***************************************************************** 10/26/02 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 10.276 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POLICY 1 Jiang and Bush want North Korea to give up nuclear arms 2 Dangerous times 3 France Puts Pressure on U.S. over Iraq Plans 4 N. Korea Seeks Compromise on Nukes 5 France, U.S. Jockey Over Iraq Drafts 6 US: TVA land-plan call rebuffed 7 peaceful resolution Korean threat NUCLEAR REACTORS 8 Reactor problem reveals risk of blackout 9 Czech News Agency: Skoda Praha wants Kc0.5bn more for Temelin plant 10 India: AERB denies reactors are unsafe 11 US: Singer joins foes of Diablo storage 12 Japan: Agency to pull plug on TEPCO reactor 13 Canada: Reactor problem reveals risk of blackout 14 US: Indian Point Nuclear Reactor Will Close for Maintenance 15 US: DAEC Nuclear Plant Gets Passing Grade NUCLEAR SAFETY 16 US: [radiation-survivors] Raleigh area residents get nuclear 17 A-BOMB TRIAL VETERANS BATTLE ON FOR RECOGNITION OF LONG TERM HEALTH 18 Duma Deputy Mitrokhin to Fight for Evacuation of Mayak Area 19 US: Radiation incident at FPL reviewed NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 20 US: Groups to push for Yucca routes* 21 US: Cold Cash Scarce for Hot Waste 22 US: Groups to push for Yucca routes 23 US: NFS storage permit extended for 10 years NUCLEAR WEAPONS 24 North Korea's Response 25 This time it is Baghdad or bust 26 Saddam must go _ or must he? 27 North Korea puts nuclear weapons on the table 28 Alexander Chancellor: Blinded by the light 29 US: NEW WAR, SAME AS THE LAST WAR US DEPT. OF ENERGY 30 * INEEL Cleanup Ahead of Schedule * 31 Mixed Legacy for Ky. Uranium Town OTHER NUCLEAR 32 Special Interests Spend Millions 33 Senate Panel Challenges Bush Regulatory Actions 34 Environmental Champion Wellstone Dies in Plane Crash 35 Minnesota's idealist dies 36 Nuclear Boost 37 Natural Resources secretary James Bickford dies 38 Paul Wellstone, 58, Icon of Liberalism in Senate, Dies ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 Jiang and Bush want North Korea to give up nuclear arms Reuters 26 October, 2002 11:42 GMT+08:00 By Steve Holland CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President George W. Bush and Chinese President Jiang Zemin expressed concern on Friday about North Korea's newly disclosed nuclear weapons program and agreed the problem should be resolved peacefully but outlined no specific plan to do so. Emerging from about 90 minutes of talks followed by a lunch of catfish, beef brisket and pork ribs at Bush's Texas ranch, the two leaders said they would consult on the challenge posed by North Korea's nuclear admission, which Jiang said came as a complete surprise. "We Chinese always held the position that the Korean Peninsula should be nuclear-weapon free. We're completely in the dark as far as the recent development. But today President Bush and I agreed that the problem should be resolved peacefully," Jiang said. The two leaders also discussed Bush's push for a tough new United Nations resolution requiring Iraq to disarm or face possible military action. China, as one of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, holds veto power but was widely expected to abstain. Bush said he urged Jiang to support a new resolution. Jiang did not indicate one way or the other. But at the United Nations in New York, China's U.N. ambassador said on Friday his country still had reservations to the U.S. draft resolution on Iraq, particularly the words "material breach" that could be used to trigger warfare. "I do not like the word because it could have different interpretations," Ambassador Wang Yingfan told reporters in a rare public comment on the controversy. With Jiang, 76, scheduled to step down soon as head of China's Communist Party and give way to a new generation of leaders, the two men had friendly talks that covered the landscape of U.S.-Chinese relations. This included ongoing irritants such as Taiwan, Beijing's alleged weapons proliferation and its human rights treatment of political and religious dissidents. The two agreed to hold high-level talks on proliferation issues. Jiang, possibly due to a flight connection from Houston, showed up more than a half hour late for the visit, prompting Bush to jokingly look at his watch and gaze wistfully at his pond. "We could be fishing," he told reporters. The subject of Jiang's pending departure came up lightly amid speculation -- never denied -- that Jiang could refuse to step down from one or more of his posts. "Ah yes, many people are talking about that," Jiang said without elaboration, according to a U.S. official. RANCH TOUR Bush gave Jiang, his wife Wang Yeping and first lady Laura Bush a tour of the 1,600-acre (648-hectare) Prairie Chapel ranch in the president's white pickup truck. U.S. officials said going into the meeting that the two leaders would discuss diplomatic, political and financial pressures that can be brought to bear against North Korea to force the Stalinist state to give up a program believed to have created one or two nuclear bombs. China is unique in having a substantial relationship with North Korea and, as the biggest provider of economic aid to Pyongyang, has a great potential ability to exercise some leverage, U.S. officials said. Bush made clear it was early in the consultation process. "Both sides will continue to work toward a nuclear weapons-free Korean Peninsula and a peaceful resolution of this issue," he said. Bush and Jiang, dressed casually as they stood in a helicopter hangar and answered questions on a cool, grey day, outlined no plan of action on confronting North Korea. Bush is seeking a common strategy among the United States, Japan and South Korea as well as China, Russia and European allies to exert pressure on Pyongyang, and he will take the issue to a summit of Asian leaders in Los Cabos, Mexico, on Saturday. He directed Secretary of State Colin Powell to work on the issue with his regional counterparts. After the meeting, a senior Bush administration official said the two leaders did not specific next steps. "The next step is to mobilize as much international pressure as possible against the North Korean program," the official said. As part of an effort to maintain high-level contacts with the Chinese government, Bush said Vice President Dick Cheney would visit China next spring. ***************************************************************** 2 Dangerous times Saturday, October 26, 2002 timesofmalta.com Ethelwald Emilius Vella We are living in dangerous times. The US and its faithful allies, the UK and Kuwait, seem to be hellbent on a pre-emptive strike in the Middle East provoked and spurred on by the fear that Iraq may have amassed weapons of mass destruction after its defeat in the Gulf War. The International Institute for Strategic Studies reports that Iraq could put a nuclear warhead on a missile within a year, while US Intelligence is said to be of the opinon that this time interval may be even shorter and Iraq may be in the position to produce a nuclear bomb within six months. Of the three weapons of mass destruction, namely nuclear, biological and chemical, the easiest to produce is undoubtedly the biological. The use of biological substances (living micro-organisms and toxins) is not a new war weapon. It was used by Britain in the Northern American continent campaign against unfriendly native Indian tribes (smallpox). In England in the 1939-45 war, stocks of infected cattle feed were prepared and were intended to be dropped on Germany's pasture lands as a retaliatory weapon in the event that the Axis powers resorted to this kind of warfare. It is believed that the Japanese spread infected fleas among the Chinese population. Not only are biological weapons the easiest to prepare, but they are the cheapest and their production can be hidden without much difficulty from the prying eyes of UN inspecting teams or foreign intelligence service agents. One biological agent which is commonly mentioned and believed to be a likely biohazzard is the virus of smallpox, which in the past was one of the greatest killers of mankind before it was eradicated in our lifetime (1980) by a world-wide vaccination programme and constant survelliance. Stocks of the smallpox virus were destroyed all over the world except for two countries, the US and the former USSR which were allowed possession of the smallpox (variola) virus for scientific studies and research. Whether one can trust the bona fide of other countries not to possess the virus is a doubtful and a dangerous assumption. If one can extrapolate from the same scenario of the present suicide bombings in the Middle East, one can surmise that it is possible for a few martyrs to their cause (whether purposely inoculated with the virulent smallpox virus and incubating the disease, or else having their outer garments artificially impregnated with this very infectious virus, having been previously been vaccinated against the virus) to travel in a target nation and mix with its population on underground trains, buses, trams, cinemas and football grounds in widely spread localities in order to take by surprise and overwhelm the medical and security personnel by creating several areas of infection, and subsequently, ever-expanding concentric circles of infections. Besides, it is believed the advent of recombinant-DNA technology and genetic manipulation (GM) has made it possible for scientists to actually create new and different strains of the smallpox virus which could make an early diagnosis and effective treatment even more difficult for medical and diagnostic laboratory personnel. It has been said that biological weapons are the poor man's nuclear bombs; and so this would be a great temptation for a cornered second division nation or a harassed terrorist group to take offensive or retaliatory action against a super power. We all saw the chaos and the psychological trauma inflicted on the US last year in the anthrax episode which could possibly have been the work of such a group. ***************************************************************** 3 France Puts Pressure on U.S. over Iraq Plans October 26, 2002 05:16 PM ET By Paul Carrel and Mark Wilkinson PARIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - France turned up the diplomatic heat on the United States on Saturday to change its draft U.N. resolution on Iraq, as anti-war protesters rallied in Washington and other cities around the world. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin told Europe 1 radio that France was willing to use the draft resolution put forward by the United States Friday as a basis for seeking an agreement among the 15 members of the Security Council. But consensus on a resolution was badly needed, he added. <#> "We are going to try to work with the Americans on the basis of the text they have proposed. If we don't manage that, then we will obviously officially propose our own text," de Villepin said. A resolution in the Security Council needs nine "yes" votes for adoption and no veto from its five permanent members, the United States, France, Russia, China and Britain. During a meeting Friday at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, President Bush sought Chinese President Jiang Zemin's backing for U.N. demands that Iraq disarm but the Chinese president was noncommittal. And China's ambassador to the United Nations expressed reservations about some of the wording of the U.S. resolution. Bush has insisted that the U.N. resolution "must be one which does the job of holding Saddam Hussein to account." The proposed U.S. resolution before the Security Council would give arms inspectors far-reaching powers. It also would declare Iraq in "material breach" of existing U.N. resolutions and would warn Iraq of "serious consequences" if it thwarts weapons inspections -- language Russia and France fear Bush could interpret as a trigger for military action. Russia and France have now each presented rival draft resolutions at the United Nations. Russia, which has questioned whether Iraq still has stockpiles of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, eliminates "material breach" and "serious consequences" in its draft. Russia's version also removes U.S. attempts to give U.N. inspectors broad new rights. France, which sees its text as a bridge between the United States and Russia, also deletes "material breach" but includes a reference to "serious consequences." Unlike the Russian draft, the French proposal retains restrictions on inspectors searching Saddam's eight palace compounds. Syria, currently a Security Council member, warned on Saturday the tough text now before the U.N. Security Council would delay the return of arms inspectors and open the door to war. "Syria is working on not giving Security Council legitimacy to aggression on Iraq," Foreign Media Director Bouthaina Shaaban said in Damascus. Iraq Saturday described the deliberations at the U.N. Security Council as a "grand farce" and warned that the outcome could determine the future of the world body. ANTI-WAR PROTESTERS TAKE TO THE STREETS Tens of thousands of protesters turned out in the U.S. capital to oppose any war with Iraq. Carrying signs reading "No Proof, No War" and "Sacrifice Oil for Justice," demonstrators thronged the Vietnam war memorial before marching around the White House -- which was ringed by hundreds of police. "George Bush, you can't hide. We charge you with genocide!" they chanted. There were no reports of violence. In Germany, there were demonstrations in about 70 towns and cities. The largest was in Berlin where almost 10,000 people marched along city center streets. In Amsterdam, some 4,000 people rallied in heavy rain to protest against U.S. policy. Iraq agreed to give up chemical, biological and nuclear weapons following the 1991 Gulf War triggered by its invasion of neighboring Kuwait. The task of finding such arms was assigned to U.N. weapons inspectors, but they left in 1998 in advance of U.S. and British bombing raids. ENSURING A STABLE OIL MARKET Gulf oil producers vowed Saturday to safeguard world supplies and protect their own regional markets, offering comfort to consumers fearful that a U.S. assault on Iraq could disrupt Middle East exports. Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said he and his five colleagues from the Gulf Cooperation Council had pledged to "protect worldwide supplies, guarantee market stability and preserve stable oil prices ... at a fair level for producers and consumers." ***************************************************************** 4 N. Korea Seeks Compromise on Nukes Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | [UP] Saturday October 26, 2002 7:10 AM UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Wrapping an offer in fiery rhetoric, North Korea said Friday it was ready to cool tensions set off by the discovery of its nuclear program if Washington recognized the isolated nation's sovereignty and allowed it to flourish. Delivering the statement by his Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Pak Gil Yon charged the White House with preparing a pre-emptive strike against North Korea by including it in the ``axis of evil,'' along with Iraq and Iran. ``This is a clear declaration of war,'' Pak said. Even so, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea wants a ``nonaggression treaty'' with the United States, he said, using the country's official name. In a rare news conference, he expressed hope that a series of contacts between the two governments would continue. He spoke shortly before President Bush and Chinese President Jiang Zemin, meeting in Crawford, Texas, said they both oppose nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula and pledged to seek a peaceful resolution of the crisis set off by North Korea's assertion that it is developing such weapons. Bush said he wanted to work with China, South Korea, Japan and Russia to come up with a common strategy to convince North Korean leader Kim Jong Il to disarm. But Pak charged the United States with stockpiling nuclear weapons in South Korea that have threatened the North for nearly half a century. As a result, Pak said, North Korea ``was left with no other proper answer to the U.S. behaving so arrogantly and impertinently.'' The Korean peninsula was divided in 1945 into the communist North and capitalist South. Pyongyang's invasion of the South five years later touched off the 1950-53 Korean War with the United States leading a U.N. force to push back Northern troops. For North Korea, the United States has remained enemy No. 1 since the war. North Korea now wants a U.S. pledge of nonaggression, respect for the country's sovereignty and the right to economic development before relieving America of its ``security concerns.'' Pak read from the statement, which was also carried by North Korea's state-run news agency, KCNA. U.S. and South Korean officials said they would study the proposal, though White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said the U.S. position had not changed. The North Korean ambassador said Pyongyang ``was entitled to possess not only nuclear weapons but any type of weapon more powerful than that so as to defend its sovereignty and right to existence.'' Pak refused to elaborate and wouldn't answer any questions on the nature of the North's nuclear program. He accused the United States of failing to fulfill terms of a 1994 accord under which the North agreed to suspend an earlier plutonium-based, nuclear weapons program. The North's second nuclear program, which involves uranium enrichment, violates international accords. Under the so-called Agreed Framework in 1994, the North promised to abandon its nuclear program, and disavow similar nuclear activity, in return for the U.S.-led construction of two modern, light-water reactors and 500,000 tons of fuel oil a year until the reactors are completed. North Korea has repeatedly accused the United States of being slow to build the reactors, which are years behind schedule. He also said the United States was possibly unwilling to implement the Agreed Framework, ``calculating that the DPRK would collapse sooner or later.'' During a trip to Pyongyang earlier this month, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly declared the Agreed Framework dead, saying the North Koreans had admitted to having a second nuclear program. However, some South Korean officials saw the North's unusual admission as evidence of a desire to negotiate a ``package'' deal on its weapons programs in exchange for economic help. North Korea is desperate for aid from the United States and its allies to revive its shattered economy, and has introduced economic reforms in recent months. The communist North has been in an economic crisis since the collapse of its main benefactor, the Soviet Union, almost 11 years ago. The crisis peaked in 1996-97 when, according to some experts, as many as 2 million people starved. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 ***************************************************************** 5 France, U.S. Jockey Over Iraq Drafts Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Saturday October 26, 2002 1:50 PM UNITED NATIONS (AP) - France claimed a first-round victory over the United States in the battle over a U.N. resolution on Iraq, saying its new proposal has more support because it eliminates tough U.S. language that many fear could trigger an attack. But the United States countered that its draft has equal backing - if not more. The decision by France and Russia to introduce their own proposals Friday and challenge the new U.S. draft resolution suddenly put three documents into the hands of the 15 Security Council nations, setting the stage for tense negotiations. The rival documents reflect the division among the five veto-wielding permanent council members, who could not resolve their differences over a new approach to Iraq during six weeks of negotiations. The United States, backed by Britain, wants tough new rules for U.N. weapons inspections and a declaration that Iraq faces ``serious consequences'' if it fails to comply. Russia, Iraq's closest council ally, wants to stick as closely as possible to current inspection rules and eliminate any language that could allow an attack on Baghdad. France, which sees itself as a potential broker between Washington and Moscow, opposes any language possibly authorizing military action and wants to water down some U.S. inspection proposals. U.S. deputy ambassador James Cunningham made clear the United States wants a vote on its resolution by the end of next week. Diplomats said the vote will almost certainly take place by Thursday. The United States responded to the rival texts by formally submitting its resolution to the Security Council on Friday to ensure it remains the basis for discussion. The Russian and French proposals also could be introduced, but the U.S. move means its resolution likely would be voted on first. President Bush said Friday he would not accept a weak resolution. ``Let me put it bluntly: There must be consequences,'' he said after discussing Iraq with Chinese President Jiang Zemin. Bush spurred the resolution debate with his Sept. 12 address to the U.N. General Assembly warning that if the Security Council did not act decisively to disarm Saddam Hussein, the United States would take action on its own. Days later, Iraq announced it would allow U.N. weapons inspectors to return after nearly four years. Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri, in a letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan circulated Friday, accused the United States of delaying inspectors' arrival and fomenting war. On Friday, the Security Council discussed the U.S., Russian and French proposals, diplomats said. The closed-door session provided an initial assessment of where the 15 council members stand. French diplomats said their proposal was supported by eight council members: Mexico, Cameroon, Guinea, Ireland, Mauritius, France, China and Russia. Syria opposes any new resolution. ``It's a good day for us,'' a French diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. ``We think our text should be a good compromise. We think it's possible.'' In Paris, French Foreign Minister Dominque de Villepin told Europe-1 radio Saturday that France is ``trying to work with the Americans on the basis of the text they have proposed. If we don't reach an agreement, we will officially propose our own text.'' De Villepin reiterated the French stance that war with Iraq should be the last option. But a U.S. official countered that the American resolution had the most support. ``We dispute, obviously, their calculation and their number-counting because we count as many, if not more, that are supportive of our resolution,'' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Earlier, Cunningham said, ``We are not counting votes.'' ``We are looking for the broadest agreement that we can find in the council,'' he said. For adoption, a resolution must receive nine ``yes'' votes and no veto by a permanent member - the United States, Russia, France, China and Britain. It remains to be seen whether the United States, Russia or France is prepared to cast a veto and whether the current U.S. draft would get the minimum nine ``yes'' votes. French diplomats say they want to negotiate, but Russia has taken a harder line. ``The whole thrust of the (U.S.) concept is anti-Iraqi and aimed at possible military action against Iraq in case of any omissions or misunderstandings,'' said Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador Gennady Gatilov. ``We did this just to illustrate that there are some other ideas about how we can deal with the Iraqi situation, and what we can do in order to send the inspectors back on the ground as soon as possible.'' Russia's text eliminates all U.S. references to ``material breach'' and ``serious consequences'' - language it says could trigger a military attack if Iraq obstructs inspections. France also removed references to ``material breach.'' The French proposal would link ``serious consequences'' to a failure of Iraqi compliance reported by U.N. inspectors, in contrast to the general warning of ``serious consequences'' in the U.S. proposal. China's U.N. Ambassador Wang Yingfan, said he favored the French version. Cunningham, the U.S. envoy, denied any hidden military agenda. ``We didn't bring this issue into the Security Council to look for authorization to use military force,'' he said. ``We brought it into the Security Council to send a clear message to Iraq and to strengthen and reinforce the inspections regime so it can have a chance at success.'' Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 ***************************************************************** 6 TVA land-plan call rebuffed Advisory council's vote disappoints some panel members By Rebecca Ferrar, News-Sentinel Nashville bureau October 25, 2002 Among recommendations to be sent to the TVA board by its Regional Resource Stewardship Council: * That TVA have a "clear planning process and criteria" in managing its lands. * That reservoir plans, once developed, should not be changed for regular intervals except for safety or the public benefit. * That TVA establish a "net loss" policy for TVA lands. If TVA sells a portion of land, the policy would require TVA to acquire the same size portion elsewhere in the valley. The policy would apply to lands classified under natural resource conservation. A key TVA advisory council on Thursday rejected citizens' calls that TVA conduct a comprehensive study of its public lands, leading some council members to declare that the council sidetracked the public's will. "We have taken 100 percent of what the public said and we have rejected it,'' said Greer Tidwell, a council member and director of environmental management for Bridgestone/Firestone of Nashville. Stephen Smith, another council member and executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said the council "backtracked" from the public's view. "This is a real retreat and it is diametrically opposed to what we heard from the public," Smith said. The TVA Regional Resource Stewardship Council concluded two days of meetings by making recommendations to the TVA board on important land-use issues. The 20-member council includes political, civic and environmental leaders. Part of Thursday was spent hearing comments from 17 people. The focus of many comments waswhether TVA should let its public land be sold to developers for uses such as golf courses and high-end housing. William Minser, president of the Foothills Land Conservancy of Maryville, who teaches wildlife and forestry at the University of Tennessee, said that in the last several years, groups such as his have collaborated to protect more than 250,000 acres in Tennessee and raised more than $150 million to do it. "On the front end, we're saving land," Minser said. "On the back end, TVA is selling the land. There's a hole in the bucket because the TVA board does not have a comprehensive land policy." Minser noted that much of the land being considered for sale was taken by TVA under "eminent domain" while TVA was building dams. Now, TVA is considering selling that land to developers who stand to make millions, he said. TVA officials attended Thursday's meeting primarily as facilitators and to answer council members' questions rather than to comment on whether the TVA board might support or oppose particular recommendations. A main part of the council's job was to determine whether TVA's management of public lands is in keeping with TVA's original mission for land use. In crafting that answer, a majority of the council members rejected recommendations that the board take a "region-wide, comprehensive look at TVA public lands." Also rejected was a recommendation that TVA take a "critical look at proposals for residential development on TVA land as economic development." Fifteen members were present Thursday. Only seven, by a show of hands, favored the rejected items. No further vote was taken. The council did support recommending that TVA have a "clear planning process and criteria" in managing its lands; that reservoir plans developed should not be changed for regular intervals except for safety or public benefit; and that TVA establish a "net loss" policy for TVA land. That means if TVA sells some land, it must acquire the same amount of land elsewhere in the valley. The net loss policy would apply to lands classified under natural resource conservation. Recommendations rejected by a majority of the council will be submitted to the board in a "minority report." A number of people who addressed the council urged TVA to reject developer Mike Ross' proposal that TVA sell him 120 acres on Tellico Lake for his $600 million golf course and residential resort project called Rarity Pointe. Others objected to the county's request that TVA lift a deed restriction requiring public recreation use of 37 acres of Knox County land at Keller Bend. Knox County wants to sell the land for residential development. But Lee Baker, council member and general manager of Newport Utilities Board, said he supports TVA's current land-use policies. "We would like to see that type of development in our area," he said, referring to Rarity Pointe. Also speaking to the council was Loudon County Commissioner Don Miller. He said he also was representing Loudon County Commissioner Bob Franke, and between the two of them they represent 10,000 Loudon County citizens. "Our major concern is that TVA does not seem to have a broad land-use policy and set of guidelines which are applied uniformly and consistently," Miller said. Tellico area residents thought a Tellico Reservoir Land Management Plan, which led to TVA's rejection of a 2000 development, should still apply to the Rarity Pointe project. Mike Butler, executive director of the Tennessee Conservation League, also announced his opposition to the Rarity Pointe proposal and said the league "strongly supports" a comprehensive land-use assessment. Nelson Ross, executive director of the Tennessee Isaac Walton League, said his group opposes developing Keller Bend. "The Keller Bluff property in West Knox County, whether some consider it to be worthless because it's isolated and hard to access - this is why it's so valuable," Ross said. "Keep TVA lands in TVA hands to provide near access to land." Other speakers protested the way TVA lowers the level of Douglas Lake each year and TVA's policy in releasing water for whitewater rafting from the upper Ocoee River. TVA permitted rafters to use the water for rafting for free for five years, but plans to start charging in 2003. Rebecca Ferrar may be reached at 865-342-6357 or ferrarr@knews.com. Copyright 2002, Knoxville News-Sentinel Co. ***************************************************************** 7 peaceful resolution Korean threat News from the Washington File [International Information Programs] Washington File 25 October 2002 U.S. and China Want Peaceful Resolution to North Korea's Nuclear Threat (Bush, Chinese President Jiang Zemin confer, meet press in Texas) (2350) The United States and China are in agreement on the need to seek a peaceful end to North Korea's nuclear weapons program, according to President Bush. Speaking with reporters at his home in Crawford, Texas, after a meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin October 25, Bush said Beijing and Washington would work together for a nuclear weapons-free Korean peninsula. Bush and Jiang held their meeting in Texas before the two leaders travel to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting in Los Cabos, Mexico. Bush said both the United States and China would work for a peaceful resolution to the issue. On Iraq, Bush said China agrees with the United States that Iraq must live up to its obligations under current United Nations Security Council resolutions. Bush reiterated U.S. policy that there must be consequences for the Baghdad regime of dictator Saddam Hussein if Iraq doesn't fulfill its obligations to give up its weapons of mass destruction. Bush said Vice President Cheney will visit China in the spring of 2003. The president also expressed his condolences to the family of Senator Paul Wellstone (Democrat of Minnesota). Wellstone died in an airplane crash earlier in the day. Following is a transcript of the two presidents' October 25 press conference in Crawford: (begin transcript) THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary (Crawford, Texas) October 25, 2002 REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AND CHINESE PRESIDENT JIANG ZEMIN IN PRESS CONFERENCE Bush Ranch Crawford, Texas PRESIDENT BUSH: I want to welcome the President of China to our ranch, and to Texas. I want to start off by saying how sad Laura and I are about the sudden and tragic death of United States Senator Paul Wellstone, his wife, and one of his children, as well as the death of others on that private airplane. Our prayers and heart-felt sympathy goes to their sons, their loved ones, their friends, and the people of Minnesota. Paul Wellstone was a man of deep convictions, a plain-spoken fellow who did his best for his state and for his country. May the good Lord bless those who grieve. This is the third meeting of the President and me, and our personal relations and the relations between our two countries are strong. In our meeting, we discussed the threat posed by the Iraqi regime. China supports Iraq's strict compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions. And today we discussed, and I urged President Jiang, to support a new Security Council resolution demanding Iraq fully disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction. The President and I also discussed and expressed concern about the acknowledgment of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea of a program to enrich uranium. We agreed that peace and stability in Northeast Asia must be maintained. Both sides will continue to work towards a nuclear-weapons-free Korean Peninsula and a peaceful resolution of this issue. The United States and China are also allies in the fight against global terror and our two countries are deepening our economic relations. It is inevitable that nations the size of the United States and China will have differences, but the President and I agree that we need to resolve our differences through mutual understanding and respect. On human rights, I emphasized that no nation's efforts to counterterrorism should be used to justify suppressing minorities or silencing peaceful dissent. I shared with the President my views on the importance of China freeing prisoners of conscience, giving fair treatment to peoples of faith, and preserving the rights of Hong Kong citizens. I also spoke of the importance of respecting human rights in Tibet and encouraged more dialogue with Tibetan leaders. On proliferation, I expressed our continuing concerns about transfers of subsidy technologies. On Taiwan, I emphasized to the President that our one China policy, based on the three communiques in the Taiwan Relations Act, remains unchanged. I stressed the need for dialogue between China and Taiwan that leads to a peaceful resolution of their differences. The United States seeks and is building a relationship with China that is candid, constructive and cooperative. We will continue building this relationship through contacts at many levels in months to come, including a new dialogue on security issues. I'm pleased to announce that Vice President Cheney will visit China next spring. The United States and China believe that a strong relationship between our nations will help to build a more peaceful world. Thank you for coming, President Jiang. PRESIDENT JIANG: Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen. I just learned that one plane crashed. I would like to express my deep condolences for the loss of the Senate. And also I would like to express my condolences to the bereaved family. I'm very pleased to visit President Bush at his ranch. I would like to thank President Bush and Mrs. Bush for the warm hospitality accorded to us. President Bush and I had a very good conversation. We exchanged views on some important issues of mutual interest. The meeting has been constructive and productive. We all agree that China and the U.S. are two great nations sharing extensive and important common interests. The two sides should increase exchanges and cooperation in economic, trade, cultural, educational and other fields. We should step-up dialogue and coordination on major international and regional issues, and constantly move our constructive and cooperative relationship forward. We are satisfied with our counterterrorism cooperation of the past year. We agreed to strengthen such cooperation in a two-way and mutually beneficial manner, and work together against terrorism in all forms and manifestations. We have had a frank exchange of views on the Taiwan question, which is of concern to the Chinese side. I have elaborated my government's basic policy of peaceful unification and one country, two systems, for the settlements of the Taiwan question. President Bush has reiterated his clear-cut position, that the U.S. government abides by the one China policy. We did, indeed, discuss the nuclear issue concerning DPRK. I point out that China has all along been supporter of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and wants peace and stability there. I agreed with President Bush that we will continue to consult on this issue and work together to ensure a peaceful resolution of the problem. We have also discussed human rights, religion and other issues. I told President Bush that democracy and human rights are the common pursuits of mankind and that China's human rights situation is at its best time, characterized by constant improvement. Regarding our differences in these areas, the Chinese side stands ready to continue exchanging views with the U.S. side on basis of mutual respect and seeking common ground while shelving differences, with a view to deepening understanding and enhancing consensus. I'm confident that, so long as the two sides persist in viewing and handling their relations from a strategic height and with a long-term perspective and keep expanding cooperation and enhancing mutual trust, China-U.S. relations will be able to grow steadily and bring benefits to both peoples. Thank you. PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, Mr. President. I told the President that we would -- asked him if we could take some questions. He said, sure. There will be two questions from each side. And I promised him I would do my very best to make sure that the questioners would only ask one question, if you know what I mean, Mr. Fournier. (Laughter.) President Jiang said he remembered a couple of the American reporters were quick to break the one-question rule, and he asked if a fellow, Fournier, would be there. And I said, well, surely he won't do it this time. Mr. Fournier. (Laughter.) Q: I understand that means I can ask each President one question? (Laughter.) PRESIDENT BUSH: That's exactly the problem. (Laughter.) Q: I'll be glad to -- I'll be glad to -- your question, President Bush, is, are you willing to negotiate with North Korea, while North Korea maintains a nuclear weapons program? And President Jiang, could you tell us, do you think North Korea's nuclear weapons program is a threat to your country and, if so, how do you plan to stop it? PRESIDENT BUSH: See, I told you he wouldn't abide by the one-question rule. (Laughter.) Our first step, to make sure we resolve this peacefully, is to work with our friends, is to remind our friends of the dangers of a nuclear regime on the Korean Peninsula. President Jiang made it clear that China, like the United States, believes in a Korean Peninsula without nuclear weapons. This is a chance for the United States and China to work very closely together to achieve that vision of a nuclear free -- nuclear-weapons-free peninsula. And so I've instructed Secretary Powell to work very closely with his counterpart, as well as with their counterparts in South Korea and Japan and Russia to come up with a common strategy to convince Kim Chong-il to disarm, and we look forward to working to that end. And so to complete our -- the important dialogue of developing a strategy that will hold North Korea to account in terms of disarming, I'm going to be visiting with the Prime Minister of Japan and the leader of South Korea tomorrow in Mexico. PRESIDENT JIANG: I can answer your question in the most clear-cut terms and most definitely that we Chinese always hold the position that the Korean Peninsula should be nuclear weapon free. We are completely in the dark, as for the recent development. But, today, President Bush and I agreed that the problem should be resolved peacefully. Thank you. Q: My first question is for President Jiang. This is your third meeting with President Bush. How do you evaluate China-U.S. relations in the past year, and how do you envisage the future of the relationship? And also a question for President Bush. PRESIDENT BUSH: It's an international problem. (Laughter.) Q: Just now you said that the United States supports a one China policy. What concrete step would you take to translate this commitment into reality? PRESIDENT JIANG: In the past year, China and the United States have expanded their cooperation and enhanced mutual understanding and trust. On the whole, the relationship has enjoyed a good momentum of growth. Facts have proven once again that, despite the profound changes in the international situation, and despite the differences of one type or another between China and the U.S., our two countries have more, rather than less, common interest. And the prospect of cooperation between us has become broader, rather than narrower. PRESIDENT BUSH: In terms of your question about the one China policy -- one China policy means that the issue ought to be resolved peacefully. We've got influence with some in the region; we intend to make sure that the issue is resolved peacefully -- and that includes making it clear that we do not support independence. Holland. Q: Sir, do you feel like you've got China's support for a new resolution on Iraq? And are you willing to make any more concessions in the language of a U.N. resolution, now that Russia and France have offered a watered-down resolution? THE PRESIDENT: Thank you for asking one question. (Laughter.) Now I'll try to answer it. I made it clear to the President of China that I am interested in seeing to it that the United Nations is effective -- effective in disarming Saddam Hussein. That's what the United Nations has said for 11 years, that Saddam ought to disarm. And, therefore, any resolution that evolves must be one which does the job of holding Saddam Hussein to account. That includes a rigorous, new and vibrant inspections regime, the purpose of which is disarmament, not inspections for the sake of inspections. And any resolution which will be effective must have -- there must be consequences. Let me put it bluntly: there must be consequences in order to be effective. And, therefore, in order for there to be consequences, we won't accept a resolution which prevents us from doing exactly what I have told the American people is going to happen. That is, if the U.N. won't act and if Saddam won't disarm, we will lead a coalition to disarm him. And we're working with all countries, particularly those on the Perm 5, to do just that. And that's what we'll accept, something that will enable us to do precisely what I have just described, and what I describe almost every day that I'm out there talking to the American people. You tried to violate the rule, but I'm not going to let you. Q: For some time, certain people inside the United States call for containment against China. These people believe that a rising China poses a growing threat to the United States. What is your comment? PRESIDENT JIANG: Given their different national conditions, it is only natural for China and the United States to disagree from time to time. Such a disagreement should be viewed and handled with a broad perspective. China has chosen a development path suited to its national conditions. It has enjoyed a rapid progress in economic growth, cultural development and the building of democracy and rule of law, bringing tangible benefits to the Chinese people. Their quality of life and standard of living are improving. As the biggest developing country in the world, this road is still very long before China achieves full modernization; our central task and long-term goal remain one of economic development and improvement of people's living standards. The Chinese people have a tradition of peace loving. China has never engaged in expansion nor sought hegemony. We sincerely desire peace all over the world. Even when China becomes more developed in the future, it will not pose a threat to others. Threats have and will continue to prove that China is a staunch force for the maintenance of world and regional peace. Thank you. PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you all very much. (Applause.) (end transcript) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) This site is produced and maintained by the U.S. Department of State's Office ***************************************************************** 8 Reactor problem reveals risk of blackout Thestar.com Mon Oct 28, 2002 - Updated at 10:28 AM Darlington could have been closed By John Spears Business Reporter A safety defect discovered at the Darlington nuclear generating station in mid-August triggered a warning that the huge plant could have been pulled out of service during a summer of record electricity demand. No shutdown was ordered, the plant continued to operate and the province's lights stayed on. But the impact of the warning, which came after an employee happened to see a shaft of light shining through a hole into a supposedly steam-proof room containing vital safety equipment, highlighted Ontario's shortage of electricity during peak demand periods. Darlington is Ontario Power Generation's second-biggest generating station, producing up to 3,524 megawatts of power at any given time. During the summer, the province was using up to 25,000 megawatts, of which up to 4,000 had to be imported. The Independent Electricity Market Operator, also known as IMO, which runs the province's power grid, had to ask consumers on four separate occasions this summer to curb their use of power because demand was outstripping supply. One of those appeals was issued Aug. 12, the day after the safety problem was discovered at Darlington, throwing its continued operation temporarily into question. Ontario Power Generation reported the safety problem within four hours to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, or CNSC, according to John Earl, a spokesperson for Ontario Power Generation. "We reported that, along with an action plan," Earl said. "We put forward in the plan how we wanted to monitor, identify and repair these openings." The plan involved a commitment to inspect all 282 steam-proof rooms at the complex by Aug. 23 and repair all holes within four hours of finding them. Ontario Power Generation also alerted the IMO that Darlington might have to shut down. "It was a possibility that they would have to remove some or all of the generation from service," IMO spokesperson Ted Gruetzner said in an interview yesterday. "It was a notification to say that we have this problem, that we're speaking to the CNSC." Earl said the safety commission had staff on the spot. If the commission has deep concerns, it can order a nuclear-station operator to show cause why the station should not be shut down. No such order was issued in this case. Ontario's shortage of generating capacity has been well documented. IMO chief Dave Goulding said last month the province is "kept alive by its neighbours" any time the temperature rises above 30 degrees because local generators can't keep up with the demand. But the lines that carry imported power were loaded to their limits during the summer. If Darlington had shut down, imports could not have been used to replace the output. Gruetzner acknowledged that losing Darlington would have put severe pressure on the province's electric grid, but declined to speculate whether blackouts would have occurred. The full plant inspection prompted by the employee's original discovery on Aug. 11 revealed "many more gaps beyond the license limit of 75 square centimetres," according to a CNSC report. Darlington's generators are driven by steam, which is heated by its nuclear reactors. Rooms containing important equipment must be steam-proof in case a steam vessel ruptures and spews scalding, wet vapour over the sensitive equipment. A report filed with the CNSC says the gap in the steam-proof room was found during a "routine inspection." But according to a transcript of a question and answer session before the commission last month, Darlington vice-president Dominic Iafrate gave a somewhat different account. "It was due to a very alert operator who, on a Sunday afternoon, looked up and saw a little bit of light coming through that penetration and thought something was amiss," he said. Some of the holes may have existed since the complex was built. The building in question has a corrugated steel roof and U-shaped gaps where it meets the top of the wall, and "these were not sealed," according to Iafrate. Norman Rubin of Energy Probe said the incident highlights the dilemma created by reliance on nuclear power. When serious safety problems occur, regulators can be faced with throwing the electricity grid into disarray if they apply safety standards rigorously and order a shutdown. He said the problem could have been discovered easily if OPG had ever performed the simple test of vacuuming air out of the rooms and checking whether air was leaking back in. *Legal Notice:*- Copyright 1996-2002. Toronto Star Newspapers ***************************************************************** 9 Czech News Agency: Skoda Praha wants Kc0.5bn more for Temelin plant -- press October 25, 2002 10:19pm PRAGUE, Oct 25 (CTK) - Skoda Praha asks Kc500m more from power utility CEZ for additional adjustments to equipment of the first and second blocks of the nuclear power plant Temelin, South Bohemia, where many defects appeared, but CEZ is unwilling to pay, today's Hospodarske noviny HN writes. "All guarantees for putting Temelin in operation fall within the powers of general contractor -- Skoda Praha," said a CEZ executive who wished to remain anonymous because he is present at talks with the contractor. "If it is proved that Skoda Praha wants money for work that is part of the guarantees, CEZ should not pay," CEZ supervisory board member Oldrich Vojir has said. On the topic, the daily Mlada fronta Dnes MfD says that seven Czech firms have failed to get a Kc300m target bonus for their supplies to the plant due to a delayed launch of the second block's operation. "We see as a possibility that CEZ would pay directly to us and not through Skoda Praha," a rep of one of the firms in question told the paper. MfD reminds that the suppliers, among them Skoda Plzen, EZ Praha and ZVVZ Milevsko, ended their work in time. Skoda Praha can receive the Kc300m bonus only after the second block undergoes a thorough testing, which will be in April next year, the daily says. vr/er/cjl Copyright © 2002 CTK Czech News Agency. Source: Financial Times Information Limited. ***************************************************************** 10 India: AERB denies reactors are unsafe Online edition of India's National Newspaper Saturday, October 26, 2002 New Delhi, Oct. 26. (PTI): The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has denied a recent report in the Christian Science Monitor that India's nuclear power reactors are unsafe and emitting high levels of radiation. "The report does not reflect the correct safety status of nuclear power plants in India. It is biased and one-sided and has used uncritically, a series of unsubstantiated statements of known and unnamed anti-nuclear critics in India," AERB Secretary K S Parthasarathy said in a statement. AERB said the news reports were based on a 20-month-old statement by AERB Chairman Sukatme that the collective dose per GWe-Year (giga watt electrical) to workers at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station was over three times the best values in the world. Though the exposures are within the limits prescribed by AERB, he said that there is a clear need for reducing the exposures to workers. According to the AERB, even in the Europe, the highest collective dose from a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) in the Netherlands was 90 times higher than that in Finland. [letters@thehindu.co.in] with full postal address --> ***************************************************************** 11 Singer joins foes of Diablo storage San Luis Obispo Tribune | 10/26/2002 | Bonnie Raitt's tickets to help fund legal aid David Sneed The Tribune SAN LUIS OBISPO - SAN LUIS OBISPO - Bonnie Raitt has donated 78 tickets to her Nov. 18 show at Cal Poly to the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo and Mothers for Peace. Money raised through sale of the tickets will fund legal intervention into the debate on plans for an above-ground storage facility for highly radioactive waste at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. Mothers for Peace, county Supervisor Peg Pinard and numerous environmental organizations, including ECOSLO, have petitioned the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to hold full hearings on the proposed spent fuel storage facility. The hearings would be to determine how safe the facility would be from terrorist attacks, how vulnerable it would be to earthquakes and how bankrupt plant owners Pacific Gas and Electric Co. will finance the construction and maintenance. The NRC has not ruled on the petition. ECOSLO Executive Director Pam Heatherington said she doesn't know how much money the tickets will generate. Some of them are Golden Circle tickets which, at $250, will get the holder into a reception with Raitt after the show. The remainder are Silver Circle tickets, which cost $125, and are for preferred seating. Heatherington does not yet know how many of each ticket have been donated. "We are hoping that three quarters will go for $250," she said, "but all of them will have some level of preference." Raitt, a country music and blues singer, is an alternative energy and anti-nuclear waste activist who regularly donates to those causes through her Guacamole Fund. For information about purchasing the benefit tickets, call 544-1777. About SanLuisObispo.com ***************************************************************** 12 Japan: Agency to pull plug on TEPCO reactor asahi.com : ENGLISH Asahi Shimbun www.asahi.com [http://www.asahi.com/] JAPANESE The Asahi Shimbun The nuclear safety agency will order Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) to halt operations at a reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant for one year as punishment for doctoring government safety checks in the early 1990s, officials said Friday. The severity of the punishment indicates how grave the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) considers TEPCO's manipulation of the safety checks. Earlier Friday, the results of a TEPCO in-house investigation into the scandal found officials at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture conspired to distort the amount of air that had leaked from the No. 1 reactor's containment vessel during regular inspections in 1991 and 1992. Checks of the leak rate are crucial to the safety of nuclear plants. Steel containment vessels more than 30 meters tall cover reactor pressure vessels that surround the reactor core. It is vital the containment vessel be airtight because it helps prevent radioactive materials from leaking into the air. A TEPCO test conducted before the government's regular inspections showed the leak rate in the containment vessel exceeded 2 percent. To pass the government inspection, it must be 0.348 percent or lower. To falsely produce an acceptable leak rate, TEPCO officials injected air into the vessel from the main steam isolation valve during the government inspection. The prototype fast-breeder reactor Monju in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, was the last reactor to receive such a severe penalty. The reactor was ordered shut down in September 1997, after officials submitted a false report on a sodium coolant leak in 1995.(IHT/Asahi: October 26,2002) (10/26) [Copyright Asahi Shimbun. All rights reserved. No reproduction ***************************************************************** 13 Canada: Reactor problem reveals risk of blackout Thestar.com/ Oct. 26, 2002. 