***************************************************************** 02/28/02 **** RADIATION BULLETIN(RADBULL) **** VOL 10.52 ***************************************************************** RADBULL IS PRODUCED BY THE ABALONE ALLIANCE CLEARINGHOUSE ***************************************************************** NUCLEAR POLICY 1 US: MOBILE CHERNOBYL APPROVED: Yucca Mtn. OK'd; NV will fight 2 Brit Energy, BNFL look at replacing nuke reactors 3 Belgium delays nuclear phase-out decision 4 Slovene National Assembly lifts ban on nuclear-powered vessels 5 Chelyabinsk environmentalists vs Russian government 6 US: Court Tells Energy Dept to Produce Documents 7 Russian minister says US nuclear deal satisfactory 8 EU rocked by new sleaze allegations 9 US: Senate Energy Bill Is "Bush Lite": Bad for Environment and Consu 10 US: Secretary of Energy Sees Bright Future for Nuclear Power NUCLEAR REACTORS 11 France hushed up Chernobyl risks - research centre 12 US: NB Power seeks OK for Pt Lepreau nuke refurbishment 13 Russia: Accident exercise carried out at Smolensk nuclear power 14 US: NRC Releases Report on Special Inspection into Missing Millstone 15 Ling'ao nuke plant starts power generation 16 US: State nuclear plants get security orders 17 Slovenia's nuclear power plant restarts work 18 US: San Onofre Reactor Shutdown Leads to Widespread Blackout 19 US: Senate panel hears about security issues at Vermont Yankee NUCLEAR SAFETY 20 US: Fallout likely caused 15,000 deaths Study links nuclear tests to 21 US: Fallout likely caused 15,000 deaths 22 US: Despite clamor, fallout study still unreleased NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE 23 BNFL gains US backing for mox fuel shipment 24 Electrabel says 4th nuclear waste return in progress 25 Russian institute to remove radioactive waste after reports of 26 US: Mayors Express Concern About Radioactive Waste Transport 27 US: Yucca water rights at issue 28 US: Residents Sue To Block Nuclear Storage Complex 29 US: Toxic Utah 30 US: DOE PLANS TWO NEW MOX REACTORS 31 US: Hidden Wrecks: Nuclear Ship Below (Cal.-Farralons) 32 US: Letter: Yucca Mountain bad security risk 33 US: DOE official tainted by bias, Berkley says 34 US: Support lacking in Yucca fight 35 US: County questions worth of battling Yucca decision 36 US: Yucca: Not in my backyard 37 US: Yucca: Not in my backyard NUCLEAR WEAPONS 38 Russian Federation: Amnesty International and Greenpeace join 39 Russia rejects US allegations of theft of nuclear materials 40 Russian yard building four nuclear subs under 2002 defence order 41 UK: Cold war N-plan revealed 42 US: Tapes: Nixon Considered Nuclear Bomb 43 Analysis: 'Axis of evil' capabilities 44 US: NTS: Operations office to be realigned 45 US: Doomsday Clock set closer to Armageddon 46 US: Group Cites Rising Nuclear Policy Fears in Resetting 'Doomsday C 47 US: Bulletin: Clock history 48 India: Arms and the Budget 49 US: IEER : Fallout Fact Sheet 50 US: IEER Press Release: Fallout US DEPT. OF ENERGY 51 Locke asks Bush to restore road fundsNews 52 Judge Criticizes Energy Department 53 U.S. Tries to Plug Nuke Brain Drain 54 Judge Orders Energy Department to Release Cheney Records 55 The Threat of Nuclear Terror 56 Dennis Beller to address American Nuclear 57 Compensation plan scores low with sick workers 58 Energy Department and States Team Up on Clean Energy Research New OTHER NUCLEAR 59 Manhattan Project historian dies 60 More Help Sought for Those Who Blow Whistle 61 WNA NEWS BRIEFING 02.09 | 20- 26 February 2002 62 Defending Whistleblowers ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** FULL NEWS STORIES ***************************************************************** ***************************************************************** 1 MOBILE CHERNOBYL APPROVED: Yucca Mtn. OK'd; NV will fight Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 18:29:27 -0600 (CST) To: NatNews@yahoogroups.com From: Senior Staff Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2002 23:53:39 -0500 Subject: [NativeNews] MOBILE CHERNOBYL APPROVED: Nuclear Dump in Nev. Gets Bush OK Reply-To: NatNews-owner@yahoogroups.com Nuclear Dump in Nev. Gets Bush OK Environment: The decision to bury waste at the Yucca Mountain site enrages governor, who vows to fight the plan. By TOM GORMAN and JAMES GERSTENZANG, Times Staff Writers http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-021602yucca.story LAS VEGAS -- President Bush approved Nevada's Yucca Mountain as the burial ground for the nation's radioactive nuclear waste Friday, and an enraged Gov. Kenny Guinn promptly sued to block the proposal. "I am outraged, as are the citizens of Nevada, that this decision would go forward with so many unanswered questions," Guinn said. Nevada has set aside $5.4 million and hired lawyers in San Francisco and Washington to fight the decision in the courts. In a letter to Congress, Bush said that, based on the advice of Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, Yucca Mountain is "qualified" to serve as a repository, which he said "is important for our national security and our energy future." The state immediately answered by filing a lawsuit in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, challenging Abraham's recommendation of Yucca Mountain and Bush's acceptance of it, on the grounds that the site doesn't meet Congress' criteria for a nuclear waste repository. "Now the real battle will begin," said John Ensign, Nevada's Republican senator. Nevada's other senator, Democratic Whip Harry Reid, said Bush "has betrayed our trust and endangered the American public" by deciding to ship 77,000 tons of nuclear waste cross country to the bulbous mountain 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Reid noted that when Bush campaigned in Nevada in 2000, he promised to make a decision based on science instead of politics. "Today, President Bush has broken his promise," Reid said Friday. "All Americans should be concerned, not just because he lied to me or the people of Nevada and indeed all Americans, but because the president's decision threatens American lives." Guinn, a Republican, said he would formally oppose the development of Yucca Mountain by exercising his "notice of disapproval." The governor has 60 days to reject the project, and he said Friday that he was trying to determine the best timing. Once he vetoes the president's decision, Congress has 90 working days to overrule him by simple majority votes in both houses of Congress. By delaying his veto, Guinn said, Reid and Ensign will have more time to lobby fellow senators to support Nevada. Reid and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) have pledged to block congressional support for Yucca Mountain but have conceded they are unsure of their chances. Bush's decision was "premature and irresponsible," Daschle said Friday. "This isn't a political issue; it's a public safety issue." Opponents of the nuclear waste dump--including Nevada's politicians, environmentalists, scientists and anti-nuclear advocates-- have long braced themselves for Bush's announcement and renewed their vows Friday to fight the decision. Their actions include lawsuits alleging that the Energy Department has ignored its congressional mandate to find a geologically sound burial ground and grass-roots campaigning in concert tours by Bonnie Raitt and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. The battle line over Yucca Mountain will be drawn between the states that will benefit from sending their nuclear waste to Nevada and those states that don't want casks of radioactive material traveling along their highways and railroad lines. Abraham has said the risks of transporting radioactive waste to Nevada are outweighed by the dangers of leaving the material at 131 nuclear power plants in 39 states around the nation--at sites within 75 miles of towns and cities in which 161 million Americans live. Nuclear waste from military installations also will be shipped to Nevada. Based on preliminary planning, nuclear waste will travel through 42 states on its way to Nevada, frequently in amounts greater than what is generated in some of those states' own nuclear plants. Even assuming the nuclear waste can be delivered here safely, Nevada officials complain that Yucca Mountain offers no geological safeguards against radioactive leakage. The Energy Department has conceded in recent years that the treeless Yucca Mountain--a volcanic ridge that rises 1,300 feet above the desert valley and is broken with 34 earthquake faults--is not sufficient by itself to contain radioactivity. The material will be stored in vaults buried in tunnels deep inside the mountain, with the government's expectation they will remain safe for 10,000 years. Some scientists are worried that water trickling through the mountain will corrode the casks and that radiation will seep into the desert aquifer. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said she was disappointed by Bush's decision and was concerned that ground water contamination "may pose a serious threat to the health and safety of Californians." The Government Accounting Office, Congress' investigative arm, concluded in December that nearly 300 scientific and engineering questions remain unanswered and that the government's hope to open the facility by 2010 is unrealistic. It said the government doesn't know how long it will take to prepare Yucca Mountain and at what cost. Even if Congress approves Yucca Mountain this year, the repository must be licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, prompting further scientific debate. Mitch Singer, spokesman for the Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry's lobbying organization, said he is confident Congress will override Guinn's veto and endorse Yucca Mountain. "We don't think there will be a serious problem getting a decision," he said. Congress in 1982 promised the nuclear power industry it would find a place to store its radioactive waste by 1999. Since 1987, the only venue under consideration has been Yucca Mountain, which straddles the Nevada Test Site where 928 nuclear tests occurred between 1951 and 1992. Guinn said Nevada has learned its lessons in dealing with the federal government over the years and is wary of its promises that Yucca Mountain is safe. "In the 1950s, we took the government at its word when they said underground testing would be safe," Guinn said. "We said, fine, OK, we're patriotic. Then they started above-ground testing and said, oh, it's safe, you can go out on the hill and watch. "Well, we found out they weren't right," Guinn said. "We're a much bigger state today--the fastest growing in the nation--and we have an obligation not only to ourselves but to our neighbors to fight this." The population of the Las Vegas Valley is about 1.4 million people today, more than double what it was when Yucca Mountain was targeted as a dump site 15 years ago. The casino industry--the state's biggest business--is also opposed to the use of Yucca Mountain, although it has not yet put much money into the fight. "In all our conversations with members of Congress, we've argued that alternatives need to be found," said Alan Feldman, spokesman for MGM Mirage, the largest casino operator in Las Vegas. "But the problem is, the pro-nuclear industry has spent so much money on this, we couldn't dream spending that kind of money. What we might try to do now may be too little, too late." He observed, however, that any kind of catastrophe at Yucca Mountain would doom the state's economy. "Tourism in Chernobyl has been pretty bad in recent years," he said. The government has spent more than $4 billion--and by some estimates, as much as $7 billion--studying the site. Abraham recommended to Bush on Thursday that the site be approved because it is "technically suitable" and "the science behind this project is sound." The president wasted little time in throwing his support behind the recommendation, saying that nuclear energy, the second-largest source of U.S. electricity generation, "must remain a major component of our national energy policy in the years to come." But sending its waste to the outskirts of Las Vegas, said Mayor Oscar Goodman, will expose "millions of Americans in 43 states to potential nuclear holocaust." "All it takes is one terrorist with a TOW missile obtained on the black market to take out a truck carrying this deadly substance, and we get Chernobyl in our backyard," Goodman said. "This is the stuff of our worst nightmares." One of Nevada's lawsuits, filed last summer, challenges the assumptions and adequacy of radiation leakage standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Another lawsuit, filed in December, alleges that the Energy Department violated the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 by ignoring the requirement that a site's geology provide the primary containment of radioactivity. Both lawsuits are pending in federal appellate court in Washington. Nevada officials have tried to block Yucca Mountain on bureaucratic grounds--by denying the Energy Department water rights at the site. The department has sued, and that case is pending in a Las Vegas federal courtroom. More lawsuits are planned, including ones alleging that the federal government has violated its own procedural laws by prematurely adopting an environmental impact study of the site. "Our best efforts will be in court," Guinn said, "where we can go before a judge who will look at the facts and not whether we're a small state going against the federal government or the nuclear industry's political machine." "This is not a Republican or Democratic issue," Guinn said. "It's Nevada going against 39 states that produce this material." ***************************************************************** 2 Brit Energy, BNFL look at replacing nuke reactors UK: February 28, 2002 LONDON - Britain's two main nuclear power companies agreed to study a new generation of reactors but said building new nuclear plants would be too expensive at current wholesale power prices. Announcing a joint working group to consider replacing British Energy's ageing stock of reactors with a new British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) design, the two firms said public acceptance and government backing was needed if the nuclear industry was to prosper in the UK. Earlier this month a government energy review pushed the responsibility of building new nuclear power stations firmly back into the private sector. But British Energy's executive chairman Robin Jeffrey said a deregulated electricity market which has pushed down wholesale power prices makes such a move uneconomic. "With current electricity (wholesale) prices at about 18-20 pounds per megawatt hour there is a gap with the 25-30 pounds per megawatt hour that replacement reactors would cost," he said. Nuclear provides about a quarter of the country's electricity needs, but this figure is set to fall below five percent in 2020 as current reactors come to the end of their working lives. State-owned BNFL's chief executive Norman Askew said moves to build new nuclear plants "must not get ahead of public opinion". "We have to be realistic. There is a long way to go in policy terms and in pricing economics," he said. Jeffrey said Tuesday's agreement with BNFL was similar to one signed last year with state-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL), to assess using the latter's CANDU reactor design. IMPROVED RELATIONS The working group venture between British Energy and BNFL also signalled a thawing in relations between the two companies which have been soured by a dispute over reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. Jeffrey said British Energy was now putting on hold a move to refer a reprocessing contract with BNFL, which British Energy claimed was unfair, to the Office of Fair Trading. He also said it would probably take two to four years for his company to decide whether to opt for the Canadian design or for BNFL-owned Westinghouse's AP1000 model. Speaking to Reuters at the sidelines of the briefing, he said he was looking the to bring down the estimated $1,000 per kilowatt cost of both the CANDU and the AP1000 designs which would put the price of replacing 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power due to be decommissioned at $9 billion. "We want them to get it (the cost) nearer to $800 per kilowatt," he said. Askew, keen to promote the AP1000, said up 5,000 manufacturing jobs could be created in the UK if British Energy opted to use the Westinghouse design in favour of CANDU. Story by Matthew Jones REUTERS NEWS SERVICE ***************************************************************** 3 UPDATE - Belgium delays nuclear phase-out decision BELGIUM: February 28, 2002 BRUSSELS - Belgium's cabinet put off making a final decision on a bill to phase out nuclear energy over the next 20 years after disagreement over details of the proposal and how it would be interpreted by parliament. A government spokesman said the cabinet would now make the decision on whether to introduce the bill to parliament at its weekly meeting on Friday. Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt abandoned late-night talks with his core cabinet after members failed to reach agreement on the bill to phase out the country's seven reactors after 40 years of use, following in the footsteps of Germany and Sweden. The spokesman said of the meeting: "Tensions were high," without elaborating. The bill, drafted by Energy Minister Olivier Deleuze, is the result of a pledge that Verhofstadt made when he took office three years ago. Utility Electrabel runs the nuclear reactors and opposes the bill. An Electrabel spokeswoman said Belgium had not found an alternative power source to replace the reactors, which would likely force it to use fossil fuels that cost and pollute more. "We see no reason from a scientific or technical point of view to close down these reactors," she said. Jack Ashton, spokesman for the European Atomic Forum, an industry association, said nuclear power gave countries independence from unstable prices for fossil fuels like oil produced in countries that are sometimes politically unstable. "It is an energy source that gives you control," he said. Verhofstadt has said his government was studying alternatives to nuclear energy. POWER DILEMMA Belgium's dilemma is the same as that faced elsewhere in the European Union, where nuclear energy meets about a third of power needs. European Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio has acknowledged the reluctance among some countries to phase out all their reactors before finding a suitable alternative. Sweden has delayed the closure of a reactor because it had not figured out how to make up for the loss in power generation. It aims to phase out nuclear power as long as electricity prices do not rise and renewable energy takes its place, whether it be solar, wind, or biomass. A recent British commission report on ways to reduce carbon emissions while meeting growing energy needs recommended keeping as an option the construction of nuclear plants. Meanwhile, Finland's government has proposed the construction of a fifth reactor to meet future energy demand. Belgium's cabinet, which includes members of the Ecolo and Agalev environmentalist parties, first discussed the bill at a February 20 meeting. If it approves the bill, the cabinet will present it to parliament for debate. Nuclear reactors are responsible for 58 percent of the electricity produced in Belgium, making the country the world's second most dependent on nuclear power after France. In 2001, they produced a total of 44 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity. One Twh is equal to a billion kilowatt hours. Natural gas and coal meet the rest of the country's power needs. ING Barings analyst Jean-Marie Caucheteux said the bill was not an immediate threat to Electrabel, which is 41.6 percent owned by French utility giant Suez . "There will be a new government in the years to come and they can always change their minds," he said. Belgium put its first three reactors in operation in 1974-75 and the other four a decade later. In 2000, Germany forced the industry to agree gradually to phase out the country's 19 operational reactors over the next 25 years. Story by Gilles Castonguay REUTERS NEWS SERVICE ***************************************************************** 4 Slovene National Assembly lifts ban on nuclear-powered vessels BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 27, 2002 Text of report by Slovene radio on 27 February [Announcer] This morning, the National Assembly approved changes to the maritime legislation according to which foreign vessels propelled by nuclear power and carrying nuclear weapons are allowed to enter our waters. The discussion showed that our state wished to be invited to join the NATO alliance as soon as possible but also that Slovenia was making decisions which could threaten our national security and our environment. Natasa Mulec reports: [Reporter] Slovenia wishes to join NATO but the changes to the Maritime Law represent a hasty decision especially because nobody demands them from our state, believes Roberto Batelli, the Italian minority representative. [Batelli] In my opinion, we are carrying this out without a reason. We have been participating in a game which is ahead of time and which does not show the National Assembly in a good light. [Reporter] Our state does not have to bow to everyone even if it is small. We need to know that the nuclear military vessels represent a threat even if they enter Slovene waters with good intentions, said Jasa Zlobec from the Liberal Democracy [of Slovenia party]. [Zlobec] Why do we need to make radical changes to the Maritime Law less than a year after it was approved? [Reporter] According to Janez Jansa [from the Social Democratic Party] who has suggested the changes, there is no guarantee that the nuclear power will be used safely anywhere in the world. By approving changes to the Maritime Law before the [NATO] summit in Prague is held, Slovenia can send a clear message that it would like to be invited to join this military organization as soon as possible. [Jansa] We need to decide whether our message will be a positive or a negative one. [Reporter] Aurelio Juri from the United List [of Social Democrats party] said: [Juri] Our public will not be pleased with this. [Reporter] Bogdan Barovic from the [Slovene] National Party asked whether a clean and Slovene little piece of sea is included in the Slovene national interest. Janez Jansa described the debate: [Jansa] This debate reminds me of a debate held by a Montenegrin tribal community at the beginning of the previous century. [Reporter] The National Assembly will continue its session this afternoon by debating the draft law on salaries in the public sector. Source: Radio Slovenia, Ljubljana, in Slovene 1200 gmt 27 Feb 02 /BBC Monitoring/ © BBC. ***************************************************************** 5 Chelyabinsk environmentalists vs Russian government Reprocessing at Mayak The Mayak plant (South Urals) reprocesses fuel deriving from civilian and naval PWR type reactors. Radioactive waste illegally stored at the Mayak plant in the southern Ural for four years will be sent back home to Hungary. Rashid Alimov, 2002-02-27 16:22 The Supreme Court satisfied a complaint filed by environmentalists from Chelyabinsk on February 26th. They contested a governmental decree, issued in 1998, which allowed as an exception storing in Russia spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from the Hungarian Paks nuclear power plant. The legislation, which was in force at the time this governmental decree, N1483-r, was published, prohibited imports of nuclear materials for storage in Russia. Radwaste, remaining after spent fuel reprocessing, were to be returned to the country of origin. The new Law On Environmental Protection, signed by President Putin in January 2002, though allowing imports of spent nuclear fuel, declares the "priority [for Russia] of the right to return the radioactive waste, generated after the reprocessing [of SNF] into the country of its origin." But, in spite of these legal regulations, several shipments from Hungary to the Mayak plant took place in 1998 and 1999. Later, the Balkan crisis complicated the route of the trains with nuclear materials, and the shipments were halted. Nowadays all the waste, produced during the reprocessing of the Paks NPP originated spent fuel, are stored at the Mayak. According to the yesterday's verdict of the Supreme Court, this waste should be sent from Mayak back to Hungary. Movement for Nuclear Safety The complaint was initiated by the envirogroups from Chelyabinsk-based organisations — The Movement for Nuclear Safety and Pravosoznaniye (The Sense of Justice), Natalia Mironova and Andrey Talevlin. Greenpeace-Russia also supported the complaint. "The Court's decision will undoubtedly improve the environmental situation in Chelyabinsk County, when thousands of cubic meters of high-radioactive waste will be brought to Hungary," Natalia Mironova said. She told Bellona Web about the course of the trial. The representatives of the government showed evident disrespect to the Court: the first session was postponed, because they could not say for sure, whether the environmental evaluation had taken place, before the documents were put on the Prime Minister's desk. At the second session, on February 26th, they did not show up. There was only a letter from the government, ignoring the question about the enviro-evaluation, but casting doubt on the need of this very procedure, required by the Federal Law. Consequently, the case was considered in the defendants' absence. The prosecutor supported the plaintiffs and said that the decree N1483 was in violation all the preceding and present legislation. As a result, the Supreme Court admitted that the government violated constitutional rights of the Chelyabinsk County inhabitants — the right for favourable environment and reliable information about it, the right for health protection. Soviet nuclear inheritance The representatives of the Russian government said, while preparing the decree, they followed the agreement between the USSR and the People's Republic of Hungary. The agreement regulated participation of Soviet specialists at building of the Paks NPP, operating on four units with VVER-440/213 type reactors. It also stipulated Russia's obligations to conduct repairs of the nuclear plant. "But this agreement did not require Russia to store on its territory the radwaste, generated during reprocessing of the spent fuel, generated at this nuclear plant," Andrey Talevlin commented earlier for Bellona Web the document of the Soviet past. The situation with the radioactive contamination at Mayak and the neighbouring territories is very difficult. Vast areas in Chelyabinsk County, nearly 168,000 hectares, are contaminated with radionuclides. Greenpeace Russia says, referring to the Chelyabinsk county oncological centre, the cancer sickness rate is growing the county. In 1950 there were 45 persons ill per 100,000, in the year 1960 this figure was 120, in 1970 there were 197, in 1980 already 243 were ill. In the year 1990 this figure was 294, and in 2000 the total of the ill persons amounted to 360 per 100,000. Thus every year more than 13,000 of the Chelyabinsk county inhabitants fell cancer-ill, and 8,000 of them die. Storing the radioactive waste at the territory of Chelyabinsk County aggravates the damage, brought to the environment by Mayak, and violates human rights of the people, living there, the activists say. The trial against Mayak The governmental decree N1483-r has never been published. The environmentalists learned the very fact of its existence accidentally during the legal proceedings against the Mayak combine. In this trial, started in May 2001, they demand that Mayak must stop dumping of liquid radioactive wastes into the Karachay Lake and other ponds. This trial will be continued, basing on the yesterday's decision of the Supreme Court and other complaints, the Chelyabinsk environmentalists are going to lodge. "We'll keep on placing the nuclear industry into the legal field's borders," Natalia Mironova promised. Publisher: Bellona Foundation, President: Frederic Hauge Information: info@bellona.no, Technical contact: webmaster@bellona.no Telephone: +47 23 23 46 00 Telefax: +47 22 38 38 62 * P.O.Box 2141 Grunerlokka, 0505 Oslo, Norway ***************************************************************** 6 Court Tells Energy Dept to Produce Documents Reuters February 27, 2002 07:51 PM ET By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge has ordered the Department of Energy to hand over documents to an environmental group seeking to learn what influence Enron Corp. and other companies had on the administration's energy policy. The order means the department could soon release some of the information that the White House has declined to make public about the workings of its inter-agency task force on energy, which was headed by Vice President Dick Cheney last year. U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler ordered the Department of Energy to start handing over by March 25 the thousands of pages of records that it has relating to the task force's work, which was conducted behind closed doors, and from which environmentalists complain they were largely excluded. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which sued for the documents in December, said in a statement that it would make the records public when it got them "and expose which energy companies or industry lobbyists influenced the work Department of Energy staff did on the Bush-Cheney energy plan." It said it learned of the order, which was dated Feb. 21, only on Wednesday. A spokeswoman for the Department of Energy said the department would comply with the order. But the department could still seek exemptions for some papers -- although the NRDC says it would fight those exemptions in court. GAO WANTS RECORDS TOO Judge Kessler meanwhile was scathing about the Energy Department's "glacial pace" in dealing with the environmentalists' request, and noted that the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, was also seeking the records. The GAO's Comptroller General David Walker filed a landmark lawsuit against Cheney last week demanding the documents as part of congressional oversight of the executive branch. It is doing so on behalf of Democratic lawmakers who say environmentalists were shut out from the meetings of the task force, which produced a policy calling for more oil and gas drilling, as well as a revival of nuclear power. But the White House says handing over the documents would damage the executive branch's ability to get candid outside advice. It has promised a constitutional battle in court, saying the GAO has overstepped its authority. Records of the Cheney task force are also being sought in court by two other private groups -- Judicial Watch and the Sierra Club. The Natural Resources Defense Council chose not to take on the White House in court, but instead filed its lawsuit against the Department of Energy under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) -- arguing that the public had the right to know what the government was doing. "We felt like, as a lead agency in the workings of task force, they had a lot of relevant information, and it would be easier and faster to get the information from them," NRDC attorney Sharon Buccino told Reuters. "The department has always said that we would comply with this request and have worked diligently to do so," said Department of Energy spokeswoman Jill Schroeder. "We are going to fully comply with the order." But she added that the department had to review the relevant documents to determine which ones complied. The court order says the department must start providing the paper by March 25 and finish by April 25. The environmental group has asked for the names of the people who attended the task force meetings, the dates, and the topics discussed, as well as notes of meetings, Buccino said. While the department can claim exemptions, it would have to list the documents and explain why they should be exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, Buccino said, adding that the environmentalists would challenge them. "There is probably going to be a fight over the notes and minutes," she said. The GAO has dropped a demand for notes from its request. Judge Kessler's opinion noted that the environmental group first made the FOIA request of the department in April before resorting to a lawsuit in December, and said the papers should be produced now, before Congress passes an energy policy. "There can be little question that the Department of Energy has been woefully tardy in processing of plaintiff's FOIA request," the judge said. "It is very hard to discern ...what in the world Department personnel were doing from July 2001 through December 2001 when they were conducting "periodic" reviews of the 2,149 documents (comprising 7,584 pages) deemed responsive to the request," the judge added. ***************************************************************** 7 Russian minister says US nuclear deal satisfactory BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 28, 2002 Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 28 February: Russia's interests were not diminished when the terms of the HEU-LEU deal for 2002 in which Russia supplies downgraded highly-enriched uranium (HEU) from dismantled warheads to the United States were agreed, Aleksandr Rumyantsev, the Russian atomic energy minister, told Interfax. Foreign media reports say that during talks, Russia and the US agreed to reduce the price at which Russia sells the uranium by 15-20 dollars from its current level of 90 dollars per separative work unit (SWU). Rumyantsev did not say what the new price would be. "This is a commercial secret, however I can say that our interests have not suffered," he added. The price negotiations took two-and-a-half months, long enough for the Russian delegates to stand up for their country's interests, he continued. Under the 20-year HEU-LEU deal, Russia must dilute 500 tonnes of highly-enriched weapons-grade uranium (HEU) extracted from about 20,000 warheads into commercial low-enriched uranium (LEU) used as fuel for power plants. According to the Atomic Energy Ministry, Russia has supplied the US with 4,200 metric tonnes of LEU, equivalent to 141.4 tonnes of HEU, as of January 2002. Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English 1220 gmt 28 Feb 02 /BBC Monitoring/ © BBC. ***************************************************************** 8 EU rocked by new sleaze allegations Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Fraud office investigates whistleblower's claims John Hooper in Berlin and Andrew Osborn in Brussels Thursday February 28, 2002 The Guardian [http://www.guardian.co.uk] Senior European Commission officials held talks yesterday with investigators from the EU's anti-fraud office to discuss new allegations levelled at some of the closest advisers to the EC head, Romano Prodi, by the whistleblower who triggered the collapse of the previous commission. The allegations come at a sensitive time for the EU since they will be made public on the day the Convention on the Future of Europe - the most extensive consultation on the bloc's future ever attempted - is launched in Brussels. The claims - to be published in today's edition of the German news magazine Stern - are reported to be contained in a dossier of more than 5,000 pages drawn up by the Dutchman Paul van Buitenen. A commission spokesman said last night: "This is just another case of an EU official going to [the EU's anti-fraud office] with a set of allegations. There is nothing spectacular or particular about this. We are not at all concerned by these allegations as such, because we now have the procedures in place to deal with them, thanks to the reforms carried through by Neil Kinnock [the commission vice-president]." Mr Van Buitenen is reported to have accused the commission president's top aide, the Irishman David O'Sullivan, and his British spokesman, Jonathan Faull, of turning a blind eye to corruption in the running of a key 600m EU programme. Both men last night vigorously denied the claims. Mr O'Sullivan, the secretary general of the European Commission, said: "I do not consider that these are allegations against me, but there is criticism. I utterly refute that criticism." Mr Faull said: "I acted responsibly and in a manner beyond reproach. I stand by what I did. I am not subject to any investigation that I am aware of, nor do I expect to be." Other claims said to have been levelled by the Dutchman include: · Commission officials wangled jobs for their former lovers with firms dependent on the goodwill of Brussels; · A top Eurocrat allowed a businesswoman to frame the terms of a tender that was then won by her own company; · The commission's statistics office, Eurostat, is riddled with fraudulent practices including cronyism, the manipulation of tender offers and the rigging of travel expenses; · Up to 20 of the EU's nuclear inspectors, who lived close to the plants they monitored, systematically cheated European taxpayers by claiming the cost of travel to and from Luxem bourg where Euratom - the EU's nuclear agency - is based. Mr Van Buitenen made his name in 1999 when Jacques Santer's commission was forced to resign en masse after he blew the whistle on fraud, mismanagement and nepotism at its core. He has since been moved to Luxembourg. Stern said his latest dossier was handed to two senior German officials at the commission last August. One of them was Franz-Hermann Brüner, head of the commission's anti-fraud office, known as Olaf. The magazine said Mr Brüner had distributed copies to eight legal advisers, who reported back that the material in the dossier offered grounds for the launching of four separate formal investigations, at least one of which - into the accusations levelled at Eurostat - had already been initiated. The most explosive allegation concerns the running of the EU's Leonardo educational programme, which Mr O'Sullivan was responsible for in his earlier role as head of the commission's education department. Stern said Mr Buitenen's document alleged that the officials directly responsible for Leonardo had been reporting wrongdoing since 1996, but their complaints had been ignored by Mr O'Sullivan and others. Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002 ***************************************************************** 9 Senate Energy Bill Is "Bush Lite": Bad for Environment and Consumers Public Citizen Feb. 27, 2002 Fuel Economy, Renewable Energy and Rollover Protection Provisions Should be Considered Separately WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A sweeping energy measure scheduled to be unveiled in the Senate this week has positive aspects but is so laden with corporate giveaways that it will harm the environment and consumers, Public Citizen said today. An analysis of the measure (Amendment 2917 to S. 517), reveals legislation that uses tax incentives and other handouts to cater to entrenched special interests such as the petroleum, electricity, nuclear and mining industries, which combined gave $73 million to candidates for federal office and national campaign committees during the 2000 and 2002 campaign cycles. The upshot is a measure that has many similarities to Republican energy legislation, which has been criticized for containing too many favors to industry and doing little for the environment. "This latest energy measure caters to industry at the expense of the environment, consumers and sound public policy," said Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook. "We are pleased that it requires increased fuel economy, crucial auto safety standards and the use of renewable energy sources. But these good pieces should be taken up by Congress on their own merits. They should not be saddled with the Enron-influenced, Exelon-tested and Exxon-approved provisions." On Wednesday, Claybrook sent a letter to members of the Senate critiquing the bill. She noted that the best parts of the measure deal with fuel economy and conservation. In what is becoming known as the Kerry-Hollings measure, fuel economy standards for all vehicles would be raised to 35 miles per gallon, which would reduce oil consumption by 2.53 million barrels per day by 2020. Kerry-Hollings also would provide crash protections for rollovers and vehicle compatibility standards, which would require vehicles to be redesigned to do less damage to other vehicles in crashes. Other provisions of the energy legislation are designed to promote and reward energy efficiency and conservation in homes and businesses and would help foster a cleaner, safer and more affordable energy policy. But severe problems exist. The bill would: · Repeal the Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA), which restricts the ability of electricity companies to make investments that divert resources away from their primary responsibility, which is serving electricity customers. Eradicating this act eliminates important consumer protections and could lead to more energy crises; · Provide $1.3 billion over four years to subsidize nuclear power plants that are renewing operation licenses and to develop new reactors. In addition to the fact that this would expand the use of a risky technology, it would create much more nuclear waste. Currently officials are wrestling with what to do with existing radioactive waste and are pushing a flawed proposal to bury it in Yucca Mountain in Nevada; · Extend certain tax breaks, currently given to nuclear power companies and designed to protect consumers, to unregulated power companies. The estimated cost of this tax break is $1 billion; · Reauthorize portions of the Price-Anderson Act that cap liability for federal contractors involved in a nuclear accident. That would mean taxpayers would be on the hook if contractors spilled radioactive waste while trucking it to Yucca Mountain; · Spend $1.8 billion to subsidize coal technologies, giving a huge handout to an industry that doesn’t need one; · Spend more than $2 billion to promote on- and offshore oil and gas production, including risky "ultra-deepwater drilling"; · Give $3.2 billion in tax breaks for the oil and gas industry to promote production, even though the five largest oil companies operating in the United States had after-tax profits of $43 billion last year; and · Set up a royalty program that puts state and federal revenues for oil produced on public lands at risk and puts the federal government in the oil marketing business. "It is unfortunate that this measure contains so many poor ideas that would give so much to wealthy corporations and do relatively little for the environment," said Wenonah Hauter, director of Public Citizen’s Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program. "The Democrats are squandering an opportunity to improve our future. Lawmakers need to approve positive aspects of this bill separately and then go back to the drawing board." Click here to view Claybrook's letter and an analysis of the Senate energy legislation. ### Public Citizen is an independent voice for citizens in the halls of power. We take NO government or corporate money. ***************************************************************** 10 Secretary of Energy Sees Bright Future for Nuclear Power Nuclear Energy Institute February 26, Recognizing the valuable role that nuclear energy must continue to play in the U.S. energy mix, Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham told the Global Nuclear Energy Summit this month that recent history points to a brighter, more promising view of nuclear energy in the U.S. Nuclear power plants in the eastern United States make it possible for many states to meet the requirements of the Clean Air Act, Abraham said. Since the mid-1970s, nuclear energy enabled the U.S. to avoid emitting over 80 million tons of sulfur dioxide and about 40 millions tons of nitrogen oxides. It is my hope that more and more people will appreciate the strong link between an expanded role for nuclear power and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, he said. Abraham said the average nuclear power plant today runs at 90 percent capacity, which is equivalent to an additional 23,000 megawatts of power on the grid the same as building 23 new plants. This is compared to the 70 percent capacity at which nuclear power plants were running 10 years ago. Good management practices at nuclear facilities also have improved safety performance, he noted. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission counted over 200 unusual events each year at U.S. plants in the late 1980s. These days, the Commission counts fewer than 20 a 90 percent reduction in little more than a decade. Abraham said he intends to work with the industry to help pave the way for building even safer nuclear power plants. First, we need to extend the Price Anderson Act, Abraham said. The nation also needs to address the issue of nuclear waste management. A permanent geologic repository will promote our energy security by removing a roadblock to expanding nuclear. It also will promote our national and homeland security by safely locking away forever dangerous nuclear waste. Copyright © 2001 Nuclear Energy Institute. ***************************************************************** 11 France hushed up Chernobyl risks - research centre FRANCE: February 28, 2002 VALENCE - An independent research centre accused the French government this week of hushing up risks to public health after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster. France's Independent Commission on Research and Information on Radioactivity (CRIIRAD), which is filing a civil complaint against President Jacques Chirac's government for involuntary physical injury, said there had been a government cover-up. It said the government was aware that radioactive fallout from the world's worst nuclear disaster could harm the public but deliberately failed to warn them. "Why these blatant lies? These obvious errors? This silence from official and even scientific bodies?" CRIIRAD director Corinne Castanier told a news conference. The Paris public prosecutor's office ordered an official investigation, one step short of charges under French law, into whether French citizens fell sick because of Chernobyl after 51 plaintiffs filed suits against the state. CRIIRAD said the allegations were based on documents seized by an investigating magistrate probing the effects in France after a radioactive cloud drifted west from Chernobyl in Ukraine when a reactor exploded in April 1986. The centre said these documents proved high-level civil servants ordered a cover-up. More than 100 more people with thyroid ailments have since filed lawsuits similar against the state, accusing it of failing to warn them of the risks. West Germany, Austria and Italy took various precautions, including restrictions on the consumption of milk and dairy products. But French authorities said there was no need for special measures to protect against health risks. Radioactivity from the explosion drifted across France between April 27 and May 5, 1996. In November 2000, a 31-year-old Frenchman suffering from thyroid cancer, Yohann van Wayenberghe, lost an attempt to have criminal proceedings launched against French officials for alleged bodily harm in connection with Chernobyl. The case was thrown out on grounds he could not demonstrate a scientific link between his illness and the accident. REUTERS NEWS SERVICE ***************************************************************** 12 NB Power seeks OK for Pt Lepreau nuke refurbishment Mail this story to a friend | Printer friendly version USA: February 28, 2002 NEW YORK - NB Power asked New Brunswick to approve of the proposed C$845 million plan to refurbish the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant, the provincially owned energy company said in a statement. "Point Lepreau is our main base load generator with fuel costs that are a fraction of any thermal power plants," said Ken Little, NB Power vice president of regulatory affairs. The company expects the proposed project, which will extend the life of the reactor to 2032, will take more than a year to complete from April 2006 to September 2007. In 1996, NB Power conducted an economic and technical assessment that determined the plant required a major refurbishment around 2008. The 635-megawatt plant generates enough power to supply electricity for about 635,000 homes. Since it began operation in 1983, Point Lepreau has provided 30 percent of the electricity used in New Brunswick. PT LEPREAU KEY TO KYOTO ACCORD Point Lepreau is "a source of electricity free of greenhouse gases and other air emissions that are local and global issues," NB Power's Little said. The company said the refurbishment is a key element of its carbon dioxide emission mitigation strategy, enabling the province to meet emissions targets in the Kyoto Accord. Many environmental scientists have determined that carbon dioxide is one of the causes of global warming. Carbon dioxide is one of the gases produced by burning fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas - to generate power. Although other options are available to meet the Kyoto targets, NB Power said the proposed Point Lepreau refurbishment is the lowest cost option that will still allow the company to meet New Brunswick's growing electricity needs. REUTERS NEWS SERVICE ***************************************************************** 13 Russia: Accident exercise carried out at Smolensk nuclear power plant BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 27, 2002 An exercise was carried out in Smolensk Region yesterday, simulating an accident at the local nuclear power station. Emergencies Minister Sergey Shoygu followed the exercise from his Moscow office. The nuclear power station is situated in the southern part of Smolensk Region in the Regional-subordination town of Desnogorsk (population 32,000)... The official description of yesterday's exercise was "Coordinating the activities of federal bodies of executive authority and organizing protection for the population in the event of an accident at a radiation facility". There has not been an exercise of this kind in Smolensk Region since the 1970s. The actual training took place in offices. The Smolensk Region civil defence and emergencies administration informed district administrations in the cities of Desnogorsk and Roslavl and the settlement of Yershichi of the accident that allegedly occurred yesterday at the Smolensk nuclear power station. Members of the district commissions spent an hour devising an action plan to rescue the inhabitants of their municipal entities and protect the territory. These proposals and plans were immediately passed to the Regional civil defence and emergencies administration, where an operational headquarters was functioning. From there information was passed to deputy governor Sergey Antufyev, head of the Regional emergencies commission. Mr Antufyev reported the results to the members of the interdepartmental commission, which includes representatives of all Russian Federation ministries, and to its chairman, Emergencies Minister Sergey Shoygu. The commission members made some critical remarks, but by and large they were happy with the results of the exercise. Source: Kommersant, Moscow, in Russian 27 Feb 02 /BBC Monitoring/ © BBC. ***************************************************************** 14 NRC Releases Report on Special Inspection into Missing Millstone Fuel NRC: Press Release Region I - 2002 - 8 - U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs, Region I 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pa. 19406 www.nrc.gov No. I-02-008 February 28, 2002 CONTACT: Diane Screnci (610) 337-5330/ e-mail: [opa1@nrc.gov] Neil A. Sheehan (610) 337-5331/ e-mail: [opa1@nrc.gov] NOTE TO EDITORS: A report summarizing the results of an NRC inspection regarding the loss of two spent fuel rods at the Millstone Unit 1 nuclear power plant has now been issued. The preliminary results of the inspection were discussed at a public meeting held at the plant on January 15. Last October, the NRC dispatched a special inspection team to the Waterford, Conn., plant to evaluate the comprehensiveness of an investigation conducted by the plant's previous owner, Northeast Utilities (NU), into the possible whereabouts of the rods and the circumstances surrounding their loss. The NRC team spent several weeks on-site at the facility, which is now owned by Dominion Resources, and reviewed, among other things, NU's root-cause analysis. The NRC team has determined that NU's investigation was thorough and it concurs with the company's conclusion that the missing fuel rods are most likely located in a licensed low-level radioactive waste facility. The NRC team has also concluded that it is highly unlikely that the rods, in their entirety, remain in the Millstone 1 spent fuel pool. Because of the radiological controls in place at any of the possible locations of the missing rods, the NRC believes there is no threat to public health. There was no evidence found by the NRC team to support the possibility of theft or diversion of the rods. In addition, the NRC staff has concluded that adequate controls are currently in place to account for all of the special nuclear material at the Millstone facility, with the exception of the missing rods. The NRC has determined that there were several violations of NRC regulations with respect to the loss of the fuel. Any enforcement action determined to be appropriate as a result of the violations will be announced at a later date. NU first reported to the NRC that it could not account for two spent fuel rods, which had been stored in the Millstone 1 spent fuel pool, on December 14, 2000. Company records indicated that the rods were last verified to be in the pool in 1980, but there was no documentation of their presence in the pool beyond that time. Ever since the notification by NU, the NRC has been closely following the company's efforts to find the missing fuel rods through on-site inspections and periodic conference calls. In addition, the agency has maintained a liaison with the appropriate states. Copies of the NRC inspection report can be found in the agency's electronic document system (ADAMS), which can be accessed through the NRC's web site at www.nrc.gov, using the following accession number: ML020580132. Help in using ADAMS is available by contacting the NRC Public Document Room at (301) 415-4737 or 1-800-397-4209. ***************************************************************** 15 Ling'ao nuke plant starts power generation Ling'ao nuke plant starts power generation (02/28/2002) (xinhua) The first generator with the Ling'ao Nuclear Power Plant near Shenzhen City of Guangdong Province went on stream Tuesday evening, 48 days ahead of schedule. Liu Jinhua, general manager of the Ling'ao Nuclear Power Co.Ltd, said that the generator, with an installed capacity of one million kw, would be put into commercial operation between late May or early June, one and a half months ahead of the schedule. Ling'ao is the second largest commercial nuclear power plant that is being built in Guangdong, following the one on Daya Bay. In accordance with a construction blueprint, Ling'ao Nuclear Power Plant will be installed with four generators, each with one million kw in installed capacity, and in the first phase, the two generators will be installed. Workers have been working tensely on installation of the second generator which is scheduled to begin power generation in March 2003. According to Liu, Ling'ao Nuke Plant will be able to generate 3.2 billion kw/hours of electricity this year, which will be a boon to the energy-deficient Shenzhen City, one of China's key processing trade bases. At present, four nuclear power projects are being built in China. The other three are the second and third phases of the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in east China's Zhejiang Province, and the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant, a Sino-Russian joint venture, near Lianyungang Port on China's east coast. Copyright 2002 By chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 16 State nuclear plants get security orders Atlanta Journal-Constitution: ajc.com: TODAY • February 28, 2002 Reagan Walker - Staff Thursday, February 28, 2002 Georgia's nuclear power plants stand ready to comply with new orders issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to upgrade security. In the wake of Sept. 11, the NRC began sending security advisories to the nation's 104 commercial nuclear power plants. Orders issued Tuesday formalize those advisories, making them mandatory. The orders "deal with actual security specifics, such as number of guards and number of posts," said Rick Kimble, spokesman for the Southern Nuclear Operating Co., which operates Plant Vogtle near Augusta and Plant Hatch near Baxley in Georgia. "When the NRC sends