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Send News Stories to news@energy-net.org with title on subject
line and first line of body
NUCLEAR POLICY
1 AFP: Gulf War syndrome persists in US troops after 10 years - study
2 MNA: Tehran, Moscow to talk details of Russian nuclear proposal soon
3 MNA: Nuclear suspension discourages researchers - professor
4 MNA: Top MP urges Russia to speed up Bushehr nuclear plant project
5 MNA: Iran is NPT compliant - German official
6 Guardian Unlimited: Russia's Nuclear Chief to Travel to Iran
7 INSIDE JoongAng Daily: [EDITORIALS] Paving a path of peace
8 Korea Herald: Dim prospects for nuke talks
9 BBC: Former Russian minister deported
10 Brooks Bulletin: Trend of higher energy costs forcing Canadians back
11 MNA: Moscow's historic opportunity
12 Guardian Unlimited: Extradition of Russian Official Ordered
NUCLEAR REACTORS
13 US: NRC: NRC Approves Certification of Westinghouse’s AP1000 Advance
14 US: Rutland Herald: Vermont Yankee has full plate for the new year
15 Belfast Telegraph: Come clean on nuclear plans - call
16 US: Pittsburgh Business Times: NRC OKs Westinghouse nuclear plant de
17 US: NRC: Duke Energy Corporation; Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2
18 US: NRC: Duke Energy Corporation; McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 a
19 US: NRC: Duke Energy Corporation; Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 a
20 US: NRC: In the Matter of Interstate Power and Light Company; Nuclea
21 Financial express: Nuclear deal with America on track
22 US: Daily News: (Trojan) Tower's coming down --
23 US: PRN: NRC Grants Design Certification to Westinghouse AP1000
24 icWales: Secret plan for nuclear power plant
25 US: Miami Herald: GE to help nuclear plant in increasing output
NUCLEAR SECURITY
26 US: [epa-impact] National Nuclear Security Administration
NUCLEAR SAFETY
27 [du-list] UPI bulletin on possible DU casualty
28 [downwinders] IRAQ: Depleted Uranium AKA Baghad Boils
29 [ImpeachBushNOW] cancer? from DU?
30 [du-list] USFK Lost Depleted Uranium - Activist
31 [du-list] Cancer Epidemic Caused by U.S. WMD
32 [du-list] links to Photos of holes made by depleted uranium
33 US: MilfordDailyNews.com: Radioactive threat shuts down Rte. 9
NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE
34 US: Herald News: Nuclear station tests for potential water hazard
35 US: Wisconsin Radio Network: UW gets nuclear energy study grant
36 US: WHDH-TV: Pickup truck with canisters marked radioactive flips ov
37 US: PhysOrg.com: Radiation studies key to nuclear reactor life, recy
38 KESQ: BLM sets aside corridor for study of Yucca Mountain rail route
39 UK: News & Star: Final NDA recruitment drive gets underway
40 Las Vegas SUN: BLM sets aside corridor for study of Yucca
PEACE
US DEPT. OF ENERGY
41 TENNESSEAN: Oak Ridge cylinders await shipping exemptions -
42 cbs4denver.com: Rocky Flats Museum Having Trouble With Funding
43 Albuquerque Tribune: Lab asked to solve impurity in water
44 AP Wire: Nuclear regulators OK SRS cleanup plan
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FULL NEWS STORIES
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1 AFP: Gulf War syndrome persists in US troops after 10 years - study -
Thu Dec 29,11:29 PM ET
CHICAGO (AFP) - ' Gulf War" /> Gulf Warsyndrome', a debilitating
multi-symptom affliction identified in many soldiers after the
1991 conflict in Kuwait, is likely to strike US troops fighting
in Iraq" /> Iraq, a new study shows.
The syndrome, which proved hard to diagnose because it
manifested itself in many different afflictions, remained
widespread among US troops 10 years after the Gulf War ended,
according to the study, lead-authored by Melvin Blanchard,
assistant professor of medicine at Washington University School
of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.
Blanchard's study will be published in January in the American
Journal of Epidemiology.
A comprehensive medical evaluation of some 2,189 Gulf War
veterans between 1999 and 2001 found that 28.9 percent of those
deployed suffered from the affliction a decade after the war.
The rate for soldiers not deployed to the Gulf War was slightly
more than half that, and usually not as severe.
The study's results suggest that soldiers fighting in Iraq today
-- many of whose tours of duty are much longer than those in the
previous war -- are likely to experience Gulf War syndrome as
well.
"It's not unique to the Gulf," Blanchard told AFP. "It probably
means there is a baseline in the (deployed) population, and the
non-deployed reflect what happens in the general population."
"The military is trying to take better care of the soldiers'
mental health in the field and that may have some bearing on the
outcome, but I still expect to see CMI in those soldiers who are
in Iraq now when they return," Blanchard said.
The long-term impacts could be severe, the study said, because
those suffering from the syndrome were twice as likely to
experience heart attacks, diabetes and liver disease.
Gulf War syndrome is the popular name for chronic multisymptom
illness complex, or CMI. It was first identified by the Centers
for Disease Control in 1994 after thousands of returning troops
complained of numerous unexplained symptoms.
It is defined as having symptoms that fall into two of the three
following groupings for more than six months: fatigue, mood and
cognitive symptoms and musculoskeletal pain.
Blanchard said that a likely explanation for the illness is that
the stress of combat released hormones that caused physiological
changes.
Other high-stress situations such as divorce, job pressure or a
death in the family could spark the syndrome, he said.
Earlier studies of Gulf War syndrome have examined the
possibility of wartime stress, oil well fires and depleted
uranium from US munitions, and a drug given to US soldiers to
protect against nerve gas as the cause.
Some 100,000 of the 700,000 US soldiers who took part in the
campaign to oust Iraq from Kuwait in 1991 have complained of
experiencing at least one of the symptoms. British, French and
Canadian troops were also affected.
In November, a British tribunal recognized for the first time
that a former soldier was suffering from Gulf War Syndrome" />
Gulf War Syndromeand should receive an invalid's pension.
Blanchard's study is the most comprehensive study of Gulf War
syndrome to date. Comprehensive examinations including medical
and psychiatric histories, general physicals, and neurological,
pulmonary, nerve conduction, neuropsychological and clinical lab
tests were performed on 1,061 deployed and 1,128 non-deployed
veterans in the study.
While there was no evidence of an association of the syndrome
with kidney, liver or lung disease, thyroid problems, blood
abnormalities or neuropathy, the authors found that veterans
with the syndrome were two times as likely to have metabolic
syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a group of health risks that increase the
likelihood of developing heart attacks, diabetes and liver
disease. They include high blood pressure, cholesterol,
triglycerides, glucose and weight levels.
The study did show that CMI can dissipate over time in some
people. Earlier studies detected the syndrome in about 45
percent of returning Gulf War troops. But by ten years after the
war, the level was down to just below 30 percent.
Copyright © 2005 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The
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2 MNA: Tehran, Moscow to talk details of Russian nuclear proposal soon
TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) -- An informed source told the Mehr News
Agency that in telephone conversation between Iran’s Supreme
National Security Council Secretary (SNSC) Ali Larijani and the
Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov on Thursday the
two sides agreed to begin talks soon on joint Iran-Russia nuclear
enrichment project.
The proposal involves the creation of a joint Iranian-Russian
company to enrich uranium in Russia.
“In conversation between Mr. Larijani and Igor Ivanov first
there were some talks on the recent developments in the region
and then the Russian (nuclear) proposal was discussed in which
the Iranian side mentioned some problems and ambiguities with
the proposal,” the source said. “And it was agreed that the
views of the two sides to be discussed in future talks more
comprehensively and more transparently.”
Larijani and Ivanov agreed that the deputy head of the Russian
Security Council will visit Tehran soon to discuss the proposal,
the report said.
Earlier on Friday, Russia's Foreign Ministry announced Ivanov
had talked to Larijani on Thursday to discuss the Russian
proposal, Itar-Tass news agency reported.
According to the agency, Ivanov discussed "regulation of the
situation around the Iranian nuclear program".
"The telephone conversation occurred at the request of the
Iranian side," the agency quoted a ministry spokesman as saying.
Meanwhile, the SNSC Deputy Chairman Javad Vaeedi was quoted as
saying on Friday that Iran's agreement to discuss Moscow's plan
does not mean that Tehran has abandoned its drive to enrich
uranium on its own soil.
Vaeedi said Iran had only agreed to study Moscow's joint-venture
proposal on the assumption that it did not affect Iran's plans
to develop a full nuclear fuel cycle, including enrichment, at
home.
"Securing Iran's rights, based on the nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty, to enrich uranium on Iran's soil within the framework of
International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) regulations would be
the first assumption for assessing Russia's proposal," the Fars
news agency quoted him as saying.
Calling the Russian plan an "idea" he said: "Iran takes
seriously new proposals and ideas aimed at finding a peaceful
solution to its nuclear problem and can review them."
The United States on Thursday took a cautious stance on Tehran's
decision to examine a new nuclear proposal from Moscow, saying
it was too soon to tell if it was a step in the right direction.
"It is hard to say at this point what it means, frankly," said
State Department spokesman Adam Ereli. "At this point, I can't
say what the Iranians' intentions are."
"What we want to see, what the Russians want to see, what the
EU-3 wants to see and what the IAEA wants to see is an Iranian
cooperation," Ereli said. "Does this statement by this one
person constitute that? At this point, it's hard to say. We will
have to see."
"We have noted the public announcement by the Iranian
authorities marking their new readiness to seriously study these
Russian proposals," French foreign ministry spokesman Denis
Simmoneau told reporters Thursday.
"Time is now pressing and it is up to Iran to take the necessary
decisions to relaunch a negotiating process, in line with the
wishes of the international community."
Simonneau commented that the Russian proposal included "certain
interesting ideas that are in line with European proposals".
AV/RS/MS
End
MNA
© 2003-2005 Mehr News Agency
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3 MNA: Nuclear suspension discourages researchers - professor
TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) -- The continued suspension of Iran’s
nuclear research has discouraged the young nuclear researchers at
universities, nuclear engineer Mohammad-Hadi Hadavi said here on
Friday.
Hadavi told the Mehr News Agency that following the suspension,
students of nuclear sciences have become worried about their
future careers, adding, “This has had a negative influence on
scientific development and research in the country.
“While there is uncertainty about the possibility of
conducting nuclear research activities, we cannot expect the
students to continue their nuclear research enthusiastically.”
Hadavi said that scientific matters and nuclear research should
be separated from political issues, adding that nuclear research
has become lost in the haze of political and security issues and
therefore the students are not very interested in working in the
field.
The university professor also maintained that continuation of
the suspension would ruin the country’s capacity for nuclear
development.
RS/HG
End
MNA
© 2003-2005 Mehr News Agency
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4 MNA: Top MP urges Russia to speed up Bushehr nuclear plant project
TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) -- Majlis National Security and Foreign
Policy Committee Chairman Alaeddin Borujerdi said here on Friday
that there is growing international pressure on Russia to change
its policy toward Iran.
The U.S. and Europe are exerting great pressure on Russia since
it is cooperating extensively with Iran at the current juncture,
Borujerdi told the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA).
“Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors and
the G-8 has extensive cooperation with the West and therefore
faces great pressure for supporting Iran,” he said in
reference to Moscow’s opposition to the European Union
resolution against Iran at the recent IAEA Board session.
Pointing to Russia’s participation in constructing the Bushehr
nuclear power plant in Iran, Borujerdi said that the Iranian
nation has serious doubts about Russia’s goodwill.
“However, Iran has agreed to cooperate with Russia and expects
Moscow to show more determination in the face of external power
and to expedite the construction of the Bushehr power plant,”
he said.
The MP stressed that implementing the agreements made between
the two sides could lead to more positive developments in
bilateral ties.
Borujerdi noted that the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran is
preparing for a tender to construct two nuclear power plants in
Iran.
“There will be no limits to this tender and countries like
France, Germany and Britain can participate to gain more
confidence over the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear
activities,” he added.
On the concerns of Arab states over Iran’s nuclear program,
the MP said, “Iran has made great efforts to increase its
cooperation with Arab countries and to allay their concerns
about the nature of its nuclear activities, however, the U.S. is
provoking these countries against Iran through
misinformation.”
HL/MS
End
MNA
© 2003-2005 Mehr News Agency
*****************************************************************
5 MNA: Iran is NPT compliant - German official
TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) -- A member of the German parliament’s
foreign policy committee, Ruprecht Polenz, has said that Iran
presently complies with the NPT regulations, U.S. media reported
Thursday.
Polenz said Iran allows the International Atomic Energy Agency
inspectors to visit and control its nuclear installations but
the United States, the European Union, and Russia are trying to
prevent Iran from achieving the full nuclear fuel cycle.
“That is why the Russians have proposed to create a joint
Iranian-Russian facility to enrich uranium in Russia,” he
noted.
The German official also said the United States should clarify
when and under what circumstances it is going to improve its
ties with Iran.
The MP added that the United States has had military action
against Iran in mind for a long time but such action would have
detrimental consequences.
RS/HL/MS
End
MNA
© 2003-2005 Mehr News Agency
*****************************************************************
6 Guardian Unlimited: Russia's Nuclear Chief to Travel to Iran
From the Associated Press
[UP]
Friday December 30, 2005 4:17 PM
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's nuclear chief is set to travel to Iran in
February to discuss the completion of a Russian-built nuclear
plant and Moscow's proposals to enrich Iran's uranium on Russian
territory, officials said Friday.
Sergei Kiriyenko, head of the Federal Atomic Energy Agency, is
expected to focus on a schedule for the completion of the
Bushehr nuclear plant Russia is building in southern Iran, his
spokesman Sergei Novikov said.
``Issues relating to Russia's proposal to Iran to move its
enrichment program to Russian territory will be discussed as
well,'' Novikov told The Associated Press.
Iran initially had dismissed the Russian offer, but it softened
its stance Thursday when a top Iranian official said that his
nation was considering it.
The proposal backed by the European Union and the United States
is the centerpiece of global efforts to ensure that Iran cannot
build nuclear weapons. Shifting enrichment activities to Russia
would, in theory, make sure that uranium is enriched to a level
needed to fuel reactors but not sufficient for building an
atomic bomb.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
7 INSIDE JoongAng Daily: [EDITORIALS] Paving a path of peace
December 31, 2005 KST 15:54 (GMT+9)
The year 2006 is upon us. New Year's morn is usually a time to
extend good wishes and speak of hope and the future, but in the
past few years, our resolutions have been shattered by dark
shadows.
Our high hopes have been smashed year after year, as could be
seen in the slouched shoulders of our laid-off fathers, the
contracted form of our unemployed youth or the businessmen that
lack the will to invest. In spite of this, the reason we could
not afford to give up was because the blood and sweat we shed
under the rule of Japan and amidst the ruins of the Korean War
were too precious. We believed in the potential of our people,
who were able to catch up in half a century with the
industrialization and democracy that it took the West centuries
to accomplish. We may be lagging behind now due to the aftermath
of such rapid achievements but if we can gather the will of the
people, we will be able to drive forward again. If politicians
can not play that role, the people should take it upon
themselves to step forward.
Petty ideological conflicts must end in the new year, as well
as relationships with North Korea that lean toward one-sided
concession and romanticized nationalism. Even if we support
North Korea, we must point out problems such as human rights
abuses and counterfeiting of money. Although we must cooperate
with the United States to solve the North's nuclear problem, we
have to maintain a sense of balance so that we can restrain its
hardline policy toward North Korea.
The JoongAng Ilbo hopes to rebuild confidence in a society where
trust has fallen and to contribute what little it can to piecing
together a society that has been ripped-apart. It will open the
floor of public debate so that the community can walk a path of
peace and prosperity.
2005.12.30
Copyright by Joins.com, Inc. Terms of Use |
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8 Korea Herald: Dim prospects for nuke talks
2006.01.01
Six parties expected to lock horns over details
By Lee Joo-hee
The New Year is beginning in a grave and serious atmosphere for
member nations of the six party talks on the North Korean
nuclear issue. Pyongyang is sticking to its firm denial of
allegations from the United States about illegal activities, and
continues to ignore rising international calls for its human
rights record to be addressed.
The United States and North Korea, meanwhile, hurl invective at
each other, further darkening the prospects of an early
resumption of negotiations.
With behind-the-scenes contacts actively attempting to narrow
the differences between Washington and Pyongyang - the two most
hostile negotiating partners - South Korea remains calm,
emphasizing its belief that the six party framework will be
maintained no matter what.
