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The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope

The staggering and increasing costs to USA taxpayer of the “nuclear revival”

While the nuclear power loan guarantees essentially subsidize new power plants, what has not been factored in are the hidden costs of “clean” nuclear power: the financial legacy of past mining and milling operations have reached into tens of billions of dollars in the West’s “National Sacrifice Areas.”

Hot Rocks: Hidden Cost and Foreign Ownership of “Clean” Nuclear Fuel Emerging,THE HUFFINGTON POST, D.A. Barber, 1 April 2010, “…..Political Costs Critics say the new nuclear power subsidies should not come as a surprise. Over the last decade, the nuclear industry has spent more than $600 million lobbying Washington and another $63 million in campaign contributions, according to the Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University.

Critics like Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. have questioned whether banks will back new nuclear plants – which cost nearly 35% more than coal or natural gas plants – until the nuclear waste issue is dealt with. Continue reading

April 2, 2010 Posted by | politics, USA | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Censorship of scientists on cancer risks of radiation

Scientist: FDA suppressed imaging safety concerns, Science news,  By Matthew Perrone, 30 March, WASHINGTON — A former Food and Drug Administration scientist said Tuesday his job was eliminated after he raised concerns about the risks of radiation exposure from high-grade medical scanning.
Dr. Julian Nicholas said at a public hearing that he and other FDA staffers “were pressured to change their scientific opinion,” after they opposed the approval of a CT scanner for routine colon cancer screening. Nicholas said that he objected to exposing otherwise healthy patients to the cancer risks of radiation. Continue reading

April 2, 2010 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium mining leaves behind toxic and EXPENSIVE wastes

at each step of this process, the material leaves behind progressively more toxic – and expensive – waste.

Hot Rocks: Hidden Cost and Foreign Ownership of “Clean” Nuclear Fuel Emerging,THE HUFFINGTON POST, D.A. Barber, 1 April 2010, “…..Unlike coal, which goes straight from the mine to the power plant, uranium goes through several steps to become fuel for “clean” nuclear power plants and then needs to be disposed of. From the mine the ore goes to a mill to be turned into “yellow cake,” which then goes to an enrichment facility to boost its potency. Continue reading

April 2, 2010 Posted by | USA, wastes | , , , , | Leave a comment

Nice for Russia’s nuclear empire – a new World Nuclear Fuel Bank

Russia, IAEA Agree To Establish World’s First Nuclear Fuel Bank – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty © 2010, By Richard SolashWASHINGTON — Russia has signed a deal with the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to set up the world’s first nuclear fuel bank of low-enriched uranium for countries that need fuel for civilian purposes, including nuclear power plants.Russia’s atomic energy chief, Sergei Kiriyenko, signed the deal with IAEA head Yukiya Amano in Vienna on March 29. The IAEA says the bank will eventually hold a stockpile of 120 tons of low-enriched uranium.

Russia, IAEA Agree To Establish World’s First Nuclear Fuel Bank – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty © 2010

April 2, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, Russia | , , , , | Leave a comment

Escalating costs of taxpayer funded uranium mining cleanup

Hot Rocks: Hidden Cost and Foreign Ownership of “Clean” Nuclear Fuel Emerging,THE HUFFINGTON POST, D.A. Barber, 1 April 2010,  Western U.S. supporters of “clean” nuclear power say it means more jobs at uranium mines and mills. But critics say the escalating costs of past uranium facility clean-up, billion-dollar subsidies, and the fact that most of the companies are foreign-owned, has seemingly gone unnoticed. Continue reading

April 2, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, USA | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fires at three U.S. nuclear plants

Fires break out at three U.S. nuclear plants over the weekend, FACING SOUTH,  By Sue Sturgis , March 29, 2010 Emergencies were declared at two Progress Energy nuclear power plants in the Carolinas over the weekend due to fires. There was also a fire at a nuclear power plant in Ohio on Sunday that sent two firefighters to the hospital. The blazes were put out and disaster averted, but the incidents underscore concerns about U.S. nuclear plants’ failure to comply with fire safety regulations…… Continue reading

March 29, 2010 Posted by | safety, USA | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The problem of overuse of medical radiation

For patients, navigating the debate can be difficult because doctors, patient advocacy groups and manufacturers often endorse positions that are in their economic self-interest. Radiologists, who often own and use CT machines, for instance, often endorse their use; while gastroenterologists, who often own and use camera scopes, often favor their own methods. Patient groups often get financing from drug and device makers, or physician-specialty groups.