01:00 AM Darlington could have been closed By John Spears Business Reporter A safety defect discovered at the Darlington nuclear generating station in mid-August triggered a warning that the huge plant could have been pulled out of service during a summer of record electricity demand. No shutdown was ordered, the plant continued to operate and the province's lights stayed on. But the impact of the warning, which came after an employee happened to see a shaft of light shining through a hole into a supposedly steam-proof room containing vital safety equipment, highlighted Ontario's shortage of electricity during peak demand periods. Darlington is Ontario Power Generation's second-biggest generating station, producing up to 3,524 megawatts of power at any given time. During the summer, the province was using up to 25,000 megawatts, of which up to 4,000 had to be imported. The Independent Electricity Market Operator, also known as IMO, which runs the province's power grid, had to ask consumers on four separate occasions this summer to curb their use of power because demand was outstripping supply. One of those appeals was issued Aug. 12, the day after the safety problem was discovered at Darlington, throwing its continued operation temporarily into question. Ontario Power Generation reported the safety problem within four hours to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, or CNSC, according to John Earl, a spokesperson for Ontario Power Generation. "We reported that, along with an action plan," Earl said. "We put forward in the plan how we wanted to monitor, identify and repair these openings." The plan involved a commitment to inspect all 282 steam-proof rooms at the complex by Aug. 23 and repair all holes within four hours of finding them. Ontario Power Generation also alerted the IMO that Darlington might have to shut down. "It was a possibility that they would have to remove some or all of the generation from service," IMO spokesperson Ted Gruetzner said in an interview yesterday. "It was a notification to say that we have this problem, that we're speaking to the CNSC." Earl said the safety commission had staff on the spot. If the commission has deep concerns, it can order a nuclear-station operator to show cause why the station should not be shut down. No such order was issued in this case. Ontario's shortage of generating capacity has been well documented. IMO chief Dave Goulding said last month the province is "kept alive by its neighbours" any time the temperature rises above 30 degrees because local generators can't keep up with the demand. But the lines that carry imported power were loaded to their limits during the summer. If Darlington had shut down, imports could not have been used to replace the output. Gruetzner acknowledged that losing Darlington would have put severe pressure on the province's electric grid, but declined to speculate whether blackouts would have occurred. The full plant inspection prompted by the employee's original discovery on Aug. 11 revealed "many more gaps beyond the license limit of 75 square centimetres," according to a CNSC report. Darlington's generators are driven by steam, which is heated by its nuclear reactors. Rooms containing important equipment must be steam-proof in case a steam vessel ruptures and spews scalding, wet vapour over the sensitive equipment. A report filed with the CNSC says the gap in the steam-proof room was found during a "routine inspection." But according to a transcript of a question and answer session before the commission last month, Darlington vice-president Dominic Iafrate gave a somewhat different account. "It was due to a very alert operator who, on a Sunday afternoon, looked up and saw a little bit of light coming through that penetration and thought something was amiss," he said. Some of the holes may have existed since the complex was built. The building in question has a corrugated steel roof and U-shaped gaps where it meets the top of the wall, and "these were not sealed," according to Iafrate. Norman Rubin of Energy Probe said the incident highlights the dilemma created by reliance on nuclear power. When serious safety problems occur, regulators can be faced with throwing the electricity grid into disarray if they apply safety standards rigorously and order a shutdown. He said the problem could have been discovered easily if OPG had ever performed the simple test of vacuuming air out of the rooms and checking whether air was leaking back in. TheStar.com [http://www.thestar.com ***************************************************************** 14 Indian Point Nuclear Reactor Will Close for Maintenance The New York Times October 26, 2002 *By WINNIE HU* BUCHANAN, N.Y., Oct. 25 ? The Indian Point 2 nuclear plant will shut down for about a month, beginning this weekend, as workers replace about one-third of the uranium fuel rods in the reactor core, the plant's owner said today. The shutdown, known as a refueling outage, is a routine process that takes place every two years. But it has come under particular scrutiny this year because of heightened safety concerns about nuclear plants since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the groundswell of opposition to Indian Point among local officials and New York area residents. The refueling shutdown at Indian Point 2 will also be the first one under its new owner, the Entergy Corporation, which took over the troubled plant in September 2001 from Consolidated Edison. Indian Point 2 had been plagued by safety lapses in recent years, including a February 2000 radioactive leak that shut down the plant for nearly a year. But Entergy officials say the plant has made recent improvements in safety and efficiency. According to Indian Point's records, human errors at the plant have dropped by two-thirds, to 0.35 errors per 10,000 work hours, since Entergy took over. A backlog of work orders for equipment repairs has dwindled to fewer than 130, from more than 560 a year ago, they said. Jim Steets, a spokesman for Entergy, said Indian Point workers planned to refuel the reactor in about 30 days, or less than half the 72 days that it took in late 1997 and early 1998, the shortest refueling outage to date at the plant. Mr. Steets said the refueling process would be accomplished quickly this year because of better planning and Entergy's commitment of additional workers and resources to improve "communications, teamwork and accountability" among Indian Point workers. "I think it's another opportunity for Entergy to show what it brings to the Indian Point plants," he said. Entergy also owns Indian Point 3, the other active reactor at the site, and completed a similar refueling process there in 27 days in 2001, compared with 41 days in 1999 under the previous owner, the New York Power Authority. At a time of energy deregulation and increased competition, nuclear plants across the country have shaved time off their refueling outages in a bid to become more profitable. In the industry, the average time for such shutdowns is 37 days for pressurized water reactors like the ones at Indian Point, according to a 2000 report by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the federal agency that oversees the plants. Neil A. Sheehan, a spokesman for the nuclear agency, said its resident inspectors at Indian Point, along with additional staff members from its regional and national offices, would closely monitor the refueling. "We ratchet up our level of inspection during an outage because it is a period of very intense activity," he said. "If they don't carefully execute things, they can have problems." The spent fuel rods will be submerged in a cooling pool, which stores the radioactive fuel at the plant until it can be transferred to a permanent repository, which does not yet exist. Several critics of Indian Point said today that they remained concerned about not just the refueling process, but also about the accumulation of more spent fuel at the site. They contend that spent fuel is particularly vulnerable to terrorist attack because it is stored in cooling pools outside the containment building. "The bigger issue is that the spent fuel at the facility continues to build," said Michael B. Kaplowitz, a Westchester legislator who is calling for closing Indian Point. "As long as Indian Point remains open and active, we continue to layer on more spent fuel." During the shutdown, Mr. Steets said, workers will inspect the reactor vessel head for corrosion, which could lead to a leak. They will also clean the steam generators, upgrade equipment for handling the reactor fuel and perform other maintenance tasks, he said. The Indian Point plants generate up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity for homes, businesses and public buildings in Westchester County and New York City. While Indian Point 2 is shut down, the electricity output at Indian Point will fall by half. A megawatt is enough to power about 1,000 average homes. Carol Murphy, a spokeswoman for the New York Independent System Operator, which runs the power grid, said she did not expect any problems because demand was low at this time of year. "Now is a good time for them to be doing maintenance," she said. Copyright The New York Times Company ***************************************************************** 15 DAEC Nuclear Plant Gets Passing Grade KCRG TV-9 NEWS Friday, October 25, 2002, 8:57:00 PM Federal officials praised emergency coordinators in Linn County and the surrounding area Friday following a two-day disaster drill at the Duane Arnold Energy Center, Iowa's only nuclear power plant. Eric Jenkins is chief of the radiological program for Region 7 of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Jenkins told coordinators that if they had a report card, they'd get an A. More than 500 state and county coordinators, power plant staff, hospital officials, volunteers and employees of the University of Iowa and Iowa State University participated in the biannual exercise this week. Copyright The Associated Press ***************************************************************** 16 [radiation-survivors] Raleigh area residents get nuclear Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 13:16:48 -0500 (CDT) http://newsobserver.com/nc24hour/ncnews/story/1856254p-1852143c.html The Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C.(AP) - People living within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant south of Raleigh are scheduled to receive pills next month for protection in case of radiation leaks. Residents of Wake, Chatham, Harnett and Lee counties who live near the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant may get the potassium iodide pills for two days starting Nov. 1. Residents will be given two pills for each family member. Gibbie Harris, community health director with the Wake County Department of Human Services said the pill provides only protection for the thyroid gland against one form of radiation. It doesn't protect against whole-body irradiation. State officials decided to hand out the pills after reviewing studies of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and the increased risk of terrorist attacks following Sept. 11 attacks. Residents in the Charlotte area living near two nuclear power plants also have been given pills. All North Carolina residents within 10 miles of a nuclear plant are eligible to receive two free pills from their county health departments. In the event of a threatened or actual release of radiation from a nuclear power plant, evacuation is the best course of action, officials said. The pill is safe for most people but can cause minor side effects, such as gastrointestinal problems and rashes. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Is your business paying to much? Affordable insurance and benefits packages for Less. http://us.click.yahoo.com/jCP0DB/E.mEAA/jd3IAA/6xSolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: radiation-survivors-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com ----- Together we can make a difference.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ [demime 0.98e removed an attachment of type application/octet-stream which had a name of newsobserver.com nc24hour ncnews.url] ***************************************************************** 17 A-BOMB TRIAL VETERANS BATTLE ON FOR RECOGNITION OF LONG TERM HEALTH CLAIMS 12:00 - 26 October 2002 Yesterday the Post reported on the legal battle by veterans of nuclear tests to win compensation and pension rights. But as ANDY SMART discovers, the effects on their descendants may be the most devastating of all A photograph of four smiling people holds pride of place in Edward Pithers' home. But behind the smiles of his four children is a darker story that goes back half a century, yet is still surrounded by more controversy than ever. Edward Pithers (pictured above) is a veteran of the British Nuclear Tests programme, which began in the south Pacific 50 years ago. He watched the first megaton trial in 1957, felt the blast from 25 miles away, and got close up to equipment that passed through the eye of the radioactive storm. He has had his health problems over the years, particularly an unexplained skin disorder. But he believes it is some of his children's children who are paying the real price. Mr Pithers has twin daughters aged 39. One gave birth to a son, now aged 17, who has Down's syndrome. His 14-year-old brother has had to undergo a series of operations after he was born with a twisted ankle and one leg shorter than the other. The other twin daughter gave birth to a son who had one buttock larger than the other. That has been corrected by cosmetic surgery. Birth defects are all-too-common in families of British Nuclear Test veterans. Research carried out by Sue Rabbitt Roff of the University of Dundee Centre for Medical Education among 1,041 nuclear test veterans revealed that of more than 2,200 children born to them since 1955, 39.5% suffered health problems ranging from early hair loss to cataracts, diabetes to thyroid conditions. Two children had Down's syndrome and there were significant numbers of respiratory conditions (93), epilepsy (41), cancers (40) and cardiovascular disorders (48) . Among grandchildren, 21% (484) were reported for 705 health conditions including six Down's syndrome, plus cases of spina bifida, leukaemia, cerebral palsy plus 104 musculo-skeletal deformities. Ms Roff told the Post that the Government had refused to accept her findings, published in 1999, because they were too "selective", covering only ten per cent of the 22,000 men who took part in the tests. She will publish her latest conclusions in the new year. Throughout the ten-year British Nuclear Test Programme, 22,000 service personnel - 16,000 of them British - were involved. The battle to win recognition of the danger they faced, and its legacy, continues half a century later. Edward, now 66 and retired, was a career serviceman, putting in more than 20 years as an electrician with the RAF including 12 months at Edinburgh Field, South Australia, base for 76 Squadron. These were Canberra bombers modified to carry special apparatus to collect fall-out samples by flying through the mushroom of smoke and debris from the atomic blasts. On their return it was Edward's job to check the instruments and replace parts. "We wore white overalls and gloves - but there are some jobs you cannot do wearing gloves," he said. "There were Geiger counters in use and we saw how radio-active the equipment was." He recalled that, when the planes were washed down, they had to be taken to special drainage areas and steam cleaned. "Any parts that came off the aircraft were deemed too dangerous to be reclaimed," he said. "They were put in an oil drum, sealed and then the drum was dropped by aircraft into the crater left by the bomb. I was involved in these jobs." Edward saw one test - the first British megaton trial. "You could feel the blast against your back. The palm trees blew, the tents flapped, that's how powerful it was." Edward added: "When Sir William Penny - head of Britain's nuclear research - and his team of scientists removed the samples from the aircraft, they were put in lead boxes. They knew how dangerous they were." Ten years after witnessing the 1957 test, Edward suffered a "terrible skin complaint which itched like fury". It affected his arms and legs - exposed during the blast. "It makes me angry that, because of my service, people who were not even born at the time, including members of my own family, are today having health problems," he said. Nine years ago he joined the British Nuclear Tests Veterans Association - motto 'All We Seek Is Justice' - to support its national campaign. 10/26/2002. ERWIN ? The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation?s Division of Solid Waste management has extended Nuclear Fuel Services? permit for continued storage of mixed hazardous waste in containers and a tank and treatment in a tank for 10 years. A state DSWM report said the permit number TNHW-108 is for the NFS facility located at 1205 Banner Hill Road, and will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2012. The permit was first issued to NFS on March 29, 1991, and was effective for 10 years. Renewal of the permit by NFS was for continued operation of the same mixed (radiological and hazardous) waste storage and treatment activities. There were no increases in the authorized capacities of the permitted units, the report said. The permit continues to require NFS to manage and measure areas of concerns included as part of the permit. It also requires NFS to comply with all land-disposal restrictions and air-emission standards applicable to the facility and certify annually that on-site generation of hazardous waste is minimized to the ?extent practicable.? © 2001-02 Johnson City Press and Associated Press ***************************************************************** 24 North Korea's Response The New York Times October 26, 2002 /Following are excerpts from a press release yesterday from the United Nations mission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea):/ The Bush administration listed the D.P.R.K. as part of the "axis of evil" and a target of U.S. pre-emptive nuclear strikes. This was a clear declaration of war against the D.P.R.K. as it totally nullified the D.P.R.K.-U.S. joint statement and agreed framework. In the long run, the Bush administration has adopted it as its policy to make a pre-emptive nuclear strike at the D.P.R.K. Such moves, a gross violation of the basic spirit of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty, reduced the inter-Korean joint declaration on denuclearization to a dead document. Its reckless political, economic and military pressure is most seriously threatening the D.P.R.K.'s right to existence, creating a grave situation on the Korean Peninsula. Nobody would be so naïve as to think that the D.P.R.K. would sit idle under such a situation. That was why the D.P.R.K. made itself very clear to the special envoy of the U.S. president that the D.P.R.K. was entitled to possess not only nuclear weapons but any type of weapon more powerful than that, so as to defend its sovereignty and right to existence from the ever-growing nuclear threat by the U.S. The D.P.R.K., which values sovereignty more than life, was left with no other proper answer to the U.S. behaving so arrogantly and impertinently. The D.P.R.K. has neither need nor duty to explain something to the U.S. seeking to attack it, if it refuses to disarm itself. Nevertheless, the D.P.R.K., with greatest magnanimity, clarified that it was ready to seek a negotiated settlement of this issue on the following three questions: ¶Firstly, if the U.S. recognizes the D.P.R.K.'s sovereignty; ¶Secondly, if it assures the D.P.R.K. of nonaggression; and ¶Thirdly, if the U.S. does not hinder the economic development of the D.P.R.K. Nowadays, the U.S. and its followers assert that negotiations should be held after the D.P.R.K. puts down its arms. This is very abnormal logic: Then, how can the D.P.R.K. counter any attack with empty hands? Their assertion is little short of demanding the D.P.R.K. yield to pressure, which means death. . . . The D.P.R.K. considers that it is a reasonable and realistic solution to the nuclear issue to conclude a nonaggression treaty between the D.P.R.K. and the U.S. if the grave situation of the Korean Peninsula is to be bridged over. . . . Copyright The New York Times Company ***************************************************************** 25 This time it is Baghdad or bust Scotsman.com *Saturday, 26th October 2002* /Fraser Nelson/ THE LAST ORDER Norman Schwarzkopf obeyed during the 1991 Gulf War was to stop apologising. In a rare lapse, he had complained that the Pentagon had stopped him going into Iraq to "finish the job". "I have told the President that I regret my remark and he has told me to forget about it," said a contrite Schwarzkopf later. "He is my commander-in-chief. I will now forget about it." Eleven years on, the apologies are coming from the other direction. Schwarzkopf was then within 48 hours of deposing Saddam Hussein and sparing Britain and the US from what looks set to be a second Gulf War. A decade on, the architects of the ceasefire agreement are only now being candid about why they ended the war then - leaving Saddam in Baghdad with his army intact. It is a decision which, almost without exception, they now regret. There was never a better chance to enforce regime change