USA’s new Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) not a basis for new nuclear power development
expect to see the issue end up back in federal court, where judges will have to determine whether the NRC’s unwillingness to adopt an actual waste “confidence” policy, instead relying on an assertion that current waste practice is good enough, meets the requirements of the Atomic Energy Act.
Still no confidence in NRC radwaste policy http://safeenergy.org/2014/09/29/still-no-confidence-in-nrc-radwaste-policy/On June 8, 2012, a federal court threw out the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s “waste confidence” policy, setting into motion a chain of events that still hasn’t stopped rattling the commission and the entire nuclear power industry.
The court ruled that with the shutdown of the proposed Yucca Mountain, Nevada, radioactive waste repository and no new repository on the horizon, the NRC had no basis to say that it had confidence that radioactive waste would always be managed safely.
Since the Atomic Energy Act requires that the NRC have such confidence in order to issue reactor licenses (and license renewals), the NRC was forced to institute a moratorium on issuance of all reactor licenses.
At the time, the NRC staff said a thorough job on a new policy to replace the “waste confidence” policy would take seven years of work. But the NRC Commissioners decided to rush the job and this summer issued a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) that it said functions as a substitute for the policy.
There are a couple (well, at least a couple) problems with this approach. Continue reading
13 USA election candidates who want to seize public lands for uranium mining etc
there are currently 13 candidates up for election in November who want to sell or seize public lands for drilling, mining, or logging and seven senators not up for reelection, including four Arizonans: Sen. McCain, Sen. Jeff Flake, U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, and State Rep. Andy Tobin.
Federal Court: One Million Acres Near Grand Canyon Protected From Mining, Think Progress, BY ARI PHILLIPS OCTOBER 10, 2014 In early October, an Arizona federal judge upheld the Obama Administration’s 2012 withdrawal of over one million acres of federal lands surrounding Grand Canyon National Park from uranium mining. Originally imposed by then-Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, the mining industry challenged the ban arguing that the 700-page Environmental Impact Statement was inadequate, failed to address “scientific controversies”, and was unconstitutional.
and several sacred Native American sites. According to the government’s study, removing the ban would mean that 26 new uranium mines and 700 uranium exploration projects could be developed.
According Roger Clark, air quality and clean energy director at the Grand Canyon Trust, the ruling affirms conclusions by five federal agencies, including scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey — that uranium mining poses unacceptable risks to Grand Canyon’s water, wildlife, and people.
“Uranium mines threaten hundreds of the Grand Canyon seeps and springs that provide precious water to thousands of desert-dwelling species,” wroteClark. “Every new mine sacrifices cultural sites and fragments wildlife habitat, polluting the park with dirt roads, dust, heavy machinery, noise, off-road drilling rigs, power lines, and relentless truck traffic.”………
When Salazar first banned this block of 633,547 acres of public lands and 360,002 acres of National Forest land from mining in 2012, a number of politicians objected, including U.S. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), John McCain (R-AZ), John Barrasso (R-WY), and Mike Lee (R-UT). Sen. Hatch said mining the land “poses no environmental threat” and that the announcement was another sign that the Obama Administration “is one of the most anti-American energy presidencies in history.”
Fast-forward two years later and there are currently 13 candidates up for election in November who want to sell or seize public lands for drilling, mining, or logging and seven senators not up for reelection, including four Arizonans: Sen. McCain, Sen. Jeff Flake, U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, and State Rep. Andy Tobin.
The uranium mining companies have 60 days to appeal Judge Campbell’s decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and are likely to do so, according to the Center For Biological Diversity. http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/10/10/3577414/arizona-grand-canyon-uranium-mining-withdrawal/
What nuclear “renaissance”? – Community not convinced about uranium industry
Community Responds to Uranium Industry ‘Renaissance’ Cibola Beacon, October 10, 2014 8:52 am By Rosanne Boyet GRANTS – “We’re not seeing the predicted nuclear renaissance,” Laura Watchempino, Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment (MASE), told an audience of about 60 people. “The demand for nuclear materials has fluctuated wildly since the onset of the nationwide recession in 2008.”…….
Several people pointed out how the residents of Naturita had developed other sources of income after waiting more than five years for the promised uranium mill to begin operations. (The facility has not been built, according to the film.)
