nuclear « nuclear-news

An idealistic U.S. President Influenced by Nuclear Warriors

I must admit that I have been worried since he appointed Steven Chu from Los Alamos Labs as his Secretary of Energy and John Holdren as science advisor because they are both enthusiastic endorsers of nuclear power

Helen Caldicott: How Did an Idealistic President Become a Champion of Nuclear Power and By Default, Weapons Proliferation? THE HUFFINGTON POST 2 Feb 2010 In 1983, Barack Obama, a senior at Columbia University described his visions of a “nuclear free world” in an article titled “Breaking the War Mentality” in the university newsmagazine, Sundial. He described discussions of “first- versus second-strike capabilities” that “suit the military-industrial interests” with their “billion-dollar erector sets,” and called for the abolition of the global arsenals of tens of thousands of deadly warheads.As a candidate he acknowledged that he was worried for the safety of his children who lived in Illinois because it has the highest concentration of nuclear reactors in the US – and opposed further nuclear subsidies. “I am not a nuclear proponent,” he said. Continue reading →

February 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

Strong opposition to importing nuclear waste: opinion poll

Radioactive waste not welcome here: Poll Overwhelming majority says Utah is not the right place for depleted uranium and foreign radioactive waste By Judy Fahys The Salt Lake Tribune 02/01/2010 Utahns strongly support a federal ban on importing radioactive waste from foreign nations.

And, even more strongly, they oppose the disposal of thousands of tons of depleted uranium in their state. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, depleted, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium, wastes | Leave a comment

All sides unhappy with Obama’s nuclear waste panel

Left and Right Pan Obama’s Panel on Nuclear Waste THE WALL STREET JOURNAL , by Stephen Power February 1, 2010, It took the Obama administration nearly a year to appoint a blue-ribbon panel to study what to do with nuclear waste piling up at power plants — and just a few hours for politicians and groups on the left and right to raise questions about the panel’s mandate and credibility. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radioactive, wastes | Leave a comment

U.S govt in legal battle over nuclear waste

“US Justice Dept Wants More Lawyers For Nuclear-Waste Litigation” THE WALL STREET JOURNAL By Brent Kendall, (Siobhan Hughes and Ian Talley contributed to this article.) Dow Jones Newswire 2 Feb 2010 -The Obama administration wants a bigger legal team to do battle with utility companies over the federal government’s failure to collect spent nuclear waste as required by legislation from the 1980s.The president’s budget proposal, released Monday, seeks an additional $11.4 million for the Justice Department to devote to nuclear-waste litigation. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radioactive, reactor | Leave a comment

Russian protests against Areva and Urenco’s nuclear waste dumping

Areva and its counterpart Urenco, headquartered in Britain, have sent close to 140,000 tonnes of nuclear waste to Russia in the past 15 years.

DEPLETED URANIUM IN RUSSIA Protests as French uranium arrives in Russia Javno 2 Feb 2010 A cargo loaded with depleted uranium from France docked in Saint Petersburg, as Russian activists protested at the nuclear waste exports. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, Russia | antinuclear, AREVA, cancer, depleted, France, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | 2 Comments

Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is a political issue

If you thought Vermont Yankee was a big election issue before, it just became even more so

Nuclear politics VY vote this year? Maybe, Burlington Free Press 1 Feb 2010 Once upon a time, the Legislature was balking at voting on Vermont Yankee’s future and the governor who was pushing for a vote. Now that tritium is leaking into groundwater at the plant from pipes that company officials said didn’t exist, things appear different. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radioactive | Leave a comment

How many nuclear power plants are leaking radioactive tritium?

Many radiological health scientists agree with the Environmental Protection Agency that tritium, like other radioactive isotopes, can cause cancer………..

