***************************************************************** 01/09/04 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 12.7 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** Send News Stories to news@energy-net.org with title on subject line and first line of body NUCLEAR POLICY 1 US: [southnews] Bush 'Systematically Misrepresented' Prewar WMD 2 US: AFP: US defends case for Iraq war against hype claims 3 STLtoday: The weapons that weren't 4 Counterpunch: Mike Whitney: The Carnegie Report on Iraq's Missing WM 5 Straits Times: Nuke talks stalled over two words N. Korea won't utte 6 Las Vegas SUN: N. Korea Says It Won't Follow Libya Model 7 AU SMH: China questions US claims about Korean nuclear threat - 8 US: NRC: NRC Staff to Discuss an Apparent Violation Associated with 9 US: Rocky Mountain News: Transcript of interview with Vice President 10 US: The Gleaner: Nuclear weapons 'scoop' buried in most accounts 11 PakNews.Com: Taming the Arabs 12 Greenpeace: UK admits nukes aboard Falkland ships 13 Hi Pakistan: N-scientists may be booked under Secrets Act 14 Guardian Unlimited: Nuclear neighbours shake NUCLEAR REACTORS 15 US: NRC: NRC Announces the Availability of License Renewal Applicati 16 Bangkok Post Post: Atomic fund 17 US: Las Vegas SUN: Letter: Nuclear power should be banned 18 US: Rutland Herald: State urged to make Entergy wait 19 Washington Post: U.S. Groups Visit North Korean Nuclear Plant 20 US: Brattleboro Reformer: Activists hammer PSB over 'uprate' 21 US: Brattleboro Reformer: Test: Yankee soils aren't radioactive 22 US: Brattleboro Reformer: Vt. energy plan draws fire at public meeti NUCLEAR SAFETY 23 US: [du-list] STV wins NRC hearing on DU at JPG 24 [du-list] DU in the news 12th Jan 04 25 US: [du-list] DOD's Biological Agent Risks... 26 ITAR-TASS: New anti-sinking technology for subs created in Severodvi NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 27 US: NSBS: Soil contamination probe still in progress DEP records sho 28 NRC: Oral Argument on Duke's Application to Use Mixed Oxide Nuclear 29 US: deseret news: Goshute tribal leaders face another legal battle 30 ITV: 'Radioactive waste found in salmon' 31 US: Las Vegas RJ: NUCLEAR SHIPMENT: N.M. protesters object 32 Bellona: No contracts for spent nuclear fuel imports in Russia for 2 33 Las Vegas SUN: Letter: Deny feds access to Yucca site 34 US: Las Vegas SUN: Letter: Hanford waste is more urgent problem for 35 de.indymedia.org: German nuke waste to Sellafield by 15 March 36 Paducah Sun: Uranium shipment to Paducah gets probed 37 US: Casper Star-Tribune: Judge orders tribe to turn over documents t 38 Nevada: Nevada's Lawsuit Against Yucca Mountain Slated for Jan. 14 39 Pahrump Valley Times: FELLINI SAYS ENERGY DEPARTMENT MISLEADING NEVA 40 Pahrump Valley Times: Nye officials discuss YMP on Reno station NUCLEAR WEAPONS US DEPT. OF ENERGY 41 DOE: Workers' Compensation Assistance Advisory Committee 42 Carlsbad Current: Argus DOE misses deadline 43 TheNewMexicoChannel: Sandia Labs Reactor Still Shut Down 44 KATU 2: Washington State sues Department of Energy for back taxes OTHER NUCLEAR 45 Google News Alert - nuclear 46 War Wire: US backs Japanese site to host nuclear fusion project 47 War Wire: EU slams US support for Japan to host nuclear fusion proje 48 Ananova: US planning nuclear Jupiter mission 49 UPI Exclusive: Space plan to push robots ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 [southnews] Bush 'Systematically Misrepresented' Prewar WMD Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 03:16:21 -0600 (CST) ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/7gSolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *Report: White House 'Systematically Misrepresented' Prewar WMD Claims ***by Jim Lobe* January 9, 2004* *T*he administration of US President George W. Bush "systematically misrepresented" the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD), three nonproliferation experts from a prominent think tank charged Thursday. In a 107-page report , Jessica Mathews, Joseph Cirincione and George Perkovich of the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) called for the creation of an independent commission to fully investigate what the US intelligence community knew, or believed it knew, about Iraq's WMD program from 1991 to 2003. The probe should also determine whether intelligence analyses were tainted by foreign intelligence agencies or political pressure, they added. "It is very likely that intelligence officials were pressured by senior administration officials to conform their threat assessments to preexisting policies," Cirincione told reporters. The Carnegie analysts also found "no solid evidence" of a cooperative relationship between the government of ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the al-Qaeda terrorist group, nor any evidence to support the claim that Iraq would have transferred WMD to al-Qaeda under any circumstances. "The notion that any government would give its principal security assets to people it could not control in order to achieve its own political aims is highly dubious," they wrote. In addition the report, "WMD in Iraq: Evidence and Implications ," concluded that the United Nations inspection process, which was aborted when the agency withdrew its inspectors on the eve of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq last March, "appears to have been much more successful than recognized before the war." The report, the most comprehensive public analysis so far of the administration's WMD claims and what has been found in Iraq, will certainly heat up the simmering controversy over whether Bush and his top aides might have deliberately misled Congress and the public into going to war. While that controversy has cooled since last month's capture of Saddam and a palpable rise in the military's confidence that it can subdue the bloody insurgency against the occupation, two congressional committees are only now resuming their own probes of US prewar intelligence on WMD, which were interrupted by the long Christmas recess. The report also comes amid new indications that the administration itself has decided that its prewar claims about Iraq's WMD were wrong. The /New York Times /reported Thursday that a 400-member military team has been quietly withdrawn from the 1,400-member Iraq Survey Group (ISG) that has spent months scouring Iraq at a cost of nearly one billion dollars for any evidence of such weapons. That report followed another in mid-December that said ISG head David Kay had told his superiors at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) he planned to leave as early as the end of January. Kay, a former U.N. inspector who had long charged Saddam with holding vast supplies of WMD, submitted an interim report last October that no weapons had been found. "I think it's pretty clear by now that they don't expect to find anything at all," said one administration official. The Carnegie report also comes on the heels of the publication Wednesday of an extraordinarily lengthy article by the /Washington Post/ that concluded that Iraq's WMD programs were effectively abandoned after the 1991 Gulf War. The article, which confirmed that Iraq was developing new missile technology, was based on interviews with the country's top weapons scientists and mostly unnamed US and British investigators who went to Iraq after the war. The new report is likely to be taken as the most serious blow yet to the administration's credibility. Carnegie is the publisher of /Foreign Policy/ journal, and, while its general political orientation is slightly left of center, it has long been studiously nonpartisan, and also houses right-wing figures, such as neo-conservative writer Robert Kagan. Carnegie President Mathews traveled to Iraq last September as part of a bipartisan group of highly respected national-security analysts invited by the Pentagon to assess the situation there. The report, which is based on declassified documents about Iraq from UN weapons inspectors and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reaches a similar conclusion regarding both WMD and the missiles, but is much broader in scope. It concedes that Iraq's WMD programs could have resumed and might have posed a long-term threat that could not be ignored. But, the authors wrote, "they did not pose an immediate threat to the United States, to the region or to global security." Despite Vice President Dick Cheney's insistence early last year that Iraq had reconstituted its nuclear weapons program, the Carnegie report concludes there was "no convincing evidence" that it had done so, and that this should have been known to US intelligence. Similarly, with respect to Baghdad's chemical weapons, US intelligence should have known that all facilities for producing them had been effectively destroyed and that existing stockpiles had lost their potency already by 1991. Uncertainties regarding Iraq's biological weapons program were greater, the report concludes. Dual-use equipment and facilities, however, made it theoretically possible for some limited production of both chemical and biological weapons to occur. As of the beginning of 2002, according to the report, the intelligence community appears to have overestimated the chemical and biological weapons in Iraq, but had a generally accurate picture of both the nuclear and missile programs. But in 2002 the community appears to have made a "dramatic shift" in its analyses. The fact that this change coincided with the creation of the Office of Special Plans (OSP) in the Pentagon a still-mysterious group of intelligence analysts and consultants hired by prominent hawks to assess the community's reporting "suggests that the intelligence community began to be unduly influenced by policymakers' views some time in 2002," the report states. But beyond the failures of the intelligence community, "administration officials systematically misrepresented the threat from Iraq's WMD and ballistic missile programs" in several ways, it adds. They treated the three different kinds of WMD as a single threat when they represented very different threats; insisted without evidence that Saddam would give whatever WMD he had to terrorists; and routinely omitted "caveats, probabilities, and expressions of uncertainty present in intelligence assessments from (their) public statements." In addition, the administration misrepresented findings by UN inspectors "in ways that turned threats from minor to dire." The report goes on to rebut a number of other administration claims, arguing, for example, that the notion that Saddam was not "deterrable" does not stand up to the historical record, given his past reaction to international pressure. The strategic implications of the failure of US intelligence to provide accurate information on Iraq, when there was no imminent threat, should call into question the administration's new national security doctrine of preemptive military action, say the authors. As applied in Iraq, the "doctrine is actually a loose standard for preventive war under the cloak of legitimate preemption," they wrote, and should be rescinded. In a brief reaction, Secretary of State Colin Powell said he remained "confident" of the claims he presented to the UN Security Council last February. At the same time, he stressed that they represented the views of the intelligence community. "I was representing them," he said. "It was information they had presented publicly, and they stand behind it." (Inter Press Service) The archives of South News can be found at http://southmovement.alphalink.com.au/southnews/ Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/southnews/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: southnews-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ***************************************************************** 2 AFP: US defends case for Iraq war against hype claims WASHINGTON (AFP) Jan 08, 2004 The United States "systematically" inflated the threat from Iraq's weapons programmes, an influential Washington think-tank said Thursday, but President George W. Bush's administration said it remained confident in its case for war. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said in a report the United States also misrepresented the findings of UN weapons inspectors in a bid to strengthen its push for military action against Iraq last year. Bush used Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programmes and Saddam Hussein's ties to terrorism as the main case to the United Nations for its war against Iraq. Several countries, led by France, Germany and Russia opposed the US-led war and the divisions have left deep diplomatic scars. US Secretary of State Colin Powell admitted Thursday he had not seen "smoking gun concrete evidence" of Iraqi links with terrorism but insisted that Iraq was a threat that had to be dealt with. Powell said he remained confident in the case against Iraq he put to the UN Security Council in a presentation on February 5 last year. "I am confident of what I presented last year, the intelligence community is confident of the material they gave me," Powell told a press conference. "I was representing them. It was information they presented to the Congress. It was information they had presented publicly and they stand behind it. And this game is still unfolding." But the Carnegie foundation report entitled "WMD in Iraq: Evidence and Implications" said: "Administration officials systematically misrepresented the threat from Iraq's WMD and ballistic missile programmes." It added that US intelligence "appears to have been unduly influenced by policymakers' views." The foundation said the US government should enlist United Nations help to draw up "a complete history and inventory" of Iraq's WMD and missile programmes and establish an independent commission to establish what intelligence services knew about Iraqi weapons. It said the United States should also revise its national security strategy allowing pre-emptive wars. The 100-page report took six months to compile and examined claims made by the White House in the run up to the March 20 invasion that ousted former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The Carnegie said the US administration misrepresented UN "inspectors' findings in ways that turned threats from minor to dire." It said inspections by UN weapons experts "were on track to find what was there" and that international sanctions and import/export controls were "considerably" more effective than was thought. The foundation said there was "no solid evidence" to back administration claims of a close relationship between Saddam and Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network. In launching the war, Bush had said Saddam's former government had presented a direct threat to the United States and the world. The United States has failed to uncover any chemical, biological or nuclear weapons since the war. Hundreds of experts are still scouring Iraq in the hunt. But media reports have said the head of the US Iraqi Survey Group, David Kay, plans to stand down this year. The foundation said there were at least two options "preferable to a war undertaken without international support." The United States could have allowed inspections by the United Nations to continue until completed or imposed "a tougher programme of 'coercive inspections'." The foundation said that on top of revising the national security policy to eliminate the possibility of more pre-emptive wars, the United States should also "make the security of poorly protected nuclear weapons and stockpiles of plutonium and highly enriched uranium a much higher priority." Powell reaffirmed that the US administration believes it prepared a solid case against Iraq with the Central Intelligence Agency to present to other nations. WAR.WIRE ***************************************************************** 3 STLtoday: The weapons that weren't [stltoday.com] 01/08/2004 THE U.S. SEARCH for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is winding down without finding any weapons. U.S. investigators have closed their files on Iraq's chemical and nuclear program. Military forces assigned to the Iraq Survey Group are being diverted to other tasks. And David Kay, head of the Survey Group, is reportedly considering resigning. Still, U.S. and British officials refuse to concede what is becoming increasingly obvious: All of the evidence to date indicates that the prewar assessments were way off. British Prime Minister Tony Blair told British troops last month that Mr. Kay's group had produced "massive evidence of a huge system of clandestine laboratories, (and) workings by scientists." But when a British reporter read Mr. Blair's assessment to L. Paul Bremer - minus Mr. Blair's name - the U.S. administrator in Baghdad said, "I don't know where those words come from, but that is not what David Kay has said." After Mr. Bremer was told the source of the quote, he added in embarrassment, "There is actually a lot of evidence." Meanwhile, back in the states, Stuart Cohen, vice chairman of the National Intelligence Council, appeared Tuesday night on ABC's "Nightline" to insist that it is "nonsense" to suggest that intelligence officials shaded their judgments to gin up support for the war. Yet Mr. Kay has said quite clearly, "We have not found, at this point, actual weapons." The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Mr. Kay's investigators have found no evidence to support the main weapons claims made before the war in London and Washington. They found no work on old germ warfare agents such as anthrax, no evidence of resumed production of VX nerve agents and no active nuclear weapons program. Before the war, President George W. Bush had called the nuclear weapons program a "grave and gathering danger," and Vice President Dick Cheney termed it a "mortal threat." As for the two trailers that U.S. authorities pointed to last spring as the "strongest evidence" of a hidden biological warfare program, both are now thought to have been involved in making hydrogen for weather balloons used by Iraqi artillery units. Mr. Kay has described the trailer incident as a "fiasco." More exotic claims, that Iraq was trying to engineer a "chimera" by combining the genetic material of pox virus with cobra venom, for instance, have been found to be far beyond the capabilities of the Iraqi scientists. One banned program that did exist, at least on paper, was for construction of a missile with a range of 625 miles, which could have threatened Mideast capitals. But the hidden designs were far from production and computer testing was rudimentary, the Post reported. Altogether, the distortions and exaggerations amount to a major misuse of intelligence. The nation needs a tough, nonpartisan investigation to get to the bottom of this failure in order to guard against a president again leading the nation into war based on seriously flawed information and hype. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. ***************************************************************** 4 Counterpunch: Mike Whitney: The Carnegie Report on Iraq's Missing WMDs January 8, 2004 Orange Jumpsuits for the Bush Clan? By MIKE WHITNEY "Fishmongers sell fish; warmongers sell war" Sir Rodric Braithwaite A long-awaited 61 page study was released by the Carnegie Endowment yesterday and it strongly criticized President Bush for "systematically misrepresenting" the threats posed by Iraq's alleged weapons programs. The sharply worded document went on to confirm that the extent of Iraq's nuclear and chemical programs was "largely knowable" and that the sanctions had "effectively destroyed" Iraq's capability to produce these weapons. The report provides the first conclusive assessment of the reasons that led the nation to war, and that assessment is damning in the extreme. Its analysis asserts in unambiguous language that "this war was not necessary" and that the people of the United States were deliberately misled to achieve the dubious objectives of the Bush Administration. The study was released just hours before an American Blackhawk Helicopter was shot down around Falluja killing all nine crewmen. The tragedy only punctuates the grim fact that innocent lives continue to be sacrificed in a war that has only been justified in terms of deception and lies. If members of Congress could be counted on at all to perform their sworn duty, they would convene an independent investigation to either confirm or deny these new charges. However, with the Republican's controlling comfortable margins in the House, it seems unlikely that we'll see any movement on that front. It appears an equally remote possibility that the media will break with tradition and offer some tepid criticism of an Administration who they follow about like a lovesick teenager. The media has been the principle facilitator of the war, we shouldn't expect to see them to reverse directions and function in the interests of the general public. But we should not abandon our commitment to resolve this issue, even as political sympathies are apt to shift from their present alignment. Presently there is a great deal of deliberation among democrats and liberals about what the appropriate tack we should take now that we have troops committed in Iraq. The questions of whether we "should get out now" or "stay and finish the job", have loomed large in this national debate, and so they should. But, there is a larger question that should dwarf all others, and that is the question of accountability. It's understandable that Americans would want to take a practical approach and deal with results-based questions, like what to do next. However, this should not be accepted as a substitute for bringing those who started this illegal and immoral war to justice. Whether this is futile or not is entirely immaterial, (and we are all aware of the extraordinary power held by the President and his Administration) as citizens devoted to basic democratic principles we should be resolute in our commitment to insure that Bush, Rumsfeld and Cheney are held liable for the crimes they have visited on innocent US Military servicemen and the entire Iraqi population. If Henry Kissinger and Robert MacNamara were ensconced in an 5 by 7 ft. windowless cell in Guantanamo Bay, only to make monthly appearances in front of the world media in their orange jumpsuits (in leg-irons and shackles); we would not be at this juncture today. The crimes of Viet Nam were never answered. We cannot allow that to happen again. Mike Whitney can be reached at: fergiewhitney@msn.com Weekend Edition Features for January 3 / 4, 2004 ***************************************************************** 5 Straits Times: Nuke talks stalled over two words N. Korea won't utter - JAN 10, 2004 --> + The US wants Pyongyang's promise that it will bring its nuclear programme to a 'verifiable' and 'irreversible' end By Nicholas Kralev WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is not known for taking a keen interest in meetings that produce no results. But its few encounters with North Korea in its three years in office have consisted of little more than an exchange of carefully scripted talking points. But enough is enough. If there is to be another round of six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programmes, the administration said this week, its positive outcome has to be assured even before it begins. 