One person said, “That part of Colorado is a lot like this area. They have a strong agricultural heritage and a mining legacy.”
“And we have a lot of offer here for economic development,” emphasized one woman. “Just look at all the public lands, the Native American culture, and we have Historic Route 66. All of these could attract tourism.”……
Participants also discussed the health issues that have affected community members who have worked in the uranium mines.
“We need to know the numbers of people who have suffered from mining-related illnesses,” commented an employee of one area mining company. “That information is important so the community can make good decisions.”
“Mining companies only had to keep workers’ records for seven years,” responded a former miner…….
Boyd explained that Linda Evers, Post ’71 representative, was unable to attend because of ill health. (Editor’s note: Post ’71 members are seeking a Congressional amendment to the federal Radiation Exposure Compensation Act, known as RECA, which provides healthcare benefits for those employed in the nuclear industry through 1971.)
“I’m concerned about the proposed Roca Honda mine on Mount Taylor,” said Watchempino. “I know the industry has changed how it mines uranium. They have acknowledged that previous methods put underground miners at risk because of poor tunnel ventilation systems. But if they put in better venting that means all the hazardous airborne stuff will be vented outside into the air. We all live downwind from Mount Taylor.” http://www.cibolabeacon.com/news/community-responds-to-uranium-industry-renaissance/article_015f066c-508d-11e4-9623-2f95d6507248.html
MdAmerican to power equivalent of 1 million households with Wind Energy
MidAmerican Energy Plans To Invest Additional $280 Million In Wind Generation WOWT NBC Omaha 10 Oct 14 MidAmerican Energy Company today announced plans to develop one new wind farm site in Adams County and expand a second site in O’Brien County in 2015 – an additional investment of up to $280 million for the nation’s leader in ownership of wind-powered generation among rate-regulated utilities.
If approved, the company’s proposed wind project would result in installation of up to 67 wind turbines. The project, scheduled for completion by the end of 2015, would add up to 162 megawatts of new wind generation capacity in Iowa……..
Coupled with projects currently underway in Grundy, Madison, O’Brien and Webster counties, MidAmerican Energy will have approximately 3,500 megawatts of wind generation capability in Iowa by year-end 2015 – enough capability to provide energy for the equivalent of approximately 1.05 million average Iowa households. With the completion of this newest project, MidAmerican Energy will have invested more than $6 billion for wind generation development in Iowa, making wind approximately 40 percent of its electric generator nameplate capacity. http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/MidAmerican-Energy-Plans-to-Invest-Additional-280-Million-In-Wind-Generation-278797921.html
US Energy Dept funding Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) research
US Energy Department to fund CSP research Renewable Energy Focus 08 October 2014 DoE allocates $25 Million to support research and development of concentrating solar power.
The US Energy Department has announced $25 million in funding to advance concentrating solar power (CSP) system technologies. This investment will fund research and development projects to improve the performance and increase the efficiency of all components of CSP plants, ultimately lowering the cost of solar electricity.
“Investments to improve the efficiency and lower the costs of concentrating solar power technologies enhance our ability to deliver affordable solar-generated electricity to American families and businesses, while also moving us closer to achieving President Obama’s goal of doubling renewable energy generation again by the end of the decade,” said David Danielson, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
The mysterious mess of the Parks radioactive trash
Casey wants nuclear cleanup details released Trib Live, By Mary Ann Thomas Oct. 10, 2014
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is pressing the Army to publicly release an agreement on how it and three other federal agencies will clean up a waste dump with mysterious nuclear materials in Parks.
The Army Corps of Engineers shut down the cleanup three years ago, only about a month into a 10-year project that could cost up to $500 million.
A Corps contractor dug up nuclear materials that it was not prepared to deal with, according to an investigation by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Although the site received two types of uranium — U-235 and U-233 — and other radioactive materials, the initial cleanup process was developed to handle smaller amounts of nuclear contamination.
The federal investigation found that there isn’t enough documentation to know the level of nuclear contamination at the site. Other federal agencies were called in to help, including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which deals with nuclear weapons materials.
According to the federal investigation, the original agreement didn’t account for finding more complex nuclear materials, which resulted in disagreements among the agencies on responsibilities.
So now, four agencies have reached an agreement on cleanup responsibilities: the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and NNSA.
