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Hundreds of calls to Virginia’s Governor McDonnell to keep ban on uranium mining

logo-NO-nuclear-SmVa. governor hearing from public on uranium mining http://www.nbc12.com/story/21089999/va-governor-hearing-from-public-on-uranium-mining
Flag-USAFeb 09, 2013  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Gov. Bob McDonnell is hearing from hundreds of people who want him to keep in place a ban on uranium mining in Virginia.The governor’s office says as of Friday, 894 calls, letters, emails and faxes were received in support of the ban, with 171 support mining.

The call on the ban is not McDonnell’s to make but he could keep the issue alive this year. He’s been asked to use his executive powers to direct the drafting of regulations for mining. The General Assembly would still have to act to end a decades-old prohibition on uranium mining.

The debate is being fueled by a company’s quest to tap a deposit of the ore in Pittsylvania County.

McDonnell has said he has not arrived at a position on the issue.

February 11, 2013 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Anti – uranium protestors stop train

protestANTI-NUCLEAR PROTESTERS STOP TRAIN NEAR URANIUM PLANT Waste Management
World, 4 Feb 13, A group of anti-nuclear protesters affiliated with
the Idle No More movement stopped a train in the Davenport area on
Sunday after their demonstration against a nearby uranium facility
migrated onto CP Rail tracks.

“The plan is to shut it down, and do whatever it takes to shut it
down,” said organizer Zach Ruiter, standing beside the tracks with an
Idle No More flag and a placard hanging from his neck that read: “Just
say no to radioactive waste.”

The GE-Hitachi plant on Lansdowne St. near Dupont St. caused an uproar
in November when the surrounding community learned the facility in
their midst had been processing uranium dioxide powder into pellets
since 1965…….
http://www.waste-management-world.com/news/2013/02/04/anti-nuclear-protesters-stop-train-near-uranium-plant.html

February 4, 2013 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, USA | Leave a comment

Abandonment of Virginia uranium mining proposal

“This is not just environmentalists,” Jaffe said. “This is small business owners in Southside, it’s farmers, it’s parents of small children, it’s community leaders, it’s physicians — all these disparate voices coming together.”

Environmentalists were joined in their opposition by local grass-root organizers, Virginia’s largest farm lobby, the state’s medical society, municipal and church groups, the NAACP and others

logo-NO-nuclear-SmUranium mining proposal abandoned in Virginia  Bloomberg,  By Flag-USASteve Szkotak on January 31, 2013  RICHMOND, Va. (AP)— A proposal to mine uranium in Virginia was abruptly abandoned Thursday in the Legislature, and supporters scrambled to appeal directly to the governor to salvage what would be the first full-scale mining operation of the radioactive ore on the East Coast.

Unable to deliver the votes in the General Assembly, Sen. John Watkins withdrew his legislation to establish state regulations for uranium mining in Southside Virginia, a rural area along the North Carolina state line and home to the largest known deposit of the radioactive ore in the U.S.

Watkins instead asked fellow Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell to use his administrative powers to have state agencies draw up the rules. McDonnell has not taken a position on the divisive issue and his spokesman J. Tucker Martin said the governor was reviewing the request.

Meanwhile, opponents of uranium mining, many of whom had traveled to Richmond for a hearing on the legislation, cheered when Watkins announced his decision.

“This is a resounding — a resounding — victory,” said Cale Jaffe of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

He credited broad opposition to the proposal, which was pitched by the mining company as a job creator in a hard-hit section of the state.

“This is not just environmentalists,” Jaffe said. “This is small business owners in Southside, it’s farmers, it’s parents of small children, it’s community leaders, it’s physicians — all these disparate voices coming together.”……. Continue reading →

February 1, 2013 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, politics, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

NO to San Onofre nuclear plant – San Diego Unified School District Board of Education

nuclear-plant-San-OnofreSDUSD Board Votes to Oppose Nuclear Generator Start.San Clemente Patch, 23 Jan 13,  The San Diego Unified School District Board of Education Tuesday night adopted a resolution opposing the proposed restart of a reactor at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station until its operator undergoes a rigorous license amendment process……. The resolution, introduced by board members Richard Barrera and Kevin Beiser, said “the San Diego Unified School District believes restarting the defective Unit 2 nuclear reactor at San Onofre will have profound impacts on our children in San Diego Unified and the surrounding communities in the event of a nuclear accident regarding radiation contamination of air, water and food, evacuation plans, and long term viability of life in Southern California.”

The resolution also expressed support for a California Public Utilities Commission investigation into the reliability and costs of the plant, especially compared to alternative energy sources.