'What we don't want is another six-party meeting that just turns into auditory exchanges of views,' US Secretary of State Colin Powell said in one of his exchanges with reporters at the State Department, in his first full week back at work after undergoing prostate cancer surgery last month. 'We want to see progress in this next meeting - all of us do - so we want to make sure that the next meeting is prepared well and we have a pretty good idea of the outcome, and it will be an outcome that moves the process forward and not just an exchange of views,' he said. Although Mr Powell cited 'encouraging signals' that 'we might be closer to the next round of talks' - partly because of the North's statement on Tuesday that it was willing to abandon its nuclear pursuits - he said that Pyongyang has yet to say what Washington wants to hear. 'We need a clear statement from the North Koreans that they are prepared to bring these programmes to a verifiable end,' he said. It appears, however, that 'verifiable' and 'irreversible' are two hard words for North Korea to swallow. In fact, US officials said, those words are the main reason for the talks' delay. China, which hosted the first round in August and is expected to do so again, has drafted a joint statement to be adopted at the second meeting. The United States has insisted that the text include the two words, but North Korea has so far refused to accept them. While Washington has made it clear that it does not necessarily need a joint statement to come out of the session - this was something the Chinese wanted, one US official said - it does expect a pledge from Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear programme and agree to a verification mechanism. As for the North's demand for US security guarantees, Mr Powell said such assurances are 'appropriate' and the administration has 'good, solid ideas on how to provide' them. But it won't be more specific until North Korea consents to the 'verifiable' and 'irreversible' language. 'That's the opening step, and that's what we are anxious to see in the next round of talks. Then we can get into how one goes down that road and what the needs of the North Korean people are and how those needs can be addressed,' he said in reference to assistance that the US might provide to the impoverished nation. Japan, South Korea and Russia are the other three participants in the six-party talks. Mr Powell on Thursday defended his characterisation of North Korea's Tuesday statement - which Pyongyang called a 'bold concession' - as a 'positive step', even though White House press secretary Scott McClellan has passed up several opportunities to echo his assessment. That was enough for some observers in Washington to detect yet another disagreement in the administration over North Korea policy. 'I didn't describe it as a major step or as a breakthrough - I called it a positive step,' Mr Powell said. 'And any time the North Koreans take a step which suggests that they are moving in the direction that we think is the correct direction with respect to solving this problem, then I take note of it. And when they do something that is not helpful, I'll take note of that as well.' He was also using his public comments, he said, to convey 'to our friends in the six-party team that we should take note of this positive step'. As it turns out, Mr Powell surprised even some of his colleagues at the State Department with his remark, US officials said. The press guidance, which is prepared every morning at the department in coordination with the White House and other government agencies, did not mention a 'positive step'. The Secretary of State, no doubt, trumps any guidance. Mr Powell also noted that two unofficial US delegations visiting North Korea this week might be helpful for Washington's future dealings with Pyongyang. The groups include congressional staffers, nuclear experts and the former special envoy for talks with the North at the State Department, Mr Jack Pritchard. 'We knew they were going out, and they don't represent any of our positions. But such visits can be useful when they talk to the North Koreans,' Mr Powell said. 'And we will be more than delighted to speak to them when they return. And they will be checking in with our embassies as they come back.' The Straits Times print edition today. In it you ***************************************************************** 6 Las Vegas SUN: N. Korea Says It Won't Follow Libya Model Today: January 09, 2004 at 2:45:11 PST By JAE-SUK YOO ASSOCIATED PRESS SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea hinted Friday that it would not follow Libya in renouncing weapons of mass destruction, calling such expectations a "hallucination" and "foolish." "The United States is hyping recent developments in some Middle East countries," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said, in an apparent reference to Libya's renouncing of WMD and the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. "It is seized with hallucination that the same would happen on the Korean Peninsula and some countries echo this 'hope' and 'expect' some change," he said in a commentary carried by North Korea's official KCNA news agency. The unnamed spokesman did not name Libya or Iraq directly in his comments. North Korea "has never been influenced by others and this will not happen in the future," he said. "To expect any 'change' from the DPRK stand is as foolish as expecting a shower from clear sky," the spokesman said, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "It is the historical truth that peace is won and defended only with strength." Last month, Libya said it was giving up its weapons of mass destruction after months of secret talks with the United States and Britain. It said it hoped the concession would prompt the United States to lift sanctions against the country, and Washington said it hoped other countries would follow Libya's example. North Korea is under similar international pressure to end its nuclear weapons development. Earlier this week, North Korea said it would freeze its nuclear programs in exchange for U.S. aid and being removed from Washington's roster of nations that sponsor terrorism. Secretary of State Colin Powell has called the offer a "positive step forward" and said prospects for resuming negotiations had improved. South Korean Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan said the offer would help "create atmosphere" to open a fresh round of talks on ending tensions over the nuclear standoff. For months, the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas have been attempting to arrange a new round of six-nation negotiations on the nuclear crisis. The first round last August in Beijing ended with little progress. Washington has rejected the North's proposals in the past, saying it wants North Korea to verifiably begin dismantling its nuclear weapons programs before it delivers any concessions. The North Korean nuclear crisis flared in October 2002 when U.S. officials accused North Korea of running a secret nuclear program in violation of a 1994 deal in which North Korea was obliged to freeze its nuclear facilities. Washington and its allies cut off free oil shipments, also part of the 1994 accord. ***************************************************************** 7 AU SMH: China questions US claims about Korean nuclear threat - www.smh.com.au [Sydney Morning Herald Online] By Glenn Kessler in Washington January 8, 2004 China told Asian diplomats last week it is not convinced of US claims that North Korea has a clandestine program to enrich uranium for use in nuclear weapons, US officials said. The previously unreported conversation - raising doubts about the central element in the Bush Administration's case against Pyongyang - underscores how Chinese and US aims appear to be diverging in the diplomatic effort to restrain North Korea's nuclear ambitions. China has taken the lead in organising another round of six-nation talks, but this has bogged down over disputes about the scope and content of the negotiations. North Korea announced on Tuesday what it described as a "bold concession", offering to freeze its nuclear weapons production and its nuclear power facility as "first-phase measures" of a package deal that would call for the US to lift sanctions and provide energy aid. The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said the statement was "a positive step" that could lead to a rapid resumption of talks. Pyongyang made the offer as a private US delegation, including congressional aides, former US officials and an Asia scholar arrived in North Korea hoping to visit the Yongbyon complex at the heart of the country's nuclear program. The six-nation talks have not been scheduled partly because of US insistence that a statement issued after the talks should include North Korea's agreement to a "complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement" of its nuclear programs. But Asian and American officials said on Tuesday that both sides now appear willing to go into the talks without a joint statement agreed in advance, despite concerns that an open-ended session could result in little movement by either side. Some US officials are worried that the Chinese effort to play down the revelations about North Korea's uranium enrichment program suggests that Beijing is preparing the diplomatic groundwork to merely freeze the nuclear plant at Yongbyon, ignoring the issue of nuclear enrichment. Yongbyon was previously shut down under a 1994 agreement between the US and North Korea. US officials claim North Korea admitted it had a clandestine program during a meeting in October 2002 , sparking the present crisis, but the North Koreans have since denied this. Chas Freeman, a former US assistant secretary of defence and senior diplomat in China, said the Bush Administration is paying the price for the controversy over its intelligence on Iraq's weapons. "Post-Iraq, the credibility of US intelligence is not very high" around the world, he said. The Washington Post, Reuters Copyright © 2004. The Sydney Morning Herald. advertise| ***************************************************************** 8 NRC: NRC Staff to Discuss an Apparent Violation Associated with Emergency Classifications at Point Beach News Release - Region III - 2004-00 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region III No. III-04-002 January 9, 2004 CONTACT: Jan Strasma (630) 829-9663 Viktoria Mitlyng (630) 829-9662 E-mail: opa3@nrc.gov The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold a predecisional enforcement conference on Tuesday, January 13, in Lisle, Illinois, to discuss an apparent violation associated with making changes to the emergency plan for the Point Beach Nuclear Plant without receiving prior NRC approval. The two-reactor facility, located near Two Rivers, Wisconsin, is operated by Nuclear Management Company. The meeting will be held at 1 p.m. (CST) in the NRCs Region III Office, 801 Warrenville Road, Lisle. Visitors should report first to the Second Floor reception area. The meeting is open to public observation; before the meeting is adjourned, members of the public may ask questions and provide comments. The meeting will also be available for public viewing by video conference at the NRC Headquarters, Room O-5B6 One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. Persons planning to view the video conference should contact Deidre Spaulding by phone at 301/415-2928 or by e-mail at DWS@nrc.govahead of the meeting to make arrangements. During a special inspection at Point Beach last year, NRC inspectors discovered that the plant staff had made changes to the Emergency Action Level procedure that reduced the effectiveness of the emergency plan without approval from the NRC. Emergency Action Levels designate specific events or indicators that would signal to station personnel how to classify the emergency. Properly identifying the level of emergency is crucial in providing the appropriate level of response under the stations emergency plan. The responses will vary depending on the severity of the threat to plant and public safety. The purpose of the predecisional enforcement conference is to discuss the apparent violation and provide the company an opportunity to respond and to provide details of its corrective actions and other additional information. The information presented in the predecisional enforcement conference will be considered in determining the appropriate enforcement action. The enforcement action will not be determined at the meeting; a decision on the enforcement action, if any, is usually issued several weeks after the conference. If issued, the enforcement action will be available online in the NRCs electronic reading room at: http://www.nrc.gov/what-we-do/regulatory/enforcement/current.html #reactors. The details of the apparent violation are described in an NRC letter to Nuclear Management Company, which can be accessed online at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams/web-based.html by entering accession number ML033371234 as a search term. Last revised Friday, January 09, 2004 ***************************************************************** 9 Rocky Mountain News: Transcript of interview with Vice President Dick Cheney By © Rocky Mountain News and Scripps Howard News Service, 2004 January 9, 2004 Transcript of interview with Vice President Dick Cheney by M.E. Sprengelmeyer of the Rocky Mountain News: Q: You are going to Denver. I was hoping I could first ask you for your response to the Carnegie Foundation report yesterday? CHENEY: I have not seen the report. Saw some headlines on it I guess. This is on W.M.D.? Q: Yes, that's right. They question some of the pre-war justifications that were used by the administration. CHENEY: Well, I think the best source of information, in terms of what we knew or thought we knew before the war, is the National Intelligence Estimate that was prepared by the intelligence community. That's the best judgment of the combined experts -- the CIA, the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, etc., that was produced for us in October of '02. And there are about six pages at the front of that, the summary findings, that have been de-classified. I gave a speech using those pages last July at the American Enterprise Institute here in Washington, sort of laying out what we knew at the time. That was the best information we had and I think the jury is still out in terms of how extensive a program Saddam Hussein had. We know he had had an extensive one in the past. We know he had produced, used chemical weapons. We know he had a robust nuclear program. We found that when we got in there after the '91 war. And the reporting that we had prior to the war this time around was all consistent with that -- basically said that he had a chemical, biological and nuclear program, and estimated that if he could acquire fissile material, he could have a nuclear weapon within a year or two. Based on that there wasn't any way the administration could ignore those findings of the intelligence community in terms of thinking about the threat that Saddam Hussein represented. Q: SIR, I was one of the embedded reporters with the 101st in Iraq.... CHENEY: Were you. That must have been a tremendous experience. Q: It was amazing, yeah. When I was in Iraq, some of the soldiers said they believed they were fighting because of the Sept. 11 attacks and because they thought Saddam Hussein had ties to al Qaida. You've repeatedly cited such links. I heard your speech in Denver a while back. But even Secretary of State (Colin) Powell now says there's no smoking guns or concrete evidence proving that connection. I wanted to ask you what you'd say to those soldiers, and were those soldiers misled at all? CHENEY: Well, there are two issues here. First of all, I don't want to speak to Colin's statements. I'm not familiar with what he said yesterday. Two issues in terms of relationship. One is, was there a relationship between al Qaida and Iraq, between Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, or the al Qaida and the Iraqi intelligence service? That's one category of issues. A separate question is, whether or not there was any relationship relative to 9/11. Those are two separate questions and people oftentimes confuse them. On the separate issue, on the 9/11 question, we've never had confirmation one way or another. We did have reporting that was public, that came out shortly after the 9/11 attack, provided by the Czech government, suggesting there had been a meeting in Prague between Mohammed Atta, the lead hijacker, and a man named al-Ani (Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani), who was an Iraqi intelligence official in Prague, at the embassy there, in April of '01, prior to the 9/11 attacks. It has never been -- we've never been able to collect any more information on that. That was the one that possibly tied the two together to 9/11. With respect to the other question, the general relationship, I would refer you...There are several places you can go. One place you ought to go look is an article that Stephen Hayes did in the Weekly Standard here a few weeks ago, that goes through and lays out in some detail, based on an assessment that was done by the Department of Defense and forwarded to the Senate Intelligence Committee some weeks ago. That's your best source of information. I can give you a few quick for instances, one the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993. Q: Yes, sir... CHENEY: The main perpetrator was a man named Ramzi Yousef. He's now in prison in Colorado. His sidekick in the exercise was a man named Abdul Rahman Yasin... Ahman Rahman... Yasin is his last name anyway. I can't remember his earlier first names. He fled the United States after the attack, the 1993 attack, went to Iraq, and we know now based on documents that we've captured since we took Baghdad, that they put him on the payroll, gave him a monthly stipend and provided him with a house, sanctuary, in effect, in Iraq, in the aftermath of nine-ele...(sic)... the 93' attack on the World Trade Center. Q: So you stand by the statements...? CHENEY: Absolutely. Absolutely. And you can look at Zarkawi, (Abu Mussab) al-Zarkawi, who is still out there operating today, who was an al-Qaida associate, who was wounded in Afghanistan, took refuge in Baghdad, working out of Baghdad, worked with the Ansar al Islam group up in northeastern Iraq, that produced a so-called poison factory, a group that we hit when we went into Iraq. They were involved in trying to smuggle things, manufacture and smuggle things like ricin into Europe to attack various targets in Europe with. He also, Zarkawi, was responsible for the assassination of a man named Foley, who worked for A.I.D. in Amman, Jordan, an American assigned over there. The links go back. We know for example from interrogating detainees in Guantanamo that al Qaida sent individuals to Baghdad to be trained in C.W. and B.W. technology, chemical and biological weapons technology. These are all matters that are there for anybody who wants to look at it. A lot of it has been declassified. More, I'm sure, will be declassified in the future, and my expectation would be as we get the time. We haven't really had the time yet to pore through all those records in Baghdad. We'll find ample evidence confirming the link, that is the connection if you will between al Qaida and the Iraqi intelligence services. They have worked together on a number of occasions. Q: We're under a time pinch, so I did want to move on a little bit. When I was over there I did meet Iraqis who told me stories of being persecuted by Saddam Hussein, and they were certainly happy to see him go. But even them, even they and many others doubted the justifications that were being used before the United Nations at the beginning of the war. I wondered in terms of all these arguments about the evidence and the pre-war justifications, are you essentially making the argument that the ends justify the means in terms of removing Saddam Hussein? CHENEY: I think the world is far better off because of Saddam Hussein's demise if you will. The fact that he's in custody, that his sons are dead, that his government has been deposed, is of a great benefit, not only to 25 million Iraqis but to everybody who lives in the region. I don't think there's any disputing that. And with respect to the justification of why we did what we did, the president has been very clear on it. I have. We've talked about it repeatedly. Given the information we had, given his past use of weapons of mass destruction and the possible link-up if you will in Iraq between state sponsored, sponsoring (sic) terrorists on the one hand and and (sic) possessing weapons of mass destruction on the other, I think we were perfectly justified in doing what we did. I think the American people support it overwhelmingly. And I don't have any qualms at all about the decisions that were made. Q: Real quick one, even after governing power is turned over to the Iraqis, do you see some level of American troops remaining in Iraq for 5 years, 10 years, or can you give a ballpark on how long? CHENEY: I wouldn't speculate on how long. I would simply say we'll stay until the job is done. The president has made it abundantly clear, that it's essential now, having succeeded in the first military phase, that we now stand up to representative government, not only in Iraq but also in Afghanistan, a government that's capable of taking care of the needs of their people, that's broadly representative, that no longer constitutes a threat to their neighbors, that can exercise sovereignty over their land so that no terrorist can use it as a base of operations. And that it's essential for us to complete that task before we will depart. And we will in fact do that. So the key question here isn't, sort of, some artificial deadline. The key question is as soon as we can,( sic) no longer needed, as we can turn it over to a say Iraqi security forces and an Iraqi political system, we'll be out