However, they have not released the details to the public, not the least of which are the people who live in Kiskimere, the rural village that sits within feet of the waste dump.
Casey and the Corps of Engineers are calling for the agreement to be made public. Casey and residents were instrumental in bringing in the NRC Inspector General’s Office to investigate problems with the cleanup.
“Sen. Casey believes it’s critical that his constituents are appropriately informed about the proposed cleanup of the (Parks Township nuclear waste dump) site,” said John Rizzo, Casey’s press secretar
USA’s Nuclear regulator to make investigations less independent?
Senators cite concerns with nuclear investigations, Houston Chronicle KEVIN FREKING, ASSOCIATED PRESSOctober 9, 2014 WASHINGTON (AP) — Two U.S. senators have told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that they are troubled by reports of an agency reorganization that would make safety investigations less independent. The NRC said no such reorganization is in the works.
Currently, investigations of nuclear plants and other NRC license holders are conducted through an independent office established in 1982. Democratic Sens. Barbara Boxer of California and Edward Markey of Massachusetts said in a letter to NRC Chairman Allison Macfarlane on Thursday that they have been told the NRC’s general counsel is recommending changes that would in effect place it in charge of every stage of an investigation and limit the types of investigations the independent office could undertake.
“This proposal removes the independence that is essential to an effective investigative office,” the senators wrote……..The lawmakers called on the NRC to provide all correspondence, including notes and emails that discuss a reorganization of the office. They also say a congressional hearing will be held in December that looks into a possible reorganization.
Earlier this week, an NRC inspector general concluded that the agency had missed opportunities to spot potential troubles that led to the installation of faulty machinery in a Southern California nuclear power plant. http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Senators-cite-concerns-with-nuclear-investigations-5812466.php
Dental plan to reduce radiation doses to children
Dentists urged to ‘child-size’ radiation doses for young patients Wave News Oct 06, 2014 LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) – The saying goes “The world always looks brighter from behind a smile.” But keeping that smile bright at the wrong hands could hurt your child’s long-term health. That’s the idea behind a new campaign being pushed out to dentists and other dental professionals around the country.
The University of Louisville Dental School’s Director of Radiology and Imaging Science is joining a team of doctors across the country to get that word out to dentists who treat your children………
“They’re up to three to five times as sensitive as myself to radiation,” said dr. William Scarfe, director of Radiology and Imaging Science at UofL’s School of Dentistry.
Scarfe is helping lead an awareness campaign called Image Gently. It asks dentists to consider just how much radiation their young patients are getting.
“Is it necessary is always the first question,” said Scarfe. He says switching from film to digital radiology reduces the dose, as does focusing on a specific region instead of the whole head. “We should reduce the dose to what their size is,” Scarfe said “That’s called child-sizing exposure.”
Parents, Scarfe says, should look for a dentist to use a thyroid collar, a preferred, but not mandated method in Kentucky.”That significantly reduces the dose to children whose thyroids are very sensitive by about 50%,” said Scarfe……….
Scarfe says parents can and should ask questions about the reasons and the way their children are having images taken at the dentist.
The six-step Image Gently plan includes:
- Select x-rays for a patient’s individual needs, not as routine.
- Use the fastest image receptor possible, E- or F-speed film or digital sensors
- Aim the x-ray beam to expose only the area of interest.
- Use thyroid collars
- Child-size the exposure
- Use cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) only when necessary http://www.wave3.com/story/26716108/dentist-urged-to-child-size-radiation-doses-for-young-patients
No uranium mining for Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon Will Not Be Mined for Uranium http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/grand-canyon-will-not-be-mined-uranium-180952950/?no-ist Uranium mining will be banned for the next 20 years on nearly 1 million acres of land near the Grand Canyon By Rachel Nuwer smithsonian.com October 6, 2014 For the next two decades, at least, lands near the Grand Canyon will not be dug up in search of uranium. U.S. District Judge David Campbell just upheld a 20 year ban on uranium mining for an area of nearly 1 million acres near the Grand Canyon, the Arizona Daily Sun reports.
