Navy ‘Innovation’ Center for “warfighting capabilities” will harm the Monterey Peninsula and ocean
Nina Beety
California Carmel Pine Cone, Monterey 23 Oct 24
The planned Navy Innovation Center for “warfighting capabilities” will
cause irreparable harm to the Monterey Peninsula and ocean. The Navy’s
track record of environmental damage is well-known – wanton disregard
for life, health, and safety, including its own personnel, maiming and
killing whales and dolphins, poisoning ocean, land, and drinking water –
while refusing accountability and transparency.
In its scant environmental assessment for the center, the Navy refused
to evaluate coastal zone management, hazardous materials and waste,
public health and safety, or recreation impacts, or existing local
impacts – [Navy] groundwater contamination from the airport flowing into
Laguna Grande, radioactive contamination under NPS, killing historic
trees along Del Monte Avenue, sonar, new 5G on the beach, and violating
federal laser limits. Its microwave emissions harm surrounding
residential areas and forests, and those emissions will increase with
the new center. The Navy’s nuclear waste dumps near the Farallons and
Half Moon Bay impact the bay.
This center is incompatible with the viability and health of this
community and the Earth. Please oppose it.
Humanity is on the verge of ‘shattering Earth’s natural limits’, say experts in biodiversity warning
Humanity is “on the precipice” of shattering Earth’s limits, and will
suffer huge costs if we fail to act on biodiversity loss, experts warn.
This week, world leaders meet in Cali, Colombia, for the Cop16 UN
biodiversity conference to discuss action on the global crisis. As they
prepare for negotiations, scientists and experts around the world have
warned that the stakes are high, and there is “no time to waste”. “We
are already locked in for significant damage, and we’re heading in a
direction that will see more,” says Tom Oliver, professor of applied
ecology at the University of Reading. “I really worry that negative
changes could be very rapid.”
Guardian 21st Oct 2024 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/21/humanity-earth-natural-limits-biodiversity-warning-cop16-conference-scientists-academics
Somerset village would be devastated by salt marsh plans.
One young farmer warned her home and all of her land was in the area that could become a
salt marsh. A North Somerset village is urging bosses at the Hinkley Point
C nuclear power station to drop plans to turn huge swathes of local
farmland into a salt marsh.
EDF, who are building Somerset’s new nuclear
power station, are proposing creating new salt marsh habitats along the
Severn to compensate for the number of fish that will die by being sucked
into the power station’s cooling systems. But the sudden announcement of
plans has shocked communities where the salt marshes are planned — such
as Kingston Seymour in North Somerset.
Somerset Live 21st Oct 2024,
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/somerset-village-would-devastated-salt-9645474
Nuclear Missile Submarines Collided (Armed with Hundreds of Nuclear Weapons)
The two submarines were nuclear-powered. Thus, these boats could have become like Chernobyl under the waves.
the need for stealth is naval engagements should be well understood but it must also be stressed that, in the nuclear age, such secrecy could lead to truly devastating consequences unless some form of modus vivendi is crafted between Washington and Beijing to deescalate certain crises.
In February 2009, the British HMS Vanguard and French Le Triomphant, both nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, collided in the Atlantic Ocean during routine patrols. The incident raised serious concerns about naval safety protocols and the lack of communication between allied nations operating stealth vessels in close proximity.
The National Interest, by Brandon J. Weichert, October 20, 2024
What You Need to Know: In February 2009, the British HMS Vanguard and French Le Triomphant, both nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, collided in the Atlantic Ocean during routine patrols. The incident raised serious concerns about naval safety protocols and the lack of communication between allied nations operating stealth vessels in close proximity.
-Whistleblower William McNeilly later alleged that equipment failures and crew errors aboard the Vanguard contributed to the collision and that a cover-up ensued. This event underscored the potential catastrophic consequences of submarine collisions, especially between nuclear-armed vessels.
-The article also draws parallels to recent incidents involving U.S. and Chinese submarines, emphasizing the need for improved communication to prevent escalations that could lead to environmental disasters or even war.
The Collision
The collision happened in the early hours of 3 February 2009. The two subs were conducting routine patrols. At some point, in the mid-Atlantic, the two nuclear-powered submarines crossed paths and crashed into each other.
