself, and pledge to a future based on renewable sources.
By late spring 2011, anti-nuclear activists had convinced the overwhelming majority of Germans and the bulk of the political establishment - finally, even conservatives - of three major points. First, nuclear energy is unsafe. Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and now Fukushima (as well as hundreds of smaller incidents) have confirmed beyond any doubt that the risks inherent in atomic-energy production are real and lethal. Second, there is not now, nor will there ever be, a solution to the problem of nuclear-waste storage. Third, the time of renewable-alternative energies has at last arrived - and nations that ignore it will miss out not only on clean, abundant sources of energy, but will also deprive their economies of profits and jobs.
All these points are applicable everywhere there are nuclear plants. In this sense, perhaps Germany’s groundbreaking shift is a harbinger of a nuclear-free world, one that simultaneously battles climate change and powers its factories with alternative sources. If Germany can do it, so can others, including the United States and China. But that will require more than merely following the German example. For Berlin’s plan to scrap nuclear power was a direct consequence of the efforts of the anti-nuke movement - and at present no other nation has anything comparable to it. In this sense its track record and best practices are vitally instructive for opponents of atomic technology everywhere. [ . . . ]
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7. Commission on waste promotes nuclear power but rejects reprocessing - for now
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2011/7/29/
waste-commission-rubberstamps-more-nuclear-but-rejects-repro.html
The Obama administration's Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, in its draft report released today, predictably advocates continued support for nuclear power. But, in a surprise move, the commission rejected reprocessing as a near-term radioactive waste “solution” while still approving continued research funding. Beyond Nuclear strongly opposes the commission’s endorsement of "consolidated interim storage" which we view as a high security and safety threat and an unwelcome health and environmental risk to host communities. However, given the strong component of nuclear industry boosters on the commission panel, led by Energy Secretary, Stephen Chu, the commission’s rejection of reprocessing was unexpected. Beyond Nuclear, along with 170 other groups, supports hardening of waste at reactor sites, as the “least worst” option for now.
For more details and action items:
www.beyondnuclear.org
The Beyond Nuclear Team
www.beyondnuclear.org
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8. Yucca Mountain commission to recommend that a new site be found for nuclear waste.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/
yucca-mountain-commission-to-recommend-that-a-new-site-be-found-for-nuclear-waste/2011/07/28/gIQAhayrfI_story.html
A blue-ribbon commission assigned by Obama in January 2010 to develop an alternative to the nuclear waste repository plan at Nevada’s Yucca Mountain will recommend that at least one new site be found to store waste left over from the nation’s nuclear power plants. Washington Post [Registration Required]
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9. Safety concerns cloud US nuclear renaissance.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 09,00.html
Mansour Guity was the chief witness against the American nuclear industry. He crippled entire power plants almost single-handedly. But now the 30-year war he has been waging is coming to an end. Watts Bar 2, the US's newest nuclear power plant, is being built in Tennessee and is expected to go online next year. Der Spiegel
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10. Tennessee awaits tons of German nuclear waste.
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/22/138478701/
tennessee-awaits-tons-of-german-nuclear-waste
The city of Oak Ridge, Tenn., is anticipating the arrival of nearly 1,000 tons of nuclear waste from Germany. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a plan in June for an American company to import and burn low-level nuclear waste from Germany. National Public Radio
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11. Japan utilities push to extend life of nuclear plants.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/22/
us-japan-power-chubu-idUSTRE76L0GJ20110722
Two Japanese utilities moved on Friday to extend the life of reactors at a pair of central coastal nuclear plants, fuelling already fierce debate over energy policy after the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Reuters
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12. BOOK: Chernobyl Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment – Reduced Price!
by Alexei V. Yablokov, Vastly B. Nesterenko and Alexey V. Yesterenko.
Consulting Editor: Janette D. Sherman-Nevinger. 327 pages.
Originally published in 2009 by the New York Academy of Sciences at $150.00, the right to reprint has been transferred to the authors and is now available for $10.00, plus postage. This includes a separate index that was not part of the original book.
This book is "...a comprehensive presentation of all the available information concerning the health and environmental effects of the low dose radioactive contaminants, especially those emitted from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant." - quoted from Dr. Sherman's website: http://janettesherman.com/books/
Please order directly from:
GREKO PRINTING
260 W. Ann Arbor Rd.
Plymouth, MI 48170
734-453-0341 (9 to 5, Mon. to Fri., EDT)
e-mail: TONY@GREKOPRINTING.COM <javascript:void(0)>
Include credit card number and expiration date, number of books and address where they are to be sent.
Orders from foreign countries welcome postage will be additional.
= = = = = = =
13. HOFFMAN: NASA hopes you won't get too curious about Curiosity, their newest, nuttiest, nuke-powered Mars rover. But you should!
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html
By Ace Hoffman August 3rd, 2011
Dear Readers,
3, 2, 1 ... poof! Dusted!
Houston, you caused a problem!
Even as people in Japan experience "black rain" because of Fukushima, NASA is threatening a plutonium-laden "black rain" for Christmas.
Some time between November 25th and December 15th, 2011, NASA plans to launch a plutonium 238-laden rocket carrying a robotic rover named Curiosity, aimed for Mars.
Curiosity will be NASA's 27th nuclear space launch. Three have already failed, and failures are hardly a thing of the past, nor can they be, because of the debris field, and because everything we build, and do, is imperfect.
One of the three failed nuclear launches resulted in the INTENTIONAL (as in: "this is what WILL happen in an accident, and of course, there will be accidents") release of several POUNDS of plutonium (in 1964).
There were several other failures and countless near-misses, all in just 26 flights. We can't get lucky all the time, but luck is what NASA relies on to succeed. Dumb luck.
NASA hopes you won't get too curious about Curiosity. The robotic mission is extremely risky (as in: "will probably not achieve objectives due to critical failure at some point") and should be abandoned.
NASA's use of plutonium-238 (in dioxide form) for this mission follows a pattern of partial fixes to insurmountable problems with nuclear fuels.
After getting the idea for radioisotope-powered thermoelectric generators (RTGs) for space (and undersea) missions from the Russians, NASA's original "containers" for the plutonium were designed to simply vaporize their contents in most accident scenarios: In other words, there was virtually no containment whatsoever. The "theory" was that they would be extra-careful for those flights carrying plutonium, and wouldn't have accidents that way. It didn't work out. The other part of the "theory" was that by having the thermocouples right next to the plutonium, you could get more useful heat out of the unit -- and thus it was more efficient. More electricity could be generated from a given quantity of plutonium.
The theory "snapped" when a mission blew up during late launch, destroying the Transit Satellite and its SNAP-9A nuclear power unit, scattering its deadly contents, and causing a global, measurable increase in plutonium levels and -- according to eminent nuclear physicist and medical doctor John Gofman -- causing as many as one million additional lung cancers globally.
A single pound of plutonium could cause lung cancer in every person on earth if we each inhaled a little portion of it. And then it could do it again, and again. NASA is threatening to vaporize 10.6 pounds of plutonium into our fragile environment. We should stop them. [ . . . ]
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14. World Nuclear News Weekly: 26 July - 1 August 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=4908053b4c&e=7a6d90bce5
= = = = = =
15. INTRODUCING WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION UPDATE
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=c34a3d3f5f&e=7a6d90bce5
This is the first World Nuclear Association Update, a quarterly email describing some of the recent activities at WNA. The Update includes information on WNA Working Groups, conferences, new initiatives, communications and WNU courses.
Our mailing address is:
World Nuclear Association
Carlton House, 22a St James's Square
London, Westminster SW1Y4JH
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16. Upcoming World Nuclear Association’s Symposiums (3):
1) The Future of Nuclear Power: Now It’s Down to Us”
Central Hall Westminster London, 14-16 September 2011
http://www.wna-symposium.org/
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER AT EARLY BIRD PRICES
The 2011 Symposium‘s theme will be “The Future of Nuclear Power: Now It’s Down to Us”
The programme for the Symposium is available on our website. Please check it to find out the latest information on confirmed speakers and presentations.
2) China International Nuclear Symposium
Sheraton Hotel & Towers Hong Kong, 20-22 October 2011
http://www.wna-symposium.org/china/index.html
PROGRAMME NOW AVAILABLE
The China International Nuclear Symposium will bring together senior industry decision makers and major stakeholders and discuss the developing nuclear renaissance with a major focus on China. The key objective is to create an opportunity for participants to exchange information and make good business contacts, particularly within the nuclear fuel sector and the evolving international supply chain.
3) India International Nuclear Symposium
New Delhi, 21-23 February 2012
http://www.wna-symposium.org/india/index.html
REGISTRATION OPENS 19 OCTOBER 2011
The first IINS will bring together the senior decision makers of the nuclear industry and its major stakeholders to discuss the practicalities of new nuclear generation. Key topics will be: Supply Chain Development, Nuclear Fuel Issues and Building Human Resources for the Nuclear Future.
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17. Afghan interpreters allowed into Canada “disappointed”
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8263&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Posted: 02 Aug 2011 11:28 AM PDT
The government has proclaimed its intent to help Afghan interpreters who worked with the Canadian Forces to come to Canada, but many of those who have already arrived feel “abandoned” and “disappointed”. Reporting for Ipolitics.ca, Murray Brewster and Steve Rennie have found discontent among former interpreters (Murray Brewster and Steve Rennie, Afghan interpreters fear Taliban [...]
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18. British nuclear test veterans take cancer claims to supreme court.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/28/
nuclear-bomb-test-veterans-at-supreme-court
Veterans of Britain's 1950s nuclear bomb tests in the Pacific Ocean and Australia who claim their cancers and illnesses were caused by radiation have defeated Ministry of Defence attempts to have the case thrown out of court. London Guardian, United Kingdom.
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19. "Our" Troops vs. Our Eco-System
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=25703
Mickey Z. Global Research, July 19, 2011
Project Censored
http://www.projectcensored.org/
Since I’ve already told you about the importance of repetition, let me recite some numbers I’ve shouted out a few hundred times or so:
80% of the world’s forests are gone
90% of the large fish in the ocean are gone
80% of the planet’s rivers can no longer sustain sustain life
200,000 acres of rain forest are destroyed each day
200 animal and plant species go extinct every 24 hours
If these statistics make you (at least) squirm, you might be interested to know something I’ve also repeated till I’m hoarse: The US Department of Defense (DoD)—the interventionist institution formerly known as the War Department—is the biggest polluter on Planet Earth, for example, releasing more hazardous waste than the five largest US chemical companies combined.
To add insult to injury, the world’s worst polluter—the entity wrecking havoc upon the landbase that makes all life possible—also gobbles up 54% of US taxpayer dollars. But it takes more than obscene amounts of money to keep this criminal enterprise afloat. It also takes more than the volunteers willing to be paid to wage illegal, immoral, and eco-system destroying wars. The DoD will be able to maintain its crime spree as long as most of us continue to unconditionally support (sic) those troops.
As long as the yellow ribbons fly, our shared heritage/future is doomed.
For some, the phrase "support our troops" is merely a euphemism for: support the policies that put the troops there in the first place. For others—sadly, including many activists—the mantra is a safe way to avoid taking an unqualified, uncompromising stand against this war (and all war). Many who identify themselves as "anti-war" still vigorously defend the troops…no questions asked.
The excuse-making typically falls into two broad categories. The first being: "Our troops are just following orders." [ . . . ]
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20. Mayors Tell Congress: Bring War Dollars Home
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=25401
by Lisa Savage Global Research, June 26, 2011
BALTIMORE, June 20 – Mayors from around the world met in Baltimore this week to set public policy for the billions of people living in big cities, depending on municipal services to stay safe. While Congress considered allocating another $118 billion to conduct wars next year – and President Obama absurdly maintained that the costly bombing of Libya is not an act of war, and thus not subject to Congressional oversight – mayors listened to the people. [ . . . ]
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21. 1 Million Dead in Iraq? 6 Reasons the Media Hide the True Human Toll of War -- And Why We Let Them
http://www.alternet.org/story/151703/
1_million_dead_in_iraq_6_reasons_the_media_hide_the_true_human_toll_of_war_--_and_why_we_let_them?akid=7279.23437.G5gPLC&rd=1&t=2
Most Americans turn a blind eye to the violent acts being carried out in their name….
John Tirman / AlterNet
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22. KURTENBACH: Letter: Where is Global Justice?
July 29, 2011
To the Editor,
It is most unlikely that Anders Behring Breivik of Norway dreamed and planned this mass murder all by himself. However, it evolved due to the culmination of his depraved, right-wing extremist neo-conservative views. Apparently these had caused him to eventually become devoid of any segment of love for other human beings. It led to his belief that his skillful use and love of guns would provide an example for change.
It is obvious that his hate and actions were mainly directed towards Muslims, Marxists and Labour. These were outlined in detail in his 1500-page manifesto.
It was on July 22nd on the island of Ayoto, a short distance from the mainland of Norway, that Anders Breivik shot to death 68 young people, and wounded others. He was dressed in a stolen police uniform. The youth gathered there were sponsored by the Labour party of Norway. Before going to the island, Breivik had apparently placed a powerful bomb near the office of the president of Norway, who was not in his office on that fateful day. The explosion did massive damage as well as killing eight people in the building.
History reminds us that weapons--even weapons of mass destruction--have been used by people who were perceived to be more or less normal.
I'm struggling to understand the difference between the cowardly actions of Anders Breivik versus the Commander-in Chief of the greatest military power on Earth in recent times. This was a man, who with the planning of his military advisers in the Pentagon, initiated the 2003 "Shock and Awe" illegal war against Iraq. Thousands of bombs were
dropped on the city of Bagdad, doing colossal damage to buildings and infrastructure. Thousands of innocent Iraqi people were killed or wounded. This is euphemistically referred to as "collateral damage"!
Anders Behring Breivik is in solitary confinement in a prison in Norway. The Commander-in-Chief of the 2003 war is, I presume, comfortably retired on his ranch in Texas.
When will the citizens of our planet Earth, including Canadians, stand up and voice our demand for a world of Peace and Justice for all?
Leo Kurtenbach,
Saskatoon, SK
Phone (306) 652-5129.
More letters:
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2172#2172
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23. Our Commando War in 120 Countries: Uncovering The Military's Secret Operations In The Obama Era
http://www.alternet.org/story/151904/
our_commando_war_in_120_countries%3A_uncovering_the_military%27s_secret_operations_in_the_obama_era?akid=7358.23437.WwW4QH&rd=1&t=3
American secret commandoes are carrying out raids in 70 countries--just today. By the end of the year, the number will probably be close to 120.
Nick Turse / AlterNet and TomDispatch
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24. Canada considering international bases: MacKay
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/06/02/
pol-military-bases.html
By Laura Payton, CBC News Posted: Jun 2, 2011 1:48 PM ET
Canada is looking at setting up bases around the world to better position the military to participate in international missions, Defence Minister Peter MacKay confirmed Thursday.
The Canadian Forces does "prudent planning," MacKay told reporters, taking into account the ability to participate in international missions.
There are no plans to set up permanent bases around the world, but the planning happens to ensure Canada has options in case the military needs to deploy from another country, a government source said.
"As we look out into the future what we obviously try to do is anticipate where and when we will be needed, but it's difficult with any certainty to make those plans, without talking to other countries, without doing internal examinations," Mackay said. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Canada’s military to establish base in Kuwait in push for global presence
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/jul20 ... -j14.shtml
By Graham Beverley 14 July 2011
EXCERPT: Canadian imperialism extends its reach around the globe
In addition to the base in Kuwait, the Department of National Defense announced at the beginning of June that the CAF has already reached agreements to open military bases in Germany and Jamaica. The CAF has also indicated its interest in pursuing bases in Senegal in West Africa, Kenya or Tanzania in East Africa, South Korea, and Singapore.
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25. How we helped pave Haiti’s road to hell
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/Editoria ... le/1025144
July 14, 2011 Crawford Kilian
This article is from The Tyee, the award-winning online source for news and ideas based in Vancouver. Articles from The Tyee will appear regularly on the Opinion page of thestar.com.
Since last October, cholera has so far infected more than 370,000 Haitians and killed more than 5,500 of them. A proportionate epidemic in Canada would have sickened 1.2 million of us, and killed more than 18,000.
It was a totally avoidable disaster. Worse yet, it came to Haiti with the United Nations peacekeepers who were supposed to be protecting the Haitians. Since Canada is involved with MINUSTAH, the UN agency that effectively runs Haiti, we share some of the responsibility for inflicting needless suffering and for failing to admit it. [ . . . ]
Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee, where a longer version of this article appeared. He blogs about cholera and other diseases at H5N1.
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26. Bilderberg 2011: The Rockefeller World Order and the "High Priests of Globalization"
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=25302
by Andrew Gavin Marshall Global Research, June 16, 2011
To say we were striving for a one-world government is exaggerated, but not wholly unfair. Those of us in Bilderberg felt we couldn't go on forever fighting one another for nothing and killing people and rendering millions homeless. So we felt that a single community throughout the world would be a good thing.[1] - Denis Healey, 30-year member of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group
The ‘Foundations’ of the Bilderberg Group
The Bilderberg Group, formed in 1954, was founded in the Netherlands as a secretive meeting held once a year, drawing roughly 130 of the political-financial-military-academic-media elites from North America and Western Europe as "an informal network of influential people who could consult each other privately and confidentially."[2] Regular participants include the CEOs or Chairman of some of the largest corporations in the world, oil companies such as Royal Dutch Shell, British Petroleum, and Total SA, as well as various European monarchs, international bankers such as David Rockefeller, major politicians, presidents, prime ministers, and central bankers of the world.[3] The Bilderberg Group acts as a "secretive global think-tank," with an original intent to "to link governments and economies in Europe and North America amid the Cold War."[4]
[ . . . ]
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27. San Francisco passes cell phone radiation law.
http://www.baycitizen.org/environmental-health/story/
san-francisco-passes-cellphone-radiation/
San Francisco supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved legislation aimed at helping consumers reduce their exposure to cellphone radiation, a move that industry groups denounced but that Supervisor John Avalos said could "perhaps save lives." San Francisco Bay Citizen, California.
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28. LISTEN: SMART METERS
A good audio piece clipped from the Bob Tuskin Show
Smart Meters 5-minute overview. or http://soundcloud.com/geobear/smart-meters
An invasion of privacy, a waste of energy and dollars, and a serious health threat.
Smart meters are devices surveilling your home. They are being installed in BC Canada without any choice. They are being installed in many places around the world.
------------------
Smart Meters Are Surveillance Devices
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/
no-more-privacy-smart-meters-are-surveillance-devices-that-monitor-the-behavior-in-your-home-every-single-minute-of-every-single-day
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WATCH: Smart Meters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JNFr_j6 ... be　
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29. (2006) Spill site is free of radioactive waste, says Corridor Resources
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/
2006/10/02/nb-spill.html#ixzz0z5lcTHHH
Last Updated: Monday, October 2, 2006 | 9:24 AM AT CBC News
A resource company says it has cleaned up 3,000 litres of material containing a low-level radioactive substance it spilled while drilling for natural gas in the Sussex area in August.
The material that Corridor spilled is called frac sand and is used to fill rock fissures when drilling for natural gas. Frac sand contains some low-level radioactive isotopes.
The spill occurred Aug. 23 at a drill site on land belonging to a family in Penobsquis, said Corridor president Norm Miller.
"It was cleaned up immediately under strict supervision by the Environment Department and no risk of any significance to any personnel," said Miller.
The company buried the material temporarily on another landowner's property, he said.
According to federal regulations, the frac sand must be buried under at least 30 centimetres of soil to be neutralized.
Woman says waste dumped in open pit However, Beth Nixon, who lives nearby, said the company didn't dispose of the frac sand properly, and instead threw it into an existing open pit. [ . . . .]
MORE:
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2194#2194
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30. Chasing China - For rare earths, an abundance of interest
https://secure.globeadvisor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/
story/gam/20110716/RBRAREEARTHSATL
Saturday, July 16, 2011 GEOFFREY YORK AND BRENDA BOUW
VANRHYNSDORP, SOUTH AFRICA and VANCOUVER -- Filled with radioactive waste, its buildings gutted and crumbling after 48 years of disuse, the abandoned Steenkampskraal mine would seem to hold little value to anyone.
Until recently, the decaying apartheid-era mine in a remote patch of South African desert was mainly of interest to scientists studying the effects of high radiation on the thousands of bats that hibernate in the mine shaft.
But soon the bats will be evicted, the radioactive waste will be buried and the shaft refurbished. The Canadian owners of this mine are scrambling to tap the mine's rare-earth minerals - possibly the hottest commodity on the planet these days, with immense strategic and technological significance, and pivotal to a global geopolitical rivalry.
As prices soar, there is a frantic global rush to develop new sources of rare earths. These obscure minerals - 17 different elements with futuristic names such as neodymium, samarium, yttrium and lanthanum - are crucial for everything from guided missiles and hybrid cars to flat-screen televisions, iPods and BlackBerry phones.
Western leaders are increasingly anxious about China's chokehold on a 97 per cent share of the supply, controlling the market with its abundant, low-cost production. The country dominates with just 37 per cent of the world's proven reserves. It produced 118,900 tonnes of rare earths in 2010, and exported just over 30,000 tonnes. Leaders have watched nervously as China restricts its exports, resulting in price rises of up to tenfold for some rare earths over the past year. [ . . . ]
1. UPDATES: Saskatchewan - 800 kilometre Walk Heats Up Nuclear Waste Controversy – check back often
2. Cameco's Q2 profits drop 22 per cent
3. Japan’s Fukushima catastrophe brings big radiation spikes to B.C.
4. Monitoring stations catch a fraction of Fukushima fallout
5. Health Canada's Radiation Monitoring Data
6. The Implications of Germany Decision to End Their Nuclear Energy Programme
7. Commission on waste promotes nuclear power but rejects reprocessing - for now
8. Yucca Mountain commission to recommend that a new site be found for nuclear waste.
9. Safety concerns cloud US nuclear renaissance.
10. Tennessee awaits tons of German nuclear waste.
11. Japan utilities push to extend life of nuclear plants.
12. BOOK: Chernobyl Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment – Reduced Price!
13. HOFFMAN: NASA hopes you won't get too curious about Curiosity, their newest, nuttiest, nuke-powered Mars rover. But you should!
14. World Nuclear News Weekly: 26 July - 1 August 2011
15. INTRODUCING WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION UPDATE
16. Upcoming World Nuclear Association’s Symposiums (3):
17. Afghan interpreters allowed into Canada “disappointed”
18. British nuclear test veterans take cancer claims to supreme court.
19. "Our" Troops vs. Our Eco-System
20. Mayors Tell Congress: Bring War Dollars Home
21. 1 Million Dead in Iraq? 6 Reasons the Media Hide the True Human Toll of War -- And Why We Let Them
22. KURTENBACH: Letter: Where is Global Justice?
23. Our Commando War in 120 Countries: Uncovering The Military's Secret Operations In The Obama Era
24. Canada considering international bases: MacKay
25. How we helped pave Haiti’s road to hell
26. Bilderberg 2011: The Rockefeller World Order and the "High Priests of Globalization"
27. San Francisco passes cell phone radiation law.
28. LISTEN: SMART METERS
29. (2006) Spill site is free of radioactive waste, says Corridor Resources
30. Chasing China - For rare earths, an abundance of interest
=================
1. UPDATES: Saskatchewan: 800 kilometre Walk Heats Up Nuclear Waste Controversy - ITINERARY, ENTERTAINMENT, PETITION, HOW TO DONATE & MORE:
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/
viewtopic.php?p=2188#2188
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800 KM WALK HEATS UP NUCLEAR WASTE CONTROVERSY
BY Jim Harding
For publication in R-Town News - August 5, 2011
Much has happened since the Forum for Truth on Nuclear Waste Storage was held in Beauval June 2nd. Organized in two weeks by the newly-formed Committee for Future Generations, the forum was attended by 200 people, most from ten northern communities. Within a few weeks committee members had organized a second forum, held in Pinehouse July 26th. The next day thirty northerners left Pinehouse to begin a twenty day, 7000 Generations Walk Against Nuclear Waste, which will end up at the Regina Legislature.
The 800 km walk will pass through twelve communities, with rallies in Prince Albert on August 3nd, Saskatoon on August 8th and Regina August 15th. On August 16th the walk will go down The Green Mile along Albert Street to present petitions to the Wall government. Organizers are encouraging supporters to join in the walk wherever they can and for however long they can. Several carloads are expected to join the walkers at Lumsden the morning of August 15th.
This is no small feat and walkers are bound to be tested by this summer’s extreme weather. First Nations, Métis, environmental and ecumenical networks are providing lodging, food and support along the route. This is an unprecedented event, with northerners calling for southern support to win a nuclear waste ban.
The mainstream media is finally reporting the growing opposition to a nuclear dump in the north. Provincial politics is heating up and the nuclear waste controversy may yet become a fall election issue. The NDP, which has a policy against a nuclear dump, has now indicated it will support the walk. We will see whether this resonates with the voting public or is seen as getting on the band wagon late in the game. Organizers want support from any and all groups that are willing to help; it’s a politically non-partisan action.
NWMO’S RESPONSE
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), which has been promoting a nuclear dump In the north, appears to have changed its approach since the success of the Beauval forum. On July 21st, a week prior to the July 26th Pinehouse forum, NWMO’s Communications Director, Jamie Robinson, contacted the Committee for Future Generations, the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES). It invited members to come on an all-expense paid tour “to a waste management facility at a nuclear generating station in South Ontario where used nuclear fuel is currently stored on an interim basis.” NWMO said it wanted to “hear their concerns and questions and to provide a briefing about our activities.”
These tours are regularly given to political officials and business groups to try to get them onside. The timing of this invitation to opponents of a nuclear dump is most interesting, for it came after the NWMO declined to send anyone to the Beauval forum. This was the largest, broadest-based discussion of nuclear wastes to occur in the north to date, and would have been an opportune time for them to hear “concerns and questions”. (The forum organizers wanted the industry view presented and when no one turned up they bent over backwards and played two NWMO videos at the beginning of the meeting.)
NWMO’s invitation could have created divisions, but on July 25th the Committee simply responded “we are unable to attend at this time as we are extremely busy with our forum in Pinehouse and our 7000 Generations Walk to the legislature in Regina.” We’ll have to wait and see whether the offer to take people opposed to a nuclear dump here, to Ontario, where the wastes are produced and should be stored, still stands after the summer’s activities.
TRANSPARENCY REQUIRED
The Committee for Future Generations has been calling for more transparency from NWMO; they want to know what money is going into the north as part of its promotions. A July 27th Star Phoenix story sheds some light on this, reporting that “Resources of up to $75,000 per community were made available for expenses incurred at this stage of the selection process…” The story fails, however, to mention the $1,000,000 that went to the FSIN or the $400,000 that went to the Métis Nation.
The Committee has also been asking NWMO what payments have been going to the hand-picked elders that are “advising” it. When pushed on this, NWMO’s Toronto-based spokesman, Michael Krizanc, admitted they received “a per diem that would be several hundred dollars a day”. That means that when NWMO-appointed elder, Jim Sinclair, for example, goes to any community forum to try to convince people to consider a nuclear dump, he is getting paid. Such monetary inducements completely go against the meaning of “duty to consult” and “informed consent”.
There’s a lot of twisting of words in this controversy. Pinehouse official Glen McCallum suggests that the community is “just interested in gathering information”, yet village officials haven’t contacted people outside the industry, and it took forming the Committee for Future Generations to get an open public forum in the community. It’s hard to accept that “there is no coercion” going on behind the scene. Industry spokesperson Krizanc says NWMO wants an “informed and willing” community to display its willingness in a “compelling” way, but then adds “we haven’t defined what a compelling way is yet”. What is compelling is the growing opposition to a nuclear dump!
MANIPULATION EXPOSED
Those working behind the scene may be getting nervous. Pinehouse spokesperson, Vince Natomagan, had an op ed in the July 28th Star Phoenix, just the day after the 7000 Generations Walk left his community. He attacked the June 2nd Beauval forum as sending a “fear-based, short-sighted message”, while failing to say anything about the opposition to a nuclear dump expressed at the July 26th Pinehouse forum . Natomagan tried to make the SES sound like it supported his position, without mentioning that the SES supports a ban on nuclear wastes in Saskatchewan. Natomagan supported Jim Sinclair, who was heckled at the Beauval forum, without mentioning that Sinclair was actually applauded when he started his speech by opposing a nuclear dump. Sinclair then flip-flopped and ended up supporting a dump as if that was the way to help the next generation avoid addiction, suicide and prison. Many present were aghast!
Such manipulation of the deep concern about the social crisis in the north may be backfiring. One of the founders of the Committee for Future Generations, retired RCMP officer, Max Morin, told the Star Phoenix he “was invited to be part of an elder’s summit focused on problems of death and addiction among the community’s youth. Two hours in, the meeting turned out to be a presentation on nuclear waste storage set up by those working with NWMO.”
Northern Saskatchewan remains the second poorest region in all of Canada in spite of the uranium mining “boom”, and bringing 20,000 truckloads of highly radioactive nuclear wastes to the north will not change the highly inequitable pattern of mal-development. A new, sustainable path will need to be charted. Natomagan talks rhetorically about “standing up straight and making an informed decision”. The northerners walking from Pinehouse to Regina are not only standing up for the future of the north but for the future of the whole province.
Other articles:
http://jimharding.brinkster.net
- - - - - -
Travelling protest marches through Prince Albert
http://saskatoon.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loca ... /20110803/
sas-nuclearwalk-110803/20110803/?hub=Saskatoon
CTV Saskatoon Date: Wednesday Aug. 3, 2011 1:48 PM CST
A travelling protest marched through Prince Albert Wednesday morning, fighting against a proposal to store nuclear waste in this province.
