***************************************************************** 12/22/06 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 14.302 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** Send News Stories to news@energy-net.org with title on subject line and first line of body NUCLEAR POLICY 1 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: No one heeds dictates of superpowers 2 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: UNSC resolution not working 3 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: Zionists' N-weapon, barrier to Peace 4 AFP: Russia seeks delay in planned vote on Iran sanctions - 5 AFP: UN Security Council likely to approve Iran sanctions Saturday - 6 UPI: Iran says it will defy U.N. resolution 7 UPI: U.N. may soon vote on Iran sanctions 8 BBC: North Korea talks end in deadlock 9 BBC: 'Pressure will mount' on N Korea 10 YONHAP NEWS: Negotiators in discussions on written agreement 11 washingtonpost.com: N. Korea Balks at Weapons Discussion - 12 AFP: NKorean nuclear talks end in deadlock, acrimony - 13 UPI: BMD Focus: S. Korea's BMD plans 14 UPI: No progress in North Korea nuclear talks 15 AFP: US naval buildup in Gulf shows enduring presence - Gates 16 RIA Novosti: Putin, Yushchenko to discuss energy, WTO, fleet, Turkme 17 BBC NEWS: Trident forces minister from job 18 Scotsman.com: Trident row threatens to split Scots Labour Party wide NUCLEAR REACTORS 19 BBC: Nuclear reactors 20 Times of India: UK, Italy support Indo-US nuclear deal-India 21 Financial Mail: More nuclear power for SA 22 US: JOURNAL NEWS: Indian Point nuke plant to address worker complain 23 US: JOURNAL NEWS: Feds: Indian Point must help workers feel comforta 24 US: theledger.com: A New Debate on Nuclear Power | 25 US: heraldtribune.com: Look who supports nuclear power 26 US: NRC: Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; New System of Records 27 US: NRC: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impa 28 IHT: Swedish nuclear reactor restarted after fuel problem - Europe - 29 US: Hudson Valley News: New safety initiatives announced for Indian 30 US: Newsday.com: Agenda for NY energy - NUCLEAR SECURITY NUCLEAR SAFETY 31 UN Issues Guidelines For First Responders In Case Of Nuclear Acciden 32 US: Tucson Citizen: Permit upheld for toxic chemical user Brush Cera 33 US: Salt Lake Tribune: Pentagon says bomb test safe for downwind Uta 34 US: NRC: Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; ASLBP N 35 IAEA: Help for "First Responders" to Nuclear or Radiological Emergen 36 US: New London Day: That Christmastime Glow 37 US: KOLD-TV: New report released on Divine Strake; public meetings s 38 UPI: U.N. gives radiation emergency guidelines 39 Sydney Morning Herald: Police search for lost radioactive canister - NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 40 Lahontan Valley News: County gives suggestions on rail route for nuc 41 US: newsobserver.com: Truck hauling uranium overturns on I-40 ramp 42 Pahrump Valley Times: Less radioactive material being shipped out 43 Pahrump Valley Times: County to update itself on the Web 44 US: News-Record.com: Truck hauling uranium overturns on I-95 45 Pahrump Valley Times: Nye County cuts lobbyist from Washington dutie 46 Playfuls: Radioactive Waste Falls Out Of German Van, Bursts On Road 47 NewsRoom Finland: Finland's Fortum to buy all nuclear fuel from Russ 48 reviewjournal.com: YUCCA MOUNTAIN: Nuclear waste aging facility chal 49 Pahrump Valley Times: State protests plans to 'age' nuke waste 50 Las Vegas SUN: Nevada challenging plan for handling Yucca PEACE US DEPT. OF ENERGY 51 Star-Telegram: Pantex calls warning a 'falsehood' 52 Austin American-Statesman: Pantex boss calls safety warning false 53 SF New Mexican: Environment secretary wants LANL fined $1,000 a day 54 Tri-City Herald: Hanford cleanup worries governor 55 Hanford News: Beach named to Hanford safety advisory board 56 Hanford News: Energy NW recognized for plant performance 57 Hanford News: Peters to continue efforts to improve Tri-Cities 58 Hanford News: Hanford cleanup worries governor 59 Carlsbad Current-Argus: Training center to get accelerator funds 60 DOE: Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board, Oak Ridg 61 lamonitor.com: Warhead therapy 62 lamonitor.com: Don't touch, don't enter, don't spoil 63 lamonitor.com: Lab cleanup faces more state fines 64 UPI: N.M. secretary wants Los Alamos lab fined ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: No one heeds dictates of superpowers 2006/12/22 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that no one heeds decisions of the so-called super powers. Addressing a huge crowd in the city of Ghasr-e Shirin in this western province, he said no one recognizes the superpowers in the world but they gather and draw up resolutions and assume they are the owner of the whole world. Referring to the plots hatched by the enemies in the past 27 years against the Islamic Republic of Iran and their subsequent failure, he said these super powers have not been able to take action against Iran and they should be aware that the determined nation with reliance upon their faith and unity would accomplish nuclear program with success, a reference to setting up fuel cycle. Bullying powers are afraid of IRI's progress which may make the nation powerful and be considered as a model, he said adding that Bush has given a message to Iranian nation that they should prevent their government from access to nuclear energy, otherwise, America would isolate IRI. "Your excellency, please come out of your glassy palace and see that you are the most isolated individual in the world. America cannot inflict any damage on Iranian nation," he underlined. If Bush does not believe this, he can set a date with American people in one of their states to understand that the American nation would treat him in the same way as the people in Indonesia did, he underlined. Addressing the people in Ghasre Shirin, he said our government is determined to uphold social justice and reconstruct the whole country. President Ahmadinejad, accompanied by members of his cabinet, arrived in Kermanshah Tuesday for a three-day visit. His current visit is his 23rd to various provinces of the country since the start of his initiative of bringing the government closer to the people. He and members of his cabinet will hold a session in Kermanshah city later today to discuss the province's problems before they return to Tehran. M/D Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved By Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News Network Sponsored By IRIB News Computer Center. E-Mail: Info@IRIBNEWS.ir ***************************************************************** 2 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: UNSC resolution not working 2006/12/22 Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani said on Thursday that the probable UNSC resolution is incapable of exerting any pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, he said if they issue resolution against Iran, they should know that it will be useless although the country will give a proper response to such a move. The measure only exacerbates the situation, he said adding that if they issue the resolution, a new situation would be created for Iran. Calling the measure irrational, he said under such circumstances, the Islamic Republic of Iran would reconsider its cooperation with IAEA in other sectors. UNSC resolution against Iran's peaceful nuclear program is not an important document, he underlined. "During the savage atrocities of Zionists in Lebanon, the UNSC did not issue any resolution to condemn Israel but after Israelis were defeated, they issued a resolution which was not important," he said. mk Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved By Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News Network Sponsored By IRIB News Computer Center. E-Mail: Info@IRIBNEWS.ir ***************************************************************** 3 IRIB PERSIAN NEWS: Zionists' N-weapon, barrier to Peace 2006/12/20 Islamic Republic of Iran's Permanent Representative to the UN Mohammad-Javad Zarif said that peace and stability cannot be achieved in the Middle East while the massive Zionists' nuclear arsenal continues to threaten the region and beyond. In a letter sent to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and chairman of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Zarif said the inaction imposed on the Security Council over the past several decades in addressing the well-documented illicit nuclear-weapons program by the Zionist regime has given the audacity to its prime minister not only to explicitly acknowledge possession of nuclear weapons but even to publicly boast about its dangerous nuclear weapons. The Iranian envoy further referred to the Zionists' prime minister's interview with a German television on December 12, 2006, during which he boasted about the unlawful possession of nuclear weapons by his government. "No doubt that nuclear weapons in the hands of a regime with an unparalleled record of non-compliance with Security Council resolutions and a long and dark catalogue of crimes and atrocities such as occupation, aggression, militarism, state-terrorism, and crimes against humanity, poses a uniquely grave threat to regional as well as international peace and security," Zarif said in his letter. The Zionist regime, as the only obstacle for the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free-zone in the Middle East, has constantly and obstinately disregarded international demands and concerns repeatedly raised about its clandestine nuclear weapons program in different fora particularly in the NPT Review Conferences, which have by name, called upon this regime to accede to the NPT immediately and without any condition, he said. "Moreover, Zionist regime's clandestine development and possession of nuclear weapons not only violate basic principles of international law, United Nations Charter, the NPT as well as numerous General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, but also clearly defy the demand of the overwhelming majority of the UN member states who have, time and again, called on this regime to renounce nuclear weapons and accede to the NPT. "In this regard, as recently as in September 2006, the Heads of state or government of 118 members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) urged the Israeli regime to renounce possession of nuclear weapons, to accede to the NPT without delay, to place promptly all its nuclear facilities under IAEA full-scope safeguards according to Security Council Resolution 487 (1981), and to conduct its nuclear related activities in conformity with the non-proliferation regime," Zarif reiterated. He added that the NAM members also expressed great concern over the acquisition of nuclear capability "by the Zionist regime, which poses a serious and continuing threat to the security of neighboring and other states, and condemned the Zionist regime for continuing to develop and stockpile nuclear arsenals". The same demands have been also constantly made by the member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), he added. The Iranian envoy further called on the Security Council to "fulfill its charter-based responsibility to address such a clear and serious threat to international peace and security, and take prompt and appropriate actions accordingly". The Security Council should, inter alia, condemn Zionist regime's clandestine development and possession of nuclear weapons, compel it to abandon nuclear weapons, urge it to accede to the NPT without delay, and demand this regime to place promptly all its nuclear facilities under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) full-scope safeguards, Zarif emphasized adding, "Should the 'Israeli' regime fail to do so, the council must take resolute action under Chapter VII of the Charter to ensure compliance." The reversal of the hypocritical policy of "strategic ambiguity" by the Zionist regime has removed any excuse - if there ever were any - for continued inaction by the council in the face of this actual threat to international peace and security, he said. "The reaction of the Security Council will show whether the council is acting, as it is obliged to under Article 24 of the Charter, on behalf of the members of the international community who have made their views abundantly clear on this issue, or whether it is merely a tool for a few permanent members who have made no secret of their policy to allow and even encourage the Israeli regime to persist in its lawless behavior with impunity," the Iranian envoy added. Zarif further called for circulation of his letter as a document of the General Assembly under agenda items 81, 87, 93 and 13, and of the Security Council. M/D Copyright 2004, All Rights Reserved By Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News Network Sponsored By IRIB News Computer Center. E-Mail: Info@IRIBNEWS.ir ***************************************************************** 4 AFP: Russia seeks delay in planned vote on Iran sanctions - by Gerard Aziakou Fri Dec 22, 8:13 AM ET UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - Russia is pushing for a one-day delay in a planned vote on a UN resolution sanctioning Iran" /> for pursuing its nuclear program. In a last-minute exercise of brinkmanship diplomacy, envoys of the 15-member council's five veto-wielding members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus Germany are set to meet early Friday for final negotiations on whether to hold the vote or postpone it. On Thursday they huddled for what was supposed to be a last bargaining session ahead of the crucial vote. But Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin emerged from the meeting, saying he wanted the council vote put off to at least Saturday. "We believe there should be a postponement (of the vote) to Saturday," he said. "We'll need (Friday) for further discussions." A Western diplomat close to the talks said that France, Britain and Germany, who sponsored the text, still plan for a Friday vote. "The Europeans have the decision on this," said US acting Ambassador Alejandro Wolff, hopeful there would still be a Friday vote. Wolff said the six countries were "getting closer to a final text," but cited lingering "issues we are concerned about," without elaborating. Asked if the United States would accept a Russian abstention, he replied: "We are hoping for a consensus resolution but we want a tough resolution that will actually demonstrate to Iran that the international community is not going to accept their continued violations of their obligations." In Washington, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice" /> said her government was seeking last-minute changes to the document. The draft resolution calls for a ban on trade with Iran in goods related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. It warns that if Tehran refuses to comply with demands that it halt sensitive nuclear fuel work, the Security Council "shall adopt further appropriate measures under Article 41 of Chapter Seven" of the UN charter, a reference to economic sanctions. The draft document slaps financial restrictions on persons and entities involved in proliferation-sensitive nuclear and missile programs. Churkin said he offered suggestions about how to ensure that the proposed sanctions target only prohibited sectors, such as Iran's enrichment-related and reprocessing activities. To overcome Russian objections, the sponsors Wednesday watered down a contentious proposal for a travel ban on 12 officials directly linked to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. But Churkin also wants to dilute a proposed assets freeze that would target 11 entities involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programs. Western countries want to impose sanctions on Iran over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, fearing the program would help Tehran develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful, aimed at providing energy for a growing population. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed Thursday that nothing would stop Iran pushing ahead with its nuclear program. "The bullying powers today, in confronting Iran's peaceful nuclear technology, are faced with a sea of courageous people," Ahmadinejad said in a speech in Gilan-e Gharb town, in Iran's western Kermanshah province. Qatar's Ambassador Nasser Abdelaziz al-Nasser, who chairs the council for December, expressed misgivings about sanctions. "We don't know how the Iranians are going to react," he said. "The Middle East is going through difficult times. We are worried about this matter. We live there," he said. Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 5 AFP: UN Security Council likely to approve Iran sanctions Saturday - diplomats - Fri Dec 22, 8:44 PM ET UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - The Security Council is likely to approve a slightly amended European draft resolution mandating UN nuclear-related sanctions on Iran" /> Iran, diplomats have said. "We have decided to meet for a vote tomorrow (Saturday) at 11:00 am (1600 GMT)" on a new, slightly amended draft resolution put forward by European sponsors, France's UN Ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere told reporters after consultations of the 15-nation Security Council. "We will take action tomorrow at 11:00 am," Qatar's UN envoy Nasser Abdelaziz al-Nasser, who chairs the council for December, confirmed. He added the vote would follow last-minute consultations among council members. A Western diplomat close to the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the latest draft resolution would be endorsed overwhelmingly and possibly unanimously. China's UN Ambassador Wang Guangya told reporters that he planned to consult with his government before the vote. The vote will take place exactly two months after Britain, France and Germany first introduced a sanctions draft resolution following Iran's failure to comply with an August 31 council deadline to halt its sensitive nuclear fuel work. The European draft has been amended several times as Russia and China, which have close economic and energy ties with Tehran, deemed it too tough and likely to irk the Iranians while Washington sought a tougher text. Russia pressed for a one-day delay in a previously planned Friday vote on the text sanctioning Iran for pursuing uranium enrichment. The changes agreed late Friday among the six major powers trying to scale down Iran's nuclear ambitions -- Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States -- were purely cosmetic, raising questions as to why the Russians wanted to postpone the vote. The Western diplomat said Russian President Vladimir Putin" /> Vladimir Putininsisted on seeing the final text before Saturday's vote. The draft resolution calls for a ban on trade with Iran in goods related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. An annex to the draft lists persons and entities involved in proliferation-sensitive nuclear and missile programs that will be subjected to financial restrictions. To overcome Russian objections, the sponsors Wednesday watered down a proposal for a travel ban on 12 officials directly linked to Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs and also listed in the annex. The text warns that if Tehran refuses to comply with demands that it halt sensitive nuclear fuel work, the Security Council "shall adopt further appropriate measures under Article 41 of Chapter Seven" of the UN charter, a reference to non-military sanctions. Western countries want to impose sanctions on Iran over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment activities which they fear would help Tehran develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is strictly peaceful and aimed at providing electricity for a growing population. Thursday Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vowed that nothing would stop Iran from pushing ahead with its nuclear program. "The bullying powers today, in confronting Iran's peaceful nuclear technology, are faced with a sea of courageous people," Ahmadinejad said in a speech. A senior cleric in Iran echoed that defiance Friday. "We should tell foreign enemies that this is the Iranian nation; whether you adopt a resolution or whatever hostile act, ... our people will withstand it," senior cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Janati said in a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran carried live on state radio. "If they were only a little bit reasonable, they would come forward for negotiations. This would be in their own interest. They should come and sign economic and cultural contracts with the Iranian people and the Islamic government," added Janati, head of the powerful legislative watchdog the Guardians Council. Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 6 UPI: Iran says it will defy U.N. resolution United Press International - NewsTrack - 12/22/2006 4:14:00 PM -0500 TEHRAN, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the country's chief nuclear negotiator say that Iran will defy any U.N. sanctions resolution on uranium enrichment. The Security Council is expected to approve a resolution this weekend that would ban any exports of nuclear technology to Iran, The Telegraph reported. "The nature of this resolution is not capable of pressuring Iran, and Iran will give an appropriate response to it," said Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. "This behavior will just create more problems." Iran claims that its nuclear program is aimed only at power production. The country has refused to halt its uranium enrichment program. At a rally Thursday, Ahmadinejad said the United States and Britain are not as powerful as they like to think. "Some so-called superpowers... think that they can control the whole world," he said. "I'm telling them: Open your eyes, today, the world no longer thinks your decisions have any value." © Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 7 UPI: U.N. may soon vote on Iran sanctions United Press International - NewsTrack - 12/22/2006 10:39:00 AM -0500 NEW YORK, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- A draft resolution on sanctions against Iran regarding its nuclear program has been drawn up and could be voted on by the U.N. Security Council this week. The resolution, which abandons a provision that would have banned Iranian nuclear officials from traveling outside the country, was written by Germany, France and Britain, The Washington Times reported Friday. The provision was dropped in an effort to appease Russia, which had voiced disapproval of the measure. However, the country said Thursday it wasn't completely satisfied with the latest draft, casting uncertainty over whether a vote can be called Friday. Several Western countries are trying to stop Iran from pursuing its nuclear program. While Tehran says the program is solely for peaceful purposes, some countries claim the Iranians are trying to develop nuclear weapons Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed the draft resolution, which would ban the trade of parts and technology used in the construction of ballistic missiles and nuclear fuel with Iran. "The United States and Europeans know well that they cannot do anything against Iran and their pressure will not hold back Iran's desire to fully obtain peaceful nuclear technology," he said. © Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 8 BBC: North Korea talks end in deadlock Last Updated: Friday, 22 December 2006 [Top North Korean envoy Kim Kye-gwan at the talks in Beijing on 18 December 2006] Kim Kye-gwan says the US must first lift its financial sanctions Six-party talks on the dismantling of North Korea's nuclear programme have ended without any real breakthrough. Despite five days of negotiations in Beijing, the talks broke up and no date for a resumption has been announced. US envoy Christopher Hill expressed frustration over Pyongyang's refusal to consider denuclearisation until US financial sanctions were lifted. His Pyongyang counterpart Kim Kye-gwan said lifting sanctions would "create a good atmosphere" for future discussion. He also warned that North Korea was likely to bolster its nuclear arsenal, not reduce it. "The US is taking a tactic of both dialogue and pressure, and carrots and sticks," he told reporters. "We are responding with dialogue and a shield. And by a shield, we are saying we will further improve our deterrent." Hopes fade The talks - which involved the US, North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia - were the first for 13 months. N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME [map] Believed t have 'handful' of nuclear weapons But not thought to have any small enough to put in a missile Could try dropping from plane, though world watching closely Low hopes for talks Text of September 2005 deal Talks absorb regional press They came two months after North Korea sparked international condemnation by testing a nuclear weapon. Chinese envoy Wu Dawei ended the talks with a statement that simply reaffirmed an agreement from September 2005 that the North would agree to disarm in return for aid and guarantees of security. Mr Wu said the six nations would "reconvene at the earliest opportunity". Hopes of a breakthrough had faded by Friday, despite reports mid-week that the US had offered an incentives package that built on the agreement of September 2005. Financial sanctions US treasury officials also met their North Korean counterparts on the sidelines to discuss the financial sanctions. Those talks broke up with a tentative agreement to meet again in the new year. Mr Hill said the point of the talks had been denuclearisation, and accused the North of failing to take the issue seriously. "When the [North] raises problems, one day it's financial issues, another day it's something they want but they know they can't have, another day it's something we said about them that hurt their feelings," he said. "What they need to do is to get serious about the issue that made them such a problem... their nuclear activities." [Christopher Hill leaves for last day of talks in Beijing on 22 December 2006] Christopher Hill accuses Pyongyang of not taking the talks seriously Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on the international community to keep up its pressure on North Korea by implementing the UN sanctions agreed after its October test. North Korea took a defiant stance when the talks opened on Monday, insisting it was unconcerned if other countries did not accept its newly-acquired nuclear status. It insisted from the start that it wanted to see US financial sanctions lifted before it would consider the issue of its nuclear programme. Pyongyang walked out of the talks 13 months ago after the US blacklisted a Macau-based bank containing large sums of North Korean money. Washington accused the bank of involvement in alleged money-laundering and counterfeiting activities by Pyongyang. ***************************************************************** 9 BBC: 'Pressure will mount' on N Korea Last Updated: Friday, 22 December 2006 [Christopher Hill leaves for last day of talks in Beijing on 22 December 2006] The US envoy accuses Pyongyang of not taking the talks seriously Japan's PM has warned North Korea it faces increased international pressure after talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programme ended without a breakthrough. Shinzo Abe reaffirmed support for the implementation of United Nations sanctions agreed after North Korea carried out nuclear tests in October. He was speaking after six-party talks ended with no date for a resumption, despite five days of negotiations. Pyongyang's envoy warned it was likely to bolster its nuclear arsenal. "The US is taking a tactic of both dialogue and pressure, and carrots and sticks," Kim Kye-gwan told reporters in Beijing. "We are responding with dialogue and a shield. And by a shield, we are saying we will further improve our deterrent." He said an end to US financial sanctions would "create a good atmosphere" for future discussion. Hopes fade The talks - which involved the US, North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia - were the first for 13 months. N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME [map] Believed t have 'handful' of nuclear weapons But not thought to have any small enough to put in a missile Could try dropping from plane, though world watching closely Low hopes for talks Text of September 2005 deal Talks absorb regional press Chinese envoy Wu Dawei ended the negotiations with a statement that simply reaffirmed an agreement from September 2005 that the North would agree to disarm in return for aid and guarantees of security. Mr Wu said the six nations would "reconvene at the earliest opportunity". Japan's leader, meanwhile, called on the international community to keep up its pressure by implementing the UN sanctions agreed after its October test. "The international community will further increase pressure on North Korea," he told reporters. Tokyo has imposed its own sanctions on Pyongyang, in addition to UN arms and financial sanctions agreed following the test - which have raised tensions in the region dramatically. Financial sanctions US treasury officials also met their North Korean counterparts on the sidelines to discuss US financial sanctions. Those talks broke up with a tentative agreement to meet again in the new year. [Top North Korean envoy Kim Kye-gwan at the talks in Beijing on 18 December 2006] Kim Kye-gwan says the US must first lift its financial sanctions US envoy Christopher Hill expressed frustration over Pyongyang's refusal to consider denuclearisation until US financial sanctions were lifted. Mr Hill said the point of the talks had been denuclearisation, and accused the North of failing to take the issue seriously. "When the [North] raises problems, one day it's financial issues, another day it's something they want but they know they can't have, another day it's something we said about them that hurt their feelings," he said. "What they need to do is to get serious about the issue that made them such a problem... their nuclear activities." North Korea took a defiant stance when the talks opened on Monday, insisting it was unconcerned if other countries did not accept its newly-acquired nuclear status. It insisted from the start that it wanted to see US financial sanctions lifted before it would consider the issue of its nuclear programme. Pyongyang walked out of the talks 13 months ago after the US blacklisted a Macau-based bank containing large sums of North Korean money. Washington accused the bank of involvement in alleged money-laundering and counterfeiting activities by Pyongyang. ***************************************************************** 10 YONHAP NEWS: Negotiators in discussions on written agreement 2006/12/22 16:30 KST BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- Delegates to six-nation nuclear arms talks got together Friday to discuss the language of a statement to sum up their discussions, South Korean officials said. This week's talks, which resumed on Monday after a 13-month suspension, were widely expected to finish later in the day after issuing a statement. The form of statement was unknown but sources close to the talks said it would likely be a less formal chairman's statement. It was not clear whether the statement will include a fixed date for the next round or any other agreement, the sources said, requesting anonymity. China has designated this week's round as "the second stage of the fifth round of six-way talks" which began in September last year. The first-stage of the fifth round was held in Beijing in November last year. "China is considering either calling an end to the fifth round or proposing another recess," a South Korean delegate said, also requesting anonymity. lcd@yna.co.kr (END) ***************************************************************** 11 washingtonpost.com: N. Korea Balks at Weapons Discussion - U.S. Negotiator Pessimistic About Progress Today By Edward CodyWashington Post Foreign Service Friday, December 22, 2006; Page A21 BEIJING, Dec. 21 -- North Koreais refusing to engage in negotiations on ending its nuclear weapons program until the United States lifts punitive measures imposed to halt Pyongyang's alleged money-laundering operations, the chief U.S. negotiator said Thursday. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher R. Hill, after what he described as a frustrating day of discussions, said he would give the Chinese-sponsored talks another day in hopes that the North Korean negotiators received last-minute instructions from Pyongyang to change their stand. But in any case, he said, he will be making plane reservations to head back to Washington on Saturday. [U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, left, walks through his hotel before leaving for a fourth day of discussions at six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program.] U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, left, walks through his hotel before leaving for a fourth day of discussions at six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program. (Greg Baker - AP) In Depth Hill's comments indicated there has been little progress -- and little hope of any -- in the latest round of on-and-off discussions designed to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program in return for diplomatic recognition and economic aid. Adding to the pessimism, Japan'schief negotiator, Kenichiro Sasae, described the talks as stalemated and said, "There is no prospect for a breakthrough," the Associated Press reported. The six-party talks -- which involve the United States, North Korea, China, Japan, South Koreaand Russia-- resumed Monday after a 13-month boycott by North Korea over the U.S. Treasury Department's blacklisting of Macau-based Banco Delta Asia. U.S. officials alleged that the bank was being used to inject counterfeit $100 bills and drug money from North Korea into the financial system. Under pressure from China, the North Korean government agreed Oct. 30 to return to the talks. In return, the United States agreed to parallel discussions on the punitive measures against Banco Delta Asia and its North Korean account holders. A Treasury Department team met Tuesday and Wednesday with North Korean banking officials and set more meetings for January in the United States. But since the nuclear talks opened Monday, Hill said, North Korean negotiators have been under "strict instructions" not to engage in official discussions on the nuclear dispute until the banking measures are lifted. This has prevented progress on the main subject, which he described as concrete steps by North Korea to take down its nuclear weapons program, as it pledged to do in an agreement in principle reached in September 2005. "The purpose of being here was to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Hill said. "I want to emphasize I'm not here to talk about [Banco Delta Asia]. That's not what I do." At a news conference in Washington, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the talks must remain focused on the issue of denuclearization. "Diplomacy sometimes takes time, but we should not be diverted somehow by an issue that is clearly in another lane and is clearly being dealt with in a way that the North Koreans themselves asked that it be dealt with," Rice