nuclear-news

Cosy relationahip between Canada’s regulators and the transporters of radioactive waste

PHMSA [Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration] is infamous for its negligence in major oil pipeline leaks ……PHMSA has previously rubberstamped approvals for 17 water-borne shipments of large, radioactive nuclear components in the past. These shipments travelled on rivers, bays, and sea coasts across the U.S., and even on the waters of Lake Michigan.

Watchdog group urges env. review of nuclear waste shipments, Michigan Messenger,  By Eartha Jane Melzer | 02.25.11 As the Canadian nuclear power company Bruce Power plans to ship 16 decommissioned radioactive steam generators through the Great Lakes, the nuclear watchdog group Beyond Nuclear is asking the federal government to conduct a full programmatic review of water-borne shipments of radioactive waste.

The group writes:

PHMSA [Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration] is infamous for its negligence in major oil pipeline leaks into rivers, deadly natural gas pipeline explosions, and the cozy relationships between the agency’s top leadership and the very companies and industries PHMSA is supposed to regulate.

Thanks to 7 Great Lakes U.S. Senators, it was revealed that PHMSA has previously rubberstamped approvals for 17 water-borne shipments of large, radioactive nuclear components in the past. These shipments travelled on rivers, bays, and sea coasts across the U.S., and even on the waters of Lake Michigan.

PHMSA very quietly granted “approvals or special permits” for shipping radioactive steam generators, reactor pressure vessels, pressurizers, and reactor vessel heads with little or no notice to, or attention from, the public, media, emergency responders, or elected officials. Given the radiological risks of these shipments, and the precedent they set for shipping high-level radioactive wastes by water, PHMSA must undertake a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Earlier this month the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission approved a plan to ship 16-school bus sized steam generators from the Bruce Nuclear Station on Lake Huron to Sweden for reprocessing and reintroduction to the commercial metals market.

Watchdog group urges env. review of nuclear waste shipments | Michigan

February 27, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, secrets,lies and civil liberties