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NUCLEAR POLICY
1 Guardian Unlimited: Talks Resume on N. Korea Nuclear Program
2 Reuters: N.Korea talks to go on, Pyongyang stands firm
3 Reuters: FACTBOX-Issues at N.Korea nuclear talks
4 Reuters: N.Korea adamant on nuclear power as talks resume
5 AFP: North Korea rebuffs US on reactors
6 Guardian Unlimited: N. Korea Insists on Right to Nuke Program
7 Guardian Unlimited: Talks on N. Korea Nuclear Program Resume
8 US: [NYTr] The Pentagon's Nuclear Wish
9 US: Say NO to new nukes - And double your impact!
10 US: Americas Program | LA Rethinks Nuclear Energy
11 US: RGJ: Your Turn: Energy policy holds bleak long-term promise
12 US: THE NEW AMERICAN: Shoshone Indians Ask for UN Intervention
13 US: Asia Times: The Pentagon's nuclear wish
14 IPS-English POLITICS: UN Treaty Targets Rogue Nukes
15 Asia Times: India's French kiss
16 Reuters: Russia warns U.S. against new nuclear doctrine
NUCLEAR REACTORS
17 US: APP.COM: People can request Oyster Creek hearing
18 US: Connecticut Post: Complaint filed over power plant payments
19 US: NRC: Sunshine Act; Meetings
20 US: Reuters: Progress prepares N.C. Brunswick nuke for Ophelia
21 Reuters: Bush backs Iran's right to nuclear power
22 US: Reuters: Exelon Pa. Peach Bottom 2 nuke exits outage
23 US: Reuters: PG reduces Calif. Diablo Canyon 2 nuke for work
24 PIB Press Release: INDIA’S LARGEST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DECLARED COMM
NUCLEAR SECURITY
25 Interfax: Russia to revise military plans if U.S. lowers nuke thresh
NUCLEAR SAFETY
26 US: DU: Starmet Cleanup Starts in Concord Mass
27 [DU-WATCH] New DU Research project: Iraqi Children's Tooth
28 [du-list] DEPLETED URANIUM TOLL IN IRAQ (The Nation, August 1)
29 US: NRC: NRC Proposes $3,250 Fine for Va. Firm for Improper Gauge Tr
NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
30 AU ABC: Traditional owners don't want nuclear waste dump on land
31 Las Vegas RJ: YUCCA MOUNTAIN: EPA official defends rule
32 US: Las Vegas SUN: Editorial: On a dangerous path
33 Las Vegas SUN: NRC advisory panel to meet in LV
34 Las Vegas SUN: Yucca waste talks likely facing delay
35 US: CNW Group: MAX stakes additional Utah uranium claims
36 US: Salt Lake Tribune: Guv calls feds out on waste
37 US: Asia Times: Uranium on his cranium
38 US: wisbusiness: Utah Could Be Resting Place for Wisconsin Nuclear W
39 Scotsman.com News: Germany plans to seal nuclear dump
40 Las Vegas SUN: EPA official: Yucca radiation standard most stringent
41 NEWS.com.au: Nuclear 'poison' not welcome
42 US: Deseret News: Utah to file appeal of nuclear repository ruling
PEACE
US DEPT. OF ENERGY
43 Rocky Mountain News: Rocky Flats hot spots to be cleaned
44 Tri-City Herald: Hanford vit price may grow
45 WATE: Cost of shipping super-heavy uranium canisters goes up
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FULL NEWS STORIES
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1 Guardian Unlimited: Talks Resume on N. Korea Nuclear Program
From the Associated Press
[UP]
Tuesday September 13, 2005 3:46 PM
AP Photo TOK202
By BO-MI LIM
Associated Press Writer
BEIJING (AP) - Negotiations aimed at ending North Korea's
nuclear weapons program resumed Tuesday after a monthlong
recess, but prospects for progress were uncertain as Pyongyang
remained insistent on its right to use civilian atomic
technology.
Envoys from China, Japan, Russia, the United States and the two
Koreas gathered at a state guesthouse in Beijing to continue the
fourth round of talks since 2003.
No end date has been set for this week's talks, but the main
U.S. envoy said it would likely be shorter than the last
session. Those talks broke up last month after 13 days because
negotiators failed to agree on a statement of principles to lay
the foundation for the North's disarmament.
``The sense is we should be able to wrap this up in a matter of
days, not weeks,'' U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher
Hill said Tuesday evening.
Hill said he saw the North Korean delegation briefly Tuesday and
planned an individual session for Wednesday afternoon to discuss
the issue.
Tuesday's session focused on procedural issues and was held in a
``friendly atmosphere featuring mutual respect,'' Chinese
Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.
But Liu acknowledged the impasse over the North's demand to keep
its civilian nuclear program.
``There is a major difference between the parties, that is the
DPRK's (North Korea's) peaceful use of nuclear energy,'' Liu
said, using the acronym for the North's official name, the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
He called on all delegates to work for an ``agreement acceptable
to all parties.''
U.S. officials have said the North's record proves it cannot be
trusted with any atomic project.
Chief North Korean negotiator Kim Kye Gwan said his country will
not tolerate any obstruction to its right to a peaceful nuclear
program, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.
``This right is neither awarded nor needs to be approved by
others,'' Kim said in Pyongyang. ``If the United States tries to
set obstacles to (North Korea's) using this right, we can
utterly not accept that.''
Still, Kim said the North would attend the talks with a sincere
and flexible attitude, according to Xinhua.
U.S. and North Korean diplomats met twice in New York in the
past month, but Hill said earlier Tuesday there had been no
progress on resolving the impasse beyond gaining an
understanding of the North's position. But he said ``their
position does seem to be evolving a little,'' without
elaborating.
Last week in Washington, Hill reiterated a set of measures -
including energy aid offered by South Korea - that he said would
make it unnecessary for the North to pursue nuclear energy. The
North ``has had trouble keeping peaceful programs peaceful,'' he
said Friday.
In February, the North publicly claimed it had nuclear weapons,
but it has not performed any known tests that would confirm it
can make them. Experts have said they believe the North is
capable of building about six bombs.
South Korea's chief negotiator urged envoys to be open-minded at
the talks.
``If each party can be a little more flexible in its position
there will be good results, but if they stick to their current
position, good results will be hard to expect,'' South Korean
Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said.
Japan's top envoy, Kenichiro Sasae, said it was important first
that the North ``shows its determination in detail regarding
dismantlement of their nuclear programs.''
``If this happens, I think it is possible that we could be more
flexible in discussing the interests that North Korea has as the
next step,'' he said.
China and Russia also are participating in the negotiations.
The latest nuclear standoff was sparked in late 2002 after U.S.
officials accused North Korea of running a secret uranium
enrichment program in violation of an earlier deal, in which the
North had agreed to stop weapons development in exchange for
energy aid.
The North has since denied having a uranium enrichment program,
which would provide a way to create radioactive material for
bombs, other than its publicly acknowledged plutonium program.
On Tuesday, the North called the uranium allegations ``a
concoction cooked up by the United States.''
``It is a very haughty, politically motivated act for the United
States to circulate this kind of false view while entering the
talks,'' the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a
commentary carried by the country's official Korean Central News
Agency.
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf told The New York
Times in its Tuesday edition that he believed North Korea had
obtained ``probably a dozen'' centrifuges - equipment needed to
enrich uranium - from a network headed by a Pakistani nuclear
expert.
However, hundreds of centrifuges are required to enrich enough
uranium for a bomb. Some experts have said the North has
acknowledged researching how to enrich uranium to lower levels
that could be used to generate power and remedy its electricity
shortages.
Musharraf also said the results of nearly two years of
interrogations of A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear
bomb program, did not yield evidence that Khan gave North Korea
a Chinese-originated design for a nuclear weapon, according to
the Times.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
2 Reuters: N.Korea talks to go on, Pyongyang stands firm
Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:06 PM
By Brian Rhoads and Teruaki Ueno
BEIJING, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Talks designed to end North Korea's
nuclear arms programme enter a second day on Wednesday without a
breakthrough after Pyongyang stood firm on having a right to
atomic energy for civilian use.
Chief U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill said North Korea's
position did "seem to be evolving a little", but there had been
no real progress since the six countries involved in the
negotiations last met in Beijing five weeks ago.
The United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas agree
in principle to a nuclear-free Korean peninsula, but Pyongyang
and Washington -- in particular -- are at odds over how to reach
that goal.
Washington is demanding the North dismantle all nuclear
programmes verifiably and irreversibly, after which it could
expect energy aid and security guarantees. The North wants aid
and guarantees first and the right to keep civilian programmes.
The six countries gathered at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in
western Beijing on Tuesday to resume a fourth round of talks that
started in late July and lasted 13 days before breaking up on
Aug. 7 for a recess. The first round began in 2003.
SANCTIONS DIFFERENCES
Failure to reach an accord in Beijing could prompt Washington to
take the issue to the U.N. Security Council and press for
sanctions. China opposes such a move and North Korea has said
sanctions would be tantamount to war.
Despite the impasse, Washington said it hoped a resolution could
be reached in a matter of days and South Korea's chief negotiator
said a joint statement, elusive at all previous rounds of talks,
might be agreed with "minimum revisions".
"We didn't set a hard deadline but I think there is a sense that
we should be able to wrap this up in a matter of days, not
weeks," Hill told reporters on Tuesday.
South Korea suggested the North may be ready for a compromise.
North Korean delegate Kim Kye-gwan raised the issue of
Pyongyang's desire for lightwater nuclear reactors at a bilateral
discussion with his South Korean counterpart.
"The commitment by each of the parties to produce a result is
strong," South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon told
reporters.
The crisis erupted in October 2002 when Washington said
Pyongyang had admitted to a secret programme to enrich uranium,
used to make atomic weapons, in violation of a 1994 agreement.
North Korea denied the charge at the time, and responded by
throwing out U.N. weapons inspectors at the end of 2002 and
withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation Treaty in January 2003.
Last February, the North said it had nuclear bombs. It has also
reactivated a mothballed plutonium plant at Yongbyon, near the
capital. (Additional reporting by Jack Kim in Beijing)
© Reuters 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
3 Reuters: FACTBOX-Issues at N.Korea nuclear talks
Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:07 AM ET
BEIJING (Reuters) - Six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's
nuclear weapons programs reconvene in Beijing on Wednesday after
a five-week recess, with Pyongyang and Washington still at an
impasse over Pyongyang's demand for a civilian nuclear program.
The fourth round of talks opened July 26 and ran for 13 days,
longer than all previous rounds combined. Negotiators were due to
attend a banquet on Tuesday night ahead of formal discussions on
Wednesday.
The fourth round has seen unprecedented contact between the
United States and North Korea, but went into break with the six
parties unable to even settle on a statement of principles.
Following are the major issues.
GIVE AND TAKE
The basic premise is for North Korea to dismantle all nuclear
weapons programs in a verifiable and irreversible manner in
exchange for security guarantees and much-needed aid for its
moribund economy.
Pyongyang insists it be allowed to retain civilian nuclear
programs.
- - - -
THE ROUNDS
China has hosted all rounds of the talks, which began in August
2003, with North and South Korea, the United States, Japan and
Russia. Substantive proposals were not made until the third round
in June 2004.
The fourth round started on July 26 and broke for recess on
August 7.
- - - -
WHAT NORTH KOREA WANTS
North Korea has hardened its stance on its right to keep a
civilian nuclear program, a key sticking point in the
discussions, since the fourth round went into break.
The North has also said it wants to be removed from the U.S. list
of state sponsors of terrorism and have all sanctions against it
lifted in return for a freeze and eventual dismantling of its
nuclear programs.
Since March this year, the North has demanded the six-party
process be turned into disarmament talks that would also discuss
U.S. nuclear weapons it says are deployed in South Korea.
Washington denies the existence of such weapons. Pyongyang has
also repeated calls for a peace treaty with the United States.
- - - -
U.S. DEMANDS
Washington wants to see the North begin dismantling all nuclear
programs, including one based on uranium enrichment technology,
within three months of freezing them.
The United States has said it is ready to seek a negotiated
agreement, though officials have expressed concern about a North
Korean civilian nuclear program, saying Pyongyang would use such
a program to develop weapons.
The United States has said the fuel-starved North could be hooked
up to South Korea's electrical grid within three years if it
abandons its nuclear ambitions, but it has not offered to be
directly part of an energy aid package.
- - - -
SWEETENER
Seoul said in July it would supply the North with 2,000 megawatts
of electricity, roughly equivalent to present total power output
in the impoverished communist state, if Pyongyang dismantled its
nuclear programs.
- - - -
ANOTHER BREAKDOWN?
All the parties, including North Korea, say they are prepared to
work for substantive progress, but a breakthrough will be
difficult to reach.
A breakdown could mean the end of the six-party process and
renewed U.S. calls to take the issue to the U.N. Security
Council, which could impose sanctions.
China has opposed taking the issue to the Security Council and
North Korea has said sanctions would amount to war.
© Reuters 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
4 Reuters: N.Korea adamant on nuclear power as talks resume
Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:11 AM ET
By Teruaki Ueno and Jack Kim
BEIJING (Reuters) - North Korea clung to its right to a civilian
nuclear programme on Tuesday, a position that has prevented
progress in breaking a deadlock over its nuclear ambitions, as
crisis talks opened in Beijing.
Delegates to six-party discussions aimed at coaxing Pyongyang to
scrap its nuclear weapons programmes reconvened in the Chinese
capital after a five-week hiatus. Chief delegates met at 0900
GMT.
While the six parties -- China, Russia, Japan, the United States
and the two Koreas -- agree in principle to a nuclear-free Korean
peninsula, analysts said North Korea and the United States
remained far apart on key issues including Pyongyang's insistence
on the right to run a civilian nuclear programme.
"This right is neither awarded nor needs to be approved by
others," North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan was
quoted as saying by Xinhua, China's official news agency.
"We have this right, and the more important thing is that we
should use this right," Kim said at Pyongyang airport before
flying to Beijing.
The United States has demanded that the North dismantle all
nuclear programmes completely, verifiably and irreversibly, after
which it could expect energy aid and security guarantees.
Daniel Pinkston, an expert at the California-based Center for
Non-Proliferation Studies, said Pyongyang was unlikely to give
ground. "I don't see them budging on this peaceful use issue. It
was clever on their part," he said.
North Korea, which has routinely accused the United States of
hostility and a lack of trust, has been playing the nuclear card
to win diplomatic and economic aid after famines that have killed
one million people in the past decade.
DISMANTLE, THEN AID
Chief U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill said little progress had
been made in the five weeks since the last session, but added
that several discussions with the North Koreans in that time had
led to a better understanding of their position.
"I know my delegation is coming here to work. We know pretty
precisely what the issues are. I hope the DPRK delegation has
also done some homework," he said. The Democratic People's
Republic of Korea, or DPRK, is the North's official name.
"If I were optimistic or pessimistic it really wouldn't make
much difference. The fact is, we have to talk to them and see
where we are," Hill told reporters.
Chief Japanese delegate Kenichiro Sasae placed the onus for
success on Pyongyang, saying it needed to take concrete steps
towards ending all nuclear activities.
"Whether the talks will succeed or fail hinges on whether North
Korea can actually show its strategic decision to abandon all of
its nuclear weapons and other nuclear programmes," Sasae told
reporters after arriving in Beijing.
Still, Kim Kye-gwan said Pyongyang aimed for a nuclear-free
peninsula through dialogue and pledged the North would take a
"sincere attitude" and show "flexibility when necessary".
The crisis erupted in October 2002 after Washington said
Pyongyang had admitted to a secret programme to enrich uranium,
used to make atomic weapons, in violation of a 1994 agreement.