in Iraq than late February 1991. Diplomatically, Saddam was isolated - the Arab world and its former trade allies would have mounted little more than a grunt in defence. Then, Saddam could count fewer friends than the Taleban regime before its fall. Iran was still recovering from a ten-year war with Iraq; Saudi Arabia had just been attacked by Saddam?s Scud missiles. Soviet Russia was in political disintegration. What kept the US back was not the obstacles between Schwarzkopf and Baghdad - but the speed at which the Iraqis had collapsed. The war had turned into a turkey-shoot. It seemed almost indecent to continue. Their negotiating hand was embarrassingly strong. When US commanders filed into a row of desert tents in the Safwan air base to agree ceasefire, the low-level Iraqi generals who had been instructed by a terrified Saddam to accept any terms. The sight of the so-called "elite" Republican Guard - most terrified teenagers, some without shoes, several defecting - gave the impression that Saddam was a paper tiger. "Most of Saddam?s army is just infantry; it?s not an armoured army, which means it isn?t really an offensive army," Schwarzkopf himself had said at a briefing in Riyadh the day before. "There is not enough armour left for Saddam to pose a threat." Here, Saddam had scored a secret victory. The West had underestimated him - judging him by the calibre of his troops, not the deadliness of his arsenal. Then, there was no knowledge that Saddam had been extensively brewing chemical weapons - and was six months away from a nuclear bomb. As Schwarzkopf spoke in Saudi Arabia, President George Bush?s war cabinet - the Gang of Eight, as they called themselves - met in the White House for a briefing by Colin Powell, the head of the joint chiefs of staff. Tens of thousands of soldiers, he said, were demoralised, helpless and in retreat. They had surrendered instantly. "The American army," Mr Powell told the meeting, "doesn?t do massacres." Schwarzkopf wanted to extend the war until 3am on March 1. He had closed the loop around the Iraqi army and cornered the 4,500 tanks which Iraq had used to invade Kuwait and dominate the Persian Gulf. He had helicopters ready to destroy them. Furthermore, the US Army?s VII Corps had four divisions of Republican Guards bottled up as they retreated towards Basra. Another 24 hours of war would have meant certain annihilation. In the Oval office, Robert Gates, deputy director of President Bush?s National Security Council - later to become CIA director - had a different idea. Saddam, he said, has just emerged from a military humiliation which he could not survive in the eyes of his followers. He is ripe to fall to a military coup - and will be removed without the US breaking the strict "Kuwait only" terms it agreed with the coalition. But a military coup could not be done without a military. So, Mr Gates proposed, the tanks should stay; Saddam should be left with enough rope to hang himself. And when the regime change did arrive, he went on, any successor to Saddam would need to fend off enemies. "We?re not going to leave the world?s second-largest oil exporter without some means of self-defence," Mr Gates argued. The second main reason to agree a ceasefire was to quit while the casualties were low. The bombing campaign had lasted 41 days, of which only three had involved ground troops. Victory at such a low blood price would be a sweet victory indeed. It was Mr Powell who is understood to have pointed out that an early ceasefire would end the war in under 100 hours. Such a figure had the ring of efficiency. The ghost of Vietnam would be vanquished. So the Gang of Eight decided to end the campaign 28 hours before Schwarzkopf had planned - and, crucially, to leave the Iraqi military intact. Saddam?s downfall, they calculated, would soon follow. So, the next day, the basis of what is now Saddam?s army was set free. Some 57,000 Republican Guard troops and a full complement of tanks were spared on what had been planned as the penultimate day of Operation Desert Storm. At that time, oilfields were also burning in Kuwait. The price of oil was soaring - and there was the prospect of a retreating Saddam performing the same act of economic vandalism in his own oil wells. Putting out the Kuwaiti fires is a death-defying task which was to take weeks. The prospect of the world?s second-largest oil reserves set ablaze was not attractive. With the mirage of a weakened Saddam, and the prospect of oil-related damage to the world (and US) economy, President Bush agreed a ceasefire. In his diary that evening, he started to sense a mistake. "Still no feeling of euphoria," he wrote. "I think I know why. It hasn?t been a clean end. There is no Battleship Missouri surrender." Battleship Missouri was the ship used for the formal surrender of Japan at the end of the Second World War. The US had agreed that Saddam himself should not be humiliated by being forced to agree terms. It was a controversial decision. Mr Gates said: "I thought, ?Why don?t we make the son of a bitch come to Safwan himself and hand over his sword?? But at that stage, we still thought the generals would take him out and this would be the best way to help that along." Another idea, which would have eliminated the need for coalition-building today, was to arrest Saddam when he turned up at Safwan. The other Arab leaders vetoed this idea; mistakenly thinking Saddam had been militarily humbled and that his incarceration would be a step too far. In the end, the surrender was offered by placemen - while Saddam stayed in Baghdad. "Iraq?s representatives would be a pair of three-starred generals I had never heard of," a disgruntled Schwarzkopf later recalled. The tanks which survived, meanwhile, have become the nucleus for a remarkable revival of Iraq?s military which now stands at 2,200 battle tanks, 3,700 other armoured weapons, 2,400 major artillery weapons and 300 combat aircraft. The 1991 decision to let a new Iraq defend itself - or arm a military coup - backfired badly. Even under the UN sanctions regime, Saddam has grown to become the most heavily-armed leader in the Arab world. Part of his military, 1,500 older Soviet T55 and T60 tanks - came from unmarked warehouses and garrisons which had eluded destruction during the 42-day allied bombing campaign. In the same way that Saddam had proved an expert in hiding his arsenal of chemical and biological weapons, he had stored a substantial reserve of military might which UN inspectors were powerless to remove. It took three days for Saddam to use the weapons on his own people. The Shiite Arabs in southern Iraq, who had been brutally repressed by Saddam, were waiting to make their strike against the damaged leader. They had imagined that such a rebellion would command Western support. The US Army?s 24th Mechanised Infantry Division had been on the verge of seizing control of southern city of Basra. After the ceasefire, Saddam?s defeated army was in exactly the right place to quash the Shiites in brutal fashion. The tanks were already on the scene; their external enemy had vanished, so they focused fire on the internal enemy. Worse, Schwarzkopf had unwisely agreed in armistice talks to an Iraqi request to fly armed helicopters anywhere inside Iraq so long as they were not near US forces. Saddam used that air power, combined with tanks and other heavy ground armour that survived the war, to kill thousands of Kurds who had rebelled in the north - again in the mistaken hope of support from the US. On their own, the tribal rebels stood no chance against Saddam - who had handpicked the military leaders to ensure there was never a prospect of a coup. The peace celebrations in Washington were extensive. President Bush had four stated objectives: liberate Kuwait, avoid casualties, win quickly and ensure Iraq is not a threat for five to 10 years. He then claimed that all had been met, with the minimum of blood spilt. It was five years before it became clear the President had been defeated on the last of his goals. Saddam, it transpired, had allowed his army to fight barefoot and terrified because the focus of his military was chemical and nuclear. The United Nations weapons inspectors who entered Iraq as part of the Safwan accords had started to find evidence that Saddam was aiming to own nuclear weapons - and lay claim to be the de facto leader of the Arab world. In August 1995, Saddam?s son-in-law defected to the US and detailed the full horror of his nuclear programme. After invading Kuwait, Iraq had launched a "dash for the bomb", to produce weapons-grade uranium from a Soviet-built reactor bombed by the Israelis. That month, Iraq admitted to its chemical weapons programme. Only then, after four years of inspections, did the West finally realise Saddam?s strategy. The Gulf War had interrupted his dash for nuclear dominance. It took a further three years of UN inspectors demands being flouted for Bill Clinton to correct the strategic error of his Republican predecessor. In February 1998, he signed an order committing the US to regime change. Since then, Saddam has proven that, although he lost the Gulf War, he has been winning the battle. What the Republican Guard lacked in military prowess, Saddam has made up for in skills at diplomatic cat-and-mouse. Charles Freeman, who was US. ambassador to Saudi Arabia at the time of the Gulf War, now argues that the US should have sought a complete surrender requiring Saddam to cede power and then supported opposition groups. "The problem was we did not have a war-termination strategy of any kind and so the war never ended, no negotiations," he said. "The US and the coalition simply walked away with a cease-fire." At the time, Mr Bush was warning against the action his son is actively planning now - still with the opposition of Mr Powell. "We could have rolled into Baghdad and in 48 hours all hell would have been broken loose and we would have been standing alone making a martyr out of a defeated brute and tyrant, Saddam Hussein," he said in 1993. We could guess that Saddam was not simply going to sit down on his verandah and wait for us to come," says Mr Gates. "It would require occupation of Iraq. And we had a clear understanding that it would lead to a shattering of the coalition." While he was still defending his dash for peace, Mr Bush senior was happy to spell out the scenes which would accompany letting Schwarzkopf go on for that extra 48 hours. "There we would be, downtown Baghdad, America occupying an Arab land, searching for this brutal dictator who had the best security in the world, involved in an urban guerrilla war," he said. An unpleasant prospect, certainly, but this is exactly what the Pentagon is proposing now. The idea is to repeat the Japan system - have a military government, instead of an Afghanistan-style coalition. But this time, it requires not only buying off Saddam?s new allies but launching a fresh war estimated at costing US$200 billion. For those doing the planning - and many were involved in the 1991 Safwan deal - the unavoidable conclusion is that the cheaper and safer alternative would be to have moved on Baghdad while they were a few miles away. This will be apparent to Mr Powell, now State Secretary and Mr Cheney, vice president. It is now, after all these years, apparent to George Bush senior. "We all, not just the US but the whole world, assumed that Saddam could not survive such a humiliating defeat," he said last year. "I miscalculated." *The dilemma that left Saddam safe on his throne * In 1991, the allies were hamstrung by fears that a direct attack on Saddam Hussein and Baghdad would result in their fragile coalition collapsing. President George Bush snr was convinced by his advisers, particularly the CIA, that Saddam could not survive the humiliation of his defeat over Kuwait. With the Iraqi army at their mercy, they even allowed thousands of tanks to survive, in a bid to ensure the stability of the "next" Iraqi regime. Now the armies of George Bush jnr will have to defeat those same tanks in a campaign that promises to be much more expensive in both blood and resources. ©2002 scotsman.com | contact ***************************************************************** 26 Saddam must go _ or must he? /WASHINGTON/ /By JAMES ROSEN/ /McClatchy Newspapers/ /October 27, 2002/ *WASHINGTON* - For months, ever since President Bush placed it within the "axis of evil," his stance on Iraq has seemed clear: Saddam must go. Now, with the U.N. Security Council snarled by discord over how to confront Saddam Hussein, U.S. policy on regime change in Iraq seems suddenly murky. Secretary of State Colin Powell, long the most moderate voice among Bush's top foreign policy advisers, raised eyebrows last week by suggesting that Saddam might be able to remain in power after all. "If Saddam disarmed entirely and satisfied the international community, that in effect would be a change in attitude and a change in the way the regime is looking at its situation in the world," Powell said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." Bush added to the confusion the next day when he, too, hinted that a disarmed Saddam might be acceptable to the United States. "The stated policy of our government, the previous administration and this administration, is regime change because we don't believe he is going to change," Bush told reporters. "However, if he were to meet all the conditions of the United Nations, the conditions that I've described very clearly in terms that everybody can understand, that in itself will signal the regime has changed." On Thursday, campaigning for Republican congressional candidates in North Carolina, Bush said, "If the United Nations won't act, if they're feeble in their responsibility, and if Saddam Hussein won't disarm, the United States will lead a coalition in the name of peace to disarm Saddam Hussein." The rhetorical softening of the administration's previously stated goal of forcing Saddam from power puzzled analysts and heads of state alike. "On one hand, they are continuously giving the impression of a military action," said Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit. "On the other hand, they are saying, 'An intervention may not be necessary, we have not yet made a decision.' President Bush and the U.S. administration should make their decision immediately, and this uncertainty should be eliminated." Henri Barkey, a professor of international relations at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, struggled to read the diplomatic tea leaves. "In terms of American policy, there's a huge contradiction in his comments," Barkey said of Bush's new definition of regime change. "I was baffled by what he said. I can't tell you that I can explain it." Barkey then offered an explanation: "I don't think the president really believes what he said," he said. "He's trying to give the French and the Russians especially some excuse to agree. He's providing them cover. That's what he's doing." France and Russia, two permanent members of the Security Council along with the United States, Britain and China, are the main opponents of a U.S. resolution threatening use of force against Saddam if he impedes U.N. inspectors looking for biological, chemical or nuclear weapons in Iraq. Envoys from the major powers are entering their seventh week of negotiations on the Security Council measure, after dozens of ambassadors from around the globe opposed a pre-emptive military strike at a council session last week. "It appeared that Bush was backing off a little bit, but I don't take these comments all that seriously," said retired Col. Ken Allard, a professor of military history and technology at Georgetown University in Washington. "Very simply, he's obviously trying to get the United Nations to go along with things. This was probably the right tactful moment to ratchet down the rhetoric, but I don't think the Bush administration's strategy has changed at all. I think they mean to end that regime's life on earth. After 9/11, the administration cannot agree to leave that regime in place." Bush's aides played down the controversy, with White House press secretary Ari Fleischer likening it to the question of "how many devils can dance on the head of a pin." "Regime change remains Congress' policy, signed by the president, remains the law of the land," Fleischer said. "It remains the American position and the position that the president and everybody in his Cabinet strongly supports." But that "law of the land," the 1998 Iraqi Liberation Act, didn't authorize the use of U.S. military force to overthrow Saddam. Instead, it funded Iraqi opposition groups with the aim of enabling them to topple him. Powell, who commanded U.S. troops in the 1991 Persian Gulf War as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, insisted that his comments about regime change were "consistent with what the president has said." Powell, though, focused exclusively on eliminating Saddam's weapons of mass destruction while Bush, in the past at least, has outlined a broader agenda. "All we are interested in is getting rid of those weapons of mass destruction," Powell said. "We think the Iraqi people would be a lot better off with a different leader, a different regime. But the principal offense here are weapons of mass destruction - and that's what this (U.N.) resolution is working on." Ted Galen Carpenter, a defense analyst with the conservative Cato Institute in Washington, dismissed Bush's recent kinder, more gentle stance on Iraq as "nothing more than a tactical ploy" aimed at placating nervous U.N. ambassadors. "I think the United States is still committed to regime change," Carpenter said. "It just has become unfashionable to admit that openly given the concerns of France, Russia and a number of other key countries." (Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.) ***************************************************************** 27 North Korea puts nuclear weapons on the table Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Washington unmoved by offer to address security fears Jonathan Watts in Tokyo and Julian Borger in Washington Saturday October 26, 2002 The Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk] North Korea put its nuclear weapons programme on the negotiating table yesterday by demanding a non-aggression treaty with its greatest enemy, the US, in return for an easing of "security concerns". Washington's initial response was dismissive, repeating its standing demand for North Korea's unconditional disarmament. A White House spokesman, Scott Stanzel, said: "Our position with respect to disarmament of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction is clear." The offer came on the day of a meeting in Texas between President Jiang Zemin of China and George Bush, who was expected to press him to help isolate the Pyongyang regime and back Washington's revised UN draft resolution on Iraq. The government in Pyongyang said it was ready to address US concerns if Washington would guarantee its sovereignty and right to economic development. It was its first public offer of conciliation since it revealed last week that it had an illegal uranium enrichment programme. "It is a reasonable and realistic solution to the nuclear issue to conclude a non-aggression treaty between the DPRK [North Korea] and the US if the grave situation of the Korean peninsula is to be bridged over," the state news agency KCNA quoted a foreign ministry official as saying. Washington says that the programme violates the 1994 agreed framework in which the North promised to freeze its nuclear weapons development in return for 500,000 tonnes of fuel oil a year and an international commitment to build two light-water reactors. The US made a regular delivery of oil this week but has not yet said if it will continue the programme. There is a debate in the White House on whether the 1994 deal should be declared dead. Yesterday the North accused the US of failing to keep its side of that bargain because the construction of the reactors - vital to an energy-starved nation - is years behind schedule. It said President Bush's inclusion of the North in his "axis of evil" amounted to a nullification of the agreement, which also called for the restoration of normal diplomatic relations. At his ranch in Crawford, Texas, President Bush sought to soothe Beijing's fear that his government was ignoring its views. But his team are unsure how much influence Mr Jiang will have after next month's Chinese Communist party congress, when he will move to more junior position. "They'll treat one another respectfully, without pushing far-reaching initiatives," James Mann, an analyst at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said. President Bush will pursue his attempt to build a coordinated approach to North Korea today when he arrives for a summit of Pacific Rim leaders in Cabo San Lucas, in Mexico. On the fringe of the meeting he will hold talks on the issue with the Japanese prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, and the South Korean president, Kim Dae-jung. "Our basic position is that we should try to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully," the South Korean foreign minister, Choi Sung-hong, said. Japan said it would put the nuclear issue alongside the subject of its abducted citizens at the top of the agenda for its talks with North Korea next week. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 ***************************************************************** 28 Alexander Chancellor: Blinded by the light Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Saturday October 26, 2002 The Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk] We could hardly be living in more alarming times. The clouds of war gather over Iraq. Terrorists are back in business, shedding the blood of innocents. North Korea admits to having nuclear weapons. The Arab-Israeli and Northern Ireland peace agreements are both as good as dead. The world has not seemed so scary since the Cuban missile crisis 40 years ago. But the atmosphere today could hardly be more different. In October 1962, there was no room for frivolity. We were all genuinely scared of a nuclear war, and with good reason. For it has become clear since that we really were on the brink of it. Things were that serious. But today it feels more like the Silly Season. You would think that the press had nothing important to write about, given the space it has been devoting to matters of the utmost absurdity. Admittedly, the Edwina Currie sexual revelations are of some historical interest for the light they throw on the dying days of the last Tory government under John Major. But even they hardly merit the vast coverage they have received when set against the background of momentous world events. Our fascination with that dreary Swede, Sven-Goran Eriksson, is even less easily explained. In the traditional way by which British newspapers like to predict significant consequences for the trivia they report to make them seem important, the Daily Mail said "the revelations that he cheated on girlfriend Nancy Dell'Olio with two women at the same time are sure to lead to further questions about his future as England coach". But readers are not interested in Sven's love life because of its possible impact on his professional future, since there probably won't be any (England's humiliation by Macedonia is another matter). They are just fascinated by the spectacle of a strong, silent dullard turning out to be a weak and shifty one. The Eriksson story is a good sequel to the John Major saga. In both instances, a man admired for his restraint, dignity and decency emerges as lacking these qualities. Both Major and Eriksson appear to be very susceptible to the attention of women, unable to resist sexual temptation, and then incapable of extracting themselves from the consequent muddle with straightforwardness and honesty. They are examples of men being trapped by their own weakness into behaving like cads. Both Ulrika Jonsson and Jayne Connery, the alleged third woman in Eriksson's life, say they were seduced by his kindness and gentlemanly manner, then subsequently disillusioned. "He doesn't seem very concerned at all about what I've had to deal with, or Ulrika," Ms Connery said. "Maybe he isn't the gentleman we all thought he was." It is difficult to regard either Currie or Dell'Olio as victims. Both are capable of looking after themselves and putting up with humiliations that might crush more sensitive souls. Jonsson, on the other hand, does seem like a victim. The recent TV programme on her "trouble with men" depicted a woman with a fatal attraction to self-centred brutes, irresistibly drawn to relationships that were doomed to end in disaster. That even her attempt to be with a nice, considerate gentleman of her own nationality went wrong was very poignant. As if all this were not titillating enough, the public has been finding itself riveted by other stories of no consequence but rich in human interest. There has been Jeffrey Archer, his hubris undiminished, running extraordinary risks by defying prison rules, but ending up lucky once again in a seaside open prison. There has been Princess Diana's butler, Paul Burrell, facing trial for the theft of many of her possessions after her death - an accusation made especially intriguing because there seems to be little doubt that his attachment to her was completely genuine. It is impossible somehow not to feel a little sorry for him. Reflecting on these stories during these troubled times, I am beginning to shift my position. They are all exceptional in their interest, albeit of a prurient and trivial kind. If such a collection of stories were to break during the dog days of summer, there would be rejoicing up and down the street of shame. And maybe even now we should regard them as a blessing, for they offer a diversion from unfolding tragedies that we feel unable to do anything about. [UP] Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 ***************************************************************** 29 NEW WAR, SAME AS THE LAST WAR Op/Ed - Ted Rall Fri Oct 25, 8:02 PM ET By Ted Rall Big Promises on Iraq Are Hype NEW YORK--Never mind that attacking Iraq without provocation is immoral. Forget that the Bush Administration has released no evidence that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has "weapons of mass destruction" or that he intends to use them. Let's even ignore official Axis of EvilTM member North Korea's admission that it has developed nuclear weapons in a blatant violation of a 1994 agreement. "The reality of the United States using force unilaterally against North Korea is extremely difficult, if not impossible," notes Daniel Pinkston, a Korea specialist at the Monterey Institute for International Studies. "[North Korea] is a little bit on the back burner." And yet Iraq is probably less of a threat than North Korea. Iraq, however, possesses an estimated 112.5 billion barrels in proven oil reserves--the world's second-largest stash. North Korea has mud. And rocks. Guess who we're going to invade? Iraq After Saddam There's no point taking on Iraq unless we can establish a stable puppet regime in Baghdad after we win. An Iraqi civil war would cause those precious energy reserves to be split into Kurdish and non-Kurdish zones, which makes maintaining the country's territorial integrity after Saddam essential if we want to fully exploit all that oil and natural gas. Finally, a pro-American post-Saddam government won't stand a chance of garnering popular support unless the damage caused by and a decade of economic sanctions and the looming "liberation" is quickly repaired. "If the U.S. is going to take responsibility for removing the current leadership [of Iraq]," Middle East expert Phebe Marr told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in August, "it should assume that it cannot get the results it wants on the cheap." Marr warned that there will be "retribution, score-settling and bloodletting" as a vengeful Shiite majority reacts to the end of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated Baath regime. Turkey, worried that its own suppressed Kurds might revolt in an attempt to join their Iraqi brethren, might invade. A post-Saddam power vacuum will offer a tempting opportunity for Iran to influence--i.e., arm--fellow Shiites across the border. The U.S. will have to defend Iraq's borders against both Turkey and Iran. In short, to successfully execute this war and its messy aftermath will require lots of troops, money and time. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's "inside out" strategy reportedly entails a plan to drop 50,000 to 100,000 U.S. troops directly into Baghdad. Career generals prefer a massive land invasion involving up to 220,000 soldiers. Either way, the manpower commitment would be enormous. Rebuilding would be even more costly. "A new study by the Army's Center of Military History has found that the U.S. military would have to commit 300,000 peacekeeping troops in Afghanistan and 100,000 in Iraq if it were to occupy and reconstruct those nations on the scale that occurred in Japan and Germany after World War II," reported The Washington Post on Sept. 23. The Afghan Precedent Ah yes: Afghanistan. Any planning for invading Iraq must take into account the lessons of our last--and as yet unconcluded--war in Muslim Asia. Less than a year ago, the U.S. was promising not to abandon post-Taliban Afghanistan as it had after the 1989 Soviet withdrawal. "Chairman Karzai," Bush told the U.S.-installed Afghan president in January, "I reaffirm to you today that the United States will continue to be a friend to the Afghan people in all the challenges that lie ahead." Months later that pledge lies in tatters. Far from carrying out a "Marshall Plan for Afghanistan," crusade so loftily proposed during the heady days after the defeat of the Taliban, the U.S. has dedicated a piddling $296 million to rebuild the world's poorest, most war-torn nation. Secretary of State Colin Powell concedes that even an original cost estimate of $4.5 billion would not have been "nearly as good as it needs to be." Karzai's Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, warning that his government is on the verge of financial collapse, reports that Afghanistan needs at least $20 billion for rebuilding. As it is, Karzai hasn't even been able to pay Afghan government workers their salaries--on average a mere $20 per month. Not one inch of road has been paved. The U.N. food program estimates that 25 percent of Afghanistan's 16 million people will suffer from starvation this winter. Unsurprisingly, farmers are back in the heroin business. "We are growing poppies because of poverty, because the government pledged to pay us for destroying our harvests, but did not pay us anything," farmer Abdul Malik tells Reuters near the Helmandi provincial capital of Lashkargah. "We are growing it because not one school, or hospital, or road has been rehabilitated here as promised." Only 8,000 U.S. soldiers are currently stationed in Afghanistan--less than three percent of the 300,000 the Army says that it needs to properly "Marshall Plan" the country--and most of those are traipsing through the mountains near Khost in search of Al Qaedans who fled for Pakistan in 2001. Actual "peacekeeping" is limited to Kabul; the vast majority of Afghans live under the same feudal warlords whose brutality led to the rise of the Taliban in the mid `90s. Rape, robbery and violent clashes are routine. We did Afghanistan on the cheap, and it shows. The place is such a mess that the main objective of the American invasion--building a trans-Afghan pipeline to carry landlocked Caspian oil and gas to the Indian Ocean--will likely never be realized. We won the war but we lost the peace. Will we do the same thing in Iraq? Count on it. (Ted Rall's latest book, a graphic travelogue about his recent coverage of the Afghan war titled "To Afghanistan and Back," is now in its second edition. ***************************************************************** 30 * INEEL Cleanup Ahead of Schedule * ENS Home *WASHINGTON, DC,* October 25, 2002 (ENS) - A project to move transuranic waste out of the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) has reached a milestone ahead of schedule. The last shipment to meet the 3,100 cubic meters goal, agreed to by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the state of Idaho, was shipped from INEEL on Monday and has arrived at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico, two months earlier than expected. "Moving waste out of Idaho is an important step forward for INEEL employees and the citizens of Idaho, but also for the department," said Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. "It proves that working together we can meet our commitments and cleanup goals." "There is more work to be done and more goals to reach and we can accomplish these objectives by moving forward with our accelerated cleanup programs in Idaho and other states," Richardson added. The removal of the 3,100 cubic meters of transuranic waste - amounting to about 15,000 55 gallon drums - was a commitment in the court ordered Idaho Settlement Agreement signed by DOE, the state of Idaho and the U.S. Navy in 1995. That agreement laid out commitments for DOE to manage and remove waste from the state of Idaho. Completion of this milestone maintains 100 percent compliance with the requirements of the 1995 court order, Richardson said. The shipment was downloaded into the underground repository at WIPP on Thursday, beating the December 31, 2002 completion date. INEEL has been shipping transuranic waste to the repository at a rate of 14 to 17 shipments per week since mid-July to meet the milestone. The department's New Mexico based National Transuranic Program, which facilitates shipments to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, assisted INEEL in meeting this goal. Program management designated INEEL as the priority shipping site and has ensured that INEEL had enough shipping containers, trucks, trailers and drivers to move the waste. A project history can be found at: http://www.inel.gov/environment/3100.shtml Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2002. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 31 Mixed Legacy for Ky. Uranium Town Las Vegas SUN: October 25, 2002 By KIMBERLY HEFLING ASSOCIATED PRESS PADUCAH, Ky.- A half-century ago, western Kentucky was so thrilled about the opening of a Cold War uranium enrichment plant that it gave communities names like "Cimota" - Atomic spelled backward. Decades later, workers file into Paducah's "Sick Workers Office," pulling oxygen tanks and fighting incurable tumors - angry, scared, dying. As they marked the 50th anniversary this week of the opening of Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, residents pondered a mixed legacy: The facility turned the town into a pocket of wealth in a poor region, but at what cost? Workers were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation, and scores slowly became sick with diseases that the government only recently admitted responsibility for. "People come in here very sick. They feel like they've lost their dignity," said Stewart Tolar, site manager at the Energy Employees Compensation Resource Center. In 1999, then-Energy Secretary Bill Richardson issued an apology in Paducah after the government reversed decades of denial and conceded that many workers did get sick because of on-the-job exposure. An entitlement law later provided lifetime medical care and a tax-free lump sum of $150,000 to sick workers exposed to cancer-causing radiation and silica or beryllium, which can cause lung diseases. Since the program began last year, about $62.8 million has been distributed to former and current workers and their survivors through the resource office in Paducah, Tolar said. But recognition came too late for many. Former plant worker Joe Harding, for example, was denied compensation even though his bones contained 34,000 times the expected concentration of uranium before he died in 1980. In addition to the health disaster, the Energy Department estimated it would take 10 years and $1.3 billion more than the $400 million already spent to clean up environmental contamination. Even so, many former workers say seeing the town get rich while doing what many considered their patriotic duty during the Cold War - making weapons-grade uranium for warheads - made everything worthwhile. "It's been a good salary and it's got good benefits," said Rodney Cook 53, a shift superintendent who had part of a lung removed in March because of exposure to asbestos he believed he received during the 27 years he has worked at the plant. "I don't blame anybody for it. It was just part of the job." James Dew, 77, who retired as a top executive in 1998 after 38 years, said he would not do it again. Dew developed a pituitary tumor, and blames it and other health problems on radiation exposure. He sued, but the case was thrown out. He has not yet filed for the $150,000 compensation. "They should have told people what was in the material we were processing and the hazards involved," said Dew, of Gallatin, Tenn. Still, he has fond memories: "The people who worked there were a great bunch of people." With the increase in demand for engineers and scientist at the plant, the middle and upper classes expanded in what had primarily been a river and railroad town. To this day, the Paducah facility is western Kentucky's biggest private employer with more than 1,700 workers, and one of the largest employers in the state. After U.S. Enrichment Corp. last year suspended operations at a sister uranium facility in Piketon, Ohio, Paducah became the only place in the nation where uranium is enriched for the commercial nuclear industry. Opening the plant "was a major event in the history of the city," said Don Pepper, 78, who moved here in 1951 to work as a reporter. "It set the character of this city for a long time." The Energy Department initially thought 3,000 to 4,000 people nationwide might be eligible for compensation for nuclear-weapons related work during the Cold War, but the accuracy of that estimate is unclear, in part because of poor record keeping. Despite all that, Paducah, population 27,000, is now a rival with Piketon to attract a new uranium enrichment plant using safer and more efficient centrifuge technology. "This community and this region has been supportive of the plant over the last 50 years," said former plant employee Susan Zimmerman Guess. "The next technology should be located here in Paducah." On the Net: USEC Inc.: http://www.usec.com [http://www.usec.com] U.S. Department of Energy: http://www.energy.gov [http://www.energy.gov] Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce: http://www.paducahchamber.org [http://www.paducahchamber.org] All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 32 Special Interests Spend Millions Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Saturday October 26, 2002 4:40 AM WASHINGTON (AP) - The League of Conservation Voters is using a cancer patient's story to sway voters in one tight Senate race. The National Rifle Association's