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"A petition was drawn up four years ago by some past employees of Pantex and other chemical weapons plants. The petition asks for acknowledgement that deadly levels of radiation were present at Pantex for over 40 years. Sarah Ray listened to her phone intently this morning to a conference call between experts on past radiation levels, at the Amarillo Pantex plant. "The site profile is fine as far as today's conditions but there is no information that represents past practices," says former employee Sarah Ray. She and other former chemical weapons plant workers developed an argument for why fast compensation is necessary for those who suffer from illness related to their time in the plant."

"On March 31, retired Sgt. Hermogenes Marrero was told during a visit to the Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient clinic in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, that he didn't have cancer - or at least, his official VA computer file no longer showed any record of cancer. But Marrero was not relieved. He had been diagnosed twice before with colon cancer and suffers today from a dozen other illnesses, including Lou Gehrig's disease, failing vision, a lung condition that keeps him on oxygen around the clock, not to mention tumors throughout his body. The terminally ill and wheelchair-bound, 57-year-old veteran immediately suspected that the U.S. government had manipulated his medical record."

"Henri Proglio and Gerard Mestrallet, the Frenchmen who run the world's biggest utilities, fought for a decade to win water contracts around the world. Now, the rivalry goes nuclear. Proglio took the helm at state-controlled Electricite de France SA in November, charged with spearheading the nuclear power producer's push into Asia and North America as France bids to build reactors overseas. At GDF Suez SA, an energy and water group built on France's former natural-gas monopoly, Mestrallet wants to promote a reactor design that may compete with his larger rival. At stake is France's ambition to turn its expertise as the world's largest producer of nuclear power after the U.S. into export revenue as governments around the world build atomic plants to cut reliance on fossil fuels. "

"The Vermont Yankee nuclear plant has dropped its effort to bar a documentary filmmaker from bringing his camera along on a tour of the plant with the state Public Service Board. Robbie Leppzer of TurningTide Productions has been working since January on a documentary about the debate over relicensing Vermont Yankee. The plant had originally told him he could come on the tour but could not bring his camera - even though it said it would allow other television cameras on the tour."

Some news outlets are reporting that the meltdown was a level 4 which means it will only have local consequences. Whether this level changes remains to be seen. When this article was first posted a picture was used that turned out to be a fake. This was a clear accident and has been fixed. All information on this article is up to date and will be updated as more information comes in. SEE THIS ARTICLE - Japan nuclear fallout map - HOAX - The problem with the hoax is that the map was consistent with actual jet stream maps but was labeled as official when it was not. Multiple alternative medicine specialists have been quoted as saying that the west coast is likely to get hit.

French animation of radiation from Fukushima

The head of the state Senate says it will be much more difficult for the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant to win legislative approval for a 20 year license extension if the plant gets a new owner. On Wednesday Senate president Pro Tem Peter Shumlin criticized the Department of Public Service for reversing itself and deciding to support a plan by Entergy Nuclear to create a new company that would own Vermont Yankee and five other nuclear plants. Shumlin says the transaction means Vermont Yankee will no longer be owned by a financially strong company, but by a new firm with $4.7 billion in what he calls "junk bond" debt.

The head of the state Senate says it will be much more difficult for the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant to win legislative approval for a 20 year license extension if the plant gets a new owner. On Wednesday Senate president Pro Tem Peter Shumlin criticized the Department of Public Service for reversing itself and deciding to support a plan by Entergy Nuclear to create a new company that would own Vermont Yankee and five other nuclear plants. Shumlin says the transaction means Vermont Yankee will no longer be owned by a financially strong company, but by a new firm with $4.7 billion in what he calls "junk bond" debt.

The Pacific Association for Radiation Survivors will hold a candlelight vigil ceremony at Skinner Plaza in Hagatna tomorrow. On November 1, 1952, the first hydrogen bomb was detonated in the Marshall Islands and three days later, nuclear fallout contained high levels of radiation. PARS President Robert Celestial says every year a vigil is held to pray for those who passed on as a result of radiation exposure and also push for the passage of H.R. 1630, which was introduced by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo back in March. Celestial said, "It's to amend the law to include Guam in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. "In 2005, the National Research Council identified and reported to Congress that Guam and residents during that time period from 1946 through 1974 are eligible for this restitution." The vigil begins at 6:30 tomorrow evening at the Skinner Plaza.

The Pacific Association for Radiation Survivors will hold a candlelight vigil ceremony at Skinner Plaza in Hagatna tomorrow. On November 1, 1952, the first hydrogen bomb was detonated in the Marshall Islands and three days later, nuclear fallout contained high levels of radiation. PARS President Robert Celestial says every year a vigil is held to pray for those who passed on as a result of radiation exposure and also push for the passage of H.R. 1630, which was introduced by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo back in March. Celestial said, "It's to amend the law to include Guam in the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. "In 2005, the National Research Council identified and reported to Congress that Guam and residents during that time period from 1946 through 1974 are eligible for this restitution." The vigil begins at 6:30 tomorrow evening at the Skinner Plaza.