North Korea denied the claim, and responded by throwing out U.N.
weapons inspectors at the end of 2002 and withdrawing from the
Non-Proliferation Treaty in January 2003. Last February, it said
it had nuclear bombs.
The first three rounds of six-party talks ended inconclusively.
The fourth round began in late July, after a break of a year, and
went into recess after a marathon 13 days.
© Reuters 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
5 AFP: North Korea rebuffs US on reactors
13/09/2005 09h01
Kim Gye Gwan (R) speaks while Christopher Hill (L) listens
during the six-party talks
©AFP/Pool/File - Guang Niu
BEIJING (AFP) - North Korea has vowed to keep pushing for the
right to peaceful atomic energy, putting it on a collision
course with the United States as six-way talks on its nuclear
weapons drive were set to resume.
Repeating the demand that broke up the talks five weeks ago, the
Stalinist state said it would not accept opposition on the issue
from Washington, which rejects nuclear reactors for Pyongyang.
The now-familiar impasse was underlined as the six nations --
also including China, Japan, Russia and South Korea -- prepared
a return to the negotiating table at 0900 GMT.
The off-and-on bargaining is aimed at persuading the North,
which expelled international monitors and now says it has
nuclear weapons, to give up the bomb in exchange for security
guarantees as well as energy and economic aid.
"(North Korea) has a right on peaceful nuclear activity. This
right is neither awarded nor needs to be approved by others,"
the country's chief envoy to the talks, Kim Gye-gwan, told
Xinhua news agency at Pyongyang airport.
"We have this right, and the more important thing is that we
should use this right. If the United States tries to set
obstacles to the DPRK's (North Korea) using this right, we can
utterly not accept that."
US envoy Christopher Hill reiterated before leaving the United
States that North Korea must get out of the nuclear business
altogether.
He refused to be drawn Tuesday on whether progress could be made
in Beijing following North Korea's latest comments.
"If I were optimistic or pessimistic it wouldn't really make
very much difference. The fact is we have to talk to them and
see where we are and then we get a better sense of where we
are," he said on arrival in Beijing.
As part of any deal, North Korea wants the international
community to complete construction of two light-water reactors,
a five billion dollar project suspended two years ago.
The United States says the North should not have the facilities
and that Pyongyang has acknowledged using its civilian program
in the past as a cover for making weapons.
It argues that there is no need for the North to maintain
civilian programs because South Korea has pledged to provide its
neighbour with electricity. But that would make North Korea
reliant on the South.
While the US has Japanese backing on this point, China, South
Korea and Russia are on the record as supporting Pyongyang. The
standoff sent the last round of talks in August into recess
without any apparent progress.
Under a now defunct 1994 agreement, the two light-water reactors
were to have been built by a US-led consortium to replace North
Korea's existing graphite-moderated reactors, which can produce
weapons-grade plutonium.
But construction was suspended after the United States accused
the North of developing a secret uranium-enrichment program.
Pyongyang has denied the US uranium charges but declared in
February this year that it had already built nuclear bombs.
In Washington, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice dangled
the prospect of diplomatic relations in front of Pyongyang,
saying "there is a lot on the table for the North Koreans if
they choose to take it."
Normalization of ties could be expected if North Korea made a
"strategic choice" to disband its nuclear arsenal, Rice told the
New York Times.
Despite little sign that the main protagonists are ready to back
down, the delegates were to expected to resume the talks with a
review of a draft statement outlined by China on the principles
of how to denuclearise the Korean peninsula.
In Tokyo, Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura said he expects
the talks to be "constructive," after four previous rounds of
inconclusive negotiations and countless hours of shuttle
diplomacy aimed at resolving the standoff.
"But I can't say what the outcome will be," he said.
Copyright Disclaimer ©AFP 2005
*****************************************************************
6 Guardian Unlimited: N. Korea Insists on Right to Nuke Program
From the Associated Press
[UP]
Tuesday September 13, 2005 10:01 AM
AP Photo SEL802
By BO-MI LIM
Associated Press Writer
BEIJING (AP) - North Korea on Tuesday insisted it has a right to
a peaceful nuclear program, dimming prospects for progress at
international talks on ending the communist nation's atomic
weapons program.
Envoys arrived in Beijing for the resumption Tuesday of
six-nation talks on the issue. The latest round, the fourth
since 2003, broke for a recess last month after a record 13
straight days of talks failed to yield an agreement.
The North's demands for a civilian nuclear program have become a
sticking point. Washington has strongly resisted the notion,
saying North Korea's record proves it can't be trusted with any
atomic project.
North Korean chief negotiator Kim Kye Gwan said his country will
not tolerate any obstruction to its right to a peaceful nuclear
program, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.
``This right is neither awarded nor needs to be approved by
others,'' Kim said in Pyongyang. ``If the United States tries to
set obstacle to (North Korea's) using this right, we can utterly
not accept that.''
Still, Kim said the North would ``attend the talks by sincere
attitude and take flexibility when necessary,'' according to
Xinhua.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said Monday
upon his arrival in Beijing that he wasn't sure how long the
talks would last, but would know more after contacts with the
North Koreans. No one-on-one meetings between the sides were
planned, but Hill said he expected to speak with the North at a
dinner Tuesday evening for all delegates.
``I know that my delegation is coming here to work. We know
pretty precisely what the issues are. I hope the (North Korean)
delegation has also done some homework,'' Hill said as he
arrived at his hotel.
U.S. and North Korean diplomats met twice in New York over the
past month, but Hill said there hadn't been progress on
resolving the impasse beyond gaining an understanding of the
North's position.
``Although I must tell you that their position does seem to be
evolving a little,'' Hill said without elaborating.
Last week in Washington, Hill reiterated a set of measures -
including energy aid offered by South Korea - that he said would
make it unnecessary for North Korea to pursue nuclear energy.
The North ``has had trouble keeping peaceful programs
peaceful,'' Hill said Friday.
South Korea's chief negotiator called for envoys to be
open-minded at the talks.
``If each party can be a little more flexible in its position
there will be good results, but if they stick to their current
position, good results will be hard to expect,'' South Korean
Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said as he arrived in
Beijing.
Japan and Russia are also participating in the negotiations.
In separate talks, South Korea's top official on dealings with
the North arrived Tuesday in Pyongyang for Cabinet-level
discussions between the Koreas. Unification Minister Chung
Dong-young said before leaving that he would try ``to provide
flank support'' for the nuclear talks, although inter-Korean
discussions have mostly focused on economic and humanitarian
issues.
The latest nuclear standoff was sparked in late 2002 after U.S.
officials accused North Korea of running a secret uranium
enrichment program in violation of an earlier deal in which the
North agreed to stop weapons development in exchange for energy
aid.
The North has since denied having a uranium enrichment program,
which would provide another way to create radioactive material
for bombs than its publicly acknowledged plutonium program. On
Tuesday, the North again said allegations of the uranium program
were ``a concoction cooked up by the United States.''
``It is a very haughty, politically motivated act for the United
States to circulate this kind of false view while entering into
the fourth round of six-party talks,'' the North's main Rodong
Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary carried by the country's
official Korean Central News Agency.
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf told The New York
Times in its Tuesday edition that he believed that North Korea
had obtained ``probably a dozen'' centrifuges - key equipment
required to enrich uranium - from a proliferation ring headed by
a Pakistani nuclear expert.
However, hundreds of centrifuges are required to enrich enough
uranium for a bomb, and some experts have said North Korea has
acknowledged researching how to enrich uranium to lower levels
that could be used to generate power and remedy its electricity
shortages.
Musharraf also said the results of nearly two years of
interrogations of A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear
bomb program, didn't yield any evidence that Khan gave North
Korea a Chinese-originated design to build a nuclear weapon, The
Times said.
The North has insisted it needs nuclear weapons to deter a U.S.
invasion, despite repeated assurances from Washington that it
has no intention to attack.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
7 Guardian Unlimited: Talks on N. Korea Nuclear Program Resume
From the Associated Press
[UP]
Tuesday September 13, 2005 11:31 AM
AP Photo SEL802
By BO-MI LIM
Associated Press Writer
BEIJING (AP) - Negotiations aimed at ending North Korea's
nuclear weapons aspirations resumed Tuesday after a monthlong
recess, but prospects for progress were uncertain as Pyongyang
remained insistent on its right to a civilian atomic program.
Envoys from China, Japan, Russia, the United States and the two
Koreas gathered at a state guesthouse in Beijing to continue the
fourth round of talks since 2003 on the issue. Last month,
negotiators took a break after a record 13 days of meetings
failed to yield an agreement on a statement of principles to lay
the foundation for the North's disarmament.
No end date has been set for the talks.
North Korea's demands for a civilian nuclear program are a
sticking point. Washington says the North's record proves it
can't be trusted with any atomic project.
Chief North Korean negotiator Kim Kye Gwan said his country will
not tolerate any obstruction to its right to a peaceful nuclear
program, China's official Xinhua News Agency reported.
``This right is neither awarded nor needs to be approved by
others,'' Kim said in Pyongyang. ``If the United States tries to
set obstacle to (North Korea's) using this right, we can utterly
not accept that.''
Still, Kim said the North would attend the talks with a sincere
and flexible attitude, according to Xinhua.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said Monday
upon arrival in Beijing that he wasn't sure how long the talks
would last, but would know more after contacts with the North
Koreans. No one-on-one meetings between the sides were planned,
but Hill said he expected to speak with the North at a dinner
for all delegates Tuesday evening.
``I know that my delegation is coming here to work. We know
pretty precisely what the issues are. I hope the (North Korean)
delegation has also done some homework,'' Hill said.
U.S. and North Korean diplomats met twice in New York in the
past month, but Hill said there had been no progress on
resolving the impasse beyond gaining an understanding of the
North's position. But he said ``their position does seem to be
evolving a little,'' without elaborating.
Last week in Washington, Hill reiterated a set of measures -
including energy aid offered by South Korea - that he said would
make it unnecessary for the North to pursue nuclear energy. The
North ``has had trouble keeping peaceful programs peaceful,'' he
said Friday.
South Korea's chief negotiator urged envoys to be open-minded at
the talks.
``If each party can be a little more flexible in its position
there will be good results, but if they stick to their current
position, good results will be hard to expect,'' South Korean
Deputy Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said as he arrived in
Beijing.
Kenichiro Sasae, Japan's top envoy, said it was important first
that the North ``shows its determination in detail regarding
dismantlement of their nuclear programs.''
``If this happens, I think it is possible that we could be more
flexible in discussing the interests that North Korea has as the
next step,'' he said.
China and Russia are also participating in the negotiations.
The latest nuclear standoff was sparked in late 2002 after U.S.
officials accused North Korea of running a secret uranium
enrichment program in violation of an earlier deal, in which the
North had agreed to stop weapons development in exchange for
energy aid.
The North has since denied having a uranium enrichment program,
which would provide a way to create radioactive material for
bombs, other than its publicly acknowledged plutonium program.
On Tuesday, the North called the uranium allegations ``a
concoction cooked up by the United States.''
``It is a very haughty, politically motivated act for the United
States to circulate this kind of false view'' while entering the
talks,'' the North's main Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a
commentary carried by the country's official Korean Central News
Agency.
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf told The New York
Times in its Tuesday edition that he believed North Korea had
obtained ``probably a dozen'' centrifuges - equipment needed to
enrich uranium - from a network headed by a Pakistani nuclear
expert.
However, hundreds of centrifuges are required to enrich enough
uranium for a bomb. Some experts have said the North has
acknowledged researching how to enrich uranium to lower levels
that could be used to generate power and remedy its electricity
shortages.
Musharraf also said the results of nearly two years of
interrogations of A.Q. Khan, the father of Pakistan's nuclear
bomb program, didn't yield any evidence that Khan gave North
Korea a Chinese-originated design for a nuclear weapon, The
Times said.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
8 [NYTr] The Pentagon's Nuclear Wish
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 19:30:58 -0500 (CDT)
autolearn=ham version=3.0.4
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Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit
IPS via IraqWar.RU - Sep 13, 2005
http://iraqwar.mirror-world.ru/article/63176
The Pentagon's Nuclear Wish
By Jim Lobe
WASHINGTON - Amid increasing tension between the United States and Iran over
Tehran's nuclear program, and growing concern about overstretched US ground
forces, the George W Bush administration is moving steadily toward adopting
the preemptive use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states as an
integral part of its global military strategy.
According to a March document by the Joint Chiefs of Staff that was recently
posted to the Pentagon's website, Washington will not necessarily wait for
potential adversaries to use what it calls "weapons of mass destruction"
before resorting to a nuclear strike against them. The document, entitled
"Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations", has yet to be approved by Pentagon
chief Donald Rumsfeld, according to an account published in Sunday's
Washington Post. However, it is largely consistent with the administration's
2002 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), which was widely assailed by arms control
advocates for lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons by the
US.
"What we see as significant is that they are considering using nuclear
weapons against non-nuclear powers in preemptive first strikes," Ivan
Oelrich, of the Federation for American Scientists (FAS), said about the NPR
and the new doctrine.
The doctrine would also appear to contradict the administration's oft-stated
claim that it is significantly reducing the role of nuclear weapons in its
global military strategy.
"The new doctrine reaffirms an aggressive nuclear posture of modernized
nuclear weapons maintained on high alert," Hans Kristensen, of the Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC), wrote last week in Arms Control Today
magazine. "The new doctrine's approach grants regional nuclear-strike
planning an increasingly expeditionary aura that threatens to make nuclear
weapons just another tool in the toolbox.
"The result is nuclear preemption, which the new doctrine enshrines into
official US joint nuclear doctrine for the first time, where the objective
no longer is deterrence through threatened retaliation but battlefield
destruction of targets."
The doctrine is the latest in a series of documents adopted by the
administration that has moved the US away from the traditional view that
nuclear weapons should be used solely for the purposes of defense and
deterrence.
Along with the NPR, which called for the development of new delivery systems
for nuclear weapons and noted that China, North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Syria and
Libya could all be targets, the new view was expounded by Bush himself in
his September 2002 National Security Strategy document. "We cannot let our
enemies strike first," he warned at the time.
In mid-2004, according to national security analyst William Arkin, Rumsfeld
approved a top-secret "Interim Global Strike Alert Order", which directed
the military to be prepared to attack potential adversaries that are
developing weapons of mass destruction, notably Iran and North Korea.
The order, according to a classified January 2003 presidential directive
obtained by Arkin, is defined as including nuclear, as well as conventional,
strikes "in support of theater and national objectives".
The new document is the first to spell out various contingencies in which a
preemptive nuclear strike might be used, including:
If an adversary intended to use weapons of mass destruction against the US
multinational or allied forces or a civilian population
In cases of an imminent attack from an adversary's biological weapons that
only effects from nuclear weapons can safely destroy.
Against adversary installations, including weapons of mass destruction;
deep, hardened bunkers containing chemical or biological weapons; or the
command-and-control infrastructure required for the adversary to execute a
weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attack against the US or its friends and
allies.
In cases where a demonstration of US intent and capability to use nuclear
weapons would deter weapons of mass destruction use by an adversary.
The previous doctrine, promulgated under the Clinton administration in 1995
made no mention of the preemptive use of nuclear weapons against any target,
let alone describe scenarios in which such use would be considered.
Moreover, the new doctrine blurs the distinction that existed during the
Cold War between strategic and theater nuclear weapons by "assigning all
nuclear weapons, whether strategic or nonstrategic, support roles in theater
nuclear operations", according to Kristensen.
Another particularly worrisome aspect of the latest doctrine, according to
Oelrich, is its conflation of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons as
one "WMD" threat that could justify a US nuclear strike, particularly given
the huge disparity in destructive and lethal impact between chemical
weapons, on the one hand, and nuclear arms on the other.