“Before restarting the nuclear reactor, San Onofre should undergo a rigorous and transparent public review of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing amendment process,” Beiser said. “We must make certain that before restarting San Onofre nuclear power plant, it is safe for our community and our kids.”….. http://sanclemente.patch.com/articles/sdusd-board-votes-to-oppose-nuclear-generator-start-0aeb9208

January 24, 2013 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, USA | 1 Comment

Taiwanese lead the way in cultural opposition to the nuclear industry

flag-TaiwanDirectors seek to boost anti-nuclear bid http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/01/19/2003552898/2 CREATIVE PROTESTS:The directors called on artistic heavyweights to join their anti-nuclear bid, and said that art rather than rhetoric could best serve the cause By Tang Chia-ling and Stacy Hsu  /  Staff reporter, with Staff writer In a move to strengthen their anti-nuclear efforts, film directors Ko I-chen (柯一正) and Wu Yi-feng (吳乙峰) are considering inviting well-known people from the artistic and entertainment industries to endorse their petition against the construction of the nation’s controversy-plagued Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市).

In a statement jointly authored by Ko and Wu, which they said would be published on their Facebook pages in the near future, the pair called on heavyweights from the artistic and cultural sectors to weigh in on their anti-nuclear bid.

“We will spare no effort in inviting Taiwanese ‘living national treasures’ to join our cause, such as globally acclaimed director Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢) and Cloud Gate founder Lin Hwai-min (林懷民),” Ko said.

The statement also urged the government to scrap a budget proposal to invest several billion NT dollars more in the contentious plant, “for the sake of offering peace of mind to the many parents in the country and their offspring.” Continue reading →

January 19, 2013 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, Taiwan | Leave a comment

No nuclear wastes dump near Lake Huron – Bruce County group

Bruce County group opposes burying nuclear waste near Lake Huron, The Record, Frances Barrick,  Jan 15 2013 A Bruce County-based group opposed to burying nuclear waste near Lake Huron is taking its fight to Canada’s largest city.

A billboard along Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway says “bad idea” to a plan to build an underground repository to store low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste at the Bruce nuclear plant near Kincardine.

“We feel this is a national issue and we want to bring this to the attention of all Canadians,” Beverly Fernandez, spokesperson for Stop the Great Lakes Nuclear Dump Inc., said of the sign on one of Canada’s busiest commuter routes.

The Ontario Power Generation is in the midst of seeking approval from the federal government for this project, which would be built about one kilometre from the shores of Lake Huron. Approval is expected in about nine months, she said.

“It defies common sense to bury radioactive waste beside a source of drinking water that 40 million people rely on,” said Fernandez, a Southampton resident.

This project is separate from plans by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to bury highly radioactive nuclear waste in a “willing” community in Canada…..

The group has also launched an online petition intended for federal Environment Minister Peter Kent, who has final approval of the project. The petition is at www.gopetition.com/petitions/stopthegreatlakesnucleardump.html…..

http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/870018–bruce-county-group-opposes-burying-nuclear-waste-near-lake-huron

January 17, 2013 Posted by | Canada, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Thousands of anti nuclear protestors stopped by police, 2km from Jaitapur nuclear site

flag-indiaIndian protest movement spreads World Nuclear News, 03 January 2013
Mass public unease at nuclear power development has emerged at
Jaitapaur. Thousands of protestors were held by police today as they
attempted to surround the site of six planned reactors.

Groups representing villagers in the vicinity of the development in
western Maharastra state said they were angered by Nuclear Power
Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL’s) recent actions to move forward
with tenders towards the future power plant’s facilities. They said
tenders for a health clinic, fire station and security building showed
the national government had not given their concerns sufficient
attention and called for the project to be cancelled outright.

The march from surrounding towns to the plant attracted around 2000
people, according to a Business Standard report. Leaders had intended
to surround the 1000 hectare site and hand a letter to site managers,
but the crowd was stopped and held by police around two kilometres
from its destination…..

January 7, 2013 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Black ministers join in supporting Virginia’s ban on uranium mining

church-&-radit would be a tragic mistake for the Virginia General
Assembly to even consider allowing Virginia Uranium Inc., or whater
it’s called today, to open a uranium mine in our beautiful but
frequently flooded Southside Virginia

Seventeen black ministers signed a resolution requesting a permanent
ban on uranium mining in Virginia.

Roanoke pastor: uranium mining is bad news for Va.By Ralph Berrier
Jr.The Roanoke Times  January 4, 2013
A coalition of black ministers from the Roanoke Valley and Southside
Virginia spoke out today in Roanoke against lifting Virginia’s ban on
uranium mining, citing what they believe would be disproportionate
negative consequences on minority populations should the ban be
lifted.

State lawmakers are considering ending the 30-year moratorium on
uranium mining, as Virginia Uranium Inc. hopes to mine one of the
world’s largest known uranium deposits in Pittsylvania County. Continue reading →

January 5, 2013 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, Religion and ethics, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Five thousand villagers defy police in march and rally against Jaitapur nuclear power plant

india-antinukeVillagers from Madhban-Mithgavane, Sakhrinate, Adiware, Dhaulwali,
Dhartale and other hamlets were taking part in the march Wednesday
despite prohibitory orders clamped by the local police to deter them.