said. Although the North Koreans have cited the U.S. banking measures as the main obstacle to nuclear negotiations, several diplomats said the overriding issue is whether North Korea genuinely has decided to forgo nuclear weapons. The question is particularly relevant, they said, since the North Korean government tested a nuclear device Oct. 9 and subsequently declared itself a nuclear power. In public statements, North Korea has said it needs the nuclear weapons because it faces a hostile policy from the United States. Dropping the measures against Banco Delta Asia, a pro-North Korean newspaper in Japan suggested Thursday, would be proof that the Bush administration is willing to end the hostility and thus would make nuclear negotiations possible. The Washington Post Company ***************************************************************** 12 AFP: NKorean nuclear talks end in deadlock, acrimony - by Jun Kwanwoo and Hiroshi Hiyama Fri Dec 22, 5:59 AM ET BEIJING (AFP) - Six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea" /> North Korea's nuclear program have closed in deadlock, with politicians and diplomats trading accusations over who was to blame for the failure. Host China announced the latest round of the talks had wrapped up on Friday afternoon after nearly five days of meetings with no progress made and no date set for another round. In his chairman's statement, Chinese envoy Wu Dawei said only that the six nations -- the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia -- had recommitted to previous broadbrush goals of a denuclearized Korean peninsula. "The parties... reaffirmed their common goal and will to achieve the peaceful goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula through dialogue," he said Friday. But the publicly stated goals of the United States before the talks -- of securing concrete commitments from North Korea into giving up its nuclear arms -- did not even come close to happening. Officials and delegates involved in the talks said the forum had broken down over North Korea's insistence that US financial sanctions against it be lifted before substantive discussions began on Pyongyang giving up its nuclear arms. Following its first-ever atomic test on October 9, an emboldened North Korea unveiled a long list of other demands on Monday at the opening of the talks, after boycotting the negotiations for the previous 13 months. But the United States refused to buckle, maintaining the sanctions, which were imposed for alleged money laundering and counterfeiting, were a law enforcement issue and not related to North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The chief US envoy to the talks, Christopher Hill, blamed North Korea for the imbroglio after the United States put forward its undisclosed proposals to end the crisis earlier in the week. "I think what they need to do is get serious about the issues that have made them such problems," Hill told reporters on Friday morning. When asked about the difficulty of dealing with the North Korean delegation this week, the normally ultra-polished diplomat expressed frustration. "When the DPRK (North Korea) raises problems, one day it's financial issues, another day it's something they want that they know they cannot have, and another day it's something that is said about them that hurts their feelings," he said. "It's one thing after the other." Japan also said bluntly that North Korea was to blame for this week's diplomatic collapse. "It is regrettable that we have not seen any obvious progress, even though all the parties but North Korea are seeking a concrete step forward," Chief Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told reporters in Tokyo. In Beijing, chief Japanese envoy Kenichiro Sasae warned North Korea of serious consequences. "If North Korea maintains its stance, the situation will become only more serious. I want North Korea to recognize that this is an important opportunity," Sasae said. "If they miss out on this opportunity, they will face very severe situations." However in remarks released on Friday, South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun" /> Roh Moo-Hyunaccused the United States of being partly to blame for the standoff. Roh said the United States wrecked a six-party deal struck in September last year in which the North agreed to give up its nuclear program in return for security guarantees and aid. Roh said the United States condemned the deal to failure by imposing just a few days earlier the financial sanctions that so angered the North, and he suggested the timing may not have been a coincidence. "With a conspiracy view, you may say (the two US departments) were playing games," he said, in reference to the State Department that was involved in the six-party deal and Treasury which imposed the sanctions. Aside from the US financial sanctions issue, North Korea this week demanded the lifting of separate United Nations" /> United Nationssanctions imposed on it after its atomic test. North Korea also insisted on aid to build a nuclear reactor for power and that the United States drop its "hostile" policy against it. Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 13 UPI: BMD Focus: S. Korea's BMD plans United Press International - Security &Terrorism - 12/21/2006 6:36:00 PM -0500 By MARTIN SIEFF UPI Senior News Analyst WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Over the past week, more details have emerged in the South Korean press about its ambitious plans for ballistic missile defense against the threat it faces across the Demilitarized Zone from nuclear-armed North Korea. "An early warning radar system, Patriot Missiles and a command system will make up a planned Korea Air and Missile Defense, or KAMD, to protect the country from North Korea's ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons," the Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported Thursday. The paper cited a South Korean military source as telling it that the country's military was "seeking to build its own missile defense against ballistic and cruise missiles under a plan specified in a directive by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued after Pyongyang's nuclear test." "The classified document lays out the (Joint Chiefs of Staff) chairman's ideas and is used as a guideline for the plans," the paper said. The Chosun Ilbo acknowledged that the KAMD would have "significant limits in terms of intercept capability" compared with the far more extensive and ambitious systems being built by the United States and Japan. This reflected the financial and industrial realities under which a relatively small nation like South Korea had to operate under, for all its powerful and prosperous economy, the paper said. The proposed new system therefore will be designed only "to target low-flying missiles," the Chosun Ilbo said. "While the sea-launched SM-3 missile in the U.S.-Japanese missile defense shield has a range of 600 km (360 miles), the PAC-3 South Korea is eyeing in the medium and long term has a range of only 30 km (18 miles)," it said. However, given the very short range of many, if not most, of North Korea's ballistic missiles and the proximity of South Korea's capital and huge conurbation Seoul to the North, focusing on such short range defenses makes strategic sense for South Korean planners. The paper also noted that the proposed KAMD would not be integrated into the U.S. ballistic missile defense system in the way that Japan and NATO allied nations in Europe may be. However, "the two will have to be linked somehow since South Korea will still depend on the U.S. in detecting missiles as well as battle management and for the new command system known as C4I (command, communication, control, computer and intelligence)," the Chosun Ilbo said.. In a previous report on Dec. 15, the Chosun Ilbo reported that South Korea planned "to deploy so-called bunker busters -- bombs designed to destroy underground nuclear facilities or missile bases -- ahead of schedule and set up a ballistic-missile early warning system to respond to the nuclear and missile threats from North Korea." The paper reported that on Dec. 14, the South Korean Defense Ministry had announced that the defense committee of the national assembly, the South Korean parliament, had decided to boost the nation's emergency budget in response to the growing North Korean threat. "The money is to buy bunker busters ... and laser-guided bombs ... improved high altitude electromagnetic pulse protection for ground facilities ... ballistic-missile early warning radar ... unmanned aerial vehicles ...and radioactivity detection sets," the report said. "The new plan is to introduce hundreds of the GBU-28 precision-guided bombs used in the Gulf War by 2012," the Chosun Ilbo said. "The bunker busters could destroy North Korea's underground missile bases, nuclear facilities and command headquarters by penetrating concrete facilities up to (18 feet) thick and ordinary ground surfaces up to (100 feet) thick. " The Chosun Ilbo said that the government was almost tripling its budget for joint direct attack munitions, or JDAMs, so-called smart bombs guided by GPS. "The Hyunmoo and JDAM missiles would be capable of destroying North Korean nuclear facilities and missile bases above ground," the paper said South Korea also planned to produce far more of its home-made ground-to-ground Hyunmoo missiles. Back on July 5, we noted in our companion BMD Watch column that South Korea was making efforts to buy SM-2 Block IIIB missiles manufactured by Raytheon Systems At that point, the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Security Cooperation Agency had already asked the U.S. Congress to approve the sale of 42 of the missiles to South Korea. In a report filed June 26, it estimated South Korea would spend $111 million on the SM-2 Block IIIB missiles, MK-13 vertical launchers, and related costs such as parts, training, and equipment. South Korea already carries the SM-2 Block IIIA missile on its Aegis destroyers. The latest reports make clear that South Korea has now joined Japan and Taiwan, the other two main U.S. allies and democracies in Northeast and East Asia, in concluding that it has no alternative but to commit massive resources to ballistic missile defense against the strategic threats it faces. When one factors in India's continued and growing commitment to developing BMD systems in response to the nuclear threat it faces from neighboring Pakistan, the conclusion is inescapable that a BMD arms race is now being waged full out across Asia. The strategic consequences of this in the coming years are certain to be immense. © Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 14 UPI: No progress in North Korea nuclear talks United Press International - NewsTrack - 12/22/2006 7:48:00 AM -0500 BEIJING, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Participants in talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions in China reaffirmed their dedication to a peaceful resolution, despite a lack of progress. A chairman's statement released at the conclusion of the round of talks Friday said the delegates "agreed to take coordinated steps to implement" a statement calling for North Korea to end its nuclear programs in exchange for economic and security incentives "as soon as possible in a phased manner," Kyodo News reported Friday. However, the talks, which resumed Monday after a 13-month hiatus, resulted in little substantial progress and a date was not agreed upon for the next round of meetings. Delegates said progress has been slowed by North Korea's objections to U.S. economic sanctions, with Pyongyang insisting U.S. officials remove restrictions placed on a Macao-based bank accused of laundering money and circulating counterfeit currency for the North Koreans before they agree to denuclearization. "The North Koreans had a great deal of difficulty talking about anything but (the bank)," said Christopher Hill, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. "They have had strict instructions from their capital that they not engage officially on the subject of the six-party talks until they have the (bank) issue resolved." © Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 15 AFP: US naval buildup in Gulf shows enduring presence - Gates News Fri Dec 22, 3:44 AM ET BAGHDAD (AFP) - A buildup in the US naval presence in the Gulf is intended to send the message that "the United States is an enduring presence in this part of the world," US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. "We have been here for a long time, we will be here for a long time and everybody needs to remember that, both our friends and those who might consider themselves our adversaries," Gates told reporters at a briefing in Iraq" /> . He said that the US naval presence in the Gulf has increased in the past weeks, but would not directly comment on a report that the United States is sending a second aircraft carrier to the Gulf. "My impression is there has been an increase in naval strength in the Gulf in the past several weeks," he said. "I don't think it's a response to anything anyone else has done," he said in response to a question on whether the buildup was related to the Iranian nuclear dispute. As Gates spoke to reporters in front of US military headquarters outside Baghdad, the crackle of gunfire could be heard in the distance. Gates is wrapping up a three-day visit to Iraq to assess the situation as the US considers changes in strategy there. Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 16 RIA Novosti: Putin, Yushchenko to discuss energy, WTO, fleet, Turkmenistan 22/ 12/ 2006 MOSCOW, December 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's president will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart in Kiev Friday to discuss many sensitive issues that have overshadowed bilateral relations since the "orange revolution," an aide to Vladimir Putin said. Putin's second visit to Ukraine during Viktor Yushchenko's presidency is expected to highlight long-debated energy issues, the two countries' bids to join the World Trade Organization, Russia's Black Sea Fleet base in Ukraine, defense cooperation, and the situation in energy-rich Turkmenistan following the death of the Central Asian country's authoritarian leader. "They will discuss energy supplies to Ukrainian consumers, oil and gas transit [to Europe] via Ukraine, electricity cooperation, and nuclear power," presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said. Ukraine is an important transit country for Russia's energy resources - 15% of Russian oil and more than 80% of its natural gas are pumped to Europe through Ukraine's pipelines. Prikhodko said the leaders were likely to discuss the situation in Turkmenistan, whose leader Saparmurat Niyazov died Thursday after more than 20 years in power. The dictator's death may affect energy supplies to Ukraine, which is currently importing a mixture of Russian and cheaper Turkmen natural gas for a price of $95 per 1,000 cubic meters. Russia and Ukraine still have to decide on the gas price for next year, and Turkmenistan said before Niyazov's death it would charge Ukraine $130 in 2007. The two leaders are also expected to highlight their countries' bids to join the WTO, Prikhodko said. "Vladimir Putin may discuss progress at negotiations on WTO accession, because we are interested to know the terms on which Ukraine is going to enter the organization," he said, adding that the two countries might conclude their multilateral negotiations for joining the world's largest trade body at about the same time. After a two-year slowdown, bilateral trade has reached $20 billion, having gained 19% in January-October year-on-year, Prikhodko said. Military and technological cooperation may also be on the agenda. Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement Monday to jointly manufacture two An-124 Condor heavy transport aircraft. The An-124 was designed by the Soviet Antonov aircraft design bureau in 1982. Its modified versions, the An-124-100 and An-124-100M-150, were manufactured by Russia's Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar-SP, and Antonov in Ukraine, until the mid-1990s. Currently no An-124s are being produced. Another issue to be addressed by the leaders is the deployment of the Russian Black Sea fleet in Ukraine's Crimean autonomy, which has proved a source of contention between the ex-Soviet neighbors. Since Western-leaning Yushchenko came to power on the back of the "orange revolution" in 2004, his government has sought to expel Russia's military from Ukrainian territory, which it saw as an obstacle for the country's ambition to join NATO and the European Union. Russia, which pays Ukraine $98 million a year in rent for the naval base, has cited bilateral agreements signed in the 1990s, which entitle its fleet to stay in Ukraine until 2017. After Viktor Yanukovych, who enjoyed Russia's support in the presidential race he lost to Yushchenko, was appointed premier in August, the two countries brokered a deal, and the Ukrainian president confirmed in late November that his country would adhere to bilateral agreements on Russia's Black Sea Fleet. Following their one-on-one talks, the presidents will lead their countries' delegations at a meeting of the Russia-Ukraine interstate commission. © 2005 RIA Novosti ***************************************************************** 17 BBC NEWS: Trident forces minister from job Last Updated: Friday, 22 December 2006, 13:03 GMT [ src=] [Malcolm Chisholm] Malcolm Chisholm took a stand over his opposition to Trident A new communities minister will be appointed in the New Year following the resignation of Malcolm Chisholm. Mr Chisholm resigned from the Scottish government after voting with the SNP over the replacement of Trident. He was one of four Labour members who supported the SNP's motion opposing the replacement of the nuclear submarines. Mr Chisholm said his decision had been a "matter of principle". Charity Shelter also praised his commitment to his communities portfolio. The Scottish Parliament failed to agree a position on the future of the Clyde-based Trident fleet. Mr Chisholm, whose successor will be announced in the New Year, has already spoken out against the UK Government's plans to replace the nuclear submarines, based at Faslane. The one-time health minister has also been critical of the Iraq war and the removal of failed asylum seekers using dawn raids. It is not tenable for a minister to be going against the Labour whip in the way that I did Malcolm Chisholm The MSP for Edinburgh North and Leith said he was unable to accept Labour's position on Trident, but would remain "completely united" with the party on other policies. In his resignation letter, he told First Minister Jack McConnell: "In those circumstances, notwithstanding the fact that it is a reserved issue, I realise that it is not tenable for me to continue as one of your ministers." Mr McConnell said Mr Chisholm had made a substantial contribution to government, but added: "I understand Malcolm's position and have accepted his resignation." Trident submarine A second resignation Mr Chisholm told BBC Scotland that signalling his opposition to Trident was important. "It was not easy for me, in fact it proved impossible for me to have said one thing a couple of weeks ago and vote the opposite of it today," he said. Following the announcement, Jacqui Watt, chief executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations said she appreciated Mr Chisholm's reasons for resigning. She said: "We look forward to the same constructive arrangements with the in-coming minister." Homeless charity Shelter Scotland took the opportunity to urge the new communities minister to increase funding for affordable housing. Director Archie Stoddart said: "Malcolm Chisholm has shown strong personal commitment to his portfolio during his time as communities minister." 'Out of touch' Scottish National Party deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon congratulated Mr Chisholm for taking "a principled stance" and described his resignation as a "body blow" for the first minister. "This whole issue demonstrates just how out of touch he is with the Scottish public and even members of his own party," she said. The SNP's motion was defeated by 72 to 45, while three amendments - lodged by Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives - were also defeated. Labour rebel Marlyn Glenn, who backed the SNP along with party colleagues Bill Butler and Elaine Smith, said: "I very much regret that Malcolm felt the need to resign from the cabinet. He will be sadly missed." ***************************************************************** 18 Scotsman.com: Trident row threatens to split Scots Labour Party wide open Scotsman.com News] Saturday, 23rd December 2006 LOUISE GRAY SCOTTISH POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT MALCOLM Chisholm yesterday claimed his dramatic resignation from the Cabinet reflected a widely held view in the Scottish Labour Party that Tony Blair's plan to renew Trident was wrong. The former communities minister was forced out after voting with the SNP against updating the £25 billion nuclear warheads on the Clyde. He said his vote on Thursday which led to his resignation was a matter of conscience that is reflected across the Scottish Labour Party, which was previously opposed to Trident yet is forced to take Westminster's lead on a reserved issue. Other MSPs claimed the unease with Trident goes right to the top of Scottish Labour to Jack McConnell, the First Minister. Mr Chisholm said: "A lot of people in the party do share the views that I have expressed. There is a wide range of views expressed in the Labour Party my own is that people should be able to express those views." He said he has had a lot of support since resigning, both from within the Labour Party and among ordinary voters. "I think it is a fact of life on some issues that people are going to hold different views, particularly on such complex and important issues. Now it is important that people are free to show their views in a debate." A BBC poll has already found the majority of Scottish MPs are against replacing Trident. Ultimately, Mr Chisholm said he would like to see more MSPs able to vote with their conscience. He said: "People have to speak up on an important issue and in my view, even if you are a minister, there is not an issue when it is a reserved matter. People need to get a lot more relaxed about that. I hope the Scottish Parliament will develop in such a way that becomes part of the culture." Elaine Smith, the Labour MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston who also voted with the SNP, also said her view reflected a "widely held view" in the Labour Party. "For me these are weapons of mass destruction. I do not want us to spend millions of pounds on replacing them when there is so much else to spend the money on," she said. Marlyn Glen, another Labour MSP who voted with the SNP, said the unease went to the top of the party. She said: "I think there is a range of opinions and there is definitely great support for the idea that the whole thing should be debated and we should express our views clearly." Margo MacDonald, an Independent MSP, said Mr McConnell is against replacing Trident but is forced to follow the UK line . "Jack now has an election to fight and a party to keep together and that is his priority." She said the majority of Labour MSPs are against replacing Trident and predicted the party would have to make a united decision eventually. "There are a considerable number of the Labour Party group opposed to replacing Trident but realistically they know they do not have the powers in the Scottish Parliament to make this particular decision so they to look where their particular interests are and they identify their interests at the moment with supporting the official party line. I personally do not think that it will hold over the longer term." Having spoken out in favour of nuclear disarmament in the past, Mr McConnell repeatedly refused to give an opinion on replacing Trident until he backed Mr Blair's announcement the system would be updated. Yesterday, Mr McConnell's spokesman said his position remained consistent. He said: "The world has changed. Most people now realise that multilateral disarmament is the way forward for the world rather than unilateral disarmament." The Right Reverend Alan McDonald, the moderator of the Church of Scotland and a leading opponent of Trident, called for more MSPs to speak out. He said: "What does it say about politics in this country if people are not able to use their consciences when they vote." Nicola Sturgeon, the deputy leader of the SNP, questioned whether Mr Chisholm should have been forced out for his views. "Only two weeks ago the First Minister called for people in his own party to speak with their own consciences on this vital issue, but now has forced a minister to resign over the issue. Why is it that this First Minister cannot tolerate colleagues who take a principled stance on the major issues of the day?" Ms Sturgeon has written to Sir John Elvidge, the Executive's permanent secretary, to clarify whether ministers can speak out on particular issues. "It is a sign of supreme weakness for Mr McConnell to refuse to tolerate the sort of debate that he encouraged only two weeks ago. This is just one further example of why it's time for strong leadership in Scotland, and a principled First Minster who means what he says and says what he means." ©2006 Scotsman.com| contact| terms & conditions ***************************************************************** 19 BBC: Nuclear reactors Last Updated: Friday, 22 December 2006 [Dungeness A nuclear power station site (from British Nuclear Group)] The power station site sits right on the shingle foreland at Dungeness For more than 40 years one of the UK's first generation of nuclear power stations has had an ominous presence on the Kent coast. While members of the anti-nuclear lobby have spoken of getting "bad vibes" from Dungeness A, many residents who live in its shadow have praised its impact on the local economy. But now the plant's two reactors are due to be shut down on New Year's Eve. A timetable of de-fuelling, demolition and site clearance will then swing into action, but decommissioning a nuclear power station is a lengthy process. It can take at least 70 years for remnants of radioactive material to degrade to a safe level, although suggested new working methods mean the 91-hectare (0.91-sq-km) site could be fully cleared by the early 2030s. Perimeter protests Construction began on Dungeness A in 1960, with electricity generation following five years later. The reactor vessels and other buildings are surrounded by an expanse of shingle beach on the southern tip of the Romney Marsh area of Kent. Typically for any development concerning nuclear power, it has had an equal share of supporters and detractors over its 41-year lifetime. [Louisa Whenday] Everyone so used to seeing it, they'd miss it Louisa Whenday, Dungeness Residents' Association Site director Nick Gore, who is overseeing the winding down programme, said: "We have never had any significant safety event that's either harmed any member of staff or affected the community in any negative way. "To be able to generate electricity for 40 years in a nuclear power station without causing any harm to people or the environment is actually a fantastic achievement." But nuclear protesters, like Friends of the Earth campaigner Barry Botley, have made their voices heard outside the perimeter fences for decades. "I just get a feeling when I look at it, I feel bad vibes from it, I don't like being too close to it," Mr Botley said. The power station has now become a recognised part of the Dungeness landscape. Louisa Whenday, secretary of the Dungeness Residents' Association, said: "To be honest, everyone is so used to seeing it, they'd miss it. "We recently had a survey on what people would like done with the site of A once it's cleared and de-licensed, and the largest number of people said a new power station." Radioactive material Local people and businesses will be consulted by the landowner, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), on new developments at the site. But nothing major is likely to happen until 2021 at the earliest, by which time all the buildings except the reactor containment vessels will have been removed. A spokesman for British Nuclear Group (BNG), which runs Dungeness A, said: "Quite a large part of the site will be freed up. "The footprint of the two reactor buildings is relatively small compared to the rest of the site... and you can work around that." [Construction work on Dungeness A] The cost of decommissioning the plant, opened in 1965, is £1.2bn He said the vast majority of radioactive material - more than 95% - would be removed by 2009. But some remains in the reactors themselves, and therefore the final site clearance and closure is some way off. It is currently scheduled for 2111, but advances in decommissioning techniques mean it could happen within 25 years. Any remaining radioactivity has historically required at least 70 years to degenerate to a level considered safe enough for workers to enter and demolish the reactors. The NDA said the government had accepted in theory that robotic methods could be used, but a decision will not be made until 2007 on whether the Dungeness A decommissioning time frame can be reduced from 100 years to 25. The New Year's Eve closure involves the press of a button, with each reactor being shut down several hours apart. The plant was originally intended to generate power for 25 years, but that was ultimately extended by more than half. Its nuclear neighbour, British Energy-owned Dungeness B, which opened in 1983, also recently had its lifetime extended from 2008 to 2018. In July this year, the government announced it was in favour of the UK having a new generation of nuclear power stations, in order to secure future energy supplies and cut carbon emissions. ***************************************************************** 20 Times of India: UK, Italy support Indo-US nuclear deal-India [ 22 Dec, 2006 1112hrs ISTPTI ] NEW DELHI: Britain and Italy, influential members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), have welcomed the Indo-US nuclear deal, saying it can make a "significant" contribution to India's energy security and developmental objectives. A guarded approach has been adopted by Australia, while Canada and Ireland have preferred to wait for the final bilateral agreement between India and the US on civil nuclear cooperation. Australia, which slapped sanctions on India after the latter conducted nuclear tests in 1998, said it was "ready to engage constructively in NSG discussions on possible civilian nuclear cooperation with India". "At the same time, we encourage India to consider whether there are other steps it could take to increase the confidence among nuclear suppliers," the Australian High Commission's spokesman said. He added that "the comprehensiveness of the India-IAEA safeguards agreement will be a significant factor influencing broad support for this agreement". Italian Ambassador Antonio Armellini said his country, "as a non-nuclear signatory power of the NPT, will work with its partners in the NSG to address in a constructive fashion issues posed by the Indo-US nuclear deal, with a view to achieving a positive consensus that will enhance international security and effective non-proliferation". Aware of the challenge of taking on board concerns of the non-proliferation regime, India has been holding discussions with NSG members to ensure their support when India approaches the exclusive club. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently sought his Japanese counterpart's support for the deal when he visited Tokyo. Reiterating Britain's support for the Indo-US deal, a British High Commission spokesperson said, "We look forward to working closely with the US and India, and with partners in NSG and elsewhere on the details of this important issue." US President George W Bush this week signed into law a bill to implement the deal and Washington has said it will approach the 45-member NSG to make an exception in its rules for India. Asked what position Australia would take when India approaches the NSG, that country's spokesman said, "Until we see the relevant US-India bilateral agreement and the IAEA safeguards agreement that will be applied to India's civil nuclear sector, we cannot state how we might respond. However, NSG's consideration of civil nuclear cooperation with India raises complex issues and the possibility of significant changes to long-held positions." Canada and Ireland, also members of the NSG, remained non-committal on the issue. The Canadian High Commission, when contacted, said it was "monitoring theses developments closely" and would "act in accordance with Canadian interests and values at the appropriate time". Ireland's Ambassador Kieran Dowling said, "It is not yet clear when the matter will come to the NSG for a decision, nor what the overall balance of opinion within the Group will be". "Ireland is continuing to analyse the situation and will continue in close contact with countries which, like us, place a particularly strong value on the NPT as the cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime," he said. Copyright ©2006Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. For ***************************************************************** 21 Financial Mail: More nuclear power for SA 22 December 2006 Energy utility Eskom looks set to give the go-ahead for a second nuclear power plant in March next year. This follows a board meeting last week where the parastatal approved in principle investments to provide an additional 2 000 MW-3 000 MW of nuclear and 4 000 MW-6 000 MW of coal-powered electricity. Eskom's Koeberg power station north of Cape Town has 1 800 MW of capacity, but has been running at full stretch to meet power demand in the Western Cape. Sources in Eskom say that it makes sense to build a second nuclear plant at Koeberg, which is licensed for another two reactors and has access to cold cooling water for the power station. At about US$2,2m/ MW, construction costs of a nuclear plant are almost double those of a coal-fired power station, but the running costs of a nuclear facility are considerably cheaper. By building a new plant at the coast, Eskom would also save billions in transmission costs in getting its power from its fleet of inland power stations to the Western Cape. WHAT IT MEANS Nuclear power costs twice as much as coal-based electricity But it is cleaner Government has committed itself to nuclear power as one of the options for future power supply. It is not part of Eskom's current five-year, R96bn expansion plan but would be part of the second phase, expected to start in 2012. Construction of a nuclear facility is set for 2013 at the earliest. Nuclear power is back in vogue globally. New reactors are being built in 13 countries, with most of the safety concerns having been addressed and nuclear power deemed cleaner than coal-fuelled power stations. Eskom sources say power from the proposed pebble-bed modular reactors is a longer-term option for the group. In approving a number of additional coal-fired power stations, the Eskom board will have to decide between three new plants located in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. In October Eskom approved a R26bn, 2 100 MW power plant near Lephalale in Limpopo, to start operation in 2010, with the option of doubling its capacity in subsequent years. That is viewed by analysts as the most likely new investment, with a new power station in the coal-rich Witbank/Middelburg area another option. An abundance of cheap coal has enabled Eskom to be the world's cheapest power producer, but it is now looking at more expensive, greener technologies. Eskom CEO Thulani Gcabashe said recently that the group "has an obligation to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions over the next few years". Last week's board meeting approved a 100 MW commercial wind farm. In the longer term, Eskom is looking at solar energy and new investments in hydro schemes. BDFM Publishers (Pty) Ltd ***************************************************************** 22 JOURNAL NEWS: Indian Point nuke plant to address worker complaints By GREG CLARY (Original publication: December 21, 2006) Some workers at Indian Point have complained to federal regulators that the nuclear plant operator stifles employees from bringing up safety issues, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is giving the company 30 days to say how it will address that complaint. "We rely on plant workers coming forward to raise concerns, not only with (the operator), but with us too," said NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan. "If they feel like they're impeded from doing that because there would be a backlash, we want to know what the company is doing to address that." Officials for Entergy Nuclear Northeast, which owns and operates Indian Point, said earlier today they were beginning several initatives to deal with the "safety-culture" concerns, designed to ensure workers felt safe to report any problems they saw. Entergy spokesman Jim Steets said company officials will meet with workers across the 1,300-employee site to to "reinforce the importance and necessity for raising safety issues." Fred Dacimo, Entergy's highest ranking official at Indian Point, said the company has an effective program for identifying problems. "However, any weakness in this area is unacceptable and we are working aggressively to correct it," Dacimo said. Copyright 2006 The Journal News, a Gannett Co.Inc. newspaper serving Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties in New York. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Serviceand Privacy Policy, updated June 7, 2005. USA Today • USA Weekend • Gannett Co. Inc. • Gannett Foundation ***************************************************************** 23 JOURNAL NEWS: Feds: Indian Point must help workers feel comfortable reporting safety problems (Original publication: December 22, 2006) BUCHANAN - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is giving Indian Point 30 days to come up with a plan to make workers at the nuclear plants feel more comfortable about notifying supervisors when they find safety issues. Some workers at Indian Point have complained to federal regulators that the nuclear plants' operator stifles employees from bringing up safety issues. Yesterday, the NRC sent a 54-page inspection report to Indian Point officials outlining what regulators had found during inspections and interviews with workers. "We rely on plant workers coming forward to raise concerns, not only with (the operator), but with us too," said NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan. "If they feel like they're impeded from doing that because there would be a backlash, we want to know what the company is doing to address that." NRC officials said Entergy Nuclear Northeast, which owns and operates Indian Point, has agreed to address what the agency called a "chilling effect" on worker warnings. The NRC also noted that conditions at the plant are safe for workers and the public. Once the plan has been presented, NRC officials said, they will evaluate how to proceed. Officials for Entergy yesterday announced the beginning of several initiatives to deal with the "safety culture" concerns, designed to ensure workers feel safe enough to report any problems they saw, with nuclear as well as non-nuclear safety issues. Entergy spokesman Jim Steets said, for example, company officials will meet with workers across the 1,300-employee site to "reinforce the importance and necessity for raising safety issues." Fred Dacimo, Entergy's highest ranking official at Indian Point, said the company has an effective program for identifying problems, a characterization generally supported by the NRC report. "However, any weakness in this area is unacceptable, and we are working aggressively to correct it," Dacimo said in a statement. One area that NRC inspectors found lacking was Entergy's response to worker concerns about coming forward, which first showed up six months ago. "Our follow-up during these inspections found that you had deferred action on the referred concerns," the report read. Steets said Indian Point was waiting for the results of its own "safety culture assessment" before taking substantive steps. "It's fair to say these are complex issues and related to work practices we're trying to change," Steets said. "There may be stresses accompanying the changes we're trying to implement that would cause people to have a perception that raising issues would have negative consequences and that's something we have to address." Critics of the nuclear plant yesterday seized on the NRC's notice to once again call for stronger oversight at the plant. "A nuclear power plant is only as safe as the environment in which its workers operate," said Lisa Rainwater, the Indian Point campaign director for Riverkeeper, an environmental group that has repeatedly said the plant is too dangerous to operate in such a densely populated area. "The NRC report is a chilling confirmation that Entergy management has failed to provide a safe and open environment for its workers to raise safety concerns." Rainwater said the NRC should heed the call of New York's congressional delegation, numerous municipalities and thousands of New Yorkers demanding a more comprehensive assessment of safety at the plant. "That's the only thing at this time that is right for New York," Rainwater said in a statement. The NRC has maintained that there already are adequate inspection resources being committed to Indian Point. Reach Greg Clary at or 914-696-8566. And now for the rest of the story. Entergy is planning to reduce the size of the work force at Indian Point to align the number of workers with industry averages and other Entergy nuclear sites. The workers who are aledging that a "backlash" or "chilling effect" could arise from raising safety issues are really only trying to save their own positions. Entergy will attempt to downsize by eliminating underperformers. Those same underperformers make allegations to the NRC in a desperate attempt to save their jobs. Entergy would appear to be retaliating if they now target those same underperformers who have raised allegations with the NRC. Posted by: nuclear environmentalist on Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:05 pm Copyright 2006 The Journal News, Inc. newspaper serving Westchester, Rockland and Putnam Counties in New York. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the and , updated June 7, ***************************************************************** 24 theledger.com: A New Debate on Nuclear Power | Lakeland, Florida | December 22, 2006 Sometime in the next decade, construction on a new nuclear power plant, perhaps two, may begin in Levy County, which is north of Pasco and Hernando counties on the Gulf of Mexico. That likely will not be a big deal to many Levy residents who have lived in the shadow of the nuclear plant at Crystal River for decades. But it's predictable that there will be considerable dissent, litigation and political activism if Florida Progress decides to push ahead with its Levy expansion plans. "To me nuclear is a dead end," Rob Brinkman, local Sierra Club chair, told The Gainesville Sun last week. Indeed, many of the same activists who have fought coal-burning power plants because of concerns over global warming will almost certainly oppose expanded nuclear power in Levy, and never mind that nuclear-generated energy is not, like coal, a major greenhouse gas emitter. Nuclear energy is widely used in Europe and Asia, and there's no question that the technology and safety factors have improved significantly since the "bad old days" of Three-Mile Island. But it is far from certain that a new generation of nuclear plants will rise in America. For good reason, regulatory, economic and political obstacles remain formidable, not to mention the federal government's failure to keep its promise to build a safe repository for spent nuclear fuel rods. That said, even some environmentalists are taking another look at nuclear power. In an article he wrote for Technology Review last year, Stewart Brand, a founder of the Whole Earth Catalogue, argued: "Everything must be done to increase energy efficiency and decarbonize energy production," including development of renewable energy sources like solar, wind and bio mass. "But add them all up," Brand continued, "and it's just a fraction of enough. … The only technology ready to fill the gap and stop the carbon dioxide loading is nuclear power." It has been more than three decades since a nuclear plant was built in America. Much has changed since then, most significantly the reality of global warming. Energy demand will grow, not shrink, and it is far from certain that conservation and renewables will be sufficient to meet that demand. If not nuclear, then what? © 2006 The Ledger ***************************************************************** 25 heraldtribune.com: Look who supports nuclear power Regarding the proposal by Progress Energy Florida to build another nuclear power plant in Levy County and the company's expectation of some opposition: Many people think that nuclear power is the cleanest, safest and cheapest source of electricity. Patrick Moore, Greenpeace founder, now supports its use. According to an article he wrote and to his testimony Sept. 13 on Capitol Hill: "In the early 1970s, I believed that nuclear energy was synonymous with nuclear holocaust, as did most of my compatriots. That's the conviction that inspired Greenpeace's first voyage across the North Pacific coast to protest the testing of U.S. hydrogen bombs in Alaska's Aleutian Islands." Some 30 years later, he said, "my views have changed," and the "rest of the environmental movement needs to update its views, too, because ... nuclear energy is the electricity source that can save our planet from another possible disaster: potentially harmful climate change." Nuclear power generates about 20 percent of the electricity used in the United States. In this we are far behind the rest of the world, where nuclear power has been used extensively to reduce the need for Middle East oil and to help end the deaths from coal mining and coal-burning particulates. For example, France generates more than 75 percent of its power from nuclear energy. The accident at Three Mile Island was blown out of proportion, and it ended the building of nuclear plants in this country. What nobody noticed at the time, though, was that Three Mile Island was, in fact, a success story: The concrete containment structure did what it was designed to do -- prevent radiation from escaping into the environment. In comparison with the hundreds of deaths that occur annually from coal and oil production and use, no death in the U.S. has been traced to nuclear power. Russell E. Wilcox Punta Gorda Last modified: December 22. 2006 12:00AM ***************************************************************** 26 NRC: Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended; New System of Records FR Doc E6-21937 [Federal Register: December 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 246)] [Notices] [Page 77072-77073] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22de06-122] AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of new system of records. SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is providing notice of the establishment of a new system of records, NRC-45, Digital Certificates for Personal Identity Verification. DATES: The new system of records will become effective without further notice on January 31, 2007, unless comments received on or before that date cause a contrary decision. If changes are made based on NRC's review of comments received, a new final notice will be published. ADDRESSES: Comments may be provided to the Chief, Rulemaking, Directives, and Editing Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Written comments should also be transmitted to the Chief of the Rules and Directives Branch, either by means of facsimile transmission to (301) 415-5144, or by e-mail to nrcrep@nrc.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra S. Northern, Privacy Program Officer, FOIA/Privacy Act Team, Records and FOIA/Privacy Services Branch, Information and Records Services Division, Office of Information Services, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone: 301-415-6879; e-mail: ssn@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The establishment of this new system of records, NRC-45, Digital Certificates for Personal Identity Verification, will allow the NRC to collect and maintain information to facilitate secure, on-line communication between Federal automated information systems and the public; to authenticate individuals requiring access to federally controlled facilities, information systems and applications; and to track and control personal identity verification (PIV) cards (smartcards) issued to persons entering and exiting the facilities by the [[Page 77073]] use of digital certificate technologies to authenticate and verify identity. A report on the proposed new system is being sent to OMB, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the U.S. Senate, and the Committee on Government Reform of the U.S. House of Representatives as required by the Privacy Act and OMB Circular No. A- 130, Appendix I, ``Federal Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining Records About Individuals.'' Accordingly, the NRC proposes to add NRC-45 to read as follows: NRC-45 System Name: Digital Certificates for Personal Identity Verification-NRC. System Location: Primary system--Office of Information Services, NRC, White Flint North Complex, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, and contractor facility. Duplicate system--Duplicate systems may exist, in whole or in part, at the locations listed in Addendum I, part 2, published on October 10, 2006 (71 FR 59614). Categories Of Individuals Covered By The System: Individuals covered are persons who have applied for the issuance of digital certificates for signature, encryption, and/or authentication purposes; have had their certificates renewed, replaced, suspended, revoked, or denied; have used their certificates to electronically make contact with, retrieve information from, or submit information to an automated information system; or have corresponded with NRC or its contractor concerning digital certificate services. Categories Of Records In The System: The system contains information needed to establish and verify the identity of users, to maintain the system, and to establish accountability and audit controls. System records may include: (a) Applications for the issuance, amendment, renewal, replacement, or revocation of digital certificates, including evidence provided by applicants or proof of identity and authority, and sources used to verify an applicant's identity and authority; (b) Certificates issued; (c) Certificates denied, suspended, or revoked, including reasons for denial, suspension, or revocation; (d) A list of currently valid certificates; (e) A list of currently invalid certificates; (f) A record of validation transactions attempted with digital certificates; and (g) A record of validation transactions completed with digital certificates. Authority For Maintenance Of The System: 5 U.S.C. 301; Electronic Government Act of 2002, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 36; the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501; Government Paperwork Elimination Act, 44 U.S.C. 3504; Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors, August 27, 2004; Executive Order 9397. Routine Uses Of Records Maintained In The System, Including Categories Of Users And The Purposes Of Such Uses: In addition to the disclosures permitted under subsection (b) of the Privacy Act, the NRC may disclose information contained in this system of records without the consent of the subject individual if the disclosure is compatible with the purpose for which the record was collected under the following routine uses: a. To agency digital certificate program contractors to compile and maintain documentation on applicants for verifying applicants' identity and authority to access information system applications; to establish and maintain documentation on information sources for verifying applicants' identities; to ensure proper management, data accuracy, and evaluation of the system; b. To Federal authorities to determine the validity of subscriber digital certificates and other identity attributes; c. To the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) for records management purposes; d. To a public data repository (only name, e-mail address, organization, and public key) to facilitate secure communications using digital certificates; and e. Any of the routine uses specified in the Prefatory Statement of General Routine Uses, published October 10, 2006 (71 FR 59614). Disclosure To Consumer Reporting Agencies: Disclosure of system records to consumer reporting systems is not permitted. Policies And Practices For Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining, And Disposing Of Records In The System: Storage: Records are stored electronically or on paper. Retrievability: Records are retrievable by an individual's name, e-mail address, certificate status, certificate number, certificate issuance date, or approval role. Safeguards: Technical, administrative, and personnel security measures are implemented to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system data stored, processed, and transmitted. Hard copy documents are maintained in locking file cabinets. Electronic records are password protected. Access to and use of these records are limited to those individuals whose official duties require access. Retention And Disposal: Disposition pending (until NARA has approved the retention and disposition schedule for these records, treat the records as permanent). System Manager(s) And Address: Director, Infrastructure and Computer Operations Division, Office of Information Services, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Notification Procedure: Individuals seeking to determine whether this system of records contains information pertaining to themselves should write to the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act (FOIA/PA) Officer, Office of Information Services, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, and comply with the procedures contained in NRC's Privacy Act regulations, 10 CFR part 9. Record Access Procedure: Same as ``Notification procedure.'' Contesting Record Procedure: Same as ``Notification procedure.'' Record Source Categories: The sources for information in the system are the individuals who apply for digital certificates, the NRC and contractors using multiple sources to verify identities, and internal system transactions designed to gather and maintain data needed to manage and evaluate the digital certificate program. Exemptions Claims For The System: None. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of December, 2006. Edward T. Baker III, Director, Office of Information Services. [FR Doc. E6-21937 Filed 12-21-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P ***************************************************************** 27 NRC: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact; FR Doc E6-21938 [Federal Register: December 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 246)] [Notices] [Page 77071-77072] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22de06-121] Duke Power Company Llc; Mcguire Nuclear Station, Units 1 And 2 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuance of an amendment for Facility Operating Licenses Nos. NPF-9 and NPF-17, issued to Duke Power Company LLC (the licensee), for operation of the McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (McGuire 1 and 2), located in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. As required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), Part 51, Section 51.21, the NRC is issuing this environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact. Environmental Assessment Identification of the Proposed Action The proposed action would revise the McGuire 1 and 2 licensing basis to adopt a selective implementation of the alternative source term radiological analysis methodology in accordance with 10 CFR 50.67. The proposed action would also revise Technical Specification 3.9.4, ``Containment Penetrations.'' The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee's application dated December 20, 2005, as supplemented by letters dated May 4 and August 31, 2006. The Need for the Proposed Action The proposed action would provide the licensee more flexibility in scheduling outage tasks when moving fuel that has been afforded 72 hours of fission product decay time. The proposed action would also revise the applicability of the specification to apply only during movement of recently irradiated fuel. The licensee committed to developing administrative controls to adequately close containment penetrations during refueling operations, if necessary. If the application is not approved, the current Technical Specification would unnecessarily restrict movement of irradiated fuel. [[Page 77072]] Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The NRC has completed its evaluation of the proposed action and concludes that there are no environmental impacts associated with adopting a selective implementation of the alternative source term radiological analysis methodology. The details of the staff's safety evaluation will be provided in the license amendment that will be issued as part of the letter to the licensee approving the license amendment. The proposed action will not significantly increase the probability or consequences of accidents. The NRC amended its regulations to allow holders of operating licenses at currently operating reactors to voluntarily amend their design basis to replace the current accident source term with an alternative source term. The proposed rule was published for public comment and availability of the draft environmental assessment was noticed on March 11, 1999 (64 FR 12117). The NRC's finding of no significant environmental impact for revision of 10 CFR Parts 21, 50 and 54 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML993430370), confirms that the use of an alternative source term alone does not increase core damage frequency, large early release frequency or actual offsite or onsite doses. The NRC's safety evaluation of the licensee's amendment request reassured the values met dose criteria. No changes are being made in the types of effluents that may be released off site. There is no significant increase in the amount of any effluent released off site. There is no significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. Therefore, there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. With regard to potential nonradiological impacts, the proposed action does not have a potential to affect any historic sites. It does not affect nonradiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, there are no significant nonradiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. Accordingly, the NRC concludes that there are no significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). Denial of the application would result in no change in current environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the alternative action are similar. Alternative Use of Resources The action does not involve the use of any different resource than those previously considered in NUREG-0063, ``Final Environmental Statement Related to the Operation of William B. McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2,'' April 1976, and the Addendum to NUREG-0063 issued in January 1981; and in NUREG-1437, ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Supplement 8, Regarding McGuire Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2, Final Report,'' dated December 2002. Agencies and Persons Consulted In accordance with its stated policy, on November 14, 2006, the staff consulted with the North Carolina State official, Mr. Jeffrey Bethea of the Division of Environmental Health, Radiation Protection Section, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments. Finding of No Significant Impact On the basis of the environmental assessment, the NRC concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed action. For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensee's letter dated December 20, 2005, as supplemented by letters dated May 4 and August 31, 2006. Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC'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 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 or 301-415-4737, or send an e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 18th day of December 2006. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. John Stang, Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch 2-1, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. E6-21938 Filed 12-21-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P ***************************************************************** 28 IHT: Swedish nuclear reactor restarted after fuel problem - Europe - International Herald Tribune The Associated Press Published: December 22, 2006 STOCKHOLM, Sweden: A reactor at Sweden's Forsmark nuclear plant has restarted after it was temporarily shut down due to a fuel problem, officials said Friday. The Forsmark 3 reactor came into operation late Thursday after a week's shutdown to replace a damaged fuel rod, said Claes-Inge Andersson, information director at the Forsmark Power Plant. "There is nothing unusual about this. This type of damage happens when for example maintenance work is carried out and a foreign object comes into contact with water in the reactor," he said. Forsmark 3 is expected to run on full capacity this weekend, he said. Another of the plant's reactors, Forsmark 1, was shut down on Saturday due to a problem with a valve in the steam turbine, but was restarted on Wednesday. That reactor was expected to reach full production later Friday. All rights reserved [IHT] ***************************************************************** 29 Hudson Valley News: New safety initiatives announced for Indian Point Friday, December 22, 2006 Buchanan Entergy Thursday announced the start of several initiatives at Indian Point in response to a concern expressed in a worker safety-culture survey done by Entergy and a December 21 letter to Entergy from the NRC that there is a reluctance by some workers to bring their concerns to the attention of management. The NRC identified the concern while conducting interviews with plant workers who said their reluctance was based on their belief that there could be a negative consequence. The NRC determined that the issues raised by the workers while expressing that concern with the federal regulator were minor. A nuclear power plant is only as safe as the environment in which its workers operate, said Lisa Rainwater, Indian Point Campaign director for the environmental group Riverkeeper. The NRC report is a chilling confirmation that Entergy management has failed to provide a safe and open environment for its workers to raise safety concerns. Entergy currently has several programs at Indian Point that encourage workers to raise issues, said spokesman James Steets. We are working with each of the employees. We have already begun meeting with them ascertaining the necessity and extreme importance of raising issues that they have, be they safety-related or not, so that we can address them, he said. If its plant equipment problem or a process problem or a procedure that they have a concern about, we want to know about it and address it. Indian Point Site Vice President Fred Dacimo said safety is their highest priority. Indian Point managers plan to meet with workers to discuss the NRC letter and obtain input for actions to reinforce a culture that encourages all workers to raise issues with management and not feel hesitant about it. Entergy also will bring in expertise from outside Indian Point. HEAR today's news on MidHudsonRadio.com, the Hudson Valley's only Internet radio news report. ***************************************************************** 30 Newsday.com: Agenda for NY energy - Editorials ALBANY AGENDA State must combine reliable power, conservation and alternative sources December 22, 2006 An occasional series on issues facing New York The real power in New York State is the one that comes through the transmission lines, a fact often ignored by elected officials until the day the juice stops flowing. The 2003 Northeast blackout and this summer's meltdown by Con Edison teach us that energy issues should always be on the front burner, so those powerless days need never arrive. Gov.-elect Eliot Spitzer has a reputation for surrounding himself with talented advisers, and he should exhaustively search for the best ones to develop his energy agenda. The new administration needs a comprehensive plan to ensure that the state has a reliable supply of power, while also advancing progressive measures to increase conservation and lessen dependence on fossil fuels. Supply is always at the top of the list and Spitzer will soon face some challenges, from unsnarling the Islander East pipeline tangle to deciding whether he wants to stare down the strong opposition to a massive liquefied natural gas terminal proposed by the Broad-water Energy Corp. for Long Island Sound. His advisers must also review whether the Long Island Power Authority's proposal to put a wind turbine development off Jones Beach is the most cost-efficient way of providing renewable energy. And Spitzer, an opponent of the Indian Point nuclear plant in Westchester County, will have to ensure there's a way to replace that power supply if it is shut down. Here are some other topics to get energized about: The Public Service Commission: Right now Spitzer will have the chance to appoint just one commissioner to the regulatory board, because Gov. George Pataki stacked it with political cronies. Still, that appointee, if skilled and knowledgeable - and named chairman - can make all the difference in putting "public service" back on the agency's agenda. As attorney general, Spitzer was repeatedly critical of the PSC's failure to require Con Ed to maintain its infrastructure, so he knows where to start. The new chief must also produce creative conservation programs to discourage consumption. Islander East pipeline: A badly needed source of natural gas for the region is being needlessly held up by special interests in Connecticut who want to stop the construction of a pipeline under Long Island Sound. Federal courts already have found no justification for that state's refusal to issue the necessary permits, yet the state's regulators just denied the permits again, further stalling the project. The pipeline would ensure an adequate supply of gas and help stabilize prices. Most immediately, it would allow KeySpan's Wading River plant, which can only burn oil, to add a gas turbine for cleaner generation. If Spitzer can't succeed through political persuasion, New York should take its neighbor to court. National Grid's takeover of KeySpan: Although LIPA sends out the bills, KeySpan owns the power plants and keeps the lines crackling. That's why it's so critical for the state to see that Long Island's interests are protected if the London-based National Grid completes its takeover. There must be an in-depth review of the proposed management agreement it just hammered out with LIPA, guaranteeing that KeySpan's reliable service is maintained and that a timetable for repowering our aging power plants is in place. KeySpan is a vital community partner, and its global successor needs to maintain the same local focus. If Spitzer can't squeeze more out of the deal, then the contract should be put out to bid. LIPA: Spitzer faces the dual challenge of finding a new management team to keep the public utility running at the same time as he grapples with the larger question of whether the state should be in the electricity business. In the end, that's a political decision that will depend on which model can deliver the cheapest rates and best service. For now, Spitzer needs to find the right executive to put at LIPA to work with Richard Kessel, its current head, in a search for new leadership, while also framing the issues that will determine the future of the utility. ***************************************************************** 31 UN Issues Guidelines For First Responders In Case Of Nuclear Accidents, Terrorist Attack Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2006 15:01:47 -0500 UN ISSUES GUIDELINES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS IN CASE OF NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS, TERRORIST ATTACK New York, Dec 22 2006 3:00PM The first people on the scene of a nuclear or radiological emergency, whether from a terrorist attack, an accident or theft, the so-called ‘First Responders’ who are usually local medical, police and fire brigades, now have a detailed list of “do’s and don’ts” under key United Nations guidelines issued today. “Responders generally have no experience with radiation emergencies as they are very rare,” UN International Atomic Energy Agency (<"http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/News/2006/firstresponders.html">IAEA) Incident & Emergency head Warren Stern said. “They can benefit a lot from practical guidance about what’s known about radiation, and how to deal with accidents and incidents involving nuclear or radioactive materials.” Through new web pages and a series of publications, the IAEA is now filling that gap for these first responders, the emergency teams that could be called to the front lines of a nuclear or radiological incident or accident, as well as for national officials backing up the early response. The guidelines range from setting up safety perimeters, evacuating the public and assuming people are contaminated, to ensuring there are no armed people or explosives in the area and avoiding recovery until a radiological expert has prepared a plan. The new web pages and reports cover different types of emergencies including: uncontrolled dangerous radioactive sources; misuse of dangerous industrial and medical sources; public exposures and contamination from unknown origins; serious overexposures; malicious threats or acts; and transport emergencies. On a potential terrorist blast, the guidelines note that the greatest threat comes from the direct effects of an explosion rather than from radiation exposure or contamination. The greatest radiological hazard comes from inadvertent inhalation or inadvertent ingestion of the material dispersed by an explosion or fire or from handling radioactive debris or material in an unexploded device. Limited stays near the source in an unexploded so-called radiological dispersal device or large pieces of debris by response personnel should not be hazardous but holding such material could produce injuries in minutes, according to the guidelines. Fire fighters are generally equipped with respiratory apparatus that provides good protection against the inhalation hazard. “There can be significant adverse and inappropriate public reaction and economic consequences if public and financial institution concerns are not promptly addressed,” the guidelines sate. “Excess radiation induced cancers should not be detected following this type of emergency, even for emergencies involving large amounts of radioactive material.” On transportation accidents, three hazards are cited: a small possibility of a release resulting in inhalation near the source; contamination if ingested; dangerous levels of external exposure from being near the accident for an extended time. Being in the vicinity for a short period, for example to conduct life-saving action, should not be hazardous. Loss or theft of a source containing sufficient radioactive material to qualify as a dangerous can lead to unknowing handling and permanent injuries from external exposure or inadvertent ingestion as well as to localized contamination, requiring clean-up. Unknowingly handling quantities from 10 to 100 times the quantity criteria for a dangerous source could be immediately life threatening. 