Vt nuke plant leaks renew debate over aging plants, Business Week, The Associated Press, February 1, 2010, By DAVE GRAM

Radioactive tritium, a carcinogen discovered in potentially dangerous levels in groundwater at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, has now tainted at least 27 of the nation’s 104 nuclear reactors — raising concerns about how it is escaping from the aging nuclear plants. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radioactive | Leave a comment

Uranium wastewater spill at South Carolina nuclear plant

Federal regulators investigating SC uranium spill The Sun News The Associated Press 1 Feb 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Federal regulators are at a South Carolina nuclear fuel plant investigating a spill of wastewater containing uranium.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday a team had arrived at the Westinghouse Electric Co. plant near Columbia.

The NRC says about 200 gallons of wastewater containing ammonia and uranium spilled Jan. 24 after a pump failed.

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

European countries want U.S and Russian nuclear arsenals removed from their borders

Sweden, Poland urge sharp cuts in tactical nukes The Washington Post The Associated Press
February 1, 2010 STOCKHOLM — The foreign ministers of Sweden and Poland on Monday urged the U.S. and Russia to sharply reduce their arsenals of tactical nuclear weapons, and said Moscow should withdraw such arms from areas bordering the European Union. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

A start is made on monitoring patients’ radiation exposure

NIH will start keeping track of patients’ radiation exposure

By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY 1 Feb 2010

Concerned that Americans may be accumulating too much lifetime radiation exposure from medical tests, doctors at the National Institutes of Health will begin recording how much radiation patients receive from CT scans and other procedures in their electronic medical records. Continue reading →

February 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear spin, radioactive | Leave a comment

Judge rules that utility can withdraw from crumbling nuclear power project

San Antonio utility wins nuclear ruling By TRACY IDELL HAMILTON San Antonio Express-NewsJan. 30, 2010, SAN ANTONIO — In a victory for CPS Energy, District Court Judge Larry Noll’s ruling Friday clears the way for the city-owned utility to withdraw from the proposed expansion of the South Texas Project nuclear plant without fear of losing its entire investment…………. Continue reading →

February 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Non-Africans exploit poor environmental controls in African uranium mines.

it is non-African companies that are exploiting the resource — Chinese, Canadian and French firms. It’s a whole new phase of colonialism.”…..

A recent investigation in Niger uncovered radioactive shovels on sale in the local market in Arlit, a company town next to Areva’s mine there.

The great uranium stampede The Sunday TimesJanuary 31, 2010

“…….The scramble has been set off by the comeback of nuclear power. In the past couple of years countries that for decades had shunned it as an expensive, pariah technology have embraced it anew. Britain is leading the charge. The government envisages a new generation of reactors to replace the rickety old stations that will be retired in the coming years. The renaissance has taken hold elsewhere, from America to the Middle East and China. Continue reading →

February 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Niger, politics international | antinuclear, AREVA, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons, radioactive, uranium | 1 Comment

Some Obama supporters unhappy about tripling of Nuclear Loan Guarantees

the administration’s efforts also could alienate the environmental wing of its base.

Obama To Propose Tripling Of Nuclear Loan Guarantees THE WALL STREET JOURNAL By Siobhan Hughes,; Stephen Power of The Wall Street Journal and Christine Buurma of Dow Jones Newswires contributed to this article.) * JANUARY 29, 2010 Continue reading →

February 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

U.S.A. pressurising Iran with increased missiles in Gulf

US boosts missile presence in Gulf as warning to Iran Pentagon expands. Patriot missile programme across Middle East after Tehran repeatedly spurns hand of diplomacy The Guardian. (UK) James Sturcke, 31 January 2010

The Obama administration is intensifying pressure on Iran by increasing its missile defences in the Middle East to defend against potential missile strikes in the region by Tehran, it emerged today. Continue reading →

February 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

International experts meet, about nuclear terrirism

Experts seek ways to stop nuke terror By Philip Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer 02/01/2010 MANILA, Philippines—A radioactive or “dirty bomb” explodes on a crowded train or inside a sports stadium, killing hundreds. Rods of plutonium are dropped into a water reservoir, poisoning millions. Continue reading →

February 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, safety | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons, radioactive | Leave a comment