"We need to consider how the situation was a year ago. We must
return to the basics and think about the fundamentals," a
high-ranking government official told The Korea Herald on
condition of anonymity.
The South Korean government believes that despite the latest
obstacles, a key development was achieved with the Joint
Agreement of principles on Sept. 19, when North Korea made a
multilateral pledge to dismantle all nuclear programs in return
for economic aid, the normalization of diplomatic ties and
security guarantees.
Just seven months before the epochal agreement, North Korea
pushed the talks to the brink of total collapse by announcing
that it already possessed nuclear weapons.
Resuming the second installment of the fifth round of nuclear
talks is crucial and the parties should be ready to return with
wisdom to negotiate for a consensus, the government official
said.
In 2006 the six members including the two Koreas, the United
States, China, Japan and Russia are likely to continue locking
horns over the details of their negotiations on implementation
but will not be abandoning the fundamental principles already
agreed, experts say.
"As the core discussion point in the future is related to who
will do what first, North Korea will be demanding visible
measures such as a suspension of various sanctions, security of
its peaceful use of nuclear energy such as the light water
reactor, while the United States will continue demanding a
verifiable action by the North in its pledge to dismantle all
nuclear programs," the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National
Security said in its annual report on prospects for year 2006.
The report said under such circumstances, the roles of South
Korea and China will continue to be highlighted in their efforts
to prevent further delays and seek progress towards solving the
nuclear standoff. It said Japan and Russia will continue to play
a limited or an observer role in the process.
The most pressing area of concern is the recent financial clash
between Washington and Pyongyang.
"The United States will be trying to include among its
Proliferation Security Initiative illicit activities including
money counterfeiting, drug dealing and others, and will be
seeking closer cooperation from such countries as China, South
Korea and Japan that are considered the transiting regions for
such activities," the IFANS report said.
In response, North Korea is likely to claim the initiative is
aimed at overthrowing its regime and it is possible they will
continue to link the quarrel with the nuclear talks.
The latest controversy came after Washington banned American
financial institutions from doing business with Banco Delta
Asia, a Macau-based bank, for allegedly helping the North Korean
government circulate counterfeit money.
The South Korean government remains optimistic that the issue
could stretch into a long-term controversy but not necessarily
be linked to the six-party talks.
When China's investigation into the bank's alleged activity is
concluded, the matter could effectively be relegated to the
status of a problem regarding international law rather than
remain a major sticking point between Washington and Pyongyang.
It is unlikely the United States will impose sanctions on any
other bank in China since such a move could easily provoke
Beijing, sources said.
China, the North's closest neighbor, is apparently weighing the
implications of how to reveal the results of its investigation.
Beijing's conclusions may affect the future stance of Pyongyang,
well known to be highly sensitive over allegations by
Washington.
All in all, South Korea is likely to continue echoing the
fundamental goals of drawing up an implementation timetable and
prevent the other members from deviating from the main purpose,
which is directly linked to securing a peaceful structure on the
Korean peninsula.
(angiely@heraldm.com)
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9 BBC: Former Russian minister deported
Last Updated: Friday, 30 December 2005
[Yevgeny Adamov]
Yevgeny Adamov has denied the charges against him
Russia's former nuclear energy minister has been extradited to
face corruption charges in his homeland, rather than the US,
where he is also wanted.
The Supreme Court in Switzerland, where Yevgeny Adamov was being
held, this week overturned an earlier ruling to hand him to the
US.
The US accuses Mr Adamov of embezzling up to $9m (Ł5.2m) it gave
to improve security at Russian nuclear facilities.
Moscow filed its own extradition request shortly after the US.
Mr Adamov, who was held on a US warrant in Bern in May, will now
face charges in Russia of embezzling $17m (Ł9.8m).
Russia was fighting for Mr Adamov to be returned for fear that
his detailed knowledge of the country's nuclear weapons programme
could fall into US hands.
The nuclear physicist, who was Russia's atomic energy minister
from 1998 to 2001, accepts his extradition to his homeland but
continues to deny the charges.
Mr Adamov was flown out of Zurich airport late on Friday aboard a
specially chartered Russian jet, the Swiss justice ministry said.
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10 Brooks Bulletin: Trend of higher energy costs forcing Canadians back into
conservation mode
Canada National News -
Friday, December 30, 2005
The Brooks Bulletin P.O. Box 1450 Brooks, Alberta T1R 1C3
Tel: (403) 362-5571 Fax: (403) 362-5080
[Local resident Nathalie Racine fills her car as the price
for regular gas is at 167.4 cents a litre, Sept. 22, 2005 in
Quebec City. (CP/Jacques Boissinot)]
Local resident Nathalie Racine fills her car as the price
for regular gas is at 167.4 cents a litre, Sept. 22, 2005 in
Quebec City. (CP/Jacques Boissinot)
STEVE ERWIN
Friday, December 30, 2005
(CP) - Brent Lyon, a Vancouver office worker, used to comb
through newspaper ads to find bargains on groceries and other
items outside of the city. Sky-high gas prices changed all that.
Driving for a bargain is no longer a deal with gasoline so
expensive, he says.
"You realize you're paying a buck for every 10 kilometres ... so
you don't want to drive far to get anything," says Lyon.
His family of four also makes occasional trips 28 hours north to
the tiny village of Iskit in northern B.C. to visit relatives.
Instead of taking the family car, they now hop into the cab of a
trucker they know to make the trip cheaper.
"There are a lot of cultural things that have changed," Lyon
says of a year that saw gas prices soar. "Where you'd drive
around Canada or wherever you need to go for your holidays,
there's a damper put on that."
The cost of filling up a car impacted consumers across the
country in 2005, while electricity bills are poised to soar in
the year to come in several provinces as utilities look to
recover costs from a high-demand, low-supply summer. Canadians
across the country are facing higher home heating bills with
natural gas and oil costs rising around the globe.
But across Canada, the potential for conservation remains
largely untapped with few Canadians taking conservation as
seriously as people like Brent Lyon, says Kevin Pegg, president
of Vancouver-based Energy Alternatives, which supplies solar
power and other off-the-grid products for homes and businesses.
Last summer, as motorists raged over gasoline costs that
surpassed the $1-per-litre mark, there wasn't much evidence
Canadians were leaving their cars at home.
But Canadians will be forced into conservation efforts as their
bills continue to rise, Pegg says. Bigger bills reinforce the
need to conserve energy - taking the bus more often, turning off
the lights when leaving a room, and lowering the thermostat.
"Anyone who thinks energy is going to get cheaper is deluding
themselves. As we pay more for energy, we will start being more
aware of this," Pegg says.
Down the road, motorists will have more opportunities to steer
away from the pumps once fuel-cell vehicles hit the market.
They'll have engines powered by combining hydrogen and oxygen to
produce water and heat. But they're not expected to be mass
produced until 2015, when hydrogen stations are available and
the cars prove to be efficient and affordable.
"The key drivers are going to be performance and cost," says
John Tak, president of industry lobby group Fuel Cells Canada.
"Consumers will want a new car that performs the same or better,
reduces their fuel consumption and improves air quality."
Pegg argues governments should be providing more incentives to
consumers that encourage them to conserve energy. He says that
for every dollar a consumer saves on energy efficiency, it saves
five dollars in generation.
"With proper policies and incentives put in place, we could cut
our energy consumption by at least a third in Canada for far
less cost than it would be to develop new power plants," he says.
Studies suggest, for example, that if just four compact
fluorescent lightbulbs were put in place in each of Ontario's
4.5 million homes and apartments, the province could shut down
one 200-megawatt coal-fired plant.
In 2005, hydro bills varied wildly depending on the province.
B.C., Manitoba and Quebec remained three of the world's most
affordable jurisdictions when it comes to electricity, with
adequate supply covering demand.
But a summer heatwave had air conditioners running full tilt in
Ontario, which along with New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Nova Scotia
are looking to boost supply - including controversial nuclear
power expansions - to meet future demand. Hydro rates are
expected to jump in those jurisdictions next year.
Consumers worrying that their bills will further balloon have
the power, however, to mitigate market factors they can't
control.
Are they doing enough?
"No, absolutely not," says Ontario Energy Minister Donna
Cansfield, who recently introduced legislation urging the
province to trim consumption. "There's certainly a lot more they
could do around their own personal behaviour with conservation.
I sometimes think that individuals think, 'if I do it, what
difference will it make?'
"But the whole idea is, collectively when we all do it, it makes
a huge difference."
In Smith Falls, Ont., Tracey Clark and her husband prepared for
winter by sealing windows and doors and switching to more
energy-efficient lightbulbs.
Clark, mother of a 10-month-old boy, says taking steps to
conserve energy takes time, but can be made part of a daily
routine.
"It's so easy to walk out the door and your whole house is
ablaze with lights," says Clark. "You have to make a conscious
effort when you're leaving the room to flick the light off and
once you do it for a while, it just becomes habit."
-
Some guidelines on how to save reduce bills for your car and
home:
-Be a fuel-efficient driver. Aggressive driving and speeding can
increase your fuel consumption by as much as 35 per cent.
Slowing down, giving yourself more time and planning your routes
ahead of time are just a few of the many things you can do to
save money and fuel.
-Kick the idling habit. It's bad for your wallet, your vehicle,
the environment and the health of people around you. Contrary to
popular belief, the best way to warm up your car is to drive it
at a moderate speed. Idling for 10 minutes a day produces almost
a quarter-tonne of carbon dioxide emissions and costs you more
than $80 every year.
-Lower your thermostat. For every 1 degree C that you lower your
thermostat, you save two per cent on your heating bill. If you
reduce it by 3 degrees C at night and when you are away during
the day, you'll get optimal savings.
-Use more efficient light bulbs. By replacing five of the most
used standard bulbs in your home with quality, compact
fluorescent light bulbs, you can save about $30 each year.
-Save water in the kitchen and bathroom. Avoid running the tap
while shaving, brushing your teeth or doing dishes. Also, take a
quick shower instead of a bath. A five-minute shower, for
example, uses up to 50 per cent less hot water than a bath.
-Change your laundry cycle. Washing in warm rather than hot
water, and rinsing in cold water, uses 50 per cent less energy.
Your clothes will come out just as clean and well rinsed.
Source: Natural Resources Canada
© The Canadian Press, 2005
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11 MNA: Moscow's historic opportunity
By Parviz Esmaeili
Moscow’s historic opportunity
TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (MNA) -- A few months after President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad presented a new nuclear proposal at the UN General
Assembly and after two months of media speculation, Russia
finally presented the Iranian Embassy in Moscow a one-page letter
proposing the establishment of a joint Iranian-Russian consortium
to enrich Iran’s uranium on Russian soil.
Iranian nuclear officials have announced that Moscow’s
proposal can be studied, thus opening a new chapter in the
nuclear issue.
However, various factors should be taken into consideration if
the new plan is to produce favorable results for Moscow and
Tehran:
A. A review of Iran’s nuclear dossier over the past three
years shows that Tehran has pursued a three-faceted strategy to
clear up the international community’s ambiguities over its
nuclear activities in a peaceful manner. First, it has
cooperated transparently with the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) on technical and legal issues, in line with
international law. Second, it has respected international
concerns over the worldwide proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction and observed its commitments as stipulated in the
IAEA Charter, the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and
the safeguards agreements. And third, it has refused to renounce
its sovereignty and its international right to the peaceful
utilization of nuclear energy, which has been recognized by
international treaties for all nations and those country’s
future generations.
It should also be noted that Iran pursued a patient policy of
mutual understanding in its nuclear negotiations with the
European Union until August 5, when Europe offered a proposal in
overt violation of international law that infringed upon the
rights of the Iranian nation.
B. And now, although the plan “to establish a Russian-Iranian
uranium enrichment facility on Russian soil” is not quite
logical and should have at least stated “on both Iranian and
Russian territories”, it seems that, from the viewpoint of
Iran, this “unclear proposal on paper” could turn into a
“viable agreement” that would satisfy both sides.
Iran now believes that an agreement with Russia can only be
reached if there is a way to guarantee that neither side will
divert activities toward a nuclear weapons program and will
remain committed to the NPT and if Iran’s obvious right to
develop its indigenous nuclear technology for peaceful purposes,
in line with the IAEA Charter and the NPT, is recognized.
C. The positive aspects of the Russian proposal that have
encouraged Iran to give an optimistic, although conditional,
response to the plan are:
(1) Russia has been Iran’s main and unrivalled partner in the
construction of nuclear reactors since France and Germany both
reneged on their commitments to build light water nuclear
reactors in Iran. Naturally, since Iran needs to construct at
least 20 more nuclear power plants, an appropriate approach by
Russia at this juncture could provide a greater opportunity for
it to continue its cooperation with Iran.
(2) Russia has always recognized Iran’s right to make use of
nuclear energy in line with NPT regulations and, like the IAEA,
has always deemed Iran’s nuclear activities peaceful.
(3) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s recent remarks,
in which he said that the NPT is too big to be politicized,
shows that at this juncture Russia, as the only member of the UN
Security Council that Iran can trust, is not acting politically
and is seeking to boost the level of its cooperation with the
Islamic Republic and Iran’s indigenous and peaceful nuclear
capabilities.
Of course, if Moscow proves that it is acting in line with NPT
regulations, it will raise Russia’s profile in relation to the
United States, Britain, France, and China in the international
arena.
(4) Moscow now has another great opportunity to eliminate
Iranians’ historical distrust of Russians and gain Iranians’
confidence. Moscow cannot forget the failure of the European
Union in the Iran–EU negotiations of the past two years.
D. The situation is favorable for Russia to bloom again as a
major power in the world if it does the following:
(1) According to current agreements, Russia has pledged to
transfer fuel to Iran and start up the Bushehr nuclear power
plant. As long as Russia does not honor its commitments to Iran,
it cannot expect Iran to trust it in any new deals.
(2) Since promoting and strengthening ties with Iran is in
Russia’s long-term and strategic interests, their proposal,
which is a short-term one, must guarantee nuclear development
and research, technology transfer, and peaceful cooperation in a
greatly expanded framework.
(3) The Russian proposal refers to “temporary” enrichment on
Russian soil, which is a positive point, but one cannot expect a
major power like Russia to make a mistake in its strategic
calculations, overlook its long-term interests, and view an
important matter like uranium enrichment as temporary.
(4) The most important criteria for the examination and success
of the Russian proposal are undoubtedly the level of Iran’s
participation and, in fact, Iran’s share of technical,
financial, and proprietary aspects in the proposal.
(5) Moscow knows better than Tehran that if it tries to mix up
its nuclear talks with Tehran with the Iran-EU negotiations and
with Iran’s relations with the IAEA, that would be the coup de
grace ending the Russian proposal.
(6) In contrast to the remarks of Russian Duma International
Affairs Committee Deputy Chairman Konstantin Kosachev, who said
that the Russian proposal is the “only solution”, Iran has
various solutions in mind, but prefers not to avail itself of
them due to Moscow’s logical and respectful approach.
Will Russia lose this historic opportunity to gain Iranians’
confidence and bloom again in the international arena?
HL/RS/HG
End
MNA
© 2003-2005 Mehr News Agency
*****************************************************************
12 Guardian Unlimited: Extradition of Russian Official Ordered
From the Associated Press
[UP]
Friday December 30, 2005 12:47 PM
AP Photo MOSB112
By URS-PETER INDERBITZIN
Associated Press Writer
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - Switzerland's top court ordered the
extradition of Russia's former nuclear minister to his homeland
instead of the United States, where he's been indicted for
allegedly diverting $9 million in U.S. aid money to his
businesses.
Yevgeny Adamov was arrested May 2 in the Swiss capital, Bern, on
a U.S. warrant accusing him of diverting the Department of
Energy money intended to improve Russian nuclear security into
private projects in the U.S., Ukraine and Russia.
Adamov has been indicted by a grand jury in Pittsburgh on
charges of conspiracy to transfer stolen money and securities,
conspiracy to defraud the United States, money laundering and
tax evasion.
In ordering Adamov home, Switzerland's supreme court overturned
a ruling by the Justice Ministry that Adamov first face the U.S.
courts. The Swiss court made its ruling Dec. 22 but it was made
public on Thursday.
U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said the United States was
disappointed, but ``we intend to honor any requests for
cooperation from Russian prosecutors.''
The Lausanne-based court said Adamov should be tried at home
because he is a Russian citizen and the crimes he is accused of
were committed in his homeland rather than in the United States.
``With extradition to Russia, it can be guaranteed that the
crimes under investigation will be examined for overall judgment
in the country primarily affected,'' the court said.
Adamov was appointed atomic energy minister in 1998 but came
under criticism in connection with corruption allegations.
