nuclear-news

US DOE photo

“Groups opposed to public access to Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, where for decades workers made components for nuclear weapons, will file a motion for a preliminary injunction in federal court Wednesday to block construction of a visitor center or trails.” reported The Denver Post in “Foes of Rocky Flats refuge to file a motion to block construction at former nuclear facility” by John Aguilar, 05/30/2017

Colorado State Department of Public Health. Rocky Flats Plutonium Fire 1957

From The Colorado Independent:
“Environmental concerns over Rocky Flats refuge prompt federal lawsuit
Kelsey Ray May 22, 2017 Environment/Energy

Colorado environmental, human rights and social justice groups are suing a federal agency to block the construction of hiking, biking and equestrian trails and a visitor center at Rocky Flats, the former nuclear weapons plant about 15 miles northwest of Denver.

The lawsuit, filed last…

Science and Technology:

¶ The urban heat island effect makes cities notably hotter than surrounding areas because of heat radiating from buildings and roads that have baked in the sun. It will more than double the city-level costs of dealing with rising temperatures caused by anthropogenic climate change over the coming century, a study says. [CleanTechnica]

New York

¶ There has been an important development in the big crack cutting across the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica. The fissure, which threatens to spawn one of the biggest icebergs ever seen, has dramatically changed direction. The rift has propagated a further 16 km, and the calving of the iceberg could now happen very soon. [BBC]

¶ The world’s first commercial facility that extracts carbon dioxide from the air and resells it for commercial purposes has opened in Switzerland. The carbon dioxide will be sold and used…