This catastrophe was the result of a combination of factors, but the most damning one of all comes from a Royal Navy submariner, William McNeilly, who decided to become a whistleblower. According to this whistleblower, the accident was likely the result of the British submarine which had been subject to “massive equipment failures, crew errors, and lax standards” onboard the HMS Vanguard.
Indeed, the official account provided to the public by the British government (and backed up by the French government), according to McNeilly, was far less caustic than the event actually had been. In fact, according to the whistleblower testimony, the British nuclear submarine was mere moments away from exploding (which would have ignited the ship’s nuclear reactor, causing all kinds of problems for the world).
The whistleblower account details how the FNS Le Triomphant had bashed out a “massive chunk” from the HMS Vanguard after which the French sub “grazed down the side of” the Vanguard. From there, “compressed air bottle groups had been dislodged by the collision and ‘were hanging off and banging against the pressure hull.’ The submarine had to return to base slowly because ‘if one of the [High Pressure Air] bottle groups exploded it would’ve created a chain reaction and sent the submarine plummeting to the bottom.’”
A “massive cover-up of the incident” soon followed.
According to McNeilly the Vanguard had become the poster child in the failing British Royal Navy (an issue about which this author has documented repeatedly in these pages) of mismanagement, lax discipline, and poor seamanship.
Before its collision with the Le Triomphant, there was another cover-up involving the Vanguard pertaining to a “deep depth incident” in which the HMS Vanguard “dived far beyond a normal safe depth. A combination of high-water pressure and the submarine’s low speed made it difficult for the submarine’s hydroplanes [to] generate enough lift to raise the submarine, and ballast water could not be pumped out fast enough to allow the submarine to rise.”
In essence, well before the 2009 collision, the Vanguard was almost lost due to poor seamanship. Yet, the Royal Navy, rather than address the problems, chose to cover it up and continue operating as though everything were normal.
Thankfully, the incident led to a review of submarine operations and safety protocols by both the British and French navies. It further highlighted the need for improved communication and coordination between allied nations operating in the same waters.
Although, the presence of a “massive cover-up” being enacted immediately upon the Vanguard’s return to port is unacceptable and begs the question as to whether the Royal Navy and French Navy really learned the right lessons or if they just figured out how to downplay things better.
The Subs Involved
Britain’s HMS Vanguard was the lead boat in the Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarine. ………………………………………………………………………….
On the other end of the collision was France’s Le Triomphant, the lead boat of the French navy’s Triomphant-class ballistic missile submarine. ………………………………………
The Triomphant carried 15 M45 ballistic missiles and had four torpedo tubes for F17 torpedoes.
This incident on the High Seas between two allied nations that simply were not aware that each other had submarines operating in the same Area of Responsibility (AOR) could have been far worse than it was. The two submarines, as you have read, were nuclear-powered. Thus, these boats could have become like Chernobyl under the waves.
Thankfully, that fate was avoided. But this incident was a clear wake-up call………………………
Implications for Sino-American Interactions Beneath the Sea
Just recently, in fact, the USS Connecticut is believed to have crashed into an undersea mountain (seamount) in the crowded South China Sea while it was possibly conducting a covert surveillance mission of China’s secretive naval base at Hainan Island.
It was a major source of embarrassment for the US Navy because, the incident not only revealed what the Connecticut was up to but it also put a dent in the Navy’s limited Seawolf-class fleet.
the need for stealth is naval engagements should be well understood but it must also be stressed that, in the nuclear age, such secrecy could lead to truly devastating consequences unless some form of modus vivendi is crafted between Washington and Beijing to deescalate certain crises.
This was done throughout the Cold War……………………………..
A Sino-American collision, which is likely to occur given the tension and interactions thus far between the two powers, could either lead to an environmental catastrophe. Or worse, it could lead to a world war. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/2-nuclear-missile-submarines-collided-armed-hundreds-nuclear-weapons-211587
Councillors raise concerns over fish populations at Hinkley C
Forty-four tonnes of fish could die every year once the site is running
South Gloucestershire Council have raised concerns over the potential loss
of wildlife at Hinkley Point C as bosses propose installing saltmarsh land
in parts of North Somerset and Gloucestershire. EDF energy, who run the
nuclear power station at Hinkley C, are planning to build the habitat to
compensate for the 44 tonnes of fish that could die every year once the
site is running. But land owners and councillors in South Gloucestershire
have raised concern about the loss of wildlife and the health of the
region’s rivers.