an order, we comply." Plants have 20 days --- until March 18 --- to provide a schedule for reaching full compliance. The agency provided few specifics about the orders, but the new requirements include increased patrols, augmented security forces, additional security posts, more physical barriers, vehicle checks at greater distances from the plants, enhanced coordination with law enforcement and military authorities and more restrictive controls for all personnel. Security at nuclear power plants has been at high levels since Sept. 11. In late September, a helicopter flying near two South Carolina nuclear plants triggered the dispatch of F-16 fighter jets, but the incident proved to be a false alarm. In October, a potential terrorist threat directed at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania was determined not to be credible. Of concern has been whether nuclear power plants can withstand a direct hit from an airplane. Nuclear power plants are designed to withstand trauma, such as a hurricane or earthquake. But until Sept. 11, the possibility of a direct hit from a commercial airliner had not been considered. The NRC is studying that possibility now. © 2002 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ***************************************************************** 17 Slovenia's nuclear power plant restarts work Wednesday, 27-Feb-2002 6:50AM Story from AFP Copyright 2002 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) LJUBLJANA, Feb 27 (AFP) - Slovenia's Krsko nuclear power plant was restarted Wednesday after being shut down for two days due to problems with the reactor's cooling system, plant officials said. An analysis confirmed that the problems had been caused by a fault on a temperature sensor on the reactor's cooling pump, the officials said, cited by the STA news agency. The sensor is to be repaired during a regular annual overhaul of the plant, due in May. The plant was initially operating at 50 percent of its capacity and expected to reach full capacity later in the day. The Krsko plant was shut down after signs of overheating in the cooling system. The plant, located on Slovenian territory, started up in 1983 and was built by Croatia and Slovenia which were part of former Yugoslavia. Following their independence from Yugoslavia, Croatia and Slovenia were in a dispute over ownership of the plant but an agreement was signed in December on sharing the energy produced at the plant. The agreement has yet to be ratified by the parliaments of the two countries. The plant is due to be shut down definitively in 2023. ***************************************************************** 18 San Onofre Reactor Shutdown Leads to Widespread Blackout February 28, 2002 , From Times Staff Reports A nuclear reactor at the San Onofre power plant was shut down early Wednesday after an equipment failure at a nearby substation, causing a widespread blackout in San Diego County. The reactor, which provides enough power for 1.1 million homes, is expected to be put back into service late today, said Ray Golden, spokesman for Southern California Edison, which operates the plant. The outage affected about 210,000 customers, who were without electricity for nearly two hours. If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at latimes.com/archives. For information about reprinting this article, go to www.lats.com/rights. Copyright 2002 Los Angeles Times ***************************************************************** 19 Senate panel hears about security issues at Vermont Yankee By David Gram, Associated Press, 2/27/2002 23:04 MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) The director of security at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant on Wednesday first tried to provide assurances and then said he could not that the plant could withstand a large commercial jetliner crashing into it. Michael Balduzzi was testifying at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, where the question repeatedly asked by Chairman Peter Shumlin was what would happen if Vermont's lone reactor were attacked from the air. ''Nuclear power plants are the most significant structures built in this country,'' Balduzzi said to questioning by Shumlin. He said plants like Vermont Yankee are built with several layers of steel-reinforced concrete. ''They're designed to withstand huge forces of nature.'' ''They're not the same as the (World) Trade Center towers,'' Balduzzi said in reference to the twin towers toppled by hijacked planes Sept. 11. But when pressed by Shumlin on whether Vermont Yankee's position was that the Vernon reactor could withstand a Sept. 11-like attack, Balduzzi said, ''That's absolutely not my position. ... The fact of the matter is we don't have an analysis.'' Balduzzi was noncommittal on another question asked repeatedly by Shumlin, a Democrat in whose Windham County district Vermont Yankee sits whether nuclear plants should be outfitted with batteries of anti-aircraft guns to shoot down incoming planes. ''If it's deemed that's the way to go, I'm in favor of it,'' he said. But when Shumlin asked whether he would advise lawmakers to pass a resolution urging Congress and the president to install the weapons systems, he would not take a position. The Senate Finance Committee heard from a range of witnesses at Wednesday's hearing: a representative of Entergy Nuclear Corp. of Jackson, Miss., which is seeking to buy Vermont Yankee, state regulators, public safety officials and nuclear industry critics. Heated words were offered by state police Sgt. William Harkness, who works with the force in the Brattleboro area and is president of the Vermont Troopers' Foundation. Harkness sharply disagreed with his superiors, Major R.J. Vallie, the state police field commander, and Public Safety Commissioner James Walton, on their plan to pull back state police who have been helping to provide security at Vermont Yankee since September. Walton argued that a private security company hired by Vermont Yankee could do an adequate job providing security at the plant. Vallie added that the officers working at the nuclear plant all were doing so on special overtime shifts paid for by Vermont Yankee. The arrangement isn't hurting the state police budget, Vallie said, but he added, ''It is taking a huge piece of people's time off. I am concerned about the long-term impact on the health and safety of our troopers.'' Harkness hotly asserted that no private security firm could match the quality of protection the state police could offer at Vermont Yankee. ''I'm not happy with what happened to the country on Sept. 11,'' Harkness said. ''If anything happens within the state of Vermont my opinion is that it will happen at the Vermont nuclear power plant. I just hope to God there are state police on the scene ... Not a single trooper will run. We'll stay there and defend the state of Vermont to the very end.'' But to another question from Shumlin, he said the state police could do nothing to prevent a plane from crashing into the reactor or adjacent spent fuel pool. ''We would be there in the aftermath,'' he said. Raymond Shadis, a Maine resident, member of the New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution, former member of a Nuclear Regulatory Commission advisory panel and expert witness before state regulatory commissions, told the committee that the containment structure surrounding the Vermont Yankee reactor ''would not present any substantial obstacle'' to a plane crashing into the plant. He said the Vermont Yankee high-level waste storage pool contains about 70 tons of the waste, and that release of a much smaller amount of radioactivity would be catastrophic. Shadis provided the committee with a chart from a draft report by the federally funded National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements that he said showed the release of about 100 kilograms 220 pounds of nuclear fuel could kill half with people living within more than 30 miles of the plant within 24 hours. Shumlin said at the end of the hearing that international terrorist groups had expressed intent in the past to blow up a U.S. nuclear plant. ''I think we are in a state of denial about the threat of an attack on a nuclear plant in this country from the air,'' he said. ''We need to get our heads out of the sand.'' ***************************************************************** 20 Fallout likely caused 15,000 deaths Study links nuclear tests to cancer cases By Peter Eisler USA TODAY WASHINGTON -- Radioactive fallout from Cold War nuclear weapons tests across the globe probably caused at least 15,000 cancer deaths in U.S. residents born after 1951, according to data from an unreleased federal study. The study, coupled with findings from previous government investigations, suggests that 20,000 non-fatal cancers -- and possibly many more -- also can be tied to fallout from aboveground weapons tests. The study shows that far more fallout than previously known reached the USA from nuclear tests in the former Soviet Union and on several Pacific islands used for U.S. and British exercises. It also finds that fallout from scores of U.S. trials at the Nevada Test Site spread substantial amounts of radioactivity across broad swaths of the country. When fallout from all tests, domestic and foreign, is taken together, no U.S. resident born after 1951 escaped exposure, the study says. The study is the government's first effort to assess the nationwide effects of all forms of radiation from the hundreds of aboveground nuclear blasts detonated worldwide before such testing was banned in 1963. The cancer estimates add a new human toll to the Cold War and raise profound public policy questions, including whether the government should do cancer screenings in high-fallout areas. USA TODAY obtained portions of the study, which was supposed to be finished more than a year ago. ''There should be no more waiting,'' says Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who pushed the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct the study in 1998. ''People are still waiting for real communication on their exposure risks and steps they can take.'' The study's estimates of radiation dispersal are based on complex computer analyses of weather patterns, population trends and other data that can help gauge public exposure to fallout from aboveground nuclear tests. The cancer figures are a general nationwide estimate -- there is no way to link specific cases to fallout. The study does not assess cancer risks in other countries. The data show that global fallout blanketed much of the USA, with heavy pockets in Iowa, Tennessee, California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Fallout from the Nevada tests settled more in the mountain and Midwest states, including Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri. The study measures exposure to an array of fallout elements based on county of residence, birth date and factors such as consumption of foods that absorb fallout. It concludes that about 22,000 cancers, half of them fatal, probably occurred from external exposure to radioactive fallout. Those could include everything from melanoma to breast cancer. The study attributes thousands of additional cancers to internal radiation exposure, such as inhalation or eating tainted food. Those cancers include at least 550 fatal leukemias and about 2,500 thyroid cancer deaths. Nuclear weapons powers ''owe the world a real accounting of what they did to its health,'' says Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. ''The U.S. has been the only honest country so far.'' © Copyright 2001 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. ***************************************************************** 21 Fallout likely caused 15,000 deaths By Peter Eisler, USA TODAY AP file Soldiers watch a nuclear bomb test in Nevada in 1952. + Study withheld because of 'internal reviews' WASHINGTON — Radioactive fallout from Cold War nuclear weapons tests across the globe probably caused at least 15,000 cancer deaths in U.S. residents born after 1951, according to data from an unreleased federal study. The study, coupled with findings from previous government investigations, suggests that 20,000 non-fatal cancers — and possibly many more — also can be tied to fallout from aboveground weapons tests. The study shows that far more fallout than previously known reached the USA from nuclear tests in the former Soviet Union and on several Pacific islands used for U.S. and British exercises. It also finds that fallout from scores of U.S. trials at the Nevada Test Site spread substantial amounts of radioactivity across broad swaths of the country. When fallout from all tests, domestic and foreign, is taken together, no U.S. resident born after 1951 escaped exposure, the study says. The study is the government's first effort to assess the nationwide effects of all forms of radiation from the hundreds of aboveground nuclear blasts detonated worldwide before such testing was banned in 1963. The cancer estimates add a new human toll to the Cold War and raise profound public policy questions, including whether the government should do cancer screenings in high-fallout areas. USA TODAY obtained portions of the study, which was supposed to be finished more than a year ago. "There should be no more waiting," says Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who pushed the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct the study in 1998. "People are still waiting for real communication on their exposure risks and steps they can take." The study's estimates of radiation dispersal are based on complex computer analyses of weather patterns, population trends and other data that can help gauge public exposure to fallout from aboveground nuclear tests. The cancer figures are a general nationwide estimate — there is no way to link specific cases to fallout. The study does not assess cancer risks in other countries. The data show that global fallout blanketed much of the USA, with heavy pockets in Iowa, Tennessee, California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Fallout from the Nevada tests settled more in the mountain and Midwest states, including Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri. The study measures exposure to an array of fallout elements based on county of residence, birth date and factors such as consumption of foods that absorb fallout. It concludes that about 22,000 cancers, half of them fatal, probably occurred from external exposure to radioactive fallout. Those could include everything from melanoma to breast cancer. The study attributes thousands of additional cancers to internal radiation exposure, such as inhalation or eating tainted food. Those cancers include at least 550 fatal leukemias and about 2,500 thyroid cancer deaths. Nuclear weapons powers "owe the world a real accounting of what they did to its health," says Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. "The U.S. has been the only honest country so far." © Copyright 2002 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. [http://www.gannett.com] ***************************************************************** 22 Despite clamor, fallout study still unreleased 02/27/2002 - Updated 09:29 PM ET By Peter Eisler, USA TODAY WASHINGTON — A government study estimating that about 15,000 Americans died from cancer as a result of Cold War nuclear fallout has been withheld from the public for nearly a year. The $1.85 million study, which occupied several top-notch scientists for two years, has been sitting in administrative limbo since early last summer while a host of local health officials, citizens groups and researchers have been clamoring to see it. "The process seems aimed at slowing down information release and minimizing the consequences," says Bob Schaeffer of the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, a coalition of local and national citizens groups. "This study can help identify people at risk, and that could save lives if those people can get screening or early treatment for some of these cancers," says Schaeffer. Portions of the still-unreleased study were obtained by USA TODAY. It was prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute. Its release has been delayed for "internal reviews" at the Department of Health and Human Services, which controls the two research institutions. Officials say the scramble to deal with terrorism-related duties in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks also has held up the study's release. That has done little to assuage those waiting to see it, including members of Congress. "Some federal government bureaucrat has been holding onto this information for the past months and years," says Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, who was instrumental in launching the study in 1998. "No more stalling. We need to fully assess the threats posed by the radioactive (fallout)." The study's delay is straining the already tense relationship between the agencies responsible for producing the study and the groups and public officials waiting to see it. And the resulting distrust could have a significant bearing on the debate over what the government should do in response to the study's findings. The roots of the conflict stretch back to 1997, when the government first acknowledged that fallout from nuclear weapons trials at its Nevada Test Site had spread across much of the country. The admission came in the form of an initial study that focused on the spread of iodine-131, one of many radioactive elements in the fallout. That study estimated that the iodine had caused tens of thousands of thyroid cancers among people born after 1951, when the Nevada tests began. Because of the low fatality rate of thyroid cancer, it is estimated that about 2,500 of those cases were fatal. But that study sat unreleased for years before it was issued in 1997. The delay sparked a congressional probe and a barrage of charges that federal officials had suppressed the iodine data. The study also raised more questions than it answered: What about all the other radioactive elements in the fallout, many of which are longer-lived and more dangerous than the iodine? What about fallout from the many tests not done in Nevada, such as those in the former Soviet Union or the Pacific? What was the human toll? Congress ordered a sweeping follow-up study that would lay the groundwork for answering those questions and others. The first phase of that investigation yielded the study now at issue. New findings Portions obtained by USA TODAY contain some startling findings. Among them: A wide range of highly radioactive elements, some of which remain dangerous for hundreds of years, fell over large swaths of the country. "Any person living in the contiguous United States since 1951 has been exposed to radioactive fallout," the study reports, "and all organs and tissues of the body have received some radiation exposure." In the most-affected counties, the fallout exposure for an average person would be roughly equivalent to receiving one chest X-ray for every year of residency since 1951. Just one such X-ray is more radiation than doctors typically recommend for infants and pregnant women. Many areas that weren't thought to have suffered much fallout from the nuclear trials at the Nevada Test Site, including parts of California and the Pacific Northwest, now appear to have suffered significant fallout from nuclear tests in the Pacific and the former Soviet Union. Moreover, some areas that suffered substantial amounts of fallout from the Nevada tests, such as parts of north and central Idaho, actually were hit with additional fallout from the tests in other parts of the world. Seth Tuler, a member of the federal Advisory Committee on Energy-Related Epidemiological Research, says the panel was supposed to be given a chance to review the new study. However, the committee has yet to receive a copy or be invited to meet with researchers on the project. Tuler says risks from the fallout are ongoing because many of the isotopes remain radioactive for so many years. "From a public-health perspective, it's important to identify where these contaminants fell," says Tuler, a researcher at the Social and Environmental Research Institute in Worcester, Mass. "It allows people to take steps to limit their risks. If they think they might have a problem or if they're worried, they can ask their doctors." The question is whether the government should be advising people to do just that — or whether federal money should be spent to actually go out and screen people proactively. Cancer and public policy The problem is that it is essentially impossible to identify specific individuals who may have gotten cancer from the fallout. There are too many confounding factors — genetic predisposition, behavioral risks such as smoking, exposure to chemicals or any number of other unpredictable risks — to pinpoint the cause of any particular cancer. Therein lies the problem for government officials. The uncertainties surrounding the cancer figures in the new study are substantial. The cancer estimates are generalized, averaged across the entire country. The study's conclusions about where fallout was heaviest are not necessarily a good predictor of which people are most likely to have developed cancer. "Hard numbers don't exist in this kind of world," says David Rush, a Tufts University professor of community health and board member of Physicians for Social Responsibility, a group pushing for a federally sponsored public education campaign to alert at-risk populations to the danger from fallout. "The disease estimates (in the study) have a rapid possibility of change," Rush adds. "The implications of those (radiation) doses may be very different five years from now. We don't know a lot about the relationship between low-dose exposure and cancer." Even so, Rush, like many pushing for a fuller global accounting of the health risks tied to nuclear testing, says that a debate on what the government should do is healthy. And that seems likely: The new fallout study is essentially a feasibility study to determine what other research is possible to better define the health threats of fallout. There's an urgent need for follow-up, scientists say, particularly when it comes to honing researchers' ability to more accurately predict cancer risks from fallout exposure. "It's important," Rush says. "God didn't make this problem. We did." USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. [http://www.gannett.com] ***************************************************************** 23 BNFL gains US backing for mox fuel shipment By Matthew Jones Published: February 27 2002 18:32 | Last Updated: February 28 2002 16:25 British Nuclear Fuels has gained the backing of the Bush administration to bring an unwanted shipment of plutonium mixed-oxide (mox) fuel from Japan back to Britain. The move, which comes more than two years after a data falsification scandal damaged Japanese confidence in BNFL, would be the first trans-oceanic shipment of mox fuel since September 11. It was immediately condemned by environmentalists, who warned the risk of a terrorist attack during the shipment would be unacceptable. BNFL originally shipped the fuel to Japan in 1999 but it was rejected after the company admitted its staff had falsified some of the quality control data. Returning the fuel to Britain is seen as vital in repairing relations with the Japanese nuclear industry, which is the largest potential customer for BNFL's recently approved £470m ($665.7m) mixed-oxide plant at Sellafield. The US is required to give its approval for the shipment under anti-proliferation laws because the fuel originated in the US as uranium. It has already been used once by Japan and was then sent to Britain for recycling and conversion to mixed plutonium-uranium fuel. Norman Askew, chief executive of BNFL, said he had still not received official confirmation of US approval but expected it "within weeks". "The return of this fuel is a very important step in the process of completely rebuilding our relationship with Japan. I don't know the exact timing yet of when we would bring back the fuel but we would hope to do it this year,í he added. Asked about the security aspects of the shipment, Mr Askew said the company had reviewed its procedures but declined to say if they had been toughened. The Oxford Research Group, an anti-proliferation think-tank, has previously claimed a "second-year undergraduate" would be able to separate plutonium from the fuel to fabricate nuclear explosives. The fuel is expected to be brought back to Britain on either the Pacific Pintail or Pacific Teal, which are both owned by BNFL's transportation arm. The ships are manned with armed United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority police and carry three 30mm cannons. ***************************************************************** 24 Electrabel says 4th nuclear waste return in progress AFX Europe; Feb 27, 2002 BRUSSELS (AFX) - Electrabel SA unit Synatrom said its fourth nuclear waste return is in progress with 28 containers of vitrified waste expected to arrive in Belgium at 2 pm tomorrow. Synatrom had won an order to make 15 transfers of vitrified nuclear waste from France's La Hague recycling plant, run by Compagnie Generale des Metieres Nucleaires (Cogema), to Belgium for long-term shortage. ed/mkp All Material Subject to Copyright ***************************************************************** 25 Russian institute to remove radioactive waste after reports of iodine leak BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 27, 2002 Text of report by Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda on 21 February The leak of the iodine-131 isotope which was registered in [Moscow's] Northern District 13 February has led to the decision to completely clear out all the atomic "storage bins" of the Kurchatov Institute Russian Scientific Centre. After two fixed monitoring posts belonging to the Radon Science and Production Association registered the presence of the radioactive isotope iodine-131 in the atmosphere, a mild panic broke out at the Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergency Situations and the Elimination of the Consequences of Natural Disasters, the Ministry of Atomic Energy and Moscow City Hall. (Komsomolskaya Pravda described this "discovery" in this report entitled "Is a nuclear reactor irradiating the capital?" in its 14 February issue). The amount of the isotope present in the atmosphere was very slight but, in the opinion of the Radon specialists, radioactive iodine is an "untypical" element in the atmosphere of Moscow and could only have appeared as a result of a breach of the technological process at a nuclear reactor of which there are 11 in the capital. "We ourselves are not happy they talked about this iodine," people at the Radon Science and Production Association Press Service said with a sigh. "Just about everyone has telephoned us - residents of the district who decided to move apartments as a matter of urgency, the Prosecutor's Office, and the Ministry for Civil Defence, Emergency Situations and the Elimination of the Consequences of Natural Disasters." "Our special commission discovered no emergency situations at the nuclear reactors in Moscow and Moscow Region," the people at the Ministry of Atomic Energy told us. "We do not know why the iodine appeared. Perhaps it is some kind of inexplicable natural phenomenon." The Kurchatov Institute, which is situated near the Radon monitoring posts where the presence of iodine was registered, insists that all eight of its reactors are working normally and that there have been no leaks. Nevertheless, the Kurchatov Institute's directorate together with the leadership of the Radon Moscow Science and Production Association have made the decision to completely clear the institute's territory of radioactive waste. Around 2000 tonnes with a total radioactivity level of 100,000 curies will have to be removed. The plan is to get the money from the Ministry of Atomic Energy and the capital's government. Yelena Termatirosova, Radon's public relations manager, told Komsomolskaya Pravda this need had arisen a long time ago. Not because the waste containers had been leaking but rather because even the slightest specific problem in Moscow is automatically linked with the Kurchatov Institute. And this is understandable: All radioactive waste is the result of research work aimed at developing new types of nuclear weapons back in Soviet times. In addition, in 1998 the Kurchatov Institute embarked on the final stage of developing a fundamentally new fuel for nuclear reactors - plutonium. And the Institute's scope for stockpiling waste is not unlimited. Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda, Moscow, in Russian 21 Feb 02 /BBC Monitoring/ © BBC. ***************************************************************** 26 Mayors Express Concern About Radioactive Waste Transport U.S. Newswire 27 Feb 17:40 Through Cities To: National Desk Contact: Lina Garcia of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 202-861-6719 WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In a letter to President Bush, the U.S. Conference of Mayors is expressing concerns about the transportation of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste from reactors across the country to Yucca Mountain in Nevada or any other repository. The letter, which emerged from the Conference's Leadership Meeting on February 22, was initiated by Reno Mayor Jeff Griffin and signed by 18 mayors, including Conference President and New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial. The mayors call on President Bush to include a transportation analysis and an environmental impact study in the Department of Energy's final report. In the letter, mayors tell President Bush, "We are concerned the DOE has not yet fully researched the methods for the transportation of nuclear waste. Regardless of the final repository location, we have serious concerns about the transportation of spent nuclear fuel from reactors all over the country to Yucca Mountain or any other repository. These shipments will travel through America's cities past our schools, homes and places of business." In 1996, The U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a policy on the transportation of radioactive waste that calls for the federal government to fund the training and equipment that will be needed by local emergency response personnel along transportation routes, to upgrade medical facilities which would treat victims of transportation accidents, and to upgrade highway and railroad or highway bypasses to ensure safe transportation corridors. It also calls on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to certify shipping transportation containers after a public process that includes both physical testing and computer modeling to ensure that the containers can withstand severe accidents. The Conference has not taken a position on selection of the Yucca Mountain site. A copy of the letter can be accessed at www.usmayors.org. Copyright 2002, U.S. Newswire ***************************************************************** 27 Yucca water rights at issue The Department of Energy constructed this water tank 20 miles from Yucca Mountain in anticipation that the state will try and cut off water to the site when a permit expires on April 9. Photo by John Gurzinski. Thursday, February 28, 2002 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal Sides expected to battle over permits By KEITH ROGERS REVIEW-JOURNAL "Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over," or so goes the quote widely attributed to 19th century author Mark Twain. Nevada officials would agree. They expect the Department of Energy to file a lawsuit when the state tries to shut off the wells that would allow the construction of the proposed Yucca Mountain repository. But Energy Department officials might prefer another bit of wisdom from the satirist: "Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody." In the coming days and weeks, the two sides are expected to wrangle over rights to millions of gallons of water that the DOE wants to use to construct the repository for highly radioactive waste at the mountain, 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas. At issue are two permits the state controls. One is the Energy Department's application to permanently withdraw water from state aquifers, which the state has already denied. The other is a request to extend a temporary permit allowing water use. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt will hold a status hearing on a previously filed Justice Department lawsuit against the state. That lawsuit came after the state denied an Energy Department application to permanently withdraw water to build the repository. Also on the horizon is an expected fight involving a decision by State Engineer Hugh Ricci, who has denied the Energy Department the right to use water past April 9. On that date, temporary permits to withdraw up to 430 acre-feet of water per year from five Nye County wells will expire. An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons, or enough to meet the needs of a Las Vegas family of five for a year. "If we prevail through the federal court system, then they would have no water for the site," Ricci said during a break at Wednesday's Nevada Water Resources Association conference in Las Vegas. Senior Deputy Attorney General Marta Adams anticipates Justice Department lawyers will sue Nevada over Ricci's decision as well. In the meantime, without Ricci's knowledge, the DOE this month constructed and filled a 1 million-gallon tank about 20 miles from Yucca Mountain to stockpile water in anticipation its temporary permits will expire. Ricci said he doesn't know what will happen after April 9. State inspectors could be dispatched to Yucca Mountain to ensure that no more water is withdrawn. That is, he said, "if they let us on the site." But he noted that the State Engineer's office has "no enforcement authority to lock the pump." Ricci said it would take a court injunction to force the DOE to stop withdrawing water if the permits have expired. As for expiration of the temporary permit, Yucca Mountain Project spokesman Allen Benson said, "We will follow the law." He declined to comment on the permanent permit matter, noting that it was in litigation. A Yucca Mountain Project staff member, Scott Wade, DOE team leader for environmental safety and health, said there's probably enough water in the 1 million-gallon tank, which looks like a giant water bed surrounded by a 5-foot-tall metal frame, to carry out dust control for several months while activities continue at the mountain. Project officials are preparing to apply for Nuclear Regulatory Commission licenses to first build and operate a repository, and then receive spent nuclear fuel for long-term storage. The site is not expected to be ready to receive the first waste shipments until 2010 at the earliest, if a repository consisting of a maze of tunnels and engineered barriers is built. Wade said in all, combining the capacity of several smaller tanks, there are 1.1 million gallons currently stored for dust suppression activities at Yucca Mountain and 200,000 gallons of potable water available for restrooms, shower facilities and drinking. The Energy Department also holds a multiyear permit from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for a septic tank and leach field, Wade said. Ricci notified Energy Department officials on Feb. 7 that he denied their request for an extension of the temporary water permit because it had been granted only for site characterization activities. Those studies, aimed at determining if the site was suitable for safe storage of the waste, ended Jan. 10 when Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham notified Gov. Kenny Guinn that he would recommend the site to President Bush for a nuclear waste repository. Abraham followed through with his plan on Feb. 14 and the next day, Bush recommended that Congress act to move the Yucca Mountain Project forward. That began a 60-day clock ticking for Guinn to veto Bush's recommendation by April 16. Guinn has said he will veto the decision. When he does, Congress would then have 90 legislative days to override it through majority votes in the House and Senate. As for what DOE's course of action will be on April 9 when the temporary water permit expires, Benson said, "We'll deal with that when we get to it." Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1997 - 2002 ***************************************************************** 28 Residents Sue To Block Nuclear Storage Complex ctnow.com: CONNECTICUT February 28, 2002 By GARY LIBOW, Courant Staff Writer HADDAM -- A lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Superior Court in Middletown, seeking to invalidate the town's agreement to allow Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Co. to construct an outdoor complex to store the decommissioned power plant's spent nuclear fuel. The lead plaintiff is Andrew J. Egri, who owns a home on land adjoining the Connecticut Yankee site. He is joined in the lawsuit by former State Sen. Ed Munster, who has formed an organization called "Neighbors Opposed to Residential Atomic Dumps," known as NORAD. Residents opposed to construction of the $40 million storage facility in Haddam Neck fear the site could become a "magnet" for regional storage of high-level radioactive waste and a prime target for terrorists. Egri said he is aggrieved by a decision by the board of selectmen to grant a building permit for construction of a dry cask storage complex after the planning and zoning commission denied a proposal to make the residential land a nuclear waste storage site. The selectmen, in a 2-1 vote Jan. 23, decided to allow construction of the storage facility as part of an out-of-court settlement. Connecticut Yankee had sued in federal court, arguing the town was illegally preventing it from building the storage site. Connecticut Yankee agreed to pay the town millions of dollars as part of the pact. Egri wants the agreement invalidated. "Connecticut Yankee thinks it can bully its way around the zoning laws of this state by threatening to bankrupt our town and muzzling our freedom of speech," Egri charged. "We are not going to let them get away with it." Added Munster, "The agreement between Connecticut Yankee and the board of selectmen overturns a decision of our planning and zoning commission and ignores the land-use regulations of our town and state. My biggest objection is that the process used by the selectmen bypassed the people of Haddam, who should have had the opportunity to vote on this important issue." Egri also has petitioned to intervene in a federal lawsuit filed by Connecticut Yankee, arguing that Judge Alan Nevas' orders for the town to settle the case are illegal and offensive to area residents. Egri additionally has filed an appeal to Haddam's building appeals board, seeking to revoke issuance of the building permit. Storage complex opponent Ed Schwing said the building appeals board is listed in the town charter. In the event the appeals panel is not currently activated, he said, the first selectman has several days to appoint members. ctnow.com is Copyright © 2002 by The Hartford Courant ***************************************************************** 29 Toxic Utah BBC Wednesday, 27 February, 2002, Goshute Indian settlement in Skull Valley The first Crossing Continents in this series visits Skull Valley, Utah, where a tiny Indian tribe is planning to take possession of 40,000 tons of high level nuclear waste to store on its reservation. As Julian Pettifer discovers there is very little anyone can do to stop them. For the Mormons who control most things in the State of Utah, the images of the winter Olympics were exactly what they wanted: snow-capped mountains, pristine, post-card-pretty and wholesome, bustling with healthy activities under a crisp cobalt-blue sky. But that impression of Utah is not the whole story. A nuclear dumping ground Tooele County, on the shores of the Great Salt Lake has become a major dumping ground for hazardous waste of all kinds. To add to its inventory of industrial filth, there is now a plan to store there most of the high-grade nuclear waste from most of the nations nuclear power stations. The dump is to be sited on an American Indian reservation called Skull Valley, the tribal homeland of the Goshutes. And it is incredible that such a desolate and starkly beautiful landscape could become the resting place for 40,000 tonnes of spent uranium rods stored in concrete and steel drums in the open air. Toxic tour Chip Ward is a long-time resident of Tooele County who has helped to found three citizen's action groups fighting environmental pollution. He was my guide on a toxic tour leading to Skull Valley. But on the way he gave me a quick rundown on the other local attractions. [Chip Wood] Chip Wood, environmental activist in the mountains of Utah Pointing to snow-covered mounds on the valley floor, he informed me that this is a proving ground for biological and chemical warfare agents - much of it contaminated with unexploded ordinance and anthrax spores. Also located in the desert is half the nation's stockpile of chemical weapons slowly being destroyed in two massive incinerators, another hazardous waste incinerator, huge hazardous and radioactive waste landfills, a bombing range and on the shores of the Great Salt Lake a magnesium plant that was, until recently, the largest toxic air polluter in the country. Now, Chip told me there are three proposals that would bring much of the nations nuclear waste to Utah . In Skull Valley they plan to store what is perhaps the deadliest material made by man. Why Utah? The US Department of Energy is required by law to provide a permanent high-level, radio-active waste repository. This it has failed to do. For the past 15 years the viability of creating such a repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada has been intensively studied. At last, after spending $4 billion on research, President Bush has authorised the go-ahead. That does not mean it is going to happen. [Protective suits] Protection against accident at the chemical weapons incinerator in Tooele County There is stiff opposition to the plan in Nevada and Congress also has to give its approval. Commissioning the facility is at least a decade away and in the meantime what happens to the waste? In their desperation, a consortium of eight nuclear utilities called Private Fuel Storage (PFS) approached the Skull Valley Band of the Goshute Indians with their proposal: a "temporary" storage site on the reservation in return for a substantial but undisclosed sum of money. The deal At the time the approach was made, Leon Bear was the chairman of the tribal council and it was he who negotiated with PFS. Although he lives on the reservation, he spends much of this time in his Salt Lake City office, conferring with lawyers and executives of PFS. The Goshutes were able to do the deal, despite fierce opposition from Utah Governor Mike Leavitt, because of the qualified sovereignty enjoyed by Native Americans over their reservation land. [Leon Bear] Leon Bear, Chairman of Skull Valley Band of Goshulte Indians Leon Bear told me that he regarded the opposition of the Governor as utter hypocrisy. The State of Utah had surrounded the Goshutes with hazardous waste dumps without ever consulting them or paying them any compensation. His deal with PFS, he told me, was the only way to safeguard the future of the tribe and to give them the services the State had failed to provide. Dividing a community Elsewhere on the reservation, I heard a very different story. The tribe is deeply divided over the nuclear dump and the PFS deal and over Leon Bear's leadership. My next call was on Sammy Blackbear. He and his supporters are fighting in the courts to have the existing lease with PFS overturned. They are also challenging Leon Bears leadership. Sammy Blackbear claims that The Tribal General Council have never seen the full lease agreement, thus they could never have properly considered or approved it. It was impossible to make out whether Sammy and his friends are against the nuclear facility in principle or that they are worried only about the distribution of the earnings. The whole PFS affair has been deeply divisive and has split the little tribe into at least three quarrelsome groups. The opposition Utah's Governor Mike Leavitt has stated that high-level nuclear waste will be stored in Skull Valley "over my dead body" and has pushed through legislation to try to stop it. This legislation is being challenged in the courts by PFS. It is hard not to feel some sympathy for the Governor. In the wake of 11 September he is bound to oppose Skull Valley if only on security grounds. But when he tries to occupy the moral high ground, it is a different matter. Entrance to Skull Valley] Entrance to Skull Valley He clearly has no objection to nuclear waste in principle as his own administration has been negotiating with a company quaintly named "Envirocare" also wanting to dispose of nuclear waste in Utah's deserts. The Goshutes can be forgiven for feeling there is one law for the white man and another for the Indians. And there is the final intractable problem of Native American sovereignty . Who will prevail in this latest skirmish in the Indian Wars? The most likely winners, as I see it, are the lawyers Toxic Utah: Thursday 28 February 2002 at 1100 GMT on BBC Radio Four &repeated Monday 4 March 2002 at 2000 GMT Reporter: Julian Pettifer Producer: Caroline Pare Editor: Maria Balinska ***************************************************************** 30 DOE PLANS TWO NEW MOX REACTORS Environment News Service: AmeriScan: February 26, 2002 AmeriScan: February 26, 2002 * * * WASHINGTON, DC, February 26, 2002 (ENS) - The Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to build two additional nuclear reactors to burn mixed uranium-plutonium oxide (MOX) fuel as part of its controversial disposal program for weapons grade plutonium. A February 15 DOE report to Congress on the disposal program revealed substantial changes to the program, according to the Nuclear Control institute (NCI). "It is impossible for DOE to safely achieve its accelerated plutonium disposition rate with only two more reactors," said Dr. Edwin Lyman, NCI's scientific director. "DOE will need at least three more reactors for its redefined program. DOE must explain in an amended Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) how the accelerated rate can be achieved and which reactors it will be using." "Unfortunately, the plutonium disposition plan which DOE has presented to Congress is highly speculative and unlikely to succeed without significant additional costs and delays to the program," Lyman added. The fiscal year 2002 Defense Authorization Act required that DOE review disposition options for plutonium to be taken to the Savannah River Site in South Carolina and present costs of implementation of the various options and a firm schedule for construction of necessary facilities for the MOX option. The DOE has discarded another option of immobilizing the plutonium, along with other high level nuclear wastes, in glass for permanent disposal. "Rather than charting a clear path forward with the plutonium disposition program, this DOE report only amplifies the problems facing plutonium disposition," said Lyman. "Immobilization of plutonium in nuclear waste, which DOE confirms is cheaper than MOX, is safer from an environmental and non-proliferation perspective and must be restored as a disposition option." In the report, the DOE states that "successful implementation" of the program will require two additional nuclear reactors to dispose of 3.5 metric tons (MT) of plutonium a year, but fails to identify those reactors or how they will be selected. The DOE has already designated four reactors owned by Duke Power to use plutonium fuel, disposing of two MT per year. In April 2000, Virginia Power pulled its two North Anna reactors out of the MOX program based on a business decision not to proceed. The NCI believes that identification of new reactors for the program could prove controversial in communities located near the reactors. An NCI study found that a severe accident at a reactor using MOX fuel could result in 25 percent more cancer deaths as compared to a severe accident using conventional uranium fuel. The DOE document is entitled "Report to Congress: Disposition of Surplus Defense Plutonium at Savannah River Site." © Environment News Service (ENS) 2001. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 31 Hidden Wrecks: Nuclear Ship Below (Cal.-Farralons) Wednesday February 27 01:27 PM EST By KPIX - Ken Bastida For the past few weeks, efforts have been made to stop oil leaks from a sunken ship just off the Golden Gate. Hidden Wrecks Threaten Coast But there other dangerous wrecks off our coast, including one where the problem isn't oil, but radiation. Nuclear tests on a remote island in the South Pacific helped establish America's military might after World War II. But the experiments also contaminated dozens of ships with highly radioactive fallout, including one that ended its life here in the Bay Area: The USS Independence. Kart Herman of the USGS (news [http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news? p=%22USGS%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw] - web sites [http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=USGS &cs=nw] ): "It was one of small carriers used in the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb test, When it was brought here it was too hot to decontaminate." Despite that contamination the Navy decided to scuttle the Independence, in waters near the Farallon Islands. Sailors were still allowed on board the radioactive carrier, just before it was sent to the bottom in 1951. And the Independence wasn't the only radioactive dumping the government engaged in. Over the next several decades they also sunk thousands of barrels of low-level nuclear waste in the same area. Several years ago, the USGS was able to photograph some of them with an underwater camera. They also used sonar to map the area. And turned up another tantalizing clue. A ship that Herman Karl believes could be the Independence. "We saw features we knew weren't geological, we saw one big object with one could interpret is the Independence.... What you'd have to do is go down with camera system that's submersible." And now, there may be renewed interest in taking a closer look at the Independence, and those barrels of nuclear waste, because we've recently gotten a first hand lesson in what decades of rust and rough seas can do. This month, a mysterious oil leak was traced to another rusting wreck, just a few miles away. And if oil can cause this kind of environmental damage, how concerned should we be about radiation? Ed Ueber is director of the Gulf of the Farallons Sanctuary: "Should we be zeroing in? Yes. We should have a much better feel because of the episodic nature. What radioactive levels could be if something decays." Herman Karl adds, "We don't know anything about radioactivity of the vessel. Nobody since it's been scuttled has measured radiation around the vessel." And the technology is here. Companies like Deep Ocean Engineering -- which is being contracted to work on the leaking oil tanker -- routinely reach wrecks in water as deep as the Independence. Waters that are also home to some of the most diverse marine life on the West Coast. But is the risk enough to warrant the expense of a new dive? Karl: "We can certainly locate and identify these vessels, that's easy enough to do.... It really depends on how much interest there is from the public. And that interest could build, if the potential danger off our coast becomes even more apparent. For more Bay Area news and information, visit the PIX Page at kpix.com [http://rd.yahoo.com/Dailynews/kpix/inlinks/*http://beta.kpix.com/news/] . Copyright © 2002 Yahoo! and ***************************************************************** 32 Letter: Yucca Mountain bad security risk Las Vegas SUN Today: February 28, 2002 at 9:00:23 PST It struck me after reading Mike O'Callaghan's Feb. 21 column, "Mayor was on target," that perhaps Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham needs to study risk analysis to understand that six to seven canisters of nuclear waste per day for about 30 years, which comes to about 75,000 canisters, all going to one place via one access road, is a certainty for mishap. Using past waste-shipment history, as homeland security director Tom Ridge did, to predict waste shipments to Yucca Mountain is not valid: Those shipments came from 106 facilities going to 72 storage areas using secret, random shipment schedules. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how to get hold of waste going to Yucca Mountain. If this waste issue is truly a matter of national security, I don't see how we can keep wastes safe by exposing them. It's sort of like not wanting to get wet but stepping out in the rain without an umbrella. I enjoyed the column. RON BOURGOIN Editor's note: The writer was the consultant to the town of Rolesville in Wake County, N.C., in 1984 when a site in that area was being considered by the Department of Energy as a potential high-level radioactive waste repository. All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 33 DOE official tainted by bias, Berkley says Las Vegas SUN Today: February 28, 2002 at 11:05:51 PST WASHINGTON -- Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., is joining critics who say a top Energy Department official has a conflict of interest with two corporations where he used to work. DOE Undersecretary Robert Card's former firms, CH2M Hill Corp. and Kaiser-Hill Corp., both have contracts with the department for radioactive waste cleanup projects in Colorado and Washington. Critics charge Card with favoring the two companies in official department business. The critics include South Carolina Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges, who is clashing with the department over waste bound for a site in his state. Card strongly denied a conflict, and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham defended him. "He's adhering to every ethical obligation," Abraham said in today's Wall Street Journal. Berkley is highlighting allegations against Card as Nevada officials continue their long battle to poke holes in the DOE's credibility as manager of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste project, a plan to ship the nation's most radioactive nuclear waste to Nevada for permanent burial. "Faced with issues of this magnitude, I view it as imperative that our government makes decisions honestly, fairly and without bias," Berkley said in a Jan. 22 letter to Abraham. Abraham sent reams of paper to Berkley's office in response. Her staffers are looking through the material for information that could point to a possible conflict of interest that Card would have with the Yucca project. Berkley said that Card's long history of work in the nuclear industry is troubling. Nevada officials have pointed to several conflicts of interest at the DOE in an effort to block the Yucca project. In one case, the law firm handling Yucca Mountain legal work for the DOE quit after it was revealed that it also did work for the nuclear power industry. "These are the people who are determining the future of Nevada," Berkley said. "If their interests are conflicted, this whole (Yucca) project should be scrapped." All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 34 Support lacking in Yucca fight Las Vegas SUN Today: February 28, 2002 at 11:10:45 PST Businesses reluctant to join casinos in anti-dump campaign By Chris Jones < [chris.jones@lasvegassun.com] >, Grace Leong and Jennifer Robison < [robison@lasvegassun.com] > A week after they were challenged to join in the fight against storing the nation's nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, many nongaming businesses in Southern Nevada say they aren't going to do so. The Nevada Resort Association last week pledged $250,000 to the anti-Yucca fight and said it hoped to be joined by other industries that have profited from the booming, tourism-driven Southern Nevada economy that some say is threatened by the nuclear dump, proposed for a site 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. A Las Vegas Sun survey on Wednesday found few companies in industries such as health care, utilities, banking, construction and development eager to join the casino industry in the anti-Yucca fight. "I don't feel there's going to be a groundswell within commercial real estate to fervently support the opposition to (Yucca Mountain)," said Tim Snow, president and chief executive of Thomas &Mack Development Group. The local Associated General Contractors, a construction trade group representing 700 companies, said members are divided, so it won't take a stand. "A lot of our members do not think it's the environmental threat that it's been held out to be. We've also got members who fully agree that it is (a threat)," executive Steve Holloway said. "I think we will continue to let our members' own consciences guide them on what their stance is going to be on Yucca Mountain," said Holloway, who noted some members are working at Yucca Mountain. Also not entering the battle is the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, a group of commercial developers with 467 local members. Michael Newman, chairman of its government affairs committee, said many builders and developers are concerned, but may seem indifferent because they think it's a moot point. "I wonder if people aren't giving (donations) because they believe it's a foregone conclusion," said Newman, who is also the managing partner of commercial brokerage firm Colliers International. "It doesn't necessarily mean they want (the dump)." Big utilities serving the valley also aren't jumping into the Yucca debate. For example: + Southwest Gas Corp., which serves 400,000 customers in the Las Vegas area, said at this time it is not in the company's best interests to take a position on the nuclear waste issue. "We're a multistate organization and most of our business is in Arizona," spokesman Roger Buehrer said. "As a corporation, we face questions all the time on local issues and most times they are issues we avoid." + Nevada Power Co., which is seeking more than $1 billion in rate increases in Southern Nevada, said its first obligation is to meet the energy needs of its customers and until its current rate cases are resolved, it will only monitor the Yucca Mountain issue. + Kansas City, Mo.