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Senator Tom Carper (D-Del) convened a hearing on nuclear waste issues at MIT on Monday, May 18. The Senator is the Chairman of the Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee of the Committee on Environment and Public Works. The panel consisted of Dr. Charles Forsberg, Executive Director of the Fuel Cycle Study, Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, MIT Dr. Matthew Bunn, Associate Professor of Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University Dr. Ernest Moniz, Director, MIT Energy Initiative and Laboratory for Energy and the Environment, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics, MIT Dr. Andrew Kadak, Professor of the Practice of Nuclear Engineering, Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, MIT

The Environment Centre in the Northern Territory is urging the Federal Government to stop uranium exports to all countries with nuclear weapons. The Environment Centre's Justin Tutty told a parliamentary hearing in Darwin today there is no concrete guarantees that uranium sold for energy will not be used for nuclear weapons. Mr Tutty says the committee needs to recognise Australia's uranium exports do have an impact on nuclear proliferation.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission moved too quickly to license too many reactors in the years before the March 1979 Three Mile Island-2 accident, former NRC commissioner Peter Bradford told a Senate panel March 24. Bradford, now an adjunct professor at the Institute for Energy and the Environment at the Vermont Law School, testified that one of the lessons from the accident was that "nuclear power is least safe when complacency and pressure to expedite are highest." Other witnesses told the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety that the industry and regulators must remain vigilant and guard against becoming complacent. NRC Chairman Dale Klein and the other three commissioners said revisions to emergency preparedness planning, modifications to plant control room equipment, better operator training and changes to the agency's enforcement authority have improved safety conditions in the industry. Marvin Fertel, the president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute, said the creation of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations nine months after the accident helped the industry to "strive for excellence" in plant operations rather than just meet the minimum regulatory requirements.

"At least 27 of America's 104 aging atomic reactors are known to be leaking radioactive tritium, which is linked to cancer if inhaled or ingested through the throat or skin. February 12, 2010 | LIKE THIS ARTICLE ? Join our mailing list: Sign up to stay up to date on the latest Environment headlines via email. Advertisement Like a decayed flotilla of rickety steamers, at least 27 of America's 104 aging atomic reactors are known to be leaking radioactive tritium, which is linked to cancer if inhaled or ingested through the throat or skin. The fallout has been fiercest at Vermont Yankee, where a flood of cover-ups has infuriated and terrified near neighbors who say the reactor was never meant to operate more than 30 years, and must now shut. In 2007 one of Yankee's 22 cooling towers simply collapsed due to rot. "

Whose responsibility is it to notify prospective homebuyers when there is radioactive uranium mill tailings on a property? Erin Toll, director of Colorado's Division of Real Estate, said it's the responsibility of real estate agents. The Division of Real Estate is the licensing, regulation and enforcement agency for the real estate industry in Colorado. Mill tailings are "absolutely an adverse material fact that brokers would be required to disclose if they knew about it," Toll said. And if they don't know they should, Toll said. "Most brokers are aware of environmental impacts of the region they serve, even without the training," that the Colorado Department of Public Health and environment is currently conducting, Toll said.

Whose responsibility is it to notify prospective homebuyers when there is radioactive uranium mill tailings on a property? Erin Toll, director of Colorado's Division of Real Estate, said it's the responsibility of real estate agents. The Division of Real Estate is the licensing, regulation and enforcement agency for the real estate industry in Colorado. Mill tailings are "absolutely an adverse material fact that brokers would be required to disclose if they knew about it," Toll said. And if they don't know they should, Toll said. "Most brokers are aware of environmental impacts of the region they serve, even without the training," that the Colorado Department of Public Health and environment is currently conducting, Toll said.

"* To suspend $10 bln in investment over next 5 years * Cites deteriorating regulatory environment in Florida * Progress Energy sees similar regulatory action * FPL shares off 3 pct, Progress shares edge up - FPL Group Inc, owner of the largest utility in Florida, said it would halt spending on projects in the state representing about $10 billion of investment over the next five years because of a deteriorating regulatory environment. The Florida Public Service Commission on Wednesday unanimously rejected FPL's request to raise its base rates by 30 percent, or $1.3 billion, and instead allowed an increase of $75.4 million."