Rayo 18th Oct 2024,
https://hellorayo.co.uk/greatest-hits/bristol/news/hinkley-south-gloucestershire-letter/
Some Types of Pollution Are More Equal than Others
There is a BIG taboo around Radioactive Pollution. We published a report last June into acid mine pollution alongside radioactive pollution in Whitehaven Harbour – so far ignored by mainstream media.
Marianne Birkby, Oct 20, 2024 https://radiationfreelakeland.substack.com/p/some-types-of-pollution-are-more?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=2706406&post_id=150473856&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ln98x&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Whitehaven Mine Pollution- Report by Radiation Free Lakeland – evidence to inform Authorities in future mitigation/prevention regarding mine pollution
The Westmorland Gazette and other local press have today published a feel good article about beach cleans in Cumbria. So far so good but the beaches contain far more insidious and long lived pollution than plastic, in the form of radioactive wastes from decades of Sellafield’s operations. In Whitehaven Harbour these radioactive wastes are literally magnified by the presence of the ongoing acid mine pollution pouring into the harbour. Instead of addressing this ongoing pollution event the local MP Josh MacAlister is greenwashing the ongoing devastation by bigging up Whitehaven as the West Coast Riviera and fizzingly pushing for a ferry service while boats are understandably leaving because of the visible acid mine pollution.
Less visible is the “historic” radioactive pollution still pouring out of Sellafield with more radioactive waste arriving almost daily.
The Atlantic Ocean’s currents are on the verge of collapse. This is what it means for the planet
The Atlantic Ocean’s currents are on the verge of collapse. This is what
it means for the planet. Scientists are concerned that the Atlantic
Ocean’s system of currents may be about to reach a tipping point. If it
does, it’ll have severe consequences for all of us.
BBC Science Focus 13th Oct 2024
https://www.sciencefocus.com/comment/atlantic-current-collapse
A nuclear kettle of fish at Hinkley Point C
Is a trawler’s worth of fish getting in the way of our nuclear
ambitions? Tali Fraser investigates something fishy going on around Hinkley
Point C. Among ministers of the last government, it is known as “the fish
disco”, and it is, they say, a cautionary tale that illustrates the
nation’s inability to build critical infrastructure.
The story centres on
the massive construction site on the Bristol Channel where EDF is building
the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station that is essential to meet the
nation’s future energy needs. Nuclear reactors need to be cooled – one
reason they are often based on the coast – but the intake of the water
poses a risk to fish. EDF’s initial solution included what they called an
“acoustic fish deterrent”, essentially a series of 280 underwater
speakers blasting a series of high-pitched sound pulses louder than a jumbo
jet. The company, however, has begun to argue that the deterrent, mockingly
dubbed “the fish disco” by former environment secretary Michael Gove,
is unnecessary and wants instead to mitigate the risk by other means.
Critics, however, say the company is reneging on a promise it made to win
planning consent because it wants to save cash (the cost of the deterrent
is estimated to run to the tens of millions of pounds).
Politics Home, 15th Oct 2024
https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/fish-disco-hinkley-point-c-nuclear-energy
Farmers warn over Hinkley Point C’s saltmarsh plan
Burnham & Highbridge Weekly News 12th October, By John Wimperis,
PLANS to turn a huge swathe of land in North Somerset into a marsh to make up for the environmental impact of Hinkley Point C would “destroy” homes and livelihoods, farmers have warned.
Bosses at Somerset’s new nuclear power station are proposing creating new saltmarsh habitats along the Severn to compensate for the number of fish that will die by being sucked into the power station’s cooling systems. But this means communities along the river and estuary face losing hundreds of acres of farmland.
In Kingston Seymour in North Somerset, the plans to turn 1,500 acres of prime agricultural land between Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon into salt marshes have caused outcry. Farmers, who were left in “extreme distress,” after finding out their land was under threat blocked access to wildlife surveys for the plans in protest on Tuesday (October 8).
A public meeting with EDF — the energy company building Hinkley Point C — is set to be held in Kingston Seymour Village Hall on October 14 at 7.45pm.
Farmers across the affected area have urged EDF to drop the plan.