The mining ban was originally set by the Department of the Interior in 2012 but was recently challenged by a group of mining companies led by Gregory Yount, manager of the Northern Arizona Uranium Project. Yount claimed that the 2012 decision was based on faulty science and “improperly favored Native American claims that the land was sacred,” the Daily Sun writes. “It is pretty clear that the decision was not based on the specific sites but on Native Americans’ feelings about the sacred land,” Yount said. He also added that the predicted environmental degradation of water, land and wildlife around the Grand Canyon had been “significantly exaggerated” in 2012.
Judge Campbell, however, didn’t buy into those arguments. The decision not to mine around the Grand Canyon is important for “protecting a national treasure,” he told the Daily Sun. Moreover, he agreed with evidence that mining would disrupt the lives of members of the Havasupai tribe, who live in the region and consider the land there of cultural and religious importance.
Yount—who will be 74 when the ban is lifted—says he does not plan to appeal the decision this time around. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/grand-canyon-will-not-be-mined-uranium-180952950/#xI8meVsDAueyseTC.99
Lois Gibbs, who exposed Love Canal pollution scandal, speaks out on nuclear wastes
Nobel Prize nominee in STL, talks nuclear waste Grant Bissell, KSDK7:40 p.m. CDT October 4, 2014 ST. LOUIS – A Nobel Peace Prize nominee was in St. Louis Saturday to talk about nuclear waste that’s contaminated parts of our area.
Lois Gibbs is known for her extensive activism at Love Canal, a nuclear waste site in New York. On Saturday, she spoke at a community meeting in Maryland Heights organizers say was centered on educating people about the radioactive West Lake Landfill and Coldwater Creek.
“Of all of the site’s I’ve visited, and I’ve visited tons of sites across this country in the last 33 years, this is by far the worst,” Gibbs said of West Lake.
The landfill is owned by Republic Services and contains World War II-era nuclear waste. It’s adjacent to the Bridgeton Landfill, which has had an underground smoldering event for years.
“How do they expect families to live with that kind of terrible fact?” Gibbs said.
The activist is helping amplify the calls to remove the waste from West Lake.
“We’ve got to make the people in this community safe. That should be Republic’s number one goal right now,” said Chuck Stiles, the assistant director of the Teamsters Solid Waste Division.
Many of the people at the meeting either live near the West Lake Landfill or Coldwater Creek. The waterway streams through parts of north St. Louis County and was contaminated by the same waste as West Lake. Hundreds of people who grew up near the creek have developed illnesses they believe are related to exposure to the waste………
A coalition called Just Moms STL has started petitions to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and the St. Louis County Council to have the waste removed from the West Lake Landfill. http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/local/2014/10/04/nobel-prize-nominee-in-stl-talks-nuclear-waste/16738195/
USA uses ‘asteroid’ threat as excuse to hoard nuclear weapons
US is Hoarding Nuclear Weapons for a Real ‘Armageddon’, Nature World News By Brian Stallard, 2 Oct 14 Government auditors were recently looking into why exactly the United States is falling behind in disarming itself of its old nuclear weapon surplus, and they stumbled upon an unusual excuse: asteroid defense.
According to a report detailing an audit of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) conducted earlier this year, US officials are hoarding some of its enriched uranium components – canned subassemblies (CSAs) – just in case they need to pull a real-world recreation of scenes straight out of the movieArmageddon.
NNSA officials told us that CSAs associated with a certain warhead indicated as excess in the 2012 Production and Planning Directive and being retained in an indeterminate state pending senior-level government evaluation of their use in planetary defense against earthbound asteroids,” the report reads.
And while the NNSA had initially scheduled these same “excess” CSAs to be dissembled by 2015, they have since been identified as an “irreplaceable national asset.”
If there’s anything Hollywood ever put on the silver screen that could actually happen, Armageddon certainly wouldn’t be on the top of the list. However, NASA has confirmed in past studies that if a dangerous asteroid were safely broken into smaller pieces, it could be rendered harmless, as these smaller bits would just burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. …….
critics of this nuclear defense idea are saying its fantastical and potentially just a facade.
Jay Melos, a planetary studies expert at Purdue University, recently told The Wall Street Journal that this all may just be “an excuse for keeping the nuclear arsenal together.”…http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/9298/20141002/hoarding-nuclear-weapons-real-armageddon.htm
Promising new ‘solar battery’ – a revolution in energy technology?