"Rep. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., chairman of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee, today announced his request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) commence a thorough review of the adequacy of nuclear reactor safety regulations and oversight, as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) process of granting licenses for both new and existing nuclear power plants. "For nuclear power to play a major role in our nation's clean energy future, the public must have confidence that new reactors can be built safely and that existing reactors can continue to operate reliably," said Markey. "We need to make sure that nuclear plants are adequately protected from both safety and fiscal problems that could place the public at risk." Chairman Markey, whose Energy and Environment Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the nuclear power industry, requested the GAO report in order to find out:"

"German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen is reportedly considering stripping the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) of its nuclear waste duties to expedite storage at the controversial Gorleben site. Daily newspaper Die Tageszeitung reported on Tuesday that sources at Röttgen's ministry said he may take away responsibility for the final disposal of nuclear waste from the BfS by creating another government agency or privatising the process. The potential change resulted from a conflict between Röttgen and BfS President Wolfram König. Whereas Röttgen on Monday announced the Environment Ministry would end a moratorium on exploring possible storage at the controversial underground site at Gorleben in the sate of Lower Saxony, König has said the site fails to meet international safety standards. "

"State considers whether cooling systems that harm environment should be phased out New state rules would require that the cooling system used at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant be phased out within the next 15 years, but would allow plant managers to apply for alternatives that reduce cost. The goal of the rules is to eliminate the method known as once-through cooling, which uses billions of gallons of ocean water daily to cool electrical steam generators. State water officials consider once-through cooling used by 19 coastal power plants to be too damaging to the ocean environment. "Ultimately, once-through cooling has got to go," said Dave Clegern, spokesman for the State Water Resources Control Board. The rules would allow Diablo Canyon, owned by Pacific Gas and Electric Co., and a nuclear plant at San Onofre to apply for less stringent requirements to offset the damage of their cooling systems if eliminating once-through cooling is determined to be "wholly out of proportion to the cost.""

"As the crow flies, the Indian Point nuclear power plant is just 30 miles south of Vassar. Opposition to nuclear power plants runs deep-images of Chernobyl and memories of Three Mile Island are tritely commonplace. Is opposition to Indian Point driven by "not in my backyard" arguments? The plant should be decommissioned for many reasons: With the Nuclear Regulatory Commission currently reviewing Indian Point for a 20-year license renewal, compelling evidence is emerging that the plant is a threat to both human populations and the environment. Nuclear power is important to the future of energy, but Indian Point is not a safe and effective example of this promising power source. The New York State Department of environmental Conservation (DEC) thinks so, too-on April 3, The New York Times reported that the DEC found Indian Point in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. This is a major setback for Indian Point's operator, Entergy Corporation, as the DEC's approval is a vital step in the relicensing process. The DEC found that Indian Point's "once-through" cooling system, which draws billions of gallons of Hudson River water daily to cool the reactors, kills billions of fish every year. This is due to the fact that the system discharges heated water from the plant, which increases the temperature of the Hudson's fragile estuarine environment. This increase in temperature reduces the amount of oxygen that can dissolve in the water, which causes aquatic life to suffocate."

"Nuclear power has never lived up to the promises of its backers. Their latest claim -- that nuclear energy represents an easy answer to global warming -- has as much validity as that old industry chestnut of producing energy "too cheap to meter." Let's not be duped again. Four decades ago, when I served as national coordinator for the first Earth Day, millions of Americans mobilized on behalf of the environment. This year, we know that the centerpiece of a healthy environment is safe, clean and sustainable energy. Climate change was a phrase unknown back in 1970; today it is part of our popular vocabulary. Halting the advance of global warming tops the priority list of environmental issues that threaten our well-being."

"In a surprise development, the government has decided to refer the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests instead of the one on Energy as was widely expected. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Energy is headed by SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav while the one on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests is chaired by Congress member in Rajya Sabha T Subbarami Reddy. Yadav was a vocal critic of the Bill till some time back though he was apparently won over by the government at the time of the Bill's introduction in Lok Sabha on the last day of the Budget session. "

A meeting of the Department of Energy's Site Specific Advisory Board for clean up and reuse of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant at Piketon brought forth a tug of war. Much like the Huntington downtown Superblock which lay fallow for nearly 30 years, uses for the contaminated site break down to two camps: Clean up the radioactive waste that still kills former workers versus possibly attracting a so-called new nuclear plant that would allegedly be safe. The latter would bring jobs to an area starving for employment. But, many nearby residents do not trust the statements that a 'new' nuclear plant would not continue the odyssey of cover ups since the former facility opened during the Cold War in the 1950s. However, after an elaborate news conference in the summer of 2009, the project dropped off the radar. Activist and former Piketon employee Vina Colley, referred to past contamination as a reason to avoid nuclear power. "All of their drains and laundry [water] where they washed contaminated clothes and [water from] equipment washed off went into the local creeks, which emptied into the Scioto River, then filtered to the Ohio and down to the Mississippi. We're not the only ones affected. The whole world is affected by what these nuclear facilities are producing and releasing into the environment."