of there. But until we've got a system in place that can satisfy those requirements, we'll stay as long as necessary. Q: Before I come back to that, I did want to ask you about some Colorado lawmakers that are in the news these days. Two Colorado lawmakers, Marilyn Musgrave and Sen Wayne Allard, have proposed constitutional amendments banning gay marriage. I wondered if your daughter, Mary, had spoken to you about the amendments and whether you still think it's appropriate for the question to be left up to individual states. CHENEY: First of all, I would never discuss what I discuss with my daughter Mary. With respect to my views on the issue, I stated those during the course of the 2000 campaign, that I thought when it came to the question of whether or not some sort of legal status or legal sanction were granted to a same-sex relationship, that that was a matter best left to the states. That was my view then. That's my view now. The president will have to make a decision, obviously, with respect to what administration policy is going to be on this matter, especially as it relates to a proposed constitutional amendment, and clearly I will support the president's policy. Q: Have you urged him... CHENEY: I don't discuss my conversations with my daughter or the president. Q: Congressman Tom Tancredo meanwhile has been one of the most outspoken critics of the administration's immigration policy. He says it's politically motivated. How do you respond to Mr. Tancredo? CHENEY: Well, I think that the president's policy on immigration is a sound one. I disagree, obviously, with Mr. Tancredo's characterization of it. This is an important issue. We're now in a situation where the reality is that we have millions of people in the United States illegally. We have no idea who they are. We have no idea where they are. We have no idea what they're doing while they're here. This process the president has proposed, this approach, would address a number of those issues. It would make it possible for us to have a much better fix on who is here, but also to provide for the opportunity for people to come work in the U.S. economy in jobs that Americans don't want or have refused to take. And I think we'd be safer and more secure in the future if we in fact implement president's policy. Obviously, I disagree with Mr. Tancredo. Q: That kind of ties back to the war on terror a little bit. Can you explain the link between securing our borders, making us safer and that sort of thing, and the immigration policy that's...? A: Well, the biggest threat I think, the most serious threat that we would face down the road, is a terrorist group in the midst of one of our cities, with a truly deadly weapon, such as a nuclear weapon or a biological agent of some kind. And, the, it's important for us to have a feel for who is here and what they're doing here, by way of having, I think, increased our security (sic). We can't simply afford a situation where we don't have effective control of our borders. And I think we would enhance the prospects of having effective control of our borders if we implement the president's policy. Q: What's going to be your message on the war on terror in Colorado. I understand it's going to be a big part of your presentation at the event. CHENEY: Why don't you wait and see. VOICE: We're going to have to wrap... CHENEY: I've got to run here. Q: Can I ask you one more thing. Senator Campbell was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer, and right after that you appeared at a fundraiser for him. Did you give him any advice on the issue of dealing with people questioning his health and that sort of thing, because you've gone through questions about your own health before. And I guess I just wondered if that's something you could talk about. CHENEY: We actually didn't talk about it very much. His prognosis was good. He dealt with his prostate problem. There's no reason in the world why he can't serve another term, and I fully expect he will. I'm glad to do everything I can to help him get re-elected. Q: I wonder if you sympathize with that. CHENEY: ...to sympathize with. I believe it was my situation since I was 37 years old. I haven't found it to be inhibiting at all in terms of a political career. And I'm sure the same is true for Ben Nighthorse Campbell. 2003 © The E.W. Scripps ***************************************************************** 10 The Gleaner: Nuclear weapons 'scoop' buried in most accounts Hiding the good news: By MARTIN SCHRAM, Scripps Howard News Service January 9, 2004 Most of my colleagues in journalism think they are in the news business for good. But rarely do they think they are in the business of good news. And so, when a good-news scoop erupted a couple of weeks ago, here's what most news organizations rushed to report: Which is to say: Nothing. (Or, to be fair, as close to nothing as you can get in the news business and still cover your aspirations so you can continue calling yourself a journalist.) First, the scoop was sort of buried by the newspaper that broke the story -- The Washington Post played its own Dec. 24 exclusive on page 10A. The good news: In a secret operation, U.S. and Russian officials, working with Bulgarian police, removed from Bulgaria 37 pounds of highly enriched uranium that had been dangerously unsecured there since the collapse of the Soviet Union. They brought this weapons-grade material to a secure facility in Russia before it could be stolen or bought by terrorists. The next day, of course, the good news was really buried by the Post's prime competitor. The New York Times didn't bother to report its own story on the good news, but merely ran a shorter version supplied by the Associated Press. And, of course, since this was a real, secret operation, there was no media photo op. Which is why you didn't see television coverage of this good news. There was one excellent, lengthy story that ran on National Public Radio. Now all of this lack of good-news coverage might seem sufficiently vexing grist for today's punditry, given the fact that we live in a world where huge amounts of weapons-grade nuclear material remain perilously undersecured -- and terrorist leader Osama bin Laden has warned us that he considers it his "religious duty" to obtain a nuclear bomb. But there is more vexation to come. For that original Washington Post exclusive actually buried in the middle of its report what is no doubt the best news, the most reassuring news, of that good-news story. And the other accounts never got around to mentioning it. The Post article revealed that the Bush administration, working with Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency, has finally set a deadline that is key to making the world safe in an age of terrorism. By the end of 2005, this joint effort will bring back to Russia all the weapons-grade uranium that had been left in the former Soviet republics since the collapse of communism more than a decade ago. Once back in Russia, the weapons-grade material will be down-blended so that it can no longer be used to make nuclear bombs. What makes this so important is that when it comes to securing the world's most vulnerable nuclear, chemical and biological arsenals and materials, officials in the United States and elsewhere have been unconscionably slow to do what needed to be done. The operation in Bulgaria, a bargain $400,000 effort funded by the U.S. government, was the third successful operation of that sort. In 2002, U.S. and Russian officials retrieved 100 pounds of weapons-grade uranium from an outmoded reactor in Yugoslavia; three months ago, they removed 30 pounds of vulnerable nuclear material from an installation in Romania. But until Congress expanded the scope of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Act this past year, U.S. law did not permit the federal government to finance such covert efforts to purchase and secure nuclear material except within Russia. Indeed, in a rare back-channel arrangement, the Yugoslavia operation was funded by a private charitable U.S. organization, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, which was founded by Ted Turner and former U.S. senator Sam Nunn to spotlight the dangers posed by unsecured weapons of mass destruction. (I've sounded the same theme, in concert with that organization, while promoting my latest book, "Avoiding Armageddon," which focuses on terrorism and vulnerable weapons, and things we need to do to make ourselves safer.) After that successful operation in Yugoslavia, the U.S. government determined that 24 other poorly secured reactors in other nations contain weapons-grade nuclear material that is vulnerable to theft or purchase by terrorists. So the best news of all may be that the Bush administration is finally showing a sense of urgency about this under-heralded, under-funded program that is crucial to securing America's homeland. And in the process, every nation's homeland. But two years is a long time to wait -- and hope -- until the world's most vulnerable reactors can be secured. What needs to happen now: President Bush must order his budgeters to respond with a new funding urgency strong enough to meet and defeat this security threat. ***************************************************************** 11 PakNews.Com: Taming the Arabs January 09, 2004 Ziqaad 16, 1424 Hijri Feb 01, 2003 Ziqaad 28, 1423 Hijri Editor-in-Chief: Asim Mughal Saddam Hussein, despite all his faults, was viewed in the Arab/Muslim world as a symbol of resistance against the Israeli aggression. Being the only Arab leader to attack Israel with Scud missiles earned him that distinct reputation. Nonetheless, the norm is that Arab leaders in general excel in internal repression, and Saddam was no exception. Now that Saddam Hussein has been finally captured, as have most of the senior members of the Bath party and government, will the US troops finally leave Iraq and the region (Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia) as a whole? Not just a ‘reduction’ in their presence, but to leave the area completely. As the original pretext of the threat posed from Saddam exists no more, nor does the threat of the mythical WMD, as none have been found to date. The answer is unlikely, simply because, the war was not about the threat of Saddam or disarming Saddam of his mythical WMD or bringing Saddam to justice on behalf of the people of Iraq. The US government knew very well that Iraq had no WMD capability that could constitute a threat even to its immediate neighbours let alone the US itself. Collin Powell and Condaleza Rice openly broadcasted this on TV, well before the war. They even bragged about Iraq’s significantly reduced conventional weapons, whilst defending the US policy of containing Iraq for a decade through the imposition of sanctions and the no-fly zone (See John Pilger’s TV documentary). The disarming of Iraq’s alleged WMD was the ONLY legal ‘justification’ given by the coalition forces for invading and attacking a sovereign country without any provocation. The issue of WMD has now been conveniently reduced to WMD ‘programme’. Which the politicians, commentators and analysts on FOX, BBC and CNN use as a fig leaf, when they are questioned on the subject. Remember the 45-minute threat alleged by the dossier (plagiarised PHD thesis) of Tony Blair? It must have been a typo; perhaps it should have read 45 months or years. The other pretext of the 9/11 connections with Iraq has been dismissed by the anti-war camp, since no clear evidence of such a link has been produced. However, the Bush administration is telling the truth from its own point of view. One needs to read between the lines. There is a connection between Iraq and the alleged 9/11 perpetrators, which is that they are both part of the Islamic civilisation, or as the more crude Yanks would say, they are all rag heads. Hence, Iraq war was a form of collective punishment dispensed to the Islamic world in return for 9/11 (other reasons are discussed later). This needs to be inferred, as it is unacceptable to use such language in the diplomatic arena. Then comes the issue of bringing Saddam to ‘justice’ on behalf of the Iraqi people, as Saddam’s crimes were largely committed against his own people and its neighbours but not the Americans. So, why does that automatically give the Americans right to attack Iraq? By that principal, any of the Arab countries can also attack Britain as she has been oppressing the Irish population for centuries? Could America itself not also be attacked for the numerous genocides carried out, ever since the European colonisers moved to settle in the US? The war with Iran was instigated and supported by the US. The convenient explanation is, that at that time, with the cold war climate along with the threat of Islamic fundamentalism from Iran, the US was ‘forced’ to pursue such a policy. When Halabja was gassed in 1988, it did not even make the news headlines, nor did it arouse passion amongst those in the Whitehouse, who are now constantly bragging about their lofty moral principles. On the contrary, US companies with the direct support of the White House continued to supply lethal chemical and biological materials, knowing that they were profiting from the blood of innocent victims in Iraq. So much for their innocence! No wonder, the US wants to bring JUST Saddam to ‘Justice’ and not his accomplices who have sustained his supply line for decades. The SUDDEN desire of the US to bring Saddam to ‘justice’ is not due to genuine love for the people of Iraq but an attempt to give some sort of ‘moral justification’ for the invasion and the subsequent carnage, as it had no legal basis in the first place. Why did the US not have sudden affection to remove the apartheid regime in South Africa? Was it because it reminded her too much of Israel and the nostalgia of her own apartheid system, that was eventually removed by the civil rights movement! Why does the US not have the same affection towards the Palestinians and bring Israel to ‘justice’? The few Arabs/Muslim who are applauding the US at this moment ought to think away from their narrow vision, and contemplate on the US track record and her intention in the region. It is certainly not benevolent. Capitalist nations are not charitable institutions. Where is ‘free’ Iraq now? Her economy has been opened up by the US (rather then the ‘free’ Iraqis) to the foreign companies (including Israel), in a manner that even ‘free’ America would not do to its own economy. Where are the ‘free Iraqis’ that are authorising the likes of Halliburton and Bechtel to make use of Iraq’s oil and other resources? What happened to the billions of dollars worth of oil revenues, that is unaccounted for? Bush and Blair are constantly announcing their agenda on behalf of the ‘free’ Iraqis but yet they are unwilling to give them a voice by holding free elections. It is amazing how a foreign nation can speak on behalf of another nation without legal or moral authority. Iraq is not ready to be ‘free’, simply because the climate is not yet suitable for preserving US interests. Grooming a suitable puppet can take a while. A cursory glance at the small numbers in the demonstrations being held in Iraq reflects what the Iraqis truly think about the capture of Saddam Hussein. Not that they love him, but many realise that the US has ulterior motives. Just like when Saddam’s statute was symbolically toppled, rather than giving an aerial view that clearly showed how few the actual number of people present were, a close-up was telecasted, which presented a misleading impression of that events. In fact, the mass demonstrations held in the Sunni area in support of Saddam after his arrest may not be awesome but certainly larger then the support for any of the US appointed members, within the Iraqi governing council. Now, the other figure that continues to rise is of the victims in the mass graves. Perhaps the numbers will reach six million, when it becomes an indisputable fact that gets televised constantly. Sounds familiar? What about the victims of the US and its coalition forces as a result of this illegal war? Who will bring them to justice for their heinous crimes? What about the cluster bombs and the depleted uranium that continues to kill and poison Iraq? The ordinary Arabs/Muslims and most of the world know who are the real war criminals. For those who are already clear about the hypocrisy and the lies of this illegal war, they will shout “oil” as being the reason for this invasion and occupation, and most certainly it is a factor. The US (not ‘free’ Iraqis) had no qualm in prohibiting the war opponents (Germany, France and Russia) from bidding for the war booty. Which left no doubt about “oil” rather then “liberation” as being one of the primary factors for the invasion. Remember, the oil ministries were never hit unlike every other building in Iraq, and it was the first thing that was secured well before other less significant places like hospitals, water plants, electricity etc. Apart from oil there is another reason for this occupation, something that many of the simplistic minded Arabs/Muslims are failing to comprehend due to their short-term vision of the situation, as well as being seduced by the propaganda that constantly emanates from the Whitehouse. In the mean time some are knowingly lining up with the US, hoping to get a slice of the cake from the victor. Of course they will also continue the tradition like previous and other Arab regimes, of using their positions to inflate their back accounts, build palaces, torture chambers and buy endless amounts of weapons to ‘defend’ themselves against their own population. Lets face it; Iraq is not the only place in the world or the Middle East where the torture chamber existed. Try looking into Saudi Arabia or Turkey or Egypt but of course, that is inconvenient at the moment, as they are all good US allies. As for the US the war is not about Saddam, billions of pounds are not spent with the loss of lives just for the sake of one tin pot dictator. They have a clear vision. As Condoleezza Rice and Bush, stated many times, democratising Iraq would be an example for the rest of the region. The implication is that its fate has already been decided by the US rather then being left to the Iraqis, who may not aspire for such a model as the early signs clearly indicated. No wonder the US is reluctant to hold free elections at this moment even though it brags about ‘free’ Iraq. Then comes the interesting issue of Saddam’s trial. The US as usual is using Hobsons logic. If Saddam states what the US wants to hear then he is telling the truth, otherwise it is a lie. The US is already very apprehensive about the Hague, as it is a European institution and may not be able to control what Saddam spills out. Therefore, he most likely will either be tortured by the US, or by proxy the CPA will do an excellent job. Eventually a show trial will commence, where only selected information is likely to be leaked to the public or he may commit ‘suicide’ like that of Dr David Kelly! What everyone also expects is the possibility of some sort of deal with Saddam, whereby he acknowledges the possession of WMD and then its transfer to Syria and/or Iran. That would be really magic, as it would vindicate Bush and Blair for going to war and also gives the green light to the Neo-Cons, chicken Hawks to prepare their tanks to roll into Damascus and/or Tehran. The End. ***************************************************************** 12 Greenpeace: UK admits nukes aboard Falkland ships Greenpeace International] Fri 09 January 2004 UNITED KINGDOM/London When the destroyer HMS Sheffield was sunk during the Falklands war, the UK Ministry of Defence refused to admit there were nuclear weapons aboard any of the ships in the conflict. As a part of the nukewatch network, we knew otherwise. It's a cold and rainy day in England in 1982. On a road leading to Portsmouth Naval Base, a lone figure huddles in the only shelter for miles around, a bus stop. A convoy of vehicles including four lumbering military transports, a command &control/accident response vehicle and a fire engine slowly roll past. The man in the bus stop takes out a slip of paper and notes the time and description of the vehicles. As part of the nukewatch network, he's one of dozens of volunteers who are tracking the movement of nuclear warheads, and he knows precisely where this convoy is heading - to load nuclear depth charges aboard the HMS Sheffield. When the HMS Sheffield was sunk some months later, the British authorities refused to confirm there were nuclear weapons on board. On December 5th last year, the UK Ministry of Defence admitted for the first time that some of the ships in its Falklands task force had set sail in 1982 with nuclear depth charges designed to destroy submarines. Twenty one years for the truth "We issued a statement in 1982 saying that there were nuclear weapons aboard the Sheffield. It took 21 years for the UK government to acknowledge we were right." says our researcher, William Peden. Argentina has demanded an apology from the UK, and clarification of whether nuclear weapons were aboard the Sheffield when she sank, and if so, whether they were recovered. The British Government denies that nuclear weapons entered the territorial waters of Argentina or the Falklands, or that any were aboard the Sheffield when she was destroyed by an Exocet missile. But a 1991 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency stated that there were nuclear weapons aboard the Sheffield when she went down. The Sheffield was also the only wreck which was subject to a recovery operation by a UK dive team. The team's mission was officially to recover "strategic material." "It's difficult to imagine that weapons were not aboard when she went down" says Peden. "We monitored all movements of weapons in and out of Portsmouth during the Falklands war. The Sheffield was loaded with nukes before the war began. She was four days out of Portsmouth on a return trip from the Mediterranean when she was rerouted, so she never had the chance to offload in port. If she transferred weapons at sea, nothing came back to Portsmouth during the war. So the question to the MOD, really, is how and where were they removed from the Sheffield before she sank?" Gone, but making a unwelcome comeback? Britain no longer deploys nuclear weapons on submarines or surface vessels at sea during peacetime, thanks in part to our Nuclear Free Seas campaign, which pursued the goal of removing nukes from submarines and surface ships in the 80s and 90s. In 1991, the US and Soviet Union agreed to remove submarine launched cruise missiles from ocean deployment, though each did so through a unilateral pledge and made no binding agreements. The US Navy has ever since maintained the ability to restore Tomahawk nuclear missiles to their attack submarines on 30 days notice. The US Navy has recently proposed phasing out the Tomahawk capability. But on December 2nd it came to light in an obscure defence magazine, Inside the Navy, that the US Navy has now been instructed by Donald Rumsfeld's Department of Defense to maintain this cold-war capability. And hard on the heels of that decision, the UK has announced that they will not be phasing out their own sea-based system, the Trident missile, but will instead replace it with new weapons not yet defined. The US has recently approved funds for research and development of "mini-nukes" -- small nuclear weapons designed to be used in battlefield scenarios, which make the prospect of the use of nuclear weapons during wartime far more likely. "Nuclear weapons don't belong on planet Earth, but they particularly don't belong at sea," says Peden. "Missiles on the oceans again would represent a major escalation of dangerous arms and an increase in the chances of nuclear accidents. That's not buying increased security -- that's a ticket back in time to a far more dangerous world." ***************************************************************** 13 Hi Pakistan: N-scientists may be booked under Secrets Act January 09 2004 ISLAMABAD: A case under the Official Secrets Act may be registered against some nuclear scientists, who are alleged to have passed on sensitive nuclear secrets to a third country. Legal experts are currently examining the evidence to arraign these scientists on the charge of passing on secrets to other countries, an official told The News on Thursday. The government agencies have intensely "debriefed" certain scientists of the Khan Research Laboratories (KRL). The government has already made it clear that any scientist found involved in selling or disclosing nuclear secrets would be made accountable. The official said the government would proceed against the scientists on basis the report of legal experts. The investigative agencies had detained two KRL scientists Dr Farooq Mehmood and Dr Yasin Chohan, for questioning on suspicion of passing on the nuclear secrets to some foreign countries. Sources said Dr Farooq Mehmood, a director, was reportedly the first scientist to have been picked up from his home on December 7 by the security agencies and questioned regarding the transfer of technology. However, the authorities terming it as a normal practice in the nuclear-weapons states said the scientists were only subjected to debriefing programme. The security agencies interrogated more than seven scientists including some key scientists during the investigation and prepared a report on the basis of the questioning and answers and presented the same to the concerned authorities for further action, sources said adding, the authorities have forwarded the report for a legal opinion. Copyright 1996-2002 . Hi Pakistan. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 14 Guardian Unlimited: Nuclear neighbours shake The view from Islamabad Randeep Ramesh Friday January 9, 2004 The Guardian Islamabad does not have the feel or look of a subcontinental city. It was created specifically to be the capital of Pakistan, so it lacks the bustling bazaars of most Pakistani and Indian cities. But last week Islamabad became the political centre of gravity for the whole of south Asia when the seven nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation held their summit there. "History made" was the favourite phrase of the headline writers, landing across the front pages of both the News and the Nation. For once, the scribes were not exaggerating. Following discussions on the sidelines of the summit, India and Pakistan, two quarrelling countries separated at birth by a religious divide, promised to make peace. "There is a feeling that both Pakistan and India have decided to get a firm grasp over their own affairs and realised that too much time has been wasted in conflict and confrontation, to the detriment of the interests of their desperately poor people," Dawn said the day after the summit ended. At the heart of the two nations' rivalry lies Kashmir, the Muslim-majority region whose status was left unresolved when the British folded their tents and left in 1947. The leaders of both the nuclear-armed states, Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf and India's Atal Bihari Vajpayee, agreed to use words not weapons to resolve tensions over the disputed area. The importance of that pledge cannot be underestimated: the two countries have gone to war three times in the last 50 years and came close to starting another barely 18 months ago. It was also unexpected. An internet poll for the Nation, conducted during the summit, showed 43% of respondents did not think the meeting would lead to talks on the future of Kashmir. That the Indian prime minister came to the summit at all was a surprise, given the security problems in Pakistan - Gen Musharraf had evaded two assassination attempts in the previous weeks, which, he told reporters had, seen more of his "nine lives consumed". But the genuine bonhomie Mr Vajpayee and Gen Musharraf showed towards each other, and the warm language they used, startled observers even more. "The last time there had been such a public demonstration of diplomatic camaraderie was on August 14 1947, when Lord Mountbatten [then still viceroy of India and its governor-general- designate] accompanied Mohammed Ali Jinnah [the founder of Pakistan] in the motorcade drive through the crowded streets of Karachi. Fears of an assassination attempt on one or both of them were rife," wrote FS Aijazuddin in Dawn. Pakistan's nuclear capability briefly cast a shadow over the summit. The Pakistani foreign minister was forced to deny reports in the London-based Sunday Times and the New York Times that Pakistani technology and know-how had been supplied to Libya to help with its nuclear programme. The Nation raised concerns that Pakistan was being singled out for criticism, "ominously timed" to coincide with the summit. "Whatever the truth, the way the western media has splashed the reports... should give the Pakistan government serious worries about how to prove its own innocence, should 'rogue scientists' be ultimately found involved," the paper warned. The tight security surrounding the summit had made headlines before it even started. Many were unnerved by the sight of anti-aircraft guns on cricket pitches and heavily armed guards lining the roads. "Nobody was allowed to move without an identity card," Shakeel Anjum noted in the News, adding that even the "slums had been cordoned off". The summit was almost the only story in town this week, but one other tale caught the eyes of the news editors. The price of onions, it seems, has doubled in the last month thanks to a combination of late rains and the imminent arrival of Eid-ul-Azha, a Muslim festival that calls for a lavish feast. "Pakistani cuisine, whether an elaborate birayani or a simple egg-and-potato curry, is based on a paste of onions, tomatoes, spices and oil," the Nation explained, warning that "the prospect of a price hike, or perhaps even shortages, will send the average Pakistani housewife into a panic." Guardian Newspapers Limited ***************************************************************** 15 NRC: NRC Announces the Availability of License Renewal Application for Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant News Release - 2004-00 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov No. 04-001 January 8, 2004 an application for a 20-year renewal of the operating licenses for Units 1, 2 and 3 at the Browns Ferry nuclear power plant are available to interested parties. The Tennessee Valley Authority submitted the application on January 6. The Browns Ferry plant is located near Decatur, Alabama, and the current operating licenses for Units 1, 2 and 3 expire on December 20, 2013, June 28, 2014, and July 2, 2016, respectively. A copy of the application is available on the NRC web site at this address: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/licensing/renewal/applicati ons/browns-ferry.html. The application also is available through the NRCs Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS). Help in using ADAMS is available by contacting the NRC Public Document Room staff at 301-415-4737 or 800-397-4209, or by sending a message to pdr@nrc.govvia e-mail. In addition, copies of the license renewal application are available at the Athens-Limestone Public Library, at 405 South Street E, Athens, Alabama, 35611. The NRC staff is currently conducting an initial review of the application to determine whether it contains enough information for the required formal review. If the application has sufficient information, the NRC will formally docket, or file, the application and will announce an opportunity to request a hearing. Last revised Thursday, January 08, 2004 ***************************************************************** 16 Bangkok Post Post: Atomic fund Saturday 10 January 2004 The Office of Atomic Energy for Peace should guarantee compensation in the event of any damage caused by the nuclear research reactor planned for Nakhon Nayok's Ongkharak district, a senator said. The 3.3-billion-baht project faces strong opposition from local communities, as the construction site is near a geological fault line and is also a flood-prone area. Opponents petitioned the government and parliament for help. Kaewsan Atibho, secretary of the senate environment committee, said the atomic agency should review its study on the impact of the 10-megawatt reactor. Pollution gripe The Pollution Control Department has opened a PO Box to receive public complaints against polluters. Apichai Chvajaroenpun, the director-general, said 711 public complaints came in last year, up 25% on 2002. The address is: PO Box 33, Sam Sen Nai, Bangkok 10400. Currency post Ubon Ratchathani _ Thai and Lao business operators have agreed in principle to set up a currency trading office at Chong Mek checkpoint to stabilise the Lao currency. Ong-art Tangmitpracha, president of Ubon Ratchathani chamber of commerce, said the proposed bank is the result of talks between Ubon Ratchathani and Champasak chambers of commerce. The Lao currency, the kip, has been so volatile that many business operators switch to the US dollar. With a currency-trading institute in place, bilateral trade between the two countries would grow, he said. Tiger export The senate environment committee says the Forestry Department's decision to allow a private tiger farm in Chon Buri to sell 100 tigers to China a few months ago, was illegal. The law allows exports of tigers only by state agencies, not by private enterprise, committee secretary Kaewsan Atipho said. The 40-million-baht shipment by Si Racha Tiger Zoo, a private company, to Sanya Zoo in China raised international suspicion that Thailand was not serious about its commitment to protect rare animals. Although there had been no reports the tigers were abused, the export consignment suggested Thai authorities were lax in enforcing controls, he said. Speaker election The election of the new Senate speaker will be held on Feb 16 when candidates will declare their policies and visions. Seri Suwannapanon, chairman of the Senate committee for Senate affairs or the Senate whip, said the election would find a replacement for Senate speaker Maj-Gen Manoonkrit Roopkachorn, who has resigned. The winner must get more than half the 200 votes on offer, or a second round of voting would be needed. Teacher transfer Deputy Prime Minister Visanu Krue-ngam says he opposes Education Minister Adisai Bodharamik's plan to transfer 4,000 teachers to reserve positions, saying careful consideration is needed first. Transferring civil servants to reserve posts could be done without a law change, but careful consideration was needed in dealing with so many officials. Moving an official to a reserve position was not that easy because authorities must make it clear that official had performed poorly. Opening hours The Interior Ministry will seek cabinet approval on Tuesday for a new regulation to require all entertainment venues to open at 6pm and close at midnight based on public hearing results. Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenont said he will ask cabinet on Jan 13 to issue a new ministerial regulation to require all kinds of entertainment venues to open at 6pm and close at midnight every day. If endorsed by the cabinet, the new rule will be enforced around Jan 22 _ the Chinese New Year Day _ when His Majesty the King is expected to sign the new entertainment establishment law, he said. Wichian Chavalit, director of the Local Administration Department's legal office, said the law will impose 5,000-baht fines on entertainment venue visitors failing to carry ID cards. Copyright* * The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2004* ***************************************************************** 17 Las Vegas SUN: Letter: Nuclear power should be banned Today: January 09, 2004 at 9:03:32 PST America's proposed energy policy defies common sense but can be explained by campaign contributions from the nuclear power producers. A $5 billion subsidy for the nuclear power producers is not based on sound science or sound economics. When the costs of storing and protecting the toxic nuclear waste is added to production costs and subsidies, nuclear power is the most expensive and dangerous method of producing electricity. Fifty years ago the U.S. government saddled the American taxpayers with the costs for storing nuclear waste. Then the Price Anderson legislation limited the costs to the nuclear power producers in the event of catastrophe. If it's so safe, why the protection for the nuclear industry? The Bush administration and Congress should declare a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain to be scientifically unsound. And the $5 billion subsidy for the nuclear power industry should be eliminated because there are viable alternatives. Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and Italy are slowly abandoning nuclear power for sources such as wind, solar, natural gas and geothermal. In this country, Nevada should be the test bed for wind, solar and geothermal. Regarding natural gas, production could be substantially increased, and the cost reduced, by allowing the proposed Alaska pipeline to take the least expensive and shorter route to connect into existing pipelines. These measures would lead to a cleaner environment and a more secure America. FRANK PERNA ***************************************************************** 18 Rutland Herald: State urged to make Entergy wait January 9, 2004 By SUSAN SMALLHEER Herald Staff VERNON - Time, not money, is the way to make Entergy Nuclear pay attention to state regulators, residents said during a Public Service Board hearing Thursday. Residents charged that Entergy has repeatedly violated the state's trust - and regulations. The only way to get its corporate attention, they said, is to make it wait for a decision on whether it can increase power production at the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor or construct related buildings. More than 200 people turned out on a frigid Thursday night to complain that Entergy Nuclear was a lousy corporate citizen and could not be believed, let alone trusted. Residents said that anti-nuclear New England Coalition should be given more time - upward of six more months - to review more than 9,000 documents about the proposed power increase. Several said the burden of evaluating the proposal had fallen on the anti-nuclear group, since the state had endorsed the controversial project. And one of the coalition's key expert witnesses, nuclear industry engineer Paul Blanch of Hartford, Conn., told the hearing officers that the proposed power increase was fatally flawed and would violate federal safety regulations, putting residents at risk. Blanch, who called himself "very pro-nuclear," is expected to testify next week before the PSB against Entergy's proposal."This is a significant issue ignored by Entergy," Blanch said, a former executive with Northeast Utilities who has also worked as a consultant for Entergy's Indian Point plant outside New York City. The PSB ruled last month that it would impose sanctions against Entergy for starting construction without permission on facilities that will retrofit key plant components for the power increase. It is the second such recommendation for state sanctions in two months. Entergy was fined $50,000 in October for failing to turn over documents to the New England Coalition, which is fighting the power uprate. At the time, the board called Entergy's behavior "bullying and corrosive" toward the state's regulatory process. Company officials said they were unaware of the construction at the Vernon reactor, and called it an "honest mistake." Debbie Katz, executive director of the anti-nuclear group Citizens Awareness Network, said at the hearing that money means nothing to Entergy, which is part of a $700 billion energy conglomerate based in Louisiana. "How does a $700 billion corporate forget to get a permit?" Katz asked the PSB hearing officers. She charged that Entergy has only demonstrated that it holds the state and its citizens in contempt. Entergy Nuclear started construction on the foundations for two "temporary" buildings, one of which is about half the size of a football field, where workers would rebuild the rotor to the plant's main generator. The company had originally said it would ship the rotor by rail to General Electric facilities in Schenectady, N.Y., but it said on-site work was cheaper. The early construction is part of a pattern of "deceit and manipulation" by Entergy, according to Jane Southworth of the New England Coalition. "Entergy will push, bend or break the rules," she said. The hearing Thursday night was actually the second PSB hearing on the construction project. The hearing had to be held a second time because of a snafu in the publication of the notice of the hearing. During the 90-minute hearing, only two people, both Vernon Select Board members, spoke in favor of Entergy's plans to erect the temporary buildings. A "silent majority" of residents support the plan, said Selectwoman Peggy Farabaugh. Nonetheless, she had basic questions for Entergy about the project, including whether radioactive components would be worked on in the buildings. Selectman Leonard Peduzzi said it was a "simple building" and walked out, saying that "no one is concerned." More than 200 people were in the Vernon Elementary School gym at the time. Several high school students spoke out against Entergy. "Vermont Yankee keeps on deceiving us, it makes no sense to sanction them," said Ian Bigelow. The emergency evacuation plan is not completed for the region, Bigelow said. If the company gets to produce 20 percent more power, "Will the sirens be 20 percent louder?" he asked. Several residents said the issue wasn't about the buildings, but whether Entergy could be trusted. "We're all in The Zone," said Ellen Kaye of Brattleboro, referring to the 10-mile emergency evacuation zone surrounding Vermont Yankee. "They consider themselves above the law, and this cannot go unchecked and unnoticed." "This is not just about a temporary storage building," one man said. Judy Davidson said the company should be denied permission to work on the giant rotor locally, and should be forced to ship it to Schenectady. "No matter how many Christmas lights they buy for Brattleboro ... this is outright deception," she said. Contact Susan Smallheer at susan.smallheer@rutlandherald.com. Copyright © 2003 and Barre-Montpelier ***************************************************************** 19 Washington Post: U.S. Groups Visit North Korean Nuclear Plant (washingtonpost.com) By Glenn Kessler Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, January 10, 2004; Page A13 Two unofficial U.S. delegations to North Korea were granted access this week to a nuclear facility that Pyongyang claims is being used to produce material for nuclear weapons, sources familiar with the trip said yesterday. The delegations -- one made up of congressional aides and the other made up of academics and former U.S. officials -- are due to leave North Korea on Saturday. They have promised to inform the Bush administration of what they learn. No Westerners have visited the Yongbyon site since Pyongyang ousted U.N. inspectors in December 2002 and said it would begin reprocessing 8,000 spent fuel rods into plutonium that could be used in weapons. U.S. intelligence had already concluded that North Korea had enough material for one or two weapons, but the additional processing could yield a half dozen more bombs. Analysts said that would shift North Korea's nuclear arsenal from a defensive to a strategic posture. The visit came as the United States and its allies have struggled to lay the groundwork for a second round of six-nation talks to resolve the nuclear standoff. U.S. intelligence analysts have been unable to determine whether North Korea has successfully reprocessed additional nuclear material, so any disclosure that North Korea has added to its nuclear stockpile would heighten the sense of crisis over North Korea's programs. U.S. officials have sought to play down the visit of the delegations, noting they are not carrying any message from the administration. Officials have also noted that the crisis was prompted by North Korea's admission it had a clandestine program to enrich uranium, and the location of that program has never been disclosed. © 2004 The Washington Post Company ***************************************************************** 20 Brattleboro Reformer: Activists hammer PSB over 'uprate' January 09, 2004 Brattleboro, VT By TOBY HENRY Reformer Staff VERNON -- Dozens of area residents voiced an emphatic no-confidence vote in the Vermont Public Service Board at a Thursday night public hearing, charging the board with having accepted the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant's "uprate" as a foregone conclusion and accusing the board of failing to represent the public's interest on the issue. "This is more than a pro- versus anti-nuclear question this is about honesty and accountability," Lisa Holderness, a Guilford resident, told board hearing officer Peter Meyer. "I believe (plant owner) Entergy is expecting you, the Public Service Board, to ignore clear hazards of an uprate. (Entergy's) record does not say to me that an uprate is advisable. If you are looking out for the public good the answer to this is to say 'no.'" The Thursday night hearing attended by more than 100 area