New rechargeable ‘solar battery ‘promises to revolutionize solar technology By Daily Digest News October 04, 2014 Scientists from Ohio State University invented a revolutionary breakthrough green energy technology that has the chance to upend the solar power industry.
Led by Professor Yiying Wu, scientists created a solar cell that also doubles as a rechargeable battery– the first combined device of its type.
“The state of the art is to use a solar panel to capture the light, and then use a cheap battery to store the energy,” Wu said. “We’ve integrated both functions into one device.”…….
By combining both the generation and storage processes, Wu and his team have been able to drastically reduce lost potential, saving nearly 100 percent of the electrons produced.
“Any time you can do that, you reduce cost,” said Wu.
The team estimates that their device brings down costs by 25 percent, which would be a significant boon to the solar energy industry.
Costs and innefficiency are the two factors consumers often point to that inhibits solar energy usage compared to traditional fossil fuel sources.
The team filed for a patent on the solar battery, and plans to license it to the broader energy industry for sale and distribution.http://dailydigestnews.com/2014/10/new-rechargeable-solar-battery-promises-to-revolutionize-solar-technology/
Not everyone in Idaho is happy about USA govt funding revival of TREAT nuclear reactor
Idaho brings nuclear test reactor back to life, Houston Chronicle, October 5, 2014 IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — Idaho’s nuclear research laboratory is in the process of refurbishing a 1959 nuclear reactor to restart testing new fuel designs and power levels.
The U.S. Department of Energy is spending $75 million to restart the reactor, known as TREAT, by 2018, the Post Register (http://bit.ly/1vDGVDL) reported…………TREAT is set to be INL’s third active nuclear reactor. However, not everyone is excited about it.
Beatrice Brailsford with the Snake River Alliance questioned if the demand for transient testing has increased since 1994, when officials cited lack of customers as one of the main reasons to shut it down.
Anti-nuclear group Keep Yellowstone Nuclear Free also opposes the reactor.
“An accident at the TREAT Reactor can, INL admits, have an impact on people who live and work offsite,” wrote Kit DesLauriers of Keep Yellowstone Nuclear Free, “. the most careful and realistic assessment must be done, and there must be full public participation in the decision to restart.” http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Idaho-brings-test-reactor-back-to-life-5802387.php
USA’s Airforce to give nuclear officers a special high pay rate
AF approves special pay for nuclear career fields, US AirForce, October 02, 2014 WASHINGTON (AFNS) —
Assignment incentive pay and special duty assignment pay for select total force nuclear career fields became effective Oct. 1, following Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James’ recent announcement.
“The purpose of these special pays is to incentivize Airmen to volunteer for and perform duties in a particular career field, location and/or special assignment where the scope of responsibility and required skills exceed those of other Airmen in the same career field and rank,” said Brig. Gen. Brian Kelly, director of force management policy.
Select officers and enlisted members serving in eleven nuclear career fields and assignment areas will receive between $75 and $300 per month. Nuclear careers fields selected for these special pays include enlisted service members assigned to command post, nuclear aircraft maintenance, security forces, missile maintenance, aircraft armament systems, nuclear weapons and support personnel who deploy to the ICBM complex. Missile launch, security forces and missile maintenance officers will be eligible to receive special pays as well……..http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/503220/af-approves-special-pay-for-nuclear-career-fields.aspx
$1 billion increase in price for new South Carolina nuclear power plant
Price tag for SC nuclear plant could grow by $1B http://www.postbulletin.com/news/nation/price-tag-for-sc-nuclear-plant-could-grow-by-b/article_ac849e2f-4c85-59e7-8144-9b7408674671.html 2 oct 14,
ATLANTA (AP) — The firms building a new nuclear plant in South Carolina say their construction costs could grow by more than $1 billion.
That development is troubling for a nuclear industry trying to prove it can build new power plants without the cost overruns that plagued its projects decades ago. SCANA Corp. announced Thursday that the firms building and designing two new reactors at its V.C. Summer plant say the utility’s costs could grow by about $660 million dollars in 2007. Co-owner Santee Cooper would face a roughly $540 million charge.
Officials for SCANA Corp. and Santee Cooper say they have not accepted any financial responsibility for those costs, and the charges could change.
The plant being built in South Carolina is a sister project to another facility under construction in Georgia.
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Say No to NASA’s Reckless Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
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