Radiation warnings ignored, GDS Publishing, By Jodie Humphries | 03/29/10 Urgent warnings by government experts about the risks of routinely using powerful CT scans to screen patients for colon cancer were ignored by the Food and Drug Administration, according to agency documents and interviews with agency scientists. Continue reading

March 29, 2010 Posted by | health, USA | , , , | 1 Comment

Australia’s Northern Territory Opposes Rudd Govt on Nuclear Waste Dump Plan

NT not able to cope with nuke accident, says Government,  Northern Territory News BEN LANGFORD March 29th, 2010 MOST Territory hospitals and the Port of Darwin are not equipped to deal with a radioactive waste incident or interest from “sophisticated criminal groups”, the NT Government has said.
The Government has told a Senate inquiry into new laws for a nuclear waste dump there would be “negligible economic benefit from the facility” for the NT. Continue reading

March 29, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, politics | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Anti Nuclear Group Seek to Intervene in Nuclear License Renewal

the group has been granted intervener status in previous proceedings and is almost sure to get that designation this time around. It gives the group legal standing in the relicensing proceedings and also gives it greater leverage to file lawsuits if the agency does not meet its demands.

San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace files protest over Diablo SanLuis Obispo Tribune Mar. 29, 2010, Anti-nuclear activists want to be declared an intervener in the license renewal process By David Sneed | The anti-nuclear group San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace has filed five formal protests over plans to extend the two operating licenses at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant for 20 more years. Continue reading

March 29, 2010 Posted by | Legal, USA | , , , , | Leave a comment

Financial battle over the future of the nuclear power industry

As elderly nukes stumble toward oblivion, various funds allegedly set aside for decommissioning may be significantly under-funded, deeply exacerbating the financial battles that now the industry.


The Legacy of Three Mile Island: It Could Happen Again At Any Time HARVEY WASSERMAN FOR BUZZFLASH 27 March 2010,“……1) Four northeastern nukes—in Vermont, New Jersey and the two at Indian Point— are under intense public pressure to shut within the next two years. Numerous other elderly reactors are likely to go down long before any new nukes could come on line. Continue reading

March 29, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment

France’s nuclear reactors – cost cutting risks safety

Revelations from an EDF insider : EPR reactor prone to major nuclear accident risk!The French Network for Nuclear Phase-out (Réseau “Sortir du nucléaire”) 6 March 2010, reveals confidential documents disclosed by an anonymous insider from EDF (Electricité de France, the main French power utility). These documents show that the design of the EPR presents a serious risk of a major nuclear accident – a risk deliberately taken by EDF to increase its profitability. Because it is potentially vulnerable to a situation which could have uncontrollable consequences, the EPR reactor is extremely dangerous.

http://www.sortirdunucleaire.org/index.php?menu=actualites&sousmenu=dossiers&soussousmenu=EPRrevelations&page=2

March 29, 2010 Posted by | France, safety | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Illegal radiation experiments on U.S. prisoners

Prisoners forced to submit to radiation experiments for private foreign companies, Gang Stalking World , March 20, 2010, Eddie Milton Garey Jr.The Federal Bureau of Prisons officials have been forcing inmates at USP Big Sandy to submit to random computerized tomographic whole body radioactive scanners. If they refuse to submit to these radiation experiments, prison officials are charging them with disobeying a direct order and subjecting them to a wide range of sanctions, Continue reading

March 27, 2010 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | , , , , | 2 Comments

Radioactive legacy continues to affect Navajo people

Toxic legacy for tribes, High Country News, Caitlin Sislin | Mar 26, 2010 Earlier this month, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals approved a controversial permit for uranium mining operations at sites in Church Rock, New Mexico. The operation includes a site associated with the largest release of liquid radioactive waste in United States History — a catastrophe which continues, a generation later, to negatively impact the lives and health of Navajo people residing near the spill site. Continue reading

March 27, 2010 Posted by | indigenous issues, USA, water | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear plants, and their final closure, will leave large radioactive legacy

after 30 years of operation their could be as many as 100 billion lethal doses of radiation sitting right here in Allegany County.

From the Archives, 1989: Radiation Danger Deepens, The Houghton Star, By Kim Kerr and Trina Van Derlip March 27, 2010, This article, entitled “Running Risks: Radiation Danger Deepens,” was printed in the October 2, 1989 edition of the Star, and was written by Kim Kerr and Trina Van Derlip, “……..The problem had its beginning in 1985, when the Federal Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act (introduced in 1980) was passed and amended. This policy shifted the responsibility of low-level waste from the federal to the state governments. Continue reading

March 27, 2010 Posted by | USA, wastes | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cancer increasing with increased use of medical radiation

“The problem is that there’s an increased cancer risk even from little amounts of radiation that we don’t feel,”

High-tech screening tests: Too much radiation?  San Francisco News – abc7news.com  March 25, 2010.

Carolyn Johnson

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The Food and Drug Administration is launching a drive to reduce the levels of radiation being used on patients in U.S. hospitals. The agency will hold hearings in Washington next week, focusing on powerful new imaging technology. The devices can often spot disease early, but critics worry their popularity is leading to an overuse of radiation……. Continue reading

March 27, 2010 Posted by | health, USA | , , , , , | Leave a comment