-based Sprint Corp., the primary telephone service provider in Las Vegas that is requesting about $90 million in annual rate increases from local customers, said it has no position on Yucca Mountain. Several Las Vegas retailers and small businesses are also staying out of the fight. + David Keating, spokesman for Meadows mall, owned by Chicago-based General Growth Properties Inc., declined comment because the company "doesn't know the specifics of the issue." + Boulevard mall, another General Growth property, said it has no plans for now to fund the fight. + Executives at Blueberry Hill Family Restaurant, which has seven outlets in the area, said it has no views on the issue. Some businesses expressed concern about nuclear waste, but say they don't plan to fight the nuclear waste dump. "Most food-concept stores like us, Wendy's or McDonald's traditionally stay away from political issues. Most of our franchisees feel the decision-making power isn't in the hands of voters, but in the elected officials' hands," said Jane Quebe, spokeswoman for Reno-based Port of Subs, which has 39 company and franchised shops and 800 employees in the state. Quebe said franchisees are mostly concerned about potential leakage from nuclear waste storage operations and the resulting effect on business, population growth and sales, but they haven't yet mentioned any desire to leave. Big Nevada banks and hospitals may be concerned about nuclear waste, but they also aren't entering the fight. + George Smith, president of Bank of America in Nevada, said the North Carolina-based bank has no official position on Yucca Mountain. Speaking as a local resident with a wife and two children, however, he said he's worried that the dump could hurt the area's quality of life. Barring any incidents, he does not believe the site's proximity to Las Vegas will hinder the local economy. + Wells Fargo Bank's top executive in Nevada said employees at her California-based bank want a safe and clean environment. Still, she could not offer an official opinion on behalf of the state's largest bank. "There are so many public-policy issues out there that we could take public positions on, but we have to limit ourselves to those issues where we have some professional expertise," Wells Fargo Bank Nevada Chairwoman Laura Schulte said. "In the case of Yucca Mountain, we have to defer to the environmental and public-policy experts." + The Nevada Bankers Association, a group that represents 45 banks, has no position on Yucca Mountain and is unlikely to take one until its directors meet in June, Executive Vice President Ted Wehking said. + Ann Lynch, spokeswoman for Sunrise Hospital &Medical Center, said the hospital and its Nashville, Tenn., parent company, HCA, will likely remain neutral on Yucca Mountain unless they're asked to provide medical expertise. "There are so many health care issues that right now demand our immediate attention," Lynch said. Yucca "is a vital issue and it will impact us, but right now our opinion doesn't have any weight." + Mike Tymczyn, a spokesman for the Valley Health System that operates Desert Springs Hospital Medical Center, Summerlin Hospital Medical Center and Valley Hospital Medical Center, said his Pennsylvania-based company won't allow Yucca Mountain to deter its plans to build a fourth hospital in Spring Valley. Outside of that, he referred comments on Yucca to the Nevada Hospital Association. Bill Welch, president of the hospital association, said its 34 members have not adopted a position on Yucca. A vote could come as soon as the April board meeting, but medical issues outrank Yucca on its priority list. "We're certainly concerned about anything that compromises the quality of life or causes health risks, but ... we have a multitude of crises before us that are of immediate priority. Medical malpractice, the emergency-room divert situation and a nursing shortage -- those issues are at the forefront of our agenda," he said. But support for the Yucca fight was expressed by a community bank executive and Nevada's restaurant trade association. Bob Ansara, owner of Ricardo's of Las Vegas and a director of the Nevada Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association, said the two groups and the Nevada Hotel and Lodging Association are vigorously opposed to the dump. "What I object to is the transportation of nuclear waste because you can't truck that stuff around without a screw-up happening somewhere down the line. It's going to take the concerted efforts of like minds and pocket books, time and talent to fight this," he said. The Nevada Restaurant Association, which has 700 members statewide, said it plans to discuss Yucca at a meeting next month. "We're proposing that the government should look at recycling nuclear waste like France, which has been doing so successfully for the past 15 years," Chairman John Kukulica said. Silver State Bank Chairman Tod Little said he opposes Yucca because of its potential threat to Southern Nevada's tourism-dependent economy. "I personally think it's a mistake to have that stuff traveling through here when our economy is extremely dependent on tourism," Little said. "There are plenty of places to put that stuff where if (an accident) happened, it wouldn't kill their local economy. ... If tourism goes away, this place won't survive." Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, which has 6,800 members or 25 percent of the businesses in the area, adopted a resolution Jan. 31 opposing the storage of nuclear waste in Nevada and has contributed $3,000 to the state's Yucca fight so far. The group severed its ties with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 20 after the national chamber supported a Yucca Mountain dump. The state Commission on Nuclear Projects said it hasn't started soliciting support from small businesses, but is identifying key industries and targeting interest groups such as the Nevada Development Authority, Nevada Retail Association and the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association. "We'll be approaching the construction industry, home builders and Realtors, which are among the industries directly impacted by this," commission spokesman Mark Brown said. The 800-member home builders group is one of the few nongaming industries to take a strong stand against Yucca. "We believe there are potential adverse effects to property values and tourism," Executive Director Irene Porter said. Although the association opposes the dump, the group isn't capable of offering significant financial assistance to the fight, Porter said. "We're a nonprofit, so we don't have a lot of money," she said. "More frequently, it's our individual companies that put money up for these issues." Brown, chief executive of Brown &Partners, the advertising and public relations firm that the state and the Nuclear Projects Commission have retained to corral opposition to Yucca Mountain, said the gaming industry is the only major contributor to the anti-repository forces so far because "to date, they really have been the only ones who have been asked" to help financially. What would help, he said, is better communication to the state's business leaders that the issue is still worth fighting and that efforts against Yucca Mountain won't be wasted. "There's a misconception that this is inevitable," Brown said. "What needs to happen is additional communication to the people of Nevada that this is not a done deal." Porter and Newman noted builders and developers have other issues specific to their industries to deal with. "We have a tremendous problem with construction defect litigation and (homebuilders) insurance that is driving our members out of business," Porter said. "When they're being run out of business, they sure can't give money." Newman added: "Tax reform, for example, concerns us all. We're concerned about tax policies that will hurt our ability to attract business from outside the state." Snow agreed. "My feeling is that the whole issue of revenue to the state right now and where the money comes from and what taxes are brought into play has a more immediate impact on our community," he said. "I think the prevailing feeling amongst commercial developers is that this isn't a life-or-death issue as far as the welfare and long-term growth of the community." Sun reporter Malcolm Hall contributed to this story. All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 35 County questions worth of battling Yucca decision The Battle Mountain Bugle Tuesday, February 19, 2002 Commissioners choose not to join in on lawsuit By Dave Woodson Bugle Editor While Nevada's Governor and the state's Congressional delegation are promising to fight to the finish to keep Yucca Mountain from becoming the nation's high level nuclear waste dump, Lander County officials are wondering if it is worth the effort to battle what they perceive as a foregone conclusion. Commissioners have determined not to contribute county funds to the $5.4-million war chest Gov. Kenny Guinn is seeking for a pitched battle in the courts and in Congress. "If it is going to be here anyway, then why throw $1-million to the lawyers," observed county board chairman Mickey Yarbro. Senator John Ensign reacted with anger to President George W. Bush's decision on Friday to select Yucca. Mountain as the nation's radioactive waste depository and vowed to fight the decision. "Baseball great Yogi Berra said, 'it ain't over 'til it's over' and it ain't over'," Ensign said. Lander County's Yucca Mountain watchdog, Rex Massey of Research and Consulting Services Inc., told that county board last week that for all practical purposes it is over. Yarbro asked Massey if he had any indication that the nuclear waste would be going anywhere other than Yucca Mountain. "No," Massey replied. He said in a recent meeting with Department of Energy (DOE) officials they were not "mincing" words. "They were saying hey, this is going to be the recommendation, this going to be the site'," he reported. Yarbro observed that the county's opposition probably was not much, if any, of a factor in the decision making process. "They know we don't want it," Yarbro said. "They are just patting us on the back then." "They have put too much money into this one." "A lot of money going out," Commissioner Bill Elquist added. Lander County officials believe that spending funds to fight the Yucca Mountain decision is probably a waste of money. "I do know that it is going to be here and the governor wants a lot of money to fight it," Yarbro said. "If you are telling us it is going to be here than why would Lander County want to give him a couple of hundred thousand dollars?" He said he saw no reason "to fight the inevitable." Massey said that he felt the state had some legitimate concerns to take to the courts and the Congress, but those were different than the concerns of Lander County. "The big part of this project, at least for us, is going to be the transportation aspect," Massey said. He did caution the board that they should be very aware during their dealings with the state over the Yucca Mountain issue and particularly the transportation situation. "Then it almost puts us in a position of us against the state'" Massey noted. "You don't know who your friends are in this battle. "Well, we can't have waste going through Las Vegas, you guys got to take it." Yarbro said he understood that Lander County did not want to be feuding with other areas of Nevada. He noted that Lander County might gain a small amount financially from the Yucca Mountain project. "The income that is going to be generated from the construction of Yucca Mountain is going to be in the billions - probably - of dollars and that money is going into the coffers of Nevada and we will get a little bit of that too," Yarbro said. Massey said that he would attempt to have Lander County included in an on-going study of transportation risk assessment and potential accident scenarios. "Maybe doing some work for us and enhancing the work they did for the state," Massey said, "Because they talked a lot about impacts on the Humboldt River system. " He said he did not think the final Environmental Impact Statement would address the transportation issue_ "I think that is going to be left open for quite a while," Massey said_ Yarbro pointed out that the county did not have the funds to contribute to the state's funding for the Yucca Mountain fight. "For one reason, to be very truthful on my part, is that we requested funds from them and they didn't have the money," he said. "Well, we're out of money because we had to put that money into those projects." Massey said he told the board that the DOE was "very serious" about Yucca Mountain being the dump site. After Bush's selection of Yucca Mountain, Ensign echoed Massey's comments. "The Department of Energy has been hell bent on shoving waste into our backyard, regardless of what science and common sense show," Ensign said. Nevada officials took quick action on Friday, after Bush's announcement, and filed a suit against the plan that would store 77,000 tons of the nation's nuclear waste in underground tunnels at Yucca Mountain. "I am outraged as are the citizens of Nevada that this project would go forward with so many unanswered questions," Guinn said "this is an outrage." Guinn said he would veto the President's plan and send the issue to Congress. Sen. Harry Reid said he would use his position as the Majority Whip, the second highest-ranking Democrat in Congress, to fight the President's selection of Yucca Mountain. Reid also accused Bush of breaking a campaign promise he made while touring Lake Tahoe during the 2000 presidential campaign to rely on solid science and not politics to make his decision. "Today President Bush has broken his promise," Reid said on Friday. "Today President Bush has betrayed our trust and endangered the American public." "All Americans should be concerned, not just because he lied to me or the people of Nevada and indeed all Americans, but because the President's decision threatens American lives." Reid said the President`s plan would require the shipment of nuclear waste through 43 states on 20,000 rail cars or 100,000 trucks. "The President has created 100,000 opportunities for terrorists," Reid said. Ensign said he would band together with his counterpart from the opposite side of the aisle to lobby Congress to reject the selection of Yucca Mountain. "Nevada has earned its reputation as the Battle Born' state," Ensign said. "Now the real battle will begin." ***************************************************************** 36 Yucca: Not in my backyard by Abe, 16, Carson City, Nevada It used to be advertised that cigarettes were good for a person. Smoking a pack a day was supposed to make one healthier. Soon scientists discovered that maybe cigarettes weren't so good for the average Joe after all. Once it was believed that gamma radiation wasn't harmful. We even sent troops out to witness nuclear blasts. Again, science proved that over exposure to gamma radiation would lead to cancer and death. Every day, science is discovering new things. Things that we once considered hard, unquestionable facts have now been proven to be completely and obviously false. Nuclear waste will be around for thousands of years, and we seem to be rushing though the process to find a permanent resting place for this radioactive gunk. Are we really qualified to make a decision that will affect us thousands of years down the road? Apparently not, because Yucca Mountain is not the right place to store nuclear waste. It isn't a temporary solution, and it definitely is not a long-term one. Yucca Mountain is currently the only site being considered for the containment of long-term nuclear waste. The United States has approximately 70,000 tons of high-level radioactive waste that would be sent to Nevada, according to a DOE publication on nuclear waste. All this waste in one spot means several things: it will become a big deal when there is a containment problem and it makes a future terrorist attack incredibly easy by consolidating the targets. The DOE insists that Yucca Mountain will be secure, but before September 11, we believed that the USA was perfectly secure. For example, what happens when one of the casks starts to leak? The designers seem to think that as soon as they seal up the waste site, the radioactive demons will sit quietly for thousands of years in their containers. The DOE believes nothing can break these marvelous vessels. It's as if they are saying, "Don't worry, we remembered to lock the deadbolt." These beliefs are so ludicrous that it begins to be funny. The stage for disaster seems to be set. "But what about the nearby volcano that has been active in the last 10,000 years?" remarks the concerned voter. "No problem, we made the steel extra thick," replies the DOE. "What about signs that the water table had been higher in the past?" asks the voter. It's as if the DOE would answer: "Well… not too many people live in Nevada right…?" It's becoming apparent that the Nevada site was picked not for its geographical location but for its political stature. If the design for the site is really "scientifically sound," to use the words of DOE Secretary Spencer Abraham, then why don't we hold a joint session of Congress at Yucca Mountain to discuss the issue? Maybe that would solve the problem. Copyright © 2002 MacNeil-Lehrer Productions. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 37 Yucca: Not in my backyard by Carson, 18, Carson City, Nevada Yucca Mountain. In Nevada, the name has become synonymous with federal duplicity and shady politics. Since the inception of the Yucca Mountain Project, political plotting and doublespeak have characterized the search for a national nuclear waste repository site. In 1987, Congress passed what the locals refer to as the "Screw Nevada Bill" over the wishes of Nevada's weak Congressional representation. The strong influence of other politicians and the politically potent nuclear power industry combined to ensure that those states that produce and benefit from nuclear energy would not have to deal with the waste. From beginning to end, the Yucca Mountain Project has been about quick and easy political answers and catering to the nuclear industry. The designation of Yucca Mountain was not based on science; in fact the evolution of the Yucca project is far from a study in "sound" science. In the beginning, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) expressed confidence that the geology of Yucca Mountain itself would serve to isolate high-level nuclear waste from the public and the environment. As the scientific studies progressed, however, it is clear even to the DOE that the natural rock formations are not capable of geologically isolating the waste. Consequently, the DOE is now stressing how strong its engineered containers will be. The question that DOE fails to address is if these man-made barriers achieve safety, and if the geology of Yucca Mountain is a moot point, then why is it necessary for the government to embark on a thirty-eight year shipping campaign to move the waste to Yucca Mountain? New advances in dry cask technology and increased security measures at the power plants make the reactor sites the ideal location for continued storage of the waste, at least until legitimate science can support another solution. Contrary to popular belief in many parts of the country, the construction of a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain is not only an issue for the state of Nevada. An examination of the proposed transportation routes reveals that the nuclear waste would pass through 43 different states and past many of the largest cities in the country. An accident or an attack on any of the thousands of projected shipments would have grave consequences for the nation. It is essential that people across the country try to envision what a nuclear accident in their town would be like in order for them to truly appreciate the stance of the citizens of Nevada. The slogan "Not in my backyard" refers not only to those people who make their home near Yucca Mountain. It is just as applicable for everyone who lives or has family near the transportation routes. The struggle against the Yucca Mountain Project is not about the citizens of Nevada being unpatriotic or selfish. The people of Nevada are neither. They are citizens of a great nation who deserve equal protection. Nevada is attempting to do a service to its country. The nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain is a bad idea, and there could be no greater service than to prevent such a grievous mistake. Copyright © 2002 MacNeil-Lehrer Productions. All Rights Reserved. ***************************************************************** 38 Russian Federation: Amnesty International and Greenpeace join Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 08:14:58 -0600 (CST) * News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International * 28 February 2002 EUR 46/011/2002 36/02 Amnesty International and Greenpeace International are today launching a joint cyber appeal addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the journalist and environmentalist Grigory Pasko. Grigory Pasko was sentenced to four years imprisonment in December 2001, accused of intending to pass on information to a foreign journalist that would "harm the battle readiness of the Pacific Fleet". Amnesty International and Greenpeace strongly believe that the conviction of Grigory Pasko was motivated by political reprisal for his exposure in 1993 of the practice of dumping nuclear waste by the Russian Navy into the Pacific Ocean. Today, six years after the Russian Federation joined the Council of Europe, both organizations are calling on the Russian government to uphold its obligations under the European Convention for Human Rights to respect freedom of expression and to release Grigory Pasko. To sign the cyber appeal and for more information on Grigory Pasko, please visit: http://web.amnesty.org/web/content.nsf/pages/gbrpasko or http://act.greenpeace.org or contact Amnesty International Germany on + 49 228 983 73306 or Greenpeace International on + 49 30 440 58960. **************************************************************** You may repost this message onto other sources provided the main text is not altered in any way and both the header crediting Amnesty International and this footer remain intact. Only the list subscription message may be removed. **************************************************************** To subscribe to amnesty-L, send a message to with "subscribe amnesty-L" in the message body. To unsubscribe, send a message to with "unsubscribe amnesty-L" in the message body. If you have problem signing off, contact . handles only messages concerning list administration. Past and current Amnesty news services can be found at . Visit for information about Amnesty International and for other AI publications. Contact amnestyis@amnesty.org if you need to get in touch with the International Secretariat of Amnesty International. ***************************************************************** 39 Russia rejects US allegations of theft of nuclear materials BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 28, 2002 Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax Moscow, 28 February: Russian Atomic Energy Minister Aleksandr Rumyantsev has categorically denied reports of the theft of a significant amount of nuclear fissile materials in Russia in a Thursday [28 February] interview with Interfax. Reports said the claims about the theft of fissile materials in the Russian nuclear industry were made in a CIA report to the US Congress. The document quoted a Russian official as saying that in 1998 "a significant amount of fissile materials was stolen, which is sufficient for making a nuclear bomb" in Russia. According to the CIA, there were also unreported cases of theft and smuggling, though the scale of such offences was not known. "Fissile materials have not disappeared," Rumyantsev told Interfax. "We do not confirm such reports," he said. Source: Interfax news agency, Moscow, in English 0814 gmt 28 Feb 02 /BBC Monitoring/ © BBC. ***************************************************************** 40 Russian yard building four nuclear subs under 2002 defence order BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Feb 27, 2002 Text of report by Russian news agency ITAR-TASS Severodvinsk (Archangel Region), 27 February: Four nuclear submarines are being built at the [Sevmash] machine-building plant in Severodvinsk under the state defence order for this year, the shipyard's press secretary Raisa Elimelakh told ITAR-TASS today. According to her, this year two submarines will be brought out of the dock for completion, fitting out and trials. A lot of work is envisaged on the Severodvinsk submarine of the fourth generation, on which equipment is currently being installed. Here, a lot depends on the timeliness of the deliveries from parts suppliers in St Petersburg, Nizhniy Novgorod and Kaluga. The construction of the Yuriy Dolgorukiy nuclear-powered ship of the fifth generation is also being financed. This class of vessels received the name Borey. Sevmash released no information regarding the two submarines which will be brought out of the dock this year. It is known that the Severodvinsk was laid down on the building slip in 1992. The work on it was progressing slowly owing to meagre funding. A breakthrough came in 2000 since when the construction work has been in full swing. The date of the commissioning of the submarine has not been announced but, most likely, it will follow the Gepard multipurpose submarine which was handed over to the Russian navy in December [2001]. Source: ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1504 gmt 27 Feb 02 /BBC Monitoring/ © BBC. ***************************************************************** 41 UK: Cold war N-plan revealed Daily Telegraph: [ 28feb02 ] By MIKE COLLETT-WHITE in London BRITISH Cabinet officials discovered to their surprise there were no plans to inform the Queen in the case of a nuclear attack at the height of the Cold War, secret papers released yesterday show. Internal memos raced back and forth in 1965 to put right the embarrassing oversight, discovered as the Cabinet Office was updating the government War Book, which set out what Whitehall should do in the build-up to nuclear conflict. The files, which were released by the Public Record Office in London, also show how a top secret ventilation trial was conducted on the London Underground by germ warfare experts to test how bacteria might be spread through the system. Stations shown to be affected by the trial included Leicester Square, Charing Cross, Bank, Monument, Oxford Circus and Elephant and Castle. Of the nuclear threat, cabinet official W.I. McIndoe wrote: "It appears to us that there are no War Book arrangements for