In 2001, the anti-corruption committee of Russia's State Duma,
or lower house of parliament, accused Adamov of illegally
setting up companies inside and outside Russia, including a
consulting firm called Omeka registered in Monroeville, Pa.
Adamov, who has spent eight months in jail awaiting an
extradition ruling, was ``delighted and satisfied'' by the
decision, his lawyer Stefan Wehrenberg said.
Wehrenberg said Switzerland has 15 days from Friday to send
Adamov back to Russia, although the court ruling did not specify
how long authorities have to carry out the extradition.
Adamov was dismissed from his post in March 2001 in a Cabinet
reshuffle by President Vladimir Putin.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
*****************************************************************
13 NRC: NRC Approves Certification of Westinghouse’s AP1000 Advanced Reactor Design
News Release - 2005-16
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200
Washington, DC 20555-0001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov
No. 05-168 December 30, 2005
design certification rule for the AP1000 advanced reactor
design, submitted by Westinghouse Electric Co. in March 2002.
The certification, which will be contained in the NRCs amended
regulations, will be the fourth issued under the agency's new
reactor licensing process for standard design certification and
will be valid for 15 years. The Commissions action is subject to
the approval of the information collection requirements by the
Office of Management and Budget.
Several utilities have said theyre interested in applying for
licenses to build new reactors, said Jim Dyer, Director of the
NRCs Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. Once this design
certification is published as a final rule, a utility can
reference the AP1000 in a combined license application.
With a certified design rule, safety issues within the scope of
the design are not subject to litigation, although site-specific
environmental impacts associated with building and operating the
plant at a particular location are. No applications for a
combined license referencing the AP1000 have been filed with the
NRC.
The NRC issued the proposed AP1000 design certification rule in
April 2005, inviting the public to submit comments on the AP1000
design control document, the proposed rule and the environmental
assessment. The rule certifying the AP1000 design will become
effective 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register.
The NRC issued a final design approval for the AP1000 in
September 2004, setting the stage for the certification
rulemaking. Further information on the AP1000 review can be
found on the NRCs web site at this address:
http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/new-licensing/design-cert/ap1000.html
.
Last revised Friday, December 30, 2005
*****************************************************************
14 Rutland Herald: Vermont Yankee has full plate for the new year
Rutland Vermont News & Information
December 30, 2005
By DAVID GRAM The Associated Press
MONTPELIER — Seeking to boost its power output, expand its
nuclear waste storage capabilities and add 20 years to its
license, the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is looking forward to
a busy 2006.
"At some point, all three of them will be under consideration at
the same time," Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Diane
Screnci said. The NRC only reviews two of the major projects
Vermont Yankee has on its plate — the 20 percent power increase
and relicensing.
Dry cask storage — the plant's plan to store highly radioactive
nuclear waste in concrete and steel casks on its grounds in
Vernon — needs only to get approval from the state Public
Service Board, which could issue a decision by April. The casks
themselves already have a generic license from the NRC.
Jay Thayer, plant owner Entergy Nuclear's site vice president
and top executive at its Vermont facility, said in an interview
that Vermont Yankee has separate teams working on the power
increase, dry cask storage and license extension.
"We really look at them as independent projects," Thayer said.
"We don't think the overlap (in timing) really has any effect
one way or another."
Screnci said she saw at least one link besides the close timing
of the plant's projects. "If they're going to have license
renewal, they're going to need a place to store spent fuel."
Raymond Shadis, technical adviser with the New England
Coalition, a nuclear watchdog group, maintained in an interview
that the power boost is closely related to dry cask storage as
well.
"If you have to go to such extreme lengths to store it
(radioactive waste), how do you justify making 20 percent more
of it per year?" Shadis asked.
Vermont Yankee will run out of room in its spent fuel pool to
store waste by 2008 and will have to shut down if it can't
expand waste storage, Thayer said.
Vermont Yankee had hoped by now to have approval for its
proposed 20 percent power increase in hand by last January; it
just cleared a key regulatory hurdle earlier this month and is
expected to get final approval from the NRC in February.
The plan for an "uprate," as such a power increase is known in
nuclear industry and regulatory circles, has run into tough
scrutiny from nuclear watchdog groups. And the state Department
of Public Service has questioned whether, after the uprate,
enough cold water could be pumped into the reactor in an
accident to cool it or if steam bubbles might form that could
interfere with that.
Before Vermont Yankee expects final approval for the power
increase, it will formally apply to the NRC for permission to
add 20 years to its license, which currently is set to expire in
2012, when the reactor hits 40 years old.
Thayer said a team from Vermont Yankee and Entergy had been
working for two years to prepare the application for the license
extension.
The New England Coalition and other groups critical of nuclear
power say they are gearing up for a big fight over relicensing.
Shadis, who is not a lawyer, represented NEC in recent state and
federal hearings on the power boost and state hearings on dry
cask storage.
For the relicensing fight, the Coalition has decided to hire a
lawyer, as well as technical experts. It recently launched a
$350,000 fund-raising campaign to help in those efforts.
It's a sure bet that NEC and Vermont Yankee will be striving to
paint very different pictures of the plant as the regulatory
processes go forward.
NEC board member Scott Ainslie called Vermont Yankee "our
Katrina. That plant is the only threat to our homes, lives and
businesses that could throw this region into the sort of chaos
and destruction we see today on our Gulf Coast and in New
Orleans."
Thayer pointed to the costs of power from the plant — a relative
bargain in the New England energy market. Vermont's two largest
utilities, Central Vermont Public Service and Green Mountain
Power, saved about $60 million from the market price for power
during the first 11 months of this year, because of a contract
they have to buy power from the Vernon reactor, Thayer said. The
savings for all the electric companies around the region that
get Vermont Yankee power was a combined $110 million, he said.
*****************************************************************
15 Belfast Telegraph: Come clean on nuclear plans - call
By Ashleigh Wallace 30 December 2005
A cross-border group set up to represent the views of local
councils on nuclear issues has written to Secretary of State
Peter Hain requesting clarity on whether power stations will be
built here in the future.
The All Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities Forum - which was
set up in September to represent the views of councils on both
sides of the border - has sent a letter to Mr Hain asking him to
state his position on the possibility of power stations being
built in Ulster.
Mr Hain, who is also Secretary of State for Wales, has already
gone on record stating he would not support plans for nuclear
stations in Wales.
He has also expressing hopes that the nuclear industry be phased
out in favour of renewable energy sources.
However, the Forum is concerned that the devolved
administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales may be
forced by Prime Minister Tony Blair to build power stations.
Councillor Margaret Ritchie from Down District Council, who is a
member of the All-Ireland Forum, said: "The strategic energy
framework for Northern Ireland, which was published in June 2004
following extensive consultation, emphasises the role that
renewable energy can play in meeting Northern Ireland's energy
needs.
"There is absolutely no good reason why this should change, just
because Tony Blair has been seduced by the nuclear lobby into
calling yet another energy review."
© 2005 Independent News and Media (NI)
*****************************************************************
16 Pittsburgh Business Times: NRC OKs Westinghouse nuclear plant design -
2005-12-30
Westinghouse Electric Co.'s nuclear plant design using
pressurized water was approved Friday by the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, a move the company said could lead to the first
construction of a nuclear power plant in the United States since
before the Three Mile Island accident in 1979.
Pittsburgh-based Westinghouse's Advanced Passive 1000 nuclear
plant design uses pressurized water to fire the plant. France's
Areva also has a pressurized-water design, while General
Electric Co.uses a boiling water model.
In a statement, Westinghouse senior vice president Daniel Lipman
said the action was a positive step.
"Westinghouse is certainly pleased to have achieved this latest
milestone for the AP1000, and we look forward to working with
utilities both in the U.S. and worldwide to build this advanced,
inherently safe plant," Lipman said.
Using the AP1000, Westinghouse is leading a consortium that is
bidding to build four nuclear reactors in China, a deal that
could be worth $6 billion.
If the Westinghouse group wins the China bid, it's anticipated
the work would preserve and create some 4,000 to 5,000 jobs in
the United States, much of it in Western Pennsylvania.
Westinghouse officials recently said they had no idea when China
would decide on a vendor or vendors for the plants in the cities
of Sanmen and Yangjiang. Chinese officials have said the
decision, originally expected by the end of 2005, would be
delayed into 2006.
Areva is also bidding for the China project.
In October, the Duke Power Co., a division of Charlotte,
N.C.-based Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE:DUK), contracted with
Westinghouse to have two AP1000 reactors built.
The U.S. hasn't built a reactor since prior to the failure of a
unit at Three Mile Island in 1979. A fire at Ukraine's Chernobyl
reactor in 1986 also heightened safety concerns.
The U.S. government has said it aims to begin building new
reactors around 2010.
Westinghouse is also competing to build new reactors for the
United Kingdom, although Areva is said to be the front-runner.
Westinghouse, founded in 1886 in Pittsburgh by George
Westinghouse, was acquired in 1998 by British government-owned
BNFLfrom CBS Corp.for almost $1.2 billion, including $238
million in cash.
BNFL is now seeking to sell Westinghouse. Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries Ltd.and Toshiba Corp.have submitted bids.
© 2005 American City Business Journals Inc. Add RSS Headlines
*****************************************************************
17 NRC: Duke Energy Corporation; Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and
FR Doc E5-8141
[Federal Register: December 30, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 250)]
[Notices] [Page 77428-77429] From the Federal Register Online via
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30de05-94]
3; Notice of Consideration of Approval of Application Regarding
Proposed Corporate Restructuring and Conforming Amendments, and
Opportunity for a Hearing The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(the Commission) is considering the issuance of an order under 10
CFR 50.80 and 72.50 approving the indirect transfer of Facility
Operating Licenses Nos. DPR-38, DPR-47, and DPR-55 and NRC
Materials License No.
SNM-2503 for the Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3,
currently held by Duke Energy Corporation, as owner and licensed
operator of Oconee Nuclear Station, Units 1, 2, and 3. The
indirect transfer would be to a new holding company to be named
Duke Energy Corporation. The Commission is also considering
amending the licenses for administrative purposes to reflect the
proposed change of the name of the licensee from Duke Energy
Corporation to Duke Power Company LLC.
According to an application for approval filed by Duke Energy
Corporation, following approval of the proposed indirect license
transfers, a new holding company would be created to become the
parent of the licensee. No physical changes to the Oconee Nuclear
Station, Units 1, 2, and 3, facility or ISFSI or operational
changes are being proposed in the application.
The proposed amendments would reflect the proposed change in the
name of the licensee from Duke Energy Corporation to Duke Power
Company LLC, following the licensee's conversion from a
corporation to a limited liability company. Although the Part 50
licenses contain antitrust conditions, there are no proposed
changes to these conditions.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.80 and 10 CFR 72.50, no license, or any
right thereunder, shall be transferred, directly or indirectly,
through transfer of control of the license, unless the Commission
shall give its consent in writing. The Commission will approve an
application for the indirect transfer of a license, if the
Commission determines that the proposed underlying transaction
resulting in the indirect transfer will not affect the
qualifications of the holder of the license, and that the
indirect transfer is otherwise consistent with applicable
provisions of law, regulations, and orders issued by the
Commission pursuant thereto.
Before issuance of the proposed conforming license amendments,
the Commission will have made findings required by the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's
regulations.
As provided in 10 CFR 2.1315, unless otherwise determined by the
Commission with regard to a specific application, the Commission
has determined that any amendment to the license of a utilization
facility or to the license of an independent spent fuel storage
installation which does no more than conform the license to
reflect the indirect transfer action involves no significant
hazards consideration or no genuine issue as to whether the
health and safety of the public will be significantly affected.
No contrary determination has been made with respect to this
specific license amendment application. In light of the generic
determination reflected in 10 CFR 2.1315, no public comments with
respect to significant hazards considerations are being
solicited, notwithstanding the general comment procedures
contained in 10 CFR 50.91. The filing of requests for hearing and
petitions for leave to intervene, and written comments with
regard to the license transfer application, are discussed below.
Within 20 days from the date of publication of this notice, any
person whose interest may be affected by the Commission's action
on the application may request a hearing and, if not the
applicant, may petition for leave to intervene in a hearing
proceeding on the Commission's action. Requests for a hearing and
petitions for leave to intervene should be filed in accordance
with the Commission's rules of practice set forth in Subpart C
``Rules of General Applicability: Hearing Requests, Petitions to
Intervene, Availability of Documents, Selection of Specific
Hearing Procedures, Presiding Officer Powers, and General Hearing
Management for NRC Adjudicatory Hearings,'' of 10 CFR Part 2. In
particular, such requests and petitions must comply with the
requirements set forth in 10 CFR 2.309. Untimely requests and
petitions may be denied, as provided in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1),
unless good cause for failure to file on time is established. In
addition, an untimely request or petition should address the
factors that the Commission will also consider, in reviewing
untimely requests or petitions, set forth in 10 CFR
2.309(c)(1)(i)-(viii). Requests for a hearing and petitions for
leave to intervene should be served upon Timika Shafeek-Horton,
Assistant General Counsel, Duke Energy Law Department, Mail Code
EC07H-7109, P.O. Box 1006, 526 South Church St., Charlotte, NC
28201-1006, (704) 382-6373, (704) 382-6056 fax; the General
Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-0001 (e-mail address for filings regarding license transfer
cases only: ); and the Secretary of the Commission, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555- 0001, Attention:
Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, in accordance with 10 CFR
2.302 and 2.305. The Commission will issue a notice or order
granting or denying a hearing
[[Page 77429]] request or intervention petition, designating the
issues for any hearing that will be held and designating the
Presiding Officer.
A notice granting a hearing will be published in the Federal
Register and served on the parties to the hearing.
As an alternative to requests for hearing and petitions to
intervene, within 30 days from the date of publication of this
notice, persons may submit written comments regarding the
indirect license transfer application, as provided for in 10 CFR
2.1305. The Commission will consider and, if appropriate, respond
to these comments, but such comments will not otherwise
constitute part of the decisional record. Comments should be
submitted to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and
Adjudications Staff, and should cite the publication date and
page number of this Federal Register notice.
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application dated August 5, 2005, available for public inspection
at the Commission's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One
White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records
will be accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System's (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading
Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, . Persons who do not
have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference
staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by e-mail
to .
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of December 2005.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Leonard N. Olshan, Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch
II-1, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E5-8141 Filed 12-29-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
*****************************************************************
18 NRC: Duke Energy Corporation; McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2;
FR Doc E5-8145
[Federal Register: December 30, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 250)]
[Notices] [Page 77429-77430] From the Federal Register Online via
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30de05-95]
Notice of Consideration of Approval of Application Regarding
Proposed Corporate Restructuring and Conforming Amendments, and
Opportunity for a Hearing The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(the Commission) is considering the issuance of an order under 10
CFR 50.80 approving the indirect transfer of Facility Operating
Licenses Nos. NPF-9 and NPF-17 for the McGuire Nuclear Station,
Units 1 and 2, currently held by Duke Energy Corporation, as
owner and licensed operator of McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1
and 2. The indirect transfer would be to a new holding company to
be named Duke Energy Corporation. The Commission is also
considering amending the licenses for administrative purposes to
reflect the proposed change of the name of the licensee from Duke
Energy Corporation to Duke Power Company LLC.
According to an application for approval filed by Duke Energy
Corporation, following approval of the proposed indirect license
transfers, a new holding company would be created to become the
parent of the licensee. No physical changes to the McGuire
Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, facility or operational changes
are being proposed in the application.
The proposed amendments would reflect the proposed change in the
name of the licensee from Duke Energy Corporation to Duke Power
Company LLC, following the licensee's conversion from a
corporation to a limited liability company. Although the licenses
contain antitrust license conditions, there are no proposed
changes to these conditions.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.80, no license, or any right thereunder,
shall be transferred, directly or indirectly, through transfer of
control of the license, unless the Commission shall give its
consent in writing. The Commission will approve an application
for the indirect transfer of a license, if the Commission
determines that the proposed underlying transaction resulting in
the indirect transfer will not affect the qualifications of the
holder of the license, and that the indirect transfer is
otherwise consistent with applicable provisions of law,
regulations, and orders issued by the Commission pursuant
thereto.
Before issuance of the proposed conforming license amendments,
the Commission will have made findings required by the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's
regulations.
As provided in 10 CFR 2.1315, unless otherwise determined by the
Commission with regard to a specific application, the Commission
has determined that any amendment to the license of a utilization
facility which does no more than conform the license to reflect
the indirect transfer action involves no significant hazards
consideration.