celebrity president is crisscrossing the country rallying gun owners. And the doctors lobby is unleashing more than $1 million in ads in five crucial contests. As long as they work independently of candidates, groups of all political stripes can spend as much as they want as Election Day nears in what are known as ``independent expenditures.'' And they are once again. But some are doing it with a different twist for 2002. Rather than pepper the airwaves with expensive ads, some high-profile groups have decided their money is best spent this time around on grass-roots activities that target like-minded voters. They're contacting them by mail, telephone and door-to-door visits. ``It's moving real people to the polling booth,'' said Wayne LaPierre, the NRA's executive vice president, describing the gun lobby's decision to scrap TV ads and put their president, Charlton Heston, on the road to meet voters. Heston, the famous actor, has worked rope lines and rallies in New Hampshire, Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota and Colorado - homes to some of the hottest Senate races - and plans to do the same in Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida over the next week. Heston is intentionally doing the tour on the cheap - staying in modest hotels. The whole effort will cost a few hundred thousand dollars, LaPierre said. The rallies are a farewell tour of sorts for Heston, who recently announced he has symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease. The NRA knows his presence adds an emotional impact to the get-out-the-vote effort. ``They also know what he's going through. They've all heard the announcement on TV and they understand what an effort it took for Charlton Heston to be in their state and that it's not easy, and I think that motivates them further,'' LaPierre said. In Iowa, the League of Conservation Voters is airing an ad in the Des Moines area called ``Front Porch'' on behalf of Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin. It features Bob Anderson, a cancer patient, standing in front of the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, where he used to be a shift commander. ``We would receive radioactive materials for nuclear weapons. We were proud to be defending America. But we weren't protected. I got non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,'' Anderson says. ``Other men got it, too. I wrote one letter to Senator Tom Harkin. ... And he responded. He sent us medical care and is helping to clean this site. Senator Harkin is protecting our right to know what's in our land, air and water.'' The environmental group plans to spend about $4.5 million to support or oppose candidates in 17 races this election, spokesman Scott Stoermer said. It has poured at least $312,100 into ads opposing Republican Rep. John Sununu in New Hampshire's neck-and-neck Senate race, along with $16,700 on a poll there. The league is spending at least $125,247 to air ads opposing Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., and at least $111,990 on ads opposing Democratic House candidate Ken Lucas in Kentucky, In Iowa, Stoermer said the group purposely left the name of Harkin's challenger, Republican Rep. Greg Ganske, out of the ad to avoid improving Ganske's name recognition among voters. Ganske, too, is benefiting from independent spending by outside groups. The American Medical Association has spent at least $642,000 to support him, much of it on ads. The AMA has spent at least $289,000 on TV ads and $13,800 on polling on behalf of Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard, a Republican who faces a tough challenge from Democrat Tom Strickland. One ad credits Allard with proposing legislation to help senior citizens get prescription drug coverage and the uninsured get health care. Dr. Roy Vandiver, a Georgia neurosurgeon and chairman of the AMA's political action committee, said the group's top issue is tort reform, including limiting malpractice damage awards. It plans to focus its estimated $2 million in independent expenditures on six to eight close House and Senate races to support candidates who favor that. The legal key to independent expenditures is that the special-interest group cannot coordinate its message with the candidates who benefit. Republican activist Floyd Brown is the architect of one of the most famous independent expenditures, the ``Willie Horton'' ad about a furloughed murderer that helped doom Democrat Michael Dukakis' 1998 presidential bid. Brown said he didn't need to confer with the elder George Bush's campaign to know the ad would help the Republican candidate. ``I could see the statements of the Bush campaign in the newspaper,'' Brown said. ``If you are a close follower of campaigns, you know what's going on. It's not rocket science and it's not secret. ... We would just try to help out where we could best help.'' Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 ***************************************************************** 33 Senate Panel Challenges Bush Regulatory Actions By Cat Lazaroff WASHINGTON, DC, October 25, 2002 (ENS) - The Bush administration has exhibited "a pre-determined hostility" toward environmental regulations passed by the Clinton administration, argues a report by Democratic members of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. The report, released Wednesday, charges the administration with making choices of "questionable legality" in suspending hundreds of regulations on the day of the new president's inauguration. On Inauguration Day 2001, White House chief of staff Andrew Card ordered a freeze of all federal regulations which had not yet taken effect, opening new reviews of hundreds of previously finalized rules. Though many the suspended regulations had been subject to scientific study and public comment for years or even decades, the new reviews ordered by the Bush administration in most cases did not include an opportunity for public participation and comment, but merely involved an inspection by Bush political appointees. [road] Senator Joe Lieberman chairs the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. (Photo courtesy Office of Senator Lieberman) The report by the Governmental Affairs Committee's majority staff argues that by discounting regulatory procedures and the value of public participation, the administration set an antagonistic tone for its approach to environmental and health regulations. By excluding public input from the reviews, the administration may even have violated federal law, the report says. "It was wrong for the administration to second guess these final rules," said Senator Joseph Lieberman, the Connecticut Democrat who now chairs the Governmental Affairs Committee. "It was wrong to discount a well established scientific record. And it was wrong for the administration to use stealth tactics to achieve its ideologically driven ends." The report, titled "Rewriting the Rules," focuses on three environmental regulations that did not survive the Bush administration's inspection. Those rules were the Department of Agriculture's rule prohibiting most road construction and logging in roadless areas of national forests, the Department of the Interior's rule regulating hard rock mining on public lands, and the Environmental Protection Agency's rule capping the permissible level of arsenic in drinking water. Each rule was "subjected to the new administration's second guessing," the report said. In the first two cases, the administration eventually weakened or undermined the rules. [girl] After additional reviews, the Bush administration opted to adopt the Clinton era rule reducing the acceptable level of arsenic in drinking water. (Photo courtesy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) In the case of the arsenic rule, the Bush administration ultimately adopted the same rule that the Clinton administration had passed after years of scientific study, but only after months of additional, costly studies. The partisan study argues that the Bush administration's decision to revisit the three rules was based on a "pre-determined hostility to the regulations rather than a documented close analysis of the rules or the agencies' basis for issuing them." For example, the report charges that the administration's decision to propose suspension of the hard rock mining rule "was not based on documented substantive analysis," and notes that the ultimate decision to rescind parts of the rule allows mining to continue to pose environmental and human health risks. The administration's future intentions for each of these rules is unclear but the report cautions that "any further actions … must be in full compliance with the spirit and the letter of the law and must not further erode environmental protections or rule making procedures." [road] Conservation groups say logging roads, like this one on the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, break up wildlife habitat and can lead to erosion and other problems. (Photo by Steve Holmer, courtesy American Lands [http://www.americanlands.org] ) Senator Lieberman said the Bush administration's refusal to defend the Agriculture Department's rule protecting roadless areas in national forests against a court challenge has persuaded him to support a bill that would prohibit road construction in certain areas. The National Forests Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2002 was sponsored by Senator Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat. "Protecting these areas is critical to preserving important watersheds, vegetation and wildlife," Lieberman said. Lieberman ordered the inquiry into the Bush administration's suspension of pending regulations in March 2001. The senator said Wednesday that the report was delayed by the September 11 terrorist attacks, and was not ready for release until this week. In response to questions from reporters, White House Office of Management and Budget spokesperson Trent Duffy said the timing of the report appeared politically motivated. [coal mine] Mining operations accounted for 48 percent of the toxic emissions reported in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 1998 Toxic Release Inventory. (Photo by Chuck Meyers, courtesy Office of Surface Mining) "It's disappointing, but it's not surprising it's happening a few days before the election," Duffy told AP and Reuters. "We've opened up the regulatory process to the public like never before." But the committee's majority report argues that it is precisely the behind the scenes nature of the Bush administration's regulatory review that is disturbing, as it in some cases replaced years of public comment and scrutiny, and on the record agency justifications, with mere months of politicized scrutiny. The full report is available at: http://www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/envrollbacksreport.pdf [http://www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/envrollbacksreport.pdf] Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2002. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 34 Environmental Champion Wellstone Dies in Plane Crash By J.R. Pegg WASHINGTON, DC, October 25, 2002 (ENS) - Senator Paul Wellstone, a Minnesota Democrat and an outspoken advocate for conservation and environmental protection, was killed in a plane crash this afternoon near Eveleth, Minnesota, about 175 miles north of Minneapolis. The crash also claimed the lives of Wellstone's wife Sheila, his daughter Marcia and five others. Wellstone, 58, had long been considered a champion for environmental causes and was one of the few remaining unabashed liberals in the Senate. Advocacy groups today mourned the loss of one of their most outspoken supporters. [Wellstone] Senator Paul Wellstone was considered one of the most stalwart environmental champions in Congress. (All photos courtesy Office of Senator Wellstone) "We're devastated," said League of Conservation Voters Spokesman Scott Stoermer. "Senator Wellstone was simply put the strongest environmental leader in Congress and he was a sincere, principled voice for lots of people who didn't have anybody speaking for them. His kind of leadership is something that will not soon or easily be replaced." The twin engine King Air plane went down in freezing rain and light snow near the Eveleth-Virginia Municipal Airport. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the crash. Locked in a hotly contested campaign race for reelection, the two term senator was en route to a funeral for the father of a Minnesota legislator. He was scheduled to debate his opponent Norm Coleman, the former mayor of St. Paul, this evening. Republicans had been optimistic about Coleman's chances and had targeted this race as one that could help them gain control of the Senate. Democrats currently cling to control of the Senate by only one seat. Many see Coleman as the handpicked choice of the GOP leadership, and the final vote was expected to be extremely close. The Democratic Party will have the opportunity to replace Wellstone on the ballot, but there has been no indication of who might be chosen. Minnesota law specifies that a party must replace any candidate who dies if it happens more than four days prior to the general election. The son of Russian immigrants, Wellstone grew up in the Washington, D.C. area before earning his Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina. He taught politics for more than 20 years at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. [rally] Wellstone at a rally protesting the Free Trade Summit in Quebec in April 2001. The senator supported efforts to include environmental and human rights protections in international trade agreements. Prior to his surprise defeat of Minnesota's incumbent senator Rudy Boschwitz in 1990, Wellstone had never held elective office. He quickly emerged as a leading liberal voice within the Senate and easily defeated Boschwitz again in 1996. His dedication to environmental issues earned him high praise from environmental and conservation groups, particularly for his work protecting public lands and on issues of clean air and clean water. Wellstone was also a strong opponent of plans to drill in the Arctic Wildlife National Refuge. Wellstone helped win federal commitments to increase resources for renewable energy efforts such as biomass, ethanol and wind power. The League of Conservation Voters had given Wellstone perfect scores of 100 on its National Environmental Scorecard on seven of the last 11 years. "Paul Wellstone was an environmental giant, fighting to protect families from toxic pollution, to keep the air we breathe safe, and to keep our lakes and rivers clean," Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope said in a prepared statement. "But it wasn't his consistent environmental votes that made him my hero, it was the depth of his convictions, his passion and his courage." In addition to his support for environmental causes, Wellstone was widely known as an advocate for the working poor. "Senator Paul Wellstone stood up for the little guy, but he never had small thoughts. He was tireless and unapologetic for championing the rights of working men and women - even when he stood alone." said AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney in a released statement. "America's working men and women had no better friend." The senator was also admired for his efforts to clean up elections, make government activities more transparent to the public, and hold corporations accountable for their actions. "Senator Wellstone's death is a true loss to the country and for all who care about social justice," said Gene Karpinski, executive director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "He was a passionate and effective champion for the public interest and an inspiration to young people." [wife] Senator Wellstone's wife, Sheila (pictured with the senator) and his daughter Marcia were also killed in today's crash. Wellstone had initially pledged to only serve two terms in the Senate, but last year announced his desire for a third term. In February, he announced he'd been diagnosed with a mild form of multiple sclerosis, but insisted it would not stop his campaign. This afternoon, President George W. Bush, whose policies Wellstone had frequently opposed, expressed sympathy for the senator's surviving children and the people of Minnesota. "Paul Wellstone was a man of deep convictions," Bush said, "a plain spoken fellow who did his best for his state and for his country." Wellstone and his wife, Sheila Ison Wellstone, had three children, including their daughter Marcia. They are survived by two sons, David and Mark and six grandchildren. [editor@ens-news.com] for details. ***************************************************************** 35 Minnesota's idealist dies Pioneer Press | 10/26/2002 | BY BILL GARDNER, PHILLIP PIÑA and JIM RAGSDALE [Wellstone campaign Hmong outreach coordinator Pakou Hang weeps as she listens to speakers eulogizing Sen. Paul Wellstone and his family Friday at the campaign’s St. Paul headquarters.] Joe Oden, Pioneer Press Wellstone campaign Hmong outreach coordinator Pakou Hang weeps as she listens to speakers eulogizing Sen. Paul Wellstone and his family Friday at the campaigns St. Paul headquarters. U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone, the fiery, fist-shaking liberal fighting for a third term, was killed Friday morning along with his wife and daughter and five others when his twin-engine campaign plane, groping through snow and fog, crashed into a bog while landing in northeastern Minnesota. The Beechcraft King Air A100 broke into several pieces and burst into flames near Eveleth, sending ripples through the nation, where the upcoming election — 11 days away — was among the most closely watched and could determine control of the Senate. There was no hint of trouble aboard the plane, no call for help. The bodies had not been removed from the wreckage by 11 a.m. this morning, and the medical examiner is on scene. A State Patrol helicopter also is headed to the scene to take aerial photographs in an effort to get any clues to what happened when the plane went down, such as the trajectory of the plane as it crashed. "The recovery is a slow and gruesome process," Kevin Smith, spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety said Saturday. Charlie Weaver, director of the Department of Public Safety, explained, "The terrain is extremely harsh." He added that investigation crews have to manuever through a heavily wooded area and peat bog to get to the plane. Officials have brought in logging equipment to clear a path to the site. The water in the bog stands about two-feet deep in spots. The fuselage of the plane is largely burned out, Weaver said. Dental records will be needed to identify the remains of the victims. Family members of the victims plan to visit the crash scene, authorities said, but were uncertain when they might arrive. The weather Friday was dismal, gray, foggy, with light snow, but the landing should have been routine, said Gary Ulman, assistant manager of the Eveleth Virginia Municipal Airport. Shortly after 10 a.m., Ulman heard the pilot's voice on the radio and saw the landing lights flash on after the pilot clicked the signal from the cockpit. But the plane didn't land. "After a while, I thought to myself, 'Where the hell are they?' " Ulman jumped into his own private plane and took off in search of the missing aircraft. "I looked to the south and saw smoke plumes," he said. Ulman flew over the area, thick with pine and spruce trees, and saw that the plane's tail had broken off. "The plane was totally engulfed in fire when I found it," he said. The path of the wreckage, about two miles southeast of the airport, suggested the pilot may have aborted the landing, Ulman said. He said the weather was overcast — with fog and light snow and a temperature of 31 — but was well within the landing limits at the airport. Rescue crews slogged through the bog to reach the wreckage, which was still burning five hours later. Besides the tail, both wings had broken off the fuselage of the 10-seat turboprop. The bodies of the victims are expected to be removed today. Wellstone was en route to the 11 a.m. funeral in Virginia of Martin Rukavina, father of state Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFLVirginia. The plane had left the St. Paul Downtown Airport earlier Friday morning. As always, Wellstone was with his wife, Sheila, who was at his side every step of his political career. His daughter, Marcia, also died in the crash. The death of the feisty 58-year-old senior senator from Minnesota shocked the United States and brought a massive outpouring of sympathy and reaction. Many Minnesotans cried when the news broke. Mourners by the hundreds gathered outside the Wellstone campaign headquarters on University Avenue in St. Paul and during a late afternoon memorial at the state Capitol. President Bush, who had come to Minnesota recently to campaign for Wellstone's opponent, Republican Norm Coleman, offered his sympathy. "Paul Wellstone was a man of deep convictions, a plainspoken fellow, who did his best for his state and for his country," Bush said. "May the good Lord bless those who grieve." Wellstone was scheduled to debate Coleman and other candidates Friday night at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. "Laurie and I first want to express our heartfelt prayers to the families of Sen. Wellstone and the other families who were involved in this terrible tragedy," said Coleman, the former mayor of St. Paul. "This is a terrible day for Minnesota." Wellstone's junior colleague, U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, who was in Europe, said: "Minnesota lost a courageous leader and an extraordinary human being. Paul championed so many causes and helped so many people throughout our state. He was a model and an inspiration to all of us who followed in his footsteps." Gov. Jesse Ventura said Minnesota "has suffered a deep and penetrating loss. … I had tremendous respect for Paul, and I will forever be indebted to him for his service and his ultimate sacrifice for this great democracy." Wellstone's death threw the Nov. 5 election into turmoil. State law requires Wellstone's name to be removed from the ballot. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party has until Nov. 1 to choose a successor, whose name will probably be pasted over Wellstone's on existing ballots. Ventura can appoint a short-term successor. Ventura on Friday said he would not appoint himself but otherwise declined to discuss the matter. The others killed in the crash were Wellstone campaign aides Will McLaughlin, Tom Lapic and Mary McEvoy and pilots Richard Conry and Michael Guess. The Wellstone plane crash was the most deadly in Minnesota since Dec. 1, 1993, when 18 people were killed in Hibbing when a Northwest Airlink flight crashed three miles from the runway during a night landing. A team of 16 National Transportation Safety Board investigators arrived at about 8 p.m., said the board's acting chairwoman, Carol Carmody, and will spend three to six days at the site before returning to Washington to continue their investigation, which likely will take months to complete. Federal investigators were searching the crash site late Friday for the aircraft's cockpit voice recorder, Carmody said. "There was one on the aircraft, we understand, and we're looking for that and hope that can be recovered soon," she said. Investigators also will look for the engines and other important parts of the aircraft and its systems. They will also review the weather, air traffic control, aircraft operations and human factors. Wellstone was a diminutive battler who burst upon the state's political scene with his upset win in the 1990 Senate race. He was a Minnesota transplant who saw politics as a crusade and had a way of galvanizing friends and foes alike. He was a quintessential liberal whose zeal and fighting spirit inspired respect even among staunch conservatives. Wellstone was a native of the Washington, D.C., suburbs. He earned a doctorate in political science at the University of North Carolina and came to Minnesota to teach at Carleton College in Northfield in 1969. Always a spellbinding speaker in the Hubert Humphrey tradition, Wellstone was both a professor and activist, involved in Minnesota's power line dispute in the 1970s, the Hormel meatpackers strike and in advocating for farmers during the farm crisis of the 1980s. He ran unsuccessfully for state auditor in 1982 and remained in demand as a stump speaker throughout the state. He headed the Rev. Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign in Minnesota. A year later, he launched a long-shot bid for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Rudy Boschwitz. Aided by missteps by his opponent, his irrepressible energy and an innovative ad campaign, he swept to a shocking upset win. He had much to learn in the Senate, and admittedly made some mistakes early on. By the end of his first term, the onetime firebrand was learning how to work within the slow-moving machinery of the Senate, and was proud of working with Republicans on such issues as mental health. His vote against his own president on the issue of welfare reform provided Boschwitz with a ready-made issue for their 1996 rematch. But Wellstone energized his supporters again and held off Boschwitz for a comfortable victory. Wellstone, developing a national reputation among liberal Democrats, launched an exploratory campaign for the presidency during his second term, but pulled out because of persistent back pain. With the Senate nearly tied, he broke an earlier pledge to serve two terms and announced his candidacy for a third term in the Senate. Earlier this year, Wellstone, a former college wrestler who has walked with a limp for years, announced he is suffering from a mild form of multiple sclerosis. One of his last major votes was to oppose the resolution granting Bush wide-ranging powers to make war on Iraq. Wellstone was one of the only Democrats facing tough re-election battles to vote against the president on this highly charged issue. Sheila Wellstone, 58, leaves a legacy as her husband's best ally and a leader in the movement against domestic violence. After her husband's election to the Senate, she surprised many by becoming a bold voice for battered women, elevating a grass-roots cause the senator believed in to an issue of national importance. In a way, she was doing a more public version of what she had done all along. Since she married Wellstone when they were both 19, she had put much of her energy into nurturing her husband's career, along with their three children. Marcia Wellstone Markuson, 33, was a Spanish teacher at White Bear Lake High School. She had taken a leave of absence this quarter to work on her father's campaign. She lived in Apple Valley with her husband. Markuson had a son and three school-age stepchildren. The three Wellstone aides who died were McLaughlin, 23, McEvoy, 47, and Lapic, 49. McLaughlin worked for Wellstone since this summer as a personal assistant and aide. He was the son of the late Mike McLaughlin and his wife, Judith, two well-known figures in St. Paul politics. McEvoy, who lived in St. Paul, was a professor of educational psychology at the University of Minnesota and the associate chairwoman of the state DFL Party. Lapic, of Eden Prairie, was a top aide in Wellstone's St. Paul office. A former seminarian, he was a newspaper columnist when Wellstone hired him to work in the campaign. The two men flying the plane were pilot Conry, 55, and co-pilot Guess, 30. Both men were Twin Cities residents who worked for Eden Prairie-based Executive Aviation, which provides charter and other private airlines services. Co-workers described the men as experienced pilots who often flew with Wellstone. Earlier Friday, Wellstone and U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., went to Boston Scientific Scimed in Maple Grove to talk about a bill the two senators helped pass last week to speed up federal approval of new medical devices. Kennedy, still in the Twin Cities when he received word of Wellstone's death, said: "All of us who knew Paul Wellstone, Sheila and Marcia are devastated today. Paul Wellstone had a passion for the good things in people and he expressed it brilliantly on the floor of the United States Senate and here in Minnesota. He was a man of enormous ability, but most of all he was a caring person.'' Paul and Sheila Wellstone, who resided in St. Paul's Cathedral Hill neighborhood, also had two sons, Paul David Wellstone II, 37, and Mark Wellstone, 30, and six grandchildren. The elder son, who goes by "Dave," develops affordable housing by rehabbing old homes. Mark Wellstone is a Spanish teacher and soccer coach at Humboldt Senior High School in St. Paul. He recently started coaching the wrestling team at Apple Valley High School. Funeral arrangements were incomplete. Ventura said flags at state buildings would be flown at half-staff through Nov. 5. Staff writers Hannah Allam, Todd Nelson, Kay Harvey, Natalie Moore, Paul Tosto, John Welsh, Tom Majeski, Martin Moylan, Toni Coleman and Rachel Stassen-Berger contributed to this report. ***************************************************************** 36 Nuclear Boost Research project can add jobs, prestige to MSU, state October 26, 2002 You don't have to be a nuclear physicist to get pumped about the possibility of a $1-billion research project at Michigan State University. The project, called Rare Isotope Accelerator, would fetch $900 million from the U.S. Department of Energy, creating 800 construction and 400 laboratory jobs. The RIA project would diversify the state's economy with cutting edge technology and research that could lead to improved medical, biological and environmental science, including cancer treatments. The national research laboratory would bring enormous prestige not only to MSU but to Michigan. It would provide invaluable learning experiences to students seeking to learn more about the origins of the elements. MSU is a natural home for one of the world's most powerful research programs. It already has the nation's No. 2 ranked nuclear physics graduate program, as well as the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. State heavyweights are pulling for the project, with former President Gerald Ford serving as honorary chairperson of its advisory committee. He is joined by 34 Michigan leaders, including cochairpersons James Barrett, Michigan Chamber of Commerce president; Donna Banks, a senior vice president of Kellogg Corp.; Mark Gaffney, Michigan AFL-CIO president; and Lansing Mayor David Hollister. The Department of Energy will soon decide whether to recommend building the project. Then it will pick a site. Michigan's leaders should be commended for setting their differences aside and working together to land this plum project. All content © copyright 2002 Detroit Free Press and may not be republished ***************************************************************** 37 Natural Resources secretary James Bickford dies Saturday, October 26, 2002 Retired Army general was one of Patton's first cabinet selections The Associated Press FRANKFORT - James Bickford, a retired Army general respected by friend and foe alike in the contentious job of secretary of the Natural Resources Cabinet, died Friday after a battle with cancer. He was 65. Born in West Virginia, Mr. Bickford was raised in Harlan County, Ky., and graduated from the Tennessee Military Institute. He obtained his bachelor's degree and a commission in the U.S. Army from Eastern Kentucky University. Mr. Bickford also received a master's degree from the Florida Institute of Technology. His 32-year Army career took Mr. Bickford to posts in England, Germany, France, Korea and Vietnam and earned him numerous decorations. He rose to the rank of brigadier general. During the Persian Gulf War he commanded the Defense Fuel Supply Center, which bought, distributed and stored all the fuel for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines around the world. Mr. Bickford was one of Gov. Paul Patton's first cabinet selections in December 1995. After his appointment, Mr. Bickford set his primary focus on solid waste issues in the state. "For seven years, he maintained the respect of the business community and the environmentalists and kept the interest of the commonwealth foremost with his honesty straightforwardness and sense of fairness," Mr. Patton said. Among his accomplishments were campaigns against straight sewer pipes and illegal dumps, the collection and disposal of millions of waste tires, the regulation of large confined animal operations and passage of legislation to improve logging operations in the state. Mr. Bickford recently had been negotiating with the federal government over the cleanup of environmental waste at the Paducah uranium enrichment plant. "He had a reputation, I think, for unquestioned integrity, which is of the utmost importance in the cabinet's enforcement mission," said Frankfort attorney Phillip Shepherd, who preceded Mr. Bickford as Natural Resources secretary during the Jones administration. "I think he kept the cabinet free from politics or political considerations and worked hard to make sure the cabinet's decisions" were based on law. Tom FitzGerald, a lawyer and lobbyist for environmental causes, said he sometimes clashed with Mr. Bickford and his agency. But Mr. FitzGerald said that he "never doubted the commitment, the energy, the compassion and the courage that the secretary brought to his second career of service." Mr. Bickford is survived by his wife, Shirley, of Versailles, Ky.; his mother, Alma Bickford, of Berea, Ky.; a brother, Jack Bickford, of Berea; three daughters, Amy Fraysur, of Leesburg, Fla.; Jill Crawford, of Versailles, Ky.; and Cindy Bentley, of Port Charlotte, Fla.; and five grandchildren. Funeral services are 10 a.m. Monday, St. John's Episcopal Church, Versailles. Visitation is1-6 p.m. Sunday at Blackburn and Ward Funeral Home, Versailles. Burial will be in Rose Crest Cemetery, Versailles. Memorials: Pine Mountain Settlement School, 36 Highway 510, Pine Mountain, Ky., 40810; or to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 208 Steele St., Frankfort, Ky., 40601. Copyright [http://cincinnati.com/copyright] 1995-2002. The Cincinnati Enquirer [http://enquirer.com] , a Gannett Co. Inc. [http://www.gannett.com] newspaper. Use of this site signifies agreement to terms of service [http://cincinnati.com/copyright] updated 4/5/2000. ***************************************************************** 38 Paul Wellstone, 58, Icon of Liberalism in Senate, Dies The New York Times *October 26, 2002* *THE SENATOR* *By DAVID E. ROSENBAUM* WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 ? Paul Wellstone often seemed out of step. He called himself a liberal when many used that word as a slur. He voted against the Persian Gulf war in his first year in the Senate, and this month opposed using force against Iraq. Senator Wellstone, 58, who died in a plane crash today while campaigning for re-election, fought for bills favored by unions and advocates of family farmers and the poor, and against those favored by banks, agribusiness and large corporations. This year he was the principal opponent of legislation supported by large majorities of Democrats and Republicans that would make it more difficult for people to declare bankruptcy. He argued that the measure would enrich creditors at the expense of people "in brutal economic circumstances." He advocated causes like national health insurance that even many of his fellow liberals abandoned as futile. Mr. Wellstone was a rumpled, unfailingly modest man who, unlike many of his colleagues, lived on his Senate salary. He was married to the former Sheila Ison for 39 years, having married at 19 when he was in college. His wife and their 33-year-old daughter, Marcia, also died today in the crash. When Mr. Wellstone arrived in the Senate in 1991, he was a firebrand who thought little of breaking the Senate tradition of comity and personally attacking his colleagues. He told an interviewer soon after he was elected that Senator Jesse Helms, the conservative North Carolina Republican, "represents everything to me that is ugly and wrong and awful about politics." But as the years passed, Mr. Wellstone moderated his personality if not his politics and became well liked by Republicans as well as Democrats. Bob Dole, the former Senate Republican leader who often tangled with Mr. Wellstone on legislation, choked up today when he told a television interviewer that Mr. Wellstone was "a decent, genuine guy who had a different philosophy from almost everyone else in the Senate." Mr. Wellstone was also an accomplished campaigner. Though he had never held elected office, he pulled off a major upset in 1990 when, running on a shoestring budget, he defeated the incumbent Republican senator, Rudy Boschwitz. He beat Mr. Boschwitz in a rematch in 1996. This year, he reneged on a promise to limit himself to two terms, ran for re-election and seemed in the most recent public polls to have pulled slightly ahead of his Republican challenger, former Mayor Norm Coleman of St. Paul. His opponents always portrayed him as a left-wing extremist. Mr. Boschwitz's television commercials in 1996 called Mr. Wellstone "embarrassingly liberal and out of touch." This year, Mr. Coleman said the senator was "so far out of the mainstream, so extreme, that he can't deliver for Minnesotans." But on the campaign trail, Mr. Wellstone appeared to be so happy, so comfortable, so unthreatening that he was able to ward off the attacks. For years, he had walked with a pronounced limp that he attributed to an old wrestling injury. In February, he announced at a news conference that he had learned he had multiple sclerosis, but he said the illness would not affect his campaigning or his ability to sit in the Senate. "I have a strong mind ? although there are some that might disagree about that ? I have a strong body, I have a strong heart, I have a strong soul," he told reporters. Paul David Wellstone was born in Washington on July 21, 1944, and grew up in Arlington, Va. His father, Leon, left Russia as a child to escape the persecution of Jews, and worked as a writer for the United States Information Agency. His mother, Minnie, the daughter of immigrants from Russia, worked in a junior high school cafeteria. Growing up, he was more interested in wrestling than politics, and he had some difficulty in school because of what he later found out was a learning disability. He scored lower than 800, out of a total of 1,600, on his College Boards, and this led him as a senator to oppose measures that emphasized standardized test scores. In an interview, he once said that even as an adult he had difficulty interpreting charts and graphs quickly but that he had learned to overcome his disability by studying harder and taking more time to absorb information. ***************************************************************** NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: *****************************************************************