2010 July « nuclear-news

Why not adopt safer, non radiation, airport scanners?

Given that the two types of machines are both deemed effective by the T.S.A., why doesn’t the agency just abandon backscatters and use the millimeter wave machines, which don’t pose radiation issues?

Radiation Questions Over a Body Scanner – NYTimes.com. By JOE SHARKEY July 26, 2010“………travelers also do not fully trust the security agency’s assurances that the new machines are safe, that they can’t be defeated by a terrorist and that personal privacy will be protected — at least, to the extent the agency has claimed. Continue reading →

July 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Uranium processing costs soar

there are still “significant” issues hindering DOE from bringing projects to completion on time and within budget.

More questions about cost of UPF, Frank Munger’s Atomic City Underground | knoxnews.com, 26 July 2010, Todd Jacobson of Nuclear Weapons & Materials Monitor is reporting that the Government Accountability Office is raising concerns that the cost of the Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12 may reach or even exceed the top end of current estimates ($1.4 billion to $3.5 billion). Continue reading →

July 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Uranium, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment

Poland’s nuclear company’s volley of nuclear spin

State-controlled Polska Grupa Energety (PGE) is attempting to build public support for nuclear power.

PGE Sponsors Women’s Volleyball Team to Promote Polish Nuclear Power Plans; Bloomberg, By Nathaniel Espino – Jul 27, 2010 A Polish women’s volleyball team will change its name to Atom after receiving sponsorship from Polska Grupa Energetyczna SA, the country’s largest utility, which plans to build the country’s first nuclear power station. Continue reading →

July 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, spinbuster | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

New Brunswick – more delays on nuclear power plant

N.B. government asks feds to comment on nuclear delay – CTV News. The Canadian Press Jul. 26, 2010 FREDERICTON — New Brunswick’s energy minister says there are rumours of further delays in the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant Continue reading →

July 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Canada | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, uranium | Leave a comment

Australian Aboriginals’ legal challenge against nuclear waste dump

The traditional owners have launched a legal challenge against the federal government and the Northern Land Council over plans for the nuclear waste dump at Muckaty station, near Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.

Nuclear dump opposed by elders, Sydney Morning Herald, EDWINA SCOTT, July 26, 2010 Aboriginal landowners have protested in Resources Minister Martin Ferguson’s electorate to oppose the establishment of Australia’s first radioactive waste dump on their land. Continue reading →

July 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, indigenous issues | antinuclear, AUSTRALIA, indigenous, nuclear weapons, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Nuclear option for Gulf Oil Spill – potential for catastrophe

DEEP OIL WELL DRILLING ALWAYS BRINGS INCREASED LEVEL OF RADIOACTIVITY

BP NUCLEAR OPTION Spells Mega-Disaster For Gulf Of Mexico, thepeoplesvoice.org, Dr. Tom Termotto, 24 July 2010, National Coordinator Gulf Oil Spill Remediation Conference (International Citizens’ Initiative) There has been much speculation lately about a nuclear device being planned for closing in the BP Macondo Well in the Gulf of Mexico. The consequences of exercising this option go well beyond killing the Gulf of Mexico; there would be far-reaching and profound ramifications for the oceans of the world. Continue reading →

July 25, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

No “Emergency” funding for nuclear industry, Beyond Nuclear, 24 July 2010, First, the Senate last night rejected the House-passed emergency supplemental funding bill by a 51-46 vote.* This is the bill that included $9 Billion in “emergency” loans for new nuclear reactor construction. The House will almost certainly have to accept the Senate version; those loans are now history.

Second, the Senate has given up on passing a climate bill before the November elections. That’s obviously mixed news: we support a strong climate bill. But we weren’t going to get a strong climate bill anyway; what we were going to get was a Christmas-in-July gift to the nuclear power industry. The wealthy nuclear corporations were all ready to unwrap their presents. Not this time.

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, reactors | 1 Comment

USA – some not so good nuclear news

USA 10 $Billion to nuclear loans, Beyond Nuclear 24 July 2010, Earlier this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an energy funding bill for next year that includes $10 Billion in nuclear loans (along with $7+ billion for fossil fuels and about $3 billion for renewables). Those are clearly some misplaced priorities–and $10 billion for new reactors is $10 Billion too much, but it is less than half of the $25 Billion passed by the House Appropriations Committee.

Unfortunately, the Committee also approved two pro-nuclear bills: S. 2052, which would authorize the Department of Energy to spend $50 million/year through 2015 to reduce the cost of new reactors (although it’s hard to see how that kind of money can accomplish that goal, utilities already have plenty of incentive to reduce costs) and S. 2812, which would encourage the development of “small, modular reactors” and seek their design certification by the NRC by 2018 (although it is highly unlikely these could ever prove economical–see Amory Lovins’ factsheet here).

