Yankee nuclear power plant has doubtful future

Vermont Yankee future dogged by doubt Burlington Free Press By Nancy Remsen • Free Press Staff Writer • October 25, 2009 Vermont’s 37-year-old nuclear power plant is constantly in the public spotlight these days as the 2012 expiration date on its license approaches. Continue reading →

October 28, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Uranium poisoning of the Navajo

The Forgotten Navajo: Uranium contamination —Pavement Pieces By Rachel Morgan on October 14, 2009

CHURCH ROCK, New Mexico — Teddy Nez’s home sits 500 feet from the mouth of abandoned uranium mine.

Since 1982, Nez and his family have been breathing in uranium particles and drinking uranium-contaminated water. They didn’t know the land that surrounded their home in Church Rock, N.M. – located on the 27,000 square-mile Navajo Reservation – was slowly killing them. Continue reading →

October 27, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, indigenous issues, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, radioactive, uranium, wastes | Leave a comment

Navajos anxiety over uranium mining

A new demand for uranium power brings concerns for Navajo groups
Mining planned at a mountain considered sacred

By Kari Lydersen

Washington Post
October 25, 2009

Indian people gathered in Acoma, N.M., for the Indigenous Uranium Forum over the weekend decried future uranium extraction, especially from nearby Mount Taylor, considered sacred by many tribes. Continue reading →

October 26, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, indigenous issues, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, radioactive, uranium, wastes | Leave a comment

Obama making ambiguous noises about nuclear power

by Christina Macpherson President Obama is making some rather ambiguous noises about nuclear energy. This is, of course, in the context of present debates on the USA’s Climate Bill. And we know that the Democrats are so keen to get some sort of Climate Bill passed, that just about anything goes, even nuclear, if the word “Climate” is tacked on to the Bill.

And, of course, there’s always the dear old “military-industrial complex” , and now, the pressure to somehow put so-called “peaceful” nukes, into nuclear disarmament plans.

Perhaps Obama is just placating them all with these seemingly pro-nuke noises. He can’t be unaware of the financial and waste-problem debacle that is the present state of this dying industry. Continue reading →

October 24, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, Copenhagen, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radioactive, wastes | Leave a comment

Video: Rating Obama on renewable energy?

Video: MIT Students Grade Obama On Green Energy By SARAH BUSH and ANDREW PHELPS October 23, 2009 CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — President Obama got a glance at some of the world’s most innovative clean energy technologies during a visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday. In a speech, he touted a major climate change bill and urged Americans to lead on renewable energy. But Mr. Obama’s critics say he has hardly made any progress toward making America “green.” We interviewed MIT students before and after his speech for their assessment.

wbur.org » News » Video: MIT Students Grade Obama On Green Energy

October 24, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

Warning on CT Brain Scans

– FDA Issues Warning About Radiation Overexposure During Brain Scan By: June Chen, MD Health and Age 10/22/2009 Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported cases of radiation overexposure during brain perfusion computed tomography (CT) imaging. Although the reported cases of radiation overexposure all occurred at a single institution, this warning does raise a red flag about potential problems with CT quality assurance programs. Continue reading →

October 24, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, health, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

No international nuclear garbage for America

Don’t import nuclear waste

Bill by Alexander, Gordon would ban such shipments

The Leaf Chronicle October 21, 2009 If a friend asked to dump his garbage in your yard because he knew you would know what to do with it, what would you say? Probably, no thanks. That’s what the United States should say to countries that want to send their nuclear waste here for processing and storage. Thankfully, Sen. Lamar Alexander and U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon of Murfreesboro are sponsoring legislation in Congress to keep other countries’ nuclear waste out of the United States. No other nation allows the importation and storage of another country’s nuclear waste. Continue reading →

October 23, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, wastes | Leave a comment

Climate Bill Becoming Just a Nuclear Power Promotion

Is the Climate Bill Becoming an Excuse to Promote Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Power?By Harvey Wasserman, AlterNet. October 21, 2009.The Senate bill includes a “Clean Energy Development Administration” that could deliver virtually unlimited federal cash to build new reactors and fund other mega-polluters……….. Continue reading →

October 22, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, climate change, USA | antinuclear, climate change, nuclear | Leave a comment

Taxpayers at risk in nuclear plans

USA: Nuclear power’s up-front costs Persistent problems argue against increased tax investment Herald Tribune October 21, 2009 .Whether you’re for or against nuclear power, you’re probably helping to fund its future expansion.
For example, Florida customers of Florida Power & Light and Progress Energy pay a monthly fee to help the utilities pursue new nuclear reactors — which may not be built for years, if ever. Continue reading →

October 22, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs | Leave a comment

Yankee nuclear plant safety in doubt

Report raises new questions about Yankee reliability By Nancy Remsen, Burlington Free Press Staff Writer • October 21, 2009 A consultant’s first report to the Legislature raised new concerns about the reliability of the 37-year-old Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee in light of its owner’s desire to re-license and operate the nuclear power plant for another 20 years.Arnold Gundersen of Fairewinds Associates nc. raised five concerns in his first report: Continue reading →

October 22, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium, wastes | 1 Comment

Can US taxpayers afford the nuclear industry?

Can We Afford More Subsidies for Nuclear Power? Common Dreams.org Union of Concerned Scientists WASHINGTON – October 20 – The Senate may finally start debating climate and energy legislation now that Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) have introduced the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act. But the addition of a nuclear provision to the bill raises some questions. What will be the fate of the so-called nuclear power renaissance, and to what extent will taxpayers be asked to underwrite it?…………. Continue reading →

October 21, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

WHAT Nuclear Power Renaissance?

Nuclear Power Renaissance? Thirty years after Three Mile Island, nuclear is still too risky. But now the risks have shifted from physical to financial. Technology Review Nov/Dec 2009 By Matthew L. Wald “………………the nuclear industry faces tremendous risks, though their nature has changed since 1979. As the possibility of an accident that panics or injures the neighbors has diminished, the likelihood has grown that even a properly functioning new reactor will be unable to pay for itself. Continue reading →

October 21, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

Radiation hazard to Mars travellers

Travel to Mars – on a one-way ticket? Some experts believe it’s the only way to explore the red planet and save NASA By ERIC BERGERHOUSTON CHRONICLE Oct. 19, 2009,
“………….The astronauts we’d send would never come home…………. Continue reading →

October 20, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, health, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Nuking Climate Change

Nuking Climate Change mother nature network, by Ken Edelstein Oct 19 2009 When people like John Kerry back nuclear subsidies, green activists find themselves in a difficult position…………………………In many ways, Kerry’s support for nuclear subsidies demonstrates just how desperately he and others view the prospect of climate change. It’s not that nuclear plants have become any safer. Continue reading →

October 19, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1, climate change, USA | antinuclear, climate change, nuclear, nuclear spin | Leave a comment

Utah site might not be safe for depleted uranium wastes

Radioactive waste shipments to Utah site facing year delay State board agrees extra steps must be taken to ensure safety of shipment .By Judy Fahys The Salt Lake Tribune 10/14/2009 Drums of radioactive cleanup waste in South Carolina are ready for loading onto rail cars for the journey to a Tooele County disposal site. But now those plans could be delayed more than a year, Continue reading →

October 17, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, depleted, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium, wastes | Leave a comment