Many of the marchers started the journey at Pinehouse Lake, nearly 400 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert, and organizers say about 100 people have joined them for the walk to Prince Albert city hall. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
WATCH: Protest over nuclear waste
http://saskatoon.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/
20110727/sask-sas-nuclear-protest-110727/20110727/?hub=Saskatoon
CTV Saskatchewan Wednesday Jul. 27, 2011 6:40 PM CST
A group plans to march 800 kilometers from the northern village of Pinehouse Lake to Regina, to protest a proposal to store nuclear waste in northern Saskatchewan.
About 30 of them kicked off the march with a rally Wednesday morning in Pinehouse.
Fred Peterson was one of them.
"The forests that we have," said Peterson, "the living we have with trapping, fishing, and hunting, its so beautiful, why do they want to destroy this?"
The village of Pinehouse Lake is exploring the possibility of having a nuclear waste storage facility in the region.
They've been talking with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization – a body that is trying to find a permanent home for spent nuclear fuel produced in Canada. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Group begins trek to legislature - Industry defends its plan
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/
Group+begins+trek+legislature/5164350/story.html
BY JEANETTE STEWART, THE STAR PHOENIXJULY 27, 2011
Seven semi-truckloads of nuclear waste per day, every day for 20 years, trucked into Saskatchewan's north en route to a storage facility deep underground - that's the scenario a group of people walking 800 kilometres from Pinehouse Lake to the legislature in Regina say they are trying to prevent.
The walkers will leave Pinehouse Lake this morning and plan to arrive in Regina Aug. 16.
The nuclear industry is searching for a permanent home for the waste accumulated since Canada's nuclear power program began in the mid-1970s. The used fuel is stored at the reactor sites in an "interim" storage situation. Reactors in Ontario, New Brunswick and Quebec have created about two million used fuel bundles, each the size of a fireplace log.
The nuclear industry says the used fuel is toxic, radioactive and must be isolated from humans and the environment forever.
Some northern residents say the nuclear industry is bribing elders and leaders in their community to support the controversial project. [ . . . ]
- - - - - - -
Northern protesters begin 820-km walk
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/
Northern+protesters+begin+walk/5170779/story.html
BY JEANETTE STEWART, THE STAR PHOENIX JULY 28, 2011
Fourteen residents of northern Saskatchewan have now begun an 820-kilometre walk from Pinehouse Lake to Regina to protest nuclear waste storage in Saskatchewan.
The 7000 Generations Walk Against Nuclear Waste is organized by a group called the Committee for Future Generations. The group plans to travel from the community of Pinehouse Lake to Regina, where it will present a petition against a proposed nuclear waste storage site in northern Saskatchewan.
The walk will take more than 20 days and participants will stop in more than 12 communities along the way before arriving in Regina on Aug. 16. The group will hold rallies in Prince Albert on Aug. 3 and in Saskatoon Aug. 8. The rallies will be held in each city at City Hall at noon. Participants hope to raise awareness along the way and invite more people to join the group as they travel south.
"We speak for the children of the next 7,000 generations. As long as there's one margin of error, it's unacceptable," said Debby Morin, a spokesperson for the Committee for Future Generations and a resident of the northern community of Beauval. [ . . . ]
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Informed choice should be made on nuclear waste
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
todays-paper/Informed+choice+should+made+nuclear+waste/5170792/story.html
BY VINCE NATOMAGAN, THE STAR PHOENIX JULY 28, 2011
Natomagan is the lead spokesperson for the northern community of Pinehouse on issues related to the Nuclear Waste Management Organization.
- - - -SNIP - - -
I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman from the Saskatchewan Environmental Society. I was delighted to meet him because he was so honest and straightforward about my current situation - about how the world is outstripping resources, about the true energy needs of the entire planet.
But most of all, he agreed that an underground repository for nuclear waste is the most viable option. For the first time, I heard a balanced story and it was refreshing. We both agreed not to prematurely oppose something, based on fear and misinformation. The only caveat he had was: "If the nuclear waste people can assure me of technical competence and safety with minimal risk to the environment, then you and I would be on common ground." [ . . . ]
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2. Cameco's Q2 profits drop 22 per cent
http://saskatoon.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/
20110804/sask-cameco-plunge-110804/20110804/?hub=Saskatoon
The Canadian Press Thursday Aug. 4, 2011 8:53 AM CST
SASKATOON — Cameco says profits tumbled 23 per cent in the second quarter as its results were driven lower by weak uranium sales.
The Saskatoon, Sask.-based uranium miner said that profits were $54 million, or 14 cents per share, a decline from $70 million, or 18 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, earnings were 18 cents per share which was on par with analyst expectations according to a Thomson Reuters poll.
The lower quarterly uranium sales pushed revenue down 22 per cent to $426 million from $546 million.
Cameco is one of the world's largest uranium producers with mines, mills, conversion plants and exploration projects in Saskatchewan, Ontario, the United States and Australia. [ . . . ]
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3. Japan’s Fukushima catastrophe brings big radiation spikes to B.C.
http://tinyurl.com/3zsopor
by Alex Roslin, the Georgia Straight, August 4, 2011
QUOTE:
“"It shows you these standards are not scientifically based," Edwards said. "They’re arbitrary and really based on political considerations. We have a government strongly committed to the export of uranium and promotion of nuclear energy."
"Dale Dewar agrees. “The government always downgrades the results. They want to soft-pedal the extent of the accident because it will threaten our own nuclear industry,” said Dewar, a family physician and the executive director of Canadian antinuclear group Physicians for Global Survival, in a phone interview from her home near
Wynyard, Saskatchewan."
- - - - - -
After Japan's Fukushima catastrophe, Canadian government officials reassured jittery Canadians that the radioactive plume billowing from the destroyed nuclear reactors posed zero health risks in this country.
In fact, there was reason to worry. Health Canada detected massive amounts of radioactive material from Fukushima in Canadian air in March and April at monitoring stations across the country.
The level of radioactive iodine spiked above the federal maximum allowed limit in the air at four of the five sites where Health Canada monitors levels of specific radioisotopes.
On March 18, seven days after an earthquake and tsunami triggered eventual nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, the first radioactive material wafted over the Victoria suburb of Sidney on Vancouver Island.
For 22 days, a Health Canada monitoring station in Sidney detected iodine-131 levels in the air that were 61 percent above the government’s allowable limit. In Resolute Bay, Nunavut, the levels were 3.5 times the limit.
Meanwhile, government officials claimed there was nothing to worry about. “The quantities of radioactive materials reaching Canada as a result of the Japanese nuclear incident are very small and do not pose any health risk to Canadians,” Health Canada says on its website. “The very slight increases in radiation across the country have been smaller than the normal day-to-day fluctuations from background radiation.”
In fact, Health Canada’s own data shows this isn’t true. The iodine-131 level in the air in Sidney peaked at 3.6 millibecquerels per cubic metre on March 20. That’s more than 300 times higher than the background level, which is 0.01 or fewer millibecquerels per cubic metre.
“There have been massive radiation spikes in Canada because of Fukushima,” said Gordon Edwards, president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
“The authorities don’t want people to have an understanding of this. The government of Canada tends to pooh-pooh the dangers of nuclear power because it is a promoter of nuclear energy and uranium sales.” [ . . . ]
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4. Monitoring stations catch a fraction of Fukushima fallout
http://www.straight.com/article-415216/vancouver/
monitoring-stations-catch-fraction-fukushima-fallout
By Alex Roslin, August 4, 2011
Confused by all the nuke lingo about becquerels and sieverts and what it means for your health? So were most of the nuclear experts we talked to for this story.
It also doesn’t help that Health Canada’s data on the radioactive fallout from Fukushima is so sparse and confusingly reported that it’s hard to figure out whether or not it exceeds government limits.
Health Canada reports on monitoring data for only three or four of the hundreds of radioactive substances spewing out of the crippled Japanese nuclear plant.
Canada also has only five monitoring stations that contain equipment sensitive enough to notice levels of specific radioactive substances from Fukushima in the air.
“They’re measuring only a fraction of the radioactive fallout from Fukushima,” said Gordon Edwards of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility, speaking from Montreal. [ . . . ]
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5. Health Canada's Radiation Monitoring Data
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/ed-ud/respond/nuclea/
data-donnees-eng.php#ddrl_mar2011
As part of routine operations, Health Canada's Radiation Protection Bureau monitors radiation levels across Canada 24/7 using two networks of radiation monitoring stations. Measurements from these networks have confirmed that the quantities of radioactive materials reaching Canada as a result of the Japanese nuclear incident are very small and do not pose any health risk to Canadians. The very slight increases in radiation across the country have been smaller than the normal day to day fluctuations from background radiation. An overview of these two networks and their data are provided below. [ . . . ]
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6. The Implications of Germany Decision to End Their Nuclear Energy Programme
http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/
The-Implications-of-Germany-Decision-to-End-Their-Nuclear-Energy-Programme.html
Written by Open Democracy July 28, 2011
Germany’s anti-nuclear movement is the poster-boy of its kind in Europe, even worldwide. Over the course of nearly forty years this potent, enduring campaign swayed German public opinion decisively against nuclear power. In June 2011, Germany became the first industrialised nation to commit to abandoning the atom as an energy source once and for all by 2022 - a move unthinkable without the unremitting pressure of Germany’s tenacious anti-nukes movement.
The reactor meltdowns in Fukushima, Japan, following the tsunami of March 2011 forced the German government’s hand; but it was the popular distrust and solid arguments against nuclear technology that left chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative administration with no alternative but to abruptly reverse itself, and pledge to a future based on renewable sources.
By late spring 2011, anti-nuclear activists had convinced the overwhelming majority of Germans and the bulk of the political establishment - finally, even conservatives - of three major points. First, nuclear energy is unsafe. Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and now Fukushima (as well as hundreds of smaller incidents) have confirmed beyond any doubt that the risks inherent in atomic-energy production are real and lethal. Second, there is not now, nor will there ever be, a solution to the problem of nuclear-waste storage. Third, the time of renewable-alternative energies has at last arrived - and nations that ignore it will miss out not only on clean, abundant sources of energy, but will also deprive their economies of profits and jobs.
All these points are applicable everywhere there are nuclear plants. In this sense, perhaps Germany’s groundbreaking shift is a harbinger of a nuclear-free world, one that simultaneously battles climate change and powers its factories with alternative sources. If Germany can do it, so can others, including the United States and China. But that will require more than merely following the German example. For Berlin’s plan to scrap nuclear power was a direct consequence of the efforts of the anti-nuke movement - and at present no other nation has anything comparable to it. In this sense its track record and best practices are vitally instructive for opponents of atomic technology everywhere. [ . . . ]
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7. Commission on waste promotes nuclear power but rejects reprocessing - for now
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2011/7/29/
waste-commission-rubberstamps-more-nuclear-but-rejects-repro.html
The Obama administration's Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, in its draft report released today, predictably advocates continued support for nuclear power. But, in a surprise move, the commission rejected reprocessing as a near-term radioactive waste “solution” while still approving continued research funding. Beyond Nuclear strongly opposes the commission’s endorsement of "consolidated interim storage" which we view as a high security and safety threat and an unwelcome health and environmental risk to host communities. However, given the strong component of nuclear industry boosters on the commission panel, led by Energy Secretary, Stephen Chu, the commission’s rejection of reprocessing was unexpected. Beyond Nuclear, along with 170 other groups, supports hardening of waste at reactor sites, as the “least worst” option for now.
For more details and action items:
www.beyondnuclear.org
The Beyond Nuclear Team
www.beyondnuclear.org
= = = = = = =
8. Yucca Mountain commission to recommend that a new site be found for nuclear waste.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/
yucca-mountain-commission-to-recommend-that-a-new-site-be-found-for-nuclear-waste/2011/07/28/gIQAhayrfI_story.html
A blue-ribbon commission assigned by Obama in January 2010 to develop an alternative to the nuclear waste repository plan at Nevada’s Yucca Mountain will recommend that at least one new site be found to store waste left over from the nation’s nuclear power plants. Washington Post [Registration Required]
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9. Safety concerns cloud US nuclear renaissance.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/wor ... 09,00.html
Mansour Guity was the chief witness against the American nuclear industry. He crippled entire power plants almost single-handedly. But now the 30-year war he has been waging is coming to an end. Watts Bar 2, the US's newest nuclear power plant, is being built in Tennessee and is expected to go online next year. Der Spiegel
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10. Tennessee awaits tons of German nuclear waste.
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/22/138478701/
tennessee-awaits-tons-of-german-nuclear-waste
The city of Oak Ridge, Tenn., is anticipating the arrival of nearly 1,000 tons of nuclear waste from Germany. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved a plan in June for an American company to import and burn low-level nuclear waste from Germany. National Public Radio
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11. Japan utilities push to extend life of nuclear plants.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/22/
us-japan-power-chubu-idUSTRE76L0GJ20110722
Two Japanese utilities moved on Friday to extend the life of reactors at a pair of central coastal nuclear plants, fuelling already fierce debate over energy policy after the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl. Reuters
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12. BOOK: Chernobyl Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment – Reduced Price!
by Alexei V. Yablokov, Vastly B. Nesterenko and Alexey V. Yesterenko.
Consulting Editor: Janette D. Sherman-Nevinger. 327 pages.
Originally published in 2009 by the New York Academy of Sciences at $150.00, the right to reprint has been transferred to the authors and is now available for $10.00, plus postage. This includes a separate index that was not part of the original book.
This book is "...a comprehensive presentation of all the available information concerning the health and environmental effects of the low dose radioactive contaminants, especially those emitted from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant." - quoted from Dr. Sherman's website: http://janettesherman.com/books/
Please order directly from:
GREKO PRINTING
260 W. Ann Arbor Rd.
Plymouth, MI 48170
734-453-0341 (9 to 5, Mon. to Fri., EDT)
e-mail: TONY@GREKOPRINTING.COM <javascript:void(0)>
Include credit card number and expiration date, number of books and address where they are to be sent.
Orders from foreign countries welcome postage will be additional.
= = = = = = =
13. HOFFMAN: NASA hopes you won't get too curious about Curiosity, their newest, nuttiest, nuke-powered Mars rover. But you should!
http://acehoffman.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html
By Ace Hoffman August 3rd, 2011
Dear Readers,
3, 2, 1 ... poof! Dusted!
Houston, you caused a problem!
Even as people in Japan experience "black rain" because of Fukushima, NASA is threatening a plutonium-laden "black rain" for Christmas.
Some time between November 25th and December 15th, 2011, NASA plans to launch a plutonium 238-laden rocket carrying a robotic rover named Curiosity, aimed for Mars.
Curiosity will be NASA's 27th nuclear space launch. Three have already failed, and failures are hardly a thing of the past, nor can they be, because of the debris field, and because everything we build, and do, is imperfect.
One of the three failed nuclear launches resulted in the INTENTIONAL (as in: "this is what WILL happen in an accident, and of course, there will be accidents") release of several POUNDS of plutonium (in 1964).
There were several other failures and countless near-misses, all in just 26 flights. We can't get lucky all the time, but luck is what NASA relies on to succeed. Dumb luck.
NASA hopes you won't get too curious about Curiosity. The robotic mission is extremely risky (as in: "will probably not achieve objectives due to critical failure at some point") and should be abandoned.
NASA's use of plutonium-238 (in dioxide form) for this mission follows a pattern of partial fixes to insurmountable problems with nuclear fuels.
After getting the idea for radioisotope-powered thermoelectric generators (RTGs) for space (and undersea) missions from the Russians, NASA's original "containers" for the plutonium were designed to simply vaporize their contents in most accident scenarios: In other words, there was virtually no containment whatsoever. The "theory" was that they would be extra-careful for those flights carrying plutonium, and wouldn't have accidents that way. It didn't work out. The other part of the "theory" was that by having the thermocouples right next to the plutonium, you could get more useful heat out of the unit -- and thus it was more efficient. More electricity could be generated from a given quantity of plutonium.
The theory "snapped" when a mission blew up during late launch, destroying the Transit Satellite and its SNAP-9A nuclear power unit, scattering its deadly contents, and causing a global, measurable increase in plutonium levels and -- according to eminent nuclear physicist and medical doctor John Gofman -- causing as many as one million additional lung cancers globally.
A single pound of plutonium could cause lung cancer in every person on earth if we each inhaled a little portion of it. And then it could do it again, and again. NASA is threatening to vaporize 10.6 pounds of plutonium into our fragile environment. We should stop them. [ . . . ]
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14. World Nuclear News Weekly: 26 July - 1 August 2011
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=4908053b4c&e=7a6d90bce5
= = = = = =
15. INTRODUCING WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION UPDATE
http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/
?u=140c559a3b34d23ff7c6b48b9&id=c34a3d3f5f&e=7a6d90bce5
This is the first World Nuclear Association Update, a quarterly email describing some of the recent activities at WNA. The Update includes information on WNA Working Groups, conferences, new initiatives, communications and WNU courses.
Our mailing address is:
World Nuclear Association
Carlton House, 22a St James's Square
London, Westminster SW1Y4JH
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16. Upcoming World Nuclear Association’s Symposiums (3):
1) The Future of Nuclear Power: Now It’s Down to Us”
Central Hall Westminster London, 14-16 September 2011
http://www.wna-symposium.org/
LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER AT EARLY BIRD PRICES
The 2011 Symposium‘s theme will be “The Future of Nuclear Power: Now It’s Down to Us”
The programme for the Symposium is available on our website. Please check it to find out the latest information on confirmed speakers and presentations.
2) China International Nuclear Symposium
Sheraton Hotel & Towers Hong Kong, 20-22 October 2011
http://www.wna-symposium.org/china/index.html
PROGRAMME NOW AVAILABLE
The China International Nuclear Symposium will bring together senior industry decision makers and major stakeholders and discuss the developing nuclear renaissance with a major focus on China. The key objective is to create an opportunity for participants to exchange information and make good business contacts, particularly within the nuclear fuel sector and the evolving international supply chain.
3) India International Nuclear Symposium
New Delhi, 21-23 February 2012
http://www.wna-symposium.org/india/index.html
REGISTRATION OPENS 19 OCTOBER 2011
The first IINS will bring together the senior decision makers of the nuclear industry and its major stakeholders to discuss the practicalities of new nuclear generation. Key topics will be: Supply Chain Development, Nuclear Fuel Issues and Building Human Resources for the Nuclear Future.
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17. Afghan interpreters allowed into Canada “disappointed”
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=8263&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Posted: 02 Aug 2011 11:28 AM PDT
The government has proclaimed its intent to help Afghan interpreters who worked with the Canadian Forces to come to Canada, but many of those who have already arrived feel “abandoned” and “disappointed”. Reporting for Ipolitics.ca, Murray Brewster and Steve Rennie have found discontent among former interpreters (Murray Brewster and Steve Rennie, Afghan interpreters fear Taliban [...]
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18. British nuclear test veterans take cancer claims to supreme court.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/28/
nuclear-bomb-test-veterans-at-supreme-court
Veterans of Britain's 1950s nuclear bomb tests in the Pacific Ocean and Australia who claim their cancers and illnesses were caused by radiation have defeated Ministry of Defence attempts to have the case thrown out of court. London Guardian, United Kingdom.
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19. "Our" Troops vs. Our Eco-System
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=25703
Mickey Z. Global Research, July 19, 2011
Project Censored
http://www.projectcensored.org/
Since I’ve already told you about the importance of repetition, let me recite some numbers I’ve shouted out a few hundred times or so:
80% of the world’s forests are gone
90% of the large fish in the ocean are gone
80% of the planet’s rivers can no longer sustain sustain life
200,000 acres of rain forest are destroyed each day
200 animal and plant species go extinct every 24 hours
If these statistics make you (at least) squirm, you might be interested to know something I’ve also repeated till I’m hoarse: The US Department of Defense (DoD)—the interventionist institution formerly known as the War Department—is the biggest polluter on Planet Earth, for example, releasing more hazardous waste than the five largest US chemical companies combined.
To add insult to injury, the world’s worst polluter—the entity wrecking havoc upon the landbase that makes all life possible—also gobbles up 54% of US taxpayer dollars. But it takes more than obscene amounts of money to keep this criminal enterprise afloat. It also takes more than the volunteers willing to be paid to wage illegal, immoral, and eco-system destroying wars. The DoD will be able to maintain its crime spree as long as most of us continue to unconditionally support (sic) those troops.
As long as the yellow ribbons fly, our shared heritage/future is doomed.
For some, the phrase "support our troops" is merely a euphemism for: support the policies that put the troops there in the first place. For others—sadly, including many activists—the mantra is a safe way to avoid taking an unqualified, uncompromising stand against this war (and all war). Many who identify themselves as "anti-war" still vigorously defend the troops…no questions asked.
The excuse-making typically falls into two broad categories. The first being: "Our troops are just following orders." [ . . . ]
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20. Mayors Tell Congress: Bring War Dollars Home
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=25401
by Lisa Savage Global Research, June 26, 2011
BALTIMORE, June 20 – Mayors from around the world met in Baltimore this week to set public policy for the billions of people living in big cities, depending on municipal services to stay safe. While Congress considered allocating another $118 billion to conduct wars next year – and President Obama absurdly maintained that the costly bombing of Libya is not an act of war, and thus not subject to Congressional oversight – mayors listened to the people. [ . . . ]
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21. 1 Million Dead in Iraq? 6 Reasons the Media Hide the True Human Toll of War -- And Why We Let Them
http://www.alternet.org/story/151703/
1_million_dead_in_iraq_6_reasons_the_media_hide_the_true_human_toll_of_war_--_and_why_we_let_them?akid=7279.23437.G5gPLC&rd=1&t=2
Most Americans turn a blind eye to the violent acts being carried out in their name….
John Tirman / AlterNet
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22. KURTENBACH: Letter: Where is Global Justice?
July 29, 2011
To the Editor,
It is most unlikely that Anders Behring Breivik of Norway dreamed and planned this mass murder all by himself. However, it evolved due to the culmination of his depraved, right-wing extremist neo-conservative views. Apparently these had caused him to eventually become devoid of any segment of love for other human beings. It led to his belief that his skillful use and love of guns would provide an example for change.
It is obvious that his hate and actions were mainly directed towards Muslims, Marxists and Labour. These were outlined in detail in his 1500-page manifesto.
It was on July 22nd on the island of Ayoto, a short distance from the mainland of Norway, that Anders Breivik shot to death 68 young people, and wounded others. He was dressed in a stolen police uniform. The youth gathered there were sponsored by the Labour party of Norway. Before going to the island, Breivik had apparently placed a powerful bomb near the office of the president of Norway, who was not in his office on that fateful day. The explosion did massive damage as well as killing eight people in the building.
History reminds us that weapons--even weapons of mass destruction--have been used by people who were perceived to be more or less normal.
I'm struggling to understand the difference between the cowardly actions of Anders Breivik versus the Commander-in Chief of the greatest military power on Earth in recent times. This was a man, who with the planning of his military advisers in the Pentagon, initiated the 2003 "Shock and Awe" illegal war against Iraq. Thousands of bombs were
dropped on the city of Bagdad, doing colossal damage to buildings and infrastructure. Thousands of innocent Iraqi people were killed or wounded. This is euphemistically referred to as "collateral damage"!
Anders Behring Breivik is in solitary confinement in a prison in Norway. The Commander-in-Chief of the 2003 war is, I presume, comfortably retired on his ranch in Texas.
When will the citizens of our planet Earth, including Canadians, stand up and voice our demand for a world of Peace and Justice for all?
Leo Kurtenbach,
Saskatoon, SK
Phone (306) 652-5129.
More letters:
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2172#2172
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23. Our Commando War in 120 Countries: Uncovering The Military's Secret Operations In The Obama Era
http://www.alternet.org/story/151904/
our_commando_war_in_120_countries%3A_uncovering_the_military%27s_secret_operations_in_the_obama_era?akid=7358.23437.WwW4QH&rd=1&t=3
American secret commandoes are carrying out raids in 70 countries--just today. By the end of the year, the number will probably be close to 120.
Nick Turse / AlterNet and TomDispatch
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24. Canada considering international bases: MacKay
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/06/02/
pol-military-bases.html
By Laura Payton, CBC News Posted: Jun 2, 2011 1:48 PM ET
Canada is looking at setting up bases around the world to better position the military to participate in international missions, Defence Minister Peter MacKay confirmed Thursday.
The Canadian Forces does "prudent planning," MacKay told reporters, taking into account the ability to participate in international missions.
There are no plans to set up permanent bases around the world, but the planning happens to ensure Canada has options in case the military needs to deploy from another country, a government source said.
"As we look out into the future what we obviously try to do is anticipate where and when we will be needed, but it's difficult with any certainty to make those plans, without talking to other countries, without doing internal examinations," Mackay said. [ . . . ]
- - - - - -
Canada’s military to establish base in Kuwait in push for global presence
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/jul20 ... -j14.shtml
By Graham Beverley 14 July 2011
EXCERPT: Canadian imperialism extends its reach around the globe
In addition to the base in Kuwait, the Department of National Defense announced at the beginning of June that the CAF has already reached agreements to open military bases in Germany and Jamaica. The CAF has also indicated its interest in pursuing bases in Senegal in West Africa, Kenya or Tanzania in East Africa, South Korea, and Singapore.
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25. How we helped pave Haiti’s road to hell
http://www.thestar.com/Opinion/Editoria ... le/1025144
July 14, 2011 Crawford Kilian
This article is from The Tyee, the award-winning online source for news and ideas based in Vancouver. Articles from The Tyee will appear regularly on the Opinion page of thestar.com.
Since last October, cholera has so far infected more than 370,000 Haitians and killed more than 5,500 of them. A proportionate epidemic in Canada would have sickened 1.2 million of us, and killed more than 18,000.
It was a totally avoidable disaster. Worse yet, it came to Haiti with the United Nations peacekeepers who were supposed to be protecting the Haitians. Since Canada is involved with MINUSTAH, the UN agency that effectively runs Haiti, we share some of the responsibility for inflicting needless suffering and for failing to admit it. [ . . . ]
Crawford Kilian is a contributing editor of The Tyee, where a longer version of this article appeared. He blogs about cholera and other diseases at H5N1.
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26. Bilderberg 2011: The Rockefeller World Order and the "High Priests of Globalization"
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php? ... &aid=25302
by Andrew Gavin Marshall Global Research, June 16, 2011
To say we were striving for a one-world government is exaggerated, but not wholly unfair. Those of us in Bilderberg felt we couldn't go on forever fighting one another for nothing and killing people and rendering millions homeless. So we felt that a single community throughout the world would be a good thing.[1] - Denis Healey, 30-year member of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group
The ‘Foundations’ of the Bilderberg Group
The Bilderberg Group, formed in 1954, was founded in the Netherlands as a secretive meeting held once a year, drawing roughly 130 of the political-financial-military-academic-media elites from North America and Western Europe as "an informal network of influential people who could consult each other privately and confidentially."[2] Regular participants include the CEOs or Chairman of some of the largest corporations in the world, oil companies such as Royal Dutch Shell, British Petroleum, and Total SA, as well as various European monarchs, international bankers such as David Rockefeller, major politicians, presidents, prime ministers, and central bankers of the world.[3] The Bilderberg Group acts as a "secretive global think-tank," with an original intent to "to link governments and economies in Europe and North America amid the Cold War."[4]
[ . . . ]
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27. San Francisco passes cell phone radiation law.
http://www.baycitizen.org/environmental-health/story/
san-francisco-passes-cellphone-radiation/
San Francisco supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved legislation aimed at helping consumers reduce their exposure to cellphone radiation, a move that industry groups denounced but that Supervisor John Avalos said could "perhaps save lives." San Francisco Bay Citizen, California.
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28. LISTEN: SMART METERS
A good audio piece clipped from the Bob Tuskin Show
Smart Meters 5-minute overview. or http://soundcloud.com/geobear/smart-meters
An invasion of privacy, a waste of energy and dollars, and a serious health threat.
Smart meters are devices surveilling your home. They are being installed in BC Canada without any choice. They are being installed in many places around the world.
------------------
Smart Meters Are Surveillance Devices
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/
no-more-privacy-smart-meters-are-surveillance-devices-that-monitor-the-behavior-in-your-home-every-single-minute-of-every-single-day
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WATCH: Smart Meters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JNFr_j6 ... be　
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29. (2006) Spill site is free of radioactive waste, says Corridor Resources
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/
2006/10/02/nb-spill.html#ixzz0z5lcTHHH
Last Updated: Monday, October 2, 2006 | 9:24 AM AT CBC News
A resource company says it has cleaned up 3,000 litres of material containing a low-level radioactive substance it spilled while drilling for natural gas in the Sussex area in August.
The material that Corridor spilled is called frac sand and is used to fill rock fissures when drilling for natural gas. Frac sand contains some low-level radioactive isotopes.
The spill occurred Aug. 23 at a drill site on land belonging to a family in Penobsquis, said Corridor president Norm Miller.
"It was cleaned up immediately under strict supervision by the Environment Department and no risk of any significance to any personnel," said Miller.
The company buried the material temporarily on another landowner's property, he said.
According to federal regulations, the frac sand must be buried under at least 30 centimetres of soil to be neutralized.
Woman says waste dumped in open pit However, Beth Nixon, who lives nearby, said the company didn't dispose of the frac sand properly, and instead threw it into an existing open pit. [ . . . .]
MORE:
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2194#2194
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30. Chasing China - For rare earths, an abundance of interest
https://secure.globeadvisor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/
story/gam/20110716/RBRAREEARTHSATL
Saturday, July 16, 2011 GEOFFREY YORK AND BRENDA BOUW
VANRHYNSDORP, SOUTH AFRICA and VANCOUVER -- Filled with radioactive waste, its buildings gutted and crumbling after 48 years of disuse, the abandoned Steenkampskraal mine would seem to hold little value to anyone.