residents was also the last public meeting in Windham County before the board's ruling, expected in mid-March, on the plant's proposed 20 percent power boost. As the meeting began, Meyer explained that the purpose was to hear public input regarding a Yankee official's admission that a "misunderstanding" led to unauthorized site work in mid-November for two proposed temporary buildings, the largest of which measures 150-by-70 feet. Plant officials requested permission from the board to build the facilities on Nov. 5, stating that the two buildings are needed for reinsulation work to the plant's rotor as part of the proposed uprate. In response to the unauthorized work, the board called for sanctions last month, and there was no shortage of public input on potential punishments Thursday night. Residents' suggestions ran the gamut from delaying a board decision on the temporary buildings until the March uprate ruling, to fines of $5 million, to calling for Entergy's uprate bid to be dismissed. "As for sanctions, I think the board should just throw this docket out and tell Entergy to start over," said Dummerston resident Ed Anthes. Anthes also derided comments made last month by Vermont Yankee site vice-president Jay Thayer. After the site work was publicly disclosed on Nov. 23, Thayer stated that he was unaware of the work and soil removal, which required dozens of dump trucks to accomplish, at the time the work was taking place. "I'm just glad those trucks coming on site were not full of dynamite or people with rocket-propelled grenade launchers," Anthes said. In October, the board had imposed sanctions including a $51,000 fine and an extension of the hearing schedule after ruling that Entergy had been tardy in providing uprate documents to the New England Coalition, an anti-nuclear group and an intervenor in the case. Most of those in attendance Thursday night said that further monetary sanctions will have little effect on the multi-billion dollar company. Brattleboro resident Gary Sachs said that Entergy should be forced to use a different area than the one already slated for a temporary buildings' site, and Jane Southworth suggested that the uprate be put off until late 2004 -- a time that Entergy officials had planned to have their uprated plant in operation. The board and Entergy weren't the only ones in the line of fire Thursday night. Hartford, Conn., resident Paul Blanch, a veteran nuclear engineer and a witness for the coalition, described himself as "very pro-nuclear" but warned that the proposed uprate modifications would cause a significant increase in the likelihood of a major accident at the plant. He added that Entergy is "knowingly in violation" of federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission safety criteria and added that "the NRC is knowingly looking the other way." Although anti-nuclear sentiments took up the bulk of the meeting's time, Vernon Select Board member Peggy Farabaugh told Meyer that most of those present were not from Vernon and that there was a "silent majority" of Vernon residents who simply did not see the urgency in attending a meeting on two "temporary storage buildings." Farabaugh briefly addressed a few questions on the buildings to Yankee senior liaison engineer Dave McElwee, but the exchange was cut short by catcalls from the audience followed by Meyer's statement that the meeting's purpose was not to ask questions. Later, Vernon Select Board member Leonard Peduzzi indicated his disgust for the accusatory nature of the public comments and abruptly left the meeting. "It's a matter of a simple building," he said. "No one here (in Vernon) is concerned about the building. And neither am I. I've heard so much of this stuff that I'm going home." As public discussion continued, local youths aired their views on the issue, echoing concerns that the uprate was a foregone conclusion and calling on the board to be vigilant regarding public safety. Cleo King, 18, of Brattleboro, said that nuclear power safety issues should spotlight the need for different sources of energy. "I think it's better to find new sources of energy than to hang on to this plant," she said. Ian Bigelow, 20, suggested that criminal charges might be an appropriate punishment for company officials, and pointed out that problems still remain with the local evacuation plan. "I cannot trust (Entergy) with anything, even this small building," he said. "I basically consider this meeting a joke," said Jessie Cross Nickerson, 19. "I believe that the uprate will go through, no matter what happens at this meeting, or at any other meeting. We can say a lot about how Entergy has acted without permission in starting to build these structures but really, they knew they had your permission all along." ***************************************************************** 21 Brattleboro Reformer: Test: Yankee soils aren't radioactive January 09, 2004 Brattleboro, VT By TOBY HENRY Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO -- Tests on soil samples taken from the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant's proposed temporary building site revealed levels of radiation that are within federal guidelines, a Vermont Department of Health offical stated on Thursday. "The results indicated that no radiation was detected above background levels from any of the samples we took," said Larry Crist, director of the department's Divsion of Health Protection. "There were no elevated levels of radiation in any of the samples." Crist said the department took about 20 samples on Dec. 26, in response to a request from the Department of Public Service. Samples were taken from the undisturbed ground near where Vermont Yankee employees conducted site work for the two buildings in mid-November, he said, as well as from the approximately 120 cubic yards of soil removed from the site during the course of the work and later returned to Yankee property. After the soil was returned to Yankee on Dec. 14, plant officials performed their own tests on the soil and said test results indicated the radiation levels were within the allowable limits established by the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Plant officials also sent samples for independent testing to Teledyne Laboratories in Knoxville, Tenn., and those samples have also come back with normal background radiation limits. Crist said that the radiological readings from the samples were at or below the levels of radiation found in control samples taken over the years in areas outside the Yankee plant. While radiation was detected in the samples, Crist stressed that the amount was within the boundaries of what is known as "background radiation." The term refers to levels of radiation occurring naturally in compounds such as some igneous rocks as well as radioactive isotopes, including cesium-137 and strontium-90, which have dispersed across the planet as the result of nuclear weapons tests. An attorney for Vermont Yankee owner Entergy tried to block soil testing at the site on Dec. 12, telling the Vermont Public Service Board that radiological concerns fell within the purview of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission. However, the board ruled against the protective order on Dec. 22. The New England Coalition, an intervenor in the "uprate" proposal which calls for a boost in plant output by 20 percent, also took its own samples at the site on Dec. 26. Marvin Resnikoff, a senior associate of the New York-based Radioactive Waste Management Associates and a witness for the coalition in the uprate case sitting before the board, took the samples on behalf of the coalition and said that he expects to have the results of the tests within several weeks. Resnikoff declined to give the name of the lab that the coalition's samples were sent to for testing. ***************************************************************** 22 Brattleboro Reformer: Vt. energy plan draws fire at public meeting January 09, 2004 Brattleboro, VT By JUSTIN MASON Reformer Staff BRATTLEBORO -- Dozens of residents and activists attended a public hearing Thursday afternoon to express frustration and opposition towards the final draft of the 2004 Energy and Electric Plan. Policy analyst Michael Kundrath represented the Department of Public Service at the hearing, which was meant to gather both verbal and written opinions during the 90-day public input period. Although titled the final draft, Kundrath said the energy plan wouldn't be finalized until the discussion period ends on March 12. Under state law, the Department of Public Service is required to develop electric and energy plans that address the public's interest and need in an adequate, reliable, affordable, efficient and environmentally sound manner. Throughout the duration of hearing, Kundrath acted as the state's representative, taking notes and occasionally making clarifications on several points discussed by residents. Peter Alexander, the executive director of the New England Coalition, said the plan doesn't outline an adequate course of action to take after the scheduled closing the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in 2012. Alexander claimed the plan was developed in secret because it caters to utility companies and giant corporations at the expense of citizens. "It gives only lip service to energy efficiency and clean, renewable forms of energy production," he said. "It doesn't appear to be the work of a department that serves the public." Putney resident John Berkowitz was dismayed by the lack of input the department solicited from public sources while writing the plan and its failure to make adequate mention of the global warming problem. He said the plan does not properly address the state's need to develop renewable energy sources and to proliferate their use. Neighboring states have already begun implementing strategies that gradually increase the purchase of renewable energy. "They're cashing in on this wave of renewable energy while we are falling behind," he said. Margaret Newton, a member of the wind-power advocacy group, Fairwind Vermont, agreed that the plan neglects the issue of global warming. She said the plan should outline a shift to renewable energy sources and explore tax incentives for people and industries that use these sources. "Nowhere (in the plan) is the concept of the critical need to reduce fossil fuel sources and expand renewable sources," she said. Townshend resident Clay Turnbull said there are few mentions of the state's dependence on petroleum resources in the plan, which is roughly 50 percent of the overall energy usage. He said the plan should set goals to wean transportation from dependence upon fossil fuels. "It's hard for me to comment on this plan, because I really don't feel this is a plan," he said. Turnbull said most of the data in the plan was questionable and that it didn't point in any clear direction. Bellows Falls resident David Cardill said the plan should outline a source of energy that is both consumed and produced by Vermont. The national and the state dependence on non-renewable energy sources is fomenting global conflict, he said. "We have enough wind resources to power the whole state and sell to the surrounding states," he said. "There is no clear reason why Vermont shouldn't be energy independent." Gary Sachs said the plan falls far from its self-determined goal and should be reworked to find less dangerous and more environmentally sound energy sources. He said the plan should pay closer attention to energy efficiency rather than making energy more affordable. "The problem with the plan is that it's focused on rates," Sachs said. If the goal of the department is to lower energy rates, Lisa Holderness said, the plan should include methods for improving efficiency, such as tax cuts and incentives for people and businesses that use less energy. "We can save a lot more money by improving energy efficiency," she said. "This is not visionary to me, it's reactionary. We need an intelligent, vision-driven plan." Holderness added that the plan should consider the decentralization of large-scale energy providers that are damaging to the environment. She said the plan should outline a method to diversify so that Vermont Yankee and Hydro-Quebec do not comprise the majority of state energy sources. "To have two-thirds of our energy resources in one basket is not diverse," she said. "No where does it say to investigate renewable energy resources." Jacksonville resident Anne Tobey expressed frustration about how public service officials held the discussion during the early afternoon, while many residents are working. "There is a very subtle, but very clear message going on here," she said. "The public is really not invited to be part of a public discussion." Because the final draft of the plan was constructed without much public input, Susan McMahon, senior planner for the Windham Regional Commission, said the process was flawed. "Good public process makes all the difference, and I don't see that happening here," she said. Professor Rick Foley of Keene (N.H.) State College said the public comment period was deeply flawed and that the department should finish its biennial report and a Yankee evacuation plan before it tackles a comprehensive energy plan. "(Commisioner) David O'Brien needs to start from scratch and finish his other homework assignments," he said. "He needs to start with a new process." ***************************************************************** 23 [du-list] STV wins NRC hearing on DU at JPG Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 12:39:46 -0800 From the Madison (IN) Courier Thursday, January 08, 2004 Judge grants STV's request for JPG hearing By Peggy Vlerebome Courier Staff Writer Thursday, January 08, 2004 An administrative judge at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted Save the Valley's request for a hearing on the U.S. Army's plan for the former Jefferson Proving Ground. The Army's plan will deal with what it will do with munitions containing depleted uranium that were tested for a decade at JPG and remain there. Depleted uranium is radioactive and the area where they lie is surrounded by a security fence. Save the Valley had previously been granted a hearing when the Army was seeking to decommission its NRC license to possess and test depleted uranium at the proving ground. After the Army changed its tack and began pursing a possession-only license amendment, Save the Valley filed a new hearing request. The administrative judge, Alan S. Rosenthal, also agreed with Save the Valley that the proceedings should be delayed until the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has finished its review of the Army's proposal. The staff at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission had raised the question of whether Save the Valley had sufficient interest, or standing, to be part of the process at the NRC. Rosenthal rejected the staff's concerns, however. To require Save the Valley to prove what it previously proved about having members who live near JPG and are concerned about DU migrating from the site "would clearly exalt form over substance," Rosenthal wrote in his order. "Stated otherwise, having once established its standing to question the proposed means of dealing with the DU munitions accumulated on the JPG site, there is no apparent good reason why petitioner (Save the Valley) should be burdened with the need to go through the rehearsal that is now called for by the staff." Rosenthal said it didn't appear that the staff doubted that JPG had members who might be affected by whatever happens at JPG. Steve Taylor National Organizer Military Toxics Project 207-783-5091 (phone) www.miltoxproj.org "Networking for Environmental Justice" To unsubscribe from this groups send a message to du-list-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. In the body of the message type unsubscribe and send. ---------- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: * http://groups.yahoo.com/group/du-list/ * * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: * du-list-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com * * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. ***************************************************************** 24 [du-list] DU in the news 12th Jan 04 Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 16:48:38 -0800 TAMING the Arabs Pakistan News Service, Pakistan ... Who will bring them to justice for their heinous crimes? What about the cluster bombs and the depleted uranium that continues to kill and poison Iraq? ... <http://www.paknews.com/articles.php?id=4&date1=2004-01-09> PONDERING War and Peace---Students try to make sense of an ... Daily Yomiuri, Japan ... I'm really sorry for those who are suffering from leukemia caused by depleted uranium shells (used by the US forces during the Gulf War), and I wish we could ... <http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20040110woc1.htm> THROUGH film , group seeks to put ' human face on war ' Daily Star, Lebanon ... to this the devastation brought by sanctions and the fact that generations of Iraqis will have to deal with the effects of this last war, with depleted uranium ... <http://www.dailystar.com.lb/features/09_01_04_c.asp> EXPERTS say N. Korea has long road ahead Pacific Stars and Stripes, Japan ... While the CIA estimates North Korea may have produced a handful of nuclear weapons and has depleted uranium stores that could produce dozens more, information ... <http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=19749> WHO'S Got the Best Tank? Strategy Page, United States ... Moreover, the Americans get an additional slight edge because of their willingness to use depleted uranium in their composite armor, and tank shells. ... <http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/200418.asp> To unsubscribe from this groups send a message to du-list-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. In the body of the message type unsubscribe and send. ---------- Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: * http://groups.yahoo.com/group/du-list/ * * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: * du-list-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com * * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. ***************************************************************** 25 [du-list] DOD's Biological Agent Risks... Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 12:39:44 -0800 Hello All: Wow! GAO spent about $4,100 to purchase these new and usable excess items from DOD for biological equipment items and related protective clothing necessary to produce and disseminate biological warfare agents...! Now there's some Homeland Security for ya... I expect similar situations exist for nuclear related threats also, since we already know that Depleted Uranium waste has been left lying around manufacturing and test facilities across the country. lad URL: ( http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/details.php?rptno=GAO-04-15NI ) The United States General Accounting Office - Summary DOD Excess Property: Risk Assessment Needed on Public Sales of Equipment That Could Be Used to Make Biological Agents GAO-04-15NI ( http://www.gao.gov/docdblite/getrpt.php?rptno=GAO-04-15NI ) November 19, 2003. Due to continuing concerns about bioterrorism and the potential for future anthrax attacks, GAO was asked to audit controls over public sales of excess Department of Defense (DOD) biological equipment and chemical and biological protective clothing that could be used to produce and disseminate biological warfare agents. GAO used a case study approach to determine (1) the extent to which DOD is selling biological equipment and protective clothing that can be used to make and disseminate biological agents and (2) whether existing federal regulations and guidance in DOD policies and procedures address the risk of public sales of these items. Many items needed to establish a laboratory for making biological warfare agents were being sold on the Internet to the public from DOD's excess property inventory for pennies on the dollar, making them both easy and economical to obtain. Although production of biological warfare agents requires a high degree of expertise, public sales of these DOD excess items increase the risk that terrorists could obtain and use them to produce and deliver biological agents within the United States. Further, the possibility that bacillus anthracis (anthrax) and other biological source agents could have fallen into the wrong hands due to poor controls at laboratories handling biological agents, as previously reported by GAO and other federal investigators, calls for an assessment of the national security risk posed by public sales of excess DOD biological laboratory equipment and protective clothing. As requested, GAO established a fictitious company and purchased over the Internet key excess DOD biological equipment items and related protective clothing necessary to produce and disseminate biological warfare agents. In total, GAO spent about $4,100 to purchase these new and usable excess items, with a total original acquisition cost of $46,960. GAO's investigation of several buyers of the biological equipment items found that they exported them to countries, such as the Philippines, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, for transshipment to other countries--some of which may be prohibited from receiving exports of similar trade security controlled items. Neither federal regulations issued by other agencies nor DOD policies generally restrict DOD from selling the case study biological equipment items to the general public. Further, DOD units did not always follow the department's January 2003 policy for restricting chemical and biological protective suits and related gear--masks, hoods, boots, boot coverings, and gloves--to DOD use only. While our audit focused on DOD sales, the case study items are available from other sources, indicating a broader problem. To unsubscribe from this groups send a message to du-list-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com. In the body of the message type unsubscribe and send. Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/du-list/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: du-list-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ***************************************************************** 26 ITAR-TASS: New anti-sinking technology for subs created in Severodvinsk [ITAR-TASS News Agency of Russia] 09.01.2004, 18.37 SEVERODVINSK, Arkhangelsk region, January 9 (Itar-Tass) - The Severodvinsk-based defence enterprise Severny Reid has developed a unique technology which prevents decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines from sinking. The unmatched in the world technology employs foamed polystyrene, the Severny Reid administration told Itar-Tass on Friday. The technology is based on a transportable polystyrene apparatus developed by the St.Petersburg-based Rubin central design bureau of sea equipment jointly with the Ecopol enterprise. The method is working as follows: submarine ballast tanks are filled with the light and water-resistant foamed polystyrene. The polystyrene cushion ensures the sub’s floatability pending scrapping during more than 10 years. “Three polystyrene units have been assembled by now. They are used by the Northern and Pacific fleets,” a Severny Reid official said. According to him, “30 nuclear subs with corroded hulls have been filled with foamed polystyrene. With thorough financing, all the decommissioned submarines could be treated using this technology,” the official said. In the Severodvinsk water zone there are more than 10 submarines awaiting scrapping and none of them is filled with polystyrene. © ITAR-TASS. All rights reserved. You undertake not to copy, ***************************************************************** 27 NSBS: Soil contamination probe still in progress DEP records show some history of land ownership BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer [North South Brunswick Sentinel] North Brunswick, NJ Front Page January 8, 2004 CHRIS KELLY staff Elevated levels of contaminants were found during the $29 million reconstruction project at North Brunswick Township High School. North Brunswick officials, with the help of the state, are still looking to find those responsible for the contamination of the area around Veterans Park. "We will work closely with the Board of Education and the [state] Department of Environmental Protection to identify the responsible parties and their insurance companies for our taxpayers, and in the meantime we will do everything to protect residents and to remediate this as quickly as possible," Mayor Francis "Mac" Womack said. Township Business Administrator Robert Lombard and DEP case manager Mark Searfoss gave DEP investigators a tour on Dec. 30 of the contaminated land that’s now home to North Brunswick Township High School and Veterans Park. "The DEP officials from the Responsible Party Division had not been on the site previously," Lombard said. "They wanted to familiarize themselves with the contamination to see what it looks like." Lombard said the DEP will continue to investigate the ownership and past use of the land to determine those liable for the cleanup. The investigators took samples, including vials and other containers that had the names of local manufacturers on them to help in their investigation, Lombard said. Lombard did not want to disclose the names of those companies. The DEP previously investigated the site in 1971 and in 1985. In 1985, "a field contractor putting cable wire underground near the high school found buried drums and thousands of lab bottles approximately 3 to 15 feet below the surface near the soccer field," according to DEP records. During the investigation, North Brunswick former police Detective Dan Shire told officials that the area was once used as a dump for waste from local manufacturers. DEP records state that remediation of the contamination discovered in 1985 consisted of "the excavation of an area 10 by 150 feet that was filled with topsoil and sod." The excavated material, which New Jersey Health Department Dr. Don Patel deemed "not harmful," was moved to "the northwest edge of the school where it was covered with clean fill and sod," according to DEP records. Tak Construction, a contractor working on the $29 million renovation project at the high school, located the waste material while digging at the northwest end of the high school in July. Superintendent of Schools Robert Rimmer said that the board knew about the prior investigations before proposing the referendum for the $29 million expansion project to the high school. "Both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Board of Health gave it a clean bill of health upon their prior investigations," Rimmer said. After the construction company unearthed the pollution, the Board of Education and the township retained Powell-Harpstead Inc., an environmental and engineering consulting firm. Since July, Powell-Harpstead has delineated an area extending from Roosevelt Avenue through Veterans Park to the high school to Plains Gap Road that was once used for land filling activities. The firm further characterized the nature of the waste material discovered and its potential health risks. In August, Joni Powell, president of Powell-Harpstead, gave the board and the township a memo stating that industrial hygienists David M. Kichula, and Jan F. Sassman, Ph.D., analyzed the contamination and determined that the school and park were safe for public use. "The effects of arsenic exposure occur from long-term exposure," Mitchell wrote. "This material has been in place for over 40 years and is generally covered with grass. The grass covering reduces the level of dust emissions and exposure; furthermore, recreational exposures would be significantly less than typical residential or industrial exposures." Lombard said a person would have to ingest the toxins to cause any harm. The first phase of sampling consisted of seven soil borings and the second phase of testing consisted of 15 soil samples and five groundwater samples on the edges and perimeter of the area. According to DEP records, Powell-Harpstead found that all samples indicated the presence of hazardous waste materials, including arsenic, copper, lead, thallium and zinc above DEP standards. Isolated samples contained antimony, beryllium, cadmium, nickel, benzo(a)anthrocene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(b)fluroanthene, and trichloroethylene above DEP standards, according to DEP records. Powell-Harpstead determined the contamination found is "laboratory waste." Tom Byrne, a 1975 graduate of NBTHS, recently contacted the DEP and said a local family owned a trucking company that dumped on the property, according to DEP records. Lombard said resident Mary Pinkham has produced documentation to the township that may support these allegations; however, Lombard said he has not been able to confirm them. DEP records contain a brief history of ownership and use of the land where the school and park now exist. Although ownership of the land could not be established from 1892 to 1930, DEP records state the Buckalew family owned the land from 1874 to 1892. As of now, the use of the land prior to 1892 is unknown, according to Lombard. The Stanton family owned the land from 1930 to 1954 and North Brunswick Township owned it from 1954 to 1970, before selling it to the board, according to Lombard. The Driggs family owned part of the property from 1896 to 1947, according to the board. Lombard said he has seen aerial photographs that depict "active land filling" during the time frame when the township owned the property. "We have performed a complete township search of the minute books and township documents, and we have not found anything that discusses that the township had a dump or a landfill," Lombard said. Lombard said the township and the DEP are still actively pursuing any information they can gather to find the responsible parties for the contamination and the cleanup. As a result of the early testing and Powell-Harpstead’s recommendations, the township and the board devised a remediation plan that consists of "the complete removal and off-site disposal of the contaminated soil," according to DEP records. Temporarily, the board and township have closed off sections of the high school property and the park in accordance with DEP regulations, according to DEP records. Both the township and the board are awaiting Powell-Harpstead’s timeline for and cost evaluation of the remedial process the site will undergo. Despite requests from the contractor to continue with the high school reconstruction, the DEP suggested that renovation stop until the affected area is tested and remedied, according to DEP records. "Any field work conducted in construction shall occur at the respondent’s risk," the DEP’s Searfoss wrote in a memo to Powell-Harpstead. Rimmer said the contractor is currently working on other areas of the high school renovation project, away from the contaminated area. "As of now, the new auditorium will not open in September, as scheduled," Rimmer said. "We are not sure, as of yet, how the remediation process will affect the rest of the timeline for the renovation." As a result of a memo to Searfoss from Powell-Harpstead recognizing the contamination "could potentially extend under the current high school," the DEP recommended that the board install soil borings and test pits around the perimeter of the school to determine if pollution exists under the structure. Rimmer said Powell-Harpstead recently tested around the perimeter of the school and also tested the air quality within the school. "We tested around the perimeter on all sides and inside we completed air testing with swabs," Rimmer said, "It’s all clear." The DEP will require ongoing air monitoring, asbestos testing and groundwater sampling at the site, according to Searfoss. Although Searfoss advised Powell-Harpstead that the DEP will also require radiological and biological tests as a result of the "pharmacological waste" found at the site, Lombard said Powell-Harpstead has not expressed any necessity for the township to perform such tests, as of yet. The township anticipates having test results from Powell-Harpstead on Plains Gap Road residential properties sometime next week, Lombard said. The township asked for permission to test seven yards after a soil boring about 175 feet away from the Indian Ridge development tested positive for a 5-foot-thick layer of waste materials, according to DEP records. Lombard said an approved housing development for block 143, lots 94 and 95, which is between Indian Ridge and Silver Hollow, will have to await further soil testing and area remediation prior to undergoing construction. "The Zoning Board will require Northeast Developer to undergo a phase one and phase two environmental evaluation of the site before construction can begin," Lombard said. Township and board officials met with Powell-Harpstead Tuesday to discuss a remediation timeline and costs, Lombard said. He said the township might be eligible to obtain grant money from a federal spill fund if all means to find responsible parties are exhausted without success. In light of Sam Malthroup resigning from representing the township in this matter due to conflict of interest, the council has appointed the law firm of DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Wisler to the case. Residents with information regarding the history of the land should contact the township at (732) 247-0922, ext. 435. Residents with questions regarding the contamination may call the DEP Office of Communications at (609) 777-1976. ***************************************************************** 28 NRC: Oral Argument on Duke's Application to Use Mixed Oxide Nuclear Fuel Scheduled for January 15 in Charlotte News Release - Region II - 2004-00 U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region II No. II-04-002 January 8, 2004 CONTACT: Ken Clark (404) 562-4416 Roger D. Hannah (404) 562-4417 E-mail: opa2@nrc.gov A Nuclear Regulatory Commission Atomic Safety and Licensing Board will hear oral argument Thursday, January 15, on supplemental contentions raised by the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League in the proceeding involving Duke Energys application to use mixed oxide, or MOX, test assemblies at the Catawba Nuclear Station near Rock Hill, SC. The proceeding will be held in Courtroom 2 of the U.S. Courthouse, 401 W. Trade Street in Charlotte, beginning at 9:00 a.m. The three-member Licensing Board is chaired by Administrative Judge Ann Marshall Young and also includes Administrative Judges Anthony J. Baratta and Dr. Thomas S. Elleman. During the session in Charlotte, which will be open to public observation, the panel will hear argument on the contentions but no decision on the admissibility of those contentions will be made until later. In February 2003, Duke Energy filed an application to amend the operating license at Catawba to allow the use of four MOX test assemblies at the plant. The NRC technical staff is currently reviewing that application. After a July 2003 Federal Register notice on the Duke application, the Nuclear Information and Resource Service and Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League filed to intervene and requested a hearing. MOX fuel would be produced by combining surplus plutonium from dismantled nuclear weapons with uranium into a form that can be used by nuclear power plants. A planned MOX fabrication facility, which would be U.S. Government-owned and located at the Department of Energys Savannah River Site in South Carolina, would also be subject to NRC requirements. Last revised Thursday, January 08, 2004 ***************************************************************** 29 deseret news: Goshute tribal leaders face another legal battle deseretnews.com] Friday, January 9, 2004 Judge seeks answers on papers related to Starlike Properties By Doug Smeath Deseret Morning News Already embroiled in court fights over plans to store spent nuclear fuel and allegations of financial misdeeds, the Skull Valley Band of Goshutes and its chairman are facing another legal battle. Goshute leader Leon Bear will be asked why tribe failed to comply with summonses. Johanna Workman, Deseret Morning News On Dec. 23, U.S. District Judge Dee Benson ordered tribal chairman Leon D. Bear, 47, and the Tooele County tribe to turn over documents related to Starlike Properties Inc., a company owned by the Goshutes, and to appear in court next month to explain why he and the tribe failed to comply with summonses seeking such documents in March 2003. The summonses, part of an Internal Revenue Service investigation into Starlike's federal tax liability, sought all documents related to the tribe's acquisition of the company and its operations since then. They specifically mention a "yen currency put option" — a contract that gives the holder the right to sell the currency at a specified price within a certain time. U.S. Justice Department spokesman Blain Rethmeier said details on the investigation and how the put option figures into it are not available, though he expects things to become clearer as additional court documents are filed. He expects Bear and the tribe to file responses to Benson's order early next week. The summonses also call for documents sent to and received from several companies and individuals involved in the establishment of tax havens including a Swiss bank, an attorney and a shadow company based in the British Channel Islands. IRS court documents claim that Bear refused to testify and that he has produced "only three documents," all related to Starlike's incorporation and its operating agreement. Bear was out of town Thursday and could not be reached for comment. Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah, emphasized that the latest court documents are civil filings. They contain "no allegation of criminality" and are "completely unrelated" to the tribe's plans to store spent nuclear fuel on its reservation and to federal indictments brought in December against Bear and several tribal dissidents. The Goshutes are best known for the fuel storage plan. After December's indictments, which followed more than two years of federal investigations, critics of the plan said the allegations cast doubt on the tribe leadership's credibility. They called for a moratorium on the storage proposal. Bear is accused of paying himself off with tribal money through various schemes and of claiming to have been jobless on three years' tax returns when he actually worked for the tribe. He will be arraigned in federal court Monday. A federal grand jury has also returned indictments of Marlinda Moon, Sammy Blackbear and Miranda Wash, tribal members opposed to Bear's fuel storage plans and critical of his leadership, as well as their attorney, Duncan Steadman. Their charges stem from a tribal election that was never recognized by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, during which the three say they took leadership from Bear. They are accused of using false certification of that election to transfer tribal money among bank accounts and make several withdrawals. They will be arraigned in federal court this morning. The nuclear waste storage plan continues to progress, despite opposition. An administrative panel of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Dec. 31 partially cleared the way for Private Fuel Storage, a consortium of utility companies that have an agreement with the Goshutes, to construct a rail line that would deliver spent fuel 26 miles down the west side of Skull Valley, along the Cedar Mountains. The ruling wrapped up one of the last remaining issues the state and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance raised to put the brakes on nuclear waste ending up in Utah. E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com © 2004 Deseret News Publishing Company ***************************************************************** 30 ITV: 'Radioactive waste found in salmon' itv.com Fri Jan 9 2004 "Tc-99 should not be there. It is inexplicable yet significant" - Greenpeace scientist David Santillo 'Radioactive waste found in salmon' 1.24PM, 23 Jun 2003 Traces of radioactive waste from Sellafield have been found in salmon sold in the UK's six leading supermarkets, according to reports. The discovery was made during tests commissioned by Greenpeace at Southampton University. The fresh and smoked salmon came from Sainsbury's, Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Asda, Safeway and Waitrose, reports said. The tests found levels of radioactivity from the traces of Technetium-99 (Tc-99) to be very low, but it is a by-product of Magnox fuel reprocessing and its presence alone will cause concern. All tests showed levels of less than two becquerels (the International System unit of radioactivity) of Tc-99 per kilogram to more than 20. Greenpeace scientist David Santillo, based at Exeter University, said: "Tc-99 should not be there. It is inexplicable yet significant." In 1998, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott promised that Sellafield emissions would be cut. However, they have since risen. According to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), levels this low do not pose a health risk. Defra said: "We are not aware that Tc-99 has got into salmon. "There is no evidence that, at the current rate of discharge, it poses a risk to the environment." But Tc-99 has been found in seaweed, cod and lobsters caught off the Cumbrian reprocessing facility. It has even been found as far away as Norway. Salmon farms on the west coast of Scotland feed their salmon on pellets made from fish caught in the North Sea or off Chile. M&S responded to the reports and said: "We have been working with Greenpeace as part of our support for the Scottish fishing industry and lobbying the Government about what is coming from Sellafield. "There is absolutely no danger for customers in these fish products, but we are concerned about the long-term sustainability of the Scottish industry over Sellafield." Meanwhile, Sainsbury's said: "Food safety is our first priority. We will investigate at once." Content © ITV Network Limited. All Rights Reserved ***************************************************************** 31 Las Vegas RJ: NUCLEAR SHIPMENT: N.M. protesters object Friday, January 09, 2004 Waste goes from Nevada Test Site to WIPP By MELANIE DABOVICH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Police officer L.W. Heckroth removes a sign held by Ruth Imber from an Interstate 40 overpass Thursday in Albuquerque, N.M. Protesters were trying to stop a shipment of radioactive waste from the Nevada Test Site to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Protesters shouted and waved signs from an interstate overpass Thursday as a shipment of plutonium-tainted waste from the Nevada Test Site rolled through New Mexico's largest city. The medium-level radioactive waste, in three huge containers aboard a tractor-trailer, headed east on Interstate 40 after being sent on its 1,130-mile journey Wednesday from the test site, 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Its ultimate destination was the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad in southern New Mexico. While WIPP routinely receives radioactive shipments, Thursday's was the first from the Nevada site to travel through urban Albuquerque, home to roughly half a million people. In all, there will be more than 110 such truckloads from the test site, each carrying up to 42 drums of transuranic waste. The drums contain equipment and materials tainted with plutonium from the nation's nuclear weapons research endeavors. The first 55 or 60 shipments will travel a southern route to the plant while the remainder will follow a route that remains to be negotiated by the affected states and the Department of Energy. In Albuquerque, demonstrators yelled, "Stop, stop!" as the truck passed under the I-40 bridge about 11:05 a.m., honking at the protesters as it went by under escort by two state police patrol cars. Trucks in nearby lanes then also started honking. The protesters, from the Center for Peace and Justice, Stop the War Machine and Citizens for Alternatives to Radioactive Dumping, held up signs reading, "Code Orange: WIPP" and "No WIPP trucks through Albuquerque." They had a brief run-in with an Albuquerque police officer over the signs after they duct-taped some to the bridge. City ordinance prohibits anything from being fixed to an interstate bridge, and the protesters removed the signs to hold them instead. Stop the War Machine's Bob Anderson had sent an e-mail to the organization's members urging them to gather on the bridge to protest "this appalling disregard for Albuquerque." In Las Vegas, Peggy MazeJohnson, executive director of the statewide environmental group Citizen Alert, said she sympathizes with the New Mexico protesters. "I don't blame those folks. We don't want it, so why do we put people at risk by putting it on the road again? It makes no sense to me," she said. Maze Johnson said the outrage of anti-nuclear activists in other states no doubt will be carried over when the Department of Energy begins hauling high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel assemblies to Yucca Mountain, 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The waste and used fuel destined for the planned Yucca Mountain repository, about 77,000 tons in total, are currently stored in 39 states. Energy Department officials expect to begin those truck and rail shipments in 2010. Most waste shipments to WIPP enter New Mexico from the north on Interstate 25 at Raton, then travel a sparsely populated route on U.S. 285 to Carlsbad. Some protesters gathered Wednesday night outside the Albuquerque office of Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. One woman was arrested after allegedly refusing to leave without first speaking with the senator. The waste traveled through California and Arizona before arriving at 6:46 a.m. Thursday at New Mexico's western point of entry near Gallup. At the Gallup point of entry, inspectors carrying radiation detectors walked around the rig and its cargo, scanning for leaks. They also conducted a mechanical inspection. Inspectors found no leaks but did report a couple of loose fender bolts above the trailer's rear axle, said Gary Trujillo, chief inspector at the port for the state Department of Public Safety. They also found antifreeze leaking from a hose in the tractor, which the rig's driver fixed by tightening a clamp, he said. "It was just an oversight on our part and it's a minor thing we have to watch," said Cordie Mossier who was driving the rig along with her husband. Mossier, of Carlsbad, played down the significance of the trip. "It's our job and we try to do it the best we can, no matter if it happens to be the 100th trip or the 5,000th trip. It would be all the same to us," Mossier said before driving the rig away at 8:30 a.m. Review-Journal writer Keith Rogers contributed to this report. Copyright Las Vegas Review-Journal ***************************************************************** 32 Bellona: No contracts for spent nuclear fuel imports in Russia for 2004 Russia’s Atomic Energy Minister Alexander Rumyantsev said on Wednesday that Russia is unlikely to sign any new contracts for the import of spent nuclear fuel, or SNF, to Russia for storage and reprocessing, the Itar-Tass Russian news agency reported. 