No contrary determination has been made with respect to this
specific license amendment application. In light of the generic
determination reflected in 10 CFR 2.1315, no public comments with
respect to significant hazards considerations are being
solicited, notwithstanding the general comment procedures
contained in 10 CFR 50.91. The filing of requests for hearing and
petitions for leave to intervene, and written comments with
regard to the license transfer application, are discussed below.
Within 20 days from the date of publication of this notice, any
person whose interest may be affected by the Commission's action
on the application may request a hearing and, if not the
applicant, may petition for leave to intervene in a hearing
proceeding on the Commission's action. Requests for a hearing and
petitions for leave to intervene should be filed in accordance
with the Commission's rules of practice set forth in Subpart C
``Rules of General Applicability: Hearing Requests, Petitions to
Intervene, Availability of Documents, Selection of Specific
Hearing Procedures, Presiding Officer Powers, and General Hearing
Management for NRC Adjudicatory Hearings,'' of 10 CFR part 2. In
particular, such requests and petitions must comply with the
requirements set forth in 10 CFR 2.309. Untimely requests and
petitions may be denied, as provided in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1),
unless good cause for failure to file on time is established. In
addition, an untimely request or petition should address the
factors that the Commission will also consider, in reviewing
untimely requests or petitions, set forth in 10 CFR
2.309(c)(1)(i)-(viii). Requests for a hearing and petitions for
leave to intervene should be served upon Timika Shafeek-Horton,
Assistant General Counsel, Duke Energy Law Department, Mail Code
EC07H-7109, P.O. Box 1006, 526 South Church St., Charlotte, NC
28201-1006, (704) 382-6373, (704) 382-6056 (fax); the General
Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC
20555-
[[Page 77430]] 0001 (e-mail address for filings regarding license
transfer cases only: ); and the Secretary of the Commission, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001,
Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, in accordance
with 10 CFR 2.302 and 2.305. The Commission will issue a notice
or order granting or denying a hearing request or intervention
petition, designating the issues for any hearing that will be
held and designating the Presiding Officer. A notice granting a
hearing will be published in the Federal Register and served on
the parties to the hearing.
As an alternative to requests for hearing and petitions to
intervene, within 30 days from the date of publication of this
notice, persons may submit written comments regarding the
indirect license transfer application, as provided for in 10 CFR
2.1305. The Commission will consider and, if appropriate, respond
to these comments, but such comments will not otherwise
constitute part of the decisional record. Comments should be
submitted to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and
Adjudications Staff, and should cite the publication date and
page number of this Federal Register notice.
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application dated August 5, 2005, available for public inspection
at the Commission's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One
White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records
will be accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System's (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading
Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, . Persons who do not
have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference
staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by e-mail
to .
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of December, 2005.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John Stang, Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch II-1,
Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E5-8145 Filed 12-29-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
*****************************************************************
19 NRC: Duke Energy Corporation; Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2;
FR Doc E5-8148
[Federal Register: December 30, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 250)]
[Notices] [Page 77430-77431] From the Federal Register Online via
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30de05-96]
Notice of Consideration of Approval of Application Regarding
Proposed Corporate Restructuring and Conforming Amendments, and
Opportunity for a Hearing The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(the Commission) is considering the issuance of an order under 10
CFR 50.80 approving the indirect transfer of Facility Operating
Licenses Nos. NPF-35 and NPF-52 for the Catawba Nuclear Station,
Units 1 and 2, to the extent currently held by Duke Energy
Corporation, as co-owner and licensed operator of Catawba Nuclear
Station, Unit 1, and as licensed operator of Catawba Nuclear
Station, Unit 2. The indirect transfer would be to a new holding
company to be named Duke Energy Corporation. The Commission is
also considering amending the licenses for administrative
purposes to reflect the proposed change of the name of the
licensee from Duke Energy Corporation to Duke Power Company LLC.
According to an application for approval filed by Duke Energy
Corporation, following approval of the proposed indirect license
transfers, a new holding company would be created to become the
parent of the licensee. No physical changes to the Catawba
Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, facility or operational changes
are being proposed in the application.
The proposed amendment would reflect the proposed change in the
name of the licensee from Duke Energy Corporation to Duke Power
Company LLC, following the licensee's conversion from a
corporation to a limited liability company. Although the licenses
contain antitrust license conditions, there are no proposed
changes to these conditions.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.80, no license, or any right thereunder,
shall be transferred, directly or indirectly, through transfer of
control of the license, unless the Commission shall give its
consent in writing. The Commission will approve an application
for the indirect transfer of a license, if the Commission
determines that the proposed underlying transaction resulting in
the indirect transfer will not affect the qualifications of the
holder of the license, and that the indirect transfer is
otherwise consistent with applicable provisions of law,
regulations, and orders issued by the Commission pursuant
thereto.
Before issuance of the proposed conforming license amendments,
the Commission will have made findings required by the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the Commission's
regulations.
As provided in 10 CFR 2.1315, unless otherwise determined by the
Commission with regard to a specific application, the Commission
has determined that any amendment to the license of a utilization
facility which does no more than conform the license to reflect
the indirect transfer action involves no significant hazards
consideration.
No contrary determination has been made with respect to this
specific license amendment application. In light of the generic
determination reflected in 10 CFR 2.1315, no public comments with
respect to significant hazards considerations are being
solicited, notwithstanding the general comment procedures
contained in 10 CFR 50.91. The filing of requests for hearing and
petitions for leave to intervene, and written comments with
regard to the license transfer application, are discussed below.
Within 20 days from the date of publication of this notice, any
person whose interest may be affected by the Commission's action
on the application may request a hearing and, if not the
applicant, may petition for leave to intervene in a hearing
proceeding on the Commission's action. Requests for a hearing and
petitions for leave to intervene should be filed in accordance
with the Commission's rules of practice set forth in Subpart C
``Rules of General Applicability: Hearing Requests, Petitions to
Intervene, Availability of Documents, Selection of Specific
Hearing Procedures, Presiding Officer Powers, and General Hearing
Management for NRC Adjudicatory Hearings,'' of 10 CFR Part 2. In
particular, such requests and petitions must comply with the
requirements set forth in 10 CFR 2.309. Untimely requests and
petitions may be denied, as provided in 10 CFR 2.309(c)(1),
unless good cause for failure to file on time is established. In
addition, an untimely request or petition should address the
factors that the Commission will also consider, in reviewing
untimely requests or petitions, set forth in 10 CFR
2.309(c)(1)(i)-(viii). Requests for a hearing and petitions for
leave to intervene should be served upon Timika Shafeek-Horton,
Assistant General Counsel, Duke Energy Law Department, Mail Code
EC07H-7109, P.O. Box 1006, 526 South Church St., Charlotte, NC
28201-1006, (704) 382-6373, (704) 382-6056 fax; the General
[[Page 77431]] Counsel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001 (e-mail address for filings regarding
license transfer cases only: OGCLT@NRC.gov); and the Secretary of
the Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington,
DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff, in
accordance with 10 CFR 2.302 and 2.305. The Commission will issue
a notice or order granting or denying a hearing request or
intervention petition, designating the issues for any hearing
that will be held and designating the Presiding Officer. A notice
granting a hearing will be published in the Federal Register and
served on the parties to the hearing.
As an alternative to requests for hearing and petitions to
intervene, within 30 days from the date of publication of this
notice, persons may submit written comments regarding the
indirect license transfer application, as provided for in 10 CFR
2.1305. The Commission will consider and, if appropriate, respond
to these comments, but such comments will not otherwise
constitute part of the decisional record. Comments should be
submitted to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001, Attention: Rulemakings and
Adjudications Staff, and should cite the publication date and
page number of this Federal Register notice.
For further details with respect to this action, see the
application dated August 5, 2005, available for public inspection
at the Commission's Public Document Room (PDR), located at One
White Flint North, Public File Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike
(first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records
will be accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System's (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading
Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site,
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do not have
access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the
documents located in ADAMS, should contact the NRC PDR Reference
staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737 or by e-mail
to
pdr@nrc.gov. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of
December 2005.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John Stang, Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch II-1,
Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear
Reactor Regulation.
[FR Doc. E5-8148 Filed 12-29-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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20 NRC: In the Matter of Interstate Power and Light Company; Nuclear
FR Doc E5-8204
[Federal Register: December 30, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 250)]
[Notices] [Page 77431-77432] From the Federal Register Online via
GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30de05-97]
Management Company, LLC; (Duane Arnold Energy Center); Order
Approving Transfer of License and Conforming Amendment I.
Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), Nuclear Management
Company, LLC (NMC) Central Iowa Power Cooperative, and Corn Belt
Power Cooperative are holders of Facility Operating License No.
DPR-49, which authorizes the possession, use and operation of
Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC). NMC is licensed by the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) to operate
DAEC. The other licensees are authorized to possess DAEC. DAEC is
located at Linn County, Iowa.
II. By letter dated August 1, 2005, NMC, IPL and FPL Energy Duane
Arnold, LLC, (FPLE Duane Arnold), submitted an application
requesting approval of the direct license transfer that would be
necessary in connection with the IPL's proposed transfer to FPLE
Duane Arnold, a subsidiary of FPL Energy, LLC (FPLE), IPL's
70-percent ownership interest in DAEC. The application also
requested approval of the transfer of NMC's operating authority
to FPLE Duane Arnold.
Supplemental information was provided by letters dated October
11, November 1, November 2, and November 28, (hereinafter, the
August 1, 2005, and supplemental information will be referred to
collectively as the application, unless otherwise noted). NMC
also requested approval of a conforming license amendment that
would reflect the proposed transfer of ownership of IPL's
70-percent interest in DAEC to FPLE Duane Arnold; and reflect the
proposed transfer of operating authority to FPLE Duane Arnold.
The amendment would delete the references to IPL and NMC in the
license as appropriate, and replace them with references to FPLE
Duane Arnold. No physical changes to the facility or operational
changes were proposed in the application. After completion of the
proposed transfers, FPLE Duane Arnold would be an owner (70-
percent interest) and the operator of DAEC. The 30-percent
ownership interest in DAEC, collectively held by Central Iowa
Power Cooperative (CIPCO) and the Corn Belt Power Cooperative
(Corn Belt), would be unchanged.
Approval of the transfer of the facility operating license and
conforming license amendment is requested by NMC pursuant to
Sections 50.80 and 50.90 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR). Notices of the request for approval and
opportunity for a hearing were published in the Federal Register
on September 20, 2005, (70 FR 55175). No comments were received.
No requests for hearing or petitions for leave to intervene were
received.
Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.80, no license, or any right thereunder,
shall be transferred, directly or indirectly, through transfer of
control of the license, unless the Commission shall give its
consent in writing. Upon review of the information in the
application and other information before the Commission, and
relying upon the representations and agreements contained in the
application, the NRC staff has determined that FPLE Duane Arnold
is qualified to hold the license for DAEC to the extent
previously held by IPL regarding its ownership interest, and is
qualified to hold the operating authority under the license, and
that the transfer of the license as proposed in the application
is otherwise consistent with applicable provisions of law,
regulations, and orders issued by the Commission, subject to the
conditions set forth below. The NRC staff has also found that the
application for the proposed license amendment complies with the
standards and requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as
amended (the Act), and the Commission's rules and regulations set
forth in 10 CFR Chapter I; the facility will operate in
conformity with the application, the provisions of the Act and
the rules and regulations of the Commission; there is reasonable
assurance that the activities authorized by the proposed license
amendment can be conducted without endangering the health and
safety of the public and that such activities will be conducted
in compliance with the Commission's regulations; the issuance of
the proposed license amendment will not be inimical to the common
defense and security or to the health and safety of the public;
and the issuance of the proposed amendment will be in accordance
with 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commission's regulations and all
applicable requirements have been satisfied.
The findings set forth above are supported by an NRC safety
evaluation dated December 23, 2005.
III. Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 161b, 161i, 161o and 184
of the Act, 42 U.S.C. 2201(b), 2201(i), 2201(o) and 2234; and 10
CFR 50.80, it is hereby ordered that the transfer of the license,
as described herein, to FPLE Duane
[[Page 77432]] Arnold is approved, subject to the following
conditions: (1) Prior to completion of the transfer of the
license, FPLE Duane Arnold shall provide the Director of the
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation satisfactory documentary
evidence that it has obtained the appropriate amount of insurance
required of licensees under 10 CFR Part 140 of the Commission's
regulations.
(2) At the time of the closing of the transfer of the license
from Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) to FPLE Duane
Arnold, IPL shall transfer to FPLE Duane Arnold IPL's
decommissioning funds accumulated as of such time, with an
aggregate minimum value of at least $186 million, and FPLE Duane
Arnold shall deposit such funds in an external decommissioning
trust fund established by FPLE Duane Arnold for DAEC. FPLE Duane
Arnold shall take all necessary steps to ensure that this
external trust fund is maintained in accordance with the
requirements of this order approving the license transfer, NRC
regulations, and consistent with the safety evaluation supporting
this order. The trust agreement shall be in a form acceptable to
the NRC.
(3) By the date of closing of the transfer of the 70 percent
ownership interest in DAEC from IPL to FPLE Duane Arnold, FPLE
Duane Arnold shall obtain a parent company guarantee from FPL
Group Capital in an initial amount of at least $75 million (in
2005 dollars) to provide additional decommissioning funding
assurance regarding such ownership interest, which guarantee must
be in accordance with NRC regulations regarding such documents.
Required funding levels shall be recalculated annually and, as
necessary, FPLE Duane Arnold shall either obtain appropriate
adjustments to the parent guarantee or otherwise provide any
additional decommissioning funding assurance necessary for FPLE
Duane Arnold to meet NRC requirements under 10 CFR 50.75. (4)
FPLE Duane Arnold shall take no action to cause FPL Group
Capital, or its successors and assigns, to void, cancel, or
modify its $50 million contingency commitment to FPLE Duane
Arnold, as represented in the application, or cause it to fail to
perform or impair its performance under the commitment, without
the prior written consent from the NRC. An executed copy of the
Support Agreement shall be submitted to the NRC no later than 30
days after completion of the license transfer. Also, FPLE Duane
Arnold shall inform the NRC in writing any time that it draws
upon the $50 million commitment.
It is further ordered that, consistent with 10 CFR 2.1315(b), a
license amendment that makes changes, as indicated in Enclosure 2
to the cover letter forwarding this Order, to conform the license
to reflect the subject license transfer is approved. The
amendment shall be issued and made effective at the time the
proposed license transfer is completed.
It is further ordered that FPLE Duane Arnold shall inform the
Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation in writing
of the date of closing of the transfer of the IPL 70-percent
interest in DAEC no later than 5 business days prior to closing.
Should the transfer of the license not be completed by December
31, 2006, this Order shall become null and void, provided
however, that upon written application and for good cause shown,
such date may be extended by order.
This Order is effective upon issuance.
For further details with respect to this Order, see the initial
application dated August 1, 2005, and supplemental letters dated
October 11, November 1, November 2, and November 28, 2005, and
the non- proprietary safety evaluation dated December 15, 2005,
which is available for public inspection at the Commission's
Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North,
Public File Area 01 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor),
Rockville, Maryland and accessible electronically from the
Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Public
Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, .
Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems
in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, should contact the
NRC PDR Reference staff by telephone at 1-800-397-4209,
301-415-4737, or by e-mail to .
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 23rd day of December 2005.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
R. William Borchardt, Acting Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. E5-8204 Filed 12-29-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
B
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21 Financial express: Nuclear deal with America on track
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Indian Express Financial
NEW DELHI, DEC 30: India on Friday declared that any
safeguards agreement with the IAEA will have to take into
cognisance the country’s military programme. Official sources
said that the responsibility of generating a favourable opinion
among the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for India rested with
the US.
Noting the responsibility of generating a favourable opinion
among the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for India rested with
the US, they said India and the US were making progress on
implementation of the July 18 nuclear deal and the two sides
would make every effort to ‘conclude or substantially conclude’
the process before the visit of President George W Bush expected
in early March.
The nuclear agreement with the US is ‘on track’ and both
countries are making progress. The sources said India was ready
to give the assurance that the nuclear material would not be
diverted towards third countries or to military installations.
However, conditions regarding India and non-nuclear states would
have to be different.
Referring to Sri Lanka, sources said the ceasefire between the
government and LTTE rebels in the island nation was under
‘strain’ and India was ready to ‘encourage’ parties to bring
back on track the peace process.
They said India wants the stalled peace process in Sri Lanka to
be re-started and favours a political settlement to the ethnic
problem in the island nation, taking into account the interests
of every ethnic group and the development of the north-eastern
part.