Until recently, the decaying apartheid-era mine in a remote patch of South African desert was mainly of interest to scientists studying the effects of high radiation on the thousands of bats that hibernate in the mine shaft.
But soon the bats will be evicted, the radioactive waste will be buried and the shaft refurbished. The Canadian owners of this mine are scrambling to tap the mine's rare-earth minerals - possibly the hottest commodity on the planet these days, with immense strategic and technological significance, and pivotal to a global geopolitical rivalry.
As prices soar, there is a frantic global rush to develop new sources of rare earths. These obscure minerals - 17 different elements with futuristic names such as neodymium, samarium, yttrium and lanthanum - are crucial for everything from guided missiles and hybrid cars to flat-screen televisions, iPods and BlackBerry phones.
Western leaders are increasingly anxious about China's chokehold on a 97 per cent share of the supply, controlling the market with its abundant, low-cost production. The country dominates with just 37 per cent of the world's proven reserves. It produced 118,900 tonnes of rare earths in 2010, and exported just over 30,000 tonnes. Leaders have watched nervously as China restricts its exports, resulting in price rises of up to tenfold for some rare earths over the past year. [ . . . ]
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
NUKE NEWS - August 25, 2011
by Oscar » Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:19 am
NUKE NEWS - August 25, 2011
1. Jack Layton: Peace Activist
2. HARDING: A RUDE AWAKENING: THE NORTHERN WALK TO REGINA FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE BAN
3. UPDATE: Northern Saskatchewan Walk - Links to Updates, Photos and more
4. Quaker nuclear phase-out Minute
5. CCNR Comments to CNSC on Darlington Refurbishment and Continued Operation
6. (U of S) Senators want board chair to step aside
7. Cameco trims demand forecast after Japan disaster
8. Cameco Q2 profits drop 23 per cent as nuclear jitters persist post-Fukushima
9. DUGUAY/BINDER LETTERS: nuclear accident brewing at Gentilly-2?
10. The Billion Dollar Question that Tim Hudak needs to answer: Will he leave taxpayers on the hook for nuclear project bailouts?
11. Presentation by CNSC President Michael Binder to the Ontario Power Generation Board of Directors
12. Laser advances in nuclear fuel stir terror fear.
13. River temperature forces nuclear plant to 50 percent power
14. Dangerous Nuclear Spent Fuel Pool Near Epicenter of East Coast Earthquake
15. How Will Virginia Regulate Uranium Mining?
16. CLP Green Light Angela Pamela Uranium Mine
17. JAPAN Update
18. The anti-nuclear mountain is being scaled
19. Algonquins Oppose Quebec Mining Act and Proposed Changes in Bill 14
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1. Jack Layton: Peace Activist
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=8355#respond
I am certain that we both feel the loss of Jack Layton deeply. Jack was a friend of the peace movement, and could be counted upon to find an alternative to war and to stand up for Canadian values of co-operation and diplomacy.
And we all know that as a result of his convictions, he was able to stand his ground in the face of nasty personal attacks from the Conservatives and the pro-war lobby.
I met Jack Layton in 2002 a few months after he arrived in Ottawa as the new leader of the NDP. Over the years, he and his MPs took on many issues — and I am convinced that he and his colleagues kept Canada away from the invasion of Iraq, saved Canada from George W. Bush's missile defence scheme, and eventually after a terrible cost in dollars and lives, brought about an end to Canada's fighting in Afghanistan.
You are invited to share your thoughts on Jack Layton’s accomplishments on Ceasefire.ca.
Leave your comments on Jack Layton’s legacy.
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=8355#respond
Steven Staples, Ceasefire.ca’
OTHER TRIBUTES:http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1083
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2. HARDING: A RUDE AWAKENING: THE NORTHERN WALK TO REGINA FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE BAN
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2200#2200
For Aug. 26, 2011 R-Town papers BY Jim Harding
On August 16th several hundred people walked the green mile along Regina’s Albert Street, taking their call for a provincial nuclear waste ban to the government. They want an end to the industry group, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), negotiating with northern communities to “host” a nuclear dump without the people of Saskatchewan having any say.
This was the completion of a 20-day, 820 km walk started July 27th from Pinehouse. Along the way walkers made new friendships and networks that bring the north and south closer together. At the front of the colourful parade was a big, blue balloon “earth” encircled by cutouts of the world’s children holding hands. There was much magic as I watched, over the heads of the block-long string of people in front of me, as “the earth” bobbed up and down as its carriers led the way.
And then I remembered a similar walk, thirty-two years ago, on February 22, 1979. Then, walkers carried a huge white elephant, made of paper-mache, to symbolize what they thought of the government’s uranium policies of the day. How much longer, I thought, will it take for us to learn the hard lessons about the toxic economy and start to seriously make the shift towards sustainability?
THEN AND NOW
The 1979 walk occurred as the Blakeney NDP ramped up for a nuclear power “boom”, which would increase demand for Saskatchewan uranium fuel. Nuclear power was deceptively promoted as the answer to ever-more expensive oil, even though it was mostly cheap coal that was used for electrical plants. The high-grade uranium at the Cluff Lake mine was already being mined and lakes at the even-bigger Key Lake mine were being drained, even before an environmental assessment. The Blakeney government was also initiating discussions with “the feds” to have a uranium refinery near the Mennonite town Warman, out of Saskatoon; and, as we found out later, was secretly laying plans to introduce nuclear power to the province.
The nuclear expansion never occurred. Widespread opposition stopped the Warman refinery in 1980. And in the wake of growing public opposition to nuclear power, especially after the 1979 Three Mile Island melt-down, Blakeney shelved plans for nuclear power.
Blakeney lost badly to the Conservatives in 1981. He and his mandarins miscalculated. The uranium royalties turned out to be even smaller than the lowest projections, and in 1988 Grant Devine’s Conservatives privatized the uranium crown corporation, the SMDC, which become Cameco. After huge public infrastructure investments, Cameco went on to rake in profits, as the more cheaply-recoverable, higher-grade uranium made Saskatchewan the world’s largest producing region.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
Blakeney’s vision of uranium-wealth trickling down to northern communities never materialized. While some individuals got high-paying jobs, overall, northern Saskatchewan remains the second poorest region in Canada. And stories multiply of increased sicknesses and cancers among some of those who worked the mines.
Now it’s back to the future, with the Wall government initiating its own nuclear expansion plan by appointing the Uranium Development Partnership or UDP. That group included the very companies that would profit, and predictably it recommended we “go nuclear”. This didn’t just include building nuclear power plants (UDP member, Ontario’s Bruce Power, was already promoting two plants along the North Saskatchewan River), but bringing nuclear waste here from Ontario.
Though the Wall government ultimately had to abandon Bruce Power’s unpopular, uneconomical plan, which turned out to be tied to projected tar-sand expansion, the industry continued working “under the radar” to try to convince an impoverished northern community to “host” a nuclear dump.
OPPOSITION GROWING
In October groups within the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan (e.g. the ecumenical group KAIROS, the Council of Canadians and the Greens), met in Fort Qu’Appelle to discuss a nuclear waste campaign. In November province-wide Coalition members met in Saskatoon to hammer-out policy. (Go to www.cleangreensask.ca for details). In December the first community forum was held, in Wynyard, along the Yellow Head route likely if nuclear wastes ever come from Ontario. In February two Fort Qu’Appelle KAIROS members set out in a winter blizzard to attend community forums along the route, in Prince Albert and La Ronge, with “a detour” for a forum in Saskatoon, the headquarters of the nuclear industry in Saskatchewan. Many hundreds attended.
But this was still southerners expressing opposition to a northern nuclear dump. Those supporting the industry could play this off as “southerners depriving northerners of jobs.” Meanwhile NWMO was busy buying its way into northern communities like Pinehouse and Paturnak. There have been big payments to provincial Indigenous organizations and self-appointed “elders” getting per diems. There were meetings purportedly to discuss the northern youth crisis that turned into NWMO promotions. Outrage at such manipulation has grown.
FUTURE GENERATIONS
Things changed when the new Committee for Future Generations sponsored the first northern community forum June 2nd in Beauval. Two hundred people, mostly from ten northern communities, attended. After hearing “both sides” they voted against a nuclear dump. NWMO talks glibly of northern consultation, but refused to attend the forum, so organizers played NWMO videos so that the industry voice was fairly represented.
Another community forum occurred July 26th in Pinehouse. The next day 30 walkers set out for Regina. Within three short months a northern voice opposing the dump had formed, spread and come all the way to the province’s capital.
A RUDE AWAKENING
It is quite a feat to walk 820 km; the walk was far longer than ones led by Gandhi in the nonviolent struggle for India’s independence. But when the walkers and their supporters arrived at the Legislature August 16th there was only a government staffer present. He said nothing! There was no Premier and no Deputy Premier! No official welcome, even though they were informed prior to this marathon walk starting.
I heard some people comment that it was rude for the Premier to not greet the northern walkers, if for no other reason than to acknowledge their endurance. Their message, that sustaining the environmental heath of northern people is more important than toxic jobs, says a lot about character and vision. One banner on one of the trucks accompanying the walkers said, bluntly, “We don’t want your death money.”
ONE SASKATCHEWAN/ONE WORLD
The walkers emphasized “one Saskatchewan”. They gathered water from along the way and mixed it with Regina’s water to symbolize our natural unity. I participated in the circle water ceremony at Lumsden where I joined the walkers. This message of “one Saskatchewan”, coming from northerners who have endured uranium mining since the 1950s, is a message that needs to be heard by politicians of all stripes.
When southerners speak of “one Saskatchewan” it’s often seen as government and industry needing northern resources for revenue and profit. And there are usually some northern spokespeople available to promote the trickle-down of a small amount of the wealth to the north. These same people are now supporting northern Saskatchewan taking Ontario’s nuclear wastes, as though this is a way to provide jobs for their growing youth. Such promotion of a toxic economy makes past colonialism seem benign.
It’s to the credit of the official opposition, the NDP caucus, that it sent its Environmental Critic, Sandra Morin, to welcome the walkers. And Morin was clear that an NDP government would not allow a nuclear dump in the north. This took its own form of bravery, for if the NDP opposes a dump, then how will it continue to justify mining the uranium that turns into nuclear wastes after being used as reactor fuel? Or, that turns into the dangerous radioactive contamination still spreading after the melt-downs at Japan’s Fukushima’s reactors, which import uranium from here?
This raises many moral and political questions which I’ll explore next time.
Other articles:
http://jimharding.brinkster.net
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3. UPDATE: Northern Saskatchewan Walk - Links to Updates, Photos and more:
Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan
cleangreensask@yahoo.ca
http://www.cleangreensask.ca
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coalition ... 3935014222
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LISTEN: radio program on the Walk Against the Nuclear Dump.
http://soundcloud.com/making-the-links/ ... -the-north
It features Deb Morin from Beauval, Peter Prebble and Joys Dancer and the Honeysuckle Swing Band. Currently playing on Making the Links community radio CFCR.ca. - Don Kossick, Saskatoon
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Nuclear waste protest walk reaches steps of legislature - (PHOTOS)
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/
Nuclear+waste+protest+walk+reaches+steps+legislature/5265032/story.html#ixzz1VIlA0l7N
By Tim Switzer, Leader-Post August 17, 2011 9:02 AM
Setting out from Pinehouse Lake on July 27, Debbie Morin thought she had only a few allies for a walk to protest nuclear waste storage in Saskatchewan. By the time the 820-kilometre walk finished in Regina on Tuesday, Morin and the other walkers said thousands were on their side.
"From a committee of 22 people, now there's thousands of people who are aware of what is going on and that Saskatchewan is being targeted," Morin said after the core group of 10 walkers was joined by 130 others in a march to the Saskatchewan legislature and a rally in front of the building.
"People are taking petitions back to their home communities, even those we engaged in dialogue with who initially weren't sure what to think," Morin said.
"We were once in that situation. Information is power. Knowledge and knowing both sides of the issue is power."
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Saskatchewan walk against nuclear waste
http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/life/article/944422
JENNIFER GRAHAM Published: August 16, 2011 7:10 p.m. Last modified: August 16, 2011 8:47 p.m.
REGINA - Some northern Saskatchewan residents say they're drawing a line in the sand to protect the environment from nuclear waste.
The protesters left the community of Pinehouse on July 27, walking about 820 kilometres, and were joined by others on the way to Regina to ask the province to ban radioactive waste.
"It's for fear of our future generations to not impose this decision on them that would kill our watertable, our watershed," Max Morin, one of the walk organizers, said Tuesday at a rally in front of the legislature.
"The basin over there is just one big sponge that keeps our air clean, too. So it's all about the love of our future generations."
Pinehouse is one of three Saskatchewan communities being considered for an underground storage dump by the federal Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
The organization is trying to find a site that would serve as a dump for all the country's nuclear waste. The decision to build a centralized storage site was made by the federal government in 2007. Estimates put the price-tag from $16 billion to $24 billion over the life of the facility, which could last 100 years. [ . . . ]
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HAINSWORTH: Meet opponents
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Meet+opponents/
5255080/story.html
BY LYNN HAINSWORTH, THE STAR PHOENIXAUGUST 15, 2011
In regards to the editorial Nuclear storage needs study (SP, Aug. 11), perhaps if the editorial staff of The StarPhoenix met with Helen Caldicott, Gordon Edwards, or Jim Harding, internationally renowned experts regarding the nuclear fuel chain, when they are in Saskatoon, the editorialists might know the difference between "nuclear suppositories" and nuclear repositories.
- - - - SNIP - - -
If the SP truly recommends further study, then they should be open to learning more themselves.
Gordon Edwards will be in Saskatoon again on Sept. 20.
Lynn Hainsworth Saskatoon
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FINK: Stop nukes now
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/
Stop+nukes/5255079/story.html
BY HEIKE FINK, THE STAR PHOENIX AUGUST 15, 2011
The StarPhoenix editorial Nuclear storage needs study (SP, Aug. 11), states that "spent nuclear waste material has been stored safely for decades." Where?
There is no final nuclear waste storage facility anywhere in the world and the ones existing for lower radioactive waste are anything but safe. [ . . .]
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CHASSE: Listen to walkers
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
todays-paper/Listen+walkers/5260145/story.html
BY PATRICK CHASSE, THE STAR PHOENIX AUGUST 16, 2011
Your editorial, Nuclear storage needs study (SP, Aug. 11), insists that an "interested community" could get "almost unparalleled economic opportunity" from hosting nuclear waste.
I disagree. I'm new to Saskatchewan but have visited the farflung reaches of the north and south this year. We share the unique privilege of living in a stunningly beautiful province, rich in culture, natural beauty, wildlife, and water.
Respecting the renewable riches of this province and living sustainably requires that we heed the call of the walkers from Pinehouse, English River, and Beauval to consider the next 7,000 generations.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization has targeted impoverished and "chronically underemployed" northern communities for nuclear waste disposal because people are searching for dignified employment and a decent quality
of life. The jobs NWMO is offering to northern communities are a Band-Aid for underdevelopment, not a solution for structural inequalities.
Agreeing to store nuclear waste would be like making a bargain with the devil. [ . . . ]
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4. Quaker nuclear phase-out Minute (Page 7)
http://quakerservice.ca/wp-content/
uploads/2011/06/11.UraniumIssuesReport-final.pdf
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Curry" <prairie@web.ca>
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 11:27 AM
Subject: Quaker nuclear phaseout Minute
Here is the text of the minute passed at Canadian Yearly Meeting last week, calling for a phase-out of uranium and nuclear fission energy. A Minute of Record is a substantial decision - an enduring standing policy.
------------
Minute of Record on Uranium and Nuclear Energy Issues
Adopted by the Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
August 11, 2011
Based on a variety of peace, environmental and health concerns, and with our testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Equality, Community, Integrity and Earth Stewardship in mind, we advocate and are called to work for a phase-out of (1) the use of nuclear fission-based energy, (2) the mining, refining and exporting of uranium, and (3) the exporting of fission-based nuclear power reactor technology and fissionable materials.
A phase-out of nuclear fission energy could feasibly occur in Canada over a period of fifteen to twenty years, and, internationally, over some twenty to thirty years. During the phase-out period, no new nuclear reactors would be built, existing reactors would be shut down as they reach the end of their operational lifespans, energy conservation technologies would be employed in all energy sectors, and renewable energy sources would be encouraged to continue to expand. Reliable studies show that such a phase-out is compatible with a parallel phase-out of coal, and a reduced and more efficient use of oil and natural gas in the context of climate change concerns. (See references below.)
During the phase-out process, we affirm the right of affected workers to a just and reasonable transition process during which they may be retrained for work that is more ecologically sound.
We do not oppose the use of nuclear science in the field of medicine, acknowledging that nuclear medicine does not require the use of nuclear fission reactors for electricity production, and that there is enough uranium already mined to provide the small amount of uranium needed in nuclear medicine for an estimated two hundred years.
We ask Canadian Friends Service Committee to work with other Quaker, faith-based and secular organizations, both in Canada and internationally, toward the goal of a phase-out of nuclear fission-based energy and of greater accountability and honesty around the health, environmental and peace concerns related to nuclear fission.
We recognize that we must change our own lifestyles in accordance with these objectives. We shall continue to advocate for greater energy efficiency and a shift to renewable energy alternatives, and to encourage ecologically sound energy practices in our own lives.
=
References:
Pembina Institute. Several publications, for example: August 2010,
Renewable is Doable, Ontario's Green Energy Plan 2.0.
www.pembina.org/re
Lester Brown, World on the Edge: How to Prevent Environmental and Economic
Collapse (2011). Earth Policy Institute.
http://www.earth-policy.org/books/wote
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5. CCNR Comments to CNSC on Darlington Refurbishment and Continued Operation
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/
August2011/25/c6175.html
----- Original Message -----
From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 1:52 PM
Subject: CCNR Comments to CNSC on Darlington Refurbishment and Continued Operation
-------------------------------------------
To: Andrew McAllister, Environmental Assessment Specialist
Environmental Assessment Division,
Directorate of Environmental and Radiation Protection and Assessment
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
P.O. Box 1046, Station B
Ottawa, ON K1P 5S9 Email: EA@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
August 22, 2011
Dear Mr. McAllister:
Re: Refurbishment and Continued Operation of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Draft Scoping Information Document CEAA Registry #11-01-62516
Please find attached comments from the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) regarding the Draft Scoping Information Document for Ontario Power Generation's application to refurbish and continue operations of the Darlington Nuclear Power Plant in Clarington, Ontario.
If you have any questions concerning this submission you may contact me at (514) 489 5118 [office] or at (514) 839 7214 [cell] or by e-mail at ccnr@web.ca.
Gordon Edwards, Ph.D., President,
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
------------------------------------------------
The Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) is disheartened to learn that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is unwilling to call for a full Panel review of the EA for the refurbishment and continued operation of the existing four Darlington Nuclear Reactors.
We have seen how accommodating the CNSC can be when it comes to requests for special treatment from its licensees.
Thus Bruce Power had no difficulty in getting a CNSC licence to ship 16 steam generators on a single vessel, even though the total estimated amount of radioactivity on that shipment far exceeds the maximum amount allowed by IAEA regulations. All it took was a Special Arrangement from the CNSC to get around that regulation - a kind of latter-day version of the papal dispensation.
Similarly Hydro-Quebec had no difficulty in getting a five-year extension of its operating licence for the Gentilly-2 nuclear reactor, even though the key Safety Document required for this licensing action has not yet been produced and will not be produced until many months after the licence extension is granted. All it took was a CNSC decision to suspend the regulation in order to indulge the delinquent licensee.
But when it comes to the Environmental Assessment associated with rebuilding the cores of four huge nuclear reactors sited on the shore of one of the most important Lakes in North America, the CNSC finds itself unable to grant the request of a large number of responsible public interest organizations to have a more thorough review process.
Since law does not require a Panel Review, there cannot be one. Rules are rules, the CNSC seems to be saying, and exceptions are intended to benefit only the nuclear industry - not those who are profoundly concerned about how that industry may endanger the health and safety of citizens and cripple the environment.
This is particularly disheartening in light of the ongoing Fukushima disaster. That terrible event goes a long way towards demonstrating that the proponents of nuclear power, including the regulatory agencies, have been wrong in asserting that nuclear power is safe.
That assertion - that Nuclear Energy is Safe - boldly adorns the cover of the most recent CNSC Annual Report, where it is even described as a 'FACT'. The same assertion is trumpeted on the CNSC web site with a grandiose fanfare of triumphant music. Do the CNSC Commissioners and Staff believe that just saying it makes it true?
The Fukushima disaster is a grim reminder that every nuclear reactor is potentially very dangerous indeed. Each reactor contains an inconceivably large inventory of radioactive poisons that - under unanticipated accident conditions - is able to render large areas of land uninhabitable, contaminate enormous volumes of water and soil, and sow financial and political chaos.
Fukushima is a warning that no responsible individual or agency should ignore. Fukushima demands that we rethink the most fundamental assumptions about nuclear safety. Yet institutional inertia is hard to resist, and there is an almost overwhelming temptation for things to go on as before without any profound rethinking or reassessment.
The multibillion-dollar reconstruction of the cores of four of Canada’s largest power reactors should not be seen as a trifling matter, and treated as if it were just a maintenance outage that is somewhat lengthier than usual. It raises fundamental questions about whether to refurbish these reactors at all, or at the very least, how to rebuild the reactors so as to correct some of the errors of the past that have been overlooked a result of unquestioned assumptions about reactor safety.
In order for a more profound assessment of these questions to take place, a more elaborate Environmental Assessment process is needed - one that will allow and encourage citizens to play a much more significant role in challenging those assumptions which have become ingrained in the minds of nuclear engineers and nuclear analysts, both in the utilities and in the regulatory agency.
For example, we must begin to seriously address the potential consequences of catastrophic accidents at nuclear reactors in Canada. We must stop using 'low probability' as an excuse for not thinking of and not planning for such events.
Is the vacuum building at Darlington NGS capable of handling a multi-unit meltdown accident, such as happened at Fukushima Dai-ichi? Following such an accident, how long will it take, realistically speaking, before radioactive emissions will have to be pumped into the environment in order to maintain negative pressure?
Can the vacuum building be redesigned or rebuilt to correct any weaknesses that it may have in coping with multi-unit meltdowns? Should this not be required by the CNSC as part of the refurbishment plans?
Given the huge volumes of contaminated water that were flushed through the cores of the crippled Fukushima reactors, much of it dumped into the Pacific ocean, what degree of contamination of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River might result from a similar accident at the Darlington NGS?
Should there not be an enormous reservoir constructed at Darlington so as to collect the enormous quantities of contaminated water that would result in the event of a multi-unit meltdown, so as to prevent massive radioactive contamination of the Great Lakes, which serve as a source of drinking water for tens of millions of people? Should this not be required by CNSC as part of the refurbishment plans?
These are not academic questions, they are realistic ones. Calculated probabilities are mathematical fictions having no power over actual events. In terms of nuclear safety, probability is basically a quantitative expression of our ignorance and our expectations. While the probability of the Fukushima disaster would have been calculated to be virtually zero by nuclear analysts before the accident took place, we can now see in retrospect that the probability of that disaster, given the actual circumstances, was 100 percent.
Probabilistic assessments do have a useful role to play - in comparing competing engineering designs, for example - but probabilistic assessments cannot and should not be used to deny the possibility of a disaster, or to ignore the consequences of such a disaster. The misuse of probability in this way is scientifically and morally wrong.
In Japan, months went by after the Fukushima disaster before there was any effective monitoring of the food supply. As a result, significant amounts of beef contaminated with radioactive cesium were sold and consumed before the degree and extent of the beef contamination was documented. There was similarly little or no effective monitoring of the extent of contamination of milk by iodine-131 and iodine-132 (produced by the rapid decay of tellurium-132) in the early months following the accident. Mushrooms, rice, green tea, seaweed, even wild boars are additional examples of foodstuffs that acted as vehicles for radioactive contamination from Fukushima to enter the bodies of men, women and children in Japan.
What procedures are in place to ensure that there will be rapid and comprehensive monitoring of food following a potential disaster at Darlington? Shouldn't the elaboration of such procedures be a licence requirement before any 'continued operation' of the Darlington reactors is authorized by the CNSC?
It is universally acknowledged in the nuclear community that passive safety features are preferable to safety features that require active intervention. Yet the two independent fast shutdown systems in the Darlington reactors are included in the design in order to compensate for the positive void coefficient of reactivity, endemic to the CANDU design and to the Chernobyl reactor that exploded in the Ukraine over 20 years ago. The positive void coefficient of reactivity was also a characteristic of the NRX reactor at Chalk River, which exploded in 1952, and the Lucens reactor in Switzerland, which exploded in 1969.
Essentially, the positive void coefficient of reactivity is an undesirable feature because it means that a sudden loss-of-coolant accident will be accompanied by a rapid surge in reactivity. Unless this surge is quickly terminated by the intervention of fast shutdown systems, the core will 'disassemble' - a polite word that implies massive damage to the core of the reactor, possible accompanied by explosions, possibly leading to a full or partial core meltdown.
In light of the Fukushima disaster, which took place in one of the most industrially advanced nations in the world, a nation which is world famous for its superiority in advanced technology, surely the CNSC should examine the wisdom of CANDU reactors continuing to rely on the intervention of fast shutdown systems rather than on the redesign of the fuel or the core of the reactors so as to drastically reduce or maybe even eliminate the positive void coefficient altogether. Shouldn’t this be a high-priority requirement for the approval of any refurbishment plans?
These are only a few of the questions that can and should be raised during the Environmental Assessment of the proposed refurbishment and continued operation of the Darlington Nuclear Reactors. Other questions involve the need to calculate the integrated population dose from both external and internal radioactive sources in the event of a major accident, and mitigation measures to prevent the transport of radioactive contaminants on shoes, skin, clothing, and hair.
There are also questions related to the ongoing operations of the Darlington nuclear reactors after refurbishment. Surely a high priority should be given to drastically reducing the emissions of radioactive tritium into the environment, given the fact that two independent scientific advisory committees have already recommended greatly reducing the permissible levels of tritium in drinking water, and the inexorable buildup of tritium levels in Lake Ontario may well become a source of international displeasure in the foreseeable future. Should not the CNSC be demanding the incorporation of technologies that will drastically reduce tritium emissions as part of the licensing requirement for any continued operation of the Darlington reactors?
Should this not be part of the CNSC regulatory requirement for the acceptance of any refurbishment plans?
Or is the ALARA principle just a meaningless slogan designed to confuse the public [CNSC literature routinely states that all exposures to radiation are to be kept "As Low As Reasonably Achievable". This principle is referred to as the ALARA principle.]
Consideration should also be given to public risks involved in the road transport of highly radioactive retube materials from the Darlington site to the Bruce site over provincial highways, as well as the ultimate disposition of the bulky and very long-lived refurbishment wastes from the Darlington reactors.
The Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility urges the CNSC to reconsider its decision.
We strongly recommend a full Panel review.
Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project - News Release
Joint Review Panel Submits Environmental Assessment Report
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/
August2011/25/c6175.html
OTTAWA, August 25, 2011 – The Joint Review Panel for the Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project today announces that it has submitted its report to the federal Minister of the Environment.
The report follows a review of the environmental impact statement prepared by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), a public hearing held over seventeen days in March and April 2011, and an in-camera session to address security matters held in May 2011.
- - - SNIP - - -
The Panel concludes that the Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, provided the mitigation measures proposed and commitments made by OPG during the review and the recommendations in the Joint Review Panel Environmental Assessment Report are implemented.
In this report, the Panel highlights actions that are required to address the effects of the Project on aquatic and terrestrial biota and habitat, health, waste management, emergency preparedness and the consequences of a severe accident, nuclear liability insurance, and land use.
Subject to the Government of Canada response to the report, the Joint Review Panel may then proceed to make a decision on OPG’s Application for a Licence to Prepare Site.
A summary of the Joint Review Panel Environmental Assessment Report is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca and on the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Web site at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca . The Panel report will be posted on these Web sites once it has been translated into French.
The Panel report is available upon request through the panel secretariat at Darlington.Review@ceaa.gc.ca or
JRP-OPG-Darlington@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca .
The project is a proposal by OPG for the site preparation, construction, operation, decommissioning and abandonment of up to four new nuclear reactors at its existing Darlington Nuclear site located along the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the Municipality of Clarington. The project is expected to generate up to 4800 megawatts of electricity for delivery to the Ontario grid.
The Joint Review Panel for the Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project is an independent body, mandated by the Minister of the Environment and the President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to assess the environmental effects of the proposed project and consider the Application for a Licence to Prepare Site.
Regards,
Julie Bouchard
Tribunal Officer/ Agente de tribunal Secretariat/Secrétariat
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission/Commission canadienne de sûreté nucléaire
613-995-1703
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6. (U of S) Senators want board chair to step aside
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
Senators+want+board+chair+step+aside/5265031/story.html
By Janet French, The StarPhoenix August 17, 2011 8:39 AM
A handful of University of Saskatchewan senators are calling on the chair of the board of governors to step aside because of her ties to one of the world's largest uranium producers.
The senators also say lawyer Nancy Hopkins's position as a board member for Cameco Corp. puts her in a conflict of interest chairing a search committee for a new university president.
In a letter sent to the university's secretary and board vice-chair earlier this year, environmental lawyer and senator Stefania Fortugno points to equity Hopkins has at stake that rides on Cameco's performance. Fortugno questions whether Hopkins's role is connected to the university's increasing focus on nuclear research.
"Any time that the University of Saskatchewan enlarges the role of the nuclear sciences on campus, through the appointment of faculty chairs, or establishing a new $30-million nuclear research centre and allocates scarce educational resources to the same, the share prices of Cameco Corporation correspondingly increase," the letter says.