"What we are seeing now is an effort to lay the foundations for the
legitimacy of using nuclear weapons if the administration suspects another
country might use chemical weapons against us," he said. "Iraq is a perfect
example of how this doctrine might actually work; it was a country where we
were engaged militarily and thought it would deploy chemical weapons against
us."
Critics also fear that resorting to nuclear weapons may have become
increasingly attractive to the administration as the Army and Marines have
become bogged down in Iraq and, to a lesser extent, Afghanistan.
"US Strategic Command planners, recognizing that US ground forces are
already over committed, say that a global strike must be able to be
implemented 'without resort to large numbers of general purpose forces,'"
according to Arkin's account of recent directives received by commanders
charged with contingency planning.
The new strategy may also be relevant to the situation in Iran, which is
known to have chemical weapons but whose nuclearprogram Washington insists
is being used to produce weapons as well.
Writing in The American Conservative magazine last month, columnist Philip
Giraldi, a former CIA officer who also worked at the Defense Intelligence
Agency, reported that Vice President Dick Cheney's office had tasked the
United States Strategic Command with drawing up a contingency plan for a
"large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical
nuclear weapons" in the event of another September 11-type terrorist attack.
"Many of the targets are hardened or are deep underground and could not be
taken out by conventional weapons, hence the nuclear option," he wrote.
In fact, it is questionable whether even US nuclear weapons could reach
their hardened targets underground, which is why the Pentagon has been
pressing Congress for several years to finance research into the development
of the so-called Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator.
Democrats and a small minority of Republicans in the House of
Representatives have so far blocked the administration's request, although
it will be taken up later this fall by a joint House-Senate conference
committee. The new strategy may be aimed in part at exerting pressure on the
lawmakers to approve the request.
Meanwhile, however, administration critics warn that instead of deterring
potential adversaries from pursuing nuclear weapons, the new doctrine is
almost certain to have the opposite effect.
"We make it seem that nuclear weapons are essential to our security," noted
Oelrich. "So it immensely enhances the cachet of nuclear weapons to others."
*
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9 Say NO to new nukes - And double your impact!
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 01:52:29 -0500 (CDT)
WHITE_PHRASE autolearn=ham version=3.0.4
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*****************************
Union of Concerned Scientists
NO NEW NUKES! A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT TODAY:
https://secure.ga3.org/03/nonukes/nv1_tf_Y1IRxw?
*****************************
A few weeks ago, the latest talks on the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty failed to reach agreement on any of the
key treaty issues. The Bush administration, unfortunately, never
took the talks seriously.
In fact, the Bush administration's nuclear weapons policy
actually promotes proliferation -- and so increases the risk
that terrorists could acquire a nuclear weapon.
If you're as concerned as I am about the threat nuclear weapons
continue to pose to the security of our world, please read on...
A generous UCS member is so concerned that he has issued us a
challenge: he'll match all contributions to our No New Nukes
campaign made by July 15. Send a special gift to UCS right now
-- and he will double it, dollar for dollar. Please join us in
safeguarding this generation and the next from the threat of
nuclear weapons:
https://secure.ga3.org/03/nonukes/nv1_tf_Y1IRxw?
In the No New Nukes campaign, we will focus our unique technical
expertise on countering the arguments made by proponents of
dangerous new nuclear weapons and educating Congress, the media,
and the public. As you know, UCS is widely seen as the technical
resource for the broader arms control community. Members of
Congress frequently look to us to provide them with the
technical analysis they need to promote nuclear arms policies
that truly strengthen our security.
As I write this, the Bush administration is pushing for the
development of new nuclear weapons, undermining international
efforts to halt nuclear proliferation, seeking to reduce the
amount of time it would take for the U.S. to resume nuclear
testing, and asserting the right to use nuclear weapons
preemptively -- even against countries that have no nuclear
weapons.
Your contribution today -- matched by our donor -- will help
reverse the reckless direction the Bush administration is taking
on nuclear weapons policy. Click here to give:
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
With support from you and our other courageous and generous
donors, I'm confident that we can prevail upon the
administration and Congress to abandon their foolhardy nuclear
weapons policies so that we can move forward to create real
security for our nation and the world.
Sincerely,
Kevin Knobloch
President
P.S. Please make your contribution by July 15 to ensure that
it's doubled! Just click here to give:
https://secure.ga3.org/03/nonukes/nv1_tf_Y1IRxw?
*****************************
(c) 2005. Union of Concerned Scientists.
All rights reserved. | http://www.ucsusa.org
Union of Concerned Scientists | 2 Brattle Square | Cambridge, MA
02238-9105
Phone: 800-666-8276 | Fax: 617-864-9405 | Email:
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*****************************************************************
10 Americas Program | LA Rethinks Nuclear Energy
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 17:17:35 -0500 (CDT)
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New at the Americas Program
A New World of Ideas, Analysis and Policy Options
http://www.americaspolicy.org/
September 13, 2005
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New from the IRC's Americas Program:
Latin AmericaRethinks Nuclear Energy
By Eugenio Fernandez-Vazquez and Juan Pablo Pardo-Guerra
The nuclear power option is once again appealing to some opinion leaders in
the hemisphere as an alternative to fossil fuels and looming energy crisis.
After three decades of projects in the field, however, the problems and risks
of nuclear energy in Latin Americademand we think twice before venturing down
this slippery road. Here we present a synthesis of the history of nuclear
energy
in the region and of the dangers that it entails.
In Venezuela, President Hugo Chavez announced on May 21 that his government
will start to work on the research and construction of nuclear reactors for
energy production. It is, he said, one of the ways to diversify energy
sources
and a possible solution to global warming and to the necessity to find
alternatives
to oil and other fossil fuels. Around the time of Chavez declarations, U.S.
environmentalist Stewart Brand declared, after years of opposing the nuclear
option, that he had changed his opinion. It is not that something new and
important and good happened with nuclear, he explained, Its that something
new and important and bad has happened with climate change.
Everybody is aware that the current energy situation is unsustainable in the
medium term. The solution proposed by Chavez and Brand is, nevertheless, like
covering one hole while digging another one. The danger resides in the fact
that the nuclear hole is especially big and difficult to close, due to its
environmental, economic, and geopolitical implications. It is also a solution
that was already applied in Latin America, and failed.
Eugenio Fernandez-Vazquez is a collaborator of the Americas Program at the
InternationalRelationsCenter (IRC, online at http://www.irc-online.org). Juan
Pablo Pardo-Guerra collaborates with the Science, Technology and Development
Program of El Colegio de Mexico. Both are members of International
Student-Young
Pugwash.
See full article online at:
http://americas.irc-online.org/am/558
With printer-friendly PDF version at:
http://americas.irc-online.org/pdf/articles/0509nuclear.pdf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Produced and distributed by the IRC's Americas Program ~ A New World of Ideas,
Analysis, and Policy Options.
For more information, visit http://www.americaspolicy.org. To report problems
or request that we remove you from future mailings, email:
communications@irc-online.org.
You can join the IRC and make a secure donation by visiting
http://www.irc-online.org/donate.php.
Thank you.
For our UPDATER newsletter, please see:
http://www.americaspolicy.org/updater/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Siri D. Khalsa
Outreach Coordinator
International Relations Center (IRC) http://www.irc-online.org/
siri@irc-online.org | 505.388-0208 vox | 505-388.0619 fax | P.O. Box 2178,
Silver City, NM88062
Home of IRC Americas Program | Foreign Policy In Focus | Right Web
Siri D. Khalsa
Communications Coordinator
International Relations Center (IRC)
siri@irc-online.org
IRC Projects Online:
IRC (www.irc-online.org)
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Project Against the Present Danger (www.presentdanger.org)
*****************************************************************
11 RGJ: Your Turn: Energy policy holds bleak long-term promise
[Reno Gazette-Journal] [Reno Gazette-Journal] September 13,
2005 Reno, Nevada, USA 775-788-6200
John Scire
SPECIAL TO THE RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
Posted: 9/12/2005 10:40 pm
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is better than no energy policy at
all. It keeps the incentives for alternative energy sources such
as wind farms, photovoltaics, biodiesel, ethanol and nuclear
power. It provides funds for research into new energy
technologies. It encourages accelerated exploration and
production from domestic sources of oil and gas and it
encourages building new refineries and increasing capacity at
old refineries.
It gives the Federal Energy Regulatory Agency the power it needs
to ensure the power grid is reliable, to establish LNG
(liquefied natural gas) ports and to expedite the construction
of transmission lines.
What’s wrong with it? It does not go far enough in two areas,
energy efficiency and the environment. It should have raised the
minimum miles-per-gallon standards for autos and extended them
to all vehicles except very large trucks. It should have
mandated energy-efficient buildings, machines and appliances. It
should have mandated non-oil/non-coal energy production for a
significant proportion of our electrical generating capacity.
Hurricane Katrina has shown us that we are too dependent on the
natural gas and oil from the Gulf of Mexico. History has shown
that we are too dependent on oil from the Middle East.
For the short term, we must exploit all of our domestic sources
of oil, coal and gas until we can transition to nuclear,
photovoltaic, wind power, fuel cells, electrical cars and
alternative fuels. But if we are to achieve true energy security
and independence, if we are to get off the addiction to Middle
Eastern oil, then we have to do a lot more today. At the very
least, we should accelerate the building of new nuclear, wind,
geothermal and solar power plants, and upgrade the old ones.
While some reactionaries may scream about the dangers of nuclear
power, they cannot both claim there is global warming and not
support nuclear power. They cannot talk about energy
independence, claim the war in Iraq is about oil, decry the
pollution effects of coal-fired power plants and not support
nuclear, geothermal and solar power.
Electricity produced from nuclear power can replace, coal, oil
and natural gas for both motive and electrical power. Nuclear
power can produce the hydrogen for the fuel cell cars, the
electricity for the electric and hybrid cars while replacing
natural gas and oil from the Gulf and the Mideast.
But nuclear power goes nowhere if we cannot first reduce the
waste problem via reprocessing and storage.
The U.S. should do what France, England, Japan and Russia do and
reprocess our nuclear wastes so as to extract the enriched
uranium and plutonium. This can then be run back through the
nuclear power plants to produce more power.
The 10 to 15 percent left after reprocessing should be placed in
retrievable storage to await scientific developments to
neutralize it or dispose of it properly. Yucca could be the site
for both the reprocessing and the retrievable storage of the
unusable waste.
If we continue to do so little, we will pay higher and higher
gas prices until we bankrupt our economy.
The energy crisis is not coming in 20 years. It is here now.
John Scire teaches energy policy at the University of Nevada,
Reno.
Copyright Reno Gazette-Journal, a Gannett Co. Inc.Newspaper.
*****************************************************************
12 THE NEW AMERICAN: Shoshone Indians Ask for UN Intervention
: TNA Online Last Updated: Sep 13th, 2005 - 16:04:17
by William Norman Grigg
September 14, 2005
In an appeal to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination, the Western Shoshone tribe has asked the world
body to intervene in a land ownership dispute with the federal
government.
The Shoshone petition “challenges the U.S. government’s
assertion of federal ownership of nearly 90 percent of Western
Shoshone lands,” reported Indian Country Today on August 19. The
dispute involves roughly 60 million acres stretching across
Nevada, Idaho, Utah, and California. “The lands include the
proposed Yucca Mountain high-level nuclear waste facility and
lands targeted for expanded gold extraction,” notes the report.
“Our traditional laws tell us we were placed here as caretakers
of the land,” stated Western Shoshone spokesman Joe Kennedy. “As
part of the Western Shoshone Nation, we will not stand idly by
and allow the U.S. federal government to cement its hold on our
ancestral land base.”
Also among the grievances listed by the tribe was the fact that
“domestic law allowed the U.S. government to unilaterally
abrogate Indian treaties, [a question] to which the United
States never provided an answer.”
Some — not all — of the Western Shoshones’ grievances have
merit. Unconstitutional federal control over lands in the
western U.S. vexes Americans of all backgrounds, as does
Washington’s habit of redefining the law and constitutional
provisions to suit its whims. If genuine federal accountability
and reform are the desired outcome of the petition — as opposed
to building precedents for global governance — turning the
matter over to the UN is exactly the worst way to proceed.
© 2005 American Opinion Publishing Incorporated
*****************************************************************
13 Asia Times: The Pentagon's nuclear wish
By Jim Lobe
WASHINGTON - Amid increasing tension between the United States
and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program, and growing concern
about overstretched US ground forces, the George W Bush
administration is moving steadily toward adopting the preemptive
use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states as an integral
part of its global military strategy.
According to a March document by the Joint Chiefs of Staff that
was recently posted to the Pentagon's website, Washington will
not necessarily wait for potential adversaries to use what it
calls "weapons of mass destruction" before resorting to a
nuclear strike against them. The document, entitled "Doctrine
for Joint Nuclear Operations", has yet to be approved by
Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld, according to an account published
in Sunday's Washington Post. However, it is largely consistent
with the administration's 2002 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR),
which was widely assailed by arms control advocates for lowering
the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons by the US.
"What we see as significant is that they are considering using
nuclear weapons against non-nuclear powers in preemptive first
strikes," Ivan Oelrich, of the Federation for American
Scientists (FAS), said about the NPR and the new doctrine.
The doctrine would also appear to contradict the
administration's oft-stated claim that it is significantly
reducing the role of nuclear weapons in its global military
strategy.
"The new doctrine reaffirms an aggressive nuclear posture of
modernized nuclear weapons maintained on high alert," Hans
Kristensen, of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC),
wrote last week in Arms Control Today magazine. "The new
doctrine's approach grants regional nuclear-strike planning an
increasingly expeditionary aura that threatens to make nuclear
weapons just another tool in the toolbox.
"The result is nuclear preemption, which the new doctrine
enshrines into official US joint nuclear doctrine for the first
time, where the objective no longer is deterrence through
threatened retaliation but battlefield destruction of targets."
The doctrine is the latest in a series of documents adopted by
the administration that has moved the US away from the
traditional view that nuclear weapons should be used solely for
the purposes of defense and deterrence.
Along with the NPR, which called for the development of new
delivery systems for nuclear weapons and noted that China, North
Korea, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Libya could all be targets, the new
view was expounded by Bush himself in his September 2002
National Security Strategy document. "We cannot let our enemies
strike first," he warned at the time.
In mid-2004, according to national security analyst William
Arkin, Rumsfeld approved a top-secret "Interim Global Strike
Alert Order", which directed the military to be prepared to
attack potential adversaries that are developing weapons of mass
destruction, notably Iran and North Korea.
The order, according to a classified January 2003 presidential
directive obtained by Arkin, is defined as including nuclear, as
well as conventional, strikes "in support of theater and
national objectives".
The new document is the first to spell out various contingencies
in which a preemptive nuclear strike might be used, including:
+ If an adversary intended to use weapons of mass destruction
against the US multinational or allied forces or a civilian
population
+ In cases of an imminent attack from an adversary's biological
weapons that only effects from nuclear weapons can safely destroy
+ Against adversary installations, including weapons of mass
destruction; deep, hardened bunkers containing chemical or
biological weapons; or the command-and-control infrastructure
required for the adversary to execute a weapons of mass
destruction (WMD) attack against the US or its friends and allies
+ In cases where a demonstration of US intent and capability to
use nuclear weapons would deter weapons of mass destruction use
by an adversary.
The previous doctrine, promulgated under the Clinton
administration in 1995 made no mention of the preemptive use of
nuclear weapons against any target, let alone describe scenarios
in which such use would be considered.