Official sources said on Friday India realises it has a limited
role in the Sri Lankan peace process, but can help strengthen
the ceasefire, removing the strain which could get it back on
track. Reiterating India’s commitment to Sri Lanka’s unity and
territorial integrity, the sources said any political settlement
should take into account various ethnic groups and development
in the north-eastern part.
While calling for consensus and convergence of views to seek an
understanding between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government,
the sources said India had a certain stake in ensuring peace in
the island nation.
Asked whether Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse had sought
India’s specific involvement in ensuring peace in his country,
the sources said the the visiting leader had not sought any
specific involvement by India but support in strengthening the
peace process and curbing violence.
On the question of devolution, the Sri Lankan President seemed
flexible, the sources said adding that the President should be
given some “space.” This is a process, our interest lies in all
political forces in Sri Lanka to think in terms of devolution,”
they said. u
Referring to Pakistan, according to sources, Islamabad was not
doing enough to stop cross-border terrorism, that puts a “big
question mark” on the ongoing peace process.
If Pakistan had any ‘fresh ideas’ on self-governance and
demilitarisation in Jammu &Kashmir, it could be conveyed through
back-channels, but maintained that the issue of granting more
autonomy was a matter between New Delhi and the state concerned.
Ahead of the foreign secretary-level talks here next month to
kick off the third round of composite dialogue, official sources
said, “The phenomenon of cross-border terrorism hangs like a big
question mark on the peace process,” the sources said.
On China, the sources said the second round of talks between
special representatives — national security adviser MK Narayanan
and senior vice foreign minister Dai Bingguo — will be held
fairly soon here to carry forward discussions on settlement of
the boundary question.
“Our expectations are that we will be able to take this process
forward,” they said.
© 2005: Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. All
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22 Daily News: (Trojan) Tower's coming down --
Friday December 30, 2005
PGE plans spectacular implosion for regional landmark in May
By Courtney Sherwood Dec 29, 2005
One of the region's most recognizable landmarks will be reduced
to a pile of rubble in May, when Portland General Electric
implodes the Trojan Nuclear Plant's 499-foot-tall cooling tower.
PGE originally planned to demolish the concrete tower in 2018.
But company spokesman Mark Fryburg said Thursday the utility
decided to move the date up after further cost analysis.
The cooling tower will collapse in a giant puff of dust as
orchestrated by Controlled Demolition Inc. -- the same company
that imploded Seattle's Kingdome in 2000. Imploding involves a
series of strategically timed and placed explosions designed to
collapse a structure inward.
Long after it vanishes from the Rainier skyline, the cooling
tower will live on in pop culture. Simpson's creator Matt
Groening has credited Trojan as the inspiration for the
Springfield nuclear plant on his long-running Fox TV cartoon
show.
It's also inspired imaginations closer to home.
"I think the cooling tower should be turned into the Rainier
Soda Fountain and Fishing Hole," Diedre Young suggested in a
2004 Daily News story seeking readers' suggestions for uses for
the tower. "That way people could get a 'fizzy' drink while they
are going 'fission!' "
"Trojan would make an excellent prison --- elevators, cages,
peep holes in the very thick walls for windows, if needed," said
Richard L. Shern of Longview. "Execution of prisoners would be
very simple --- pushed off the top into a Dumpster."
Then there's this idea from Roger Thomas of Goble: "Tap it and
fill it with beer for the ultimate Oktoberfest."
Needless to say, PGE wasn't interested.
The cooling tower never contained any radioactive materials.
While the plant was operating, from 1976 to its shutdown in
1993, nuclear fission reactions took place in a dome-topped
containment building next to the cooling tower. Heat from the
fission turned water into steam, and this steam turned turbines
to generate power.
The nonradioactive steam was then channeled into the hollow
cooling tower, where it would circulate until it cooled back
into water.
The containment building was cleared of all nuclear materials by
May 2005, when Trojan was officially certified as
decommissioned, and it should be demolished by late 2008,
Fryburg said.
Now all the remaining radioactive materials from the power plant
are stored in 26-inch-thick concrete and steel casks in a safe
location on the 643-acre Trojan campus, Fryburg said. It's
unclear when they'll be removed.
The waste is currently scheduled to be shipped to a nuclear
storage facility at Yucca Mountain, Nev., in 2024, Fryburg said.
But a political battle in full swing surrounds nuclear storage
issues at Yucca Mountain, and it's unclear when -- or whether --
the federal government ever will authorize Trojan materials to
be shipped to the site.
PGE's long-term goal is to return Trojan to unrestricted use,
according to the utility's pamphlet about decommissioning.
Future uses "could include a new gas-fired power plant or other
commercial development," or it could become a new state park,
according to the pamphlet.
Through last May, the utility had spent $429 million to
decommission the power plant, according to an article in the
South County Spotlight, of Scappoose, Ore., which first reported
PGE's cooling tower demolition plans on Wednesday.
The plant cost $450 million to build in the early 1970s --- $1.5
billion in today's dollars.
Fryburg confirmed the decommissioning price tag, but he could
not provide information about the remaining costs of tearing
down the Trojan Nuclear Plant.
© 2005 The Daily News Lee Publications, Inc. Contact
Us 770-11th Avenue • P.O. Box 189 • Longview,
WA 98632 • 360-577-2500 • webmaster@tdn.com
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23 PRN: NRC Grants Design Certification to Westinghouse AP1000
PR Newswire
- Formal completion of all public interest and rule-making
activities
- First Generation III+ plant to receive Design
Certification
WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) today approved Design Certification
for Westinghouse Electric Company's AP1000 standard nuclear plant
design, making the AP1000 the first Generation III+ plant to
receive such certification.
Westinghouse Senior Vice President Daniel S. Lipman said
achieving Design Certification is another in a series of positive
developments that will ultimately culminate in new plant
construction in the United States. "Design Certification is the
final step in the process of rule-making and regulation," he
said. "Westinghouse is certainly pleased to have achieved this
latest milestone for the AP1000, and we look forward to working
with utilities both in the U.S. and worldwide to build this
advanced, inherently safe plant."
The Certification becomes official 30 days following publication
in the Federal Register. It is also conditional upon approval by
the Office of Management and Budget of the information collection
requirements contained in the rule.
Mr. Lipman also said that as momentum toward a U.S. nuclear
renaissance continues to build, it is clear that the AP1000 is
leading the way in terms of safety and constructability. "The
AP1000's reliance on naturally occurring phenomena such as
gravity, natural circulation and condensation guarantees safe
operation," he said. "In addition, the modular construction of
the AP1000 will improve quality while reducing construction time
to about 36 months from the time concrete is poured until fuel
load."
In September of 2004, the NRC awarded Final Design Approval to
the AP1000, clearing the way for the company to begin selling the
1100 MWe design internationally. The safest, most economical
nuclear plant design currently available with NRC approval, the
AP1000 has already received strong interest from potential
customers in the United States, Asia and Europe.
In the United States, the NuStart consortium has selected TVA's
Bellefonte site and the AP1000 to develop a COL application,
while Duke Power has announced plans and selected the AP1000
design for its COL application. Interest is also being expressed
by other U.S. power companies.
Westinghouse Electric Company is the world's pioneering nuclear
power company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products
and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Today,
Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half
of the world's operating nuclear plants.
Note: Generation III+ is DOE's nomenclature for the new
generation of competitive reactor designs that will follow the
Generation III Advanced Light Water Reactors developed in the
1990s.
SOURCE Westinghouse Electric Company
Web Site: http://www.westinghousenuclear.com Company News On
Call: Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/127481.html
Copyright © 1996- PR Newswire Association LLC. All Rights
Reserved.
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24 icWales: Secret plan for nuclear power plant
Dec 30 2005
Martin Shipton, Western Mail
A SECRET plan for a new nuclear power station in Wales has been
hatched in Westminster.
The UK Department of Energy privately wants a nuclear power
station to be built on Anglesey, a senior Government source has
told us.
Although the official line is that Britain's future energy
requirements are merely under review, it is understood that
Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks has already decided that new
nuclear power stations should go ahead, including one at Wylfa.
An existing nuclear facility at the site is due to be
decommissioned in 2010.
Any attempt to build a new nuclear power station in Wales would
be met by fierce resistance. But although the National Assembly
would be likely to oppose such a development, energy supply is
not a devolved matter and any decision about a proposed nuclear
power station in Wales would be taken in London.
The Government source said, "We are convinced that nuclear power
has to be part of satisfying Britain's future energy needs.
"It makes sense to build a new power station at Wylfa, because
there is one there already. That will make the process simpler."
Hugh Richards, of the Welsh Anti-Nuclear Alliance, said,
"Opposition to this will be implacable and united, will
encompass members of all political parties and will prevail.
"If the Government seeks to pursue this course, I have no doubt
that the campaign would involve civil disobedience.
"The Government has streamlined the arrangements for large
planning inquiries, and the thinking is, that this has been done
to make it easier to build new nuclear power stations. What they
would like is an inquiry that concentrates on issues like what
colour the gate should be painted. We will be demanding a proper
inquiry that looks at first principles.
"Tony Blair, who for some reason has been convinced that nuclear
power is needed, has a dilemma. He has to explain why the energy
review his Government published just two years ago was wrong.
"That review concluded it would be unwise to invest in hugely
expensive new nuclear power stations, instead recommending that
the emphasis should be on energy saving and tapping into
renewable energy sources like wind and wave power. The only
thing that has changed since is that suicide bombers have
engaged in terrorist attacks in Britain.
"Tony Blair will also find a lot of opposition to his nuclear
plans within his own party, from backbenchers and even Cabinet
Ministers. Peter Hain is on the record opposing new nuclear
power stations. He isn't a mug, unlike some politicians who out
of laziness have been duped into believing that nuclear power is
the way to attain Britain's carbon emission targets.
"Slightly more savvy politicians are saying there needs to be an
energy mix, with nuclear as one of the components. But that
argument doesn't stand up to scrutiny either - the fact is that
from an investment point of view, it's a question of either/or.
"If some nuclear power stations go ahead, investors just won't
put their money into renewables."
Mr Richards said there would also need to be a high level of
scrutiny of any specific nuclear proposal.
"Apart from the objection in principle to nuclear installations
of any kind, there are concerns about the new kinds of reactor
that may be proposed. One point that came out of the Sizewell B
inquiry (into the building of a nuclear power station in
Suffolk) was that in Britain it is expected that there will be
more than one way of shutting down a plant if something goes
wrong. The insistence that should be the case is the main reason
why the cost of building Sizewell B doubled.
"The new generation of reactors like the AP100, which has been
promoted by George Bush, have only one close-down mechanism.
Because investors haven't been prepared to put money into
building them, there is no data available on which to base any
kind of assessment on how they operate."
Mr Richards said that as well as Wylfa, his group was extremely
concerned that a new nuclear power station could be built at
Hinckley Point in Somerset, where a previous reactor closed down
five years ago.
Mr Richards said, "There are 2.5 million people living within 35
miles of Hinckley Point, 900,000 of whom are in South Wales.
"The question any politician should ask is whether they have the
will to push through a nuclear programme over a period of 15 to
20 years, which is what it would take. I have no doubt that
during that time there will be an attempted terrorist attack on
a nuclear power station somewhere in the world. There may even
be a successful attack. Instead of going down that path, we
should be cutting our energy consumption now and investing for
the future in renewables."
Only last month the Prime Minister hinted strongly that nuclear
power was on his agenda, saying, "With some of the issues to do
with climate change, and you can see it with the debate about
nuclear power, there are going to be difficult and controversial
decisions government has got to take.
"In the end it has got to do what it believes to be right in the
long-term interests of the country. About energy security and
supply, that will mean issues that are bound to be extremely
controversial."
Copyright and Trade Mark Notice
© owned by or licensed to Trinity Mirror Plc 2005
icWalesTM is a trade mark of Trinity Mirror Plc.
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25 Miami Herald: GE to help nuclear plant in increasing output
- El Universal Online -
Wire services
El Universal
December 30, 2005 General Electric Co., the world´s biggest
maker of power-plant equipment, won a contract to help a Mexican
nuclear power plant boost its output by as much as 20 percent.
GE Energy will provide safety and licensing evaluations to help
Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant in the state of Veracruz get
regulatory approval to increase output, Fairfield,
Connecticut-based GE said on Thursday in a statement. The
plant´s reactors were designed by GE. Financial terms weren´t
disclosed.
The contract adds to power-plant equipment orders from Qatar and
Nigeria this month. GE´s total sales to emerging markets should
more than double by 2010 to US$55 billion from an estimated
US$25 billion this year, the company said in June.
GE shares rose 8 cents to US$35.19 in New York Stock Exchange
composite trading. They´ve fallen 3.6 percent this year.
The contract from Mexican plant operator Comision Federal de
Electricidad is expected to end in 2010 when the upgrade is
completed, GE said. GE´s nuclear business, a unit of GE Energy,
is based in Wilmington, North Carolina.
GE spokesman Dennis Murphy didn´t return a voice mail seeking
comment.
El Universal| Directorio| Contáctanos| Avisos Legales| Mapa de
sitio
© 2005 Copyright El Universal-El Universal Online, México.
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26 [epa-impact] National Nuclear Security Administration
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 11:19:16 -0500 (EST)
X-Fingerprint: bounce-446461-485116@lists.epa.gov-127.127
http://epa.gov/EPA-IMPACT/2005/December/Day-30/
=======================================================================
[Federal Register: December 30, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 250)]
[Notices]
[Page 77379-77380]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30de05-41]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Nuclear Security Administration
Extension of Scoping Period for the Notice of Intent to Prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement for the Operation of a Biosafety
Level 3 Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM
Summary: The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), an agency
within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is extending the scoping
period for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Operation of
a Biosafety Level 3 Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL),
Los Alamos, New Mexico.
Dates: The scoping period for the EIS is extended from December 29,
2005, to January 17, 2006. Comments received after that date will be
considered to the extent practicable.
Addresses: Written comments or suggestions concerning the scope of the
Biosafety Level 3 Facility (BSL-3) EIS or requests for more information
on the EIS and public scoping process may be directed to: Ms. Lisa
Cummings, EIS Document Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, National
Nuclear Security Administration, Office of Los Alamos Site Operations,
528 35th Street, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544; facsimile at (505) 665-
4873; or e-mail at lcummings@doeal.gov. A message may be left for Ms.
Cummings at 1-866-506-2862.
For Further Information Contact: For information about the DOE NEPA
process, please contact: Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA
Policy and Compliance (EH-42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4600, or
leave a message at 1-800-472-2756.
Supplementary Information: Subsequent to issuing an Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact in February 2002, NNSA
constructed a BSL-3 Facility at LANL. The BSL-3 Facility has never been
operated. On November 29, 2005 (70 FR 71490), NNSA issued an NOI to
prepare an EIS for the proposed operation of the BSL-3 Facility. As
originally announced in the Notice of Intent, DOE has conducted public
scoping meetings on the EIS in Los Alamos, Santa Fe, and
Espa[ntilde]ola. The original public scoping period was to continue
until December 29, 2005. However, in response to public comments and to
ensure that the public has ample opportunity to provide
[[Page 77380]]
comments, DOE is extending the public scoping period until January 17,
2006.
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 28, 2005.
Alice C. Williams,
NNSA NEPA Compliance Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-24689 Filed 12-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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27 [du-list] UPI bulletin on possible DU casualty
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:44:43 -0800
Uranium suspected in Iraq merc's death
BAGHDAD, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The death of a Peruvian security guard who had
worked in Iraq may have been caused by exposure to depleted uranium.
Wilder Gutierrez Rubio, 38, died a few hours after arriving in Lima, Peru,
on Dec. 6. Days before, he had been diagnosed with severe leukemia at Ibn
Sina Hospital in Baghdad and immediately flown back to his home country,
World Socialist Web Site.Org reported Wednesday.
WSWS.org said Gutierrez was part of a 200-man Peruvian contingent sent to
Iraq in early October to provide security for Baghdad's Green Zone. It is
widely suspected in Peru that Gutierrez's leukemia was the result of
exposure to high levels of uranium in Iraq, the site said.
Gutierrez was one of more than 1,000 Latin Americans recruited by U.S.
private security contractors to work in different countries.
Since the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, about 20,000 people have
been hired to work as private security contractors, WSWS.org said. This
figure represented one private security guard for every seven uniformed
American soldiers in these regions. In all, $30 billion was spent by the
U.S. Government on private security contractors in 2004, the Web site said.
http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20051228-094157-5463r
© Copyright 2005 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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28 [downwinders] IRAQ: Depleted Uranium AKA Baghad Boils
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:44:41 -0800
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marsha Rose"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 4:28 PM
Subject: [downwinders] IRAQ: Depleted Uranium AKA Baghad Boils
> So this is what the administration calls supporting the troops.