Another elected university senator, Mary Jean Hande, says Hopkins's role on the presidential search committee is problematic because several candidates with ties to the nuclear industry are rumoured to be in the running.
"I think it would be very difficult to maintain that public research goal and vision of the university if it was run by somebody who was working in the corporate sector as well," Hande said. "I think it would also undermine the university as a public institution that was creating and supporting research that was independent."
Hopkins is calling the conflict of interest allegations "absurd," and outgoing university president Peter MacKinnon says the call for her resignation is "a request without any grounds at all." [ . . . ]
= = = = = = =
7. Cameco trims demand forecast after Japan disaster
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/fp/
Cameco+trims+demand+forecast+after+Japan+disaster/5204633/story.html
By Peter Koven, Financial Post August 4, 2011 9:07 AM
Uranium giant Cameco Corp. trimmed its global uranium demand forecast on Thursday due to the fallout from the Fukushima disaster nearly five months ago. Over the next 10 years, Saskatoon-based Cameco sees world uranium demand of 2.2 billion pounds, down slightly from its prior forecast of 2.1 billion. And the company now sees 85 net new nuclear reactors online by 2020, compared with its previous estimate of 90.The relatively small decline reflects the fact that most countries are maintaining nuclear power as a key part of their energy mix despite Fukushima (though Germany is one exception).“We continue to expect annual global consumption to exceed annual global mine production by a significant margin over the next 10 years, a situation that has existed since about 1986,” Cameco said in a statement, adding that it expects about 270 million pounds of new uranium supply will be required to meet demand over the next decade. Its previous estimate was 320 million pounds. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
8. Cameco Q2 profits drop 23 per cent as nuclear jitters persist post-Fukushima
http://www.stockhouse.com/News/
FinancialNewsDetailFeeds.aspx?n=14533605&src=cp
8/4/2011 12:13:00 PM | Canadian Press (English)
SASKATOON - Uranium miner Cameco Corp. reported a 23 per cent drop in second-quarter profits on Thursday as jitters from the Japanese nuclear crisis nearly five months ago continued to weigh on the industry.
The Saskatoon-based company (TSX:CCO) is, however, sticking with its 2011 sales targets, with most volumes expected to move in the second half of the year.
Cameco expects to deliver between 31 million and 33 million pounds of uranium, and post a 10 to 15 per cent revenue increase in that segment over 2010.
Still, shares in the Saskatoon-based company (TSX:CCO) were off 3.8 per cent in afternoon trading at $23.66. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
9. DUGUAY/BINDER LETTERS: nuclear accident brewing at Gentilly-2?
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/issues/
letters_to_the_editor/August-19-2011-Response-Courrier-Sud.cfm
----- Original Message -----
From: Michel A. Duguay
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 10:25 AM
Subject: [Stop-Darlington] Michael Binder, e-mail 19 August 2011
Dear Dr. Michael Binder,
Thank you for your several e-mails concerning my correspondence with the CNSC, and in particular for your last e-mail dated August 19th 2011 enclosed herewith.
I would like to know if your brief e-mail dated August 19 is your final reply to the August 10 collective letter addressed to you and to CNSC staff? I appreciate the fact that you have put on the CNSC web site almost all of your and my e-mails over the last two years.
I remind you that our August 10 letter was cosigned by 70 other Canadian citizens. We consider that the 10 questions we are asking you AND CNSC staff are very important concerning nuclear safety.
Contrary to what you seem to think, I interpret the Nuclear Safety and Control Act of 1997 as urging the ENTIRE staff of the CNSC to inform the public on nuclear matters, and therefore to communicate with us.
With my regards,
Michel Duguay
- - - - - -
BINDER Email sent on August 19, 2011
Dear Dr. Michel Duguay,
Thank you for your message of August 10, 2011 and for your continued interest in nuclear matters.
As you are surely aware, the Commission held Public Hearings on December 10, 2010, in Ottawa, Ontario, and on April 13 and 14, 2011, in Bécancour, Quebec for the renewal of the operating licence for the Gentilly-2 nuclear generating facility. During this Hearing, the Commission heard from the proponent, Hydro Québec, as well as 64 intervenors who presented views on this matter. I note that you participated in this hearing as an intervenor and that many of the issues raised in your letter were considered in the context of the Hearing.
The Commission rendered its decision, which I attach again for your convenience, taking into account all information provided by the participants during the hearing. I also encourage you to thoroughly review the decision along with the hearing transcripts which are available on our website. You were also previously provided with the associated material presented to the Commission by Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) staff, Hydro Québec and other interested members of the public, which you may find informative.
Being a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal, the Commission speaks to licensing matters through its decisions and, as the decision speaks for itself, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the matter. However, following receipt of your detailed criticism of that decision dated July 7, 2011, I had asked Professor John Froats from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology to perform a peer review of your analysis. The review, which was provided to you on August 9, 2011 and is available on our website, addressed the concerns you have raised in your letter in their entirety.
With respect to your comments relating to the events at TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant, you will find that our website provides extensive information on the comprehensive safety review that was initiated by CNSC staff following the event. The Commission was provided with an update of the progress of CNSC staff's review at the August 10, 2011 Commission Meeting. The results of CNSC staff's work will be presented to the Commission during an upcoming public meeting, and will be independently reviewed both by a team of international nuclear safety experts as well as an advisory committee comprised of Canadian experts from outside the nuclear sector (see also the presentation by Ramzi Jammal, Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, to this committee dated August 5, 2011).
Your letter raises no issues that have not been previously adressed by the CNSC. I understand from your bringing these matters up repeatedly that you are not interested in our factual responses, but rather in presenting misleading and inaccurate statements, in various forms, in the interest of furthering your particular agenda.
In conclusion, I can assure you that the Commission exercised its authority in the matter of the renewal of Gentilly-2 nuclear generating facility's Operating Licence giving due consideration of to the scientific evidence before it. Furthermore, the Commission would never licence a nuclear facility unless it deemed it to be safe. It has done so for Gentilly-2 as well as for all other nuclear power plants operating in Canada.
Should you wish to raise any further issues, I strongly encourage you to participate as an intervenor in any relevant future public hearings of the Commission.
Best Regards,
Michael Binder
President
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
- - - - -
CNSC response to Michael Duguay’s letter entitled 'Accident nucléaire en préparation à Gentilly 2?' (nuclear accident brewing at Gentilly-2?) published in Le Courrier Sud on August 12, 2011
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/issues/
letters_to_the_editor/August-19-2011-Response-Courrier-Sud.cfm
To the Editor-in-Chief:
Mr. Michel Duguay’s letter entitled “Accident nucléaire en préparation à Gentilly-2?” (nuclear accident brewing at Gentilly-2?) contains a number of incorrect statements that might needlessly alarm your readers. It raises no issues that have not been previously addressed by the CNSC.
First of all, it is important to point out that the Bécancour nuclear power plant is operated safely. It was built to withstand the physical phenomena that can occur in the region, such as earthquakes and floods.
When Mr. Duguay points out that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) gave Hydro-Québec permission to delay the filing of its safety report, he fails to mention that all the relevant analyses had been done. The CNSC would never authorize the operation of Gentilly-2 if it had any doubts about the condition of the facilities.
Contrary to what Mr. Duguay implies, our organization takes the aging of nuclear power plants into account when it establishes its regulatory requirements. In addition, regular inspections are done to confirm the adequacy of the measures in place and to detect any early signs of failures – and even of minor impairments.
With regard to the research done on generic safety issues, I would like to point out that this research is aimed at better understanding certain aspects of the operations of CANDU reactors. Those issues, however, do not call into question the safe operation of Canadian nuclear power plants. The CNSC always proceeds carefully, imposing very strict conditions on operators.
The CNSC is a transparent public agency with a clear mandate: to regulate the nuclear sector to protect people and the environment. Moreover, hearings were held recently to consider the renewal of the Gentilly-2 licence. The decision made by the Commission Tribunal members took into account all the information presented, including the submissions of Mr. Duguay and about 60 other intervenors.
We invite your readers to visit our Web site (nuclearsafety.gc.ca) to learn more about the safe use of nuclear technology in Canada. They will also be able to read our correspondence with Mr. Duguay, including a recent independent review (PDF) of one of his analyses by professor John Froats of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
Michael Binder
President
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
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10. The Billion Dollar Question that Tim Hudak needs to answer: Will he leave taxpayers on the hook for nuclear project bailouts?
http://www.crewzone.ca/news_event.cfm?eventID=739
This is the question that Tim Hudak, Leader of the Opposition, is refusing to answer.
Every nuclear project in Ontario’s history has gone massively over budget. If the nuclear industry is given another blank cheque to rebuild its aging reactors at the Darlington Nuclear station, Ontario’s hard working families will once again be on the hook for billions of dollars of cost overruns.
We need your help to persuade Mr. Hudak to answer this question before the October 6th provincial election. All the other major party leaders have answered. Voters deserve to hear from the Conservatives.
Here’s what you can do right now:
Order our new pamphlet, The Billion Dollar Question That Tim Hudak Needs To Answer, and distribute it to your friends, co-workers and neighbours. They’re free, colorful and informative!
Email Mr. Hudak and ask him if he’ll stand up for Ontario’s hard working families and promise to not allow nuclear power companies to pass their future cost overruns onto consumers and taxpayers. You deserve accountability on these massive electrical investments; and
Please donate $50, $100, $500 or $1,000 to the Ontario Clean Air Alliance to help us print and distribute tens of thousands of copies across the province of The Billion Dollar Question That Tim Hudak Needs To Answer before October 6th. Help us reach all Ontarians. Donate here.
And if you’re in Toronto, join OCAA’s Chair Jack Gibbons and me in a discussion about the upcoming election, energy issues, and how you can plug in:
Thur. Sept. 8, 7 – 8 p.m. at Metro Hall, 55 John St., Toronto
Thank you for your help and support. Let’s make nuclear bailouts an election issue.
Angela Bischoff, Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
160 John St., #300, Toronto M5V 2E5
Phone: 416 260-2080 x 1
angela@cleanairalliance.org
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Ontario’s Green Future
No Nukes News
Health Power
Coal Must Go
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11. Presentation by CNSC President Michael Binder to the Ontario Power Generation Board of Directors
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/
presentations/presentations-2011.cfm#August23OPG
August 23, 2011
President Binder provided an overview of the recent incident in Japan, and discussed the international and CNSC’s response. He provided status updates on the Pickering and Darlington facilities and recent CNSC consultations/publications. He also described the challenges ahead of the CNSC, as well as the changing environment in Ottawa.
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12. Laser advances in nuclear fuel stir terror fear.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/scien ... laser.html
Scientists have long sought easier ways to make the costly material known as enriched uranium – the fuel of nuclear reactors and bombs, now produced only in giant industrial plants. One idea has been to do it with nothing more substantial than lasers. This futuristic approach has always proved too expensive and difficult for anything but the laboratory. Until now. In a little-known effort, General Electric has successfully tested laser enrichment for two years and is seeking federal permission to build a $1 billion plant that would make reactor fuel by the ton. New York Times [Registration Required]
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13. River temperature forces nuclear plant to 50 percent power
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/aug/04/
river-temperature-forces-plant-to-50-percent/
by Pam Sohn, Chatanooga Times Free Press, August 4th, 2011
Not even TVA can beat the heat.
On Wednesday, the utility had to bring a third reactor at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant down to 50 percent power to avoid environmental sanctions because the water in the Tennessee River — where the plant's cooling water is discharged — already was at 90 degrees.
"When the river's ambient temperature reaches 90 degrees, we can't add any heat to it," said TVA's nuclear spokesman Ray Golden.
Similar problems last summer forced the Tennessee Valley Authority to spend $50 million for replacement power, according to Golden. The extra expense translated to something between 50 cents and $1 on most electric bills several months later, officials have said.
To avoid similar heat problems this year, TVA in October began construction on a seventh cooling tower at Browns Ferry, which is near Athens, Ala., and officials expected the $80 million super tower to be complete in June or July.
But weather stormed that plan, too.
"It was delayed because of the impact of the tornadoes, and some spring storms and some heavy rains," Golden said. "It's probably about 98 percent complete, and we hope it will be in service in the next one to two months."
So far, the extreme heat has not had the same impact at Sequoyah or Watts Bar, both on Chickamauga Lake in Tennessee, but state environmental officials say TVA monitors river temperatures upstream and downstream of both plants and reports findings to the state.
If utility engineers see they can't bring the temperature to 86.9 degrees, they must slow or stop the plant's power production, said Tisha Calabrese-Benton, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
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14. Dangerous Nuclear Spent Fuel Pool Near Epicenter of East Coast
Earthquake
http://www.ips-dc.org/blog/
dangerous_nuclear_spent_fuel_pool_near_epicenter_of_east_coast_earthquake_says_ips_fellow_bob_alvarez
August 23, 2011 · By Robert Alvarez
An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale just occurred less than a hour ago. It's epicenter was in Mineral, VA--- approximately 10 miles from two nuclear power reactors at the North Anna site. According to a representative of Dominion Power, the two reactors were designed to withstand a 5.9-6.1 quake. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ranked the North Anna Reactors as being 7th in the nation in terms of earthquake risks.
Control rods are automatically inserted to halt a reactor, if it is impacted by an earthquake. However, the reactor core still has a large amount of decay heat that requires power to remove it if there is a loss of offsite power to prevent a melt down. It is reported that the North Anna reactors were shut down and is operating with back-up diesel generators. The failure to remove reactor decay heat is what led to severe accidents at the Fukusima nuclear site on Japan. It is not clear, at this time, what damage might have been sustained at the nuclear site.
The North Anna reactors are of the Westinghouse Pressurized Water design and went on line in 1979 and 1980 respectively. Since then the reactors have generated approximately 1,200 metric tons of nuclear spent fuel containing about 228,000 curies of highly radioactive materials -- among the largest concentrations of radioactivity in the United States.
Nearly 40 percent of the radioactivity in the North Anna spent fuel pools is cesium-137 - a long-lived radioisotope that gives off potentially dangerous penetrating radiation and also accumulates in food over a period of centuries. The North Anna Pools hold about 15-30 times more Cs-137 than was released by the Chernobyl accident in 1986. In 2003, IPS helped lead a study warning that drainage of a pool might cause a catastrophic radiation fire, which could render an area uninhabitable greater than that created by the Chernobyl accident.
The spent fuel pools at North Anna contain 4-5 times more than their original designs intended. As in Japan, all U.S. power nuclear power plant spent fuel pools do not have steel lined, concrete barriers that cover reactor vessels to prevent the escape of radioactivity. They are not required to have back-up generators to keep used fuel rods cool, if offsite power is lost. Even though they contain these very large amount of radioactivity, spent reactor fuel pools in the U.S. are mostly contained in ordinary industrial structures designed to protect them against the elements.
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An Alert at North Anna Power Station; Reactors Shut Down Safely, No Damage Reported
http://dom.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1013
RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Virginia Power declared an Alert at the North Anna Power Station in Mineral, Va., following an earthquake in Central Virginia. The reactors have been shut down safely and no major damage has been reported.
The station declared an Alert, the next to the lowest of the four emergency \classifications of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Both reactors have been shut down. The emergency diesel generators started as off-site power from the electric grid was lost. No release of radioactive material has occurred beyond those minor releases associated with normal station operations.
The earthquake was felt at the company's other Virginia nuclear power station, Surry Power Station in southeast Virginia, but not as strongly. Both units at Surry continue to operate safely.
The earthquake also caused the company's newest power station, Bear Garden in Buckingham County, to shut down automatically.
U.S. nuclear power stations, including Dominion's four stations, were built to seismic standards for their regions.
Dominion (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va., is one of the nation's largest producers of energy. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.
SOURCE Dominion
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5.8 earthquake rattles Canada, eastern U.S.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011 ... ginia.html
No serious injuries, minor damage reported
CBC News Posted: Aug 23, 2011 2:08 PM ET
An earthquake centred in Virginia with a magnitude of 5.8 shook a broad swath of the eastern U.S. and parts of central and eastern Canada on Tuesday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centred near Mineral, Va., about 135 kilometres southwest of Washington, D.C. After several revisions, the U.S.G.S. placed the quake's depth at six kilometres.
There were no immediate reports of serious injuries or deaths but a fire department spokesman in Washington said there are reports of some minor injuries.
Some damage was reported to buildings in Washington. A spokesman for Washington's National Cathedral says at least three of the four stone pinnacles on the central tower have fallen off and the central tower looks like it's leaning. [ . . . . ]
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15. How Will Virginia Regulate Uranium Mining?
http://www.vsb.org/docs/valawyermagazin ... ranium.pdf
by Robert G. Burnley, Virginia Lawyer Magazine, v.60, June-July 2011
The Environmental Law Section invited Robert G. Burnley, former director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and currently an environmental consultant, to share his thoughts on the background of uranium mining in Virginia and current interest in reviving uranium mining.
Mr. Burnley is uniquely suited to offer his opinions on this subject, given his participation in the development of the original moratorium on uranium mining and his involvement in current discussions on the issue. Any views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Burnley and do not necessarily represent those of the Environmental Law Section or the Virginia State Bar. We appreciate Mr. Burnley’s willingness to share his insights on this interesting subject.
—Andrea W. Wortzel, chair
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Uranium mining interests are lobbying legislators to lift the current ban on uranium mining in Virginia. Lifting the ban should not be done without considering effects on the health of the environment and the economy....
FULL ARTICLE:
http://www.vsb.org/docs/valawyermagazin ... ranium.pdf
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16. CLP Green Light Angela Pamela Uranium Mine
http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/
index.cfm?fuseaction=viewRelease&id=8519&d=5
22 August 2011
The CLP has used an Alice Springs environmental debate to underline its glowing endorsement of the proposed Angela Pamela uranium mine.
Environment Minister Karl Hampton said the Opposition’s environment spokesperson Peter Chandler told a crowd at the Alice Eco-Fair debate on Saturday night that the CLP would give the uranium mine the green light.
“Peter Chandler gave a very firm commitment to the uranium mine, unlike the commitment the CLP gave the people of Alice Springs during the Araluen by-election, which the CLP backflipped on as soon as the election was over,” Mr Hampton said.
“The CLP is simply unbelievable and this latest statement shows just how much the Opposition take Central Australia for granted.
“People in Alice Springs have clearly said they have major concerns about the mine and simply don’t want it.
“But the CLP continue to deceive and betray the people of Alice Springs.
“Their position couldn’t be any clearer – a CLP Government would give the green light to the Angela Pamela uranium mine." Media Contact: Edwin Edlund 0401 119 563
Related files:
HAMPTON.220811.Uranium.pdf ( 261.78 kb )
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17. JAPAN Update
Atomic Cover-Up: The Hidden Story Behind the U.S. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/8/9/
atomic_cover_up_the_hidden_story
August 9, 2011
As radiation readings in Japan reach their highest levels since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant meltdowns, we look at the beginning of the atomic age. Today is the 66th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, which killed some 75,000 people and left another 75,000 seriously wounded. We play an account of the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki by the pilots who flew the B-29 bomber that dropped that bomb, and feature an interview with the son of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist George Weller, who was the first reporter to enter Nagasaki. Our guest is Greg Mitchell, co-author of "Hiroshima in America: A Half Century of Denial," with Robert Jay Lifton. His latest book is "Atomic Cover-Up: Two U.S. Soldiers, Hiroshima & Nagasaki and The Greatest Movie Never Made." Watch/Listen/Read
- - - - - -
FINLAY: Nuclear Japan: What will the energy supply be now? (New York Times)
Posted on-line at http://sandrafinley.ca/?p=2969
August 20, 2011
“ . . Japan was slow to develop alternative forms of energy, like solar or wind power, which account for just 1 percent of its electricity supply.”
Why didn’t Japan develop alternative forms of energy (the need was obvious)?
“ . . . cumbersome regulations and government foot-dragging were holding the (alternative) industry back.
“The cost of solar power has dropped in recent years, but government policy hasn’t caught up to that,” . . . One roadblock for renewable power in Japan has been the inability of producers to get an adequate price for their electricity on the market, where they must compete with cheaper power from coal, natural gas and nuclear power.
NOTE: I strongly disagree with the phrase “cheaper power” from fossil fuels and nuclear. They would not be cheaper if the pollution (health) and other costs - - that are paid by the public - - were figured in. "Cheaper" is also a false indicator when you are talking about resources that are finite.
In Japan, same as in Canada: large financial and political investments in the status quo creates intransigent resistance to change, no matter how obvious the need. Decisions are made to suit financial interests, not the public, longterm interests. AND the public is willing to let it happen. (Although I think those days are coming to an end. People are waking up and getting angry.)
From Japan, made clear in the following article: crisis eventually forces change upon us. But when the investments have been in the declining resource sectors, with only token investment in the new and needed sectors, there is reduced capacity to respond to the crisis in a way that offers effective relief. You dig deeper into the hell-hole, instead of climbing out.
This New York Times article does a nice job of illustrating the role of energy in the economy. We are truly the adolescent who needs to come to terms: there are limitations on behavior. There are long term consequences.
From what I see in Saskatchewan, Canadians seem determined to repeat Japan’s folly, failing to transition off dead-end declining resources. /Sandra
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Quake in Japan is causing a costly shift to fossil fuels.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/20/business/
energy-environment/quake-in-japan-is-causing-a-costly-shift-to-fossil-fuels.html
Japan, the world’s third-largest user of electricity behind China and the United States, ha
1. Jack Layton: Peace Activist
2. HARDING: A RUDE AWAKENING: THE NORTHERN WALK TO REGINA FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE BAN
3. UPDATE: Northern Saskatchewan Walk - Links to Updates, Photos and more
4. Quaker nuclear phase-out Minute
5. CCNR Comments to CNSC on Darlington Refurbishment and Continued Operation
6. (U of S) Senators want board chair to step aside
7. Cameco trims demand forecast after Japan disaster
8. Cameco Q2 profits drop 23 per cent as nuclear jitters persist post-Fukushima
9. DUGUAY/BINDER LETTERS: nuclear accident brewing at Gentilly-2?
10. The Billion Dollar Question that Tim Hudak needs to answer: Will he leave taxpayers on the hook for nuclear project bailouts?
11. Presentation by CNSC President Michael Binder to the Ontario Power Generation Board of Directors
12. Laser advances in nuclear fuel stir terror fear.
13. River temperature forces nuclear plant to 50 percent power
14. Dangerous Nuclear Spent Fuel Pool Near Epicenter of East Coast Earthquake
15. How Will Virginia Regulate Uranium Mining?
16. CLP Green Light Angela Pamela Uranium Mine
17. JAPAN Update
18. The anti-nuclear mountain is being scaled
19. Algonquins Oppose Quebec Mining Act and Proposed Changes in Bill 14
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1. Jack Layton: Peace Activist
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=8355#respond
I am certain that we both feel the loss of Jack Layton deeply. Jack was a friend of the peace movement, and could be counted upon to find an alternative to war and to stand up for Canadian values of co-operation and diplomacy.
And we all know that as a result of his convictions, he was able to stand his ground in the face of nasty personal attacks from the Conservatives and the pro-war lobby.
I met Jack Layton in 2002 a few months after he arrived in Ottawa as the new leader of the NDP. Over the years, he and his MPs took on many issues — and I am convinced that he and his colleagues kept Canada away from the invasion of Iraq, saved Canada from George W. Bush's missile defence scheme, and eventually after a terrible cost in dollars and lives, brought about an end to Canada's fighting in Afghanistan.
You are invited to share your thoughts on Jack Layton’s accomplishments on Ceasefire.ca.
Leave your comments on Jack Layton’s legacy.
http://www.ceasefire.ca/?p=8355#respond
Steven Staples, Ceasefire.ca’
OTHER TRIBUTES:http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1083
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2. HARDING: A RUDE AWAKENING: THE NORTHERN WALK TO REGINA FOR A NUCLEAR WASTE BAN
http://forum.stopthehogs.com/phpBB2/vie ... =2200#2200
For Aug. 26, 2011 R-Town papers BY Jim Harding
On August 16th several hundred people walked the green mile along Regina’s Albert Street, taking their call for a provincial nuclear waste ban to the government. They want an end to the industry group, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), negotiating with northern communities to “host” a nuclear dump without the people of Saskatchewan having any say.
This was the completion of a 20-day, 820 km walk started July 27th from Pinehouse. Along the way walkers made new friendships and networks that bring the north and south closer together. At the front of the colourful parade was a big, blue balloon “earth” encircled by cutouts of the world’s children holding hands. There was much magic as I watched, over the heads of the block-long string of people in front of me, as “the earth” bobbed up and down as its carriers led the way.
And then I remembered a similar walk, thirty-two years ago, on February 22, 1979. Then, walkers carried a huge white elephant, made of paper-mache, to symbolize what they thought of the government’s uranium policies of the day. How much longer, I thought, will it take for us to learn the hard lessons about the toxic economy and start to seriously make the shift towards sustainability?
THEN AND NOW
The 1979 walk occurred as the Blakeney NDP ramped up for a nuclear power “boom”, which would increase demand for Saskatchewan uranium fuel. Nuclear power was deceptively promoted as the answer to ever-more expensive oil, even though it was mostly cheap coal that was used for electrical plants. The high-grade uranium at the Cluff Lake mine was already being mined and lakes at the even-bigger Key Lake mine were being drained, even before an environmental assessment. The Blakeney government was also initiating discussions with “the feds” to have a uranium refinery near the Mennonite town Warman, out of Saskatoon; and, as we found out later, was secretly laying plans to introduce nuclear power to the province.
The nuclear expansion never occurred. Widespread opposition stopped the Warman refinery in 1980. And in the wake of growing public opposition to nuclear power, especially after the 1979 Three Mile Island melt-down, Blakeney shelved plans for nuclear power.
Blakeney lost badly to the Conservatives in 1981. He and his mandarins miscalculated. The uranium royalties turned out to be even smaller than the lowest projections, and in 1988 Grant Devine’s Conservatives privatized the uranium crown corporation, the SMDC, which become Cameco. After huge public infrastructure investments, Cameco went on to rake in profits, as the more cheaply-recoverable, higher-grade uranium made Saskatchewan the world’s largest producing region.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
Blakeney’s vision of uranium-wealth trickling down to northern communities never materialized. While some individuals got high-paying jobs, overall, northern Saskatchewan remains the second poorest region in Canada. And stories multiply of increased sicknesses and cancers among some of those who worked the mines.
Now it’s back to the future, with the Wall government initiating its own nuclear expansion plan by appointing the Uranium Development Partnership or UDP. That group included the very companies that would profit, and predictably it recommended we “go nuclear”. This didn’t just include building nuclear power plants (UDP member, Ontario’s Bruce Power, was already promoting two plants along the North Saskatchewan River), but bringing nuclear waste here from Ontario.
Though the Wall government ultimately had to abandon Bruce Power’s unpopular, uneconomical plan, which turned out to be tied to projected tar-sand expansion, the industry continued working “under the radar” to try to convince an impoverished northern community to “host” a nuclear dump.
OPPOSITION GROWING
In October groups within the Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan (e.g. the ecumenical group KAIROS, the Council of Canadians and the Greens), met in Fort Qu’Appelle to discuss a nuclear waste campaign. In November province-wide Coalition members met in Saskatoon to hammer-out policy. (Go to www.cleangreensask.ca for details). In December the first community forum was held, in Wynyard, along the Yellow Head route likely if nuclear wastes ever come from Ontario. In February two Fort Qu’Appelle KAIROS members set out in a winter blizzard to attend community forums along the route, in Prince Albert and La Ronge, with “a detour” for a forum in Saskatoon, the headquarters of the nuclear industry in Saskatchewan. Many hundreds attended.
But this was still southerners expressing opposition to a northern nuclear dump. Those supporting the industry could play this off as “southerners depriving northerners of jobs.” Meanwhile NWMO was busy buying its way into northern communities like Pinehouse and Paturnak. There have been big payments to provincial Indigenous organizations and self-appointed “elders” getting per diems. There were meetings purportedly to discuss the northern youth crisis that turned into NWMO promotions. Outrage at such manipulation has grown.
FUTURE GENERATIONS
Things changed when the new Committee for Future Generations sponsored the first northern community forum June 2nd in Beauval. Two hundred people, mostly from ten northern communities, attended. After hearing “both sides” they voted against a nuclear dump. NWMO talks glibly of northern consultation, but refused to attend the forum, so organizers played NWMO videos so that the industry voice was fairly represented.
Another community forum occurred July 26th in Pinehouse. The next day 30 walkers set out for Regina. Within three short months a northern voice opposing the dump had formed, spread and come all the way to the province’s capital.
A RUDE AWAKENING
It is quite a feat to walk 820 km; the walk was far longer than ones led by Gandhi in the nonviolent struggle for India’s independence. But when the walkers and their supporters arrived at the Legislature August 16th there was only a government staffer present. He said nothing! There was no Premier and no Deputy Premier! No official welcome, even though they were informed prior to this marathon walk starting.
I heard some people comment that it was rude for the Premier to not greet the northern walkers, if for no other reason than to acknowledge their endurance. Their message, that sustaining the environmental heath of northern people is more important than toxic jobs, says a lot about character and vision. One banner on one of the trucks accompanying the walkers said, bluntly, “We don’t want your death money.”
ONE SASKATCHEWAN/ONE WORLD
The walkers emphasized “one Saskatchewan”. They gathered water from along the way and mixed it with Regina’s water to symbolize our natural unity. I participated in the circle water ceremony at Lumsden where I joined the walkers. This message of “one Saskatchewan”, coming from northerners who have endured uranium mining since the 1950s, is a message that needs to be heard by politicians of all stripes.