2006-12-22 00:00:00.000 ___________________ For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news To listen to news and in-depth programmes from UN Radio go to: http://radio.un.org/ _______________________________ To change your profile or unsubscribe go to: http://www.un.org/apps/news/email/ ***************************************************************** 32 Tucson Citizen: Permit upheld for toxic chemical user Brush Ceramic www.tucsoncitizen.com ® Published: 12.22.2006 A Pima County appeals board has upheld an air quality permit awarded this year to Brush Ceramic, which has long worried South Side residents with its use of the hazardous material beryllium. Even though risks to the public haven't been detected, the county will conduct air-quality monitoring to measure beryllium coming from the plant at 6100 S. Tucson Blvd., county officials said. The Pima County Air Quality Hearing Board voted 5-0 Thursday to uphold the permit awarded by the county's Department of Environmental Quality. The board rejected a request from environmental activists to make air-quality monitoring part of the permit's requirements. Only by making the testing part of the permit could the county take action if it finds high levels of beryllium, activists argued. A lack of legal standards about beryllium in outdoor air led the county to keep the testing out of its permit requirements, said Richard Grimaldi of the county Department of Environmental Quality. Data collected from the testing may lead to stronger permit requirements when the current one expires in five years, he said. Soil testing around the plant in 1999 by the county found no public heath risk. Eric Betterton, a University of Arizona professor who studies air pollution, said he reviewed the study and found it showed no need for additional air testing. When inhaled, beryllium dust can case a reaction that scars lung tissue and suffocates victims. More than 30 former Brush employees who worked at the plant in the 1980s have contracted chronic beryllium disease, state health officials have said. The company says many improvements have since been made and no threat exists for the the public. Two Tucson environmental groups appealed the permit. But the hearing board declined to hear an appeal from the Center for Environmental Connections because it wasn't represented by an attorney, as required by its rules. The board agreed to hear the appeal from the Environmental Justice Action Group, finding its appeal was more like one filed by residents, who aren't required to have legal representation in an appeal. But the board would consider only one part of the group's appeal, about air-quality monitoring, because the other parts were too general, board members decided. "It's criminal not to be discussing these issues," Pat Birnie of the Environmental Justice Action Group told the board. | Copyright © 2006 Tucson Citizen All Rights Reserved. . ***************************************************************** 33 Salt Lake Tribune: Pentagon says bomb test safe for downwind Utahns by Robert Gehrke The Salt Lake Tribune 12/22/2006 06:24:51 PM MST WASHINGTON - A mammoth blast known as Divine Strake at the Nevada Test Site would not pose risks to residents downwind from the site, a new study said Friday, as the Pentagon moves toward conducting the weapons test, possibly as early as this spring. The Pentagon's Defense Threat Reduction Agency also announced Friday that it would hold public hearings on the test in Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and St. George early next month. The environmental study notes that historic fallout "resuspended from the detonation, have potential to be transported outside the [test site] boundary by wind. They may, therefore, contribute radiological doses to the public." However, the report said, models indicate that maximum possible exposure is 40 to 100 times lower than the threshold at which approval by the Environmental Protection Agency would be required. The report is a draft, that will be revised and finalized after the public is given 30 days in which to submit comments. The Divine Strake test would detonate 700 tons of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil to help develop computer models to simulate blasts and damage to underground targets by bunker-buster bombs. The new environmental study was the result of questions raised about potential fallout from the test by Nevada officials, and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, and Rep. Jim Matheson. A lawsuit seeking to stop the test was also filed by Utah residents suffering illnesses as a result of their exposure to fallout from Cold War nuclear weapons tests in Nevada and a Nevada Indian tribe. The agency decided last month to proceed with planning at the Nevada site, after looking at several other locations, including the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah. The blast will be about 50 times larger than the most powerful known conventional weapon and throw dust and debris thousands of feet into the air. Pentagon budget documents originally said the test was meant to help pick the smallest nuclear weapon to destroy a hardened target, but the department has since said the inclusion of the word "nuclear" was an oversight. The public hearings in Utah will be Jan. 10 at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, and at the Dixie Center in St. George on Jan. 11. Both begin at 6:30 p.m. ***************************************************************** 34 NRC: Establishment of Atomic Safety and Licensing Board; ASLBP No. 07- FR Doc E6-21936 [Federal Register: December 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 246)] [Notices] [Page 77071] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr22de06-120] 850-01-ESP-BD01 Pursuant to delegation by the Commission dated December 29, 1972, published in the Federal Register, 37 FR 28,710 (1972), and the Commission's regulations, see 10 CFR 2.104, 2.300, 2.303, 2.309, 2.311, 2.318, and 2.321, an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board is being established to preside over the following proceeding: Southern Nuclear Operating Company (Early Site Permit For Vogtle Esp Site). This Board is being established pursuant to an October 5, 2006 Notice of Hearing and Opportunity to Petition for Leave to Intervene published in the Federal Register (71 FR 60,195 (Oct. 12, 2006)). The hearing will consider the August 14, 2006 application, as supplemented, of Southern Nuclear Operating Company (SNC) pursuant to 10 CFR Part 52 for an early site permit (ESP) for the Vogtle ESP site in eastern Georgia, as well as the December 11, 2006 petition to intervene submitted by the Petitioners Center for a Sustainable Coast, Savannah Riverkeeper, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Atlanta Women's Action for New Directions, and Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League challenging the ESP application. The Board is comprised of the following administrative judges: G. Paul Bollwerk, III, Chair, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Dr. Nicholas G. Trikouros, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. Dr. James Jackson, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001. All correspondence, documents, and other materials shall be filed with the administrative judges in accordance with 10 CFR 2.302. This proceeding will serve as a pilot for extending the use of the Commission's existing high-level waste repository-related Electronic Submittal System to Commission licensing and enforcement cases generally. An order is being issued contemporaneously with this Licensing Board establishment notice establishing procedures in this proceeding for submitting documents using the Electronic Submittal System. Issued at Rockville, Maryland, this 15th day of December 2006. E. Roy Hawkens, Chief Administrative Judge, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel. [FR Doc. E6-21936 Filed 12-21-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590-01-P ***************************************************************** 35 IAEA: Help for "First Responders" to Nuclear or Radiological Emergencies + [IAEA.ORG :: Atoms for Peace] The IAEA Issues Key Guidance to Local Emergency Response Teams Staff Report 22 December 2006 [Paramedics] Paramedics are among the "first responders" to an emergency. The IAEA has developed guidance for emergency personnel responding to a nuclear or radiological emergency. (Photo: T. McKenna/IAEA) + Story Resources + Web Pages for First Responders + Publications for First Responders to Radiological Emergency + IAEA Incident & Emergency Centre + General Radiation Primer When an emergency hits, the first people on the scene - called "First Responders" - are local services, including medical, law enforcement, and fire brigades. They have important roles in the early response to a radiological or other kind of emergency. What they do in the first few hours can save lives. Through new web pages and a series of publications, the IAEA - through its Department of Nuclear Safety and Security - is issuing guidance to emergency response teams that could be called to the front lines of a nuclear or radiological incident or accident, and for national officials backing-up the early response. "Responders generally have no experience with radiation emergencies as they are very rare", says Warren Stern, who heads the IAEA´s Incident & Emergency Centre (IEC). "They can benefit a lot from practical guidance about what´s known about radiation, and how to deal with accidents and incidents involving nuclear or radioactive materials." The new web pages and reports cover different types of emergencies. They include uncontrolled dangerous radioactive sources; misuse of dangerous industrial and medical sources; public exposures and contamination from unknown origins; serious overexposures; malicious threats/acts; and transport emergencies. Guidance includes helping first responders to determine the existence of or extent of a radiological emergency, and to take the corresponding correct actions for protecting people and the environment. See Story Resources to access the new web pages and the latest reports. Background + Even very low levels of radiation, that pose no significant risk, can be detected rapidly with simple, commonly available instruments. + Radioactive materials can cause radiation exposure even when persons are not in contact with them. + The health effects resulting from radiation exposure may not appear for days, weeks or even years. + The public, media and responders often have an exaggerated fear of radiation. Copyright ©, International Atomic Energy Agency, P.O. Box 100, Wagramer Strasse 5, A-1400 Vienna, Austria Telephone (+431) 2600-0; Facsimilie (+431) 2600-7; E-mail: ***************************************************************** 36 New London Day: That Christmastime Glow theday.com By Stephen Chupaska Shore Publishing Staff Writer E-mail: s.chupaska@shorepublishing.com Phone No.: () - Published on 12/21/2006 in Region » Region News Just in time for the holidays, the state Department of Civil Preparedness mailed out its emergency planning pamphlet for Millstone, our local nuclear power station. The 29-page booklet is distributed to homes in a 10-mile radius around the power station, which is also roughly the market for this newspaper, excluding Stonington. Apparently, radiation doesn't like to cross the Gold Star Bridge, either. So you and the kids can sit by the glow of the Yule log and talk about the glow of a potential meltdown. And can't you see it shimmering on Niantic Bay, with the boats bobbing in the marina? Of course, it's entirely sensible that the government tells us, to borrow a phrase Homer Simpson, to safen up when dealing with nuclear power. Not to spoil it for those of you who haven't read it, but the pamphlet reads like a Catholic catechism, substituting questions such as What is the Holy Trinity?" for What is a nuclear power plant emergency? Now, my ignorant response would be akin the Supreme Court's definition of obscenity, You know it when you see it. In my mind, bucolic Connecticut would look like a scene out of Escape from New York in a matter of minutes. But the definition, boys and girls, of a nuclear power plant emergency, according to the book is the unlikely event that protective barriers and systems fail to work properly, radioactive material in the form of gases or small particles could escape from the plant into the air. But don't start running yet. First, you have to listen for the proper tone from emergency alert loudspeakers. A steady tone for three minutes signals severe weather, chemical spills, floods or other natural or commercial disasters  and they don't mean a Ben Affleck movie. A long-wavering tone signals an enemy attack. Look, I know and you know it's a different world we're living in, but doesn't the term enemy attack in a government pamphlet give you pause? And isn't it slightly depressing? Really, they should follow up the signal with John Williams' Imperial March from Star Wars. Finally, a short wavering tone signals a fire. Got that? So no debating over what's a short wavering tone and what's a long wavering tone. After you've discerned the tone, and it turns out it is a nuclear emergency, the pamphlet instructs you to switch on a radio station to get important information. It's basically all the local stations, but you can still listen to WFAN out of New York if you get bored of finding out to where you should be evacuating. Well, don't go hunting for your emergency pamphlet -- here it is: All the Lymes go to New Haven; Groton, you go Norwich; Ledyard goes to Storrs; Montville and Waterford East, not West, head to Hartford, and New London residents will scurry up to Windham, as will, curiously, Fishers Island residents. Nothing against Windham, but won't Fishers Island folks rather go south and wait out the meltdown in the Hamptons, mixing gin and tonic with a splash of potassium iodine. The pamphlet ends with an in conclusion stating that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and FEMA have approved the emergency plans. Here's hoping they did a heck of a job. This is the opinion of Stephen Chupaska, who covers New London for The Times. Anyone seeking more (that is to say, real) information about Millstone emergency planning can visit the following Web site: www.ct.gov/demhs New London Privacy Policy | Contact Us at 1 (860) 442-2200 | New London, CT | © 1998-2006 The Day Publishing Co. [Beacon Locator] ~ 02 ***************************************************************** 37 KOLD-TV: New report released on Divine Strake; public meetings set WASHINGTON Federal officials again insisted today that a proposed non-nuclear explosion at the Nevada Test Site would not harm people living downwind. Officials say they'll discuss the test at public meetings in Las Vegas on January 9th, Salt Lake City on January 10th, and St. George, Utah, on January 11th. The blast, called "Divine Strake," would send a mushroom-shaped dust cloud high over the Nevada desert. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency released a new environmental report today to respond to fears that radioactive material from decades of previous weapons tests would be released by the blast. The report says although there is radioactive material in two locations about a mile from the proposed blast site, it is "extremely unlikely" that the material would become "resuspended" and cause harm.___ On the Net:U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada site office: http://www.nv.doe.gov Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This All content © Copyright 2000 - 2006 WorldNow and KOLD, a Raycom Media station. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 38 UPI: U.N. gives radiation emergency guidelines United Press International - Intl. Intelligence - 12/22/2006 6:12:00 PM -0500 UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- The U.N. nuclear agency has issued guidelines for first responders to a nuclear or radiological emergency following a terrorist attack, an accident or theft. "Responders generally have no experience with radiation emergencies, as they are very rare," U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency incident and emergency head Warren Stern said Friday. The agency has created web pages and a series of publications to offer practical guidance to first responders -- typically local medical, police and fire brigades -- on how to deal with accidents and incidents involving nuclear or radioactive materials. The guidelines range from setting up safety perimeters, evacuating the public assumed to be contaminated to ensuring there are no armed people or explosives in the area. The new web pages and reports cover different types of emergencies, including uncontrolled dangerous radioactive sources, the misuse of dangerous industrial and medical sources, public exposures and contamination from unknown origins, malicious acts and transport emergencies. Inadvertent inhalation or inadvertent ingestion of radioactive material dispersed by an explosion or fire, or limited stays near the source in an unexploded so-called radiological dispersal device, have the potential to produce injuries in minutes. Responders "can benefit a lot from practical guidance about what´s known about radiation, and how to deal with accidents and incidents involving nuclear or radioactive materials," the agency said. © Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 39 Sydney Morning Herald: Police search for lost radioactive canister - www.smh.com.au December 22, 2006 - 6:50PM Police are continuing their search for a canister holding dangerous radioactive material lost in Western Australia. The WA Health Department says the canister contains a radioactive substance used to search for minerals, oil and gas and may pose a health risk if tampered with. The 52cm canister was imported from the United States by mining company Schlumberger in November. It was due to be transported from Perth to Dampier, in the state's north-west, by freight company Toll Holdings on November 18 but never arrived. Last Friday Schlumberger notified police the canister was lost. WA acting Director General of Health Dr Simon Towler said people should stay away from the 61kg silver container. "The canister does not pose a hazard while it remains in the shipping package but people should not interfere with the container in any way or try to open it," Dr Towler said. "If anyone finds the canister they should stay at least five metres away as it emits a low dose of radiation, and they should contact their local police." Mr Towler said there was no suggestion the canister had been stolen and it did not contain material which could be used to make a bomb or explosive device. Police and health department officials continue to look for the canister. Australian Greens senator Rachel Siewert is demanding why it has taken so long to start the search. "This thing has been missing since the 18th of November, why are alarm bells only ringing a month later? "Either Australian safety standards are inadequate, or they have been breached by the companies responsible for its safe transport." Toll Holdings said it was confident the canister was not lost while in its possession. Schlumberger was unavailable for comment. AAP Copyright © 2006. The Sydney Morning Herald. ***************************************************************** 40 Lahontan Valley News: County gives suggestions on rail route for nuclear waste December 22, 2006 Churchill County commissioners have submitted concerns related to a proposed rail route to ship nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain that would pass through Churchill County. County commissioners sent a packet including 74 comments regarding the Environmental Impact Statement for the Mina rail corridor scoping meeting held last month to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for its review. According to the document, several comments refer to the DOE evaluating future development along the route and the potential increase of volume of rail activity along the corridor. The newly proposed Mina rail corridor, a 280-mile route to transport nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, would pass north of Fallon, through Hazen and head south to Yucca Mountain along a route near that goes through Silver Springs and close to Schurz, Hawthorne, Mina, Tonopah and Goldfield. Comments about further evaluation of the impact to areas along the corridor were stated throughout the document. "The Mina route should be open to all commercial use without restrictions," stated one of the comments. "DOE needs to consult directly with the Department of Defense including the U.S. Naval Air Station at Fallon and the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Depot for any potential impacts to military operations in the area." It stated military overflights became an issue with the proposed Skull Valley project previously being studied as a location for nuclear waste storage. The proposed Skull Valley project is located in Gransville, Utah, approximately 97 miles east of Wendover. The document stated that it is unrealistic to limit truck routes to Interstate 15 and U.S. Highway 95 because generator sites will incur a substantial increase in shipments in order to access a point of entry to a rail line. Lynn Pearce, county commissioner and Yucca Mountain representative for Churchill County, said he has some concerns. Although most of the concerns will indirectly affect the county, they are important issues, he said. "The three grade crossings are a concern," he said. "One at the beginning of Silver Springs, one at the south end of Silver Springs at the Ramsey Weeks Cutoff and a third in Wabuska, they are not in our county, but they are still a concern." He said the train is not intended to run at night and must be housed along the corridor during the night, as well as during any potential mechanical errors. "The potential of parking trains overnight could be a concern," he said. "The train could come into the Reno and Sparks area. This is not our area, but still a concern." He said 10 percent of the waste will be hauled by trucks because of the lack of rail access. "The number of trucks hauling would be fairly substantial," said Pearce. "A fair portion of those could come through Churchill County on Highway 95." Pearce said he wants to ensure local first responders are well trained and equipped. "The problem is, the money is given to the state. The state doesn't have a good track record of sharing the money with the rurals," he said. The state will continue to fight the federal government's pursuit of the Yucca Mountain repository, he said. However, county representatives are planning as if the nuclear repository will open in the future. "Now we're working on how to deal with it safely," he said. "The only thing that will stop it from being built is insurmountable scientific problems." The city of Fernley also sent a report on the scoping meeting to the U.S. Department of Energy stating many of the same concerns as Churchill County. Included in the comments from Fernley were concerns about a state recreation area, Lake Lahontan, being affected. The recreation area is a concern because of the 40,000 people who use the lake on holidays. The Fernley report also states scoping comments should be considered for existing rail tracks, not limited to potential new tracks along the corridor. Viktoria Pearson can be contacted at vpearson@lahontanvalleynews.com All contents © Copyright 2006 lahontanvalleynews.com Lahontan Valley News and Fallon Eagle Standard - 562 North Maine Street - Fallon, NV 89406 ***************************************************************** 41 newsobserver.com: Truck hauling uranium overturns on I-40 ramp Friday, December 22, 2006 From Staff Reports BENSON - A tractor-trailer carrying a low-grade uranium product was exiting Interstate 95 onto eastbound Interstate 40 at 8:58 p.m. Friday when the truck overturned. The container that held the chemical was not breached, and the incident was not a threat to the public, officials said. The truck's driver, Ken Brotsche, 63, said that his brakes didn't seem to be working when he headed onto the ramp at 30 to 35 mph. He attempted to shift gears but overcorrected, and the truck overturned. Brotsche, from Joplin, Mo., said he was not injured. But his wife, Nancee, who was sleeping in the back of the cab, was bumped around, he said. Johnston County Fire Marshall Harold Henrich said Nancee Brotsche, 51, was taken to Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn with minor injuries. According to a news release from Lt. Everett Clendenin of the state Highway Patrol, the chemical the truck carried -- identified as packaged fissile, a powder-based uranium -- was being taken from the Portsmouth Marine Terminal in Portsmouth, Va., to Global Nuclear Fuels in Wilmington. Jim McCauley, an emergency management officer working late Thursday night at the state Emergency Management Operations Center, said an official from the state Department of Radiation was on the scene Thursday night. "The truck is sitting on its side," McCauley said. "There's no breach of any chemicals at this time. Basically, they're just waiting for the wrecker to get there." McCauley echoed what the State Patrol and fire officials at the scene said: There was no danger to the public. "Really, the way those containers are made, there's no concern," McCauley said. "... They can drop one of those containers 35 meters onto a pointed spear, and it won't breach the container." Troopers detoured eastbound traffic off I-40 around the crash scene, but westbound traffic continued moving. Eastbound I-40 was expected to be reopened by 1 a.m. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner. © Copyright 2006, The News & Observer Publishing Company ***************************************************************** 42 Pahrump Valley Times: Less radioactive material being shipped out e-mailed to: dmcmurdo@pvtimes.com. Dec. 22, 2006 By MARK WAITE PVT Less radioactive material should be shipped into and out of the Nevada Test Site as the transuranic waste shipments out of the test site wind down next year and the quantity of low-level waste shipments into the test site decrease. "The rest of the transuranic waste is scheduled to be shipped off the test site by the end of 2007," National Nuclear Security Administration spokesman Kevin Rohrer said, during a break at the NNSA complex 2030 public hearings earlier this month. Transuranic waste refers to clothing, equipment and other material contaminated by exposure to radioactive material. It is heavier than uranium, hence the name "trans" or beyond, uranium, according to the NNSA fact sheet. Local emergency services held extensive table-top and field training exercises about five years ago to prepare for the transuranic shipments. Most of the transuranic material arrived at the test site from Lawrence Livermore Laboratory in California, from 1974 to 1990, before the Waste Isolation Pilot Project was opened near Carlsbad, N.M., Rohrer said. Since then the NNSA shipped out 1,860 drums from the test site to WIPP between January 2004 and November 2005 for permanent disposal. There are 58 oversize boxes and about 200 drums remaining which didn't meet the original disposal requirements, the NNSA stated. Rohrer said some of that waste will have to be re-characterized, which the agency doesn't have the ability to do at the test site. The transuranic waste has been shipped down Highway 373 through Amargosa Valley, then down Highway 127 to Baker, Calif. From there it was sent down Interstate 15 to Barstow where it meets up with Interstate 40 eastbound to New Mexico. While that waste is going out, the low-level nuclear waste shipments continue to arrive in Area 5 at the Nevada Test Site, but in reduced volume. Rohrer said the low-level waste shipments totalled 3.7 million cubic feet at the end of the 2004 federal program year, dropped to just over 2 million cubic feet in 2005 and were further reduced to 1.16 million cubic feet in 2006. So far in the 2007 program year beginning Oct. 1, the test site has received 59,084 cubic feet of low-level nuclear waste, Rohrer said. The test site is projected to receive 1.06 million cubic feet this year. "The majority of the low-level waste we receive, you don't have to wear any protective clothing," Rohrer said. "You're not working in a hot, radioactive environment." Rohrer said much of this low-level waste consists of construction material from the demolition of nuclear facilities at Rocky Flats, Colo., and Fernald, Ohio. Area 5 is a 732-acre site, of which 160 acres are being used for the low-level nuclear waste storage. The NNSA fact sheet said the U.S. government has used the Nevada Test Site for low-level waste disposal since 1961. Initially it was generated by the weapons testing program and later, it's been coming from U.S. Department of Energy environmental restoration activities. The waste arrives in drums and boxes that are placed in shallow, excavated disposal cells from 12 to 48 feet deep. During the summer months the waste is sometimes shipped from Interstate 80, then down Highway 93 to Ely, southwest on Highway 6 to Tonopah and down Highway 95 to the test site. Emergency services from Nye County and other local providers felt they needed more capability to respond in case of an accident. The NNSA provided grant money of $91,250 last year and will provide $91,000 this year to Nye County Emergency Services, Rohrer said. For comment or questions, please e-mail webmaster@pahrumpvalleytimes.com Copyright © Pahrump Valley Times, 1997 - 2006 ***************************************************************** 43 Pahrump Valley Times: County to update itself on the Web Dec. 22, 2006 By MARK WAITE PVT Nye County Commissioners Tuesday decided to go in-house on updating the county's Web site, paying emergency services worker Tim McCarty up to $4,500 to include added perks like a county on-line newspaper . The county Web site could be used to advertise details on job openings, news items like an increase in impact fees or information about the West Nile virus or practical information like the veterans tax exemption. "It's been a long time coming. The county needs to do something with that Web page. It's been dormant for a number of months," said Nye County Assessor Sandy Musselman. The site will include an on-line newspaper, "News from Nye County," with the slogan, "brought to you as a public service message from the great county of Nye." A sample page showed Nye County Manager Ron Williams' smiling photo next to a story about the county's second-quarter population estimates. "We hope to do stories of interest for each department, just things to keep people aware of things that are happening in the county, some of the good things as well," Musselman said. McCarty will be paid for any hours he works on the Web site in addition to his emergency services work. Human Resources Director Danelle Shamrell didn't expect his Internet work to exceed $20,000 per year. It will be paid out of the Payment Equal to Taxes Nye County receives for Yucca Mountain. That's seen as less costly than contracting out for the service, which Nye County Emergency Services Director Brent Jones estimated would cost $35,000. Jones liked the idea of using in-house personnel for the loyalty factor. "They buy into it. They believe in it. They have their heart and soul in it to make it a success," Jones said. "When the public reads the paper in this section they can get a good feel for Nye County and the wonderful things that go on here on a daily basis." Commissioner Joni Eastley noticed the suggestion the county could save some money on its $199,232 in annual advertising costs. But she said some notices will still be legally required to be advertised in the newspaper, like payroll disbursements, delinquent tax lists and legal notices. Information on job notices will be trimmed down in the newspaper, with viewers referred to a more extensive job description on-line, leading Amargosa Valley town board chairwoman Jan Cameron to express concern for people who don't read the Internet. "The Web site desperately needs to be updated," Eastley said. "It is just not attractive, it is not user-friendly. I don't even use it because it's just a mess." For comment or questions, please e-mail Copyright © Pahrump Valley Times, 1997 - 2006 ***************************************************************** 44 News-Record.com: Truck hauling uranium overturns on I-95 Greensboro, North Carolina: News: Friday, December 22, 2006 BENSON (AP) A tractor-trailer hauling about 6,000 pounds of low-grade uranium overturned Thursday as it exited Interstate 95 in Johnston County, authorities said. The truck crashed onto its side after the driver lost control while exiting onto Interstate 40, said Jason Barbour, the county's emergency communications director. One of two people in the truck suffered minor injuries, and no other vehicles were involved, he said. Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Everett Clendenin said the truck was carrying a radioactive material called packaged fissile. The powdered uranium was packed in containers that weren't breached by the accident, he said. "There's no threat to the public," Clendenin said. "It's a low grade uranium." The accident happened just before 9 p.m. Traffic was diverted and the exit ramp was closed for several hours. Clendenin said the ramp should reopen early Friday morning. The uranium was being transported by Portsmouth Marine Terminal, from Portsmouth Va., to Global Nuclear Fuels in Wilmington, a coastal city about 130 miles southeast of Raleigh. 2006 News & Record 200 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 (336) 373-7000 or (800) 553-6880 *****************************************************************