Moreover, the new doctrine blurs the distinction that existed
during the Cold War between strategic and theater nuclear
weapons by "assigning all nuclear weapons, whether strategic or
nonstrategic, support roles in theater nuclear operations",
according to Kristensen.
Another particularly worrisome aspect of the latest doctrine,
according to Oelrich, is its conflation of biological, chemical
and nuclear weapons as one "WMD" threat that could justify a US
nuclear strike, particularly given the huge disparity in
destructive and lethal impact between chemical weapons, on the
one hand, and nuclear arms on the other.
"What we are seeing now is an effort to lay the foundations for
the legitimacy of using nuclear weapons if [the administration]
suspects another country might use chemical weapons against us,"
he said. "Iraq is a perfect example of how this doctrine might
actually work; it was a country where we were engaged militarily
and thought it would deploy chemical weapons against us."
Critics also fear that resorting to nuclear weapons may have
become increasingly attractive to the administration as the Army
and Marines have become bogged down in Iraq and, to a lesser
extent, Afghanistan.
"[US Strategic Command] planners, recognizing that US ground
forces are already over committed, say that a global strike must
be able to be implemented 'without resort to large numbers of
general purpose forces,'" according to Arkin's account of recent
directives received by commanders charged with contingency
planning.
The new strategy may also be relevant to the situation in Iran,
which is known to have chemical weapons but whose nuclear
program Washington insists is being used to produce weapons as
well.
Writing in The American Conservative magazine last month,
columnist Philip Giraldi, a former CIA officer who also worked
at the Defense Intelligence Agency, reported that Vice President
Dick Cheney's office had tasked the United States Strategic
Command with drawing up a contingency plan for a "large-scale
air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical
nuclear weapons" in the event of another September 11-type
terrorist attack.
"Many of the targets are hardened or are deep underground and
could not be taken out by conventional weapons, hence the
nuclear option," he wrote.
In fact, it is questionable whether even US nuclear weapons
could reach their hardened targets underground, which is why the
Pentagon has been pressing Congress for several years to finance
research into the development of the so-called Robust Nuclear
Earth Penetrator.
Democrats and a small minority of Republicans in the House of
Representatives have so far blocked the administration's
request, although it will be taken up later this fall by a joint
House-Senate conference committee. The new strategy may be aimed
in part at exerting pressure on the lawmakers to approve the
request.
Meanwhile, however, administration critics warn that instead of
deterring potential adversaries from pursuing nuclear weapons,
the new doctrine is almost certain to have the opposite effect.
"We make it seem that nuclear weapons are essential to our
security," noted Oelrich. "So it immensely enhances the cachet
of nuclear weapons to others."
(Inter Press Service)
Hau Fook Mansion, No. 8 Hau Fook St., Kowloon, Hong
Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
*****************************************************************
14 IPS-English POLITICS: UN Treaty Targets Rogue Nukes
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 18:05:05 -0700
version=3.0.4
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ROMAIPS WD HD IF IP MD=20
POLITICS: UN Treaty Targets Rogue Nukes
Haider Rizvi
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 13 (IPS) - Many of the world leaders gathering here t=
his week for a major summit on development and security are poised to end=
orse a new treaty against nuclear terrorism, although diplomatic opinion =
on a broader definition of terrorism remains divided.
The proposed treaty is the latest of 13 major multinational conventions c=
overing various =94acts of terrorism=94. Of these, five were negotiated u=
nder the auspices of the United Nations and are deposited with the Secret=
ary-General Kofi Annan.
=94Acts of nuclear terrorism may result in the gravest consequences and m=
ay pose a threat to international peace and security,=94 reads the draft =
text of the latest Convention, noting that existing multilateral legal pr=
ovisions =94do not adequately address these attacks=94.
U.N. officials say so far over 60 nations have indicated their willingnes=
s to sign the treaty, including five declared nuclear powers -- the Unite=
d States, Russia, France, Britain and China.
It is still not clear if the four other nuclear countries -- India, Pakis=
tan, Israel and North Korea -- will also sign on.
U.N. legal experts acknowledge that nations may not be able to resolve th=
eir differences on the definition of terrorism, but say that is not the p=
urpose of the new treaty.
=94These acts are defined in a precise way according to the criminal law,=
=94 said Nicholas Michel, a U.N. legal counsel. =94It's not an abstract g=
eneral definition. It's a precise definition of acts that have to be crim=
inalised.=94
The lack of resolution on the definition of terrorism stems from the argu=
ment that one person's =94terrorist=94 can be another's =94freedom fighte=
r=94.
A high-level panel, which made a list of recommendations for U.N. reforms=
, suggested a definition of terrorism as =94any action, in addition to ac=
tions already specified by the existing conventions on aspects of terrori=
sm, the Geneva Conventions and Security Council resolution 1566, that is =
intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combat=
ants.=94
It adds =94when the purpose of such acts, by its nature or context, is to=
intimidate a population, or to compel a government, or an international =
organisation to do or abstain from doing any act=94.
Since the treaty requires extradition and prosecution of those implicated=
, diplomats involved in negotiations said it would strengthen the global =
legal counter-terrorism framework.
=94This convention will not create an immediate change,=94 said a key del=
egate in the negotiations on the terrorism convention who did not want to=
be named. =94But it will help prosecute perpetrators effectively.=94
Currently, diplomats are engaged in talks on another convention on terror=
ism, which =94would just round up the whole process=94, the source said.
Recently, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution that expands the =
world body's sanctions against al-Qaeda and Afghanistan's Taliban.
In July, the U.S.-drafted resolution was adopted unanimously by Council's=
15 members. It requires all nations to immediately freeze the funds and =
other financial assets of individuals and businesses associated with al-Q=
aeda and the Taliban.
U.N. officials say that in the past four years, business assets valued at=
about 80 million dollars have been frozen in more than 40 countries. The=
y belong to groups and individuals both proven and suspected of having li=
nks to al-Qaeda.
The resolution on financing for terrorism clarifies and defines who shoul=
d face sanctions. Currently, the U.N. has a consolidated list that includ=
es over 400 individuals and business concerns believed to be related to a=
l-Qaeda.
They include parties said to participate in financing, planning, facilita=
ting, preparing or perpetrating acts to support the unlawful terrorist gr=
oups.
The resolution also requires nations to extend sanctions to =94any cell, =
affiliate, splinter group, or derivative thereof=94, as well as any group=
of individual recruiting for al-Qaeda, or supplying it with arms.
On the eve of the World Summit, Annan =94urged presidents and prime minis=
ters to sign the convention on nuclear terrorism and endorse 31other key =
treaties which remain unsigned or unratified=94.
=94Ours is an age of unprecedented interconnectedness,=94 he said in a le=
tter to heads of states and governments inviting them to participate in t=
he treaty signing event, which coincides with the first day of the Summit=
=2E
=94The destinies of people around the world and the threats they face are=
interwoven,=94 he added.
In a related development, the British government has proposed a U.N. Secu=
rity Council resolution that would give governments a pretext to suppress=
peaceful expression, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
The Security Council is expected to vote tomorrow on this resolution, whi=
ch urges countries to enact laws against incitement of terrorist acts.
=94Those who incite others to commit terrorism must be prosecuted,=94 sai=
d Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. =94But the reso=
lution's sponsors have made it easy for abusive governments to invoke the=
resolution to target peaceful political opponents, impose censorship and=
close mosques, churches and schools.=94
The Security Council should define the term =94incitement to terrorist ac=
ts=94 narrowly and unambiguously so as not to permit prohibitions on lawf=
ul expression and association, Human Rights Watch said.
The resolution should require that laws only prohibit expression that is =
intended to incite an imminent terrorist act; is likely to incite such an=
act; and is directly and immediately connected to the likely occurrence =
of the terrorist act. =20
=94By encouraging the 'prevention' of incitement, the resolution opens a =
loophole in free speech guarantees that an army of censors could drive th=
rough,=94 said Roth.
*****
+POLITICS-US: Pentagon Foresees Pre-emptive Nuclear Strikes (http://ipsne=
ws.net/news.asp?idnews=3D30231)
(END/IPS/WD/IP/HD/MD/IF/HR/KS/05)
=20
=3D 09140150 ORP002
NNNN
*****************************************************************
15 Asia Times: India's French kiss
PARIS - Asserting that India's economic reforms process is
"irreversible", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday assured
single window clearance for major French investment in the
country while inviting inflow of funds in the civil nuclear
energy sector.
After Singh's interaction with French business leaders over
breakfast, it was announced that French car-maker company Renault
will manufacture right-hand drive cars in India for export to
other countries. During his meeting with the CEOs of top French
companies, the prime minister said decision-making in a democracy
sometimes was slow but India's commitment to the process of
economic reforms remained firm.
The economic reforms process is "irreversible", Singh said and
added that there would be single window clearance for major
French investments in India. He invited French companies to
invest in civil nuclear power sector in India, while emphasising
that India would connect more and more with the global economy.
Singh told the business leaders about the expanding
opportunities for trade and investment in India at the meeting,
which was also attended by French Foreign Trade Minister
Christine Lagarde.
Hau Fook Mansion, No. 8 Hau Fook St., Kowloon, Hong
Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
*****************************************************************
16 Reuters: Russia warns U.S. against new nuclear doctrine
Tue Sep 13, 2005 2:58 PM ET
BERLIN, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Russian Defence Minister Sergei
Ivanov warned the United States on Tuesday against any change of
its defence doctrine to allow pre-emptive use of atomic weapons,
saying it would prompt others to seek nuclear arms.
A draft revision of the U.S. Defense Department's nuclear
operations doctrine was made available at the weekend, outlining
the use of nuclear weapons to pre-empt an enemy's attack with
weapons of mass destruction.
"Lowering the threshold for use of atomic weapons is in itself
dangerous," Ivanov told a news conference ahead of a NATO defence
ministers meeting in Berlin.
"Such plans do not limit, but in fact promote efforts by others
to develop (nuclear weapons)," said Ivanov, who was speaking
through an interpreter.
He said he hoped U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld would
inform him if such a change to the U.S. military doctrine were
planned.
The draft "Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operations," dated March
15, revised the "discussion of nuclear weapons use across the
range of military operations."
According to the document, combatant commanders could request
approval from the president to use nuclear weapons under a
variety of scenarios, such as to pre-empt an enemy's use of
weapons of mass destruction against the United States,
multinational or alliance forces or civilian populations.
A Defense Department spokesman said at the weekend the document
had not yet been given to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. It
is due to be signed within the next few weeks by the director of
the Joint Staff, the spokesman said.
The unclassified document was available on numerous Web sites
such as GlobalSecurity.org, a defense policy Web site. A Pentagon
site, however, listed the document as unavailable.
© Reuters 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
17 APP.COM: People can request Oyster Creek hearing
Asbury Park Press
ON LICENSE RENEWAL
Published in the Asbury Park Press 09/13/05
WASHINGTON: The public can now request a hearing on an
application to renew the operating license of the Oyster Creek
nuclear power plant in Lacey, federal regulators announced
Monday.
Officials with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission provided that
opportunity after determining that the plant's 2,400-page
application contained enough information for the agency to begin
a technical review.
Information about requesting a hearing can be found on the
following NRC Web page:
www.nrc.gov/what-we-do/regulatory/adjudicatory/hearing.html
Nicholas Clunn
the Asbury Park Press
*****************************************************************
18 Connecticut Post: Complaint filed over power plant payments
Article created: 09/13/2005 04:25:58 AM
ROB VARNON rvarnon@ctpost.com
Connecticut and the region's electric grid operator are fighting
over $970 million in consumer payments to nuclear and coal-fired
power plants that the state says are unjustified.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, COMPLAINT
Mary Healey, the state's consumer counsel, and lobbyists
representing manufacturers and other businesses filed a complaint
about the payments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
on Monday. According to the FERC, both sides will have a chance
to argue in favor or against the filing; the FERC will then
review it. There is no specific time frame for a decision, but
FERC said it is expediting the complaint.
In a statement, Blumenthal and Healey said that payments to
nuclear and coal-fired plants are examples of how the Independent
System Operator New England, the region's grid operator, and the
FERC have failed to set up a fair and competitive market for
electricity. The state officials contend that only three power
plants in Connecticut Dominion Power's Millstone Nuclear Power
Plant, PSEG Power's Bridgeport Harbor coal unit and a small
Norwich-based coal-fired plant are participating in the
competitive market. The reason there are three is because the
FERC exempted the oil and gas-fired plants from the competitive
market after some threatened to shut down because they weren't
making enough money, Connecticut officials said.
Under the rules for the competitive market, all generators
"receive the highest rate paid for power in any hour," the
officials said. Because oil and natural gas prices have increased
dramatically in the past few months, power plants that rely on
those fuels have been charging more for electricity to cover
those costs. For example, if a nuclear or coal plant were selling
power at the same time as a gas-fired plant, the nuclear or coal
plant would receive the same high price for electricity as the
gas-fired plant. But nuclear and coal plants are being paid the
same rate as the gas-fired plants, despite not facing the same
increase in fuel costs, said Blumenthal, who estimates that
Connecticut consumers could save $970 million in costs if the
FERC repeals the market rules.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, nuclear power
provided 1.09 million megawatts of electricity to Connecticut
between January and May. Coal-generated electricity totaled
319,000 megawatts and natural gas 949,000 megawatts during the
period, the Energy Department said.
ISO New England, Dominion and PSEG dispute the state's analysis
of the situation.
However, when asked whether nuclear and coal plants are being
paid the same rate as power plants using natural gas and oil,
the companies did not answer. ISO New England did not address
the issue in a statement sent to the Connecticut Post in
response to a call for comment.
Neal Brown, a PSEG spokesman, said his company puts the
Bridgeport unit's electricity out for sale on the open market at
a price that is based on its operating costs but
he did not say
whether the company receives the highest price per hour
referenced by the complaint.
Dominion spokesman Mark Lazenby said his company is reviewing
Connecticut's filing.
In its statement, the grid operator took issue with
Connecticut's call to repeal the market rules ISO and FERC
created over the past seven years. "This proposal would take us
back to the days when utilities were guaranteed profits from
their investments through a regulated rate of return and
consumers were responsible for the full investment risk, whether
those investments were wise or not," ISO said.
ISO New England said its market rules have saved consumers $700
million annually because the rules have encouraged companies to
build new power plants, which
created more electricity and
competition.
Prices, though volatile in the short term since the state
started deregulating the electricity market in 1998, have
remained virtually flat in Connecticut. In 1999, the average
price per kilowatt-hour for electricity was 11.46 cents; in May
2005, it was 11.61 cents, according to the Energy Department.
Rob Varnon, who covers business, can be reached at 330-6216.
©1999-2005 MediaNews Group, Inc. All rights reserved. This
*****************************************************************
19 NRC: Sunshine Act; Meetings
FR Doc 05-18191
[Federal Register: September 13, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 176)]
[Notices] [Page 54085] From the Federal Register Online via GPO
Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr13se05-125]
DATE: Weeks of September 12, 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17, 2005.
PLACE: Commissioners' Conference Room, 11555 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, Maryland.
STATUS: Public and Closed.
MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Week of September 12, 2005 There are no
meetings scheduled for the Week of September 12, 2005.
Week of September 19, 2005--Tentative There are no meetings
scheduled for the Week of September 19, 2005.
Week of September 26, 2005--Tentative There are no meetings
scheduled for the Week of September 26, 2005.
Week of October 3, 2005--Tentative There are no meetings
scheduled for the Week of October 3, 2005.
Week of October 10, 2005--Tentative There are no meetings
scheduled for the Week of October 10, 2005.
Week of October 17, 2005--Tentative Tuesday, October 18, 2005
9:30 a.m.--Briefing on Decommissioning Activities and Status
(Public Meeting).