> Marsha
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "annieok815"
> To: <>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 10:43 AM
> Subject: [stepup4change] IRAQ: Depleted Uranium AKA Baghad Boils
>
>
>
> =========================================
> The incoming address of this article is :
> http://www.iraqwar.mirror-world.ru/article/74482
> The address of this page is:
> http://www.uruknet.info?p=18948
> ~Skin ulcers plague men from N.C. unitT
> http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/13454217.htm
> http://www.sfbayview.com/081804/Depleteduranium081804.shtml
> http://www.who.int/tdr/diseases/leish/press_release.htm
> http://www.who.int/tdr/diseases/leish/press_release.htm?documentid=2182
> http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m1.htm
> QUESTION 11. WHAT DOES THE U.S. GOVT. KNOW ABOUT DU? in
> http://traprockpeace.org/moret_25nov03.pdf.
> http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_3331907
> =========================================
>
> Iraq: Depleted Uranium aka Baghdad Boils?!
>
> By:jouna,
> iraq-war.ru
>
> There's a possibility that the US Department of Defense
> (DoD) is hiding the US casualties under a disguise
> of ~Baghdad Boil's", a disease plaguing the US troops in Iraq,
> claimed to be caused by the sand fly bites,
> but possibly by depleted uranium (DU) radiation.
> To explore this issue I've forwarded the following article
> to DU experts in the world to have it checked and I'm now
> publishing it as a preliminary announcement in iraq-war.ru.
> I'll keep you updated on this as soon as I hear of them
> (if confirmed you can't miss the fat mainstream headlining).
>
> DEPLETED URANIUM
>
> Recent evidence proves that depleted uranium (DU)
> is the definite cause of Gulf War Syndrome. Fourteen years
> after its introduction, DU was revealed as a death sentence,
> lately brought forth by Leuren Moret (cf. e.g.
> http://www.sfbayview.com/081804/Depleteduranium081804.shtml
> and the sources to this article).
>
> The biological particulate effect targets the Master Code
> in the DNA and causes numerous diseases difficult to define,
> but in effect devastating the human body for example
> with multiple malignancies and developing cancers.
> Out of 580,400 soldiers in first Gulf War, 11 thousand
> have died and already by 2000 there were 325,000 permanently
> disabled, the number increasing by 43,000 every year.
>
> Besides, DU has internally contaminated their sexual
> partners, who have developed endometriosis and have been
> forced to have hysteroctomies due to health problems.
> 67% of a test group of 251 soldiers
> have had babies with severe birth defects
> (missing members, organs, immune system diseases).
>
> The United States has deliberately developed the DU
> in order to utilize the deadly properties of the DU
> and contaminated not only 42 states in United States,
> Sinai in Yom Kippur war (1973), Yugoslavia, southern Iraq
> (and areas nearby) in the first Gulf War and from 2003
> on again in Iraq.
>
> One of the reasons that the US deploys it allies
> in the southern parts of the Iraq, because
> it does not want to expose its own troops
> to the deadly radiation there from the first Gulf War.
>
> Thus the British, and the other coalition troops
> have been generously given the responsibility
> of the southern Iraq.
>
> BAGHDAD BOIL
>
> In a story ~Skin ulcers plague men from N.C. unitT
> http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/local/13454217.htm
> we are told:
>
> In addition to the combat casualties suffered during
> a tour of duty in Iraq last year, an N.C. National Guard
> brigade also had to medevac 13 men back to a U.S. hospital
> after volleyball games left them vulnerable
> to one of the Iraq war's most exotic hazards
> " an outbreak of skin ulcers that can grow for years.
>
> The victims, all men from the same small unit,
> contracted cutaneous leishmaniasis, characterized
> by weeping sores that refuse to heal,
> said Lt. Col Tim Mauldin, the brigade's top medical officer.
>
> The illness is nicknamed "Baghdad Boil."
> At the time the guardsmen contracted it last year,
> the only way to treat it was to fly them back to
> Walter Reed Army Medical Center for up to three weeks
> of intravenous treatments with a drug called Pentostam
>
> Using Pentostam in the treatment of sand fly bite
> is most curious for two main reasons:
>
> (1) One is tempted to suspect the US diagnosis,
> because for Leishmaniasis,
> Phlebotomus Argentipes (also known as Kala-azar),
> a disease indeed caused by the bite of sand fly,
> there is a new, oral drug (Miltefosine) is now available.
> The medicine is effective(cf.
> http://www.who.int/tdr/diseases/leish/press_release.htm),
> which makes the US use of Sodium Stibogluconate
> (commercial names: Pentostam or Stibanate)
> instead very curious, until we read the comment
> of Lt. Col Tim Mauldin concerning the sores
> (rather: ~malignanciesT) known as Baghdad Boils:
> "No matter what you do,
> it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.")
>
> (2) Pentostam is administered into veins and
> results in a greater than 50% decrease in parasite DNA,
> RNA protein and purine nucleoside triphosphate levelsť (cf.
> http://www.who.int/tdr/diseases/leish/press_release.htm?documentid=2182
> section 5, Pharmacological properties).
> It is not immediately obvious how the bites of tiny sandflies
> could cause changes in the Master Code in the DNA?
>
> (3) Although the sand flies are unlikely cause for
> the Baghdad Boils, we can seek a different, more natural
> explanation for the disease is from the the unit itself,
> to which all thirteen man belong.
> The 30th Enhanced Heavy Separate Brigade(Mech),"Old Hickory",
> has one battalion of M-1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks
> and two battalions of M-2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles
> http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/30in-bde.htm
>
> The main weapon of the M1A1 is the M256 120mm smoothbore
> cannon, designed by the Rheinmetall Corporation of Germany.
> Engagement ranges approaching 4000 meters were
> successfully demonstrated during Operation Desert Storm.
> The primary armor-defeating ammunition of this weapon
> is the armor-piercing, fin-stabilized, discarding sabot
> (APDS-FS)round,which features a Depleted Uranium Penetrators
> http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m1.htm
>
> On the other hand,we know already the first Gulf War that:
> Soldiers who served in Bradley fighting vehicles,
> where it was common to sit on ammunition boxes
> where depleted uranium ammunition was stored,
> are now reporting that many have Rectal Cancer.
>
> CONSEQUENCES:
>
> Having recognized the previous facts
> we are left with the following consequences:
>
> (1) Depleted uranium explains the changes in the Master Code
> in the DNA caused by Baghdad Boils much better than the
> ~sand fliesT (if the sand flies are not simply considered
> as an army code word for ~uranium particles" or alike).
> In fact, the diagnosis of Baghdad Boils as
> ~leishmaniasisT put forth in several connections
> by Dr.Roger Bate is itself highly suspicious as Dr. Bate
> is a visiting fellow at American Enterprise Institute,
> a front for international armed looting around the world.
>
> (2) As the United States treats the cancer developing
> multiple malignancies of its tank crews with Pentostam
> (and not Miltefosine), this shows that the US Armed Forces
> and the Pentagon are indeed aware of the effects
> of the depleted uranium, which again shows that they are
> lying in their denials of its cancer-producing effect,
> thus giving a direct answer to
> QUESTION 11. WHAT DOES THE U.S. GOVT. KNOW ABOUT DU? in
> http://traprockpeace.org/moret_25nov03.pdf.
>
> They know everything, even how to slow down
> the mutations caused by DU.
>
> (3) More than 2000 U.S. service members have officially
> contracted the disease since the Iraq War began in early 2003,
> most of them in Iraq (though some also in Afghanistan).
> When these ~walking dead" are added to the current DoD
> casualty figure (2160) as soon to be dead,
> the US death toll tops 4,000 with a single jump.
>
> The entire US colonial expeditionary force, the 300,000
> having served in Iraq are soon to be counted
> as US Casualties, either dead or disabled by DU.
>
> (4) As the depleted uranium penetrators are the main rounds
> of the US M1A1 tanks, and the extra rounds for the tanks
> are carried in the M2 Bradleys, there is no doubt,
> that after 1000 days of war, the entire US armored
> - equipment in Iraq is totally contaminated
> - making these vehicles literarily Dead Man's Chests.
> Actually the US tank crews
> - are more Safe Outside than Inside of them,
> despite the current conditions in Iraq.
>
> (5) As the US Armed Forces in Iraq
> - are actually living dead,- a zombie army
> - soon to follow the destiny of the previous army
> in the First Gulf War and their Armored Vehiles
> hopelessly contaminated by DU,
> the US army actually has no troops nor tanks.
>
> This means that its fate is sealed.
> The United States has lost the war in Iraq as soon as
> the troops get the information of how they are
> and have been deceived by an enemy
> worse than that they face in Iraq,
> the US government.
>
> (6) Despite of this we may have even more to worry:
> in her recent articles Leuren Moret tell that the US
> has used more DU since 1991 than the atomicity equivalent
> of 40,000 Nagasagi Bombs, making four nuclear wars together.
> This, according to her may be enough for a death sentence
> for all of us, who will die in silent ways.
> To prevent this from happening we must not listen
> to Mr. Bush, who claims that the future generations
> will be grateful for sacrifices in Iraq (cf.
> http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_3331907 ).
> The current deception of the US solders themselves
> by the US Government could not make the issue more clear:
>
> - No matter whether you are friend or foe, there is nobody
> the Government of the United States wouldn't betray.
> To stop them all you have to do is pass this story
> to the US combat troops in Iraq. Explaining them what
> exactly stepping into US tanks means, will leave them unmanned.
>
> This in turn will stop the armoured brigades,
> which in turn stops the US divisions and armies
> â?" and in the end the US government war.
> As soon as the war is stopped, the entire human kind
> must step in and help the Iraqi people to clean
> the country from the depleted uranium.
>
> I am most thankful for your assistance in this already.
>
> jouna, iraq-war.ru
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Section I: Depleted Uranium (more sources from articles themselves)
>
> 1. Depleted uranium: â?oDirty bombs, dirty missiles,
> dirty bullets: A death sentence here and abroadâ?ť
> LINK: http://www.sfbayview.com/081804/Depleteduranium081804.shtml
>
> 2. Depleted Uranium:
> The Trojan Horse of Nuclear War LINK:
> http://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/2004/DU-Trojan-Horse1jul04.htm
>
> 3. QUESTION 11. WHAT DOES THE U.S. GOVT. KNOW ABOUT DU?
> LINK: http://traprockpeace.org/moret_25nov03.pdf
>
> 4. A Monumental War Crime ... DU
> http://www.iraqwar.mirror-world.ru/article/74185
>
> 5. Leuren Moret Speaking on Depleted Uranium LINK:
> http://www.mindfully.org/Nucs/2003/DU-Leuren-Moret21apr03.htm
>
> 6. Cancer Epidemic Caused by U.S. WMD LINK:
> http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/cancer_epidemic_.html
>
> 7. Marin Depleted Uranium Resolution Heats Up
> GI's Will Come Home To A Slow Death LINK:
> http://www.coastalpost.com/04/08/01.htm
>
> 8. The United States is Actively Engaged in War Crimes
> and Polluting with Deadly Nuclear Materials LINK:
> http://www.albasrah.net/en_articles_2005/1205/HRA_141205.htm
>
> 9. New Information on Iraq LINK:
> http://www.albasrah.net/en_articles_2005/1205/du_141205.htm
>
> 10. The UNITED STATES of MONSTERS: DEPLETED URANIUM LINK:
> http://uruknet.info/?p=18218&hd=0&size=1&l=x
>
> 11. Iranian president calls for war crimes charges on US LINK:
> http://www.iraqwar.mirror-world.ru/article/71438
>
> 12. Squeezed To Death LINK:
> http://uruknet.info/?p=18640&hd=0&size=1&l=x
>
> 13. World Uranium Weapons Conference 2003 LINK:
> http://www.uraniumweaponsconference.de/speakers.htm
>
> 14. International Criminal Tribunal For Afghanistan at Tokyo
>
http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2004/Afghanistan-Criminal-Tribunal10mar04.htm
>
>
> 15. Leuren Moret: Depleted Uranium Is WMD LINK:
> http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0510/S00138.htm
>
> 16. Discounted casualties " the human cost of depleted uranium
> http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/abom/uran/index_e.html
>
> 17. Heads roll at Veterans Administration
> Mushrooming depleted uranium (DU) scandal blamed
> http://www.sfbayview.com/012605/headsroll012605.shtml
>
> 18. Casualties in Iraq LINK:
> http://democracyrising.us/content/view/46/74/
>
> 19. Pentagon Brass Suppresses Truth About Toxic Weapons
> http://www.americanfreepress.net/html/pentagon_brass.html
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Section II: Baghdad Boil (some samples, google yourself
> for more hits):
>
> Baghdad Boil to Return? (by Dr. Roger Bate, 05/13/2004) LINK:
> http://www.techcentralstation.com/051304C.html
>
> Topic: BAGHDAD BOIL: parasites infect many U.S. troops
> http://knoxville.wate.com/sound_off/index.php/topic,132.0.html
>
> Baghdad Boil' Afflicting U.S. Troops
> http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Baghdad_boil_041804.htm
>
> Soldiers, Civilians Returning from Middle East:
> Be Aware of Baghdad Boilsť
> http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=27577
>
> RELIEF FROM BAGHDAD BOILS
> http://www.tothepointnews.com/content/view/1346/44/
>
> Adds (on DU):
> by jouna on 23.12.2005 [14:14 ]
>
> 1. Depleted Uranium comes home
> http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m18921&l=i&size=1&hd=0
>
> Depleted Uranium cleanup needed in Iraq
> http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/12/1792303_comment.php#1792322
>
> Depleted Uranium: Uses and Hazards
> http://www.ratical.org/radiation/DU/DUuse+hazard.html
>
> American Hiroshima â?" the next 9/11?
>
http://www.english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D99265B2-4402-46FE-A905-1F086F513A3D.htm
>
>
> End
> ###
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29 [ImpeachBushNOW] cancer? from DU?
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:45:16 -0800
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 6:31 PM
Subject: [ImpeachBushNOW] cancer?
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Cancer Epidemic Caused by U.S. WMD
M.D. Says Depleted Uranium Definitively Linked
By Christopher Bollyn
A growing number of U.S. military personnel who are serving, or have
served, in Iraq or Afghanistan has become sick and disabled from a variety
of symptoms commonly known as Gulf War Syndrome. Depleted uranium (DU)
weapons have been blamed for many of the symptoms.
“Gulf war vets are coming down with these symptoms at twice the rate of
vets from previous conflicts,” said Barbara A. Goodno from the Department
of Defense’s Deployment Health Support Directorate.
A recent discovery by American Free Press that nearly half the soldiers in
one returned unit have malignant growths has provided the scientific
community with “critical evidence,” experts say, to help understand exactly
how DU affects humans.
One of the first published researchers of Gulf War Syndrome, Dr. András
Korényi-Both, told AFP that 27 percent to 28 percent of Gulf War veterans
have suffered chronic health problems, more than five times the rate of
Viet Nam vets and four times the rate of Korean War vets.
Korényi-Both said his son had recently returned from Iraq, where he had
been part of the initial Gulf War II assault from Kuwait to Baghdad. From
his unit of 20 men, eight now have “malignant growths,” Korényi-Both said.
Korényi-Both is not an expert on DU but has written extensively about how
the fine desert sand blowing around Iraq and the Arabian peninsula provides
an ideal vehicle for toxins, increasing the range and effect of atomic,
biological and chemical (ABC) agents, such as DU, that attach themselves to
the particles.
Korényi-Both described how, during the 1991 Gulf War, he and others had
inhaled large quantities of sand dust that could have been laden with ABC
agents. The dust “destroyed our immune systems,” he said.
FULK’S THEORY
Marion Fulk, a former nuclear chemical physicist at the Lawrence Livermore
lab, is investigating how DU affects the human body. Fulk said that eight
malignancies out of 20, in 16 months, “is spectacular—and of serious concern.”
The high malignancy rate found in this unit appears to have been caused by
battlefield exposure to DU weapons.
According to Fulk, when DU, consisting mainly of uranium-238, decays, it
transforms into two short-lived and “very hot” isotopes of thorium and
protactinium, then undergoes further decay to another uranium isotope,
giving off high-energy radiation at each stage of the process.
Scientist Leuren Moret said: “We can expect to see multiple cancers in one
person. These multiple unrelated cancers in the same individual have been
reported in Yugoslavia and Iraq in families that had no history of any
cancer. This is unknown in the previous studies of cancer,” she said, “a
new phenomenon.”