When southerners speak of “one Saskatchewan” it’s often seen as government and industry needing northern resources for revenue and profit. And there are usually some northern spokespeople available to promote the trickle-down of a small amount of the wealth to the north. These same people are now supporting northern Saskatchewan taking Ontario’s nuclear wastes, as though this is a way to provide jobs for their growing youth. Such promotion of a toxic economy makes past colonialism seem benign.
It’s to the credit of the official opposition, the NDP caucus, that it sent its Environmental Critic, Sandra Morin, to welcome the walkers. And Morin was clear that an NDP government would not allow a nuclear dump in the north. This took its own form of bravery, for if the NDP opposes a dump, then how will it continue to justify mining the uranium that turns into nuclear wastes after being used as reactor fuel? Or, that turns into the dangerous radioactive contamination still spreading after the melt-downs at Japan’s Fukushima’s reactors, which import uranium from here?
This raises many moral and political questions which I’ll explore next time.
Other articles:
http://jimharding.brinkster.net
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3. UPDATE: Northern Saskatchewan Walk - Links to Updates, Photos and more:
Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan
cleangreensask@yahoo.ca
http://www.cleangreensask.ca
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coalition ... 3935014222
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LISTEN: radio program on the Walk Against the Nuclear Dump.
http://soundcloud.com/making-the-links/ ... -the-north
It features Deb Morin from Beauval, Peter Prebble and Joys Dancer and the Honeysuckle Swing Band. Currently playing on Making the Links community radio CFCR.ca. - Don Kossick, Saskatoon
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Nuclear waste protest walk reaches steps of legislature - (PHOTOS)
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/
Nuclear+waste+protest+walk+reaches+steps+legislature/5265032/story.html#ixzz1VIlA0l7N
By Tim Switzer, Leader-Post August 17, 2011 9:02 AM
Setting out from Pinehouse Lake on July 27, Debbie Morin thought she had only a few allies for a walk to protest nuclear waste storage in Saskatchewan. By the time the 820-kilometre walk finished in Regina on Tuesday, Morin and the other walkers said thousands were on their side.
"From a committee of 22 people, now there's thousands of people who are aware of what is going on and that Saskatchewan is being targeted," Morin said after the core group of 10 walkers was joined by 130 others in a march to the Saskatchewan legislature and a rally in front of the building.
"People are taking petitions back to their home communities, even those we engaged in dialogue with who initially weren't sure what to think," Morin said.
"We were once in that situation. Information is power. Knowledge and knowing both sides of the issue is power."
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Saskatchewan walk against nuclear waste
http://www.metronews.ca/halifax/life/article/944422
JENNIFER GRAHAM Published: August 16, 2011 7:10 p.m. Last modified: August 16, 2011 8:47 p.m.
REGINA - Some northern Saskatchewan residents say they're drawing a line in the sand to protect the environment from nuclear waste.
The protesters left the community of Pinehouse on July 27, walking about 820 kilometres, and were joined by others on the way to Regina to ask the province to ban radioactive waste.
"It's for fear of our future generations to not impose this decision on them that would kill our watertable, our watershed," Max Morin, one of the walk organizers, said Tuesday at a rally in front of the legislature.
"The basin over there is just one big sponge that keeps our air clean, too. So it's all about the love of our future generations."
Pinehouse is one of three Saskatchewan communities being considered for an underground storage dump by the federal Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
The organization is trying to find a site that would serve as a dump for all the country's nuclear waste. The decision to build a centralized storage site was made by the federal government in 2007. Estimates put the price-tag from $16 billion to $24 billion over the life of the facility, which could last 100 years. [ . . . ]
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HAINSWORTH: Meet opponents
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Meet+opponents/
5255080/story.html
BY LYNN HAINSWORTH, THE STAR PHOENIXAUGUST 15, 2011
In regards to the editorial Nuclear storage needs study (SP, Aug. 11), perhaps if the editorial staff of The StarPhoenix met with Helen Caldicott, Gordon Edwards, or Jim Harding, internationally renowned experts regarding the nuclear fuel chain, when they are in Saskatoon, the editorialists might know the difference between "nuclear suppositories" and nuclear repositories.
- - - - SNIP - - -
If the SP truly recommends further study, then they should be open to learning more themselves.
Gordon Edwards will be in Saskatoon again on Sept. 20.
Lynn Hainsworth Saskatoon
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FINK: Stop nukes now
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/technology/
Stop+nukes/5255079/story.html
BY HEIKE FINK, THE STAR PHOENIX AUGUST 15, 2011
The StarPhoenix editorial Nuclear storage needs study (SP, Aug. 11), states that "spent nuclear waste material has been stored safely for decades." Where?
There is no final nuclear waste storage facility anywhere in the world and the ones existing for lower radioactive waste are anything but safe. [ . . .]
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CHASSE: Listen to walkers
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
todays-paper/Listen+walkers/5260145/story.html
BY PATRICK CHASSE, THE STAR PHOENIX AUGUST 16, 2011
Your editorial, Nuclear storage needs study (SP, Aug. 11), insists that an "interested community" could get "almost unparalleled economic opportunity" from hosting nuclear waste.
I disagree. I'm new to Saskatchewan but have visited the farflung reaches of the north and south this year. We share the unique privilege of living in a stunningly beautiful province, rich in culture, natural beauty, wildlife, and water.
Respecting the renewable riches of this province and living sustainably requires that we heed the call of the walkers from Pinehouse, English River, and Beauval to consider the next 7,000 generations.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization has targeted impoverished and "chronically underemployed" northern communities for nuclear waste disposal because people are searching for dignified employment and a decent quality
of life. The jobs NWMO is offering to northern communities are a Band-Aid for underdevelopment, not a solution for structural inequalities.
Agreeing to store nuclear waste would be like making a bargain with the devil. [ . . . ]
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4. Quaker nuclear phase-out Minute (Page 7)
http://quakerservice.ca/wp-content/
uploads/2011/06/11.UraniumIssuesReport-final.pdf
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Curry" <prairie@web.ca>
Sent: Friday, August 19, 2011 11:27 AM
Subject: Quaker nuclear phaseout Minute
Here is the text of the minute passed at Canadian Yearly Meeting last week, calling for a phase-out of uranium and nuclear fission energy. A Minute of Record is a substantial decision - an enduring standing policy.
------------
Minute of Record on Uranium and Nuclear Energy Issues
Adopted by the Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
August 11, 2011
Based on a variety of peace, environmental and health concerns, and with our testimonies of Simplicity, Peace, Equality, Community, Integrity and Earth Stewardship in mind, we advocate and are called to work for a phase-out of (1) the use of nuclear fission-based energy, (2) the mining, refining and exporting of uranium, and (3) the exporting of fission-based nuclear power reactor technology and fissionable materials.
A phase-out of nuclear fission energy could feasibly occur in Canada over a period of fifteen to twenty years, and, internationally, over some twenty to thirty years. During the phase-out period, no new nuclear reactors would be built, existing reactors would be shut down as they reach the end of their operational lifespans, energy conservation technologies would be employed in all energy sectors, and renewable energy sources would be encouraged to continue to expand. Reliable studies show that such a phase-out is compatible with a parallel phase-out of coal, and a reduced and more efficient use of oil and natural gas in the context of climate change concerns. (See references below.)
During the phase-out process, we affirm the right of affected workers to a just and reasonable transition process during which they may be retrained for work that is more ecologically sound.
We do not oppose the use of nuclear science in the field of medicine, acknowledging that nuclear medicine does not require the use of nuclear fission reactors for electricity production, and that there is enough uranium already mined to provide the small amount of uranium needed in nuclear medicine for an estimated two hundred years.
We ask Canadian Friends Service Committee to work with other Quaker, faith-based and secular organizations, both in Canada and internationally, toward the goal of a phase-out of nuclear fission-based energy and of greater accountability and honesty around the health, environmental and peace concerns related to nuclear fission.
We recognize that we must change our own lifestyles in accordance with these objectives. We shall continue to advocate for greater energy efficiency and a shift to renewable energy alternatives, and to encourage ecologically sound energy practices in our own lives.
=
References:
Pembina Institute. Several publications, for example: August 2010,
Renewable is Doable, Ontario's Green Energy Plan 2.0.
www.pembina.org/re
Lester Brown, World on the Edge: How to Prevent Environmental and Economic
Collapse (2011). Earth Policy Institute.
http://www.earth-policy.org/books/wote
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5. CCNR Comments to CNSC on Darlington Refurbishment and Continued Operation
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/
August2011/25/c6175.html
----- Original Message -----
From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 1:52 PM
Subject: CCNR Comments to CNSC on Darlington Refurbishment and Continued Operation
-------------------------------------------
To: Andrew McAllister, Environmental Assessment Specialist
Environmental Assessment Division,
Directorate of Environmental and Radiation Protection and Assessment
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
P.O. Box 1046, Station B
Ottawa, ON K1P 5S9 Email: EA@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
August 22, 2011
Dear Mr. McAllister:
Re: Refurbishment and Continued Operation of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Draft Scoping Information Document CEAA Registry #11-01-62516
Please find attached comments from the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) regarding the Draft Scoping Information Document for Ontario Power Generation's application to refurbish and continue operations of the Darlington Nuclear Power Plant in Clarington, Ontario.
If you have any questions concerning this submission you may contact me at (514) 489 5118 [office] or at (514) 839 7214 [cell] or by e-mail at ccnr@web.ca.
Gordon Edwards, Ph.D., President,
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
------------------------------------------------
The Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) is disheartened to learn that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is unwilling to call for a full Panel review of the EA for the refurbishment and continued operation of the existing four Darlington Nuclear Reactors.
We have seen how accommodating the CNSC can be when it comes to requests for special treatment from its licensees.
Thus Bruce Power had no difficulty in getting a CNSC licence to ship 16 steam generators on a single vessel, even though the total estimated amount of radioactivity on that shipment far exceeds the maximum amount allowed by IAEA regulations. All it took was a Special Arrangement from the CNSC to get around that regulation - a kind of latter-day version of the papal dispensation.
Similarly Hydro-Quebec had no difficulty in getting a five-year extension of its operating licence for the Gentilly-2 nuclear reactor, even though the key Safety Document required for this licensing action has not yet been produced and will not be produced until many months after the licence extension is granted. All it took was a CNSC decision to suspend the regulation in order to indulge the delinquent licensee.
But when it comes to the Environmental Assessment associated with rebuilding the cores of four huge nuclear reactors sited on the shore of one of the most important Lakes in North America, the CNSC finds itself unable to grant the request of a large number of responsible public interest organizations to have a more thorough review process.
Since law does not require a Panel Review, there cannot be one. Rules are rules, the CNSC seems to be saying, and exceptions are intended to benefit only the nuclear industry - not those who are profoundly concerned about how that industry may endanger the health and safety of citizens and cripple the environment.
This is particularly disheartening in light of the ongoing Fukushima disaster. That terrible event goes a long way towards demonstrating that the proponents of nuclear power, including the regulatory agencies, have been wrong in asserting that nuclear power is safe.
That assertion - that Nuclear Energy is Safe - boldly adorns the cover of the most recent CNSC Annual Report, where it is even described as a 'FACT'. The same assertion is trumpeted on the CNSC web site with a grandiose fanfare of triumphant music. Do the CNSC Commissioners and Staff believe that just saying it makes it true?
The Fukushima disaster is a grim reminder that every nuclear reactor is potentially very dangerous indeed. Each reactor contains an inconceivably large inventory of radioactive poisons that - under unanticipated accident conditions - is able to render large areas of land uninhabitable, contaminate enormous volumes of water and soil, and sow financial and political chaos.
Fukushima is a warning that no responsible individual or agency should ignore. Fukushima demands that we rethink the most fundamental assumptions about nuclear safety. Yet institutional inertia is hard to resist, and there is an almost overwhelming temptation for things to go on as before without any profound rethinking or reassessment.
The multibillion-dollar reconstruction of the cores of four of Canada’s largest power reactors should not be seen as a trifling matter, and treated as if it were just a maintenance outage that is somewhat lengthier than usual. It raises fundamental questions about whether to refurbish these reactors at all, or at the very least, how to rebuild the reactors so as to correct some of the errors of the past that have been overlooked a result of unquestioned assumptions about reactor safety.
In order for a more profound assessment of these questions to take place, a more elaborate Environmental Assessment process is needed - one that will allow and encourage citizens to play a much more significant role in challenging those assumptions which have become ingrained in the minds of nuclear engineers and nuclear analysts, both in the utilities and in the regulatory agency.
For example, we must begin to seriously address the potential consequences of catastrophic accidents at nuclear reactors in Canada. We must stop using 'low probability' as an excuse for not thinking of and not planning for such events.
Is the vacuum building at Darlington NGS capable of handling a multi-unit meltdown accident, such as happened at Fukushima Dai-ichi? Following such an accident, how long will it take, realistically speaking, before radioactive emissions will have to be pumped into the environment in order to maintain negative pressure?
Can the vacuum building be redesigned or rebuilt to correct any weaknesses that it may have in coping with multi-unit meltdowns? Should this not be required by the CNSC as part of the refurbishment plans?
Given the huge volumes of contaminated water that were flushed through the cores of the crippled Fukushima reactors, much of it dumped into the Pacific ocean, what degree of contamination of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River might result from a similar accident at the Darlington NGS?
Should there not be an enormous reservoir constructed at Darlington so as to collect the enormous quantities of contaminated water that would result in the event of a multi-unit meltdown, so as to prevent massive radioactive contamination of the Great Lakes, which serve as a source of drinking water for tens of millions of people? Should this not be required by CNSC as part of the refurbishment plans?
These are not academic questions, they are realistic ones. Calculated probabilities are mathematical fictions having no power over actual events. In terms of nuclear safety, probability is basically a quantitative expression of our ignorance and our expectations. While the probability of the Fukushima disaster would have been calculated to be virtually zero by nuclear analysts before the accident took place, we can now see in retrospect that the probability of that disaster, given the actual circumstances, was 100 percent.
Probabilistic assessments do have a useful role to play - in comparing competing engineering designs, for example - but probabilistic assessments cannot and should not be used to deny the possibility of a disaster, or to ignore the consequences of such a disaster. The misuse of probability in this way is scientifically and morally wrong.
In Japan, months went by after the Fukushima disaster before there was any effective monitoring of the food supply. As a result, significant amounts of beef contaminated with radioactive cesium were sold and consumed before the degree and extent of the beef contamination was documented. There was similarly little or no effective monitoring of the extent of contamination of milk by iodine-131 and iodine-132 (produced by the rapid decay of tellurium-132) in the early months following the accident. Mushrooms, rice, green tea, seaweed, even wild boars are additional examples of foodstuffs that acted as vehicles for radioactive contamination from Fukushima to enter the bodies of men, women and children in Japan.
What procedures are in place to ensure that there will be rapid and comprehensive monitoring of food following a potential disaster at Darlington? Shouldn't the elaboration of such procedures be a licence requirement before any 'continued operation' of the Darlington reactors is authorized by the CNSC?
It is universally acknowledged in the nuclear community that passive safety features are preferable to safety features that require active intervention. Yet the two independent fast shutdown systems in the Darlington reactors are included in the design in order to compensate for the positive void coefficient of reactivity, endemic to the CANDU design and to the Chernobyl reactor that exploded in the Ukraine over 20 years ago. The positive void coefficient of reactivity was also a characteristic of the NRX reactor at Chalk River, which exploded in 1952, and the Lucens reactor in Switzerland, which exploded in 1969.
Essentially, the positive void coefficient of reactivity is an undesirable feature because it means that a sudden loss-of-coolant accident will be accompanied by a rapid surge in reactivity. Unless this surge is quickly terminated by the intervention of fast shutdown systems, the core will 'disassemble' - a polite word that implies massive damage to the core of the reactor, possible accompanied by explosions, possibly leading to a full or partial core meltdown.
In light of the Fukushima disaster, which took place in one of the most industrially advanced nations in the world, a nation which is world famous for its superiority in advanced technology, surely the CNSC should examine the wisdom of CANDU reactors continuing to rely on the intervention of fast shutdown systems rather than on the redesign of the fuel or the core of the reactors so as to drastically reduce or maybe even eliminate the positive void coefficient altogether. Shouldn’t this be a high-priority requirement for the approval of any refurbishment plans?
These are only a few of the questions that can and should be raised during the Environmental Assessment of the proposed refurbishment and continued operation of the Darlington Nuclear Reactors. Other questions involve the need to calculate the integrated population dose from both external and internal radioactive sources in the event of a major accident, and mitigation measures to prevent the transport of radioactive contaminants on shoes, skin, clothing, and hair.
There are also questions related to the ongoing operations of the Darlington nuclear reactors after refurbishment. Surely a high priority should be given to drastically reducing the emissions of radioactive tritium into the environment, given the fact that two independent scientific advisory committees have already recommended greatly reducing the permissible levels of tritium in drinking water, and the inexorable buildup of tritium levels in Lake Ontario may well become a source of international displeasure in the foreseeable future. Should not the CNSC be demanding the incorporation of technologies that will drastically reduce tritium emissions as part of the licensing requirement for any continued operation of the Darlington reactors?
Should this not be part of the CNSC regulatory requirement for the acceptance of any refurbishment plans?
Or is the ALARA principle just a meaningless slogan designed to confuse the public [CNSC literature routinely states that all exposures to radiation are to be kept "As Low As Reasonably Achievable". This principle is referred to as the ALARA principle.]
Consideration should also be given to public risks involved in the road transport of highly radioactive retube materials from the Darlington site to the Bruce site over provincial highways, as well as the ultimate disposition of the bulky and very long-lived refurbishment wastes from the Darlington reactors.
The Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility urges the CNSC to reconsider its decision.
We strongly recommend a full Panel review.
Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project - News Release
Joint Review Panel Submits Environmental Assessment Report
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/
August2011/25/c6175.html
OTTAWA, August 25, 2011 – The Joint Review Panel for the Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project today announces that it has submitted its report to the federal Minister of the Environment.
The report follows a review of the environmental impact statement prepared by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), a public hearing held over seventeen days in March and April 2011, and an in-camera session to address security matters held in May 2011.
- - - SNIP - - -
The Panel concludes that the Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, provided the mitigation measures proposed and commitments made by OPG during the review and the recommendations in the Joint Review Panel Environmental Assessment Report are implemented.
In this report, the Panel highlights actions that are required to address the effects of the Project on aquatic and terrestrial biota and habitat, health, waste management, emergency preparedness and the consequences of a severe accident, nuclear liability insurance, and land use.
Subject to the Government of Canada response to the report, the Joint Review Panel may then proceed to make a decision on OPG’s Application for a Licence to Prepare Site.
A summary of the Joint Review Panel Environmental Assessment Report is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca and on the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Web site at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca . The Panel report will be posted on these Web sites once it has been translated into French.
The Panel report is available upon request through the panel secretariat at Darlington.Review@ceaa.gc.ca or
JRP-OPG-Darlington@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca .
The project is a proposal by OPG for the site preparation, construction, operation, decommissioning and abandonment of up to four new nuclear reactors at its existing Darlington Nuclear site located along the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the Municipality of Clarington. The project is expected to generate up to 4800 megawatts of electricity for delivery to the Ontario grid.
The Joint Review Panel for the Darlington New Nuclear Power Plant Project is an independent body, mandated by the Minister of the Environment and the President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to assess the environmental effects of the proposed project and consider the Application for a Licence to Prepare Site.
Regards,
Julie Bouchard
Tribunal Officer/ Agente de tribunal Secretariat/Secrétariat
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission/Commission canadienne de sûreté nucléaire
613-995-1703
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6. (U of S) Senators want board chair to step aside
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/
Senators+want+board+chair+step+aside/5265031/story.html
By Janet French, The StarPhoenix August 17, 2011 8:39 AM
A handful of University of Saskatchewan senators are calling on the chair of the board of governors to step aside because of her ties to one of the world's largest uranium producers.
The senators also say lawyer Nancy Hopkins's position as a board member for Cameco Corp. puts her in a conflict of interest chairing a search committee for a new university president.
In a letter sent to the university's secretary and board vice-chair earlier this year, environmental lawyer and senator Stefania Fortugno points to equity Hopkins has at stake that rides on Cameco's performance. Fortugno questions whether Hopkins's role is connected to the university's increasing focus on nuclear research.
"Any time that the University of Saskatchewan enlarges the role of the nuclear sciences on campus, through the appointment of faculty chairs, or establishing a new $30-million nuclear research centre and allocates scarce educational resources to the same, the share prices of Cameco Corporation correspondingly increase," the letter says.
Another elected university senator, Mary Jean Hande, says Hopkins's role on the presidential search committee is problematic because several candidates with ties to the nuclear industry are rumoured to be in the running.
"I think it would be very difficult to maintain that public research goal and vision of the university if it was run by somebody who was working in the corporate sector as well," Hande said. "I think it would also undermine the university as a public institution that was creating and supporting research that was independent."
Hopkins is calling the conflict of interest allegations "absurd," and outgoing university president Peter MacKinnon says the call for her resignation is "a request without any grounds at all." [ . . . ]
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7. Cameco trims demand forecast after Japan disaster
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/fp/
Cameco+trims+demand+forecast+after+Japan+disaster/5204633/story.html
By Peter Koven, Financial Post August 4, 2011 9:07 AM
Uranium giant Cameco Corp. trimmed its global uranium demand forecast on Thursday due to the fallout from the Fukushima disaster nearly five months ago. Over the next 10 years, Saskatoon-based Cameco sees world uranium demand of 2.2 billion pounds, down slightly from its prior forecast of 2.1 billion. And the company now sees 85 net new nuclear reactors online by 2020, compared with its previous estimate of 90.The relatively small decline reflects the fact that most countries are maintaining nuclear power as a key part of their energy mix despite Fukushima (though Germany is one exception).“We continue to expect annual global consumption to exceed annual global mine production by a significant margin over the next 10 years, a situation that has existed since about 1986,” Cameco said in a statement, adding that it expects about 270 million pounds of new uranium supply will be required to meet demand over the next decade. Its previous estimate was 320 million pounds. [ . . . ]
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8. Cameco Q2 profits drop 23 per cent as nuclear jitters persist post-Fukushima
http://www.stockhouse.com/News/
FinancialNewsDetailFeeds.aspx?n=14533605&src=cp
8/4/2011 12:13:00 PM | Canadian Press (English)
SASKATOON - Uranium miner Cameco Corp. reported a 23 per cent drop in second-quarter profits on Thursday as jitters from the Japanese nuclear crisis nearly five months ago continued to weigh on the industry.
The Saskatoon-based company (TSX:CCO) is, however, sticking with its 2011 sales targets, with most volumes expected to move in the second half of the year.
Cameco expects to deliver between 31 million and 33 million pounds of uranium, and post a 10 to 15 per cent revenue increase in that segment over 2010.
Still, shares in the Saskatoon-based company (TSX:CCO) were off 3.8 per cent in afternoon trading at $23.66. [ . . . ]
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9. DUGUAY/BINDER LETTERS: nuclear accident brewing at Gentilly-2?
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/issues/
letters_to_the_editor/August-19-2011-Response-Courrier-Sud.cfm
----- Original Message -----
From: Michel A. Duguay
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2011 10:25 AM
Subject: [Stop-Darlington] Michael Binder, e-mail 19 August 2011
Dear Dr. Michael Binder,
Thank you for your several e-mails concerning my correspondence with the CNSC, and in particular for your last e-mail dated August 19th 2011 enclosed herewith.
I would like to know if your brief e-mail dated August 19 is your final reply to the August 10 collective letter addressed to you and to CNSC staff? I appreciate the fact that you have put on the CNSC web site almost all of your and my e-mails over the last two years.
I remind you that our August 10 letter was cosigned by 70 other Canadian citizens. We consider that the 10 questions we are asking you AND CNSC staff are very important concerning nuclear safety.
Contrary to what you seem to think, I interpret the Nuclear Safety and Control Act of 1997 as urging the ENTIRE staff of the CNSC to inform the public on nuclear matters, and therefore to communicate with us.
With my regards,
Michel Duguay
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BINDER Email sent on August 19, 2011
Dear Dr. Michel Duguay,
Thank you for your message of August 10, 2011 and for your continued interest in nuclear matters.
As you are surely aware, the Commission held Public Hearings on December 10, 2010, in Ottawa, Ontario, and on April 13 and 14, 2011, in Bécancour, Quebec for the renewal of the operating licence for the Gentilly-2 nuclear generating facility. During this Hearing, the Commission heard from the proponent, Hydro Québec, as well as 64 intervenors who presented views on this matter. I note that you participated in this hearing as an intervenor and that many of the issues raised in your letter were considered in the context of the Hearing.
The Commission rendered its decision, which I attach again for your convenience, taking into account all information provided by the participants during the hearing. I also encourage you to thoroughly review the decision along with the hearing transcripts which are available on our website. You were also previously provided with the associated material presented to the Commission by Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) staff, Hydro Québec and other interested members of the public, which you may find informative.
Being a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal, the Commission speaks to licensing matters through its decisions and, as the decision speaks for itself, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the matter. However, following receipt of your detailed criticism of that decision dated July 7, 2011, I had asked Professor John Froats from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology to perform a peer review of your analysis. The review, which was provided to you on August 9, 2011 and is available on our website, addressed the concerns you have raised in your letter in their entirety.
With respect to your comments relating to the events at TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant, you will find that our website provides extensive information on the comprehensive safety review that was initiated by CNSC staff following the event. The Commission was provided with an update of the progress of CNSC staff's review at the August 10, 2011 Commission Meeting. The results of CNSC staff's work will be presented to the Commission during an upcoming public meeting, and will be independently reviewed both by a team of international nuclear safety experts as well as an advisory committee comprised of Canadian experts from outside the nuclear sector (see also the presentation by Ramzi Jammal, Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer, to this committee dated August 5, 2011).
Your letter raises no issues that have not been previously adressed by the CNSC. I understand from your bringing these matters up repeatedly that you are not interested in our factual responses, but rather in presenting misleading and inaccurate statements, in various forms, in the interest of furthering your particular agenda.
In conclusion, I can assure you that the Commission exercised its authority in the matter of the renewal of Gentilly-2 nuclear generating facility's Operating Licence giving due consideration of to the scientific evidence before it. Furthermore, the Commission would never licence a nuclear facility unless it deemed it to be safe. It has done so for Gentilly-2 as well as for all other nuclear power plants operating in Canada.
Should you wish to raise any further issues, I strongly encourage you to participate as an intervenor in any relevant future public hearings of the Commission.
Best Regards,
Michael Binder
President
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
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CNSC response to Michael Duguay’s letter entitled 'Accident nucléaire en préparation à Gentilly 2?' (nuclear accident brewing at Gentilly-2?) published in Le Courrier Sud on August 12, 2011
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/issues/
letters_to_the_editor/August-19-2011-Response-Courrier-Sud.cfm
To the Editor-in-Chief:
Mr. Michel Duguay’s letter entitled “Accident nucléaire en préparation à Gentilly-2?” (nuclear accident brewing at Gentilly-2?) contains a number of incorrect statements that might needlessly alarm your readers. It raises no issues that have not been previously addressed by the CNSC.
First of all, it is important to point out that the Bécancour nuclear power plant is operated safely. It was built to withstand the physical phenomena that can occur in the region, such as earthquakes and floods.
When Mr. Duguay points out that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) gave Hydro-Québec permission to delay the filing of its safety report, he fails to mention that all the relevant analyses had been done. The CNSC would never authorize the operation of Gentilly-2 if it had any doubts about the condition of the facilities.
Contrary to what Mr. Duguay implies, our organization takes the aging of nuclear power plants into account when it establishes its regulatory requirements. In addition, regular inspections are done to confirm the adequacy of the measures in place and to detect any early signs of failures – and even of minor impairments.
With regard to the research done on generic safety issues, I would like to point out that this research is aimed at better understanding certain aspects of the operations of CANDU reactors. Those issues, however, do not call into question the safe operation of Canadian nuclear power plants. The CNSC always proceeds carefully, imposing very strict conditions on operators.
The CNSC is a transparent public agency with a clear mandate: to regulate the nuclear sector to protect people and the environment. Moreover, hearings were held recently to consider the renewal of the Gentilly-2 licence. The decision made by the Commission Tribunal members took into account all the information presented, including the submissions of Mr. Duguay and about 60 other intervenors.
We invite your readers to visit our Web site (nuclearsafety.gc.ca) to learn more about the safe use of nuclear technology in Canada. They will also be able to read our correspondence with Mr. Duguay, including a recent independent review (PDF) of one of his analyses by professor John Froats of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
Michael Binder
President
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
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10. The Billion Dollar Question that Tim Hudak needs to answer: Will he leave taxpayers on the hook for nuclear project bailouts?
http://www.crewzone.ca/news_event.cfm?eventID=739
This is the question that Tim Hudak, Leader of the Opposition, is refusing to answer.
Every nuclear project in Ontario’s history has gone massively over budget. If the nuclear industry is given another blank cheque to rebuild its aging reactors at the Darlington Nuclear station, Ontario’s hard working families will once again be on the hook for billions of dollars of cost overruns.
We need your help to persuade Mr. Hudak to answer this question before the October 6th provincial election. All the other major party leaders have answered. Voters deserve to hear from the Conservatives.
Here’s what you can do right now:
Order our new pamphlet, The Billion Dollar Question That Tim Hudak Needs To Answer, and distribute it to your friends, co-workers and neighbours. They’re free, colorful and informative!
Email Mr. Hudak and ask him if he’ll stand up for Ontario’s hard working families and promise to not allow nuclear power companies to pass their future cost overruns onto consumers and taxpayers. You deserve accountability on these massive electrical investments; and
Please donate $50, $100, $500 or $1,000 to the Ontario Clean Air Alliance to help us print and distribute tens of thousands of copies across the province of The Billion Dollar Question That Tim Hudak Needs To Answer before October 6th. Help us reach all Ontarians. Donate here.
