Anti-science legislators leading Utah down a rabbit hole

Sixty years after the first nuclear power plant began operation, scientific controversies about safety are at best still unresolved. Nuclear power proponents choose to ignore genuine handicaps for more nuclear power: the public-health consequence of ongoing release of radioactivity from all phases of the nuclear fuel cycle, huge water requirements, the potential for accidents and their liabilities, the unsolvable problem with waste storage, skyrocketing cost estimates of construction, maintenance and eventual dismantling of the plants………

………………. We have been led into the abyss of a dark economic future by breathtaking greed and conflicts of interest in the financial world and our own ignorance. Consider that lesson unlearned. We have elected to Utah’s Capitol Hill a quorum of science antagonists who are eager to lead us into an ecological abyss, exploiting our ignorance and wearing their own lack of scientific background and conflicts of interest as badges of honor…………………..

Is nuclear finally off the table? Mother Nature Network  Mar 12 2009

Alaska Natives protest uranium exploration on Iditarod Trail Atlantic Free Press  by Brenda Norrell Saturday, 14 March 2009 A Coalition of Alaskan Indigenous Peoples, Alaskan citizens, students and community organizations are demonstrating support for students protesting Uranium activity in the traditional cultural use areas near the Arctic Inupiat community of Elim. Alaskans from various organizations and communities gathered at the ceremonial start of the Iditarod on March 7th, downtown Anchorage, to demonstrate support for the students and community of Elim. Students in Elim will be protesting uranium as dog mushers race through the Elim checkpoint 123 miles from Nome.

Funny Murray, an Inupiaq Para-professional in Elim, says that the students are leading the effort to raise awareness on the uranium’s destructive impacts to the environment, ecosystem and people. “The Elim Students Against Uranium (ESAU) researched how uranium development can cause damage to the health of the environment, plants, animals and people. They (ESAU) are speaking up for environmental justice here in Elim, the Bering Sea and the Arctic.”

Carl Wassilie, a Yup’ik biologist for Alaska’s Big Village Network, says that any industrial activity like uranium exploration can have profound impacts on the Earth’s ecosystem, especially for people who continue to hunt and gather from the land and the water. One of the by-products of pulling uranium out of the Earth is radon gas, which can travel thousands of miles with a slight breeze and ‘falls out’ on the surface of the Earth into water systems, plants and animals. “Basically, people, birds, fish, caribou, moose and all animals living hundreds of miles away can get chronic and long-term exposure to radioactive fall-out that cause an array of health problems and cancer; especially vulnerable are elders, pregnant women and young children.”

Don’t reclassify nuclear power as ‘renewable’ Arizona Daily Star Tucson, Arizona  03.14.2009

‘Madame Non’ in battle to keep the nuclear hot seat FT.com UK By Peggy HollingerPublished: March 13 2009 02:00 “……………….The French government is nearing a decision on the future of Areva, its state-owned nuclear champion, and with it the fate of one of France’s most internationally recognised business figures.In recent weeks criticism has intensified over the chief executive of Areva, Ms Lauvergeon’s management of the group, which she has led since 1999. It has been fuelled by a series of mishaps that could jeopardise France’s proud boast to be the world’s leading player in the nuclear renaissance.

First there was the sudden decision in January by German partner Siemens to withdraw from a long-standing reactor venture, to set up a rival alliance with Russia’s Rosatom.

Then there was the revelation of a staggering €1.7bn ($2.2bn) loss on Areva’s first new generation EPR reactor in Finland, raising questions over the costs of the technology that will spearhead France’s nuclear ambitions…………………………..The setbacks come as the government reflects on how best to guarantee Areva’s future as a nuclear champion, while her relationship with Mr Sarkozy is strained.

TAKE-A-LOOK-France’s nuclear industry seeks global role REUTERS Mar 13, 2009

 The French nuclear industry aims to turn its decades-long experience in
building and running nuclear power stations into an export engine and the
country's companies are busy scoring contracts around the world as diminishing
reserves of oil and gas facilitate a rise in atomic energy.

 But waste and security issues keep nuclear energy a hot political potato and
not just another economic option for a country's energy needs.

 Reuters reporters cover the industry closely and detail its plans and
challenges in a series of articles involving EDF (EDF.PA), GDF Suez (GSZ.PA),
Areva (CEPFi.PA) and Alstom (ALSO.PA), among others.

  - (detailed list of articles follows)