Young farmer Sophie Cole of the farm at Wharf House said: “I am a third-generation young farmer in Kingston Seymour and all my land and property is directly impacted by this proposal.
“No amount of money can compensate me for the loss of my livelihood and exciting plans for the future.”
Peter and Karen Stuckey of Channel View Farm said: “We have a thriving commercial business which provides employment and services to local people.
“We also have agricultural land and several dwellings which provides much needed local housing.
“This proposal will destroy our home and livelihood and is causing us a great deal of worry and anxiety.”
They added: “This will destroy everything we have built up over the last 50 years.”
Meanwhile, at Dowlais Farm, Kathrin and David Kirk said: “We have rebuilt Dowlais Farm from near derelict to a great family home (grade II listed) as well as a thriving campsite and two holiday cottages.
“We purchased the farm seven years ago from North Somerset Council and have invested everything we have both financially and physically into this business and built it up from scratch.
“This proposal would destroy our livelihood and our home. It would also destroy wildlife habitats for otters, bats, badgers, foxes, deer as well as birds such as owls, kestrels and buzzards who all nest in the trees on our land.”
Dan Kostyla of Sea Wall Farm, another young farmer, said: “My family have been farming here for generations — I am fourth generation — and have invested heavily in the farm business. We have a large dairy and beef farm business.
“All of this will be lost from the food chain and our business will be unviable/destroyed.”
Another young farmer, Dan Kostyla of Sea Wall Farm said: “My family have been farming here for generations — I am fourth generation — and have invested heavily in the farm business. We have a large dairy and beef farm business.
“All of this will be lost from the food chain and our business will be unviable/destroyed.”
EDF said it is obligated to make environmental improvements such as salt marshes to compensate for the power station’s impact on fish populations, which the energy company said would be limited………….
A public consultation will be held on any plans before they go ahead……………………………………………………………… https://www.burnhamandhighbridgeweeklynews.co.uk/news/24646958.farmers-warn-hinkley-point-cs-saltmarsh-plan/
Hinkley Point C saltmarsh plans ‘a disaster’, say MPs
A debate was held in Westminster Hall on October 10
Somerset Live By Daniel Mumby, Local Democracy Reporter, 11 Oct 24
Creating saltmarshes to offset the impact of Somerset’s new nuclear power station would be “a disaster”, according to local MPs. EDF Energy held a public consultation in January and February over its proposals for new saltmarshes on the Pawlett Hams, which lie on the right bank of the River Parrett near the villages of Combwich and Pawlett.
The company U-turned in early-September following a successful campaign by local residents, and is currently exploring four additional sites in Somerset and Gloucestershire which could offset the construction of Hinkley Point C. But local MPs have warned that saltmarshes will not address the underlying environmental issues and could harm existing flood defences
Sir Ashley Fox, the Conservative MP for Bridgwater, secured a parliamentary debate on this issue, which took place in Westminster Hall on Wednesday morning (October 9). He said: “The Pawlett Hams proposal was highly unpopular with the local community.
“In fact, it was difficult to find anyone who thought it was a good idea, and when I met representatives from EDF, even they seemed a little half-hearted about it.” When EDF Energy secured planning permission to build Hinkley Point C, it set out three separate proposals to prevent the loss of fish stocks in the Bristol Channel, from which water will be sourced to cool the power station’s reactor:……………………………………………………………………………………………….. https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/hinkley-point-c-saltmarsh-plans-9620846
WWF: Average wildlife populations have fallen 73 per cent in 50 years
Global wildlife populations suffered a catastrophic average decline of 73
per cent between 1970 and 2020, according to the latest edition of the
Living Planet Index published today as part of WWF’s biennial Living Planet
Report. Bleakly subtitled A System in Peril, the landmark study of global
progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals attributed the
rapid wildlife losses to human activities, such as habitat destruction and
overfishing, which have then compounded by escalating climate impacts.
Business Green 10th Oct 2024
https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4368251/wwf-average-wildlife-populations-fallen-cent
Nuclear plant ‘will decimate fish stocks’
How many fish does a nuclear power station kill? It sounds grisly, but for
the engineers on the Somerset coast building Britain’s first nuclear
power station in a generation, it’s an urgent question.