This meeting will be webcast live at the Web address
http://www.nrc.gov .
*The schedule for Commission meetings is subject to change on
short notice. To verify the status of meetings call
(recording)--(301) 415- 1292. Contact person for more
information: Michelle Schroll, (301) 415- 1662.
* * * * * The NRC Commission Meeting Schedule can be found on the
Internet at:
http://www.nrc.gov/what-we-do/policy-making/schedule.html. * * *
* * The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to individuals with
disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable
accommodation to participate in these public meetings, or need
this meeting notice or the transcript or other information from
the public meetings in another format (e.g., braille, large
print), please notify the NRC's Disability Program Coordinator,
August Spector, at 301-415-7080, TDD: 301-415- 2100, or by e-mail
at aks@nrc.gov. Determinations on request for reasonable
accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
* * * * * This notice is distributed by mail to several hundred
subscribers; if you no longer wish to receive it, or would like
to be added to the distribution, please contact the Office of the
Secretary, Washington, DC 20555 (301-415-1969). In addition,
distribution of this meeting notice over the Internet system is
available. If you are interested in receiving this Commission
meeting schedule electronically, please send an electronic
message to dkw@nrc.gov. Dated: September 8, 2005.
R. Michelle Schroll, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-18191 Filed 9-9-05; 10:33 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
*****************************************************************
20 Reuters: Progress prepares N.C. Brunswick nuke for Ophelia
Tue Sep 13, 2005 2:11 PM ET
NEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Progress Energy Inc. (PGN.N:
Quote, Profile, Research) prepared the 1,838 MW Brunswick nuclear
power station in North Carolina as Tropical Storm Ophelia
approaches the North Carolina coast.
The National Weather Service issued a hurricane warning for
northern South Carolina and southern North Carolina. Such a
warning means the NWS expects a hurricane hitting the warning
area within 24 hours.
Progress Energy declared an unusual event due to the hurricane
warning. An unusual event is the lowest of the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission's four emergency classifications.
Both units at the plant, which is not currently experiencing
hurricane force winds, are still operating at full power.
A company spokesman said Progress Energy is coordinating with
local, state and federal officials, increasing staff levels,
checking emergency diesel generators and other equipment and
securing anything that could become a projectile in the wind.
The spokesman noted the company is required to shut the plant if
a hurricane is within two hours of the site.
Topical Storm Ophelia, which has the potential to become a
hurricane again later today, is nearly stationary about 120 miles
east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center expects the storm, which is
packing maximum sustained winds near 70 miles per hour, will
start to move slowly toward the north over the next 24 hours.
On its projected path, the storm would hit the North Carolina
coast just north of the South Carolina border where Brunswick is
located Wednesday morning, and follow the state's coastline
northeast through the Outer Banks before returning to the
Atlantic Ocean Thursday morning, according to the NHC.
The 1,838 MW Brunswick station is in Southport in Brunswick
County, about 160 miles south of Raleigh. There are two units at
the station: the 938 MW unit 1 and the 900 MW unit 2.
One MW powers about 800 homes, according to North American
averages.
Progress Energy operates the station for its owners Progress
(81.7 percent) and North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency
(18.3 percent).
Progress Energy's subsidiaries own and operate more than 24,000
MW of generating capacity and transmit and distribute electricity
to more about 2.9 million customers in North Carolina, South
Carolina and Florida.
© Reuters 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
21 Reuters: Bush backs Iran's right to nuclear power
Tue Sep 13, 2005 6:16 PM ET
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - President George W. Bush endorsed
Iran's right to civilian nuclear energy on Tuesday as efforts to
deny Tehran atomic weapons gathered pace ahead of a key U.N.
speech by Iran's new president and a meeting next week of the
U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency.
The intense Iran-focused diplomacy by the United States and
Europe is a subtext of this week's United Nations summit.
Diplomats say Wednesday's scheduled speech by Iran's new
president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, his first on the international
stage since his election in June, could have a significant impact
on how those efforts unfold.
"Some of us are wondering why they need civilian nuclear power
anyway. They're awash with hydrocarbons," Bush told a news
conference in Washington before flying to New York for the
summit.
"Nevertheless, it's a right of a government to want to have a
civilian nuclear program," he said.
Bush said this right could be supported only if Iran and other
governments did not gain expertise or materials to build an
atomic weapon, including the ability to enrich uranium.
"This is a subject of grave concern, and it's something that
we're spending a lot of time on in this administration," Bush
said
For more than two years, the U.S. administration has accused
Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons under the guise of a peaceful
nuclear energy program and sought to refer the case to the U.N.
Security Council for possible sanctions.
Tehran insists its nuclear ambitions are peaceful and says it
has every right to pursue atomic power as an energy source.
"COLD FEET"
The administration explicitly accepted in August that Iran can
develop civilian nuclear power when it endorsed a proposal by
three key European Union nations -- Britain, France and Germany
-- to allow Tehran to do so if it gives up fuel work.
That reflected a gradual shift in U.S. policy because Washington
believes the EU offer has enough safeguards to prevent Tehran
from diverting its civilian work into making nuclear bombs.
But Bush's comments elevate the U.S. commitment before the issue
comes to a head at a September 19 meeting of the International
Atomic Energy Agency board of governors.
Many developing countries are persuaded by Iran's argument that
the United States and other nuclear states should not be
permitted to deny them access to civilian nuclear energy, U.S.
officials say.
Iran's new government has worked feverishly to persuade IAEA
members to oppose a U.N. referral and U.S. and European officials
acknowledged the outlook for referral is not good.
"There is a distinct atmosphere of cold feet," one European
diplomat involved in the nuclear issue said.
The IAEA meeting could forgo any voting and end inconclusively
by deferring a decision, U.S. and European diplomats said.
U.S. officials still hope to win China's support for a U.N.
referral but Russian backing is unlikely. Bush said he would be
"speaking candidly about Iran" with Chinese President Hu Jintao
and Russian President Vladimir Putin while all are in New York.
U.S. congressmen have warned India that a sweeping new nuclear
agreement with the United States could be at risk if New Delhi
does not side with Washington on Iran.
In an effort to rally at least 18 votes, a majority of the IAEA
board, the United States is still working to secure support from
South Korea, South Africa, Brazil and Mexico, a U.S. official
said.
Some experts have suggested that instead of a U.N. referral, the
IAEA board could be asked to take action itself by denying Iran
IAEA technical assistance. However, U.S. and European diplomats
said that seemed unlikely at this point.
© Reuters 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
22 Reuters: Exelon Pa. Peach Bottom 2 nuke exits outage
Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:10 AM ET
NEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Exelon Corp.'s (EXC.N: Quote,
Profile, Research) 1,112-megawatt unit 2 at the Peach Bottom
nuclear power station in Pennsylvania exited an outage and ramped
up to 43 percent of capacity by early Tuesday, the U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission said in a report.
On Monday, the unit was operating at 1 percent.
The Chicago-based energy company shut the unit on Sept. 8 for
planned maintenance to replace a seal on a reactor recirculation
pump.
The 2,224 MW Peach Bottom station is located in Peach Bottom,
Pennsylvania, about 75 miles southwest of Philadelphia. There are
two 1,112 MW units 2 and 3 at the station.
Unit 3, meanwhile, held at 88 percent as it coasts down for the
refueling outage expected to start in mid September.
The last time unit 3 shut for refueling was from Sept. 14-Oct.
13, 2003. The unit is on a 24-month cycle.
One MW powers about 800 homes, according to the North American
average.
Exelon Nuclear, a unit of Exelon's unregulated Exelon Generation
Co LLC subsidiary, operates the station for its owners: Exelon
(50 percent) and New Jersey-based energy company Public Service
Enterprise Group Inc. (PEG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (50
percent).
In December, Exelon, the biggest nuclear power operator in the
United States, agreed to acquire PSEG. Pending regulatory and
shareholder approvals, the companies expect to complete the deal
in 2006.
Exelon's subsidiaries own and operate more than 38,000 MW of
generating capacity, market energy commodities, and transmit and
distribute electricity (5.1 million) and natural gas (460,000) to
customers in Illinois and Pennsylvania.
PSEG's regulated and unregulated subsidiaries own and operate
more than 16,000 MW of generating capacity, market energy
commodities, and transmit and distribute electricity and natural
gas to customers in North America, South America, the Middle
East, Europe and India.
© Reuters 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
23 Reuters: PG reduces Calif. Diablo Canyon 2 nuke for work
Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:17 AM ET
NEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters) - PG&E Corp. (PCG.N: Quote, Profile,
Research) reduced power at the 1,087-megawatt unit 2 at the
Diablo Canyon nuclear power station in California to about 50
percent of capacity for scheduled maintenance.
In a recorded message, the company said it would work on the
non-nuclear side of the plant and should return the unit to full
power on Sunday, Sept. 18.
On Monday, the unit was operating at full power.
The 2,174 MW Diablo Canyon station is located in Avila Beach in
San Luis Obispo County, about 195 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
There are two 1,087 MW units 1 and 2 at the station.
Unit 1, meanwhile, continued to operate at full power.
One megawatt powers about 800 homes, according to North American
averages.
PG&E's regulated Pacific Gas and Electric Co. subsidiary owns
and operates Diablo Canyon.
PG&E owns and operates more than 6,000 MW of generating
capacity, markets energy commodities and supplies electricity (5
million) and natural gas (4.1 million) to customers in
California.
© Reuters 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
24 PIB Press Release: INDIA’S LARGEST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DECLARED COMMERCIAL
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Ministry of Science &Technology
Unit-4 of Tarapur Atomic Power Plant (TAPP-4) went into
commercial operation on September 12, 2005. This unit had
achieved criticality on March 6, 2005 and has been connected to
the grid on June 4, 2005. TAPP-4, at 540 MWe, is India’s largest
nuclear reactor. It incorporates the most advanced concepts and
state of the art technology and equipment. It has been designed
and constructed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.
(NPCIL) a public sector undertaking under the Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE). With the addition of TAPP-4, NPCIL now
operates 15 reactors in the country having an aggregate capacity
of 3310 MWe. It is also constructing another 7 reactors
aggregating 3420 MWe.
NPCIL plants have been among top performing plants
internationally and their safety record has been excellent.
Unit-1 of Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS-1) has been
operating continuously since 16th September 2004, and has
already achieved 362 days of continuous operation. This is an
Indian record.
Unit-1 of Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS-1) has been in
operation for the last 270 days beating its earlier record.
The overall performance of the plants has been excellent. All
NPCIL plants combined have been achieving availability factor of
above 84% since 1999-2000. The availability factor in 2004-05
was 88%. This is well above the national average and compares
well internationally.
Nuclear and Industrial safety has been the number one priority
of NPCIL. This is evident from the fact that in 238 reactor
years of accumulated operation there has been no radiological
accident. The Industrial Safety record has been equally good.
Recently the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of
India has announced the National Safety Awards for 2004. The
first prize has been awarded to Narora Atomic Power Station
(NAPS) and Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) has been
declared the runner-up.
The projects under construction have been making good progress,
and are well ahead of schedule.
TAPP-3 is in a advanced stage of commissioning and is expected
to go critical in early 2006.
For Kaiga-3&4 and Rajasthan-5&6, civil work is nearing
completion and major equipment and system installation work is
in progress.
NPCIL has built world-class expertise in life management of
nuclear power plants. Unit-1 of Madras Atomic Power Station
(MAPS-1) is undergoing major refurbishment. Coolant channel and
Steam Generator replacement work has been successfully
completed. Feeder replacement work, which has been taken up for
the first time in India, is in progress.
NPCIL has just completed two important studies covering Level 1
Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) for Tarapur-3&4 and Level2
PSA for Kakrapar-1&2. These studies which have been carried out
for the first time in India, have reconfirmed the safety of
Indian nuclear plants.
NPCIL was founded in 1987 and will be completing 18 years on
16th September 2005. It has in the period acquired expertise in
all areas of work relating to nuclear power namely siting,
design, construction, operation, maintenance and life extension.
UM:RC:nuclearpower130905
Site Content Administered by : Manoj Panday, Director(A) Press
Information Bureau "A" - Wing, Shastri Bhawan, Dr. Rajendra
Prasad Road, New Delhi - 110 001
*****************************************************************
25 Interfax: Russia to revise military plans if U.S. lowers nuke threshold -
Interfax.com
Sep 13 2005 6:51PM
Ivanov
BERLIN. Sept 13 (Interfax) - Russia will revise its military
development plans in case the U.S. grants its armed forces the
right to launch preemptive nuclear strikes against countries
suspected of developing weapons of mass destruction, said
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov.
"If media reports on such U.S. plans are true, this will call
for the revision of our military planning," Ivanov told
journalists in Berlin on Tuesday.
"This is a very dangerous trend. Reducing the threshold for the
use of nuclear weapons is very dangerous," he said.
© 1991-2005 Interfax
All rights reserved
News and other data on this web site are provided for
information purposes only, and are not intended for
republication or redistribution. Republication or redistribution
of Interfax content, including by framing or similar means, is
expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of
Interfax.
*****************************************************************
26 DU: Starmet Cleanup Starts in Concord Mass
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 01:52:44 -0500 (CDT)
autolearn=ham version=3.0.4
X-Spam-filter-host: pascal.ctyme.com - http://www.junkemailfilter.com
Barrel removal begins
By Casey Lyons/ Staff Writer
Thursday, September 1, 2005
Beginning next week, cleanup crews will take interior portions of
Starmet building to task, removing barrels from the contaminated
site and transporting them out of state.
Starmet, located at 2229 Main St., was a company contracted by the
U.S. Department of Defense for its anti-tank ordinance. Using
depleted uranium, a hazardous and radioactive material, Starmet
created a shell that could burn through tank armor and penetrate
its hull.
>From about 1958 to 1985, manufacturing residues, including depleted
uranium, were dumped into an unlined holding basin on the property,
or buried in metal drums around the site.
Once state and national officials learned the extent of the pollution,
Starmet, formerly known as Nuclear Metals, Inc., was placed on the
National Priorities List by the Environmental Agency in 2001.
This round of hazardous material cleanup, however, will operate
outside the national Superfund effort, and stems from a joint
initiative between the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection and the state attorney general's office..
In 2001, prior to its bankruptcy, Starmet moved materials from its
South Carolina manufacturing facility into Concord. Under Starmet's
licensing, it was permitted to transfer hazardous materials between
facilities to complete different procedural steps at each location.
The state ordered Starmet to cease radioactive shipments to Concord
in 2001. The attorney general's office was not available for comment
as of press time.
Pam Rockwell, chairman of the 2229 Main St. Committee, a Concord-based
watchdog for the Starmet cleanup, called the move "questionable."
She said, "They had the right to move it as part of their licenses,
but they didn't move it to use it, they moved it to get rid of it."
Rockwell looks to the packing of the materials in barrels and
containers suitable for long term storage as an indicator of Starmet's
intentions.
Before the Superfund cleanup can proceed, the DEP needs to clear
out the buildings completely and give cleanup crews full access to
the building, including the foundation.
The work has been contracted out to Envriocare of Utah, LLC, a
Utah-based company that provides hazardous materials cleanup
nationwide. The revised schedule for drum removal from Starmet calls
for a Sept. 5 establishment of offices and facilities in Concord.
>From there, Envirocare will perform tests, take samples, and
eventually remove and dispose of hazardous materials out of state.
The timeline calls for a March 31, 2006 completion date for this
cleanup effort.
The area will undergo rigorous testing to ensure that hazardous
materials are not tracked out of the site.
As a whole, Rockwell said the process is going "very well," but
added that the site is still undergoing investigation to gain a
precise picture of the types and concentrations of contaminants at
Starmet's facility.