2004-01-09 13:56 “We are simply barred from that very lucrative market,” Rumyantsev said. According to Rumyantsev, “the world market of SNF has been long divided among other countries, first of all the USA and France.” Indeed, the United States controls an estimated 80 to 90 percent of the world’s SNF. “No negotiations on possible contracts are being held presently,” he added. Legislation allowing the import of SNF to Russia for temporary storage and procession was passed amid heated debate in 2001. Minatom at the time promised that some $20 billion over the next 20 years would flow into government coffers because of the import plan. But the imports—which include only a handful of former Soviet Bloc countries, some of whom are given large discounts because they cannot afford to pay the going rate for storage—have failed to materialise on the scale the ministry predicted. Various polls have shown that up to 90 percent of the Russian public is opposed to the import of foreign spent nuclear fuel. Publisher: Bellona Foundation, President: Frederic Hauge Information: info@bellona.no, Technical contact: webmaster@bellona.no Telephone: +47 23 23 46 00 Telefax: +47 22 38 38 62 * P.O.Box 2141 Grunerlokka, 0505 Oslo, Norway Menu ***************************************************************** 33 Las Vegas SUN: Letter: Deny feds access to Yucca site January 08, 2004 I was amazed at all the concern about nuclear waste in Sunday's paper. Now that the Energy Department has spent $4 billion of our tax money putting that hole in Yucca Mountain, do we really believe that it's not a political "done deal?" If the storage casks are going to last for l0,000 years, they could just as well sit where they are instead of putting the whole country at risk by shipping them to Nevada. Things have changed at the DOE -- I have noticed that the little store fronts no longer say "Yucca Mountain Science Centers." Rather, they now say "Yucca Mountain Information Centers." Since the the atomic tests in the 1950s, I have felt that the people of Nevada have been exposed to enough radiation. If the governor had some intestinal fortitude, he could deny the federal government access to Yucca Mountain. It is illegal for the feds to tell us that we must accept the waste from all the other states plus what is going to come back from the foreign countries that we have helped with their nuclear power. Wake up people, we have been sold out again. RICHARD A. BROWN ***************************************************************** 34 Las Vegas SUN: Letter: Hanford waste is more urgent problem for DOE Let's switch perspective for just a minute. Everybody's focused on spent-fuel rods going to Yucca Mountain, but let's consider instead vitrified tank wastes from Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Such wastes are not as dangerous as spent fuel, and many of the 293 scientific questions given to the Energy Department would not apply if the mountain were to house vitrified wastes. Perhaps that is why the agency has been in no hurry to answer the questions. Sixty-four tanks at Hanford are leaking profusely. Liquid levels in several tanks are below the gauges. More than a million gallons have leaked into the soil in Richland, Wash. More than 280,000 signatures were collected to put a stop to any more waste coming to Richland. Those people are fed up, and the Energy Department has to do something. It's quite possible spent-fuel rods will have to take a back seat. RON BOURGOIN Rocky Mount, N.C. Editor's note: Ron Bourgoin was a consultant to the town of Rolesville in Wake County, N.C., in 1984 when a site in that area was being considered by the Energy Department as the location for a high-level nuclear waste repository. ***************************************************************** 35 de.indymedia.org: German nuke waste to Sellafield by 15 March - 08.01.2004 15:07 The anti-nuclear transports group Aktionsbuendnis CASTOR-Widerstand Neckarwestheim reports that the ?Federal Radiation Protection Agency? (BfS) has licensed another nuclear waste consignment from the Neckarwestheim power station (about 45 km north of Stuttgart) to the plutonium factory at Sellafield in northwest England. The group says the licence is for two Castor caskets containing a total of 14 spent fuel rods and is valid until 15 March. Also valid to that date is the transportation from the Krümmel nuke in northern Gerrmany of eight caskets to Sellafield. German nukes, Stade switched off  anti-akw.neckarwestheim@s.netic.de Info-tel 07141 / 903363 * fax / 923991  http://neckarwestheim.antiatom.de http://neckarwestheim.antiatom.de¦ Anschrift:: Info-tel 07141 / 903363 * fax / 923991 ¦ ***************************************************************** 36 Paducah Sun: Uranium shipment to Paducah gets probed Staff and Wire Report @@UPLOAD_TIME:200401082316 @@EDITION: Friday, January 09, 2004 Staff and Wire Report The federal government is investigating how six metric tons of blended Russian uranium wound up in North Carolina rather than its intended destination, the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. After the mix-up was resolved, the shipment arrived Wednesday night at the plant and had been under tight security ever since coming into the United States, said Elizabeth Stuckle, spokeswoman for plant operator USEC Inc. "No regulations were broken. It was never unloaded." The Nuclear Regulatory Commission believes the mistaken shipment to a nuclear fabrication plant in Wilmington, N.C., posed no risk to anyone, said Roger Hannah, an NRC spokesman in Atlanta. "It was received at a facility authorized to take it." Workers at Paducah enrich uranium for use as fuel for nuclear power plants. The Wilmington plant takes the fuel and shapes it for reactor use. The trucking company that moved the diluted uranium, Transport Logistics International, accidentally sent the load along with a similarly numbered load from a dock in Norfolk, Va., to Global Nuclear Fuel LLC in Wilmington on Dec. 19. The trucking company’s chief executive officer, Rod Fisk, said the error was quickly spotted and Global was notified the Paducah shipment also would be coming, along with Global’s intended shipment. ‘‘It was never lost.’’ USEC was notified of the mix-up after the holidays. It has bought or agreed to buy $7.5 billion worth of uranium from Russia and process it into nuclear fuel. The weapons-grade uranium is diluted before being shipped to Paducah. The Department of Homeland Security, which investigates potential terrorism threats and security breaches, would not become involved in the investigation unless criminal intent was suspected, spokesman Ben Quevedo said. ***************************************************************** 37 Casper Star-Tribune: Judge orders tribe to turn over documents to IRS pvsfontmr SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A federal judge has ordered the Skull Valley Band of Goshutes to turn over documents related to a property company it owns for an Internal Revenue Service investigation. Band members already face federal fraud charges, and are embroiled in court fights over plans to store spent nuclear fuel on their reservation. On Dec. 23, U.S. District Judge Dee Benson ordered tribal chairman Leon D. Bear, 47, and the Tooele County tribe to turn over documents related to Starlike Properties Inc. and appear in court next month to explain why the tribe failed to comply with summonses seeking such documents in March 2003. Bear was scheduled to appear in federal court on Monday in the document request. The summonses, part of an investigation into the company's tax liability, sought all documents related to the tribe's acquisition of the company and its operations since then. They specifically mention a ''yen currency put option'' - a contract that gives the holder the right to sell the currency at a specified price within a certain time. U.S. Justice Department spokesman Blain Rethmeier said details on the investigation and how the put option figures into it are not available, though he expects things to become clearer as additional court documents are filed. Telephone messages left by The Associated Press for Bear and his attorney Friday were not immediately returned. Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah, emphasized that the latest court documents don't contain criminal allegations. She said they are unrelated to either the tribe's plans to store spent nuclear fuel on its reservation or the federal indictments brought in December against Bear and several tribal dissidents. Bear is accused of paying himself off with tribal money through various schemes and of claiming to have been jobless on three years' tax returns when he actually worked for the tribe. AP-WS-01-09-04 2028EST [copyright] by the Casper Star-Tribune published by Lee ***************************************************************** 38 Nevada: Nevada's Lawsuit Against Yucca Mountain Slated for Jan. 14 Yucca Mountain Alert, Friday, January 09, 2004; Arguments in [Yucca Mountain Update -- A Publication of the State of Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects] INFORMATION ALERT http://www.state.nv.us/nucwaste Arguments in Nevada's Lawsuit Against Yucca Mountain Slated for Jan. 14 in Washington, D.C. U.S. Court of Appeals decision expected in mid 2004 Nevada will have its day in court Jan. 14, when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia will hear arguments in the state's consolidated lawsuits that could result in the defeat of the proposed Yucca Mountain high-level nuclear waste repository, planned 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Anticipating the court will issue a ruling sometime in late spring or early summer, Joseph Egan, an attorney representing Nevada, said any of the state's lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or a suit challenging the constitutionality of a joint Congressional resolution designating Yucca Mountain as a repository, could derail the controversial project. "We are looking forward to the opportunity to tell the court how the DOE, NRC, and EPA twisted their own rules in a blatant effort to make Yucca Mountain palatable as a warehouse for the nation's nuclear waste," Egan said. "We are confident that we can prove the government violated Congressional directives in recommending Yucca Mountain, and violated the Constitution by pitting 49 other states against Nevada in voting to approve the repository." Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects Executive Director Bob Loux expressed confidence that the high-profile legal team assembled to represent the state will prevail in at least one of the lawsuits. "We do not need to win them all to bring the Yucca Mountain project to an end," he said, "although we believe the arguments we present will be strong enough to carry the day in all of the cases." Nevada's consolidated cases are the only items calendared for the court that day on the Circuit Court's complex docket, which allows both sides more time to present their cases and answer questions from the bench. At the hearing, Egan, a former station-certified nuclear reactor engineer with degrees in Physics, Nuclear Engineering, and Technology & Policy, will present Nevada's cases against the DOE while Charles Cooper, cited by The National Law Journal as one of the 10 best civil litigators in Washington, D.C., will argue the state's constitutional case. Martin Malsch, a former Acting General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel of the NRC and its first Inspector General, will handle the state's case against the NRC. San Francisco-based Antonio Rossmann, who has practiced land use and natural resources law in California for more than a quarter-century, will argue Nevada's case against the EPA. ***************************************************************** 39 Pahrump Valley Times: FELLINI SAYS ENERGY DEPARTMENT MISLEADING NEVANDANS January 9, 2004 Rancher objects to rail route By MARK WAITE PVT Warm Springs rancher Joe Fellini addresses Nye County Commissioners regarding the proposed Yucca Mountain Project rail route. TONOPAH - When it comes to the preferred route for shipping 77,000 metric tons of nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, Warm Springs rancher Joe Fellini lies right in the path. The northern Nye County public lands advocate offered an early indication to Nye County Commissioners meeting here Tuesday that ranchers will put up a stiff fight before allowing the Department of Energy to ship nuclear waste through their grazing lands. The Department of Energy announced its preference for the Caliente route Dec. 23, which would entail building a 319-mile rail line from the Union Pacific tracks at Caliente, westward around the Nellis Air Force Training Range, to U.S. Highway 95 then south to the entrance near Lathrop Wells. Fellini said the federal government is misleading the public in a notice published in the Federal Register Dec. 29, a request to withdraw 308,600 acres of public land. Fellini said he added up 1,002 sections listed in the notice, which, at 640 acres per section, would amount to a much greater land seizure of 641,280 acres. Fellini said the land withdrawal would cut him off from water sources. He told Nye County Commissioners he's unsure what affect it would have on his permitted animal unit months for grazing. Fellini reminded commissioners that ranchers are about the last source of tax base left in the area. The Department of Energy could take a shortcut by building a rail line through the Nellis Air Force Range, the Caliente-Chalk Mountain Corridor, which would be only 214 miles, but U.S. Air Force officials objected, he said. "I call it blatant lies when they say it's only 308,600 acres and it's actually 641,208 acres," Fellini said. "They come in here and push this stuff down your throat and they don't tell you the truth." "They come in here and trample on us and run an extra 100 miles of rail line just because they don't want to go through a little part of the test site when they're going through it anyway on the other route. I don't think it's right," Fellini said. The DOE has asked for a mile-wide corridor through the sections of land. But Allen Benson, director of the office of institutional affairs for the DOE Yucca Mountain Project, said the corridor wouldn't include all 640 acres in each of the sections listed, a reason why there was a perceived discrepancy in the figures. The land withdrawal currently under review is only for a two-year study period, to prevent encumbrances on the land from being filed, such as mining claims or claims to the surface estate, like the Desert Land Entry Act. Benson said when the actual land withdrawal for construction of a rail line is requested, the strip might only be 20 or 30 feet wide, much less acreage than the study area. "They (DOE) never even came to us. We're peons," Fellini said. "If we're going to have a mile wide (corridor) let's take a mile wide out of the whole United States." County Commissioner Joni Eastley said members of the Sharp family, longtime ranchers in Railroad Valley, contacted her regarding their concerns. County Commission Chairman Henry Neth told Fellini a good opportunity to express his views would be at a meeting of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board Jan. 21, at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas. While the technical review board typically discusses highly technical issues and not policies, the agenda for that day includes discussion on a transportation plan for shipping the waste, Neth said. Jan Cameron, a member of the Amargosa Valley Town Advisory Board, said representatives of the various boards in Nye County would hold a joint meeting to discuss Yucca Mountain at 10 a.m., Jan. 17 at the Beatty Community Center. Advisory boards in communities along the U.S. Highway 95 corridor like Beatty and Amargosa Valley haven't addressed the issue yet. The preferred route would travel south of Tonopah around the border of the Nellis range. The secondary preferred route, from Carlin through Big Smoky Valley to U.S. Highway 95, could impact communities like Round Mountain. Ed Goedhart, manager of the Ponderosa Dairy and a member of the Amargosa Valley board, said the transportation route doesn't matter that much, all the nuclear waste will eventually arrive in Yucca Mountain, which is right up Highway 373. "Whether it comes in from the north or comes in from the south is secondary to not wanting Yucca Mountain here," Goedhart said. If the nuclear waste must arrive, Goedhart said he'd prefer it travel by rail, than by road, which would involve traveling nearer Nye County communities and along U.S. Highway 95, which is rated a dangerous highway with a high percentage of head-on accidents. "It's going to take the product off the highways and it's going to reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic accident," Goedhart said. The notice of land withdrawal in the Federal Register set forth a 90-day comment period. Comments may be sent to the Bureau of Land Management, 1340 Financial Blvd., Reno. The DOE announced a public hearing would be set at a later date for the land withdrawal. For comment or questions, please e-mail webmaster@pahrumpvalleytimes.com Copyright © Pahrump Valley Times, 1997 - 2003 ***************************************************************** 40 Pahrump Valley Times: Nye officials discuss YMP on Reno station January 9, 2004 By DENNIS MYERS SPECIAL TO THE PVT A visit to Northern Nevada by two Nye County representatives to sell the county's posture on the Yucca Mountain project has drawn measured opposition from Gov. Kenny Guinn and other officials. Nye County Commissioner Joni Eastley and Economic Development of Esmeralda and Nye economic development authority member Trish Rippie appeared on a Reno television show Dec. 29 to argue that Nevada cannot stop storage of high level nuclear waste at the proposed Yucca Mountain dump. They said Nye County has received large sums of money from the Department of Energy, which administers the repository project, demonstrating the benefit of the county dropping its "aggressive neutrality" toward the Yucca Mountain Project. But Guinn appeared on the same program to respond that not only is the repository not inevitable but that it will never open, a stance supported by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.) Eastley and Rippie appeared on "Nevada Newsmakers," a political chat show on Reno's KRNV hosted by Sam Shad and Andrea Engleman. Shad interviewed the two. Eastley told Shad, "It has benefited Nye County to have the study performed on whether or not nuclear waste should be stored at Yucca Mountain. "Nye County has been very successful at negotiating with the Department of Energy for some substantial benefits to the county ... we have approximately $30 million in four different endowment funds that we're using to benefit Nye County citizens, and this year, Chairman Henry Neth and I successfully negotiated with the Department of Energy for an additional $56 million worth of financial benefits over the next five year period." She said that after President George Bush endorsed the program, county officials decided to abandon their previous posture toward the waste storage facility, which she characterized as "aggressive neutrality." Eastley added that she considers storage of waste at Yucca Mountain "inevitable. I think that that is absolutely going to happen." Shad asked what the money was buying the Energy Department, and Eastley said, "This is in exchange for nothing. These are required payments through the Nuclear Waste Policy Act." Rippie said that announcement of the proposed construction of rail shipment lines to Yucca Mountain had piqued interest in piggy-backing local uses on the lines. "We see the possibility of an economic benefit. I think most everybody saw the routes in the paper last week that are proposed rail routes for bringing the waste in. The routes should be used for multipurpose where there could be private use of the rails. Tonopah and Goldfield haven't had rail service for many years and that could be a possible means for us to get some kind of economy going, some new industry, with the rails. "We look at the benefits - and like Joni, I think it's inevitable that it's going to come, and we should be getting as much benefits out of it as possible." But in an appearance on the same program Tuesday, Guinn said flatly that the nuclear waste dump will never open: "I think that you can already see the Department of Energy has backed off a number of their positions." Guinn did not criticize the two