A meeting of the Department of Energy's Site Specific Advisory Board for clean up and reuse of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant at Piketon brought forth a tug of war. Much like the Huntington downtown Superblock which lay fallow for nearly 30 years, uses for the contaminated site break down to two camps: Clean up the radioactive waste that still kills former workers versus possibly attracting a so-called new nuclear plant that would allegedly be safe. The latter would bring jobs to an area starving for employment. But, many nearby residents do not trust the statements that a 'new' nuclear plant would not continue the odyssey of cover ups since the former facility opened during the Cold War in the 1950s. However, after an elaborate news conference in the summer of 2009, the project dropped off the radar. Activist and former Piketon employee Vina Colley, referred to past contamination as a reason to avoid nuclear power. "All of their drains and laundry [water] where they washed contaminated clothes and [water from] equipment washed off went into the local creeks, which emptied into the Scioto River, then filtered to the Ohio and down to the Mississippi. We're not the only ones affected. The whole world is affected by what these nuclear facilities are producing and releasing into the environment."

A meeting of the Department of Energy's Site Specific Advisory Board for clean up and reuse of the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant at Piketon brought forth a tug of war. Much like the Huntington downtown Superblock which lay fallow for nearly 30 years, uses for the contaminated site break down to two camps: Clean up the radioactive waste that still kills former workers versus possibly attracting a so-called new nuclear plant that would allegedly be safe. The latter would bring jobs to an area starving for employment. But, many nearby residents do not trust the statements that a 'new' nuclear plant would not continue the odyssey of cover ups since the former facility opened during the Cold War in the 1950s. However, after an elaborate news conference in the summer of 2009, the project dropped off the radar. Activist and former Piketon employee Vina Colley, referred to past contamination as a reason to avoid nuclear power. "All of their drains and laundry [water] where they washed contaminated clothes and [water from] equipment washed off went into the local creeks, which emptied into the Scioto River, then filtered to the Ohio and down to the Mississippi. We're not the only ones affected. The whole world is affected by what these nuclear facilities are producing and releasing into the environment."

"What if Deepwater Horizon was a nuclear plant? Extracting fossil fuels from ever-more-difficult environments is a dangerous business, a truth underlined spectacularly by the explosion at the Massey mine in April that killed 29 miners or the Deepwater Horizon spill that has left the Louisiana coast a blackened brackish mess. Not in decades has the nuclear option looked more attractive. Earlier this year, the government extended funding to build two new reactors at the Vogtle plant * in Georgia, likely the first reactors to go online since 1996, and a lot more may be in the works. Oil and coal disasters like Massey and Deepwater Horizon may be some of the best arguments for nuclear power."

The number of radioactive particles from Dounreay threatening to contaminate a public beach two miles from the plant is six times greater than previously thought, according to experts. The Dounreay Particles Advisory Group, which advises the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) on the hundreds of thousands of particles believed to have been dispersed from the Caithness plant in the early-1960s, said that around 400 or 500 particles were extending into Sandside Bay on the north coast.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who found it odd that GOP presidential hopeful John McCain, in recalling Democrat Barack Obama's position on nuclear energy, as: It has to be safe. Environment. Blah, blah, blah. After this remark, the crowd in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, went wild. Blah, blah, blah? I write it almost every day as a placeholder when I'm setting up a blog post. But coming from a presidential candidate? And getting applause? This is great oratory?

Ecologists Timothy Mousseau and Anders Pape Moller have been studying long-term effects of radioactive contamination on nature since 1999 in the closed area surrounding Chornobyl, the site of world's worst nuclear disaster on April 26, 1986. Their work is taking place in the exclusion zone, a 30-kilometer radius around the nuclear power plant. It provides a perfect ground for the study of biodiversity and survival of animals living in the conditions of irradiated environment. The team has documented many consequences of radiation, including dramatically increased rates of genetic mutation, lower life spans and lower reproduction rates of some species.

The Trade & Environment Database (TED) is a collection of categorical case studies that began with a focus on solely Environmental issues, but did not include the economic consequences of other social policy choices, such as culture, rights, or other issues. TED cases include 28 categories that include both coded and reporting, organized into 6 clusters of information with extensive search and knowledge capabilities. There are around 700 TED cases studies. Please search the TED databases, read more about our research, see about the TED book, participate in Mandala events, and get involved (internships and distance learning). Click here to see the NEW Geographic Indications and International Trade (GIANT) project

The French nuclear giant Areva yesterday confirmed there was a radioactive leak from a broken pipe at a nuclear fuel plant in south-eastern France, a week after a uranium spill at another of its plants polluted the local water supply. The latest incident comes as an embarra

Ontario Power Generation has cleared another hurdle on its way to a possible refurbishment of the four reactors on the 'B' side of the Pickering nuclear station. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the federal regulator, accepted the conclusions of an environmental assessment conducted by OPG that the refurbishment work won't impact the environment. In its ruling, the CNSC stated the refurbishment "is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects," provided mitigating measures are taken.