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Edward Kennedy’s legacy for clean energy, and a clean environment

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, champion of the environment and clean energy, dies at 77

Grist by Joseph Romm 26 August

“He was a great champion of progressive causes, and his death is a great loss,………..

His legacy on “Protecting the Environment and Promoting Energy Efficiency” is below.  How many Senators would even mention “energy efficiency” among their achievements?……

Promoting Energy Research and Development
In 2007, Senator Kennedy’s “America COMPETES Act” was passed by both chambers of Congress and sent to the White House to become law. That bill established an Advanced Research Projects Authority at the Department of Energy to be the focal point of federal efforts to support breakthrough research on new clean energy technologies.

In 2009, Senator Kennedy urged that funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act be used to build a wind blade technology testing facility in Massachusetts, and in May 2009, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that $25 million of such funds will be available for the project at the Autoport in Charlestown.

Improving Energy Efficiency
Senator Kennedy was a strong proponent of increasing energy efficiency, which is an essential part of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He was a long time supporter of programs like the weatherization assistance program and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program that helps those most in need reduce their energy bills by improving home energy efficiency.

…. Kennedy Fought to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Address Global Warming. During consideration of the FY 2002 Budget Resolution, Senator Kennedy cosponsored an amendment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address concerns related to global climate change. The amendment sought to promote voluntary programs for reducing emissions in the near term. In addition, Senator Kennedy’s amendment included provisions designed to assist developing countries in addressing the danger of global warming and specifically increased funding to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, the amendment provided additional funding for programs that assist U.S. businesses willing to export clean energy technologies to developing nations………

Kennedy Opposed the Permanent Nuclear Waste Storage Facility at Yucca Mountain. Senator Kennedy is a strong opponent of the plan to create a permanent storage facility for nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The potential for groundwater contamination from the site is yet to be determined, and the transfer of nuclear materials to Nevada from almost every state in the nation raises serious safety concerns. In addition, in March 2005, the Department of Energy admitted that falsified documents were used to ensure the credibility and safety of operations at Yucca Mountain. Until questions are resolved that will guarantee the health of both the public and the environment, it is irresponsible to approve a permanent storage site for nuclear waste.

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-08-26-senator-edward-m.-kennedy-champion-of-the-environment-and-clean-

August 27, 2009 Posted by | climate change, ENERGY, USA | , , | Leave a comment

New Doubts Over Nuclear Plant Safety

Startling Revelations About Three Mile Island Raise New Doubts Over Nuclear Plant Safety

Fooling with Disaster?

CounterPunch By SUE STURGIS April 2009

“…………………It was the single worst disaster ever to befall the U.S. nuclear power industry, and Thompson was hired as a health physics technician to go inside the plant and find out how dangerous the situation was. He spent 28 days monitoring radiation releases.

Today, his story about what he witnessed at Three Mile Island is being brought to the public in detail for the first time — and his version of what happened during that time, supported by a growing body of other scientific evidence, contradicts the official U.S. government story that the Three Mile Island accident posed no threat to the public. Continue reading →

August 27, 2009 Posted by | safety, USA | , , , , | Leave a comment

Malaysia: where would we put nuclear waste?

Where do we store nuclear waste?

The Sun2 Surf , Malaysia 27 August 09

THE sun has been the main energy source for all life on the planet for billions of years. In Malaysia, we are blessed with sunlight. Yet, our government is pushing for nuclear energy as if it is a safe energy alternative to save our planet from the perils of climate change.

The government seems to be brushing aside the hazards related to nuclear power plants, as if they were issues that didn’t exist or could easily be remedied in the near future………………….

From what I have seen, there is no detailed information available to the public on Malaysia’s nuclear plans. Where will the reactors be located? What type of reactors will be used? Who will be selling us the uranium to run the reactors? How much will it all cost and who will pay for it?

What about the waste generated from the proposed nuclear power plants? Where and how will Malaysia dispose its nuclear waste which remains radioactive for thousands of years…………….

….we do know that nuclear energy will produce highly radioactive waste, even if it is in small amounts, every day a nuclear plant is running. We do know that this highly radioactive waste must be disposed of somewhere on our finite planet. We do know that we have no technology to make this waste safe.

And as more countries build nuclear power plants, more of this waste is dumped into our Earth, the planet that sustains our lives.

It is unforgivable that we, as governments and responsible adults, knowingly create such dangerous waste, so that we can have “modern conveniences” today, without a concern for tomorrow.