And if you’re in Toronto, join OCAA’s Chair Jack Gibbons and me in a discussion about the upcoming election, energy issues, and how you can plug in:
Thur. Sept. 8, 7 – 8 p.m. at Metro Hall, 55 John St., Toronto
Thank you for your help and support. Let’s make nuclear bailouts an election issue.
Angela Bischoff, Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
160 John St., #300, Toronto M5V 2E5
Phone: 416 260-2080 x 1
angela@cleanairalliance.org
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Ontario’s Green Future
No Nukes News
Health Power
Coal Must Go
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11. Presentation by CNSC President Michael Binder to the Ontario Power Generation Board of Directors
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/
presentations/presentations-2011.cfm#August23OPG
August 23, 2011
President Binder provided an overview of the recent incident in Japan, and discussed the international and CNSC’s response. He provided status updates on the Pickering and Darlington facilities and recent CNSC consultations/publications. He also described the challenges ahead of the CNSC, as well as the changing environment in Ottawa.
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12. Laser advances in nuclear fuel stir terror fear.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/scien ... laser.html
Scientists have long sought easier ways to make the costly material known as enriched uranium – the fuel of nuclear reactors and bombs, now produced only in giant industrial plants. One idea has been to do it with nothing more substantial than lasers. This futuristic approach has always proved too expensive and difficult for anything but the laboratory. Until now. In a little-known effort, General Electric has successfully tested laser enrichment for two years and is seeking federal permission to build a $1 billion plant that would make reactor fuel by the ton. New York Times [Registration Required]
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13. River temperature forces nuclear plant to 50 percent power
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2011/aug/04/
river-temperature-forces-plant-to-50-percent/
by Pam Sohn, Chatanooga Times Free Press, August 4th, 2011
Not even TVA can beat the heat.
On Wednesday, the utility had to bring a third reactor at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant down to 50 percent power to avoid environmental sanctions because the water in the Tennessee River — where the plant's cooling water is discharged — already was at 90 degrees.
"When the river's ambient temperature reaches 90 degrees, we can't add any heat to it," said TVA's nuclear spokesman Ray Golden.
Similar problems last summer forced the Tennessee Valley Authority to spend $50 million for replacement power, according to Golden. The extra expense translated to something between 50 cents and $1 on most electric bills several months later, officials have said.
To avoid similar heat problems this year, TVA in October began construction on a seventh cooling tower at Browns Ferry, which is near Athens, Ala., and officials expected the $80 million super tower to be complete in June or July.
But weather stormed that plan, too.
"It was delayed because of the impact of the tornadoes, and some spring storms and some heavy rains," Golden said. "It's probably about 98 percent complete, and we hope it will be in service in the next one to two months."
So far, the extreme heat has not had the same impact at Sequoyah or Watts Bar, both on Chickamauga Lake in Tennessee, but state environmental officials say TVA monitors river temperatures upstream and downstream of both plants and reports findings to the state.
If utility engineers see they can't bring the temperature to 86.9 degrees, they must slow or stop the plant's power production, said Tisha Calabrese-Benton, spokeswoman for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
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14. Dangerous Nuclear Spent Fuel Pool Near Epicenter of East Coast
Earthquake
http://www.ips-dc.org/blog/
dangerous_nuclear_spent_fuel_pool_near_epicenter_of_east_coast_earthquake_says_ips_fellow_bob_alvarez
August 23, 2011 · By Robert Alvarez
An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale just occurred less than a hour ago. It's epicenter was in Mineral, VA--- approximately 10 miles from two nuclear power reactors at the North Anna site. According to a representative of Dominion Power, the two reactors were designed to withstand a 5.9-6.1 quake. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ranked the North Anna Reactors as being 7th in the nation in terms of earthquake risks.
Control rods are automatically inserted to halt a reactor, if it is impacted by an earthquake. However, the reactor core still has a large amount of decay heat that requires power to remove it if there is a loss of offsite power to prevent a melt down. It is reported that the North Anna reactors were shut down and is operating with back-up diesel generators. The failure to remove reactor decay heat is what led to severe accidents at the Fukusima nuclear site on Japan. It is not clear, at this time, what damage might have been sustained at the nuclear site.
The North Anna reactors are of the Westinghouse Pressurized Water design and went on line in 1979 and 1980 respectively. Since then the reactors have generated approximately 1,200 metric tons of nuclear spent fuel containing about 228,000 curies of highly radioactive materials -- among the largest concentrations of radioactivity in the United States.
Nearly 40 percent of the radioactivity in the North Anna spent fuel pools is cesium-137 - a long-lived radioisotope that gives off potentially dangerous penetrating radiation and also accumulates in food over a period of centuries. The North Anna Pools hold about 15-30 times more Cs-137 than was released by the Chernobyl accident in 1986. In 2003, IPS helped lead a study warning that drainage of a pool might cause a catastrophic radiation fire, which could render an area uninhabitable greater than that created by the Chernobyl accident.
The spent fuel pools at North Anna contain 4-5 times more than their original designs intended. As in Japan, all U.S. power nuclear power plant spent fuel pools do not have steel lined, concrete barriers that cover reactor vessels to prevent the escape of radioactivity. They are not required to have back-up generators to keep used fuel rods cool, if offsite power is lost. Even though they contain these very large amount of radioactivity, spent reactor fuel pools in the U.S. are mostly contained in ordinary industrial structures designed to protect them against the elements.
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An Alert at North Anna Power Station; Reactors Shut Down Safely, No Damage Reported
http://dom.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1013
RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Virginia Power declared an Alert at the North Anna Power Station in Mineral, Va., following an earthquake in Central Virginia. The reactors have been shut down safely and no major damage has been reported.
The station declared an Alert, the next to the lowest of the four emergency \classifications of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Both reactors have been shut down. The emergency diesel generators started as off-site power from the electric grid was lost. No release of radioactive material has occurred beyond those minor releases associated with normal station operations.
The earthquake was felt at the company's other Virginia nuclear power station, Surry Power Station in southeast Virginia, but not as strongly. Both units at Surry continue to operate safely.
The earthquake also caused the company's newest power station, Bear Garden in Buckingham County, to shut down automatically.
U.S. nuclear power stations, including Dominion's four stations, were built to seismic standards for their regions.
Dominion (NYSE: D), headquartered in Richmond, Va., is one of the nation's largest producers of energy. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at www.dom.com.
SOURCE Dominion
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5.8 earthquake rattles Canada, eastern U.S.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011 ... ginia.html
No serious injuries, minor damage reported
CBC News Posted: Aug 23, 2011 2:08 PM ET
An earthquake centred in Virginia with a magnitude of 5.8 shook a broad swath of the eastern U.S. and parts of central and eastern Canada on Tuesday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centred near Mineral, Va., about 135 kilometres southwest of Washington, D.C. After several revisions, the U.S.G.S. placed the quake's depth at six kilometres.
There were no immediate reports of serious injuries or deaths but a fire department spokesman in Washington said there are reports of some minor injuries.
Some damage was reported to buildings in Washington. A spokesman for Washington's National Cathedral says at least three of the four stone pinnacles on the central tower have fallen off and the central tower looks like it's leaning. [ . . . . ]
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15. How Will Virginia Regulate Uranium Mining?
http://www.vsb.org/docs/valawyermagazin ... ranium.pdf
by Robert G. Burnley, Virginia Lawyer Magazine, v.60, June-July 2011
The Environmental Law Section invited Robert G. Burnley, former director of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and currently an environmental consultant, to share his thoughts on the background of uranium mining in Virginia and current interest in reviving uranium mining.
Mr. Burnley is uniquely suited to offer his opinions on this subject, given his participation in the development of the original moratorium on uranium mining and his involvement in current discussions on the issue. Any views or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Burnley and do not necessarily represent those of the Environmental Law Section or the Virginia State Bar. We appreciate Mr. Burnley’s willingness to share his insights on this interesting subject.
—Andrea W. Wortzel, chair
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Uranium mining interests are lobbying legislators to lift the current ban on uranium mining in Virginia. Lifting the ban should not be done without considering effects on the health of the environment and the economy....
FULL ARTICLE:
http://www.vsb.org/docs/valawyermagazin ... ranium.pdf
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16. CLP Green Light Angela Pamela Uranium Mine
http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/
index.cfm?fuseaction=viewRelease&id=8519&d=5
22 August 2011
The CLP has used an Alice Springs environmental debate to underline its glowing endorsement of the proposed Angela Pamela uranium mine.
Environment Minister Karl Hampton said the Opposition’s environment spokesperson Peter Chandler told a crowd at the Alice Eco-Fair debate on Saturday night that the CLP would give the uranium mine the green light.
“Peter Chandler gave a very firm commitment to the uranium mine, unlike the commitment the CLP gave the people of Alice Springs during the Araluen by-election, which the CLP backflipped on as soon as the election was over,” Mr Hampton said.
“The CLP is simply unbelievable and this latest statement shows just how much the Opposition take Central Australia for granted.
“People in Alice Springs have clearly said they have major concerns about the mine and simply don’t want it.
“But the CLP continue to deceive and betray the people of Alice Springs.
“Their position couldn’t be any clearer – a CLP Government would give the green light to the Angela Pamela uranium mine." Media Contact: Edwin Edlund 0401 119 563
Related files:
HAMPTON.220811.Uranium.pdf ( 261.78 kb )
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17. JAPAN Update
Atomic Cover-Up: The Hidden Story Behind the U.S. Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/8/9/
atomic_cover_up_the_hidden_story
August 9, 2011
As radiation readings in Japan reach their highest levels since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant meltdowns, we look at the beginning of the atomic age. Today is the 66th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, which killed some 75,000 people and left another 75,000 seriously wounded. We play an account of the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki by the pilots who flew the B-29 bomber that dropped that bomb, and feature an interview with the son of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist George Weller, who was the first reporter to enter Nagasaki. Our guest is Greg Mitchell, co-author of "Hiroshima in America: A Half Century of Denial," with Robert Jay Lifton. His latest book is "Atomic Cover-Up: Two U.S. Soldiers, Hiroshima & Nagasaki and The Greatest Movie Never Made." Watch/Listen/Read
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FINLAY: Nuclear Japan: What will the energy supply be now? (New York Times)
Posted on-line at http://sandrafinley.ca/?p=2969
August 20, 2011
“ . . Japan was slow to develop alternative forms of energy, like solar or wind power, which account for just 1 percent of its electricity supply.”
Why didn’t Japan develop alternative forms of energy (the need was obvious)?
“ . . . cumbersome regulations and government foot-dragging were holding the (alternative) industry back.
“The cost of solar power has dropped in recent years, but government policy hasn’t caught up to that,” . . . One roadblock for renewable power in Japan has been the inability of producers to get an adequate price for their electricity on the market, where they must compete with cheaper power from coal, natural gas and nuclear power.
NOTE: I strongly disagree with the phrase “cheaper power” from fossil fuels and nuclear. They would not be cheaper if the pollution (health) and other costs - - that are paid by the public - - were figured in. "Cheaper" is also a false indicator when you are talking about resources that are finite.
In Japan, same as in Canada: large financial and political investments in the status quo creates intransigent resistance to change, no matter how obvious the need. Decisions are made to suit financial interests, not the public, longterm interests. AND the public is willing to let it happen. (Although I think those days are coming to an end. People are waking up and getting angry.)
From Japan, made clear in the following article: crisis eventually forces change upon us. But when the investments have been in the declining resource sectors, with only token investment in the new and needed sectors, there is reduced capacity to respond to the crisis in a way that offers effective relief. You dig deeper into the hell-hole, instead of climbing out.
This New York Times article does a nice job of illustrating the role of energy in the economy. We are truly the adolescent who needs to come to terms: there are limitations on behavior. There are long term consequences.
From what I see in Saskatchewan, Canadians seem determined to repeat Japan’s folly, failing to transition off dead-end declining resources. /Sandra
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Quake in Japan is causing a costly shift to fossil fuels.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/20/business/
energy-environment/quake-in-japan-is-causing-a-costly-shift-to-fossil-fuels.html
Japan, the world’s third-largest user of electricity behind China and the United States, ha
Last edited by Oscar on Thu Aug 25, 2011 9:04 am, edited 2 times in total.
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
Resources for Nuke News - check these!
by Oscar » Thu Aug 25, 2011 9:09 am
Resources for Nuke News
Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan: http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
Dr. Jim Harding:
http://jimharding.brinkster.net
No Nuke News – Angela Bischoff:
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility – Dr. Gordon Edwards:
http://www.ccnr.org/
Dr. Edwards’ email: ccnr@web.ca
Beyond Nuclear:
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/
Coalition for a Clean Green Saskatchewan: http://www.cleangreensask.ca/
Dr. Jim Harding:
http://jimharding.brinkster.net
No Nuke News – Angela Bischoff:
http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/nonukesnews.php
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility – Dr. Gordon Edwards:
http://www.ccnr.org/
Dr. Edwards’ email: ccnr@web.ca
Beyond Nuclear:
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/
- Oscar
- Site Admin
- Posts: 9887
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 3:23 pm
NUKE NEWS: Dec. 12, 2011
by Oscar » Mon Dec 12, 2011 9:01 am
NUKE NEWS: Dec. 12, 2011
1. Opposition parties don’t understand what’s involved in lowering carbon emissions
2. NUCLEAR POWER: WHERE’S THE BUSINESS CASE? (New McKay/OSEA report)
3. Help Ontario break free from nuclear
4. Global Nuclear Generation Capacity Falls
5. GROSSMAN: Book "Cover Up: What You Are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power," (now FREE)
6. GROSSMAN: Nuclear Power Can Never Be Made Safe
7. Senior DND officials hid costs
8. Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade
9. War Radio and the Militarization of Canadian Culture
10. World War III: The Launching of a Preemptive Nuclear War against Iran
11. US Repeatedly Shipped Arms to Egyptian Security Forces Despite Lethal Crackdown[/b]
= = = = = ==
1. Opposition parties don’t understand what’s involved in lowering carbon emissions
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/09/
political-greenhorns#disqus_thread
By Lorrie Goldstein ,Toronto Sun First posted: Saturday, December 10, 2011 07:13 PM EST
A major problem with addressing the issue of climate change effectively is that most politicians are illiterate on the subject.
They don’t understand the enormity of weaning ourselves off fossil fuels — which power modern civilization.
- - - - SNIP - - - -
To accomplish all this, the environmental movement must end its idiotic jihad against nuclear power, a move many world-famous environmentalists now support.
They include James Lovelock (co-author of the Gaia theory), Dr. Patrick Moore (co-founder of Greenpeace), George Monbiot (the world’s most prominent climate change journalist) and even James Hansen, the controversial NASA scientist who first alerted the U.S. to the issue of man-made global warming 20 years ago.
They have concluded that if anthropogenic climate change poses an existential threat to humanity, nuclear power must be part of the solution.
They are, of course, correct.
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2. NUCLEAR POWER: WHERE’S THE BUSINESS CASE? (New McKay/OSEA report)
http://www.ontario-sea.org/Page.asp?Pag ... entID=3483
December 2011
What kind of Ontario do you want to live in? What type of legacy do you want to leave your children, and future generations? What role will energy fill in that future? How can we make our energy system more sustainable?
The International Energy Association has concluded that the biggest challenge facing a more integrated, distributed and sustainable energy system is the unfair competitive advantage created by heavy subsidies for conventional energy.
The Ontario Power Authority has finalized its draft of a 20-year plan to build new generation, upgrade the power grid, and invest in energy efficiency. This plan would formally allocate almost 50% of the Ontario ‘market share’ to nuclear generation for several decades.
The provincial finances are in grave shape. Higher health care and education costs are looming. There are precious few public dollars to spare. This is the worst time to commit half of Ontario’s future generation to nuclear, and take on decades more of public debt.
Read the full report:
http://www.ontario-sea.org/Storage/64/5 ... se-web.pdf
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3. Help Ontario break free from nuclear
http://cleanairalliance.org/node/1055
December 8, 2011
The Fukishima nuclear disaster sent shock waves – and radiation – around the world. And, of course, this disaster is far from over, with radioactive leaks and contamination continuing to this day.
The one positive outcome of this terrible tragedy is that much of the world has learned a valuable lesson about the dangers of nuclear power. Germany and Belgium have declared they will phase out nuclear power, and many other countries are following suit.
But not Ontario. Here, energy planners remain determined to spend upwards of $80 billion on dangerous and unnecessary nuclear projects – including new reactors at Darlington, and rebuilt reactors at Bruce and Darlington – despite reams of evidence that nuclear is the highest cost and highest risk option for keeping our lights on.
With public support for nuclear power at an all-time low, there has never been a better moment to turn the page on nuclear power in Ontario. Help us seize the opportunity to push Ontario in a cleaner and safer energy direction. Your financial contribution to our campaign to secure a 100% renewable energy grid in Ontario can have a world-changing impact. We now have a critically important window of opportunity to push forward better options, like made-in-Ontario green energy, increased energy efficiency, and water power imports from Quebec, but we can’t do it without your support.
It’s easy to despair. Today, however, we are at a turning point where Ontario could embrace a sustainable energy future by ending its multi-billion-dollar entanglement with nuclear energy. Help us make this breakthrough happen by donating to our efforts to make Ontario the next jurisdiction to declare an end to the use of nuclear power.
Here’s to a nuclear free Ontario. Thanks for your support…
Angela Bischoff
Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
160 John St., #300, Toronto M5V 2E5
Phone: 416 260-2080 x 1
angela@cleanairalliance.org
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Ontario’s Green Future
No Nukes News
Health Power
Coal Must Go
Facebook – Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Twitter – @NoNukeBailouts
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4. Global Nuclear Generation Capacity Falls
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/9358
December 8, 2011
Due to increasing costs of production, a slowed demand for electricity, and fresh memories of disaster in Japan, production of nuclear power fell in 2011, according to the latest Vital Signs Online (VSO) report from the Worldwatch Institute. Despite reaching record levels the previous year, global installed nuclear capacity—the potential power generation from all existing plants—declined to 366.5 gigawatts (GW) in 2011, from 375.5 GW at the end of 2010.
Not surprisingly, this drop in installed capacity corresponds with a decline in global consumption of nuclear energy. Nuclear’s share of world commercial primary energy usage fell to around 5 percent in 2010, having peaked at about 6 percent in 2001 and 2002. Only four countries—the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom—increased their share of nuclear power by over 1 percentage point between 2009 and 2010.
Much of the decline in installed capacity is the result of halted reactor construction around the world. Although construction on 16 new reactors began in 2010—the highest number in over two decades—that number fell to just two in 2011, with India and Pakistan each starting construction on a plant. In addition to this dramatically slowed rate of construction, the first 10 months of 2011 saw the closing of 13 nuclear reactors, reducing the total number of reactors in operation around the world from 441 at the beginning of the year to 433.
China is an exception to the global slump in nuclear electricity generation, in terms of both the number of plants being built and installment capacity levels. The country accounted for 10 of the 16 reactor construction starts in 2010, and that year it initiated the installment of nearly 10 GW of capacity, representing 62 percent of capacity construction worldwide. China currently is home to 27 reactors and has some 27 GW of capacity under construction.
The United States, too, does not appear to be abandoning nuclear power just yet. In 2010, the Obama administration approved $8.3 billion in loan guarantees for construction of nuclear reactors; in February of 2011, the administration’s budget proposal upped that amount by an additional $36 billion.
The current global decline in installed nuclear power capacity stands in stark contrast to nuclear’s surge in popularity throughout the 2000s. Although many factors are behind the decline, it is largely the result of high costs, slowed electricity demand, and lower natural gas prices in recent months. The reactor meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima plant seven months ago also likely added to the severity of the decline. Only 10 of Japan’s 54 reactors are currently connected to the grid, China froze construction on 25 reactors immediately after the Fukushima explosions, and both Germany and Switzerland announced plans to phase out nuclear power following the disaster.
Although nuclear power remains an important energy source for many countries, including Russia and France, it is likely that its prominence will continue to decrease. To maintain current generation levels, the world would need to install an additional 18 GW by 2015 and another 175 GW by 2025. In the aftermath of Fukushima and in the context of a fragile global economy, an increase that sharp is improbable.
Further highlights from the report:
Together, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, and South Korea have contributed around 5 GW of new installed capacity since the beginning of 2010. During this same period, nearly 11.5 GW of installed capacity has been shut down in France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Germany alone has taken around 8 GW of installed nuclear capacity offline this year.
Currently, 65 reactors are under construction around the world; however, 20 of these have been under construction for more than 20 years.
Construction on the first nuclear power plant to be built in France in 15 years has been delayed until 2016, and its projected cost has grown from €3.3 billion (Approximately USD 4.4 billion) to €6 billion (Approximately USD 8 billion).
The average age of decommissioned reactors worldwide has risen to 23 years.
In 2009, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission received 26 nuclear reactor permit applications, but only four of those sites have plans for construction.
Subscribe to Vital Sigs Online today.
Related Content
Biofuels Regain Momentum
World Nuclear Generation Stagnates
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5. GROSSMAN: My book, "Cover Up: What You Are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power," Is Being Distributed Free by Publisher Online
http://karlgrossman.blogspot.com/2011/04/
my-book-cover-up-what-you-are-not.html
Tuesday, April 5, 2011 Posted by Karl Grossman at 5:36 AM
People can now get free copies of my book "Cover Up: What You Are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power" -- with a new updated preface I've written in the midst of the ongoing Fukushima nuclear power disaster.
Just go to www.thepermanentpress.com and you will see the book displayed on the homepage--and a box to click on and have the book downloaded at no cost.
What I emphasized in putting the book together was printing actual documents, as facsimiles, documents from the nuclear industry and government nuclear agencies. I believed that would be a good way to counter the Atomic Pinocchios and their lies -- something we're being intensely hit with now as the nuclear propagandists try to cover-up the consequences of the Fukushima disaster. [ . . . ]
= = = = = =
6. GROSSMAN: Nuclear Power Can Never Be Made Safe
http://karlgrossman.blogspot.com/2011/04/
nuclear-power-can-never-be-made-safe.html
Monday, April 25, 2011 Posted by Karl Grossman at 6:08 PM
With the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear plant catastrophe having arrived, and with the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear complex still unfolding—and radioactivity continuing to spew from those plants—some people are asking: can nuclear power be made safe?
The answer is no. Nuclear power can never be made safe.
This was clearly explained by Admiral Hyman Rickover, the “father” of the U.S. nuclear navy and in charge of construction of the first nuclear power plant in the nation, Shippingport in Pennsylvania. Before a committee of Congress, as he retired from the navy in 1982, Rickover warned of the inherent lethality of nuclear power—and urged that “we outlaw nuclear reactors.”
The basic problem: radioactivity. [ . . . ]
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7. Senior DND officials hid costs
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=9372&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Wed, Dec 7, 2011 Defence policy
The renovation of the former Nortel campus for the Department of National Defence has become the subject of controversy following the discovery that senior officials hid the price of the project from not only the public, but also the media and parliamentarians (David Pugliese, “Defence officials hid cost of Nortel campus renos,” Ottawa Citizen, 28 November 2011).
It is estimated that the cost of the renovations will be $600 million, in addition to the $208 million the government spent on buying the campus. DND officials claimed that they didn’t know how much the renovations were going to cost, but the Ottawa Citizen managed to find documents showing that senior officials directed that the figures be removed from public documents.
This is not the first time that DND has hidden costs from the public, the Citizen notes. DND recently tried to stay mum about the almost $500 million dollars to be spent to buy Canadian access to a new U.S. military satellite communications system.
The Department of National Defence claims to embrace transparency. But reporter David Pugliese doesn’t buy it:
Those claims of openness, however, can be limited. On Friday, DND informed the Citizen that if it wanted to find out how much taxpayers spent for the military personnel and other services provided to the Halifax International Security Forum for 2009 and 2010, it would have to obtain those through the Access to Information law. That process can take between six months and two years. [...]
While it is common for governments to want to control some information, Liberal Sen. Colin Kenny says the situation at DND under the Conservatives has spiralled out of control. He says DND and Canadian Forces officials have lost sight of the fact they are spending the public’s money. “Why shouldn’t the public know how much is being spent on the Nortel campus?,” said Kenny, the former chairman of the senate committee. [...]
Stephen Staples, a vocal critic of what he argues is excessive military spending, says DND’s bureaucracy views its job as protecting MacKay, not looking out for taxpayers. “I don’t know what’s worse — the minister using a government jet to fly to a lobster dinner or the Chief of the Defence Staff trying to justify it,” said Staples, president of the Rideau Institute. “Don’t these people know thousands of Canadians have lost their jobs and are in no mood for this type of extravagance?’
Staples said Canadians should be concerned with the growing secrecy since DND spends $20 billion annually.
Photo credit: DND
Canadian Forces, David Pugliese, Defence spending, Military spending, Peter MacKay, Steven Staples
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8. Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade
http://coat.ncf.ca/P4C.htm
COAT began in 1989 to expose and oppose Canada's largest weapons bazaar. (Earlyhistory.)
COAT's first campaign led to Ottawa City Council's 20-year ban on hosting arms bazaars on City property. For two decades, COAT has published Press for Conversion! magazine, organized peace rallies, vigils, conferences and campaigns against the arms trade, military air shows and Canada's role in US-led wars and regime changes.
Please join COAT in debunking the prevailing MYTH that Canada is a global force for peace.
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9. War Radio and the Militarization of Canadian Culture
http://www.behindthenumbers.ca/2011/12/02/
war-radio-and-the-militarization-of-canadian-culture/
December 2nd, 2011 Bob Hackett · 3 Comments · International Relations, Military, Peace & Conflict, Media
“The deformed human mind is the ultimate doomsday weapon.”
I was reminded of this chilling warning from the late British historian E.P. Thompson, while listening to Rex Murphy’s Cross-Country Checkup on CBC Radio on November 20.
Murphy was interviewing Terry Glavin, a B.C. author, about Glavin’s latest book, one endorsing Canada’s so-called “mission” in Afghanistan. Murphy was little less than fawning in his praise of the book’s refutation of all those silly notions of imperialism.
That’s pretty standard MediaThink. But what really got my attention was Murphy’s handling of his first telephone caller, a military man from Winnipeg. Addressing the theme of whether the “mission” was worth it, the caller said, in effect, that the “mission” was good for the Canadian Forces, because it gave them a chance to put their training and the tools of their trade to a practical test.
Think about it. Dispense with the euphemism “mission,” and what he is saying is this: Invasion, bombing and war, the massive organized spending of blood and treasure, are just fine, because they provide the military with the opportunity to try out its weapons.
That’s like wishing for the return of cannibalism so that we can test our new dentures.
Murphy utterly failed to question or challenge such a claim – surely an obscenity by any decent human standard – and contented himself with thanking the caller for his service.
As the internationally respected Norwegian peace scholar Johan Galtung has tirelessly argued, the trajectory of war starts long before the first shot is fired. It begins with euphemisms, lies, the glorification of combat, desensitization to violence, a process of “othering” vis-à-vis a designated enemy. Cultural violence lays the groundwork for the physical violence of war.
Since the 9/11 terror attacks and particularly the advent of the Harper government, there has been a conscious effort to militarize Canada’s culture. Have you ever wondered why recent official Canada Day celebrations are festooned with tanks and military equipment on which young people are invited to play? Why the government is promoting the War of 1812 as a symbol of Canadian identity? Why professional hockey teams have special games honouring the military? Why the bombastic jingoistic hockey commentator Don Cherry was recently offered an honorary degree by Royal Military College? (Or for that matter, why he is on television in the first place?)
Since 2002, 158 brave Canadian men and women have died in the Afghan “mission”. Their deaths have received prominent and suitably respectful treatment in the Canadian media. But how much do we hear about the approximately one thousand Canadian workers who die on the job every year? Making their deaths part of the regular news agenda might raise questions about where our priorities should really lie – intervening in a civil war halfway around the globe, or strengthening workplace safety and workers’ rights here at home?
How far has Canada regressed in the last ten years towards sentiments like the following:
“War alone brings up to its highest tension all human energy, and puts the stamp of nobility upon the peoples who have the courage to meet it. All other trials are substitutes, which never really put men into the position where they have to make the great decision – the alternatives of life or death.”
Who said that? Don Cherry? Nope, too many multi-syllable words. Sounds a bit closer to Rex Murphy’s style – but actually, it’s a quote from the Italian fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini. Not exactly a friend of democracy or a prophet of a hopeful human future.
For Canadians who do care about democracy and a more hopeful future, there is a twofold task.
First, let’s wake up and smell the coffee. One need not be a pacifist – I am not – to recognize that there is a well-oiled campaign to lower the threshold at which war becomes a thinkable option. That campaign needs a counter-campaign in the terrain of culture – from exposing the economic and political interests behind militarism, to celebrating the courage and sacrifices of Canadian civilians who have worked for a more peaceful world.
Second, we also need a campaign to revitalize Canada’s public broadcaster, the CBC. As its advocates recognized eighty years ago, Canada needs a public broadcaster as part of a balanced media system; it serves democratic needs that commercial broadcasters alone generally do not. But CBC insiders, speaking off the record, confirm that the Mother Corp’s management has become “left-phobic,” terrified of upsetting the sensibilities of the Harper government. And that hampers the ability of CBC journalists to achieve their mandate of offering balanced opportunities for the expression of differing views on matters of public concern.
Clearly, we can’t count on the Rex Murphys and Don Cherrys of the airwaves to do it for us.