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27 [DU-WATCH] New DU Research project: Iraqi Children's Tooth
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 01:31:01 -0500 (CDT)
autolearn=ham version=3.0.4
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from:
http://www.cadu.org.uk/info/health/21_1.htm
Campaigh Against Depleted Uranium - UK
We Need Your Help - New Research Projects Planned
CADU are extremely pleased to report that we have two fundraising
projects planned for the next few months. The first is a study into
Iraqi children's exposure to DU. This could give the movement some
powerful and compelling scientific evidence to support a global ban
on DU production and use. The second is an epidemiological project in
southern Iraq, sponsored by the International Coalition, full details
in the next issue...
The Iraqi Children's Tooth Project
Following the use of depleted uranium munitions in the Gulf Wars of
1991 and 2003, many populated areas of Iraq became contaminated with
fine uranium oxide dusts that are readily respirable.
Despite continued reports of substantial increases in cancer and
birth defects there are virtually no data on the extent to which
Iraqi civilians have sustained internal contamination.
Everyone has trace levels of uranium in their body, the majority of
which is stored in the bones and teeth. Consequently, the primary or
deciduous teeth that children normally lose between ages six and 12
represent valuable biologic specimens that can be used to study a
child's uranium burden.
In total, 52 teeth from northern, central and southern Iraq have been
collected. these will be analysed alongside 16 North American
'archaeological' teeth' from the 1940s - prior to the nuclear age.
The analysis will be done in the British Geological Survey's
state-of-the-art laboratories in Nottingham, England. Professor of
Geological Chemistry, Randall Parrish Ph.D from the BGS will use
multi-collector, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC ICP
MS) to analyse the teeth for their content of four uranium isotopes.
The varying proportions of these will indicate the type of uranium
the children have been exposed to.
Professor Parrish will be working alongside Dr Thomas Fasy from the
Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.
The project needs $87,000 to complete the study because each tooth
costs $1000 to analyse. It is hoped that much of it can be raised in
the US, but as co-sponsors of the project CADU will do its utmost to
ensure that the figure is met. We are looking for groups that might
want to sponsor a tooth. Think you could? Then get in touch.
CADU
Bridge 5 Mill
22a Beswick Street
Ancoats
Manchester
UK
M4 7HR
Telephone: +44 (0)161 273 8293 / 8283
Fax: +44 (0)161 273 8293
Email:info@cadu.org.uk
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28 [du-list] DEPLETED URANIUM TOLL IN IRAQ (The Nation, August 1)
Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 14:26:05 -0700
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Home Issues August 1, 2005 issue In Fact...
editorial | posted July 14, 2005 (August 1, 2005 issue)
In Fact...
DEPLETED URANIUM TOLL IN IRAQ
John S. Friedman writes: A group of soldiers who served in Iraq plan to file
a lawsuit within a month in Federal District Court against the Army for
violating its regulations by not offering safeguards against exposure to
depleted uranium, used in tank armor and artillery, and for not providing
adequate medical treatment. Although DU has been linked to Gulf War
syndrome, and scientists are concerned about civilian exposure to it during
the 1999 war in Kosovo, the Pentagon continues to deny that DU inhalation
has harmful health effects. After being misdiagnosed by the Army, the nine
soldier plaintiffs, from New York National Guard units, who suffer from a
variety of health problems, were tested by a private laboratory, which in
most cases found DU traces in their bodies. A child of Gerard Matthew,
conceived after the father returned from Iraq, was born with a deformed hand
and missing fingers. Matthew, a member of a transport unit from Harlem,
blames his exposure to DU-laden dust. Asked about the soldiers' symptoms, an
Army spokesperson said, "These concerns are not likely attributed to
exposure to depleted uranium." The Army's environmental tests of selected
sites did not detect any DU. Dr. Asaf Durakovic, who supervised the
soldiers' private DU testing and sent his own team to measure sites in Iraq,
called those results "hogwash." In June Louisiana became the first state to
require that vets be tested for DU.
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29 NRC: NRC Proposes $3,250 Fine for Va. Firm for Improper Gauge Transfers
News Release - Region I - 2005-04
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Office of Public Affairs, Region I
No. I-05-047 September 12, 2005
CONTACT: Diane Screnci (610) 337-5330
Neil A. Sheehan (610) 337-5331 E-mail: opa1@nrc.gov
for a Virginia company for an apparent violation of agency
requirements involving the improper transfers of portable
nuclear gauges. The devices, which contain radioactive sources,
are used for industrial purposes such as measuring soil density.
During an NRC inspection conducted in May 2004, as well as a
subsequent investigation by the agencys Office of Investigations
completed in March 2005, the NRC determined that portable gauges
holding licensed nuclear material were transferred from the
Chantilly, Va., office of ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC, to Universal
Calibrations (UC) of Westbrook, Maine. These transfers occurred
even though UC is not authorized by either the NRC or an
Agreement State license to receive such material. (Agreement
States are states that have reached an agreement with the NRC to
regulate within their borders radioactive materials typically
licensed by the NRC. Maine is an Agreement State; Virginia is
not.) Further, ECS Mid-Atlantic did not verify via an acceptable
method whether UC was an authorized recipient of the material.
The improper transfers, involving several gauges, took place on
April 29, 2004 and other undetermined dates.
Because the NRC considers the gauge transfers from the Chantilly
office to be willful, a civil penalty has been proposed for the
apparent violation. Separately, the NRC is issuing a Severity
Level III violation to the companys Richmond office for the
improper sale and transfer of a portable gauge to UC on Sept.
15, 2003, which was not deemed to be willful.
Although the individual who received the gauges from your
Richmond and Chantilly facilities was knowledgeable in the
proper procedures for handling radioactive material, these
violations are of concern to the NRC because the transfer of
licensed material to an individual not authorized to receive or
possess the material is a violation of NRC requirements and
circumvents the NRC licensing process, NRC Region I
Administrator Samuel J. Collins wrote to the company regarding
the enforcement action. The transfer of licensed material to an
unauthorized individual could have exposed members of the public
to unnecessary risks.
ECS Mid-Atlantic attended a Predecisional Enforcement Conference
in the NRCs Region I Office on July 28, 2005. At that meeting,
company representatives acknowledged the facts surrounding the
transfers of the gauges, discussed steps the firm had taken to
prevent a recurrence and took exception to the NRC conclusion
that the transfers from the Chantilly facility were willful.
In addition to the fine proposed for ECS, the NRC has issued an
order to John Myers, UCs president and sole employee. It
prohibits him from engaging in NRC-licensed activities for five
years for deliberately violating NRC requirements by taking
possession of the gauges without an NRC or Agreement State
license to possess byproduct material.
Both ECS Mid-Atlantic and Myers are required to respond in
writing to the enforcement actions.
Last revised Tuesday, September 13, 2005
*****************************************************************
30 AU ABC: Traditional owners don't want nuclear waste dump on land
2005. 13:16 (ACST)Tuesday, 13 September 2005. 14:16
A group of traditional owners in central Australia has voiced
its opposition to a Federal Government proposal to build a
nuclear waste dump on its land.
The Federal Government has nominated three sites in the Northern
Territory for its planned nuclear waste dump.
One of them is Mt Everard, about 27 kilometres north-west of
Alice Springs.
Arrente traditional owner Raelene Martin says the Commonwealth
did not consult with families living near Mt Everard about their
plan for the dump.
"We live 10 kilometres away from the proposed site, we have
traditional ties to the whole region and it just frustrates the
families out here that the Government hasn't approached us to
talk about the dump," she said.
"You know I don't even think they've consulted the Central Land
Council. We don't want to live next to a nuclear waste dump."
*****************************************************************
31 Las Vegas RJ: YUCCA MOUNTAIN: EPA official defends rule
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Proposal for new radiation standard for nuclear waste repository
under study By STEVE TETREAULT
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- An Environmental Protection Agency official Monday
defended proposed new radiation safety standards for Yucca
Mountain and said they amounted to the most stringent nuclear
waste protections in the nation.
"We ensure that Yucca Mountain is as safe as any other disposal
system that could be developed for high-level waste" and mixed
nuclear waste, said Elizabeth Cotsworth, EPA director of the
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.
Cotsworth delivered a presentation to the Nuclear and Radiation
Studies Board, a branch of the National Academies of Sciences
that monitors the Yucca project.
The EPA is studying public comments on the proposed safety
rules unveiled in August. The Department of Energy would need to
show it could meet the standards to obtain a license to bury
highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel at the Nevada site.
Cotsworth said the EPA might extend the public comment period
beyond Oct. 21. She said no schedule has been set for finalizing
the regulation, which would be a step forward for the repository
program.
Public hearings are scheduled for Oct. 3 in Amargosa Valley,
Oct. 4-5 in Las Vegas and Oct. 11 in Washington, D.C.
Nevada elected leaders and other Yucca Mountain critics dispute
the EPA's characterization of the radiation standard. They
charge it was structured to ensure that the Department of Energy
could comply with it and speed the opening of a repository.
Attorney General Brian Sandoval has said the state will sue the
EPA unless the proposed regulation is changed.
The radiation standard is a benchmark used to ensure that
protections are designed into the nuclear waste tunnels DOE
proposes to build 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
The EPA proposed new Yucca Mountain radiation rules after a
federal appeals court in July 2004 invalidated parts of the
previous regulation.
The new EPA proposal contains two parts.
For the first 10,000 years of repository operations, the Energy
Department would need to show that a person living about 11
miles away would be exposed to no more than 15 millirem of
radiation annually from Yucca Mountain.
EPA officials said that a routine chest X-ray emits 10 millirem
and that a mammogram emits 30 millirem.
For the period beyond 10,000 years, when scientists are more
uncertain of climate, geology and social changes that might
occur, EPA has proposed to set the repository exposure limit at
350 millirem.
Cotsworth said that level was tied to what Colorado residents
receive in background radiation from soil, rocks, the sun and
other natural sources.
"For very long times, total radiation exposures to
(individuals) will be no higher than natural levels people live
with routinely in other parts of the country," Cotsworth told
the science panel.
The EPA proposal would require the Energy Department to perform
more analyses on how climate changes, earthquakes, volcanic
activity and corrosion of nuclear waste canister would affect
the release of radiation into the environment over a
million-year time frame.
"We are proposing to protect public health up to a million
years," Cotsworth said. "Clearly no other environmental
regulation in the U.S. looking at any risk has ever attempted to
regulate for such an extended period of time."
Copyright Las Vegas Review-Journal
*****************************************************************
32 Las Vegas SUN: Editorial: On a dangerous path
Today: September 13, 2005 at 10:2:23 PDT
LAS VEGAS SUN
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted a group of
electric utilities a license to build a temporary nuclear waste
dump on a tribal reservation in Utah. A spokeswoman for the
electric utilities, Sue Martin of Private Fuel Storage, said
they don't view it as an alternative to Nevada's Yucca Mountain,
where the federal government has encountered regulatory and
legal setbacks in its plans to build a permanent nuclear waste
dump. Nonetheless, Martin noted that a temporary, above-ground
repository in Utah, which could hold 44,000 tons of high-level
nuclear waste, could be a "very helpful kind of staging area"
for shipping nuclear waste to Nevada in light of its proximity.
Utah state officials plan to appeal the decision in the courts,
so it could be years away from becoming a reality -- if ever.
Nonetheless, Nevadans should be concerned by the decision to go
forward with the repository in Utah, especially since the agency
that granted the license -- the Nuclear Regulatory Commission --
is the same one that will decide Yucca Mountain's fate. But this
isn't an issue affecting only residents of Utah and Nevada.
Indeed, all Americans, particularly the tens of millions who
live along the routes that the waste will be shipped, will be
placed in danger by the needless shipping of nuclear waste.
Putting man's deadliest waste on our roads -- where it's
vulnerable to spills from accidents or terrorist acts -- is
insane. Keeping the waste safely in dry-cask storage at the
power plants where the nuclear waste is generated makes the most
sense. But the federal government, when it comes to disposing of
nuclear waste, has shown an alarming lack of common sense by
going forward with plans that not only ignore the dangers of
burying the waste, as is the case with Yucca Mountain, but also
the threats posed by shipping it thousands of miles across the
nation. Our government's continuing failure to protect us from
the unnecessary dangers of shipping nuclear waste is courting a
catastrophe -- it's a question of when, not if, it will happen.
All contents copyright 2005 Las Vegas SUN, Inc.
*****************************************************************
33 Las Vegas SUN: NRC advisory panel to meet in LV
Today: September 13, 2005 at 10:2:23 PDT
LAS VEGAS SUN
Recent developments related to a proposed high-level nuclear
waste repository at Yucca Mountain will be discussed when the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Advisory Committee on Nuclear
Waste meets in Las Vegas.
The committee has scheduled meetings from 9:45 a.m. to 5:45
p.m. on Sept. 21 and from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 22.
The briefings will include the NRC's plans for reviewing a
license application to build a repository, if it is submitted by
the Energy Department. This meeting runs from 1:30 p.m. to 5
p.m. on Sept. 22.
Experts on climate evolution are also expected to speak to the
committee.
The public is invited to attend any of the meetings. The
committee has set aside from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 22 for
addressing public concerns.
Those attending the meetings will be subject to a security
screening before entering the meeting at the Pacific Enterprise
Plaza Building One, 3250 Pepper Lane, between Sunset Road and
Patrick Lane east of Pecos Road.
Oral or written comments may be presented by the public. Those
wishing to make oral statements should contact Sharon Steele, at
(301) 415-8065.
Videoconferencing may be available. Those interested in this
service should contact Theron Brown at (301) 415-8066.
All contents copyright 2005 Las Vegas SUN, Inc.
*****************************************************************
34 Las Vegas SUN: Yucca waste talks likely facing delay
Today: September 13, 2005 at 11:24:23 PDT
By Suzanne Struglinski <>
SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- A crowded congressional calendar may slow down
talks on a government plan to move nuclear waste somewhere
before Yucca Mountain would open, but House Appropriation
Committee aides are happy that the discussion is expected to
eventually take place.
Finding money for Hurricane Katrina aid and the confirmation
process for two Supreme Court nominees will overshadow nuclear
waste talks -- and rightly so -- aides said at a National
Academy of Sciences meeting Monday, but they are still willing
to debate the issue as spending bills compete for completion
before the end of the year.
The House approved allocating $10 million for the Energy
Department to begin moving nuclear waste to a government site
that has yet to be determined. Rep. David Hobson, R-Ohio, who
leads the House Appropriation Energy and Water Subcommittee,
earmarked the money because the plan to put 77,000 tons of
nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las
Vegas, is not moving forward right now.
The Senate version of the bill, passed earlier this year, did
not include that additional money.
Hobson emphasized the money is not designed to replace Yucca or
move away from the process at all; it is just a way to get waste
out of the hands of utilities.
The government was supposed to take waste from nuclear power
plants by 1998, but it missed the deadline. Nuclear power users
are still paying toward a federal repository that does not exist
yet as well as costs for storing waste on-site.
Hobson's subcommittee clerk, Kevin Cook told the Academy's
Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board Monday that there are other
things dominating the schedule now, as they probably should be.
It is not clear when meetings would start between House and
Senate negotiators to work out differences between the two
versions of the bill. Cook said the Senate's bill is $1.5
billion higher than the House already.
"We intended to start a dialogue," Cook said. "We have been
surprised by a lack of administration response." Although he
said the administration may still submit a plan that would have
to be introduced as a bill in Congress. He did not know when or
if one would go to the Hill.
"We have obviously succeeded in stirring the waters," said Dixon
Butler, of the subcommittee's Democratic staff. "We hope the
administration will come through with something that could
trigger legislation."