Anti-nuclear plant protestors launch ‘jail-bharo’ in Maharashtra
http://india.nydailynews.com/business/2c7c1676293d2f93702509aa46ba49fd/anti-nuclear-plant-protestors-launch-jail-bharo-in-maharashtra
Jan 02, 2013 Ratnagiri  — Thousands of villagers Wednesday launched a
‘jail bharo’ agitation demanding scrapping of the proposed 9,900-MW
Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP) coming up here, an activist
said.
Nearly 5,000 residents from neighbouring villages and fishing hamlets
started a peaceful march to the JNPP site, some 400 km from Mumbai,
where they proposed to court arrest. Continue reading →

January 4, 2013 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | 1 Comment

New Year’s Eve anti nuclear protest against Kudankulam nuclear power plant

India-protestActivists join anti-nuclear protesters on New Year’s Eve
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Activists-join-anti-nuclear-protesters-on-New-Years-Eve/articleshow/17822395.cms
PTI | Dec 30, 2012 TIRUNELVELI: Several activists from various parts
of the country have arrived at Idinthakarai near Tirunelveli, the
epicentre of the over 500-day long agitation against the Kudankulam
nuclear power plant, to express their solidarity with the protesters
on the eve of New Year. Continue reading →

December 31, 2012 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Japanese high school students raise awareness of internal radiation emitters

Fukushima--Sayaka-Ogata,-Sa

“Victims of the H-bomb test and of the Fukushima nuclear plant
accident share a common problem: internal exposure to radiation,”

Fukushima high school students launch nuclear study group November 09,
2012 Asahi Shimbun, By AYAKO NAKADA
Two high school girls from Fukushima Prefecture are to launch a peace
discussion forum, inspired by the success of a similar long-running
nuclear study group run by students elsewhere in Japan.

Later this month, Sayako Ogata and Saki Nezu, both second-year high
school students, plan to invite fellow students to a screening of
“Hoshasen o Abita X-nen-go” (X years after radiation exposure), a
documentary about fishermen exposed to radiation from a U.S. hydrogen
bomb test at Bikini Atoll in 1954. Continue reading →

December 27, 2012 Posted by | Japan, opposition to nuclear | 1 Comment

Keep the ban on uranium mining in Virginia

Feeling The Heat On Uranium Mining In Virginia Jessie Thomas-Blate, Coordinator, Most Endangered Rivers December 21, 2012 Uranium mining is a hot topic right now in Virginia.  You might remember that American Rivers listed the Roanoke River as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2011 due to a proposed uranium mine.  Since that time, the Virginia legislature has been talking about whether or not to lift a 30-year ban on uranium mining in Virginia. 

Recently, the Virginia Pilot’s Editorial Board issued a clear and concise summary of recent activity with this issue.  Their ultimate conclusion is key— that the local taxpayers will ultimately have to shoulder the burden of maintaining the radioactive waste from this mine in perpetuity.  Thirty years or so of mine production is not worth thousands of years of radioactive waste maintenance.  The Roanoke Times Editorial Board agrees.……

The fight is not over.

  • If you are a resident of Virginia, tell your legislator that you care too much about the Roanoke River and the water it supplies to thousands of area residents to allow the ban on uranium mining to be lifted!  Also, you can sign this petition from Keep The Ban to retain the momentum on this important issue.

If you would like to have more information before forming your own opinion on this issue, Keep The Ban has compiled a list of scientific studies to examine the issue of uranium mining in Virginia.  http://www.americanrivers.org/newsroom/blog/jblate-20121221-feeling-the-heat-on-uranium-mining-in-virginia.html

December 24, 2012 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce oppose uranium mining

Chamber of Commerce Takes Stance on Uranium Mining http://www.wset.com/story/20340605/danville  Dec 13, 201 By Tola Adamson   Danville, VA– The Danville/Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce has now taken their stance on uranium mining.

They released a statement on Tuesday saying they believe the moratorium on uranium mining and milling should not be lifted.Their decision came after the board of directors read studies and went to the public forums.

The Chamber said they did consider the possible economic benefits. However, the board said there are still unanswered questions about safety. They are also concerned it could negatively effect businesses.

“The Chamber is a pro-business, pro- economic development organization,” Chamber president Laurie Moran said. “We wanted to make sure we protected the jobs that were here as well as the future jobs that might come here.” In the statement the Chamber also said they
oppose the development of a uranium permitting program and anything that would help end the ban.

December 14, 2012 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

Uranium mining a threat to agriculture in Virginia

Farm lobby wants Virginia uranium ban to stay, PilotOnline.com By Steve Szkotak The Associated Press  November 29, 2012 RICHMOND The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation is backing the continuation of the state’s 30-year ban on uranium mining, concluding that the mining and milling of the radioactive ore is a threat to Virginia’s multibillion dollar agricultural industry. Continue reading →

December 1, 2012 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, Uranium, USA | Leave a comment

10,000 protest, in Kuala Lumpur, against Lynas rare earths processing plant

The rally is a culmination of a 13-day march against the plant’s opening

Kuala Lumpur: 10,000 protest rare earth plant over health concerns Environmental activist group Himpunan Hijau organized the rally against the opening of rare earth company Lynas’ new plant. Global Post,Talia Ralph November 25, 2012 early 10,000 people took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur Sunday to protest the opening of Australia-based mining company Lynas’ new rare earth plant. Continue reading →

November 26, 2012 Posted by | Malaysia, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

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