informing the Queen, wherever she may be, of the major decisions taken during transition to war. "Clearly this is an omission which should be rectified." The Underground papers show that scientists working at the British Government's Microbiological Research Establishment at Porton Down discovered that biological warfare agents could carry 16km through the underground system. According to the documents, all that was needed was a woman's powder compact hurled from a train as it hurtled through the darkness. The agents would be borne through the tunnels by ventilation systems and wind generated by trains and station openings. © Mirror Australian Telegraph Publications ***************************************************************** 42 Tapes: Nixon Considered Nuclear Bomb Las Vegas SUN Today: February 28, 2002 at 8:25:17 PST COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - A few weeks before ordering an escalation of the Vietnam War, President Nixon matter-of-factly raised the idea of using a nuclear bomb. The notion was quickly shot down by national security adviser Henry Kissinger. Nixon's abrupt suggestion, buried in 500 hours of tapes released Thursday at the National Archives, came after Kissinger laid out a variety of options for stepping up the war effort, such as attacking power plants and docks, in an April 25, 1972, conversation in the Executive Office Building. "I'd rather use the nuclear bomb," Nixon responded. "That, I think, would just be too much," Kissinger replied. "The nuclear bomb. Does that bother you?" Nixon asked. "I just want you to think big." The following month, Nixon ordered the biggest escalation of the war since 1968. In a 1985 interview, Nixon acknowledged that he had considered "the nuclear option." He told Time magazine then: "I rejected the bombing of the dikes, which would have drowned 1 million people, for the same reason that I rejected the nuclear option. Because the targets presented were not military targets." Nixon showed less regard for the North Vietnamese in his 1972 taped conversations. In a conversation from June, he told domestic adviser Charles Colson, "We want to decimate that goddamned place." He added: "North Vietnam is going to get reordered. ... It's about time, it's what should have been done long ago." The conversations were in the archives' largest-ever release of Nixon tapes. The material covers mostly the first six months of 1972, including everything from Nixon's groundbreaking trip to China to the early days after the Watergate break-in. With this release, historians and researchers for the first time are being allowed to use their own recording equipment to copy the Nixon tapes. "The sheer volume and contents of the tapes will give historians and others plenty of research opportunities," said Karl Weissenbach, director of the Nixon Presidential Materials staff at the archives. The archives now has made public roughly 1,700 of the 3,700 hours of conversations Nixon taped. Most of the segments related to Watergate had been previously released, but the new tapes contain a few additional conversations, and include full conversations where previously only excerpts had been available. The public now can hear what was said before and after the infamous 18 1/2 -minute gap in the Watergate tapes three days after the break-in, and hear the full context of the "smoking gun" snippet, which revealed that the president was interested in using the CIA to derail the FBI's investigation of the break-in. "This time, you're getting the total historical perspective and complete context surrounding the Watergate break-in," Weissenbach said. On the Net: Archives: http://www.nara.gov [http://www.nara.gov] All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 43 Analysis: 'Axis of evil' capabilities BBC News | WORLD | 13 February, 2002, Iraq, Iran and North Korea - referred to by the Clinton administration as "rogue states" - have been relabelled an "axis of evil" by President George W Bush. Iraq President Bush's pointed reference to Iraq in his State of the Union address suggests that he intends to take some kind of action against Baghdad before the end of his presidency. Military budget: $1.4bn Army: 383,000 Combat aircraft: 200-300 Missiles: Small number of short range surface-to-surface types Weapons of mass destruction: Trying to produce nuclear, biological and chemical weapons Despite years of weapons inspections by the United Nations and international sanctions, Iraq is suspected of still wishing to pursue programmes to develop nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, and missile developments. Analysts suggest the US would need to deploy at least 250,000 troops to seriously threaten Iraq's 383,000-strong army. Iraqi forces are likely to be more resilient than in the Gulf War if the US objective is the removal of President Saddam Hussein. Iraqi soldiers are already reported to be digging trenches in preparation, and the country's air defence systems have also been upgraded. Iran Although moderate elements have emerged in Iran and there are some signs that Washington seeks a reappraisal of relations, deep hostility and suspicion between the two countries remains. Military budget: $7.5bn Army: 513,000 Combat aircraft: 476 Missiles: About 200 conventional medium range Scud missiles Weapons of mass destruction: Chemical and biological; believed to be developing nuclear weapons Iran remains on the US State Department list as a state sponsor of terrorism. And Washington is also concerned that Iran has regional ambitions. The US believes Iran is developing long-range ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction and will probably have them by 2015. President Mohammad Khatami's support among moderates is strong, but hard-liners control the military, intelligence, judiciary and security forces. Iran also has a strong enough navy to "stem the flow of oil from the Gulf for brief periods," according to US Defence Intelligence Agency Chief Vice Admiral Thomas Wilson. But, according to a report from the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, while Iran's coventional forces are large, much of its equipment is delapidated and obsolescent. North Korea Washington perceives that the most serious threat from North Korea comes from its long-range ballistic missile programme. Pyongyang is also major exporter of sensitive ballistic missile technology to states like Iran, Libya, Syria and Egypt. Military budget: $1.3bn Army: 1,000,000 Combat aircraft: 800+ Missiles: 500 conventional medium range, longer range in development Weapons of mass destruction: Chemical, some biological capacity, developing nuclear weapons North Korea is projected to have ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States by 2015, and may have the plutonium to build one or two nuclear weapons. Pyongyang, however, is complying with an agreement to freeze aspects of its nuclear program, and the country remains beset by a serious famine. In its final years, the Clinton administration appeared to make progress in attempts to engage North Korea in dialogue. However 37,000 US troops remain deployed in South Korea to counter the threat from the North's one million strong army, and President Bush seems to have put any hopes of further rapprochement firmly on ice. ***************************************************************** 44 NTS: Operations office to be realigned Thursday, February 28, 2002 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal By TONY BATT STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU WASHINGTON -- The Nevada Operations Office of the National Nuclear Security Administration will be realigned by the end of the year, which could mean layoffs and transfers for some of its 282 employees, agency officials said Wednesday. The operations office, which supervises the Nevada Test Site, will be converted into a service center responsible for financial and human resources issues. The conversion also will make the operations office a center providing support for subcritical experiments and other technical programs at the test site, 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. "We are going to determine whether we have the right people doing the right jobs in the right places," said Lisa Cutler, an NNSA spokeswoman. The agency is a branch of the Energy Department. "There could be cutbacks or there could be moves," Cutler said. "We want to make sure we avoid duplications." The realignment is expected to be completed by the end of this year, Cutler said. Darwin Morgan, a spokesman for the Nevada Operations Office, said employees will continue to work in the same building in Las Vegas under the realignment. But he said they will work for either the service center or technical support center instead of the Nevada Operations Office. "Right now, all of our travel is handled out of Albuquerque," where an Energy Department office is located, Morgan said. "That particular service might be transferred to the Las Vegas office." John Gordon, chief of the National Nuclear Security Administration, announced the realignment Monday in a report to Congress. "Over the next year, current operations offices in Albuquerque, Las Vegas and Oakland (Calif.) will be reengineered," Gordon said in testimony submitted Tuesday to a House Armed Services subcommittee. "The functions of these centers will be consolidated as appropriate for effectiveness and efficiency," he said. webmaster@lvrj.com Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal, 1997 - ***************************************************************** 45 Doomsday Clock set closer to Armageddon BBC News | MIDDLE EAST | 27 February, 2002, [Doomsday Clock graphic] The clock's keepers see a higher risk of nuclear conflict The Doomsday Clock - a barometer of nuclear danger for the past 55 years - has been moved two minutes closer to the midnight hour symbolising nuclear conflict. The directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - a magazine that has campaigned for nuclear disarmament since 1947 - pushed the hands forward by two minutes, to seven minutes to midnight. [Pakistan tests the Hatf-V Ghauri surface to surface medium range missile in 1998] The clock was last moved after Indian and Pakistani missile tests in 1998 They said the move reflected a higher perceived risk of global nuclear Armageddon because of threats including international terrorism and tension between India and Pakistan, both nuclear armed. The clock was last reset in 1998 after India and Pakistan both carried out missile tests. The Bulletin's chairman, George Lopez, said the 11 September suicide attacks and evidence that terror groups had tried to acquire nuclear weapons should have been an international wake-up call. Instead, he said: "The international community simply hit the snooze button rather than raising the general alarm." Threat factors Slow progress on nuclear disarmament, a US decision to abandon a key arms control agreement - the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty - intensified terrorist activity, tension between India and Pakistan and a growing gap between rich and poor all contributed to the increased threat perception, the Bulletin said in a statement. Of the world's 34,000 nuclear weapons in 1998, only 3,000 have been destroyed in the last four years and thousands remain on alert, ready to be fired in minutes, the statement said. It said a lack of checks and controls made it impossible to verify whether all nuclear materials in the United States and Russia were accounted for or whether all weapons were secure. The closest the clock has come to midnight - symbolising the zero hour of an apocalyptic nuclear attack - is just two minutes away. That was in 1953, when the United States and the Soviet Union tested thermonuclear devices within nine months of each other. The farthest it has been set from midnight is 17 minutes away. That was in a wave of optimism at the end of the Cold War, in 1991. Key treaty The scientists in charge of the clock say it can only be turned back now if the US and Russia cut their arsenals to 1,000 nuclear warheads each in the next 10 years - and if they increase funding for the protection of nuclear materials and expertise. The US should also reconsider its plans to turn its back on the ABM Treaty, they said. The clock was first set in 1947 by scientists at the Manhattan Project - the US effort to develop an atomic bomb during World War II. ***************************************************************** 46 Group Cites Rising Nuclear Policy Fears in Resetting 'Doomsday Clock' (washingtonpost.com) Physics Nobel Prize winner Dr. Leon M. Lederman moved the hands of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' "Doomsday Clock" two minutes closer to midnight at the University of Chicago on Wednesday. (AP Photo) By Robert E. Pierre Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, February 28, 2002; Page A09 CHICAGO, Feb. 27 -- The so-called Doomsday Clock moved two ticks closer to midnight today, a sign that, at least according to a group of scientists, the world is more dangerous than it was yesterday. The reasons? A growing concern about the security of stockpiled nuclear weapons, the rising disparity between rich and poor nations and the Bush administration's rejection of various arms control treaties. "Despite a campaign promise to rethink nuclear policy, the Bush administration has taken no significant steps to alter nuclear targeting policies or reduce the alert status of U.S. nuclear forces," said George A. Lopez, the University of Notre Dame professor who chairs Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which first published the clock in 1947. The world has changed considerably since then. But as of today -- at least on the nuclear clock -- it's right back where it started: seven minutes before midnight. Leon M. Lederman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, symbolically moved the big hand of the "clock" forward at a news conference this morning at the University of Chicago. It was the 17th time the Doomsday Clock has been reset in its 55-year history. The previous time was in June 1998, when it moved from 14 minutes to nine minutes before midnight. After moving the clock today, Lederman lamented that the United States and the former Soviet Union had built nuclear weapons to such "absurd" levels. And his colleagues said that's one of the chief reasons to keep notifying the public about nuclear dangers, even if it means using an imprecise measuring stick. The clock was created by Chicago artist Martyl Langsdorf, who chose the original position of the hands merely as a visual way to symbolize urgency. "This is not a scientific or precision instrument," said Stephen I. Schwartz, publisher of the Bulletin. The scientists at today's news conference said that the resetting of the clock was prompted only in part by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on Washington and New York. Rather, a major factor was the lack of movement on nuclear disarmament, given that more than 31,000 nuclear weapons are still maintained by the eight known nuclear powers. While the threat of the Soviet Union intentionally attacking the United States has decreased, Lopez said the massive stockpile as well as the recent crisis between India and Pakistan are scary. The clock might have moved even closer to midnight, Lopez said, if not for the 187 governments that have signed onto the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty -- though the United States was not among them -- and France's decision to dismantle its Pacific nuclear test site. Rooting out poverty, he said, is key to making the world safer. "Poverty and repression breed anger and desperation," Lopez said. "Success depends on eradicating the conditions that feed such terror." © 2002 The Washington Post Company ***************************************************************** 47 Bulletin: Clock history The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has told the world what time it is since 1947, when its famous clock appeared on the cover. Since then, the clock has moved forward and back, reflecting the state of international security. 1947 | Seven minutes to midnight The clock first appears on the Bulletin cover as a symbol of nuclear danger. 1949 | Three minutes to midnight The Soviet Union explodes its first atomic bomb. 1953 | Two minutes to midnight The United States and the Soviet Union test thermonuclear devices within nine months of one another. 1960 | Seven minutes to midnight The clock moves in response to the growing public understanding that nuclear weapons made war between the major powers irrational. International scientific cooperation and efforts to aid poor nations are cited. 1963 | Twelve minutes to midnight The U.S. and Soviet signing of the Partial Test Ban Treaty “provides the first tangible confirmation of what has been the Bulletin’s conviction in recent years—that a new cohesive force has entered the interplay of forces shaping the fate of mankind.” 1968 | Seven minutes to midnight France and China acquire nuclear weapons; wars rage in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Vietnam; world military spending increases while development funds shrink. 1969 | Ten minutes to midnight The U.S. Senate ratifies the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. 1972 | Twelve minutes to midnight The United States and the Soviet Union sign the first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty; progress toward SALT II is anticipated. 1974 | Nine minutes to midnight SALT talks reach an impasse; India develops a nuclear weapon. “We find policy-makers on both sides increasingly ensnared, frustrated, and neutralized by domestic forces having a vested interest in the amassing of strategic forces.” 1980 | Seven minutes to midnight The deadlock in U.S.-Soviet arms talks continues; nationalistic wars and terrorist actions increase; the gulf between rich and poor nations grows wider. 1981 | Four minutes to midnight Both superpowers develop more weapons for fighting a nuclear war. Terrorist actions, repression of human rights, and conflicts in Afghanistan, Poland, and South Africa add to world tension. 1984 | Three minutes to midnight The arms race accelerates. “Arms control negotiations have been reduced to a species of propaganda. . . . The blunt simplicities of force threaten to displace any other form of discourse between the superpowers.” 1988 | Six minutes to midnight The United States and the Soviet Union sign a treaty to eliminate intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF); superpower relations improve; more nations actively oppose nuclear weapons. 1990 | Ten minutes to midnight The clock, redesigned in 1989, reflects democratic movements in Eastern Europe, which shatter the myth of monolithic communism; the Cold War ends. 1991 | Seventeen minutes to midnight The United States and the Soviet Union sign the long-stalled Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and announce further unilateral cuts in tactical and strategic nuclear weapons. 1995 | Fourteen minutes to midnight Further arms reductions are stalled while global military spending continues at Cold War levels. Nuclear “leakage” from poorly guarded former Soviet facilities is recognized as a growing risk. 1998 | Nine minutes to midnight India and Pakistan “go public” with nuclear tests. The United States and Russia can’t agree on further deep reductions in their stockpiles. 2002 | Seven minutes to midnight Little progress is made on global nuclear disarmament. The United States rejects a series of arms control treaties and announces it will withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Terrorists seek to acquire and use nuclear and biological weapons. For nearly 55 years, the Bulletin clock (a.k.a. the “Doomsday Clock”) has been the world’s most recognizable symbol of nuclear danger. The first representation of the clock was produced in 1947, when artist Martyl Langsdorf, the wife of a physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, was asked by magazine co-founder Hyman Goldsmith to design a cover for the June issue. After discarding several ideas, Martyl hit upon “the idea of using a clock to symbolize urgency”; her plan was to repeat the image every month on a different background color. To visualize what it would look like, she drew her first sketch—of the upper left quadrant of a clock face, with the minute hand approaching midnight—on the back cover of a bound volume of Beethoven sonatas. This simple design captured readers’ imaginations, evoking both the imagery of apocalypse (midnight) and the contemporary idiom of military attack—the countdown to zero hour. While Martyl intended the clock image as a whole to convey a sense of imminent danger, placing the minute hand at seven minutes to midnight was a matter of “good design.” The idea of moving the minute hand came later, in 1949, as a way to dramatize the magazine’s response to world events. While the clock is no longer the main illustration on the Bulletin cover, it remains an integral part of the magazine’s logo. The original design has been modified over the years and was completely redesigned in 1989 to emphasize the magazine’s global focus. Since the Cold War, many people believe the clock has lost its apocalyptic meaning; today movements of the hand may seem more ambiguous. But the movement of the hand, forward or back, nonetheless reflects a changing perception of the danger of catastrophic events. View a webcast of the press conference announcing the clock change. The webcast will be available on-demand starting February 27 at 5 p.m. (central time). ***************************************************************** 48 India: Arms and the Budget The Indian Express : Editorials & Analysis February 28, 2002 Need for a fresh look and more reform in defence sector It is worth repeating a cliche: providing more money for defence does not automatically translate into higher defence capabilities, nor the simple accumulation of big weapon systems, if the total needs are not kept in mind. Our jawans, for example, must be about the most poorly equipped soldiers in any modern army. There were reportedly more casualties in the 1962 war due to inadequate winter clothing than enemy fire. On an average, the fighting soldier carries nearly 17 kg of personal weapons and equipment compared to the 9 kg that most modern armies expect their soldiers to fight with. The inadequacies in terms of weapons and equipment of our jawans came starkly into focus a decade and half ago when the LTTE used communication equipment and weapons superior to those of our men. Jawans were seen marching up the Kargil heights in inadequate clothing. The defence minister had to resort to some unorthodox measures to convince his own ministry of the need for proper equipment in Siachen. While the defence establishment must decide the details, the nation has the right to know that the fighting man has the best equipment possible. Last year, over Rs 4,000 crore had remained unspent. The story may well to be repeated this year even if the figures are different. While uncertainties and variables will tend to be a major factor, especially in capital expenditure, large unspent money is a direct result of inadequate planning and the complex procedures of decision making. It is too early to assess the efficacy of the Procurement Board. The apprehensions regarding defence procurement and the possible fallout of scams is probably a major factor in slowing down the decision making process. Grandmother’s tales assumed that expenditure deferred is money saved. But in defence it means higher expenditure and lower defence preparedness. Defence capability, by its very nature, requires long-term investment of resources. This would indicate the need for budgetary reforms in the defence sector. Last March, the Group of Ministers had asked for changes toward this end. It is to be hoped that its implementation would be noticeable in the budget that is to be presented today. It is also to be hoped that financial commitments for the Five Year Defence Plan would also have been made. In the final analysis, the defence budget should reflect the nature of capability for which the country is to be prepared. Overt nuclearisation after 1998 implies that the kind of war that we could be involved in has materially altered. At a fundamental level, the imperatives of successful deterrence for war prevention require that our capability, if anything, must be higher than before so that nuclear weapons do not come into play. At another level, defence capability must be relevant to changes in the way war may have to be fought under the nuclear overhang. This would imply alterations where required in the doctrine and force structures, not to talk of the force levels themselves. On the other hand, we are far below the average spending levels of the previous four decades and well short of the 3 per cent of GDP mandated by the 11th Finance Commission as the goal by 2004. © 2002: Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. All ***************************************************************** 49 IEER : Fallout Fact Sheet Fact Sheet on Fallout Report and Related Maps We offer the following observations and interpretations on the report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute, titled Progress Report to Congress: A Feasibility Study of the Health Consequences to the American Population of Nuclear Weapons Test Conducted by the United States and Other Nations (referred to hereafter as the CDC/NCI study), and its accompanying maps. These documents can be found on IEER's web site, maps at http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutmaps.pdf [http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutmaps.pdf] and Progress Report at http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutprogrpt.pdf [http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutprogrpt.pdf] . (The report and maps are also scheduled to be posted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's web site, www.cdc.gov.) + The report defined the term "global fallout" as all fallout except that of tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). "Global fallout" is thus fallout from nuclear tests conducted by Britain (at Christmas Island), the Soviet Union (at Semipalatinsk and Novaya Zemlya), and the United States (at Marshall Islands and Johnston Atoll). + Cesium-137 (Cs-137) deposition is a good proxy for external gamma dose distribution on a relative basis. Therefore, Cs-137 deposition is a good proxy for distribution of the excess cancers due to external radiation. The two Cs-137 deposition maps show that most of the Cs-137 deposition in the United States was due to global (non-NTS) fallout. Hence, most of the estimated 11,000 cancer fatalities in the United States due to external gamma radiation would be due to tests conducted outside of the continental United States. States containing counties with the highest Cs-137 deposition include: Arkansas California Idaho Indiana Iowa Missouri New Hampshire North Carolina Oregon Pennsylvania South Dakota Tennessee Utah Vermont Washington Wyoming Counties in other states throughout the eastern half of the United States received substantial Cs-137 deposition. A larger number of states have counties that received substantial thyroid doses of radioactive iodine from NTS tests. + The CDC/NCI study included tests conducted between 1951 and 1962. This means that: + Chinese tests were not included (1964 to 1980). + French atmospheric tests after 1962 were not included. Hence all French atmospheric tests in the Pacific were not included. (France conducted atmospheric tests from 1960 until 1974.) + The pre-1951 tests in the Marshall Islands and the Soviet Union, the 1945 New Mexico test, and the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings were not included. + Ventings from underground tests in the United States or the Soviet Union were not included. + Calculations for Alaska and Hawaii have not been done. Alaska may have had quite a bit of fallout from Novaya Zemlya. Hawaii may have had fallout from the Marshall Islands tests. These two states need to be included in future work. They were not included because of the limitations of this feasibility stage of the study. These two states would involve different sets of data. Fallout would also be expected in other places, for instance Canada. + The two bone marrow dose maps show internal plus external dose. The table in the summary of the report shows average dose weighted over the country's population. Some high fallout areas, such as many of those in the West, had a relatively low population. Therefore, even though doses to the people living in these areas were relatively high, the role of these doses in a population-weighted average would be relatively small. So it is important to be careful in relating the numbers in the table to the dose and deposition data in the maps. + The table below shows estimates of occurrence and fatalities for various types of cancers as a result of nuclear testing fallout. Estimates of Cancer Occurrence and Cancer Fatalities in the United States from Global Atmospheric Nuclear Testing 48 contiguous states only Based on cumulative exposures between 1951and 2000 Does not account for all nuclear tests (see above) Type of cancer Dose type Deaths Occurrence Source Thyroid Internal ~2,500 (see note a) 50,000 (see note b) IEER estimate from NCI 1997 Leukemia Internal 550 ~1,000 CDC/NCI 2001 for deaths estimate, IEER for occurrence estimate All radiogenic cancers External 11,000 22,000 CDC/NCI 2001 All radiogenic cancers Internal Effective Dose Equivalent (see note c) ~3,000 ~6,000 IEER estimate from CDC/NCI 2001 maps and table Total, rounded (see note d) ~17,000 ~80,000 Notes: a. Estimated by IEER by assuming a 5% mortality rate from thyroid cancer. b. Rounded best estimate of 11,000-212,000 estimated range, obtained by taking geometric mean. c. From radionuclides such as carbon-14, tritium, cesium-137. d. Rounded to one or two significant figures as indicated. Full sources referenced are: NCI 1997: National Cancer Institute, Estimate Exposures and Thyroid Doses Received by the American People from Iodine-131 from Nevada Nuclear-Bomb Tests. (Bethesda, Maryland: NCI), 1997. Online at http://rex.nci.nih.gov/INTRFCE_GIFS/radiation_fallout/radiation_131.html. CDC/NCI 2002: Progress Report to Congress: A Feasibility Study of the Health Consequences to the American Population of Nuclear Weapons Test Conducted by the United States and Other Nations, prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute, August 2001. (Obtained by IEER in February 2002.) Report and accompanying maps online - maps at http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutmaps.pdf [http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutmaps.pdf] and Progress Report at http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutprogrpt.pdf [http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutprogrpt.pdf] . Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Comments to Outreach Coordinator: ieer@ieer.org [ieer@ieer.org] Takoma Park, Maryland, USA February 28, 2002 ***************************************************************** 50 IEER Press Release: Fallout For immediate release, February 28, 2002 For further information contact: Arjun Makhijani [ arjun@ieer.org] or Lisa Ledwidge [ ieer@ieer.org] : 301-270-5500 P R E S S R E L E A S E About Eighty Thousand Cancers in the United States, More Than 15,000 of Them Fatal, Attributable to Fallout from Worldwide Atmospheric Nuclear Testing Hot Spots Occurred Thousands of Miles from Testing Areas, Government Study Shows Independent Institute Calls for Public Health Response, Compensation and a Global Truth Commission Takoma Park MD, February 28, 2002: An estimated 80,000 people who lived in or were born in the United States between the years 1951 and 2000 will contract cancer as a result of the fallout caused by atmospheric nuclear weapons testing, according to an analysis of government studies by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. Well over 15,000 of these cases would be fatal. The most recent government study, a fact sheet, and official fallout maps are posted on the IEER web site http://www.ieer.org. The report and maps are also scheduled to be posted at the Centers for Disease Control web site, www.cdc.gov. The maps show cumulative fallout and county-by-county radiation dose and fallout patterns. These are proxies for geographic patterns of excess cancers that would be attributable to radiation. The government report, prepared by the National Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, estimates radiation doses from testing at the Nevada Test Site as well as from testing outside of the continental United States. The latter category includes U.S. tests in the Marshall Islands and Johnston Atoll in the Pacific region, Soviet tests in Semipalatinsk (now in Kazakhstan) and Novaya Zemlya (Russia), and British tests on Christmas Island. "This report and other official data show that hot spots occurred thousands of miles away from the test sites," said Dr. Arjun Makhijani, president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. "Hot spots due to testing in Nevada occurred as far away as New York and Maine. Hot spots from U.S. Pacific area testing and also Soviet testing were scattered across the United States from California, Oregon, Washington, and in the West to New Hampshire, Vermont and North Carolina in the East." "Despite that fact that its own studies have long shown extensive harm to people, including children, the U.S. government has had no effective public health response," said Lisa Ledwidge, a biologist and IEER's Outreach Director for the United States. "We applaud the fact that the United States government has been honest enough to say that it has harmed its own people, though it did so only under prolonged pressure from the people and some of its elected representatives. It is the only nuclear-weapon state to have done so. But it is not enough to estimate numbers or say you're sorry. The harm is still occurring. The government needs to inform people fully." In the 1950s the government informed photographic film producers of expected fallout patterns so they could protect their film supply, but did nothing to inform milk producers so that they could protect a vital component of the food supply. "It is late in the day," said Ms. Ledwidge. "The government should not only urgently formulate a health and compensation response strategy, with public involvement, it should implement it without any further delay." The study was mandated by Congress through legislation passed in 1998, after a 1997 National Cancer Institute report that dealt with only one radionuclide, iodine-131, and doses to the thyroid alone showed extensive exposures across the United States. Hot spots were scattered across the continent. The most affected counties were as far away as Idaho and Montana. "The 1997 report indicates that some farm children, those who drank goat's milk in the 1950s in high fallout areas were as severely exposed as the worst exposed children after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident. Such exposure creates a high probability of a variety of illnesses,? said Dr. Makhijani. "Yet the government did nothing to inform the people in these affected areas." Kenneth Strickler, who was born in 1954 in Challis, Idaho, a high fallout area, and who grew up there, learned in 1998 that he had thyroid cancer after his physician ran some tests. "The government should make the public aware of the symptoms of the types of cancer that might be caused from downwind syndrome," he said. "They should publish an ad in the newspapers so that people can look for more information at their web site." He suspected that a malfunctioning thyroid might be responsible for his strange metabolic symptoms as a result of information about thyroid radiation doses from fallout given to him by his sister, Nikki Doll. Ms. Doll attended a talk given in 1998 in Challis by Dr. Makhijani as part of a tour organized by the Snake River Alliance. "It is very frightening to know that radioactive tests were conducted by the United States and other countries with the knowledge that some harm might come to those who lived in the path of fallout," said Ms. Doll. "If the public is made aware of the possible dangers that hide in their environment, they can be alert to the symptoms and seek early diagnosis and treatment of a disease if it strikes. The U.S. government needs to be responsible for its actions and to inform us about what they did and how it is affecting our lives and how it will continue to affect the lives of those we love." "Now is the time for people from nuclear weapons states to call for truth from their governments. Right here in Idaho we know the news is grim. There are hot spots all over the inter-mountain West," said Margaret Macdonald Stewart, Development Director of the Snake River Alliance. "Now the job - the U.S. government's job -is to take the news to small towns all over this region and help unsuspecting people whose health has been damaged by nuclear weapons." "The United States has a compensation program for Nevada Test Site neighbors who are geographical downwinders. But this is clearly not enough," explained Ms. Ledwidge. "There are hot spots thousands of miles from tests sites and the new definition of 'downwinder' should include all of them." "The new fallout maps and radiation dose estimates show that nuclear weapons states not only harmed their own people but also people in other countries," said Dr. Makhijani. "U.S., Soviet, and other testing likely created hot spots in Canada and Scandinavia, for instance. There may have been hot spots in many other countries all over the world. It is high time for the United Nations to create a Global Truth Commission that would examine in detail comparable to the U.S government studies the harm that has been inflicted upon the people of the world by nuclear weapons production and testing. Nuclear weapons states owe an honest accounting, treatment, and compensation to the victims of the nuclear age." -30- Available on this site: + Fact Sheet [http://www.ieer.org/comments/fallout/factsht.html] + Official Fallout Maps [http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutmaps.pdf] and Progress Report [http://www.ieer.org/offdocs/falloutprogrpt.pdf] Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Comments to Outreach Coordinator: ieer@ieer.org [ieer@ieer.org] Takoma Park, Maryland, USA February 28, 2002 ***************************************************************** 51 Locke asks Bush to restore road fundsNews The Spokesman-Review.com - Tuesday, February 26, 2002 Governor also wants flexibility on Medicaid and more funding for cleanup of Hanford Katherine Pfleger - Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Gov. Gary Locke's message to President Bush and other administration officials had a theme Monday: more money. At a White House meeting, the Washington state Democrat and other governors told Bush they need him to restore more than $8 billion cut from his proposed highway budget -- money they were counting on to help make it through deficits like Washington state's $1.6billion budget hole. Locke also wants the administration to provide the states more flexibility in funding optional Medicaid programs and to meet the legal funding requirements to clean up the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. While in town for the National Governors' Association winter meeting, Locke plans to sit down with Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham today to deliver the message on Hanford. "The president's proposal right now shorts Hanford (roughly) $300 million in cleanup funds from their current level. That's inadequate," Locke said. The governor and other Democrats in the Northwest have been critical of the administration's plan to make some of the nuclear cleanup funding contingent upon finding ways to get the work done quicker and cheaper. Locke said the state sued the Clinton administration and will sue the Bush administration to hold it to its commitment to clean up the site near Richland that holds 60 percent of the country's high-level nuclear waste. Locke said he was pleased that Bush has proposed billions of dollars for homeland security, including $25 million for Washington state. He was also relieved that National Guard troops would soon help secure the country's borders, though he said the federal government has taken too long to get the troops in place. The governor came to the nation's capital last weekend and is staying until today. He has asked state agencies to curb their expenses, including travel budgets. Sam Sperry, Locke's top policy adviser, said the governor canceled a trip last week to Spokane and at least one aide stayed home from the governors' meeting to save money. But "you can't not come to something like this, particularly with Hanford money on the table," Sperry said. "That is huge." ***************************************************************** 52 Judge Criticizes Energy Department Las Vegas SUN Today: February 28, 2002 at 7:40:14 PST WASHINGTON- Almost a year after getting the request, the Energy Department will release thousands of records on Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force on orders from a judge who criticized the agency for moving too slowly. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said the document request was made under the Freedom of Information Act and is unrelated to the General Accounting Office's lawsuit for similar material from Cheney. "The administration, as always, will cooperate. ..." with the latest request, Fleischer said. The Energy Department has no legal justification "for working at a glacial pace," U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler said in a ruling sent Wednesday to the environmental group that has been seeking the agency's documents. The Natural Resources Defense Council asked for the documents April 26 and sued the government in December. Energy Department spokeswoman Jill Schroeder said, "We've always said we would comply with their request and have worked diligently to do so." The ruling could undercut the Bush administration's effort to keep secret the names of industry executives and lobbyists who met with the White House as it formulated its energy policy last spring. The General Accounting Office and a conservative group, Judicial Watch, have filed separate lawsuits trying to force the White House to surrender the material. The Energy Department says 7,500 pages on Cheney's task force are responsive to the NRDC's request. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham was on Cheney's task force, and the government must release information about who from industry met with energy officials, said NRDC attorney Sharon Buccino. Buccino said the government may try to withhold information about what happened at the meetings, which would set the stage for the next battle in the lawsuit. The judge required the Energy Department to submit a list of withheld documents by April 25. Starting March 25 and ending April 10, the Energy Department must turn over its documents to the NRDC, an environmental group. The department had asked to release the material in stages, beginning March 15 and ending May 15. "There can be little question that the Department of Energy has been woefully tardy" in processing the request, the judge wrote in her ruling, dated Feb. 21. "After making a virtually meaningless release of some form letters back in May of 2001, the department has done little of substance - apart from collecting and organizing responsive documents," the judge added. "What is even more distressing," she wrote, is that at least 11 other requests had been made for the same documents. "The significance of this information for us is that it is going to expose the Bush energy plan's purpose as a payback to polluters," said the NRDC's Buccino. "The plan benefited Enron and other big energy companies while doing nothing for public health and the environment." Schroeder, the energy department spokeswoman, said, "It's no secret that the Energy Department worked on the energy policy or that we meet with and accept input from groups and organization who are interested in energy policy." All contents copyright 2002 Las Vegas SUN, Inc. ***************************************************************** 53 U.S. Tries to Plug Nuke Brain Drain Dave Eberhart, NewsMax.com Thursday, Feb. 28, 2002 The U.S. has not manufactured any nuclear weapons, strategic or tactical, since 1992. By 2014, it is possible that the last of the old hands with hot testing experience will be retired, according to Wired Magazine. The issue: how to preserve and pass on 50 years of nuke know-how to the young turks coming aboard at Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore and Sandia national laboratories. A big part of the answer – accumulating, organizing and digitizing the huge store of recorded knowledge – has been foiled temporarily by budget cuts. Los Alamos’ Stephen Lee wants to put about 8 million paper records and 19 unconnected data bases together in a searchable and secure archives. That project is on hold. But even when the archiving effort gets under way in earnest, there is still the issue of formalizing what Lee describes as the "storytelling culture” that has evolved in the rarefied ranks of the nuclear weapons experts. And an important part of that culture is the hands-on exercise of showing students the tricks of the trade of cramming megatons into warheads. Many compare the education gap to trying to teach a youngster to ride a bike by reading instructions in a manual. That imperative show-and-tell element was given a vital boost six years ago when "Titans,” the Theoretical Institute for Thermonuclear and Nuclear Studies, was kicked off at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. In this rigorous three-year course attended by students already armed with doctorates, the storytelling from the experienced hands to the novices comes in lectures and demonstrations. "It provides an easily accessible forum for digesting a large amount of information efficiently,” student Charles Nickhieh told Wired recently, "rather than finding out each of these bits of information from someone in the hallway.” A Vanishing Breed The "faculty” of Titans is drawn from the shrinking cadre of scientists with first-hand design experience. For instance, at Los Alamos, of the more than 12,000 workers, fewer than 50 have such credentials. Many of these invaluable personnel, says Wired, admit to being less than rigorous in codifying and preserving their own expertise. This is not owing to laziness or indifference but to the natural disincentive to write papers that would become "secret” and the responsibility of the author. In the meantime, the mission of these lab warriors, young and old, is evolving. A key post-Cold War task is to maintain and certify the aging stockpile of some 10,000 nuclear weapons. Components of these weapons, nuclear and non-nuclear, are not immune from the ravages of time. The formal name of this mission: the Stockpile Stewardship Program, initiated in the Clinton administration. Tough duty, say the experts, who concede that certifying weapons without real testing is at best problematic despite big advances in computer simulation. But even more tough duty is on the horizon. The latest defense studies indicate that the old mega-kiloton, multi-warhead missiles in the nation’s inventory need to be augmented by low-yield single-warhead weapons adept at blasting terrorist bunkers and such vital targets as biological-warfare agent manufacturing sites. Much like the Manhattan Project of World War II, the potential re-tooling has provoked controversy in the ranks. Some suggest that the manufacturing of a new breed of nukes would be the salvation of the labs. Other, however, see a moral dilemma. Says John Pike, a defense analyst at GlobalSecurity.org: "For the last half century we have done everything in our power to tell people that nuclear weapons are different. The existence of nuclear weapons places an upper limit on the level of violence that is conceivable in war …. "The notion that we would break that taboo, and tell people that nuclear weapons are just like dynamite is inconceivable.” So far Congress has been on the side of those who want to maintain the nuclear arsenal as a deterrent. Last year, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., moved to overturn a law banning the development of nukes with a yield smaller than 5 kilotons. That effort failed, but he succeeded in getting a mandate passed directing the Department of Energy to study the feasibility of low-yield nukes. After the attacks of Sept. 11, Bush would not rule out nuclear retaliation. Furthermore, by law the nation’s nuclear labs must stand ready to develop and manufacture nuclear weapons. The question remains whether the new terror age will spawn a new age of nukes used on the battlefield rather than remaining silent specters of deterrence in silos and submarines. All Rights Reserved © NewsMax.com ***************************************************************** 54 Judge Orders Energy Department to Release Cheney Records Melanie Hunter, CNSNews.com Thursday, Feb. 28, 2002 A federal judge Wednesday ordered that the Energy Department release records on Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force. The ruling could undermine the Bush administration's effort to keep the names of industry executives and lobbyists who met with White House officials while it formulated its energy plan last year a secret. U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler criticized the government for moving at "a glacial pace." The General Accounting Office and conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch have filed separate lawsuits to force the White House to turn over the documents. Beginning March 25, the Energy Department must turn over the documents to Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. The handover of materials must be complete by April 10. "I don't know that it's possible for certain to tell what the documents will reveal, but obviously the DOE stonewalled us for almost a year, and they presumably had a reason to do that," said Rob Perks, a spokesman for the group. Copyright CNSNews.com ***************************************************************** 55 The Threat of Nuclear Terror (washingtonpost.com) Thursday, February 28, 2002; Page A22 In his Feb. 16 letter, John Gordon, administrator of the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration, dismissed concerns about security at U.S. nuclear weapons facilities. In the past five years, more than 50 reports by congressional investigators, the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, the DOE inspector general and outside experts have detailed the inadequate safeguards, the security failures and the dysfunctional DOE culture that punishes rather than rewards whistleblowers who raise security concerns. I have interviewed numerous security officials who work at DOE nuclear weapons facilities who believe these problems to be extremely serious. Mr. Gordon said elite military units are used to simulate hostile attacks. But other DOE security officials told me that the last time an elite military unit was used to test security was in 1998; Navy Seals actually refused to ever participate in such exercises again because the DOE forced them to be so artificial. Mr. Gordon said security forces are tested to "failure," implying that failing to adequately protect the nuclear weapons material more than 50 percent of the time is a good thing. In fact, DOE uses a set of regulations called the Design Basis Threat to define security at its nuclear weapons facilities. Those regulations do not require the facilities to be protected against a sophisticated terrorist attack. The security exercises at the nuclear weapons facilities never exceed the security levels mandated by these regulations, and so are never truly tested to failure. If "spin" were an effective deterrent to terrorism at our nuclear weapons facilities, Mr. Gordon's confidence might be well placed. But spin is no substitute for addressing the weaknesses, raised repeatedly by people involved in trying to protect the public from the horror of a terrorist attack. Mr. Gordon seems determined to learn this the hard way. EDWARD J. MARKEY U.S. Representative (D-Mass.) Washington © 2002 The Washington Post Company ***************************************************************** 56 Dennis Beller to address American Nuclear Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 11:29 a.m. on Thursday, February 28, 2002 from staff reports Denis Beller will be the guest speaker for the March meeting of the American Nuclear Society. It is a joint program with the Trout Unlimited Organization. The dinner begins at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, March 12, at the Garden Plaza Hotel. The cost is $17 per person and $8.50 for students. Reservations must be made no later than 4 p.m. Friday, March 8. To make reservations, contact Julie Ezold at 574-5483 or 574-3307 or via e-mail at [JGE@y12.doe.gov] . Beller's presentation is scheduled to begin around 7:30 p.m. There is no charge to attend the presentation portion of the meeting. Beller is currently on sabbatical from Los Alamos National Laboratory to the Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he coordinates university participation for a national research program for reducing, reusing, and recycling used nuclear fuel. According to information from the American Nuclear Society, he is best known among the nuclear science and technology community as the co-author of an essay that the U.S. Congress credited in July 2000 for "spark[ing] renewed debate of nuclear energy's role" as a non-emitting domestic energy source (see the Congressional Record, July 27, 2000). Beller is expected to discuss the need for nuclear plants in the United States and in other nations to supply the electricity needed for a better future for billions of people. He will also address the advantages and drawbacks of many sources of electricity and compare them to nuclear power. Nuclear power plants require minimal land, release no mercury, arsenic, or other heavy metals into the environment, and produce so little waste that it has been easily and cheaply sequestered where it is created, according to the information. Beller plans to describe why the greatest benefit of nuclear power in the United States in the past 30 to 40 years has been its impact on the environment. Beller will also reveal current plans to recover shutdown reactors, to finish uncompleted ones and to construct new, advanced nuclear power reactors in the United States, as well as global plans to develop the next generation of nuclear plants and waste reduction systems. All Contents ©Copyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 57 Compensation plan scores low with sick workers 022802 news 2 Oak Ridger Online --> Story last updated at 10:58 a.m. on Thursday, February 28, 2002 by Paul Parson Oak Ridger staff A compensation program implemented to assist people with illnesses related to their work at Department of Energy sites isn't accomplishing its mission, critics say. In fact, a group of those sick workers have given the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program a "D-minus" on a report card they will be presenting to the Department of Labor, which runs the program. Vina Colley, a former electrician from the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio, said the only thing that kept the program from getting an "F" was the fact that it was instituted. Colley says she has experienced a number of medical problems, including numerous tumors, thyroid problems, chronic bronchitis, memory loss and depression, among other medical problems. The bulk of the illnesses affecting workers is not covered by the bill, according to Glenn Bell, who suffers from chronic beryllium disease. He added that health effects from workplace exposures to fluorides, depleted uranium hexafluoride, heavy metals and other "toxic soups" should receive equal status in the program. "We are not happy about this," said Bell, who works at the Y-12 National Security Complex. "There's too many people falling through the cracks." The compensation program, which officially began July 31, provides medical care and a payment of $150,000 to sick workers or their families, if the workers were exposed to cancer-causing radiation or silica or beryllium, which are linked to lung diseases. However, the report card states the $150,000 payment is inadequate. Another complaint against the compensation program is how it's being run. Bell said compensation for claimants who are obviously qualified is being delayed or denied due to the actions of the Labor Department's Final Adjudication Board for the program. "Through some very positive communication and receptiveness by local and regional offices, progress