And for conservationists and local villagers on the banks of the River Severn in
Gloucestershire, it has become such an urgent question they filled a
village hall to debate it.
Proposals for the sea-water cooling system at
Hinkley Point C will see 44 tonnes of fish ingested and killed every year,
according to EDF, the company building it.
“This scheme will decimate
fish stocks,” said Dave Seal, a wildlife campaigner. “We already have
lost 80% of our salmon, and half of the salmon that get into Hinkley’s
cooling system will be destroyed.” But Andrew Cockroft, from Hinkley
Point C, insisted there will be a “very very small impact on fish
populations”.
BBC 9th Oct 2024
EDF bosses grilled over River Severn salt marsh plans at ‘prickly’ meeting
Arlingham peninsula salt marsh proposal questioned at parish council meeting with one person turning up dressed as a hedgehog
News. Will Luker, Community Reporter, 8 Oct 24,
https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/edf-bosses-grilled-over-river-9615208
Plans for salt marshes along the River Severn in Gloucestershire linked to a new nuclear power station were met with disbelief at a packed meeting last night (Monday October 7). EDF bosses were quizzed at Arlingham Parish Council about their environmental improvement plans which are linked to the new Hinkley C site in Somerset.
Prior to the meeting, the energy firm has been in touch with landowners about the idea of creating salt marshes along the river. EDF made a presentation which outlined how important the nuclear power plant is and they identified four sites for saltmarshes.
They outlined Kingston Seymour in Somerset, Littleton Upon Severn in South Gloucestershire, Rodley near Westbury-on-Severn and Arlingham as the four areas they are interested in.
IAEA to have marine sampling near Fukushima plant with China, others
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday it will conduct a
sampling of the marine environment near the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power
plant from next week with international experts including those from China.
China, a staunch opponent of the discharge of treated radioactive water
from the power complex into the sea, imposed a blanket ban on seafood
imports from Japan immediately after the discharge started in August last
year. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has repeatedly urged Beijing to
repeal the ban. The environment monitoring and assessment activities will
be carried out from Monday to Oct 15 by a team of IAEA scientists and
experts from laboratories in China, South Korea and Switzerland.
Japan Today 5th Oct 2024, https://japantoday.com/category/national/iaea-to-have-marine-sampling-near-fukushima-plant-with-china-others
‘Environmental impact’ of Hinkley Point C debate due
2nd October, By Seth Dellow https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/24624674.environmental-impact-hinkley-point-c-debate-due/
A PARLIAMENTARY debate has been secured by Bridgwater’s MP Ashley Fox to address the ‘environmental impact’ of the proposed salt marshes at Pawlett Hams and other sites.
The Westminster Hall Debate will take place in Parliament on Wednesday, October 9 at 11am. It will enable concerns to be raised about the impact of Hinkley Point C’s water intake system. The securing of the debate follows ongoing concerns about the recently scrapped proposal to create a 800-acre salt marsh at Pawlett Hams, as part of mitigation efforts for marine life in the Severn Estuary.
Hinkley Point C requires effective environmental measures to protect fish from being harmed by its water intake pipes, which are located 2km offshore. Originally, a range of mitigation efforts were agreed upon, including the installation of an Acoustic Fish Deterrent (AFD). However, after years of study, EDF Energy deemed the AFD impractical due to safety concerns.
Therefore, as an alternative, the creation of a salt marsh was proposed, with Pawlett Hams identified as a potential site. But this plan has since been halted following strong local opposition.
Ashley Fox will use the debate to recognise the efforts of residents in advocating for the protection of Pawlett Hams, question why the AFD was recommended without precedent, and to urge the Environment Agency to commit to maintaining vital flood defences along the River Parrett. Mr Fox will also caution against environmental measures that may cause unintended damage to local ecology.
The debate will compel a government minister to respond to these concerns and can be watched live on October 9 online at Parliament TV.
Ashley Fox said: “I supported the campaign to protect Pawlett Hams when I was running to be the local MP. I am pleased to have this opportunity to highlight the effective advocacy of the action group at the highest level.”
1 This Month
26 September – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
PLEASE OPPOSE HR 8255 AND S.3639 – bills would accelerate satellite deployment, with no environmental review or safeguards – https://ncstd5li.quorum.us/campaign/169331/
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity – go to https://nuclearinformation.wordpress.com
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