Nye County spokeswomen, but said the fate of the Yucca project is not in the hands of Bush or the Congress, but of the courts and regulatory agencies, where political influence or lobbying power is less of a factor. He said, "Other agencies are starting to say, 'Hey wait a minute. This hasn't been conclusively proved that it's safe'. And there's a number - certainly a myriad -- of issues that have not been satisfied. "And I think when you get into court an impartial individual such as the judges, the three panel judge, os going to sit there not under the guise of anyone in Washington, D.C., or the White House or anyplace else and they're going to say, 'We want these areas cleared up'. And if they're cleared up, then that's what we're looking for, is to have clarity for the people of Nevada." Speaking in Reno last month at an American Legion hall, Senator Reid also said the repository would never open. He said public awareness of the dangers of terrorism since September 11, 2001 has heightened concern and opposition to thousands of shipments of waste crossing the nation. He said on-site storage at the nuclear power plants generating the waste would be the final outcome. Guinn added that of the five court actions against the repository project which will receive a hearing in Washington next week, only one has to succeed to stop the project. For comment or questions, please e-mail webmaster@pahrumpvalleytimes.com Copyright © Pahrump Valley Times, 1997 - 2003 ***************************************************************** 41 DOE: Workers' Compensation Assistance Advisory Committee FR Doc 04-442 [Federal Register: January 9, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 6)] [Notices] [Page 1576] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr09ja04-53] AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of Intent to Establish the Workers' Compensation Assistance Advisory Committee. Pursuant to Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), and in accordance with title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 102-3.65, this is notice of intent to establish the Workers' Compensation Assistance Advisory Committee. This intent to establish follows consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat of the General Services Administration, pursuant to 41 CFR Subpart 102-3.60. The purpose of the Committee is to provide the Secretary of Energy and the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health with advice, information, and recommendations on the operation of the Office of Worker Advocacy, focusing on its case management and physician panel processes. The Committee will provide: a. Advice on worker compensation policies and procedures as they relate to Subtitle D of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. b. Periodic reviews of Worker Advocacy Program operations and milestones. c. Advice on improving the processing of requests for assistance in filing for state workers' compensation. d. Advice on improving the operation and productivity of the physician panels. Committee members will be chosen to ensure an appropriately balanced membership to bring into account a diversity of viewpoints, including state and Federal workers' compensation specialists, workers, union representatives, occupational physicians, DOE contractors, the insurance industry, and the public at large who may significantly contribute to the deliberations of the Committee. All meetings of this Committee will be published ahead of time in the Federal Register. Additionally, the establishment of the Workers' Compensation Assistance Advisory Committee is essential to the conduct of Department of Energy business, and is in the public interest. Further information regarding this committee may be obtained from Tom Rollow, Director, Office of Worker Advocacy, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, DC 20585, phone (202) 586-7449. Issued in Washington, DC, on January 5, 2004. James N. Solit, Advisory Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 04-442 Filed 1-8-04; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P ***************************************************************** 42 Carlsbad Current: Argus DOE misses deadline Updated: January 9, 2004 - 01:11:37 By The Associated Press Jan 8, 2004, 09:24 pm CARLSBAD — The Department of Energy failed to meet the first deadline to comply with legislation requiring it to change the tests waste must undergo before it’s shipped to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near here. The DOE released its plan to eliminate tests but failed to submit the proposal to the state as a request to modify WIPP’s hazardous waste permit by Dec. 31. Legislation sponsored by Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and signed by President Bush on Dec. 1 restricts the state’s ability to reject the DOE’s request to eliminate the testing for dangerous gases on each drum of waste before it is shipped to WIPP. The DOE says the tests are expensive and unnecessary. Instead of the tests, records kept on each drum when it was filled with waste would be used to determine whether the drums contain waste not allowed to be buried at WIPP, a federal nuclear waste dump 2,150-feet underground in ancient salt beds. The DOE expects to submit its application by the end of this week or early next week, according to Roger Nelson, WIPP’s chief scientist. “We’re not far off,” Nelson said Wednesday. The delay was caused by the late passage of the bill, he said. Critics have complained that Domenici’s intervention bypasses the state’s regulatory authority over WIPP. They also say the legislation was pushed through with DOE claims the test removal was urgent. “DOE can’t even deliver it on the schedule they said they could and that Domenici wanted,” said Don Hancock, head of the nuclear safety project at the Southwest Research and Information Center in Albuquerque. Chris Gallegos, a spokesman for Domenici, said the senator “regrets that DOE missed the deadline.” Copyright © 2004 Carlsbad Current-Argus, a Gannett Co., Inc. ***************************************************************** 43 TheNewMexicoChannel: Sandia Labs Reactor Still Shut Down POSTED: 7:44 PM MST January 8, 2004 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- The "Z" nuclear fusion research reactor at Sandia National Laboratories is going to be shut down a bit longer. Lab officials said it will be at least several more days before the reactor is ready to be restarted. Sandia turned it off Dec. 19 after elevated levels of beryllium were discovered there. Beryllium is a lightweight metal used in nuclear weapons. Beryllium dust can cause chronic and long-term lung disease. Sandia spokesman John German said the lab is developing a restart plan for the reactor that includes new measures to prevent beryllium contamination. Copyright 2004 by . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. From TheNewMexicoChannel.com ***************************************************************** 44 KATU 2: Washington State sues Department of Energy for back taxes katu.com/ January 8, 2004 OLYMPIA - The state has gone to court to force the US Department of Energy to pay a 6.8 million dollar tax bill stemming from work at the Hanford nuclear reservation. The action was filed in federal appeals court in Washington, DC. It argues that the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 requires the department to pay the equivalent of the state's business-and-occupation tax on surveying and other activities that occurred when Hanford was being considered as a possible site for storing highly radioactive wastes. Hanford was a finalist for the repository site before Yucca Mountain in Nevada was selected. The state filed its tax claim in 1993. The department's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management has disputed the bill, although its Office of Hearings and Appeals issued a final order in the state's favor in July. State Attorney General Christine Gregoire says the state hasn't seen any of the money despite repeated requests. (Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) KATU TV 2153 N.E. Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97232 Main Phone 503-231-4222 News Desk 503-231-4264 ***************************************************************** 45 Google News Alert - nuclear Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 16:15:02 -0800 THE media, nuclear power, and failed peace: An interview with ... Electronic Intifada, IL ... From Beirut, Hirst spoke with EI on the bias of the American media towards Israel in its coverage of the conflict, the implications of Israel's nuclear aresenal ... AVOIDING Nuclear Calamity Pakistan Times, Pakistan NUCLEAR war between these nations, India and Pakistan, as it nearly came to pass in 2002, would thrust the world's economy into depression. ... BRUCE nuclear plant back online, finally Toronto Star, Canada ... Last January, Bruce Power was granted permission by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to refuel two mothballed nuclear reactors — Units 3 and 4 — to ... EU slams US support for Japan to host nuclear fusion project EU Business, UK EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin on Friday slammed a declaration of US support for Japan's bid to host an experimental nuclear fusion reactor instead ... NUCLEAR material missing WMAR (ABC2), MD Halethorpe - Maryland Department of the Environment is issuing a public alert after a moisture density gauge containing nuclear material was stolen this morning ... US planning nuclear Jupiter mission Ananova, UK Nasa is planning to send a nuclear-powered spacecraft to determine whether three of Jupiter's planet-sized moons have the potential to harbour life. ... NUCLEAR waste rolls through the largest city in New Mexico Salt Lake Tribune, UT ... Americium is produced when plutonium atoms absorb neutrons in nuclear reactors and in nuclear explosions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. ... NORTH Korea rejects Libyan lead on scrapping nuclear drive SpaceDaily North Korea's foreign ministry said Friday it was the "folly of imbeciles" to expect the Stalinist state to follow Libya's lead and abandon its nuclear weapons ... JAPAN has superior site to host nuclear fusion project: Abraham SpaceDaily US Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham said Friday the United States favoured Japan to host an experimental nuclear fusion reactor rather than France because ... PAK Not Involved In Transferring Nuclear Technology Pakistan News Service, Pakistan ... Jan 09 (PNS) - Quashing allegations here Thursday, the Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat clarified that Pakistan was not involved in transferring nuclear ... This once-a-day News Alert is brought to you by Google News (BETA)... - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Remove this News Alert: http://www.google.com/newsalerts/remove?s=682e52ddd0720101 Create another News Alert: http://www.google.com/newsalerts Try Google News: http://news.google.com/ ***************************************************************** 46 War Wire: US backs Japanese site to host nuclear fusion project WAR.WIRE TOKYO (AFP) Jan 09, 2004 The United States on Friday for the first time publicly backed Japan to host a multi-billion-dollar experimental nuclear fusion reactor instead of France, saying it offered a superior site. The multibillion-dollar International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project will either be sited in the French town of Cadarache or the northern Japanese village of Rokkasho-mura. The project aims to be a test bed for what is being billed as the clean, safe, inexhaustible energy source of the future, emulating the sun's nuclear fusion. The project, however, is not expected to generate electricity before "I am proud to say today that the United States strongly supports building ITER here in Japan. From a technical standpoint you offer the superior site," US Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham told a gathering of Japanese business leaders during a visit to Tokyo. "The location of Rokkasho is superbly situated to receive the large materials needed for ITER. "Your technical and engineering skills are known and admired in every corner of the world. What is more, the local communinity clearly welcomes this project and has always gone out of its way to encourage the siting of ITER in Rokkasho," Abraham said. A spokesman for the US embassy in Tokyo confirmed it was the first time that Washington had gone on record in support of the Japanese bid. "We feel extremely encouraged by his comment," an official from Japan's science and technology ministry told AFP. "We will continue to work with other countries so that we can build ITER in Rokkasho-mura." The choice between Cadarache and Rokkasho-mura was supposed to have been made in December by delegates from the European Union, the US, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia at a meeting in Reston, Virginia, west of Washington. But after they failed to reach a consensus, the decision was delayed, probably until mid-February. The European Union, Russia and China supported the Cadarache site, while the US, Japan and South Korea preferred the Japanese site, according to a delegate present at the meeting. A French source close to ITER told AFP it would have been better for Abraham to have waited for the completion of ongoing technical studies before commenting. "The remarks of the US secretary amount to a questionable way of disrupting the study," she said. The source dismissed Abraham's endorsement of Rokkasho's coastal location for the easier delivery of large components, arguing its exposure to the risk of earthquake and tidal waves was more important. The Japanese site has many assets including the close proximity of a port, a ground of solid bedrock and a nearby US military base. Rokkasho-mura is already home to a nuclear reprocessing facility due to start operating in July 2006, a uranium enrichment facility and low and high-level nuclear waste facilities. The French site offers an existing research facility and a better climate. Lobbying for the world's first nuclear fusion reactor has been intense as it will provide an economic boom to its chosen site. French officials have estimated the project could bring 30 billion dollars to the economy of the chosen venue over 30 years. It will cost five billion dollars to build the reactor, and five billion to run it for 10 to 20 years, according to project supporters. The choice of the site must be made by consensus, and not by a simple majority, partly because all parties will be required to fund the project. ja-shi-rma/ppy WAR.WIRE ***************************************************************** 47 War Wire: EU slams US support for Japan to host nuclear fusion project WAR.WIRE BRUSSELS (AFP) Jan 09, 2004 EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin on Friday slammed a declaration of US support for Japan's bid to host an experimental nuclear fusion reactor instead of France. "It is inappropriate and inopportune to make such declarations at a time when there is a process of evaluation (for the competing bids) going on," the Belgian commissioner told AFP through his spokesman, Fabio Fabbi. US Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said during a visit to Tokyo Friday that Japan offers "the superior site" to host the multi-billion-dollar International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project. ITER will be located either in the French southeastern town of Cadarache, which defeated a Spanish site to be chosen as the European Union's bid, or the northern Japanese village of Rokkasho-mura. It aims to be a test bed for what is billed as the clean, safe, inexhaustible energy source of the future, emulating the sun's nuclear fusion. The project, however, is not expected to generate electricity before 2050. Among the project's backers, the EU has won support from China and Russia to site ITER at Cadarache. Japan has the backing of South Korea and now the United States. The six partners tried to choose the winning bid at a meeting in Washington on December 20, but failed to decide. A fresh meeting has been called for next month to review the results of the current evaluation study. WAR.WIRE ***************************************************************** 48 Ananova: US planning nuclear Jupiter mission Nasa is planning to send a nuclear-powered spacecraft to determine whether three of Jupiter's planet-sized moons have the potential to harbour life. The Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter, or Jimo, will circle the moons Callisto, Europa and Ganymede, which are believed to have vast oceans tucked beneath thick covers of ice. The unmanned craft, far larger and more powerful than any other sent to explore the outer solar system, will spend years studying the moons' make up, geologic history and potential for sustaining life, as well as Jupiter itself. Besides water, the moons appear to contain two other ingredients necessary for life: energy and the right chemicals. Along with Mars, they are considered the most likely places to have extraterrestrial life within our solar system. "We don't know if life is there. But this mission will allow to ask that question with some pretty sound tools," said Christopher McKay of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Ames Research Centre. Jimo will not be launched until at least 2011 and will be the first in a series of robotic Nasa probes that rely on uranium-fuelled fission reactors to generate large amounts of electricity. While probes such as Galileo and Cassini have made do with hundreds of watts of electricity, Jimo might have thousands of watts to power its thrusters and instruments, said Torrence Johnson of Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The reactor conceivably could produce enough electricity to power several US homes. That could provide Jimo a hundredfold boost over previous missions in the amount of data it would be able to beam back to Earth. Jimo would carry high-resolution cameras and other instruments, including radar and lasers to map the thickness and elevation of the ice that envelops each moon. Story filed: 11:48 Tuesday 9th December 2003 Ananova Ltd. ***************************************************************** 49 UPI Exclusive: Space plan to push robots United Press International: By Frank Sietzen Jr. and Keith L. Cowing United Press International Published 1/9/2004 1:43 PM WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- NASA would fuse together its robotic space systems and manned space program to accommodate the goals of President George W. Bush's new space exploration agenda, senior administration sources told United Press International. Bush next Wednesday is expected to announce he wants to send American astronauts back the moon early in the next decade in preparation for sending crews to explore Mars and nearby asteroids. The sweeping new effort, which represents the biggest overhaul of the U.S. space program in its history, also would involve retiring the space shuttle fleet and gradually withdrawing participation in the International Space Station. Although the plans still are only in the concept stage and have yet to be fully developed, the White House insisted advanced robotic devices be emphasized in the new space effort to supplement human space missions, sources said. "This should end the tired old argument between manned and unmanned space flight," a source predicted. Advancing space robotic technology will require much of the initial $800 million the president is expected to request for fiscal year 2005 as a down payment on his space plan -- it could be as much as $300 million to $500 million of the increase, sources said. The new robots would be capable not only of exploring the moon in tandem with the visiting astronauts, but also of functioning independently from humans if necessary. Among the robotic systems under consideration would be automated facilities on the moon's surface to perform such activities as facilities construction and operation, power production and analysis of the lunar soil and minerals. The robots also would work in tandem with orbiting probes to map the moon's surface and identify its features in high detail to provide navigational aids for future landings. Early versions of planning documents, which were shown to UPI, reveal the first missions to the moon under the new Bush initiative -- tentatively scheduled for 2013 -- would use robotic probes and orbiting spacecraft. The orbiters could be derivatives of the current fleet of reconnaissance satellites now used around Mars. The surface vehicles could be advanced versions of the Mars Exploration Rovers, such as Spirit, which landed successfully on the Martian surface on Jan. 3, and Opportunity, which is due to land Jan. 24. NASA already has an advanced robotic lander well into the planning stage. The Mars Science Laboratory, which is due to rendezvous with the planet in 2009, is a nuclear-powered, Volkswagon-Beetle-sized craft. It will carry an optical communications terminal to demonstrate a new laser beam communications system. Sources also said private enterprise could play an important role in designing and building the moon craft involved in the early stages of the lunar exploration program. One idea, still in its infancy, would be to create an automated pilot plant on the moon to provide power and other resources for a human lunar outpost. Another concept under consideration would be to build a new generation of lunar rovers, such as those used on three Apollo missions in 1971 and 1972. The new craft would be more like moon-traveling RVs, however, carrying living quarters for astronauts as well as instruments for research. The robotic systems at first would assist human crews during missions and then continue exploration and other duties when the astronauts returned to Earth. Sources stressed that under the new space plan NASA would have to abandon its current approach of maintaining separate programs for manned and unmanned missions. Both efforts would have to be combined, using the advantages and best features of each to explore the moon, Mars, and other parts of the solar system, which is the goal at the heart of the new Bush space doctrine. -- Frank Sietzen Jr. covers aerospace issues for UPI Science News. Keith L. Cowing is editor of NASAWatch.com and SpaceRef.com. E-mail sciencemail@upi.com Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International ***************************************************************** NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: *****************************************************************