has been made in both the claimants' and the examiners' understanding of the sometimes confusing details of these unusual illnesses," Bell said. "However, in some cases, once the recommendation of decision reaches the [Final Adjudication Board], the claim is either denied or enters a revolving door process." In a letter to U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., Bell says the Final Adjudication Board has denied the claim of a friend of his who has a "definite diagnosis of chronic beryllium disease. "His denial is a travesty, and should he expire before resolution, his family would have to start from square one, again, in filing for survivors' benefits," Bell wrote. "I believe the unwillingness of the DOL Final Adjudication Board rises to the level of contempt of Congress." As of Jan. 31, close to 19,000 claims had been filed nationwide, with around 1,228 payments made. Paul Parson can be contacted at (865) 220-5533 or [pparson@oakridger.com] . All Contents ©Copyright The Oak Ridger ***************************************************************** 58 Energy Department and States Team Up on Clean Energy Research New Partnerships to Foster Development of Cleaner Power energy.gov - Headquarters' Press Release RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2002 WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham today awarded 14 cooperative agreements totaling nearly $10.5 million to develop and advance clean energy technologies. Final award amounts are being negotiated with the winning state energy offices, energy associations and universities. “The President’s National Energy Plan challenges us to develop the technological know-how to meet this Nation’s energy challenges to help expand our economy, meet the needs of a growing population, and raise the American standard of living,” Secretary Abraham said. “These partnerships will help move the Nation to meet that goal.” The following 14 projects have been selected under the “Energy Efficiency Initiative on Cooperative Programs with States for Research, Development and Demonstration Solicitation.” Premium Fuel Production from Mining and Timber Waste Using Advanced Separation and Pelletizing Technologies – The Kentucky Division of Energy in Frankfort, Ky., using coal and lumber waste materials currently disposed of in refuse ponds and landfills, will develop a premium fuel with an energy value of around 9,000 - 10,000 Btu/lb. The award amount is $505,537, subject to negotiation. Distributed Generation: Testing and Application in Mission-Critical Settings and Transmission, Siting, and Metrics Models Research – The National Association of State Energy Officials in Alexandria, Va., will focus on testing, evaluating, and developing metrics for the use of clean, distributed generation in urban infill and other critical sites. The project will address efficiency, reliability, and environmental issues associated with distributed generation in mission-critical areas; promote the use of alternative distributed generation fuel sources; educate consumers; and research and validate distributed generation guidelines and transmission/ interconnect technical data. The award amount is $355,000, subject to negotiation. Collaborative National Program for the Development and Performance Testing of Distributed Power Technologies with Emphasis on Combined Heat and Power Applications – The Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions in Madison, Wis., will facilitate the collaborative development and deployment of microturbine generators, small industrial turbines, fuel cells, and other advanced distributed generation technologies. The project will emphasize environmentally beneficial combined heat and power applications of distributed generation technologies because of their great potential for increasing efficiency and reducing emissions. The award is $1 million, subject to negotiation. Research, Development and Demonstration of Switched Reluctance Machine Based Electric Brake-by-Wire System for Advanced High Efficiency Vehicles – The Indiana Department of Commerce in Indianapolis, Ind., will design and build a brake-by-wire electromechanical actuator to replace the vacuum assisted hydraulic actuator found in today’s vehicles. The award amount is $856,367, subject to negotiation. Proposal for the Development of Materials, Surface Treatments and Coatings for Improving the System Life of Basic Oxygen Furnace and Electric Arc Furnace Hoods, Roofs, and Side Walls – The Ohio Office of Energy Efficiency in Columbus, Ohio, will develop new materials or surface treatments/coatings and develop methods for their manufacturing and implementation by the steel industry. The award amount is $1 million, subject to negotiation. Mitigating the Impacts of Uncontrolled Air Flow on Indoor Environmental Quality and Energy Demand in Non-Residential Buildings – The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority in Albany, N.Y., will extend field research and complete a series of carefully controlled full-scale laboratory experiments and computer simulations to further understand the nature and impact of uncontrolled air flows on air quality, occupant comfort, and energy use in small commercial buildings. The award amount is $600,000, subject to negotiation. Liquid and Compressed Natural Gas Fueling Station – The Idaho Department of Water Resources Energy Division in Boise, Idaho, will develop and install a liquid/compressed Natural Gas fueling link for North/South traffic traveling on US Interstate 15, serving Southeastern Idaho, Yellowstone National Park, and Jackson, Wyo. The award amount is $315,000, subject to negotiation. Demonstration of CSX Locomotive Engine Idle Reduction Technology – The Maryland Energy Administration in Annapolis, Md., will assess the full potential of the new technology developed for a class of railroad locomotives that would result in large fuel savings and emission reductions. The award amount is $939,750, subject to negotiation. Improvement of Performance and Yield of Continuous Glass Fiber Drawing Technology – The Ohio Office of Energy Efficiency in Columbus, Ohio, will pilot a breakthrough continuous glass fiber drawing process to achieve a four-fold reduction in unrecyclable waste and downtime, 20 percent increase in yields, 15 percent throughput increase, and 20 percent reduction in fiber diameter variation for the glass industry. The award amount is $967,899, subject to negotiation. Capturing the Daylight Dividend – The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority in Albany, N.Y., will advance the effective use of daylighting in buildings to build market demand for daylighting as a means of improving indoor environmental quality, to reap the energy savings of daylighting, and to inform and assist state and regional market transformation and resource acquisition program implementation efforts. The award amount is $850,000, subject to negotiation. Texas LPG Fuel Processor Development and Fuel-Cell Demonstration – The Texas State Energy Conservation Office in Austin, Texas, will develop two optimized LPG fuel processors, integrate the processors into 5-10 kW PEM fuel cell prototypes, independently test both prototypes, and perform a field demonstration. The project will be accompanied by a market study and public education campaign. The award amount is $500,000, subject to negotiation. Building Integrated Distributed Power Systems: Test, Evaluation, Demonstration and Workforce Development – The state of Florida will address distributed power systems including fuel cells, microturbines, photovoltaics and battery storage and assess their effects on electric utility system reliability over large-scale grid networks. The award amount $999,999, subject to negotiation. A High Technology Centrifungal Compressor for Commercial Air Conditioning Systems – The state of Connecticut will develop a high technology, oil-free, energy efficient centrifungal compressor called CENVA for commercial air conditioning systems. The award amount is $999,991, subject to negotiation. Developing Innovative Wall Systems that Improve the Hygrothermal Performance of Residential Buildings – The Washington State University in Pullman, Wash., will develop and implement a unique systems engineering approach to design wood frame building assemblies that are energy efficient and moisture tolerant. The award amount is $346,000, subject to negotiation. Media Contact: Jill Schroeder 202/586-4940 Tom Welch 202/586-5806 Release No. PR-02-031 ***************************************************************** 59 Manhattan Project historian dies Denver Post.com Dave Curtin [dcurtin@denverpost.com] Denver Post Higher Education Writer -> Thursday, February 28, 2002 - David Hawkins, the official historian of the Manhattan Project that ushered in the creation of the atomic bomb dropped on Japan at the end of World War II, died Sunday in Boulder. He was 88. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Old Main Chapel at the University of Colorado-Boulder. Hawkins was a 30-year-old philosophy instructor at Cal-Berkeley when he became an administrative aide at the Los Alamos Laboratory in 1943 and then the Manhattan Project's historian in 1945. In that role he had access to the project's top people, including project director J. Robert Oppenheimer and physicist Edward Teller. He recorded scientists' activities during their secret mission to build the bomb. But with his inside perspective came dire reservations about the bomb's use. "When you multiply something by a million, you lose comprehension of what it means," Hawkins said in a 1990 article in The Summit, a CU campus magazine, noting that uranium 235 in an atomic bomb releases 1 million times the energy of exploding dynamite. He learned that scientists confronted questions about whether the bomb could ignite the atmosphere and destroy life on Earth. He declined to attend the world's first atomic bomb test explosion on a 10-story steel tower in New Mexico just before dawn July 16, 1945, because of his growing reservations. "When people came back from the test they were manic, joyous, delirious. I was upset by that reaction," Hawkins said years later in an interview. Still, he said, he understood the emotions of physicists who had dedicated themselves to the project. He said a petition by Manhattan Project scientists at the University of Chicago to demonstrate the bomb for the Japanese before using it against them was concealed from scientists isolated in Los Alamos and lost momentum. After the war was over, Oppenheimer argued that the bomb should never be developed because there was no way to protect against it, Hawkins said in The Summit article. Hawkins devoted himself to educating the public about nuclear fission and lobbied for an international agency of scientists under the United Nations for cooperative development of nuclear power. But the idea lacked political support. He brought the fight to the Boulder campus when he joined the faculty in 1947, but failed to kindle interest in the issue. His history of the project was declassified in 1961 and detailed in a technical government publication, "Manhattan District History, Project Y." Hawkins, a retired CU philosophy professor on the faculty for 35 years, won the prestigious MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" and $300,000 in 1981. The awards enable creative leaders in a wide range of fields to continue or expand their work. Hawkins himself detested the term "genius." ". . . He thought deeply about so many important matters," said CU philosophy professor emeritus Forrest Williams. "His teachings and writings had an influence on many other thinkers." Hawkins and his wife, Frances, a leader in early childhood education, founded the CU-campus based Mountain View Center for Environmental Education in 1970, which provided advanced education for elementary and preschool teachers. He is survived by Frances, a daughter, Julie Peck of Lebanon, Ohio, and two grandsons. Donations may be sent to The Ogalala Lako LA College, Attn: Marilyn Pourier, Box 490, Kyle, S.D., 57752. All contents Copyright 2002 The Denver Post or other copyright ***************************************************************** 60 More Help Sought for Those Who Blow Whistle (washingtonpost.com) Stronger Safeguards Against Retaliation Urged By Bill Miller Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, February 28, 2002; Page A21 Joined by government insiders who had gone public with concerns about lapses in security at airports, nuclear facilities and borders, three watchdog groups yesterday called for stronger federal laws to protect whistle-blowers from workplace retaliation. "We can do a lot more to defend national security by listening to the messengers," said Tom Devine, legal director for the Government Accountability Project. "These people are the pros on the front lines, and they've been beating their heads against bureaucratic walls for years and warning that we're not prepared." But, Devine said, those who come forward run the risk of being harassed, demoted or put out of work because of loopholes in the federal laws meant to protect them. The 1989 Whistleblower Protection Act was supposed to protect federal employees who wanted to expose misconduct, waste or abuse. But it has been narrowly interpreted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to exclude employees who first take their allegations to supervisors or co-workers, Devine said. Judges also have demanded that employees present "irrefragable," or indisputable, proof of the credibility of their disclosures, a nearly impossible standard, Devine said. Devine spoke at an event billed as the "Paul Revere Forum," in honor of the Revolutionary War hero who rode through Massachusetts in 1775 to warn that British troops were coming. Two other groups -- the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) and the National Whistleblower Center -- joined the call for tougher legislation. "Rather than admit their failings, large institutions always seek to destroy the messenger, no matter how high the stakes," said Danielle Brian, POGO's executive director. The organizations presented first-person accounts from former New York City police detective Frank Serpico, who exposed police corruption in the 1970s, as well as from five people who have warned that the United States remains vulnerable to terrorist attacks. They included Randy Robage, a former nuclear power plant supervisor, who said those facilities remain at risk; former security officer Mathew Zipoli and government consultant Ronald E. Timm, who alleged that security is lax at nuclear weapons research facilities; Darlene Catalan, a former U.S. Customs agent who said railroad tanker cars aren't being adequately checked for explosives at the borders; and Bogdan J. Dzakovic, the leader of a Federal Aviation Administration security team who went public this week with allegations that government officials ignored problems for years. Dzakovic said he led a security team that was able to get weapons or explosives past airport checkpoints in 1998 but that the FAA failed to follow up. The Office of Special Counsel, which investigates whistle-blower cases, asked the Transportation Department to review Dzakovic's complaints on Feb. 5; his allegations were first reported on Monday by USA Today. Yesterday, Dzakovic said he has continued to work for the new federal Transportation Security Administration. FAA officials have declined to discuss the matter but maintained that security problems have been addressed. Advocates said that two measures pending in Congress would protect other whistle-blowers so they could raise similar concerns without fear of reprisals. The first is a proposed amendment to the 1989 law, backed by Rep. Constance A. Morella (R-Md.), that would change the standards to make it easier to win cases. The other is a bill that would make it illegal for public or private employers to retaliate against whistle-blowers and would permit them to take their cases before federal juries. Its backers include Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa). The timing is urgent, Israel said, adding: "I think it's vital that Americans are fully aware of their level of security at our airports and that people working in the federal government aren't afraid of alerting the public to these conditions." © 2002 The Washington Post Company ***************************************************************** 61 WNA NEWS BRIEFING 02.09 | 20- 26 February 2002 A weekly summary of international news relevant to the nuclear energy industry. [NB02.09-1] UK: British Energy (BE) and British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) have signed an agreement to assess the feasibility of the Westinghouse AP1000 advanced pressurised water reactor (APWR) design as a potential nuclear power plant option to replace BE's existing UK nuclear power plants when they reach the end of their planned operating lives. BE's executive chairman, Robin Jeffrey, said the agreement, which will initially run for one year, will 'assess licensing and regulatory issues, and deliver robust cost estimates for the new stations we propose'. (British Energy/BNFL, 26 February; see also News Briefing 01.43-1) [NB02.09-2] USEC Inc and Tenex, the government executive agents under the US-Russian high enriched uranium (HEU) agreement, initialled an extension to their SWU contract on 21 February. The new deal reportedly runs until 2013 and calls for USEC to take delivery of 5.5 million SWU annually beginning in 2003. The price for 2002 deliveries is said to be in the upper US$80s - somewhat less than the US$90.42 price that Tenex received in 2001. After that, the price is determined by a market price formula, which would result in a 2003 price of about US$77, based on a discount of 12% off the market prices indices. According to sources, the contract contains some provision for consultation on prices, but not until 2007. The new contract must still be approved by the US and Russian governments. (FreshFUEL, 25 February, p1; Ux Weekly, 25 February, p2; see also News Briefing 01.46-8) [NB02.09-3] Russia and Ukraine have signed a new protocol of cooperation on peaceful uses of nuclear energy. According to the protocol, Russia stands by its decision to build and place into operation two new Ukrainian reactors - Khmelnitsky-2 and Rovno-4. Additionally, the protocol provides for the establishment of a Russian-Ukrainian-Kazakh joint venture that will produce nuclear fuel. The protocol envisages fresh nuclear fuel supplies for all of Ukraine's operating nuclear power reactors, as well as acceptance by Russia of Ukrainian spent fuel. (NucNet Business News, 14/02, 25 February; Ux Weekly, 25 February, p4) [NB02.09-4] Kazakhstan: The KATCO ISL Project is expected to enter its test phase consisting of a 100 tonnes U (259 980 pounds U3O8) pilot-scale wellfield and processing plant. The project - a joint venture between Cogema of France and KazAtomProm of Kazakhstan - has reportedly already produced initial quantities of yellowcake. (FreshFUEL, 25 February, p5; see also News Briefing 01.37-4) [NB02.09-5] US: Westinghouse Electric Co announced a multi-year agreement designating it as exclusive provider of a broad range of engineering, field services, replacement parts and instrumentation and controls (I&C) equipment for Entergy's nuclear power plants. The value of the agreement to Westinghouse will vary, based on improvements in the operating performance of Entergy's plants. The primary focus of the agreement is on Entergy's five PWRs, but could also include some products and services for BWRs. (Westinghouse Electric Co, 21 February) [NB02.09-6] Japan: Hitachi and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) have agreed to collaborate on basic nuclear power plant technologies for both BWRs and PWRs. The two companies will concentrate on subordinate engineering technologies, such as construction and maintenance of pipes and other auxiliary components. In addition, the two companies will also cooperate in the development of innovative reactor technologies. (NucNet Business News, 14/02, 25 February; Nuclear Market Review, 22 February, p2; Ux Weekly, 25 February, p2) [NB02.09-7] The European Union (EU) must preserve nuclear power as part of its energy mix or risk becoming a 'fossil monster', according to Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen. He also warned against imposing a form of 'energy imperialism' on countries seeking to join the EU. (NucNet News, 72/02, 20 February; Ux Weekly, 25 February, p3) [NB02.09-8] Germany: The national nuclear energy phase-out law is 'a matter for the federal government only' to decide, with the individual states having 'no right to be involved', the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe ruled. The pronuclear state of Hesse filed the complaint with the court because federal officials failed to consult the state when they conducted negotiations with RWE on the shutdown of the Biblis A plant in Hesse. (Nucleonics Week, 21 February, p1; Ux Weekly, 25 February, p4; see also News Briefing 00.51-4) [NB02.09-9] The French Socialist Party of Prime Minister Lionel Jospin has pledged not to generate more nuclear power if it win's France's elections this year. Instead, the party said it would look to alternative sources, including renewable energy. Also, an 'economic evaluation' of the mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel option will be carried out and the number of French nuclear plants using MOX would not be increased. (Ux Weekly, 25 February, p3; NucNet News, 76/02, 21 February) [NB02.09-10] Belgium: Ministers deferred a decision on draft proposals aimed at phasing out nuclear power in the country. State secretary for energy and sustainable development Olivier Deleuze presented the proposals to a meeting of Belgium's 'inner cabinet' on 20 February. However, a decision was delayed and a working group of government energy advisers was asked to review the proposals. The working group's findings will probably be available for discussions by ministers this week. (NucNet News, 74/02, 20 February; Ux Weekly, 25 February, p3; Financial Times, 22 February, p6; see also News Briefing 01.42-7) [NB02.09-11] Netherlands: The Borssele nuclear power plant generated 3.75 TWh of electricity in 2001, a slight increase from the 3.7 TWh produced in 2000. The 449 MWe PWR unit - the country's sole operating power reactor - achieved a load factor of 95.3% in 2001. (NucNet News, 81/02, 25 February; see also News Briefing 00.04-1) [NB02.09-12] UK: 'Procedural and hardware deficiencies' caused an accident at British Nuclear Fuels plc's (BNFL's) Chapelcross nuclear power plant in July 2001, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) has concluded. Two dozen fuel rods slipped and fell to the floor during a refuelling operation at Chaplecross-3. However, the NII said the accident had posed no health risk to workers or the public. The NII's report into the incident has made several recommendations to improve the safety of the defuelling operation. (BBC News Online, 19 February; see also News Briefing 01.29-4) [NB02.09-13] Finland: Of the 200 members of the Finnish parliament, 84 have said they oppose construction of a fifth nuclear power reactor in the country, while 78 support the plan, according to a study by the Helnsingin Sanomat newspaper. The remaining members have either not disclosed their opinion or have yet to decide on the matter. (Ux Weekly, 25 February, p3; see also News Briefing 02.07-9) [NB02.09-14] US: Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) has petitioned the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for a 20-year extension for the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant. If granted, the 476 MWe PWR will be permitted to operate until 2033. (FreshFUEL, 25 February, p5; see also News Briefing 01.51-9) [NB02.09-15] Argentina's two nuclear power plants generated a record 7.1 TWh of electricity in 2001, compared with 6.18 TWh in 2000.Nuclear's share of domestic electricity output increased to 8.3%, up from 7.5% in 2000. The load factor at Atucha-1 was 48.7%, down from 57% in 2000, while that of Embalse increased from 77.2% in 2000 to 97.6% in 2001. (NucNet News, 79/02, 25 February) [NB02.09-16] China: The Ling Ao-1 nuclear power reactor achieved criticality on 4 February, three weeks ahead of schedule. The 984 MWe PWR is scheduled for connection to the grid at 10% power in March, with commercial operation set to start in June. (NucNet News, 75/02, 21 February; see also News Briefing 02.01-8) [NB02.09-17] India's 14 operational nuclear power plants generated a record 19.19 TWh of electricity in 2001, up from 14.21 TWh in 2000. The (provisional) nuclear share of total electricity generation rose to some 3.76% based on gross generation with an average load factor of 83%. (NucNet News, 77/02, 22 February; see also News Briefing 99.03-1) [NB02.09-18] Pakistan: The country's two nuclear power plants generated 1.98 TWh of electricity in 2001, compared with 1.08 TWh in 2000. Nuclear accounted for almost 2.9% of total domestic electricity production, up from 1.7% in 2000. The average capacity factors of the two plants were: Kanupp, 37.6% and Chasnupp, 60.2%. (NucNet News, 80/02, 25 February) [NB02.09-19] Japan: The governor of Fukushima prefecture, Eisako Sato, reportedly aims to conclude an ongoing review of Japanese nuclear fuel cycle policy by the end of March. Until then, no decision will be made by Sato on a bid by Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) to load fresh mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel assemblies at its Fukushima I-3 BWR, and initiate Japan's delayed LWR plutonium recycling programme. The initial load of fuel - 32 BWR assemblies - is being stored at the Fukushima site pending approval by Sato to load the fuel. (Nuclear Fuel, 18 February, p7; see also News Briefing 01.14-13) [NB02.09-20] The Russian parliament gave preliminary approval for a special committee to oversee the proposed project to import foreign spent nuclear fuel. The 20-member committee, chaired by Russia's physics Noble laureate Zhores Alferov, would be made up of presidential, government and parliamentary representatives. (SpentFUEL, 18 February, p3; see also News Briefing 01.29-3) [NB02.09-21] US: The General Accounting Office (GAO) - Congress' investigative arm - filed suit in US District Court in Washington DC, against the White House on 22 February after a 10-month standoff in trying to retrieve information on the energy task force that drafted US national energy policy in 2001. The filing asks the court to force Vice President Richard Cheney - head of the Bush administration's energy task force - to turn over the records. The GAO says it is entitled to know who met with the task force and what the meetings were about. (Ux Weekly, 25 February, p2; see also News Briefing 01.21-3) Previous News Briefing NB02.08 ***************************************************************** 62 Defending Whistleblowers | csmonitor.com + Commentary > The Monitor's View from the February 28, 2002 edition The public is well served by the courageous few who put their careers at risk by going public about a dangerous or unethical situation in their area of work. The latest example of such noble whistleblowing is Enron's Sherron Watkins, who brought to light the accounting fiction of Enron's books. But she, like many whistleblowers, had difficulties getting the truth out. About 90 percent of whistleblowers experience some reprisal or threat of one. A public forum is being held on Capitol Hill this week to drum up more protection for public truth-tellers, whether they be in aviation, nuclear power plants, border security, or the military. Many parts of government rely on secrecy for their work but, as Tom Devine of the watchdog Government Accountability Project points out in these post-9/11 days: "Secrecy can be a threat to national security. It can sustain government breakdowns that create vulnerability to terrorism." The 1989 Whistleblower Protection Act needs to have some loopholes closed, and a bipartisan effort within Congress to do just that is gaining momentum. Congress should seize the opportunity to make sure citizens who sound the alarm have the rights - and protections - they need in order to help safeguard the greater society. Copyright © 2002 The Christian Science Monitor. All rights reserved. ***************************************************************** 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. 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