Bob Hackett
CCPA Research Associate
Simon Fraser University
- - - - - -
For MORE Blog Roundup
CCPA's national blog, Behind the Numbers, delivers timely, progressive commentary on issues that affect Canadians, including the economy, poverty, inequality, climate change, budgets, taxes, public services, employment and much more. Go behind the numbers with these latest posts:
For Some, Arrogance is Bliss, by Erika Shaker
War Radio and the Militarization of Canadian Culture, by Bob Hackett
Political Paralysis and Disaster Budgeting: Lessons from Toronto, by Hugh Mackenzie
The New Politics Initiative: Ten Years After, by Marc Lee
On climate, Canada is a rogue state, by Marc Lee
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10. World War III: The Launching of a Preemptive Nuclear War against Iran
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28026
by Michel Chossudovsky Global Research, December 4, 2011
The launching of an outright war using nuclear warheads against Iran has been on the active drawing board of the Pentagon since 2005.
If such a war were to be launched, the entire Middle East Central Asia region would flare up. Humanity would be precipitated into a World War III Scenario.
World War III is not front-page news. The mainstream media has excluded in-depth analysis and debate on the implications of these war plans.
The onslaught of World War III, were it to be carried out, would be casually described as a "no-fly zone", an operation under NATO's "Responsibility to Protect" (R2P) with minimal "collateral damage" or a "limited" punitive bombing against specific military targets, all of which purport to support "Global Security" as well as "democracy" and human rights in the targeted country.
Public opinion is largely unaware of the grave implications of these war plans, which contemplate the use of nuclear weapons, ironically in retaliation to Iran's nonexistent nuclear weapons program.
Moreover, 21st Century military technology is at an advanced stage of development combining an array of sophisticated weapons systems.
We are at the crossroads of the most serious crisis in World history.
The future of humanity is at stake.
The present situation is one of advanced war planning by a formidable military force using nuclear warheads.
The Pentagon’s global military design is one of world conquest.
The military deployment of US-NATO forces is occurring in several regions of the World simultaneously.
Militarization at the global level is instrumented through the US military's Unified Command structure: the entire planet is divided up into geographic Combatant Commands under the control of the Pentagon. According to (former) NATO Commander General Wesley Clark, the Pentagon’s military road-map consists of a sequence of war theaters: "[The] five-year campaign plan [includes]... a total of seven countries, beginning with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan."
Military action is waged in the name of the "Global War on Terrorism" and Global Security. It has a stated "humanitarian" "pro-democracy" mandate.
It is predicated on the notion that the West's arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons are (in contrast to those [nonexistent] of the Islamic Republic), according to expert scientific opinion on contract to the Pentagon, "harmless to the surrounding civilian population because the explosion is underground."
Irresponsible politicians are unaware of the implications of their actions. They believe their own war propaganda: nuclear weapons are heralded as an instrument of peace and democracy.
War is heralded as a peace-keeping making operation carried out with the support of the "international community".
The victims of war are described as the perpetrators. Iran and Syria constitute a threat to Global Security thereby justifying pre-emptive military action.
MORE:
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28026
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11. US Repeatedly Shipped Arms to Egyptian Security Forces Despite Lethal Crackdown
http://paper.li/
LHubich?utm_source=subscription&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=paper_sub
Middle East and North Africa, Military, Police and Arms, Security and Human Rights | Posted by: Geoffrey Mock, December 8, 2011 at 1:14 PM
The Egyptian uprising is at a crucial point. A new cabinet is in power, a new parliament elected, but what it adds up to is all in the air, particularly with the military today making waves about how it will take a leading role in writing the new constitution.
The American reaction, both governmental and popular, hasn’t been entirely helpful. The latest distraction is panic over whether Islamists will use their electoral power to turn Egypt into another Iran. Nicholas Kristof today presents a compelling rebuttal as to why Egypt will not take that route.
No, the US has another, more positive role it can play: Focusing attention on human rights. And where it can start, according to a new Amnesty International report, is halting the transfer of arms shipments to Egypt that aids security forces’ violent crackdown on protesters.
U.S. arms shipments to Egypt’s security forces must be stopped until there is certainty that tear gas and other munitions, weaponry or other equipment are not linked to bloodshed on Egyptian streets.
We know of three significant shipments by the US company Combined Systems Inc. over the past year. In other words, these sales occurred during a time in which Egyptian military and security forces used excessive and lethal force in repeated crackdowns on protesters.
The most recent shipment for the Egyptian Ministry of Interior arrived from the United States on November 26, carrying at least seven tons of ammunition smoke, which includes chemical irritants and riot control agents such as tear gas.
On August 8, another shipment of 35,793 pounds of ammunition was loaded from New York and transferred to Port Said in Egypt.
On April 8, Combined Systems, Inc. shipped 42,035 pounds of ammunition from the port of Wilmington, N.C. to the Egyptian port of Suez.
The human rights record of Egyptian security forces in responding to protests deserves wide censure. During the Jan. 25 uprising, at least 840 people were killed and around 6,500 were injured. As recently as November, protesters demanding that the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces keep their promises to deliver political and human rights reform were violently dispersed with tear gas. At least two dozen people were killed and hundreds more injured.
Many of the cartridges and grenades picked up by protestors in Tahrir Square were US-made tear gas, including those marked Combined Systems Inc. or Combined Tactical Systems, which is the company’s law enforcement division.
Calling for a halt of arms shipments is a step that Amnesty International takes rarely and only after careful documentation. But precisely because Egypt is at a crucial point and because to date the Egyptian security forces show little sign of being trained in accordance with international standards on the use of force, the time is right for the US to take dramatic steps.
Tags: arms sales, arms shipments, egypt, January 25 uprising, protests, tear gas, united states, use of force
1. Opposition parties don’t understand what’s involved in lowering carbon emissions
2. NUCLEAR POWER: WHERE’S THE BUSINESS CASE? (New McKay/OSEA report)
3. Help Ontario break free from nuclear
4. Global Nuclear Generation Capacity Falls
5. GROSSMAN: Book "Cover Up: What You Are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power," (now FREE)
6. GROSSMAN: Nuclear Power Can Never Be Made Safe
7. Senior DND officials hid costs
8. Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade
9. War Radio and the Militarization of Canadian Culture
10. World War III: The Launching of a Preemptive Nuclear War against Iran
11. US Repeatedly Shipped Arms to Egyptian Security Forces Despite Lethal Crackdown[/b]
= = = = = ==
1. Opposition parties don’t understand what’s involved in lowering carbon emissions
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/09/
political-greenhorns#disqus_thread
By Lorrie Goldstein ,Toronto Sun First posted: Saturday, December 10, 2011 07:13 PM EST
A major problem with addressing the issue of climate change effectively is that most politicians are illiterate on the subject.
They don’t understand the enormity of weaning ourselves off fossil fuels — which power modern civilization.
- - - - SNIP - - - -
To accomplish all this, the environmental movement must end its idiotic jihad against nuclear power, a move many world-famous environmentalists now support.
They include James Lovelock (co-author of the Gaia theory), Dr. Patrick Moore (co-founder of Greenpeace), George Monbiot (the world’s most prominent climate change journalist) and even James Hansen, the controversial NASA scientist who first alerted the U.S. to the issue of man-made global warming 20 years ago.
They have concluded that if anthropogenic climate change poses an existential threat to humanity, nuclear power must be part of the solution.
They are, of course, correct.
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2. NUCLEAR POWER: WHERE’S THE BUSINESS CASE? (New McKay/OSEA report)
http://www.ontario-sea.org/Page.asp?Pag ... entID=3483
December 2011
What kind of Ontario do you want to live in? What type of legacy do you want to leave your children, and future generations? What role will energy fill in that future? How can we make our energy system more sustainable?
The International Energy Association has concluded that the biggest challenge facing a more integrated, distributed and sustainable energy system is the unfair competitive advantage created by heavy subsidies for conventional energy.
The Ontario Power Authority has finalized its draft of a 20-year plan to build new generation, upgrade the power grid, and invest in energy efficiency. This plan would formally allocate almost 50% of the Ontario ‘market share’ to nuclear generation for several decades.
The provincial finances are in grave shape. Higher health care and education costs are looming. There are precious few public dollars to spare. This is the worst time to commit half of Ontario’s future generation to nuclear, and take on decades more of public debt.
Read the full report:
http://www.ontario-sea.org/Storage/64/5 ... se-web.pdf
= = = = = =
3. Help Ontario break free from nuclear
http://cleanairalliance.org/node/1055
December 8, 2011
The Fukishima nuclear disaster sent shock waves – and radiation – around the world. And, of course, this disaster is far from over, with radioactive leaks and contamination continuing to this day.
The one positive outcome of this terrible tragedy is that much of the world has learned a valuable lesson about the dangers of nuclear power. Germany and Belgium have declared they will phase out nuclear power, and many other countries are following suit.
But not Ontario. Here, energy planners remain determined to spend upwards of $80 billion on dangerous and unnecessary nuclear projects – including new reactors at Darlington, and rebuilt reactors at Bruce and Darlington – despite reams of evidence that nuclear is the highest cost and highest risk option for keeping our lights on.
With public support for nuclear power at an all-time low, there has never been a better moment to turn the page on nuclear power in Ontario. Help us seize the opportunity to push Ontario in a cleaner and safer energy direction. Your financial contribution to our campaign to secure a 100% renewable energy grid in Ontario can have a world-changing impact. We now have a critically important window of opportunity to push forward better options, like made-in-Ontario green energy, increased energy efficiency, and water power imports from Quebec, but we can’t do it without your support.
It’s easy to despair. Today, however, we are at a turning point where Ontario could embrace a sustainable energy future by ending its multi-billion-dollar entanglement with nuclear energy. Help us make this breakthrough happen by donating to our efforts to make Ontario the next jurisdiction to declare an end to the use of nuclear power.
Here’s to a nuclear free Ontario. Thanks for your support…
Angela Bischoff
Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
160 John St., #300, Toronto M5V 2E5
Phone: 416 260-2080 x 1
angela@cleanairalliance.org
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Ontario’s Green Future
No Nukes News
Health Power
Coal Must Go
Facebook – Ontario Clean Air Alliance
Twitter – @NoNukeBailouts
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4. Global Nuclear Generation Capacity Falls
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/9358
December 8, 2011
Due to increasing costs of production, a slowed demand for electricity, and fresh memories of disaster in Japan, production of nuclear power fell in 2011, according to the latest Vital Signs Online (VSO) report from the Worldwatch Institute. Despite reaching record levels the previous year, global installed nuclear capacity—the potential power generation from all existing plants—declined to 366.5 gigawatts (GW) in 2011, from 375.5 GW at the end of 2010.
Not surprisingly, this drop in installed capacity corresponds with a decline in global consumption of nuclear energy. Nuclear’s share of world commercial primary energy usage fell to around 5 percent in 2010, having peaked at about 6 percent in 2001 and 2002. Only four countries—the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom—increased their share of nuclear power by over 1 percentage point between 2009 and 2010.
Much of the decline in installed capacity is the result of halted reactor construction around the world. Although construction on 16 new reactors began in 2010—the highest number in over two decades—that number fell to just two in 2011, with India and Pakistan each starting construction on a plant. In addition to this dramatically slowed rate of construction, the first 10 months of 2011 saw the closing of 13 nuclear reactors, reducing the total number of reactors in operation around the world from 441 at the beginning of the year to 433.
China is an exception to the global slump in nuclear electricity generation, in terms of both the number of plants being built and installment capacity levels. The country accounted for 10 of the 16 reactor construction starts in 2010, and that year it initiated the installment of nearly 10 GW of capacity, representing 62 percent of capacity construction worldwide. China currently is home to 27 reactors and has some 27 GW of capacity under construction.
The United States, too, does not appear to be abandoning nuclear power just yet. In 2010, the Obama administration approved $8.3 billion in loan guarantees for construction of nuclear reactors; in February of 2011, the administration’s budget proposal upped that amount by an additional $36 billion.
The current global decline in installed nuclear power capacity stands in stark contrast to nuclear’s surge in popularity throughout the 2000s. Although many factors are behind the decline, it is largely the result of high costs, slowed electricity demand, and lower natural gas prices in recent months. The reactor meltdown at Japan’s Fukushima plant seven months ago also likely added to the severity of the decline. Only 10 of Japan’s 54 reactors are currently connected to the grid, China froze construction on 25 reactors immediately after the Fukushima explosions, and both Germany and Switzerland announced plans to phase out nuclear power following the disaster.
Although nuclear power remains an important energy source for many countries, including Russia and France, it is likely that its prominence will continue to decrease. To maintain current generation levels, the world would need to install an additional 18 GW by 2015 and another 175 GW by 2025. In the aftermath of Fukushima and in the context of a fragile global economy, an increase that sharp is improbable.
Further highlights from the report:
Together, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, and South Korea have contributed around 5 GW of new installed capacity since the beginning of 2010. During this same period, nearly 11.5 GW of installed capacity has been shut down in France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Germany alone has taken around 8 GW of installed nuclear capacity offline this year.
Currently, 65 reactors are under construction around the world; however, 20 of these have been under construction for more than 20 years.
Construction on the first nuclear power plant to be built in France in 15 years has been delayed until 2016, and its projected cost has grown from €3.3 billion (Approximately USD 4.4 billion) to €6 billion (Approximately USD 8 billion).
The average age of decommissioned reactors worldwide has risen to 23 years.
In 2009, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission received 26 nuclear reactor permit applications, but only four of those sites have plans for construction.
Subscribe to Vital Sigs Online today.
Related Content
Biofuels Regain Momentum
World Nuclear Generation Stagnates
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5. GROSSMAN: My book, "Cover Up: What You Are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power," Is Being Distributed Free by Publisher Online
http://karlgrossman.blogspot.com/2011/04/
my-book-cover-up-what-you-are-not.html
Tuesday, April 5, 2011 Posted by Karl Grossman at 5:36 AM
People can now get free copies of my book "Cover Up: What You Are Not Supposed to Know About Nuclear Power" -- with a new updated preface I've written in the midst of the ongoing Fukushima nuclear power disaster.
Just go to www.thepermanentpress.com and you will see the book displayed on the homepage--and a box to click on and have the book downloaded at no cost.
What I emphasized in putting the book together was printing actual documents, as facsimiles, documents from the nuclear industry and government nuclear agencies. I believed that would be a good way to counter the Atomic Pinocchios and their lies -- something we're being intensely hit with now as the nuclear propagandists try to cover-up the consequences of the Fukushima disaster. [ . . . ]
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6. GROSSMAN: Nuclear Power Can Never Be Made Safe
http://karlgrossman.blogspot.com/2011/04/
nuclear-power-can-never-be-made-safe.html
Monday, April 25, 2011 Posted by Karl Grossman at 6:08 PM
With the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear plant catastrophe having arrived, and with the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear complex still unfolding—and radioactivity continuing to spew from those plants—some people are asking: can nuclear power be made safe?
The answer is no. Nuclear power can never be made safe.
This was clearly explained by Admiral Hyman Rickover, the “father” of the U.S. nuclear navy and in charge of construction of the first nuclear power plant in the nation, Shippingport in Pennsylvania. Before a committee of Congress, as he retired from the navy in 1982, Rickover warned of the inherent lethality of nuclear power—and urged that “we outlaw nuclear reactors.”
The basic problem: radioactivity. [ . . . ]
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7. Senior DND officials hid costs
http://www.ceasefire.ca/
?p=9372&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ceasefire%2FycPl+%28Ceasefire.ca%29
Wed, Dec 7, 2011 Defence policy
The renovation of the former Nortel campus for the Department of National Defence has become the subject of controversy following the discovery that senior officials hid the price of the project from not only the public, but also the media and parliamentarians (David Pugliese, “Defence officials hid cost of Nortel campus renos,” Ottawa Citizen, 28 November 2011).
It is estimated that the cost of the renovations will be $600 million, in addition to the $208 million the government spent on buying the campus. DND officials claimed that they didn’t know how much the renovations were going to cost, but the Ottawa Citizen managed to find documents showing that senior officials directed that the figures be removed from public documents.
This is not the first time that DND has hidden costs from the public, the Citizen notes. DND recently tried to stay mum about the almost $500 million dollars to be spent to buy Canadian access to a new U.S. military satellite communications system.
The Department of National Defence claims to embrace transparency. But reporter David Pugliese doesn’t buy it:
Those claims of openness, however, can be limited. On Friday, DND informed the Citizen that if it wanted to find out how much taxpayers spent for the military personnel and other services provided to the Halifax International Security Forum for 2009 and 2010, it would have to obtain those through the Access to Information law. That process can take between six months and two years. [...]
While it is common for governments to want to control some information, Liberal Sen. Colin Kenny says the situation at DND under the Conservatives has spiralled out of control. He says DND and Canadian Forces officials have lost sight of the fact they are spending the public’s money. “Why shouldn’t the public know how much is being spent on the Nortel campus?,” said Kenny, the former chairman of the senate committee. [...]
Stephen Staples, a vocal critic of what he argues is excessive military spending, says DND’s bureaucracy views its job as protecting MacKay, not looking out for taxpayers. “I don’t know what’s worse — the minister using a government jet to fly to a lobster dinner or the Chief of the Defence Staff trying to justify it,” said Staples, president of the Rideau Institute. “Don’t these people know thousands of Canadians have lost their jobs and are in no mood for this type of extravagance?’
Staples said Canadians should be concerned with the growing secrecy since DND spends $20 billion annually.
Photo credit: DND
Canadian Forces, David Pugliese, Defence spending, Military spending, Peter MacKay, Steven Staples
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8. Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade
http://coat.ncf.ca/P4C.htm
COAT began in 1989 to expose and oppose Canada's largest weapons bazaar. (Earlyhistory.)
COAT's first campaign led to Ottawa City Council's 20-year ban on hosting arms bazaars on City property. For two decades, COAT has published Press for Conversion! magazine, organized peace rallies, vigils, conferences and campaigns against the arms trade, military air shows and Canada's role in US-led wars and regime changes.
Please join COAT in debunking the prevailing MYTH that Canada is a global force for peace.
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9. War Radio and the Militarization of Canadian Culture
http://www.behindthenumbers.ca/2011/12/02/
war-radio-and-the-militarization-of-canadian-culture/
December 2nd, 2011 Bob Hackett · 3 Comments · International Relations, Military, Peace & Conflict, Media
“The deformed human mind is the ultimate doomsday weapon.”
I was reminded of this chilling warning from the late British historian E.P. Thompson, while listening to Rex Murphy’s Cross-Country Checkup on CBC Radio on November 20.
Murphy was interviewing Terry Glavin, a B.C. author, about Glavin’s latest book, one endorsing Canada’s so-called “mission” in Afghanistan. Murphy was little less than fawning in his praise of the book’s refutation of all those silly notions of imperialism.
That’s pretty standard MediaThink. But what really got my attention was Murphy’s handling of his first telephone caller, a military man from Winnipeg. Addressing the theme of whether the “mission” was worth it, the caller said, in effect, that the “mission” was good for the Canadian Forces, because it gave them a chance to put their training and the tools of their trade to a practical test.
Think about it. Dispense with the euphemism “mission,” and what he is saying is this: Invasion, bombing and war, the massive organized spending of blood and treasure, are just fine, because they provide the military with the opportunity to try out its weapons.
That’s like wishing for the return of cannibalism so that we can test our new dentures.
Murphy utterly failed to question or challenge such a claim – surely an obscenity by any decent human standard – and contented himself with thanking the caller for his service.
As the internationally respected Norwegian peace scholar Johan Galtung has tirelessly argued, the trajectory of war starts long before the first shot is fired. It begins with euphemisms, lies, the glorification of combat, desensitization to violence, a process of “othering” vis-à-vis a designated enemy. Cultural violence lays the groundwork for the physical violence of war.
Since the 9/11 terror attacks and particularly the advent of the Harper government, there has been a conscious effort to militarize Canada’s culture. Have you ever wondered why recent official Canada Day celebrations are festooned with tanks and military equipment on which young people are invited to play? Why the government is promoting the War of 1812 as a symbol of Canadian identity? Why professional hockey teams have special games honouring the military? Why the bombastic jingoistic hockey commentator Don Cherry was recently offered an honorary degree by Royal Military College? (Or for that matter, why he is on television in the first place?)
Since 2002, 158 brave Canadian men and women have died in the Afghan “mission”. Their deaths have received prominent and suitably respectful treatment in the Canadian media. But how much do we hear about the approximately one thousand Canadian workers who die on the job every year? Making their deaths part of the regular news agenda might raise questions about where our priorities should really lie – intervening in a civil war halfway around the globe, or strengthening workplace safety and workers’ rights here at home?
How far has Canada regressed in the last ten years towards sentiments like the following:
“War alone brings up to its highest tension all human energy, and puts the stamp of nobility upon the peoples who have the courage to meet it. All other trials are substitutes, which never really put men into the position where they have to make the great decision – the alternatives of life or death.”
Who said that? Don Cherry? Nope, too many multi-syllable words. Sounds a bit closer to Rex Murphy’s style – but actually, it’s a quote from the Italian fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini. Not exactly a friend of democracy or a prophet of a hopeful human future.
For Canadians who do care about democracy and a more hopeful future, there is a twofold task.
First, let’s wake up and smell the coffee. One need not be a pacifist – I am not – to recognize that there is a well-oiled campaign to lower the threshold at which war becomes a thinkable option. That campaign needs a counter-campaign in the terrain of culture – from exposing the economic and political interests behind militarism, to celebrating the courage and sacrifices of Canadian civilians who have worked for a more peaceful world.
Second, we also need a campaign to revitalize Canada’s public broadcaster, the CBC. As its advocates recognized eighty years ago, Canada needs a public broadcaster as part of a balanced media system; it serves democratic needs that commercial broadcasters alone generally do not. But CBC insiders, speaking off the record, confirm that the Mother Corp’s management has become “left-phobic,” terrified of upsetting the sensibilities of the Harper government. And that hampers the ability of CBC journalists to achieve their mandate of offering balanced opportunities for the expression of differing views on matters of public concern.
Clearly, we can’t count on the Rex Murphys and Don Cherrys of the airwaves to do it for us.
Bob Hackett
CCPA Research Associate
Simon Fraser University
- - - - - -
For MORE Blog Roundup
CCPA's national blog, Behind the Numbers, delivers timely, progressive commentary on issues that affect Canadians, including the economy, poverty, inequality, climate change, budgets, taxes, public services, employment and much more. Go behind the numbers with these latest posts:
For Some, Arrogance is Bliss, by Erika Shaker
War Radio and the Militarization of Canadian Culture, by Bob Hackett
Political Paralysis and Disaster Budgeting: Lessons from Toronto, by Hugh Mackenzie
The New Politics Initiative: Ten Years After, by Marc Lee
On climate, Canada is a rogue state, by Marc Lee
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10. World War III: The Launching of a Preemptive Nuclear War against Iran
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28026
by Michel Chossudovsky Global Research, December 4, 2011
The launching of an outright war using nuclear warheads against Iran has been on the active drawing board of the Pentagon since 2005.
If such a war were to be launched, the entire Middle East Central Asia region would flare up. Humanity would be precipitated into a World War III Scenario.
World War III is not front-page news. The mainstream media has excluded in-depth analysis and debate on the implications of these war plans.
The onslaught of World War III, were it to be carried out, would be casually described as a "no-fly zone", an operation under NATO's "Responsibility to Protect" (R2P) with minimal "collateral damage" or a "limited" punitive bombing against specific military targets, all of which purport to support "Global Security" as well as "democracy" and human rights in the targeted country.
Public opinion is largely unaware of the grave implications of these war plans, which contemplate the use of nuclear weapons, ironically in retaliation to Iran's nonexistent nuclear weapons program.
Moreover, 21st Century military technology is at an advanced stage of development combining an array of sophisticated weapons systems.
We are at the crossroads of the most serious crisis in World history.
The future of humanity is at stake.
The present situation is one of advanced war planning by a formidable military force using nuclear warheads.
The Pentagon’s global military design is one of world conquest.
The military deployment of US-NATO forces is occurring in several regions of the World simultaneously.
Militarization at the global level is instrumented through the US military's Unified Command structure: the entire planet is divided up into geographic Combatant Commands under the control of the Pentagon. According to (former) NATO Commander General Wesley Clark, the Pentagon’s military road-map consists of a sequence of war theaters: "[The] five-year campaign plan [includes]... a total of seven countries, beginning with Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iran, Somalia and Sudan."
Military action is waged in the name of the "Global War on Terrorism" and Global Security. It has a stated "humanitarian" "pro-democracy" mandate.
It is predicated on the notion that the West's arsenal of tactical nuclear weapons are (in contrast to those [nonexistent] of the Islamic Republic), according to expert scientific opinion on contract to the Pentagon, "harmless to the surrounding civilian population because the explosion is underground."
Irresponsible politicians are unaware of the implications of their actions. They believe their own war propaganda: nuclear weapons are heralded as an instrument of peace and democracy.
War is heralded as a peace-keeping making operation carried out with the support of the "international community".
The victims of war are described as the perpetrators. Iran and Syria constitute a threat to Global Security thereby justifying pre-emptive military action.
MORE:
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=28026
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11. US Repeatedly Shipped Arms to Egyptian Security Forces Despite Lethal Crackdown
http://paper.li/
LHubich?utm_source=subscription&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=paper_sub
Middle East and North Africa, Military, Police and Arms, Security and Human Rights | Posted by: Geoffrey Mock, December 8, 2011 at 1:14 PM
The Egyptian uprising is at a crucial point. A new cabinet is in power, a new parliament elected, but what it adds up to is all in the air, particularly with the military today making waves about how it will take a leading role in writing the new constitution.
The American reaction, both governmental and popular, hasn’t been entirely helpful. The latest distraction is panic over whether Islamists will use their electoral power to turn Egypt into another Iran. Nicholas Kristof today presents a compelling rebuttal as to why Egypt will not take that route.
No, the US has another, more positive role it can play: Focusing attention on human rights. And where it can start, according to a new Amnesty International report, is halting the transfer of arms shipments to Egypt that aids security forces’ violent crackdown on protesters.
U.S. arms shipments to Egypt’s security forces must be stopped until there is certainty that tear gas and other munitions, weaponry or other equipment are not linked to bloodshed on Egyptian streets.
We know of three significant shipments by the US company Combined Systems Inc. over the past year. In other words, these sales occurred during a time in which Egyptian military and security forces used excessive and lethal force in repeated crackdowns on protesters.
The most recent shipment for the Egyptian Ministry of Interior arrived from the United States on November 26, carrying at least seven tons of ammunition smoke, which includes chemical irritants and riot control agents such as tear gas.
On August 8, another shipment of 35,793 pounds of ammunition was loaded from New York and transferred to Port Said in Egypt.
On April 8, Combined Systems, Inc. shipped 42,035 pounds of ammunition from the port of Wilmington, N.C. to the Egyptian port of Suez.
The human rights record of Egyptian security forces in responding to protests deserves wide censure. During the Jan. 25 uprising, at least 840 people were killed and around 6,500 were injured. As recently as November, protesters demanding that the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces keep their promises to deliver political and human rights reform were violently dispersed with tear gas. At least two dozen people were killed and hundreds more injured.
Many of the cartridges and grenades picked up by protestors in Tahrir Square were US-made tear gas, including those marked Combined Systems Inc. or Combined Tactical Systems, which is the company’s law enforcement division.
Calling for a halt of arms shipments is a step that Amnesty International takes rarely and only after careful documentation. But precisely because Egypt is at a crucial point and because to date the Egyptian security forces show little sign of being trained in accordance with international standards on the use of force, the time is right for the US to take dramatic steps.
Tags: arms sales, arms shipments, egypt, January 25 uprising, protests, tear gas, united states, use of force
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- Site Admin
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NUKE NEWS: Dec. 13, 2011
by Oscar » Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:21 pm
NUKE NEWS: Dec. 13, 2011
1. WIN! Bruce Power abandons plan for nuclear power plant in Alberta
2. Walkerton considering nuclear waste dump
3. North Shore communities gathering information on possible nuclear waste repository
4. Radioactive water spilled at Point Lepreau nuclear power plant in New Brunswick
5. Areva to cut up to 1,500 jobs in Germany
6. First India International Nuclear Symposium (IINS) - February 2012
7. Hiroshima Day: America Has Been Asleep at the Wheel for 64 Years
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1. WIN! Bruce Power abandons plan for nuclear power plant in Alberta
http://canadians.org/blog/?p=12765
December 13, 2011
CBC reports, "Bruce Power announced Monday it will no longer go ahead with a controversial nuclear power plant proposed for Peace River, Alta. ...The company wanted to build Alberta's first nuclear power plant on a site outside Peace River, about 480 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The first site, located on Lac Cardinal, 30 kilometres west of the town, alarmed some residents who worried about its proximity to a freshwater aquifer that provides drinking water for the area. ...A second location, about 30 kilometres north of Peace River, was chosen two months later, but residents also worried about the site's impact on water and wildlife in the area. The company will now focus its attention on its Ontario operations, Hawthorne said."
The Summer 2009 issue of Canadian Perspectives features this article on the Council of Canadians Peace River chapter which formed to fight against this proposed nuclear power plant near their community,
http://www.canadians.org/publications/C ... rofile.pdf. In the article, Mandy Melnyk states, "One day I woke up and heard that the government was seriously proposing to build a nuclear plant in our region with Bruce Power. A bunch of us from the community came together to educate ourselves and connect with other people who had the resources we needed to learn more. We formed as a chapter because of this in August 2008 and became active in the Keep Alberta Nuclear Free coalition."
The Edmonton Journal adds, "Public consultation was done in 2009, with more than half of 3,600 respondents opposed to adding nuclear into the province’s energy mix. ...The Bruce Power proposal didn’t sit well with some residents of the region, including Denis Sauvageau, spokesman for the Peace River Environmental Society. His group fought the plan for years because of the risk something could eventually go wrong at the plant. ...'They’ve been pretty quiet for the last six months to a year here,' he said. 'I feel Alberta spoke up. We looked at this and said we really don’t want this going on in our backyard. There’s a lot of other options we need to exhaust before we consider nuclear.'"
