2010 May 28 « nuclear-news

Emergency funds for U.S. troops to be diverted into propping up nuclear industry

Your actions now can stop $9 Billion in new nuke taxpayer loans! Nuclear Information and Resource Service – NIRS, 26 May. 2010, The Obama Administration is attempting to get $9 billion more in loans for new nuclear reactor construction this week. They’re trying to sneak this money on to an emergency supplemental funding bill intended to provide funds for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and to provide additional disaster relief money.But there is no emergency requiring new nuclear loans! Continue reading →

May 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

President Obama losing credibility on environment

In his State of the Union speech, President Obama called for “a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants.” After issuing $8 billion in nuclear energy loan guarantees in February, the administration is poised to announce another $9 billion for the nuclear energy industry. The Energy Department also just announced a $2 billion loan guarantee to French-owned Areva Inc. for construction of a uranium enrichment plant in Idaho after a ban on such private facilities since the 1970’s.

Are Obama’s Energy Plans Jinxed?, THE HUFFINGTON POST, D.A. Barber, 26 May 2010, President Obama’s inability — or unwillingness — to take control of the Gulf Coast oil disaster seems to be part of a larger pattern. Many environmentalists say they feel betrayed by a president they thought would end, or sharply limit, many environmental horrors of the past. Continue reading →

May 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | enriched, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment

USA govt still pushing nuclear energy as “clean”

Energy Secretary Steven Chu Announces $38 Million for 42 University-Led Nuclear Research and Development Projects, Nuclear Power Industry News, 28 May 2010, We are taking action to restart the nuclear industry as part of a broad approach to cut carbon pollution and create new clean energy jobs,” said Secretary Chu.

“These projects will help us develop the nuclear technologies of the future and move our domestic nuclear industry forward – Edited by April Murelio -U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has announced the selection of 42 university-led research and development projects for awards totaling $38 million. These projects, funded over three to four years through the Department’s Nuclear Energy University Program, will help advance nuclear education and develop the next generation of nuclear technologies.

May 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, climate change, nuclear costs, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

World’s biggest uranium mine will be at risk from earthquakes

Edward Cranswick, a geophysicist and expert on earthquakes, has warned the South Australian and federal governments of the earthquake danger for the Olympic Dam uranium mine area.

This risk has been ignored in BHP Billiton’s Environmental Impact Statement for its proposed gigantic expansion which would form the world’s biggest mining hole.

The Kalgoorlie Earthquake and the Proposed Olympic Dam Mine Expansion. by Edward Cranswick, 25 May 2010, BHP Billiton has proposed to dig the largest open pit mine on the Earth at Olympic Dam, 4.1 km long, 3.5 km wide, 1 km deep. As a geophysicist who investigated earthquakes for the US Geological Survey for 22 years [1], I strongly criticised BHP’s Olympic Dam Expansion Draft Environmental Impact Statement 2009 (ODXdEIS) [2] because it omitted consideration of seismicity, i.e., rockbursts or earthquakes, caused by open pit mining, despite the fact that seismic hazard is well-known in the Australian mining industry (Hudyma et al. 2003 [3], Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines (KCGM) [4]).

The recent Kalgoorlie Earthquake emphasises the probability and consequences of these seismic events as mines grow larger and deeper – the ODXdEIS needs to be re-evaluated because it does not address this issue at all. I discuss the connection between mining and seismicity and how it is obscured in Australia, particularly the seismic hazard of the Olympic Dam mine, and I make recommendations about these matters. Read on for the complete submission. Continue reading →

May 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, safety | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment

Iran reminds world of UN’s nuclear disarmament resolution

……....The UN General Assembly had approved a draft resolution proposed by Iran on nuclear disarmament in October 2009, amid strong opposition by the US, Britain, France, Israel.

Iran calls for immediate disarmament of nuclear states Politics News, May 27th, 2010 TEHRAN – Iran Thursday urged all countries to take serious steps to dismantle all nuclear weapons and called for setting a deadline in this regard by the international community. Continue reading →

May 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | antinuclear, disarmament, nuclear, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Russia not really trusting Iran on its nuclear deal

“Despite Russia’s years of efforts to resolve the nuclear dispute, the response from the Iranian side has been unsatisfactory,”

Russia Doubts Iran’s Commitment to Nuclear Deal | Asbarez Armenian NewsMOSCOW (Combined Sources) 27 May 2010,—Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced doubt on Thursday about whether Tehran would fulfill the terms of a deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey aimed at resolving the Iranian nuclear crisis. Continue reading →

May 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Iran, politics international | antinuclear, disarmament, nuclear, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

USA: National institute fro Renewable Technology launched

Green Technology -Innovate Texas Announces Formation of National Institute for Renewable Energy MCNet.com, 27 May By Calvin Azuri,

Innovate Texas Foundation, in collaboration with the Texas Tech University System and The Wind Alliance, have announced the formation of the National Institute for Renewable Energy (NIRE) at the Windpower 2010 Conference in Dallas. NIRE, an independent public-private collaboration formed to develop nation’s wind and renewable energy resources, will help in solving key scientific and technology challenges faced by the wind power industry.

Green Technology -Innovate Texas Announces Formation of National Institute for Renewable Energy

May 28, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, USA | climate change, global warming, renewable energy, renewables, solar, wind | Leave a comment