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, reactors | Leave a comment

US Senate Energy Committee approves 10 Million Solar Rooftops Bill

Some good solar news, Beyond Nuclear, 24 July 2010, The Senate Energy Committee yesterday approved Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) 10 million solar roofs bill (S. 3460). This bill would provide tax credits and other incentives to encourage people to install solar power on 10 million rooftops across the U.S. It would ramp up mass production of solar panels and thus likely reduce their cost. It’s an easy bill to support. Here is an article that describes the bill.

Article below – quick summary of the Bill

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | decentralised, USA | climate change, energy efficiency, global warming, renewable energy, renewables, solar | Leave a comment

Decentralised Solar Energy – 10 Million Solar Roofs

Here’s how the Ten Million Solar Roofs Act works: take the example of a homeowner who decides to install a 5-kilowatt solar system which, depending on location, would produce enough electricity to cover most, if not all, of an average electric bill (the solar panels would produce excess power during the day that can be sold back to the utility, covering some or all of the cost of electricity when the sun is not shining).

Here Comes the Sun: Ten Million Solar Rooftops, Renewable Energy World, by Greg Chafee : July 21, 2010 “……Today 92% of Americans want our country to develop solar energy resources, and 77% believe the federal government should make solar power development a national priority. Continue reading →

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | decentralised, USA | climate change, energy efficiency, global warming, renewable energy, renewables, solar | Leave a comment

Call to USA citizens to push for safety in nuclear industry

ActNow! Don’t React Later!ActNow! is a new campaign of Beyond Nuclear designed to avert an atomic catastrophe similar – or possibly even worse – than the oil disaster unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico.

Just like the U.S. Minerals Management Service that failed to oversee Big Oil, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission allows the nuclear industry to cut safety margins. Lax oil industry oversight is destroying the Gulf. Lax nuclear industry oversight could cost countless lives today, threaten human health for generations, and leave vast areas of our country uninhabitable indefinitely. Continue reading →

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Video: Queen Noor of Jordan talks about “Countdown to Zero”

Global Zero, which includes
more than 250 former heads of state, foreign and defense ministers, national
security advisers, top military commanders and faith leaders, has developed a
plan for the phased, verified elimination of nuclear weapons that is realistic and
achievable.

VIDEO about the film. Nuclear Weapons: Countdown to Zero « MomsRising Blog , MomsRising Blog, July 23rd, 2010 by Queen Noor of Jordan, MomsRising, I am one of you- a loving mother deeply concerned about the world my children and theirs will inherit from us. That is the most important reason thatI became a founding leader of Global Zero (globalzero.org) and consulted on our new must see film, Countdown to Zero.

The film is a stunning documentaryabout the escalating global nuclear crisis, produced by the Academy Awardwinning team behind an Inconvenient Truth, and premieres in cities acrossAmerica this month. It is an account of the dangers, hidden but still terrifyinglyreal, that we face today from the increasing proliferation of nuclear weaponsaround the world……..

As a founding leader of the Global Zero movement, I believe that the only
solution to nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism is the elimination of all
nuclear weapons. It is possible, despite the inevitable predictions of those locked
into a cold war mindset who may say otherwise. Global Zero, which includes
more than 250 former heads of state, foreign and defense ministers, national
security advisers, top military commanders and faith leaders, has developed a
plan for the phased, verified elimination of nuclear weapons that is realistic and
achievable. Nuclear Weapons: Countdown to Zero « MomsRising Blog

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Resources -audiovicual | antinuclear, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

USA “Tea Party” campaign against nuclear weapons control

conservative nationwide campaign to convince ordinary Americans to actively oppose the new nuclear reductions treaty with Russia

Tea Party activists come out against START The Cable, By Josh Rogin Friday, July 23, 2010 – A lobbying group affiliated with the Tea Party has joined the effort to derail President Obama’s new arms-control agreement with Russia, launching a grassroots campaign by spreading misleading information about the pact to the general public. Continue reading →

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

France admits to Tritium health risks from nuclear facilities

Tritium – Government nuclear authority admits tritium health risks could be underestimated, Beyond Nuclear, 24 July 2010, – The risks of tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, could be underestimated because it could bind to DNA, recognizes the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) in a recent white paper. In light of this possibility, the ASN wants new investigation into hereditary effects from tritium exposure, better monitoring and more restriction of tritium releases from nuclear facilities. Reported in Le Monde.

Beyond Nuclear – Tritium – Government nuclear authority admits tritium health risks could be underestimated

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | France, health | antinuclear, AREVA, EDF, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | 1 Comment

Report on UK’s use of depleted uranium weapons in Iraq

“The UK Uranium Weapons Network (UWN) announced today that it has submitted its report on British military use of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition in the 2003 Iraq War to the Chilcot Inquiry.

Latest documents advocating the ban of depleted uranium. By Jerry Mazza, Online Journal, 23 July 2010, “…… recent documents gathered from reliable government and non-government sources. …. Continue reading →

July 24, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | depleted uranium, UK, Uranium | Leave a comment

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