Goodno questioned Korényi-Both’s report that eight of 20 recently returned
soldiers from one unit had experienced malignant growths. Goodno and
Korényi-Both did agree, however, that Iraqi ABC agents had not played a
role in the 2003 invasion.
This is significant because three factors have generally been blamed for
causing Gulf War Syndrome: Iraqi chemical and biological weapons, the
cocktail of vaccinations given to coalition soldiers and DU. The absence of
any detectable Iraqi ABC agents during the 2003 invasion of Iraq narrows
the potential factors for delayed illness or disability among veterans to
prewar vaccinations and DU.
While the number of disabled vets from previous wars is decreasing by about
35,000 per year, since the “war on terror” began in 2001, the total number
of disabled vets has grown to some 2.5 million—“more than ever before,”
Brad Flohr of the Department of Veterans Affairs said. Asked if there are
more disabled vets now than after World War II, Flohr said he believed so.
Terry Jemison of the Department of Veterans Affairs told AFP that current
statistics indicate that more than half a million veterans of the
14-year-old Gulf War I era are now receiving disability compensation.
During this period, some 7,035 soldiers are reported having been wounded in
Iraq.
With 518,739 disabled “Gulf War I era veterans” currently receiving
disability compensation, according to Jemison, the number of veterans
disabled after the war is more than 73 times the number of wounded, in and
out of combat, from the entire 14-year conflict with Iraq.
DEPLETED URANIUM WEAPONS
Last December, Dr. Asaf Durakoviae, a nuclear medicine expert who has
conducted extensive research on depleted uranium, examined nine soldiers
from the 442nd Military Police Company of New York and found that four of
the men had absorbed or inhaled DU.
Several of the men had traces of another isotope, U-236, which is only
produced in a nuclear reactor.
“These men were almost certainly exposed to radioactive weapons on the
battlefield,” Durakovae said.
“Due to the current proliferation of DU weaponry, the battlefields of the
future will be unlike any battlefields in history,” Durakovae, then chief
of Nuclear Medicine for the Veterans Administration, said after Gulf War I,
in which he served.
Since 1991, the U.S. military has used DU in munitions as penetrating rods,
which destroy enemy tanks and their occupants, and as armor plating on U.S.
tanks. When DU penetrating rods strike a hard target some of the
radioactive and toxic uranium is vaporized into ultra-fine particles that
are easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
According to a survey of 10,051 Gulf War I veterans, conducted between 1991
and 1995 by Vic Sylvester and the Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm
Association, 82 percent of veterans reported having entered captured Iraqi
vehicles. “This would suggest that 123,000 soldiers have been directly
exposed to DU,” Durakovae said.
“Since the effects of contamination by uranium cannot be directed or
contained, uranium’s chemical and radiological toxicity will create
environments that are hostile not only to the health of enemy forces but of
one’s own forces as well,” Durakovae said.
“Because of the chemical and radiological toxicity of DU, the small number
of particles trapped in the lungs, kidneys and bone greatly increase the
risk of cancer and all other illnesses over time,” said Durakovae, an
expert of internal contamination of radioisotopes.
According to Durakovae, other symptoms associated with DU poisoning are:
emotional and mental deterioration, fatigue, loss of bowel and bladder
control, and numerous forms of cancer. Such symptoms are increasingly
showing up in Iraq’s children and among Gulf War I veterans and their
offspring, he said.
“Although I personally served in Operation Desert Shield as unit
commander,” Durakovae said, “my expertise of internal contamination was
never used because we were never informed of the intended use of DU prior
to or during the war.”
“The numbers are overwhelming, but the potential horrors only get worse,”
Robert C. Koehler of the Chicago-based Tribune Media Services wrote in his
March 25 article on DU weapons, “Silent Genocide.”
“DU dust does more than wreak havoc on the immune systems of those who
breathe it or touch it; the substance also alters one’s genetic code,”
Koehler wrote. “The Pentagon’s response to such charges is denial, denial,
denial. And the American media is its moral co-conspirator.”
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30 [du-list] USFK Lost Depleted Uranium - Activist
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:48:27 -0800
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200512/kt2005122317370310230.htm
USFK Lost Depleted Uranium: Activist
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
The United States Forces Korea (USFK) has about 2.7
million depleted uranium (DU) bombs, some 24,000 of them missing, raising
concerns about its potential damage to human health and the environment, a
civic activist claimed.
In a contribution article to Tongilnews.com, a
progressive online news service, on Dec. 19, anti-war activist Lee Si-woo
said the USFK keeps more than 2.7 million DU weapons in its Air Force bases
here, citing a declassified dossier from the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii.
The document dated in August 2003 says that the U.S.
base in Suwon of Kyonggi Province has some 1.3 million DU bombs; 930,000 in
Chongju, North Chungchong Province; 470,000 in Osan, Kyonggi Province.
The total figure is eight times as many as the 300,000
that Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, Japan, reportedly has.
Lee said he obtained the document from the American
Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a U.S. religious group for peace
movements, noting Kyle Kajihiro, a chief secretary of the AFSC in Hawaii,
had asked the U.S. Pacific Command to make public data related DU weapons
under the Freedom of Information Act in February 2001.
Citing other documents from the air bases concerned, the
activist also said the U.S. military has appeared to have lost about 28,000
of its depleted uranium weapons. Depleted uranium is a by-product of the
nuclear fuel and weapons industries, that can cause radioactive damage to
people and the environment.
The progressive Democratic Labor Party (DLP) called on
the government to conduct a thorough inspection of the storage of DU bombs
here and ask the U.S. to withdraw the weapons.
A spokesman for the USFK dismissed LeeˇŻs claim on the
alleged missing DU weapons, declining to comment how many DU bombs the USFK
currently has on the grounds of military secrecy.
``ItˇŻs true and not a new thing that the USFK has kept
the weapons in case of an emergency. But they have never been used, even in
exercise training, so there is no reason to believe, I think, that the
materials were missing,ˇŻˇŻ Kim Young-kyu at the public affairs office of
the USFK told The Korea Times.
Kim added that the South Korean government has already
been informed of the matter by the USFK.
DU is used in many forms of ammunition as an armor
penetrator because of its extreme weight and density. DU weapons were first
used during the first Gulf War against Iraq in 1991.
During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, U.S. and British
troops used more than five times as many DU bombs and shells as the total
number used during the Gulf War, reports said.
gallantjung@hotmail.com
12-23-2005 17:39
----------
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31 [du-list] Cancer Epidemic Caused by U.S. WMD
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:47:36 -0800
AmericanFreePress.net August 13, 2005
------------------------------------------------------------
Cancer Epidemic Caused by U.S. WMD
M.D. Says Depleted Uranium Definitively Linked
By Christopher Bollyn
A growing number of U.S. military personnel who are serving, or have
served, in Iraq or Afghanistan has become sick and disabled from a
variety of symptoms commonly known as Gulf War Syndrome. Depleted
uranium (DU) weapons have been blamed for many of the symptoms.
"Gulf war vets are coming down with these symptoms at twice the rate
of vets from previous conflicts," said Barbara A. Goodno from the
Department of Defense's Deployment Health Support Directorate.
A recent discovery by American Free Press that nearly half the
soldiers in one returned unit have malignant growths has provided the
scientific community with "critical evidence," experts say, to help
understand exactly how DU affects humans.
One of the first published researchers of Gulf War Syndrome, Dr.
András Korényi-Both, told AFP that 27 percent to 28 percent of Gulf
War veterans have suffered chronic health problems, more than five
times the rate of Viet Nam vets and four times the rate of Korean War
vets.
Korényi-Both said his son had recently returned from Iraq, where he
had been part of the initial Gulf War II assault from Kuwait to
Baghdad. From his unit of 20 men, eight now have "malignant growths,"
Korényi-Both said.
Korényi-Both is not an expert on DU but has written extensively about
how the fine desert sand blowing around Iraq and the Arabian
peninsula provides an ideal vehicle for toxins, increasing the range
and effect of atomic, biological and chemical (ABC) agents, such as
DU, that attach themselves to the particles.
Korényi-Both described how, during the 1991 Gulf War, he and others
had inhaled large quantities of sand dust that could have been laden
with ABC agents. The dust "destroyed our immune systems," he said.
FULK'S THEORY
Marion Fulk, a former nuclear chemical physicist at the Lawrence
Livermore lab, is investigating how DU affects the human body. Fulk
said that eight malignancies out of 20, in 16 months, "is spectacular—
and of serious concern."
The high malignancy rate found in this unit appears to have been
caused by battlefield exposure to DU weapons.
According to Fulk, when DU, consisting mainly of uranium-238, decays,
it transforms into two short-lived and "very hot" isotopes of thorium
and protactinium, then undergoes further decay to another uranium
isotope, giving off high-energy radiation at each stage of the
process.
Scientist Leuren Moret said: "We can expect to see multiple cancers
in one person. These multiple unrelated cancers in the same
individual have been reported in Yugoslavia and Iraq in families that
had no history of any cancer. This is unknown in the previous studies
of cancer," she said, "a new phenomenon."
Goodno questioned Korényi-Both's report that eight of 20 recently
returned soldiers from one unit had experienced malignant growths.
Goodno and Korényi-Both did agree, however, that Iraqi ABC agents had
not played a role in the 2003 invasion.
This is significant because three factors have generally been blamed
for causing Gulf War Syndrome: Iraqi chemical and biological weapons,
the cocktail of vaccinations given to coalition soldiers and DU. The
absence of any detectable Iraqi ABC agents during the 2003 invasion
of Iraq narrows the potential factors for delayed illness or
disability among veterans to prewar vaccinations and DU.
While the number of disabled vets from previous wars is decreasing by
about 35,000 per year, since the "war on terror" began in 2001, the
total number of disabled vets has grown to some 2.5 million—"more
than ever before," Brad Flohr of the Department of Veterans Affairs
said. Asked if there are more disabled vets now than after World War
II, Flohr said he believed so.
Terry Jemison of the Department of Veterans Affairs told AFP that
current statistics indicate that more than half a million veterans of
the 14-year-old Gulf War I era are now receiving disability
compensation. During this period, some 7,035 soldiers are reported
having been wounded in Iraq.
With 518,739 disabled "Gulf War I era veterans" currently receiving
disability compensation, according to Jemison, the number of veterans
disabled after the war is more than 73 times the number of wounded,
in and out of combat, from the entire 14-year conflict with Iraq.
DEPLETED URANIUM WEAPONS
Last December, Dr. Asaf Durakoviae, a nuclear medicine expert who has
conducted extensive research on depleted uranium, examined nine
soldiers from the 442nd Military Police Company of New York and found
that four of the men had absorbed or inhaled DU.
Several of the men had traces of another isotope, U-236, which is
only produced in a nuclear reactor.
"These men were almost certainly exposed to radioactive weapons on
the battlefield," Durakovae said.
"Due to the current proliferation of DU weaponry, the battlefields of
the future will be unlike any battlefields in history," Durakovae,
then chief of Nuclear Medicine for the Veterans Administration, said
after Gulf War I, in which he served.
Since 1991, the U.S. military has used DU in munitions as penetrating
rods, which destroy enemy tanks and their occupants, and as armor
plating on U.S. tanks. When DU penetrating rods strike a hard target
some of the radioactive and toxic uranium is vaporized into ultra-
fine particles that are easily inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
According to a survey of 10,051 Gulf War I veterans, conducted
between 1991 and 1995 by Vic Sylvester and the Operation Desert
Shield/Desert Storm Association, 82 percent of veterans reported
having entered captured Iraqi vehicles. "This would suggest that
123,000 soldiers have been directly exposed to DU," Durakovae said.
"Since the effects of contamination by uranium cannot be directed or
contained, uranium's chemical and radiological toxicity will create
environments that are hostile not only to the health of enemy forces
but of one's own forces as well," Durakovae said.
"Because of the chemical and radiological toxicity of DU, the small
number of particles trapped in the lungs, kidneys and bone greatly
increase the risk of cancer and all other illnesses over time," said
Durakovae, an expert of internal contamination of radioisotopes.
According to Durakovae, other symptoms associated with DU poisoning
are: emotional and mental deterioration, fatigue, loss of bowel and
bladder control, and numerous forms of cancer. Such symptoms are
increasingly showing up in Iraq's children and among Gulf War I
veterans and their offspring, he said.
"Although I personally served in Operation Desert Shield as unit
commander," Durakovae said, "my expertise of internal contamination
was never used because we were never informed of the intended use of
DU prior to or during the war."
"The numbers are overwhelming, but the potential horrors only get
worse," Robert C. Koehler of the Chicago-based Tribune Media Services
wrote in his March 25 article on DU weapons, "Silent Genocide."
"DU dust does more than wreak havoc on the immune systems of those
who breathe it or touch it; the substance also alters one's genetic
code," Koehler wrote. "The Pentagon's response to such charges is
denial, denial, denial. And the American media is its moral co-
conspirator."
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32 [du-list] links to Photos of holes made by depleted uranium
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 16:48:10 -0800
Photos of holes made by depleted uranium rounds
--may be helpful in determining whether your local military base is
using DU.
Reports on the Internet say the holes are clean and round, as if
drilled or burned. Exit holes may be slightly larger than entry holes.
Impact may create a flash brighter than most ammunition, and perhaps
greenish.
DU dust may look like black soot or charcoal. It may develop a green or
yellow tinge over time.
http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/03/1672776.php
scroll down to tank with hole in front
http://www.uer.ca/locations/viewgal.asp?picid=103924
http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub1164_web.pdf
(takes a while to get to photo--page 27 in text, page 37 in PDF version
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33 MilfordDailyNews.com: Radioactive threat shuts down Rte. 9
By Sarah Menesale / Daily News Staff
Friday, December 30, 2005 - Updated: 03:04 AM EST
WESTBOROUGH -- Fears that a pickup truck dumped radioactive
waste along Rte. 9 East turned out to be a false alarm, but not
before cautious town and state officials shut down the road for
nearly two hours.
The truck rolled over at the intersection of Rte. 9
eastbound and Lyman Street at 10:35 a.m., and Westborough Police
and Fire determined its spilled contents were marked as
containing biohazardous and radioactive materials.
More than a half-dozen metal containers with warnings
affixed to them fell to the ground, splitting open. The
containers contained syringes used to inject radioactive dye.
Because the driver did not speak English well, police and fire
officials had trouble determining what was inside the containers.
"There was no way for us to determine what the uses (of the
materials) were for," said Police Chief Alan Gordon. "It was
hard to determine how much and what spilled because the road was
already wet."
The driver, Wilmer Santiago, 40, of 1 Bolduc St., Methuen,
was taken by Westborough Fire ambulance to UMass Memorial
Medical Center in Worcester with minor injuries. The vehicle was
leased by Cardinal Health, a healthcare product supplier, and
was towed from the scene.
Officials closed the road eastbound until they could
determine the contents of the containers.
"It ended up being a cautionary thing because the material
was not dangerous," Gordon said.
Santiago was driving eastbound when the hit a Jersey
barrier, causing the vehicle to flip and spill the contents
before it tipped back onto its wheels, Gordon said.
Westborough Fire Department officials and members of the
Fire District 14 crew tested the contents of the vehicle and
determined that there was no threat to public safety.
Fire officials used a quick-drying solution to secure the
area so nothing would leak out of the circle of the absorbent
material, said Fire Capt. Phil Kittredge.
"Its the same thing we used if its an oil or gasoline
spill," said Kittredge.
Traffic was stopped heading eastbound and detoured through
the Westborough Shopping Center plaza for close to two hours,
backing up vehicles along the road for approximately four miles.
The accident was investigated by Officer Robert Drummond and
members of the State Police Truck Team.
"It does not appear that speed was a factor and no charges
have been filed at this time," said Gordon.
© Copyright by Community Newspaper Co. and Herald Media.
*****************************************************************
34 Herald News: Nuclear station tests for potential water hazard
[SuburbanChicagoNews.com]
Exelon station: Braidwood area facility cited for tritium last
week
By Kim SmithSTAFF WRITER
BRACEVILLE The nuclear station is testing for high levels of
tritium, a potentially dangerous isotope, in the groundwater
after violations were cited last week.
Tritium is a naturally occurring isotope of hydrogen that emits
a low level of radiation and is a natural part of water. It is
found in more concentrated levels in water used in nuclear
reactors. High exposure to tritium increases the risk of
developing cancer.
Local drinking-water wells show no tritium concentrations above
the federal standard. But higher than normal concentrations of
tritium were discovered in November close to an underground pipe
inside the plant's northern boundary, said a spokesman for a
company spokesman said.