The energy and water spending bill, at the earliest, would come
up in October, said Tessa Hafen, spokeswoman for Senate Minority
Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Reid is the top Democrat on the Senate
subcommittee that writes the bill. Hafen said it is not likely
to come up this month at all.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's approval of the proposed
Private Fuel Storage site in Utah may help calm transportation
fears, Cook said.
"It helps prove the point the centralized interim storage makes
more sense," Cook said. "Once you start moving it, it blows the
whole 'mobile Chernobyl' argument out of the water."
Nevada officials, who strongly oppose Yucca Mountain, do not
want to see waste moved anywhere but would rather the government
pay to store waste on site a nuclear power plants.
All contents copyright 2005 Las Vegas SUN, Inc.
*****************************************************************
35 CNW Group: MAX stakes additional Utah uranium claims
TSX-V Symbol: MXR
OTC BB Symbol: MXROF
VANCOUVER, Sept. 13 /CNW/ - MAX Resource Corp. is pleased to
announce that it has established a wholly-owned Nevada
subsidiary, MAX Resource, Inc., and staked additional claims
around the original 27 PPCO uranium claims it is acquiring in
Juab County, Utah. This brings the total to 195 lode claims
comprising 3,900 acres.
The PPCO project is located approximately 150 miles southwest
of Salt Lake City, about 20 miles west of the town of Delta, Utah
and east of the Brushman Wellman beryllium mine. The claims have
excellent road access by both graveled and cross county roads. A
drill program is being planned for the fall season.
The PPCO Project is a historic Phillips Uranium property that
was explored during the early 1980's by Phillips Uranium, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum. Phillips
encountered uranium grades of approximately 0.05% U3O8, over a
100 foot thickness at a depth of 900 feet within a small caldera.
The uranium host rock was identical to the host rock found in the
nearby, structurally controlled, Yellow Chief Mine. The Yellow
Chief Mine produced approximately 500,000 pounds of uranium which
was terminated when the ore zone was found to be faulted off to
the East. The zone found by Phillips on the PPCO claims is
thought to be an extension of the original Yellow Chief
mineralization contained within mote sediments of a smaller
caldera within the major Thomas Caldera system. The
mineralization appears to be structurally controlled along the
edge of this caldera and exploration will follow up on previous
work. Due to the geological formations in the area, the property
may be amenable to "in-situ leaching "("ISL"), subject to further
exploration.
Exploration drilling on the PPCO claims by Phillips was
originally supervised by Mr. Clancy J. Wendt, M.S.,C.P.G., Reg.
Az. and B.C., the Vice-President of Exploration for MAX, who was
employed by Phillips at that time. Mr. Wendt has acted as the
qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 for
this disclosure and supervised the preparation of the technical
information in this release. Mr. Wendt has a Masters of Science
in geology and more than 35 years of relevant experience focused
on uranium, base and precious metals and industrial minerals in
the US, Mexico, and Latin America. He is a certified Professional
Geologist (CPG 4966) by the American Institute of Professional
Geologists, an Arizona Registered Geologist (ARG 18283) and a
Registered Professional Geoscientist in the Province of British
Columbia (P. Geo. 125039).
There has been no NI 43-101 Geological Report completed on
the PPCO Claims. The historic information provided is for
reference only and the reader should not infer or assert that the
information is correct, reliable or accurate.
Utilizing Mr. Wendt's extensive experience in uranium
exploration in the western United States, MAX is in the process
of acquiring and staking additional claims in the state of New
Mexico with historic exploration data that indicates they are
highly prospective for uranium. About MAX Resource Corp.
------------------------
MAX Resource Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company
that identifies, acquires and finances advanced stage exploration
projects in the Americas. MAX is currently focused on the
discovery of uranium and precious metals, with interests in
properties in Alaska, Utah and the Northwest Territories of
Canada.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
MAX Resource Corp. "STUART ROGERS" Stuart Rogers President
THE CONTENTS OF THIS NEWS RELEASE HAVE NEITHER BEEN
APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED BY THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE.
This News Release includes certain "forward looking
statements". Without limitation, statements regarding potential
mineralization and resources, exploration results, and future
plans and objectives of the Company are forward looking
statements that involve various degrees of risk. The following
are important factors that could cause MAX's actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward
looking statements: changes in the world wide price of mineral
commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in mineral
exploration, risks associated with development, construction and
mining operations, the uncertainty of future profitability and
the uncertainty of access to additional capital.
For further information: Investor Relations: Leonard MacMillan,
Tel: (604) 637-2135, info@maxresource.com
MAX RESOURCE CORP. - More on this organization © 2005 CNW Group
Ltd.
PRIVACY &TERMS
*****************************************************************
36 Salt Lake Tribune: Guv calls feds out on waste
Article Last Updated: 09/13/2005 12:24:55 AM
Huntsman won't let nuclear dump go in without a fight
By Rebecca Walsh and Judy Fahys The Salt Lake Tribune
With the prospect of highly radioactive waste crossing Utah's
borders, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. talked tough Monday.
Huntsman plans to push federal legislation, pester President
Bush and his Cabinet and appeal to federal court over the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission's license for a nuclear storage
site on an Indian reservation 45 miles southwest of Salt Lake
City.
"This is the most reckless thing I have ever heard our
[federal] government wanting to do in this state," Huntsman said
in an interview. "If I have to stand in front of the train
coming across the border, I'm prepared to do that."
Two previous governors opposed a consortium of eight nuclear
power companies' plan to store up to 40,000 tons of spent
nuclear fuel on the Skull Valley Band of Goshutes reservation in
Tooele County. And after eight years of wrangling - in Congress
and before the commission - Huntsman faces the prospect of trying
to finish the fight.
The governor did not detail many specifics of his plan. He
has asked Interior Secretary Gale Norton to "unilaterally cancel
the lease." He supports U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid's
legislation requiring on-site storage of the waste at the
nuclear power plants that produce it. He has raised the possible
threat of a terrorist attack on the site with Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff. And he believes a court appeal will
"ensure that nothing happens imminently."
Huntsman has determined trainloads of used nuclear fuel rods
will not enter the state on his watch.
"There isn't [another] issue as important as this one as far
as I'm concerned," Huntsman said. "We need something that closes
this off other than just by legal means. We are talking about a
public-policy fix. But it is premature to say what that magic
bullet could be."
Right now, the most public sign of the state's fight likely
will be in court - with a challenge to the NRC's licensing
decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Denver or Washington.
Dianne Nielson, director of the Utah Department of
Environmental Quality, said the state is looking forward to
pressing its case in federal court, which is the next step for
challenging any final NRC decision.
"We think it will be a less biased forum," Nielson said.
"We're prepared and expected to be in court."
In addition to securing funding for the legal fight from the
Legislature, the state is continuing its work with the
public-private Nuclear Opposition (NO!) Coalition.
"They have not met for a long time, but they are still a
force," she said.
Private Fuel Storage spokeswoman Sue Martin said it was no
surprise the state would appeal the license. Martin said PFS was
surprised by the wording in The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints' statement last week that nuclear waste
storage "requires thorough scrutiny."
"The first thing that came to my mind is: 'What has the past
eight years been about, if it hasn't been about intense
scrutiny?' " she said.
"The state of Utah has represented its citizens well by
raising all of the tough questions that have been the topic of
many hours of hearings before the [NRC]. All of those questions
have been addressed to the satisfaction of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission."
But the governor figures the public opposition of LDS Church
leaders can't hurt the state's case. Still, he has no plans to
involve the church officially in the battle.
"Just the fact that they have taken a position on it will
resonate with many both in state and out," Huntsman said.
Jason Groenewold, director of the Health Environment
Alliance of Utah (HEAL), met with the governor to talk strategy
Monday.
He said Huntsman stressed the importance of building
alliances with the state of Nevada and others.
Keeping high-level nuclear waste out of Utah appears to be
one of the governor's top priorities, Groenewold said.
"He's not taking it lightly," he added. "Clearly he wants to
fight this thing with everything he's got."
---
Tribune reporter Matt Canham contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2005, The Salt Lake Tribune.
*****************************************************************
37 Asia Times: Uranium on his cranium
ATol COMMENT
"Iran Is Judged 10 Years from Nuclear Bomb," the Washington Post
reported recently, citing leaked portions of a January 2005
national intelligence estimate. Well, you can't trust American
intelligence to get it right, Gary Schmitt, director of the
neo-conservative Project for the New American Century, is quick
to point out in a "memorandum to opinion leaders" published on
the PNAC website.
After all, Schmitt says, "The fact is - and as both the estimate
apparently admits and the presidential commission on WMD recently
reported - US intelligence knows very little about what is going
on Iran ... Indeed, given how little we know, the intelligence
community estimate is just as likely to be wrong as right when it
comes to predicting Iran’s program. Remember, US intelligence on
Iraq first missed how close Saddam was to having a bomb prior to
the first Gulf War before overestimating Iraq’s WMD program in
the run up to the second war."
So, Schmitt argues, it's quite possible that Iran could have a
nuclear bomb much sooner. And "interestingly enough", he adds,
"the Jerusalem Post reported yesterday that Israeli intelligence
had also adjusted its estimates of Iran’s program. According to
the paper, Israeli intelligence is now saying, 'Iran will
probably have a nuclear bomb by 2012, but could have the
capability as early as 2008.'”
Now Schmitt has even stronger backing - maybe. As Kaveh
Afrasiabi reports today (Building a case, any case, against
Iran), the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS),
has just released a new study that declares that Iran is five
years or so from developing nuclear bombs.
Hold on a moment. It was the IISS that boldly stated, in 2002,
that "Iraq could assemble nuclear weapons within months if
fissile material from foreign sources were obtained." How wrong
that turned out to be. And, applying Schmitt's logic, the IISS
was wrong before, so it's quite likely wrong again.
Anyway, to Tehran's very short-term relief, Schmitt concludes
that "None of this means that the US should be planning an
attack tomorrow." But "it does mean that we have no reason to
relax, nor can we postpone difficult decisions indefinitely".
Asia Times Online sincerely hopes that Gary Schmitt is not one
of the "we" who must make the difficult decisions.
(Copyright 2005 Asia Times Online Ltd. All rights reserved.
Hau Fook Mansion, No. 8 Hau Fook St., Kowloon, Hong
Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
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38 wisbusiness: Utah Could Be Resting Place for Wisconsin Nuclear Waste
WisPolitics.com [ width=] WisOpinion.com
9/13/2005
By Gregg Hoffmann
La CROSSE — About 40 tons of spent fuel from the Dairyland Power
Cooperative nuclear reactor in Genoa could end up in Utah.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's voted last Friday to approve
a private company's plan to build a nuclear waste storage site
on the Skull Valley Goshute Indian Reservation in Utah.
Private Fuel Storage, a group of utilities that includes La
Crosse-based Dairyland, wants to store about 40,000 tons of
spent nuclear fuel at the site 45 miles southwest of Salt Lake
City. That includes about 40 tons of spent fuel from Genoa.
Dairyland recently announced plans to tear down its nuclear
reactor in Genoa and ship it to South Carolina by 2007, but some
concerns about the spent fuel rods remain.
The reactor will be filled with concrete this year. Removal of
the reactor vessel is scheduled for 2006. The vessel will be
shipped to a low-level nuclear storage facility in South
Carolina in 2007.
The process clears the way to remove high-level radioactive
spent fuel rods, plant manager Roger Christians said at a public
information meeting in August at De Soto High School. Christians
said the rods might remain on site in dry storage casks for
several years until the federal government can open its own
storage facility.
Of biggest concern has been the spent fuel. Until the spent fuel
is removed, Dairyland cannot fully decommission the Genoa
facility, which it shut down in 1987.
Dairyland officials say maintaining the closed facility until
the spent fuel can be moved costs the coop more than $5.5
million annually.
The earliest the Utah facility is expected to be operational is
2008, said John Parkyn, chairman and CEO of Private Fuel Storage
as well as Dairyland's manager of nuclear and special projects.
It's too soon to predict whether Dairyland's spent nuclear fuel
will be shipped there in 2008, he said.
Opposition to the Utah facility is strong. Utah Gov. Jon
Huntsman vowed last week to challenge the NRC decision in the
courts. Other Utah officials promised to fight the facility
using all possible options. The state contends the project would
be too dangerous.
Utah officials had argued the facility would be too close to a
major population center and that the risk of a jet fighter from
Hill Air Force Base crashing into the storage casks was too
great.
Private Fuel Storage's facility would be a temporary dump
pending the opening of a national nuclear waste repository at
Nevada's Yucca Mountain.
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., the senate minority leader, has
proposed storing nuclear waste at the facilities where it is
produced — an alternative to both the Private Fuel Storage site
and Yucca Mountain.
An impoverished tribe, the Goshutes had been looking for ways to
make money and eventually teamed with Private Fuel Storage to
propose the station.
Under their plan, the waste would be kept above ground in 4,000
steel casks, which can hold up to 10 tons of spent fuel each.
The casks would be shielded in an overpack of two steel shells
encasing a wall of concrete more than 2 feet thick.
The federal government built Dairyland's nuclear plant, known as
the La Crosse Boiling Water Reactor, in 1967. Dairyland shut
down the reactor in 1987, and has been working to decommission
it.
Christians said Dairyland has hired Duratek Inc. to help remove
the 200-ton reactor pressure vessel, which will be encased in
concrete and steel and shipped by train to South Carolina. The
entire shipment will weigh 400 tons, and require a special
20-axle rail car.
The train will go south from Genoa to the Quad Cities and then
to Barnwell, S.C., officials said. Removing the low-level waste
to South Carolina will cost Dairyland an estimated $18.5
million.
Dairyland officials also announced they will spend $50 million
over the next two years on new pollution control equipment at
the adjacent coal-fired electric plant.
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39 Scotsman.com News: Germany plans to seal nuclear dump
Tue 13 Sep 2005
German authorities plan to seal an underground nuclear dump in
the former communist east with four million tonnes of concrete
to contain its radioactivity for at least 150,000 years.
Sealing the Morsleben waste depot in Saxony-Anhalt state could
take up to 20 years and will cost the federal government about
£1.4 billion, said Wolfram Koenig, head of the Federal Office
for Radiation Protection.
State authorities must also approve the plan, which could delay
the start of the work until as late as 2009, Koenig said. He
said the facility would be the first in the world to be sealed
for good.
The underground chambers at Morsleben have stored East German
nuclear waste since 1971, and began accepting waste from the
west in 1994. A court decision in 1998 halted operations at the
site, which contains some 37,000 cubic metres of waste.
Koenig's agency has carried out filling work since 2001 to avert
the risk of collapse in two chambers used for low and
medium-level radioactive waste and the government has pledged to
close it, citing safety concerns.
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's government plans to shut down all
Germany's nuclear power stations by about 2020. But it has put
off a decision on the location of a central, permanent storage
site until as late as 2030.
Opposition conservatives hoping to win Sunday's parliamentary
election have pledged to allow nuclear power plants to stay open
longer provided they meet safety standards.
Koenig said officials had included the possible impact of future
ice ages in calculating that the waste at Morsleben will be safe
for about 150,000 years.
© Copyright Press Association Ltd 2005, All Rights Reserved.
2005 Scotsman.com
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40 Las Vegas SUN: EPA official: Yucca radiation standard most stringent
in nation
Today: September 13, 2005 at 13:3:11 PDT
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAS VEGAS (AP) - An Environmental Protection Agency official
defended proposed new radiation safety standards for a planned
federal nuclear waste repository in Nevada, calling them the
most stringent in the nation.
"We ensure that Yucca Mountain is as safe as any other disposal
system that could be developed," said Elizabeth Cotsworth,
director of the EPA Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.