The Marshall Islands has become the 151st state to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, according to a press release issued today (see GSN, Oct. 9). The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization called the Oct. 28 move "highly symbolic." The United States from 1946 to 1958 conducted 67 nuclear test blasts in the atmosphere above the Marshall Islands' Bikini and Enewetak atolls. The treaty to date has been signed by 182 nations and ratified by 151 countries. In the Pacific islands region, 12 states have signed and 10 countries have ratified the treaty. Niue, Tonga and Tuvalu have yet to join the list of signatories. Before it can enter it to force, the treaty must be ratified by the 44 "Annex 2" countries. There are nine holdouts -- China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States.

The Marshall Islands has become the 151st state to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, according to a press release issued today (see GSN, Oct. 9). The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization called the Oct. 28 move "highly symbolic." The United States from 1946 to 1958 conducted 67 nuclear test blasts in the atmosphere above the Marshall Islands' Bikini and Enewetak atolls. The treaty to date has been signed by 182 nations and ratified by 151 countries. In the Pacific islands region, 12 states have signed and 10 countries have ratified the treaty. Niue, Tonga and Tuvalu have yet to join the list of signatories. Before it can enter it to force, the treaty must be ratified by the 44 "Annex 2" countries. There are nine holdouts -- China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States.

Vermont Yankee critics are gearing up for another campaign aimed at persuading state lawmakers to turn thumbs-down on the plant's request for a 20-year license extension. A coalition of groups including Vermont Public Interest Research Group and former Gov. Phil Hoff are announcing the campaign Thursday. It's aimed at getting more Vermont towns to pass resolutions on Town Meeting Day opposing Vermont Yankee's bid to remain operating past its scheduled 2012 closing. Last year, 36 towns passed such a measure.

Vermont Yankee critics are gearing up for another campaign aimed at persuading state lawmakers to turn thumbs-down on the plant's request for a 20-year license extension. A coalition of groups including Vermont Public Interest Research Group and former Gov. Phil Hoff are announcing the campaign Thursday. It's aimed at getting more Vermont towns to pass resolutions on Town Meeting Day opposing Vermont Yankee's bid to remain operating past its scheduled 2012 closing. Last year, 36 towns passed such a measure.

Although nuclear arms control is not likely to be a major agenda item during President Barack Obama's visit to China, it should be. One of the obstacles facing the president as he seeks to realize the ambitious goals endorsed by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee is the need to transform the primarily bilateral strategic arms control relationship inherited from the Cold War into one that places greater emphasis on multilateral frameworks. Although Moscow and Washington have made progress in negotiating a replacement for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) that expires this December, other nuclear weapons states must also join this reduction process, which thus far has been almost exclusively a Russian-American affair.

Although nuclear arms control is not likely to be a major agenda item during President Barack Obama's visit to China, it should be. One of the obstacles facing the president as he seeks to realize the ambitious goals endorsed by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee is the need to transform the primarily bilateral strategic arms control relationship inherited from the Cold War into one that places greater emphasis on multilateral frameworks. Although Moscow and Washington have made progress in negotiating a replacement for the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) that expires this December, other nuclear weapons states must also join this reduction process, which thus far has been almost exclusively a Russian-American affair.

he U.S. Government Accountability Office has found that the National Nuclear Security Administration's is not doing enough to prevent rogue actors from acquiring nuclear-weapon components from at least one facility, the Kansas City Star reported yesterday (see GSN, June 8). The GAO report focuses on current operations and plans for a site that would replace a facility in Kansas City. Mo. The Kansas City Plant, overseen by the nuclear agency and managed by a private contractor, produces 85 percent of the non-nuclear components that go into building the average nuclear weapon. Congressional auditors said it has not done enough to ensure that sensitive "dual-use" equipment does not fall into the hands of terrorist organizations or foreign countries.

he U.S. Government Accountability Office has found that the National Nuclear Security Administration's is not doing enough to prevent rogue actors from acquiring nuclear-weapon components from at least one facility, the Kansas City Star reported yesterday (see GSN, June 8). The GAO report focuses on current operations and plans for a site that would replace a facility in Kansas City. Mo. The Kansas City Plant, overseen by the nuclear agency and managed by a private contractor, produces 85 percent of the non-nuclear components that go into building the average nuclear weapon. Congressional auditors said it has not done enough to ensure that sensitive "dual-use" equipment does not fall into the hands of terrorist organizations or foreign countries.