The Council of Canadians rejects nuclear power because it poses an unacceptable risk to people and the environment. It is neither clean, safe, peaceful, nor economic. Staff and chapters are currently campaigning against the proposed shipments of nuclear waste from the Bruce Power nuclear plant on the Great Lakes, the disposal of nuclear waste in Saskatchewan, the building of two new nuclear reactors on the north shore of Lake Ontario east of Toronto, and has expressed opposition to the relicensing of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station in New Brunswick.
Congratulations to everyone involved over the years to stop this nuclear power plant in Alberta.
Photo: Dr. Jim Harding and then-Prairies organizer Sheila Muxlow point to the proposed site for the nuclear power plant at Lac Cardinal.
http://www.canadians.org/publications/CP/2008/
autumn/CP_autumn_08_10.html
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Bruce Power Will Not Proceed With Nuclear Option in Alberta
----- Original Message -----
From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 9:15 PM
Subject: Bruce Power Will Not Proceed With Nuclear Option in Alberta
Background:
It is a tribute to the hard work and intelligent criticism of the citizens of Alberta -- North, South, and Central -- that the project to build nuclear reactors in the Peace River area has been unceremoniously scrapped.
It bears out the claim that some critics made from the beginning, that the building of nuclear reactors in Northern Alberta would only truly benefit the reactor salesmen, who desperately wanted to build a nuclear reactor somewhere -- anywhere! -- in North America to facilitate sales to other countries around the world.
Special thanks must go to the dedicated citizens in various locations who worked tirelessly to educate their fellow citizens of the inherent dangers of nuclear power, as manifested most dramatically by the explosive self-destruction of 4 reactors in Japan earlier this year.
Thanks too to the professional people who volunteered their time to point out essential features of the nuclear gamble and point the citizens of Alberta towards reliable sources of information independent of the promoters of nuclear power. In particular, Heinz-Peter Jurgen, Jim Harding, Helen Caldicott, Jack Century, and Paul Gunter, to mention a few.
As president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) I was proud to play a role in this successful struggle.
Gordon Edwards.
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Bruce Power Will Not Proceed With Nuclear Option in Alberta
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/
bruce-power-will-not-proceed-with-nuclear-option-in-alberta-1597569.htm
Bruce Power Media Release, December 12, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/6wwurzv
PEACE RIVER, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Dec. 12, 2011) - Bruce Power has decided it will no longer advance the option for a new nuclear plant in Alberta that has been under consideration by the company since 2007.
"Throughout our existence at Bruce Power we've looked at a number of potential business development opportunities," said Duncan Hawthorne, Bruce Power's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We've decided the new nuclear option in Alberta is not something our company will be progressing further."
When Units 1 and 2 return to service in 2012, Bruce Power, Canada's only private nuclear power generating station, will operate the largest nuclear facility in the world, its eight units producing a quarter of Ontario's electricity and half of the nuclear power in Ontario.
"Innovative businesses develop and consider new opportunities, but we've made a business decision to continue to put our full focus on the safe, reliable operations and ambitious investment program on our Bruce site," Hawthorne said.
Since late-2007, when Bruce Power acquired Energy Alberta, the company has become known in Alberta and Peace Country, developing and evaluating the possibility of building a new nuclear facility to power Alberta's growing economy.
"I'd like to thank the many people in Peace Country who stood with us to investigate an option for Alberta's energy future and for welcoming us into your community," Hawthorne said. "I have no doubt there will come a day when nuclear will have a place in a balanced supply mix in Alberta."
The Alberta government also opened the door to considering the nuclear option, under some conditions, following a public consultation process throughout the province. After extensive analysis and environmental studies, Bruce Power also identified an ideal site.
"There is no question, the option for a new nuclear facility in Peace Country and in Alberta is a strong one and will be an important consideration moving forward," Hawthorne said. "Over the last several years, we've had strong support from a number of elected officials and citizens in the community and that support continued to grow as the facts about nuclear power became known both in this community and throughout Alberta."
Bruce Power will continue to work with its investors and the Ontario Power Authority on the feasibility of securing 6,300 megawatts (MW) from the Bruce site following the successful restart of Units 1 and 2 in 2012, which will inject another 1,500 MW of baseload generation into the Ontario market.
About Bruce Power
Bruce Power is a partnership among Cameco Corporation, TransCanada Corporation, BPC Generation Infrastructure Trust (a trust established by the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System) the Power Workers' Union and The Society of Energy Professionals.
Contact Information
Bruce Power John Peevers 519-386-3799 john.peevers@brucepower.com
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2. Walkerton considering nuclear waste dump
http://canadians.org/blog/?p=12771
By Brent Patterson, Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
The front-page of the Ottawa Citizen reports, “Walkerton, the Ontario town known for contaminated water that killed seven and sickened 2,300 residents 11 years ago, is investigating whether to take all of Canada’s waste uranium fuel, forever. In May of 2000, the town’s drinking water was contaminated with E. coli bacteria from farm run-off and the name Walkerton has since become a byword for lethal pollution caused by human carelessness. The town has since amalgamated with two nearby townships under the name Brockton.”
“A cautious announcement says Brockton isn’t officially in the running (for a permanent disposal site for the spent fuel from 40 years of nuclear power generation). It has entered only the first of a nine-step process that could take 10 years, committed for now only to ‘learning more’ about the waste disposal.”
“Saugeen Shores, a town even closer to the Bruce nuclear plant, has also taken this same tentative first step. Mayor Mike Smith of Saugeen said last week that the nuclear facility was a natural fit for the 12,000-person community, which is about 30 kilometres from the Bruce site.”
“The fuel is now stored in containers above ground at the reactor sites. The final disposal is designed to be some 500 metres below ground, and must be in a location where that depth is completely sealed off from surface water and well water by natural geology.”
“Concerned Walkerton Citizens warns against accepting the nuclear waste too quickly.” Spokesperson Bruce Davidson says, “It’s rather interesting that if you tried to put a windmill anywhere you might be tarred and feathered. But let’s bury the nuclear waste?”
For a Council of Canadians blog from Sunday noting a Canadian Press report on Brockton and Saugeen Shores - both Lake Huron communities - considering the nuclear waste dump, please go to
http://canadians.org/blog/?p=12708.
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3. North Shore communities gathering information on possible nuclear waste repository
http://www.elliotlakestandard.ca/Articl ... ?e=3396796
By KEVIN McSHEFFREY December 7, 2011
Elliot Lake could see a bright future if a potential development being examined by the Elliot Lake and North Shore Corporation for Business Development (ELNOS) comes to fruition.
On Nov. 16-17, a delegation of 21 business and community leaders from Elliot Lake, Blind River, the Township of the North Shore and Serpent River First Nation attended an information session in Toronto, hosted by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
The information in the presentation was regarding the NWMO's Deep Geological Repository Program. The program is seeking long-term storage for Canada's growing amount of high-level spent nuclear fuel bundles.
William Elliott, ELNOS general manager who is gathering information for the region, says on the first day of the initial information session, they met with NWMO staff and were briefed on the program. On the second day, they toured the Darlington nuclear facility and temporary storage site, located about 70 kilometres east of Toronto.
"It was very informative," Elliott says.
Elliott adds the NWMO staff was surprised by the size of the group, which was the largest they have had. They also liked that it was not just one municipality seeking the initial information, but several municipalities in a region.
MORE:
http://www.elliotlakestandard.ca/Articl ... ?e=3396796
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4. Radioactive water spilled at Point Lepreau nuclear power plant in New Brunswick
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/
radioactive-water-spilled-at-point-lepreau-nuclear-power-plant-in-new-brunswick-135542773.html
The Canadian Press, December 13 2011
http://tinyurl.com/89ttek3
LEPREAU, N.B. - Radioactive heavy water spilled Tuesday evening at the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant in New Brunswick.
Kathleen Duguay, a spokeswoman for NB Power, said the spill occurred in the reactor building.
She didn't know the exact amount, but said it was "minute."
"It was a small spill. It was all cleaned up immediately," she said.
Duguay said no one was hurt.
The spill occurred as the reactor's moderator system was being filled with heavy water as part of NB Power's plan to restart the generating station, which has been undergoing a lengthy and expensive refit.
Duguay said the spill was detected by radiation monitoring equipment and the reactor building was evacuated immediately.
She said workers in the area were wearing protective suits at the time and were not exposed.
The cause of the accident wasn't known. [ . . . . ]
= = = = = = = = =
5. Areva to cut up to 1,500 jobs in Germany
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/
61729--areva-to-cut-up-to-1-500-jobs-in-germany
By GREG KELLER, AP Business Writer, December 13 2011
PARIS (AP) -- France's state-controlled nuclear giant Areva announced plans Tuesday to cut jobs and suspend projects around the world as part of a five-year turnaround plan, aimed at returning to profit after posting a massive financial loss in 2011.
Areva's new chief executive Luc Oursel told a meeting of financial analysts that Areva plans to cut up to 1,500 jobs in Germany and has suspended a controversial nuclear enrichment plant project in Idaho in the U.S. in a bid to offset losses this year that could reach euro1.6 billion ($2.12 billion).
Oursel said that the German job cuts were necessary following the German government's decision to shut down eight nuclear reactors and progressively phase out the remaining nine reactors between 2015 and 2022.
Germany represents 6 percent of Areva's order book of euro44 billion.
Areva will not resort to mass layoffs in France but has instated a hiring freeze on support jobs such as information technology. Areva employs 8,000 people in support functions, including 6,000 in France. French support employees retiring or leaving the company for other reasons will not be replaced, Oursel said. He declined to put a figure on the number of jobs this policy could eliminate from the group's headcount.
At the same time Areva is suspending a number of projects around the globe, including the Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility near Idaho Falls.
Areva won a U.S. license to build and operate the planned $3 billion gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant in Idaho in October, a key step in the company's plans to expand production of nuclear fuel in the United States.
The plant would have been used to enrich uranium for use in the manufacture of nuclear fuel for commercial power reactors and was planned to be in operation by 2014. A final decision on the project had been on hold pending the review of Areva's capital investments undertaken by Oursel and his new management team. Oursel took the helm in June.
Oursel said Areva would cut its total investments by 34 percent to euro 7.7 billion over the 2012-2016 period, down from euro 11.6 billion over 2007-2011.
Areva's shares rose 1.1 percent to euro 19.41 in midday trading on the Paris stock exchange.
Areva said Monday it will post a massive full-year loss in 2011 because it had to set aside more than euro 2 billion ($2.65 billion) to deal with the impacts of a troubled mining project in Namibia and Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster in March.
Areva said it expects to make an operating loss of between euro 1.4 billion and euro 1.6 billion this year, compared to a profit of euro 883 million in 2010. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
6. First India International Nuclear Symposium (IINS) - February 2012
http://www.wna-symposium.org/india/index.html
Registration is now open for the first India International Nuclear Symposium (IINS) to be organised by the World Nuclear Association in New Delhi next February.
Confirmed Key Speakers
Srikumar Banerjee (Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission)
Anil Kakodkar (ex Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission)
Luc Oursel (CEO of Areva)
Aris Candris (CEO of Westinghouse)
Caroline Reda (CEO of GE-Hitachi)
Key Topics
Supply Chain Development, Nuclear Fuel Issues and Building Resoures for the Nuclear Future.
Click here for full details of the India International Nuclear Symposium.
Comments From Our Members
WNA initiatives in India can be a real contribution to our nuclear expansion nationally
and globally.
S.K. Jain, Chairman & CMD of NPCIL
The onset of WNA activities here symbolizes India’s full emergence into the global nuclear industry.
Luc Oursel, CEO of Areva
GE-Hitachi expects WNA’s Symposium to become a preeminent nuclear industry forum.
WNA Board Member Caroline Reda, CEO of GE-Hitachi
Combining WNA’s Symposium with activities of WNA Working Groups yields value and efficiency.
WNA Board Member Aris Candris, CEO of Westinghouse
Kind regards,
Julia Deere, Events Manager
iins_symposium@world-nuclear.org
World Nuclear Association
Carlton House, 22a St. James's Square, London SW1Y 4JH, UK
t: +44 (0) 20 7451 1521 | f: +44 (0) 20 7839 1501
www.world-nuclear.org | www.world-nuclear-news.org | www.world-nuclear-university.org
Copyright © 2011, World Nuclear Association, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
World Nuclear Association, Carlton House, 22a St James's Square, London SW1Y4JH
- - - - - -
----- Original Message -----
From: Elaine Hughes
To: iins_symposium@world-nuclear.org
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 11:45 AM
Subject: India International Nuclear Symposium
Ms Deere -
During your busy life, have you ever really thought about uranium?
And, how, besides energy to run our computers, power plants also produce the material to make nuclear bombs and Depleted Uranium which killed thousands of Iraqi children and will kill American, British and Canadian troops who were there, too?
Uranium is NOT chalk or cheese - in ALL its forms, it kills what it touches!
Do you ever think of any of that while organizing your nuclear symposiums???
Respectfully,
Elaine Hughes
Archerwill SK Canada
= = = = = = =
7. Hiroshima Day: America Has Been Asleep at the Wheel for 64 Years
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/
20090805_hiroshima_day_america_has_been_asleep_at_the_wheel_for_64_years/
Posted on Aug. 5, 2009 By Daniel Ellsberg
It was a hot August day in Detroit. I was standing on a street corner downtown, looking at the front page of The Detroit News in a news rack. I remember a streetcar rattling by on the tracks as I read the headline: A single American bomb had destroyed a Japanese city. My first thought was that I knew exactly what that bomb was. It was the U-235 bomb we had discussed in school and written papers about, the previous fall.
I thought: "We got it first. And we used it. On a city."
MORE:
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/
20090805_hiroshima_day_america_has_been_asleep_at_the_wheel_for_64_years/
1. WIN! Bruce Power abandons plan for nuclear power plant in Alberta
2. Walkerton considering nuclear waste dump
3. North Shore communities gathering information on possible nuclear waste repository
4. Radioactive water spilled at Point Lepreau nuclear power plant in New Brunswick
5. Areva to cut up to 1,500 jobs in Germany
6. First India International Nuclear Symposium (IINS) - February 2012
7. Hiroshima Day: America Has Been Asleep at the Wheel for 64 Years
= = = = = = =
1. WIN! Bruce Power abandons plan for nuclear power plant in Alberta
http://canadians.org/blog/?p=12765
December 13, 2011
CBC reports, "Bruce Power announced Monday it will no longer go ahead with a controversial nuclear power plant proposed for Peace River, Alta. ...The company wanted to build Alberta's first nuclear power plant on a site outside Peace River, about 480 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The first site, located on Lac Cardinal, 30 kilometres west of the town, alarmed some residents who worried about its proximity to a freshwater aquifer that provides drinking water for the area. ...A second location, about 30 kilometres north of Peace River, was chosen two months later, but residents also worried about the site's impact on water and wildlife in the area. The company will now focus its attention on its Ontario operations, Hawthorne said."
The Summer 2009 issue of Canadian Perspectives features this article on the Council of Canadians Peace River chapter which formed to fight against this proposed nuclear power plant near their community,
http://www.canadians.org/publications/C ... rofile.pdf. In the article, Mandy Melnyk states, "One day I woke up and heard that the government was seriously proposing to build a nuclear plant in our region with Bruce Power. A bunch of us from the community came together to educate ourselves and connect with other people who had the resources we needed to learn more. We formed as a chapter because of this in August 2008 and became active in the Keep Alberta Nuclear Free coalition."
The Edmonton Journal adds, "Public consultation was done in 2009, with more than half of 3,600 respondents opposed to adding nuclear into the province’s energy mix. ...The Bruce Power proposal didn’t sit well with some residents of the region, including Denis Sauvageau, spokesman for the Peace River Environmental Society. His group fought the plan for years because of the risk something could eventually go wrong at the plant. ...'They’ve been pretty quiet for the last six months to a year here,' he said. 'I feel Alberta spoke up. We looked at this and said we really don’t want this going on in our backyard. There’s a lot of other options we need to exhaust before we consider nuclear.'"
The Council of Canadians rejects nuclear power because it poses an unacceptable risk to people and the environment. It is neither clean, safe, peaceful, nor economic. Staff and chapters are currently campaigning against the proposed shipments of nuclear waste from the Bruce Power nuclear plant on the Great Lakes, the disposal of nuclear waste in Saskatchewan, the building of two new nuclear reactors on the north shore of Lake Ontario east of Toronto, and has expressed opposition to the relicensing of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station in New Brunswick.
Congratulations to everyone involved over the years to stop this nuclear power plant in Alberta.
Photo: Dr. Jim Harding and then-Prairies organizer Sheila Muxlow point to the proposed site for the nuclear power plant at Lac Cardinal.
http://www.canadians.org/publications/CP/2008/
autumn/CP_autumn_08_10.html
- - - - - - - -
Bruce Power Will Not Proceed With Nuclear Option in Alberta
----- Original Message -----
From: Gordon Edwards
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2011 9:15 PM
Subject: Bruce Power Will Not Proceed With Nuclear Option in Alberta
Background:
It is a tribute to the hard work and intelligent criticism of the citizens of Alberta -- North, South, and Central -- that the project to build nuclear reactors in the Peace River area has been unceremoniously scrapped.
It bears out the claim that some critics made from the beginning, that the building of nuclear reactors in Northern Alberta would only truly benefit the reactor salesmen, who desperately wanted to build a nuclear reactor somewhere -- anywhere! -- in North America to facilitate sales to other countries around the world.
Special thanks must go to the dedicated citizens in various locations who worked tirelessly to educate their fellow citizens of the inherent dangers of nuclear power, as manifested most dramatically by the explosive self-destruction of 4 reactors in Japan earlier this year.
Thanks too to the professional people who volunteered their time to point out essential features of the nuclear gamble and point the citizens of Alberta towards reliable sources of information independent of the promoters of nuclear power. In particular, Heinz-Peter Jurgen, Jim Harding, Helen Caldicott, Jack Century, and Paul Gunter, to mention a few.
As president of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR) I was proud to play a role in this successful struggle.
Gordon Edwards.
------------------------------------------
Bruce Power Will Not Proceed With Nuclear Option in Alberta
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/
bruce-power-will-not-proceed-with-nuclear-option-in-alberta-1597569.htm
Bruce Power Media Release, December 12, 2011
http://tinyurl.com/6wwurzv
PEACE RIVER, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Dec. 12, 2011) - Bruce Power has decided it will no longer advance the option for a new nuclear plant in Alberta that has been under consideration by the company since 2007.
"Throughout our existence at Bruce Power we've looked at a number of potential business development opportunities," said Duncan Hawthorne, Bruce Power's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We've decided the new nuclear option in Alberta is not something our company will be progressing further."
When Units 1 and 2 return to service in 2012, Bruce Power, Canada's only private nuclear power generating station, will operate the largest nuclear facility in the world, its eight units producing a quarter of Ontario's electricity and half of the nuclear power in Ontario.
"Innovative businesses develop and consider new opportunities, but we've made a business decision to continue to put our full focus on the safe, reliable operations and ambitious investment program on our Bruce site," Hawthorne said.
Since late-2007, when Bruce Power acquired Energy Alberta, the company has become known in Alberta and Peace Country, developing and evaluating the possibility of building a new nuclear facility to power Alberta's growing economy.
"I'd like to thank the many people in Peace Country who stood with us to investigate an option for Alberta's energy future and for welcoming us into your community," Hawthorne said. "I have no doubt there will come a day when nuclear will have a place in a balanced supply mix in Alberta."
The Alberta government also opened the door to considering the nuclear option, under some conditions, following a public consultation process throughout the province. After extensive analysis and environmental studies, Bruce Power also identified an ideal site.
"There is no question, the option for a new nuclear facility in Peace Country and in Alberta is a strong one and will be an important consideration moving forward," Hawthorne said. "Over the last several years, we've had strong support from a number of elected officials and citizens in the community and that support continued to grow as the facts about nuclear power became known both in this community and throughout Alberta."
Bruce Power will continue to work with its investors and the Ontario Power Authority on the feasibility of securing 6,300 megawatts (MW) from the Bruce site following the successful restart of Units 1 and 2 in 2012, which will inject another 1,500 MW of baseload generation into the Ontario market.
About Bruce Power
Bruce Power is a partnership among Cameco Corporation, TransCanada Corporation, BPC Generation Infrastructure Trust (a trust established by the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System) the Power Workers' Union and The Society of Energy Professionals.
Contact Information
Bruce Power John Peevers 519-386-3799 john.peevers@brucepower.com
= = = = = = =
2. Walkerton considering nuclear waste dump
http://canadians.org/blog/?p=12771
By Brent Patterson, Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
The front-page of the Ottawa Citizen reports, “Walkerton, the Ontario town known for contaminated water that killed seven and sickened 2,300 residents 11 years ago, is investigating whether to take all of Canada’s waste uranium fuel, forever. In May of 2000, the town’s drinking water was contaminated with E. coli bacteria from farm run-off and the name Walkerton has since become a byword for lethal pollution caused by human carelessness. The town has since amalgamated with two nearby townships under the name Brockton.”
“A cautious announcement says Brockton isn’t officially in the running (for a permanent disposal site for the spent fuel from 40 years of nuclear power generation). It has entered only the first of a nine-step process that could take 10 years, committed for now only to ‘learning more’ about the waste disposal.”
“Saugeen Shores, a town even closer to the Bruce nuclear plant, has also taken this same tentative first step. Mayor Mike Smith of Saugeen said last week that the nuclear facility was a natural fit for the 12,000-person community, which is about 30 kilometres from the Bruce site.”
“The fuel is now stored in containers above ground at the reactor sites. The final disposal is designed to be some 500 metres below ground, and must be in a location where that depth is completely sealed off from surface water and well water by natural geology.”
“Concerned Walkerton Citizens warns against accepting the nuclear waste too quickly.” Spokesperson Bruce Davidson says, “It’s rather interesting that if you tried to put a windmill anywhere you might be tarred and feathered. But let’s bury the nuclear waste?”
For a Council of Canadians blog from Sunday noting a Canadian Press report on Brockton and Saugeen Shores - both Lake Huron communities - considering the nuclear waste dump, please go to
http://canadians.org/blog/?p=12708.
= = = = = = =
3. North Shore communities gathering information on possible nuclear waste repository
http://www.elliotlakestandard.ca/Articl ... ?e=3396796
By KEVIN McSHEFFREY December 7, 2011
Elliot Lake could see a bright future if a potential development being examined by the Elliot Lake and North Shore Corporation for Business Development (ELNOS) comes to fruition.
On Nov. 16-17, a delegation of 21 business and community leaders from Elliot Lake, Blind River, the Township of the North Shore and Serpent River First Nation attended an information session in Toronto, hosted by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
The information in the presentation was regarding the NWMO's Deep Geological Repository Program. The program is seeking long-term storage for Canada's growing amount of high-level spent nuclear fuel bundles.
William Elliott, ELNOS general manager who is gathering information for the region, says on the first day of the initial information session, they met with NWMO staff and were briefed on the program. On the second day, they toured the Darlington nuclear facility and temporary storage site, located about 70 kilometres east of Toronto.
"It was very informative," Elliott says.
Elliott adds the NWMO staff was surprised by the size of the group, which was the largest they have had. They also liked that it was not just one municipality seeking the initial information, but several municipalities in a region.
MORE:
http://www.elliotlakestandard.ca/Articl ... ?e=3396796
= = = = = = = = =
4. Radioactive water spilled at Point Lepreau nuclear power plant in New Brunswick
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/
radioactive-water-spilled-at-point-lepreau-nuclear-power-plant-in-new-brunswick-135542773.html
The Canadian Press, December 13 2011
http://tinyurl.com/89ttek3
LEPREAU, N.B. - Radioactive heavy water spilled Tuesday evening at the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant in New Brunswick.
Kathleen Duguay, a spokeswoman for NB Power, said the spill occurred in the reactor building.
She didn't know the exact amount, but said it was "minute."
"It was a small spill. It was all cleaned up immediately," she said.
Duguay said no one was hurt.
The spill occurred as the reactor's moderator system was being filled with heavy water as part of NB Power's plan to restart the generating station, which has been undergoing a lengthy and expensive refit.
Duguay said the spill was detected by radiation monitoring equipment and the reactor building was evacuated immediately.
She said workers in the area were wearing protective suits at the time and were not exposed.
The cause of the accident wasn't known. [ . . . . ]
= = = = = = = = =
5. Areva to cut up to 1,500 jobs in Germany
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/
61729--areva-to-cut-up-to-1-500-jobs-in-germany
By GREG KELLER, AP Business Writer, December 13 2011
PARIS (AP) -- France's state-controlled nuclear giant Areva announced plans Tuesday to cut jobs and suspend projects around the world as part of a five-year turnaround plan, aimed at returning to profit after posting a massive financial loss in 2011.
Areva's new chief executive Luc Oursel told a meeting of financial analysts that Areva plans to cut up to 1,500 jobs in Germany and has suspended a controversial nuclear enrichment plant project in Idaho in the U.S. in a bid to offset losses this year that could reach euro1.6 billion ($2.12 billion).
Oursel said that the German job cuts were necessary following the German government's decision to shut down eight nuclear reactors and progressively phase out the remaining nine reactors between 2015 and 2022.
Germany represents 6 percent of Areva's order book of euro44 billion.
Areva will not resort to mass layoffs in France but has instated a hiring freeze on support jobs such as information technology. Areva employs 8,000 people in support functions, including 6,000 in France. French support employees retiring or leaving the company for other reasons will not be replaced, Oursel said. He declined to put a figure on the number of jobs this policy could eliminate from the group's headcount.
At the same time Areva is suspending a number of projects around the globe, including the Eagle Rock Enrichment Facility near Idaho Falls.
Areva won a U.S. license to build and operate the planned $3 billion gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant in Idaho in October, a key step in the company's plans to expand production of nuclear fuel in the United States.
The plant would have been used to enrich uranium for use in the manufacture of nuclear fuel for commercial power reactors and was planned to be in operation by 2014. A final decision on the project had been on hold pending the review of Areva's capital investments undertaken by Oursel and his new management team. Oursel took the helm in June.
Oursel said Areva would cut its total investments by 34 percent to euro 7.7 billion over the 2012-2016 period, down from euro 11.6 billion over 2007-2011.
Areva's shares rose 1.1 percent to euro 19.41 in midday trading on the Paris stock exchange.
Areva said Monday it will post a massive full-year loss in 2011 because it had to set aside more than euro 2 billion ($2.65 billion) to deal with the impacts of a troubled mining project in Namibia and Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster in March.
Areva said it expects to make an operating loss of between euro 1.4 billion and euro 1.6 billion this year, compared to a profit of euro 883 million in 2010. [ . . . ]
= = = = = = = =
6. First India International Nuclear Symposium (IINS) - February 2012
http://www.wna-symposium.org/india/index.html
Registration is now open for the first India International Nuclear Symposium (IINS) to be organised by the World Nuclear Association in New Delhi next February.
Confirmed Key Speakers
Srikumar Banerjee (Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission)
Anil Kakodkar (ex Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission)
Luc Oursel (CEO of Areva)
Aris Candris (CEO of Westinghouse)
Caroline Reda (CEO of GE-Hitachi)
Key Topics
Supply Chain Development, Nuclear Fuel Issues and Building Resoures for the Nuclear Future.
Click here for full details of the India International Nuclear Symposium.
Comments From Our Members
WNA initiatives in India can be a real contribution to our nuclear expansion nationally
and globally.
S.K. Jain, Chairman & CMD of NPCIL
The onset of WNA activities here symbolizes India’s full emergence into the global nuclear industry.
Luc Oursel, CEO of Areva
GE-Hitachi expects WNA’s Symposium to become a preeminent nuclear industry forum.
WNA Board Member Caroline Reda, CEO of GE-Hitachi
Combining WNA’s Symposium with activities of WNA Working Groups yields value and efficiency.
WNA Board Member Aris Candris, CEO of Westinghouse
Kind regards,
Julia Deere, Events Manager
iins_symposium@world-nuclear.org
World Nuclear Association
Carlton House, 22a St. James's Square, London SW1Y 4JH, UK
t: +44 (0) 20 7451 1521 | f: +44 (0) 20 7839 1501
www.world-nuclear.org | www.world-nuclear-news.org | www.world-nuclear-university.org
Copyright © 2011, World Nuclear Association, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
World Nuclear Association, Carlton House, 22a St James's Square, London SW1Y4JH
- - - - - -
----- Original Message -----
From: Elaine Hughes
To: iins_symposium@world-nuclear.org
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 11:45 AM
Subject: India International Nuclear Symposium
Ms Deere -
During your busy life, have you ever really thought about uranium?
And, how, besides energy to run our computers, power plants also produce the material to make nuclear bombs and Depleted Uranium which killed thousands of Iraqi children and will kill American, British and Canadian troops who were there, too?
Uranium is NOT chalk or cheese - in ALL its forms, it kills what it touches!
Do you ever think of any of that while organizing your nuclear symposiums???
Respectfully,
Elaine Hughes
Archerwill SK Canada
= = = = = = =
7. Hiroshima Day: America Has Been Asleep at the Wheel for 64 Years
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/
20090805_hiroshima_day_america_has_been_asleep_at_the_wheel_for_64_years/
Posted on Aug. 5, 2009 By Daniel Ellsberg
It was a hot August day in Detroit. I was standing on a street corner downtown, looking at the front page of The Detroit News in a news rack. I remember a streetcar rattling by on the tracks as I read the headline: A single American bomb had destroyed a Japanese city. My first thought was that I knew exactly what that bomb was. It was the U-235 bomb we had discussed in school and written papers about, the previous fall.
I thought: "We got it first. And we used it. On a city."
MORE:
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/
20090805_hiroshima_day_america_has_been_asleep_at_the_wheel_for_64_years/
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