Cotsworth delivered a presentation Monday to the Nuclear and
Radiation Studies Board in Washington, D.C. The board is a
branch of the National Academies of Sciences, which monitors the
Yucca Mountain project.
"We are proposing to protect public health up to a million
years," Cotsworth said. "Clearly no other environmental
regulation in the U.S. looking at any risk has ever attempted to
regulate for such an extended period of time."
The EPA is taking public comment on proposed safety rules it
unveiled in August. The Energy Department would need to show it
could meet the standards to obtain a license to open the
repository.
The department plans to ship and entomb 77,000 tons of the
nation's most highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel from 39
states at the Yucca site, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Cotsworth said the EPA might extend a public comment period
beyond Oct. 21, and no schedule has been set for finalizing the
regulation.
Public hearings are scheduled Oct. 3 in Amargosa Valley, the
community closest to the Yucca repository site, and Oct. 4-5 in
Las Vegas. Another hearing is set Oct. 11 in Washington.
The EPA proposed new Yucca Mountain radiation rules last month,
after a federal appeals court in July 2004 invalidated parts of
a previous regulation.
Nevada opposes the repository plan, and state elected leaders
and Yucca Mountain critics dispute the EPA's characterization of
the new radiation rule. They say it was structured to ease the
Energy Department's ability to open the repository, and state
Attorney General Brian Sandoval has said the state will sue the
EPA unless the proposed regulation is changed.
The new two-part EPA proposal calls for the Energy Department to
show that a person living about 11 miles away from the site
would be exposed to no more than 15 millirem of radiation a year
during the first 10,000 years of repository operations.
EPA officials said a routine chest X-ray emits 10 millirem and
that a mammogram emits 30 millirem.
After 10,000 years, EPA wants the repository exposure limit at
350 millirem.
Cotsworth said that level was tied to what Colorado residents
get in background radiation from soil, rocks, the sun and other
natural sources.
"For very long times, total radiation exposures to (individuals)
will be no higher than natural levels people live with routinely
in other parts of the country," she told the science panel.
---
On the Net:
Yucca Mountain project: http://www.ymp.gov
Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov
---
Information from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com
All contents copyright 2005 Las Vegas SUN, Inc.
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41 NEWS.com.au: Nuclear 'poison' not welcome
(14-09-2005)
A GROUP of traditional owners last night told the Federal
Government that they don't want a nuclear waste facility on
their land in Central Australia. The site is at Mount Everard,
25km northwest of Alice Springs.
Traditional owner Benedict Stevens said she didn't want "poison"
from the Lucas Heights nuclear plant in Sydney brought to
Arrernte country.
"The Government says it is safe waste, but if it is so safe why
are they thinking about bringing it halfway across the country
to our land?" she asked.
"The Government may think this place is remote but this is our
home.
"The land is crucial to our way of life and we must protect the
stories and dreamings that are significant to our law, our
culture and our people."
Ms Stevens said the Arrernte people were disappointed that
Canberra had decided to "dump" nuclear waste on their land.
"The Government has already taken our land away from us,"
she said. "We have learned to live with that. But now they want
to destroy that land by putting a waste dump there."
Ms Stevens said there had been no consultation with the
traditional owners.
"The Government does not respect our way of life," she said.
The Mount Everard site is on Commonwealth land surrounded by
Aboriginal land.
Science Minister Brendan Nelson said consultation with
Territorians would start next month.
But he has said there will be no "mucking about" and the nuclear
waste facility will be built in the Territory.
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42 Deseret News: Utah to file appeal of nuclear repository ruling
[deseretnews.com]
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Critics hail statement of opposition by LDS Church By
Joe Bauman
Deseret Morning News
Utah will file a federal appeal of the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission's granting a license to build a high-level nuclear
repository in Tooele County.
That was the word Monday from Mike Lee, general counsel
to Gov. Jon M. Huntsman. Last week, the NRC granted a license
allowing construction of the facility by Private Fuel Storage.
PFS intends to build it on land owned by the Goshute Indians in
Skull Valley and store casks of radioactive nuclear power plant
fuel rods.
Altogether, 40,000 tons of the dangerous material would
be shipped to the site and stored there for up to 40 years.
Over the weekend, The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints said it opposed the NRC decision, and that has
energized some of the plant's critics.
"I was really pleased to see the church's statement," Lee
said. "It states something that I certainly agree with, that the
governor certainly agrees with ...
"This is indicative of how strongly people feel about
this thing."
Two lines of appeal are open to the state in federal
court: through the U.S. 10th Circuit of Appeals, based in
Denver, or the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. The
action would not be a new lawsuit but an appeal to a decision by
a federal administrative body.
"We will file a petition for review on that sometime
fairly soon in one of those two courts," he said. But which one,
he was not prepared to say. Lee would only say the choice has
been the subject of a lot of discussion.
"We'll take it to one of those two courts and raise
arguments that we think highlight the reasons why this is a bad
plan and why the NRC's decisions should be reversed by the
court."
He called the NRC ruling flawed, dangerous and
irresponsible. "It's bad public policy," Lee said.
The commission did not take sufficient notice of serious
safety considerations, such as the fact that 7,000 F-16 flights
— between Hill Air Force Base and the Utah Test and Training
Range — take place every year over Skull Valley, he said.
"This is not the end of the road," Lee vowed. "The NRC
decision far from signals the imminent arrival of spent nuclear
fuel in the state of Utah." At the earliest, that would happen
years from now. Meanwhile, the state will continue to fight the
license in other forums, such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs
and the Bureau of Land Management, both of which need to give
approval before the plant is built.
"This is not the end or even the beginning of the end,
but only the end of the beginning."
Lee also said the state also is pursuing legislation in
Congress to make it difficult or impossible for PFS to carry out
its plans.
Jason Groenewold, director of the Health Environment
Alliance of Utah, met with the governor on the issue Monday. He
said Huntsman is "clearly concerned about the license that was
issued."
Huntsman was not surprised by the NRC action, he added,
"but very much committed to fighting it."
He believes Huntsman feels it is an important part of his
work as governor to oppose the project, "and that a key strategy
is to build alliances with other Western states, starting with
Nevada, so we work together to keep nuclear wastes from being
dumped here."
Groenewold welcomed the church statement.
"We need everyone and every resource available to fight
this," he said, "and the church has tremendous credibility, not
only within the state but throughout the country."
The church concern "helps leverage opposition in other
key areas," he said.
Steve Erickson, director of the watchdog group Citizens
Education Project, also welcomed the church statement. He said
he hopes it "might spur our senators, especially, to reassess
their position" concerning the permanent repository proposed for
Yucca Mountain, Nev.
"We need to stick with Nevada in this fight," he said.
Utah should join with Nevadans, such as Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.,
to find a way to protect "the entire Great Basin and the
nation," said Erickson.
A method of storing the spent fuel rods in dry casks at
the nuclear power plants that used them has been working for the
industry, he said. "It will continue working for the industry."
Erickson warned that the Yucca Mountain project seems to
be in serious trouble. If it were to collapse, that could leave
PFS as the only site for such a national storage facility.
© 2005 Deseret News Publishing Company
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43 Rocky Mountain News: Rocky Flats hot spots to be cleaned
By Joe Garner, Rocky Mountain News
September 13, 2005
The Department of Energy reversed itself Monday on the cleanup of
newly discovered areas of low-level radioactivity at Rocky Flats.
The agency said it will clear 13 slightly hot spots at the former
nuclear weapons plant even though it initially had dismissed the
health risk as statistically insignificant.
But the presence of traces of radioactivity in soil thought to
be clean raised red flags among members of the Rocky Flats
Coalition of Local Governments.
"If there are hot spots in areas that were remediated, you have
to presume there are hot spots in the areas that were not
remediated," said David Abelson, executive director of the
coalition. It represents communities near the closed bomb plant,
which was built on 6,000 acres 16 miles northwest of downtown
Denver.
The Energy Department's John Rampe said the areas unexpectedly
found to emit low levels of radioactivity in a final review
"don't look significant to us, given what we know now."
While the suspect areas will be re-cleaned, Rampe said, soil
tests so far do not warrant "reopening the entire site."
However, additional soil sampling is planned next week to
double-check radioactivity throughout the site, he said.
Rampe also reported a negative finding after retesting for
possible radioactivity on state-owned land just south of the
plant site and east of Colorado 93.
"There is nothing there," Rampe said. "That one is by the
board."
The Environmental Protection Agency agreed with the DOE. C. Mark
Aguilar, the EPA's manager at Rocky Flats, concurred with
Rampe's assessment of the decontamination program.
"Variability over a given site is to be expected," Aguilar said.
"I'm here to say we support what DOE does 100 percent."
Meeting for the first time since hot spots were identified,
coalition members arched eyebrows and shot each other dubious
looks to signal their skepticism of the results of the federally
funded campaign to turn the foothills site into a refuge for
watching wildlife.
Reassurances that the site would be so clean that the chance of
getting cancer would be reduced to only one in a million did not
seem to satisfy coalition members, who want an absolute cleanup.
"Cleanup means cleanup," said Boulder County Commissioner Ben
Pearlman.
Coalition members envisioned the site restored to its natural
state before the plant began to turn out nuclear weapons.
"Cleanup means different things to different people," said Karen
Imbierowicz , a Superior town trustee.
"I want the area cleaned up so it's safe for my constituents to
visit there," she said. "And they have to feel it's a safe place
for them to visit."
Raising the issue that monitoring teams may locate hot spots in
the years to come, Westminster City Council member Samantha
Dixion said it was "not a concern of mine when they leave. It's
what they leave."
Both U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., and U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar,
D-Colo., applauded the DOE's decision to clean up the hot spots.
"It is imperative that we have confidence that the cleanup at
Rocky Flats meets the standards agreed to by the Department of
Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the State of
Colorado," Allard said in a news release.
"The regulators must not allow the site to be closed until they
are absolutely certain that those standards have been met,"
Allard said. "Anything less is unacceptable."
2005 © Rocky Mountain News
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44 Tri-City Herald: Hanford vit price may grow
This story was published Tuesday, September 13th, 2005
By Annette Cary, Herald staff writer
The cost to demonstrate bulk vitrification at Hanford has taken
another big jump and could swell more as an oversight board
raises questions about the safety of the pilot plant's design.
The Department of Energy is estimating the cost of the project
at $160 million, up from a $102 million estimate in July 2004.
Three years ago, a preliminary estimate of the project price was
$45 million.
Construction and procurement for the project's pilot plant have
been stopped under what DOE's Office of River Protection at
Hanford is calling a "project pause." Design and research are
continuing.
Construction and purchasing were stopped because of the
increasing costs of the project, but the pause also will allow
concerns of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board to be
addressed.
The board's staff report raises several questions based on a
preliminary hazard assessment of the Hanford pilot plant, which
is planned to treat up to 300,000 gallons of radioactive tank
waste.
"The report notes potential weaknesses in such areas as the
confinement of materials and worker protection that need to be
considered in finalizing the design of the facility," board
Chairman A.J. Eggenberger wrote in a letter to DOE.
While some issues may be resolved by more thorough planning, the
board's concerns about preventing radioactive materials from
escaping could require design changes, such as enclosing what's
largely a mobile facility, and further increasing the cost.
Bulk vitrification is being tested as a less expensive way to
treat some of the 53 million gallons of radioactive and
hazardous chemical wastes held in underground tanks at Hanford.
It accumulated during World War II and the Cold War as Hanford
made plutonium for the nation's nuclear weapons program.
DOE is building a $5.8 billion plant to turn the most highly
radioactive tank waste and much of the low-activity radioactive
tank waste into a stable glass form for permanent disposal. But
that plant was not planned to treat all the waste by a legal
deadline.
DOE hopes to turn up to 25 million gallons of the waste into a
glass form using bulk vitrification, if tests at the pilot plant
started in central Hanford are successful.
Waste would be mixed with silica-rich soil in insulated boxes
the size of land and sea shipping containers. Electrodes would
be used to melt the mixture at 2,400 degrees, leaving a large
brick of black glass when the mixture cools.
Tests have been under way off the nuclear reservation to test
the process with a nonradioactive surrogate material. But DOE
wants production-scale tests with real tank waste done at the
pilot plant before DOE and Hanford regulators decide whether the
technology should be used to treat large amounts of Hanford tank
waste at a permanent plant.
The original cost of demonstrating an alternate technology to
treat the tank waste was estimated at $45 million before DOE
picked bulk vitrification as the most promising technology to
test.
After bulk vitrification was picked, DOE raised its estimate to
$102 million. The increase covered waste retrieval, more testing
and a doubling of the pilot plant price.
The latest increase to $160 million comes after contractor CH2M
Hill Hanford Group said its subcontractor, London-based AMEC
Earth and Environmental Inc., found building a nuclear facility
under U.S. regulations more costly than expected.
Also, costs to retrieve waste from Tank S-109 have increased, in
part because retrieval equipment was not ready as expected.
CH2M Hill completed a revised plan for the pilot plant in August
and DOE is working on a recovery plan.
"We still believe the process is viable," said Howard Gnann,
senior technical adviser for the Office of River Protection. DOE
has estimated waste would cost 35 percent less to treat with
bulk vitrification than at the large-scale plant.
However, the pilot plant is not likely to be ready in time to
meet the next legal deadline for the project, Gnann said. A
report is due to regulators June 30 comparing bulk vitrification
with other alternatives for low-activity waste.
The pilot plant, which has a permit to operate for up to 400
days, was to have its first test melt of radioactive waste by
the end of the year. CH2M Hill said in August that melt will not
take place until late May or early June of 2006.
Eggenberger wrote that the safety board understands the limited
operation life of the pilot plant and its potential benefits,
but it still must have appropriate safety features.
DOE requires successive physical barriers to protect against
radioactive releases, but the current plant design includes only
one barrier, according to the safety board.
Under the current plan, boxes would be filled with waste and
melted outdoors on concrete pads. A second protective barrier to
prevent the escape of radioactive waste could mean a building to
enclose the operation.
A second physical barrier also may be needed for other parts of
the plant, such as the ventilation system.
"We really have to do a hazard analysis to determine what is
required," said Zack Smith, assistant manager of the tank farm
projects for the Office of River Protection.
The board also was concerned that CH2M Hill had not identified
enough protections for workers. In the preliminary safety
analysis, no safety-related structures or systems were
identified as exclusively protecting workers, the board report
said.
Although there were engineered features at the plant such as
shield walls and ammonia sensors and alarms for the ammonia that
will be used in an off-gas system, none has been identified as
"safety significant." Systems classified as safety significant
require more rigorous construction and maintenance.
The safety board has asked for a briefing within two months on
DOE's technical oversight of the pilot plant. It also wants a
briefing on resolution of safety issues it identified after
project design is complete.
© 2005 Tri-City Herald, Associated Press &Other Wire Services
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45 WATE: Cost of shipping super-heavy uranium canisters goes up
September13, 2005
OAK RIDGE (AP) -- You know what the high cost of gasoline has
done to your commute. Pity the Energy Department.Thousands of
canisters of slightly radioactive gas left over from uranium
enrichment are being shipped from the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory to Ohio. The ten- to 14-ton containers must be
trucked one at a time on vehicles that get about five miles per
gallon.
About 4,500 of the containers have already been shipped to
Piketon, Ohio, where the gas is processed into a more stable
form and stored. Another 1,500 must be moved.
The current contract was negotiated when diesel fuel was just
over $2.20 per gallon. Last week's price was more than $2.84.
Federal contractor Bechtel Jacobs is paying the transportation
subcontractor the difference in fuel cost.
Contractor spokesman Dennis Hill says the amount of increased
cost can't be calculated.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
Copyright 2000 - 2005 WorldNow and WATE. All Rights Reserved.
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