We are already leaving our children with our legacy of global warming, and choking pollution. And now we wish to leave this massive mess of nuclear waste and closed reactor sites to our grandchildren, leaving them with  the burden of trying to figure out how to solve the problem that we ourselves had no idea how to solve.

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=37313

August 27, 2009 Posted by | ASIA, wastes | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Indigenous people fight uranium mining in the Grand Canyon

Havasupai Gather to Halt Uranium Mining in the Grand Canyon

Brenda Norrell | August 26, 2009

Indigenous Havasupai people held a gathering to stop uranium mining in the Grand Canyon and protect ancestral Havasupai Territory, at the south rim of the Grand Canyon, in July of 2009. Indigenous peoples and activists came from the four directions, from Arizona Hopi land and from as far away as Hawaii, to participate with sacred songs and ceremonies.

For four days, Havasupai elders gathered on sacred Red Butte and listened to the legacy of uranium mining on Indian lands. They heard directly from the victims of the trail of death and cancer left behind by uranium mining corporations that were never held responsible on Pueblo and Navajo lands in the Southwest United States. They also listened to the promise of solidarity from the hundreds who gathered here to stand with them: Navajos from Big Mountain, Hualapai, Hopi, Kaibab Paiute, Paiute, Aztecs, and other American Indians from throughout the Americas.

The Havasupai Nation, with the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, and Grand Canyon Trust, sponsored the gathering to halt uranium mining on Red Butte, July 23-26, 2009. Supai elders gave testimony for official U.S. records in their Havasupai (Pai) language and in English. Supai traditional singers sang as a camp was established on this mesa where Toronto-based Denison Mines is threatening to reopen a uranium mine.

Recent congressional legislation protects the Grand Canyon from new mining claims, but does not deter mining under existing claims held by Denison and others………………

………. “In Numbers, There is Strength”

During the panel, Larry King, Navajo from Church Rock, NM, told the gathering how he worked for the United Nuclear Corporation from 1975 to 1983 as an underground mine surveyor. King said he has lived all his life in Church Rock and still raises his cattle on the land where he grew up. Now, a community activist, he said Navajos in the communities of Church Rock, Pinedale, Coyote Canyon, and Iyanbito, NM, have suffered greatly from uranium mining.

…………… Speaking of the corporations who have contaminated this region for decades, Pino said, “Why would they want to mine uranium in one of the natural wonders of the world like the Grand Canyon? If they will mine uranium here, they will mine uranium anywhere. They have no heart, they have no soul.”

http://americas.irc-online.org/am/6386

August 27, 2009 Posted by | indigenous issues, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear plants are water-guzzlers

Nuclear Plant Water use vs. Other Electricity Generation, 20 – 83% higher

Green Data Center Blog 24 August 09 Found this Australia study on “water requirements of nuclear power stations”

Here is the conclusion.
Per megawatt existing nuclear power stations use and consume more water than power stations using other fuel sources. Depending on the cooling technology utilised, the water requirements for a nuclear power station can vary between 20 to 83 per cent more than for other power stations.

If you are curious on how much water gets used in power generation you can look at the chart on this site:

http://www.greenm3.com/2009/08/nuclear-plant-water-use-vs-other-electricity-generation-20-83-higher.html

August 27, 2009 Posted by | 2 WORLD, climate change, environment | , | Leave a comment

Uranium price “flat”

Flat outlook for uranium spot prices

Australian Mining 26 August 2009 | by Michael Mills

Equity research company Resource Capital Research (RCR) said it is not expecting any significant changes to uranium spot prices in the near term.

The uranium spot price is currently trading at US$47.50 per pound, down 8% from the US$52 three months ago.

At the end of December 2008, the prices were US$52.50 per pound.

…………. The long term contract uranium price is US$65.00 per pound, which is down from US$70 per pound price at December 2008.

http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/Article/Flat-outlook-for-uranium-spot-prices/495758.aspx

August 27, 2009 Posted by | business and costs | , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Fourth Generation’ Nuclear Power

ENERGY BULLETIN by Jim Green 25 August 09

‘Integral fast reactors’ and other ‘fourth generation’ nuclear power concepts have been gaining attention, in part because of comments by US climate scientist James Hansen.

…… There are two main problems……. nuclear power could at most make a modest contribution to climate change abatement, mainly because it is used almost exclusively for electricity generation which accounts for about one-quarter of global greenhouse emissions. Continue reading →

August 27, 2009 Posted by | 2 WORLD, ENERGY | , , , , , | Leave a comment