Shortly afterward, the company launched a remediation program,
the spokesman said.
"Even though the public faced no health issues as a result of
this discovery, it is our policy to keep the public informed of
such issues," said Neal Miller, spokesman for the Exelon Nuclear
Braidwood Station.
Exelon is testing the pipe near the location where the company
believed it found the highest concentration of tritium. In the
past, the pipe carried water containing diluted tritium from the
plant to the Kankakee River, where it was periodically
discharged under federal guidelines as part of normal plant
operations, Miller said.
Technicians have analyzed 211 groundwater samples taken from
158 test wells both on and off the property and from a 25-acre
pond just north of the station.
"The highest concentration of tritium discovered was 226,000
picocuries per liter in a remote area far from private drinking
wells," Miller said. "This does not represent a health or safety
threat."
Federal guidelines allow 20,000 picocuries of tritium
concentration per liter of drinking water. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency establishes the guidelines.
The next highest concentration found to date was about 59,000
picocuries per liter, from a test well 75 feet north of the
property line, Miller said.
Water from the 25-acre pond measured 2,400 picocuries per liter.
On Dec. 20, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
notified Exelon of the violations of Illinois standards. The
station is required to provide results of its ongoing
investigation and plans to resolve the violations by early
February.
Thirteen of 14 private drinking-water wells near the plant
showed no tritium above the normal background levels. The 14th
showed a low level of 1,525 picocuries per liter. Additional
test wells are in the process of being dug to confirm test
results.
More than 20 full-time technical experts, environmental
consultants and others have been assigned to complete the
groundwater studies and to oversee mitigation of the tritium,
Miller said.
"While the news is generally good and there is not a health or
safety threat, our goal and obligation is to eliminate this
tritium in groundwater and to make sure no tritium is ever again
allowed to go where it is not supposed to go," said Keith
Polson, Exelon Nuclear vice president. "We will continue to work
full speed to this end; we will take whatever steps necessary in
the meantime to ensure the full confidence of our immediate
neighbors."
More information on tritium can be found on the EPA's Web site,
www.epa.gov.12/30/05
SuburbanChicagoNews.com — © Digital Chicago & Sun-Times
*****************************************************************
35 Wisconsin Radio Network: UW gets nuclear energy study grant
Friday, December 30, 2005
by Bob Hague
Recycling spent fuel could be key to nuclear energy's future.
A problem: all the space at the nation's yet to open Yucca
Mountain nuclear waste repository is already committed for
existing radioactive waste, from the nation's reactors. Todd
Allen is a researcher, at UW Madison. "We'd like to recycle the
spent fuel," said Allen. "In order to do that, we need to use a
different type of reactor than we use right now, called a fast
reactor. Essentially, our research is helping to develop fuel
forms for that type of reactor."
Two University of Wisconsin-Madison projects to study advanced
materials and fuels for current and future nuclear reactors
received roughly one million dollars this month, under the
Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Research Initiative. "It's
exciting for us to be involved, in these advanced research
projects," said Allen. "We hope to come up with some solutions
that help make nuclear energy in the future a little more easy
to deal with."
This is the second year for the research initiative, and both
years UW Madison has received multiple awards.The university was
among five universities to receive funding for multiple projects
this year
Tel: 608.251.3900; Fax: 608.251.7233; Email - ©2004 Learfield
Communications, Inc.
*****************************************************************
36 WHDH-TV: Pickup truck with canisters marked radioactive flips over
Boston -
Friday, December 30, 2005
WESTBORO (AP) -- A pickup truck carrying canisters marked
radioactive flipped over on Route Nine in Westboro, but
officials determined there was no public safety hazard.
The truck hit a concrete barrier yesterday about 10:30 a.m. and
rolled over. Westboro Police Chief Alan Gordon said about eight
of the canisters opened, but all were empty. A Geiger counter
was used to test for the presence of radiation, but firefighters
found nothing out of the ordinary.
As a precaution, the eastbound section of the road was closed
for about two hours.
The driver -- Wilmer Santiago of Methuen -- was treated at UMass
Memorial Medical Center in Worcester. No charges were filed in
the crash.
The truck was leased to Cardinal Health Incorporated, a
pharmaceutical company with headquarters in Ohio and a plant in
Woburn. Cardinal Health officials went to the accident site to
collect the canisters, but there has been no word as to what the
canisters contained.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
37 PhysOrg.com: Radiation studies key to nuclear reactor life, recycling spent fuel
Two UW-Madison projects to study advanced materials and fuels for
current and future nuclear reactors received roughly $1 million
this month under the Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Research
Initiative (NERI). Breaking news: Physics Unified physics theory
explains animals' running, flying and swimming December 30, 2005
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The NERI program supports research and development under three
Department of Energy nuclear initiatives: Generation IV nuclear
energy systems, advanced fuel cycles and nuclear hydrogen.
In one three-year project, UW-Madison nuclear engineers will
study the resistance to radiation damage of oxide, carbide and
nitride nuclear fuel "matrix" materials-the vessels that contain
nuclear fuel. A second project will exploit recent advances in
computational power and technique to develop computer models of
how a reactor's structural materials behave as a result of
long-term radiation exposure.
The projects were among 24 selected across the country;
UW-Madison was among five universities to receive funding for
multiple projects.
Matrix materials are a key element of future fast-spectrum
reactors, which are capable of safely and efficiently recycling
spent nuclear fuel. The nuclear fission process produces
high-energy radioactive neutrons, called "fast" because of their
great energy. Current thermal reactors use a moderator to reduce
the neutrons' velocity, making them capable of sustaining the
nuclear fission reaction using simpler fuel.
But to recycle and minimize the waste impact of the spent fuel,
you need to keep those neutrons fast, says Todd Allen, an
assistant professor of engineering physics. He and James
Blanchard, a professor of engineering physics, are researching
how proposed matrix materials hold up under a barrage of
radiation.
"It's all in the context of devising new fuel forms that will
allow you to efficiently recycle reactor fuel in a way that
minimizes the net waste output from the entire fuel cycle," says
Allen. "And the reason for looking at recycle is to limit the
number of underground repositories you have to build."
Another project involves applying complex materials modeling to
nuclear reactors. In it, Allen and Dane Morgan, an assistant
professor of materials science and engineering, will incorporate
the properties of iron, chromium and nickel into more complete
computer models of radiation damage in steel, a common reactor
structural material.
Previously, a lack of computing power limited such models to
single pure materials like copper or iron. "People have learned
a lot about radiation damage," says Allen. "But you never build
anything out of just copper or just iron."
The effort may lead to structural materials that are better able
to withstand long-term exposure to radiation-in some cases,
nearly 60 years, says Allen.
Source: University of Wisconsin
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38 KESQ: BLM sets aside corridor for study of Yucca Mountain rail route
NewsChannel 3 Palm Springs, CA:
December 30, 2005
LAS VEGAS The federal Bureau of Land Management has designated a
swath of land across Nevada so the Energy Department can study a
route for a railroad to haul radioactive waste to Yucca Mountain.
The move was made official yesterday (Wednesday).
The B-L-M says it won't limit most current uses of the mile-wide,
319-mile long corridor from Caliente to the Yucca site.
Current valid mining claims, grazing rights, water rights and
public access to the land shouldn't be affected.
But it gives the Energy Department room for studies and surveys
-- while preventing new mining claims and deterring the B-L-M
from selling the property.
Right now, there's no rail line to the Yucca Mountain site -- 90
miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Copyright 2005
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
All content © Copyright 2002 - 2005 WorldNow and KESQ.
All Rights Reserved.
*****************************************************************
39 UK: News & Star: Final NDA recruitment drive gets underway
Published on 30/12/2005
--> Recruitment: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is to move
to the Westlakes Science and Technology Park near Whitehaven
By Andrea Thompson
THE final recruitment for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
is underway with interviews being held for a host of lucrative
new posts at Sellafield.
Salaries of up to Ł70,000 are being offered as interviews take
place at the Pelham House offices at Calderbridge, currently
being used as temporary headquarters for the NDA.
The multi-billion organisation, which was established to oversee
the clean-up and winding down of Britain’s civil nuclear
sites, will be moving to its official headquarters at the
Westlakes Science and Technology Park, on the outskirts of
Whitehaven, in the new year.
It will be the base for the NDA’s 120-strong workforce.
Among the final vacancies to be filled are a senior site
programme manager with a salary starting at Ł70,000.
Nuclear engineers are also being interviewed for Ł60,000-plus
posts, and to help the PR effort for the NDA, Ł19,500-a-year
communication assistants are being sought.
Project control engineers are also being recruited for between
Ł34,000 and Ł67,000.
The NDA is telling applicants: “We won’t be doing the
clean-up work ourselves. Our role will be to develop a clean-up
strategy and contract out the work, initially to BNFL and UKAEA.
We will be moving to a competitive market, where work will be
awarded according to fair and open tender.
“Our role will be to oversee the work’s implementation,
ensuring that the knowledge and resources are in place to
achieve the highest levels of safety, security, value for money
and environmental protection.”
The work will take more than 100 years to complete.
In the meantime, talks have been taking place between the
Sellafield unions and the NDA over the pension scheme for 7,000
British Nuclear Group staff.
The NDA has to set up a new group-wide pension scheme before it
can invite any tenders from bidders to take over the running of
the Sellafield site.
The Government promised existing workers would not lose out as
part of the proposed sell-off of the British Nuclear Group,
which currently operates the site, and unions are keeping a
close eye on the negotiations to see what deal will be offered
to staff.
Last month the NDA announced a Ł20 million boost to turn West
Cumbria into a world-class centre of excellence for nuclear
skills.
The money, being invested over the next three years will help
provide a Nuclear Institute at the West Lakes Science and
Technology Park; a national Nuclear Skills Academy; and a new
academic position of Chair of Epidemiology, which will help pave
the way for a potential teaching hospital in the area.
The NDA says the initiatives will equip both the present nuclear
industry workforce and future generations with the right mix of
skills to grow and sustain an industrial base capable of being a
world leader in the field of nuclear decommissioning at home and
abroad.
*****************************************************************
40 Las Vegas SUN: BLM sets aside corridor for study of Yucca
Mountain rail route
December 29, 2005
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LAS VEGAS (AP) - A swath of land across Nevada has been set
aside for the Energy Department to study as a route for building
a railroad to haul highly radioactive waste to a national
nuclear waste dump, Bureau of Land Management officials said
Thursday.
The restrictions imposed this week won't limit most current uses
of the mile-wide, 319-mile long corridor between Caliente near
the Utah line and the planned nuclear repository at Yucca
Mountain, said Dennis Samuelson, a BLM realty specialist in
Reno.
"You're probably not going to see anything on the ground, no
stakes or anything," Samuelson said Thursday. "People can
recreate and hunt in the area."
The designation grants the Energy Department access to the
308,600 acres of property to study rail alignments to the Yucca
Mountain site, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. There is no rail
line to the site that Congress and President Bush picked in 2002
to entomb 77,000 tons of radioactive commercial, industrial and
military waste now stored in 39 states.
Problems at the Yucca Mountain dump have delayed the projected
opening date by years, and it's now not expected until after
2012.
Project officials recently increased cost estimates for building
the railroad from $880 million to $2 billion.
A two-year temporary land withdrawal had been set to expire
Thursday along the route dubbed the Caliente Corridor. The new
order extends it for 10 years and can be renewed.
The land withdrawal prevents new mining claims and deters the
BLM from selling the property. Current valid mining claims,
grazing rights, water rights and public access to the land
should not be affected, Samuelson said.
The Energy Department said in August that its studies would
consist mostly of photographing topography and conducting land
surveys.
Nevada state officials and other repository critics contend that
Energy Department activities will hurt property values, the
local economy, and archaeological and cultural features.
"We are still contending the selection of the corridor itself
was illegal and that BLM dropped the ball in not requiring a
more thorough environmental impact statement," said Joe Strolin,
an administrator with the state's Agency for Nuclear Projects.
Attorneys for the state have sued the government over the Energy
Department's rail plan. A three-judge federal court panel heard
oral arguments in the case in October, and a ruling is expected
early next year.
The land order was signed Dec. 21 in Washington by Mark
Limbaugh, Interior Department assistant secretary for water and
science. It became effective when it was published Wednesday in
the Federal Register.
---
On the Net: Yucca Mountain project: http://www.ymp.gov
Nevada's Agency for Nuclear Projects:
http://www.state.nv.us/nucwaste
All contents copyright 2005 Las Vegas SUN, Inc.
*****************************************************************
41 TENNESSEAN: Oak Ridge cylinders await shipping exemptions -
Friday, 12/30/05
About 1,200 cylinders of depleted uranium hexafluoride rusting
in outdoor lots at the former K-25 enrichment plant are waiting
on special shipping exemptions before they can be trucked to
Ohio.
The Department of Energy and its Oak Ridge contractors have six
exemption requests pending with the Department of Transportation
to allow containers that are slightly overweight or otherwise
don't meet transportation rules to make the 300-mile trip.
The destination is a sister facility in Piketon, Ohio, where the
uranium compounds will be processed into a more stable form for
long-term storage or disposal.
About 4,800 cylinders — weighing up to 14 tons apiece — have
made the trip in recent years.
— ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tennessean
Copyright © 2005, tennessean.com. All rights reserved.
*****************************************************************
42 cbs4denver.com: Rocky Flats Museum Having Trouble With Funding
[clock] Dec 29, 2005 8:18 pm US/Mountain
(AP) DENVER Supporters of a Rocky Flats Cold War Museum say they
are having trouble raising the $4 million to $5 million needed
to set up a warehouse for relics from the former nuclear weapons
plant outside Denver.
"If we don't secure funding in the six or seven digit figures by
the end of 2006, it will be very difficult to go forward," said
Bryan Taylor, the museum board's past president.
Hundreds of artifacts from the old plant are kept inside a dank
cargo container. Except for $150,000 from Kaiser-Hill Co., the
plant's cleanup contractor, donations have been few.
Taylor and other board members say they think the plant's
scandal-tainted past may be thwarting efforts to raise money.
Board members say they have been particularly disappointed that
the Energy Department, which owns the site, hasn't given any
money.
Rocky Flats manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear warheads
until it was shut down in 1991 because of safety problems and
the end of the Cold War. Most of the 6,240-acre site northwest
of Denver is being converted to a wildlife refuge.
(© 2005 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material
*****************************************************************
43 Albuquerque Tribune: Lab asked to solve impurity in water
By Associated Press
December 30, 2005
SANTA FE - A week after Los Alamos National Laboratory reported
finding chromium in a monitoring well, the state Environment
Department has ordered the lab's managers to develop an
investigation and cleanup program to determine the source and
magnitude of the contamination.
Lab officials said the levels of the metal exceed those allowed
by the federal and state governments, but the drinking water in
the area is safe. Chromium occurs naturally in the environment
and is used in dyes and water-cooling towers to prevent scaling
and minimize biological growth.
The lab has been trying to find out where the metal came from.
Chromium hasn't been found above normal background levels in the
county's drinking water supplies, which indicates the water is
safe, officials say. Drinking water supply wells are tested
frequently.
The Environment Department ordered the U.S. Department of
Energy, the University of California and partners that manage
the lab to submit within 90 days an aggressive plan for reducing
and preventing migration of chromium and other contaminants.
The state and DOE signed off on a formal order in March for what
they termed a "fence-to-fence" cleanup at the nuclear weapons
lab. The order requires comprehensive investigation and cleanup
of contamination, including disposal areas and contaminated
ground water. It sets a cleanup completion date of 2015.
Environment Secretary Ron Curry said the department's action
Thursday is a result of the previous order.
"The order gives the state the authority to direct accelerated
work so that the citizenry that relies on groundwater beneath
the laboratory for its drinking water is protected," he said.
The lab notified the state and Los Alamos County officials Dec.
23 about the chromium found in a well in Mortandad Canyon. The
state said the results were from samples taken in May, September
and November.
*****************************************************************
44 AP Wire: Nuclear regulators OK SRS cleanup plan
| 12/30/2005 |
Associated Press
AIKEN, S.C. - The Energy Department may move forward with plans
to bury lower levels of radioactive waste at the Savannah River
Site after federal regulators approved the plan.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission signed off on the strategy to
empty 49 tanks that contain 36 million gallons of Cold War
waste, saying it complies with federal law.
The Energy Department can begin emptying its tanks for the first
time since 1997 once the state issues environmental permits.
Higher radioactive materials will be extracted from tanks and
turned into glass that will be shipped off-site.
Clean-up of the tanks has been delayed because of legal and
technical problems.
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