Saturday, January 13, 2007

Just How Many Nuclear Secrets Are Being Kept From Us?

Open debate on America's nuclear future, on the world's nuclear future...forget it. Fair, honest relicensing hearings that make decisions on citizen and environmental health and safety...again, forget it, not going to happen. Just how many secrets are being kept from us, and for what reasons?

Calling Green Peace To Action...Sharing of Open Letter To Their Washington Office

Where is Green Peace?

Felt Compelled to share a few thoughts on this....

Price Anderson combined with the waiver for any damages caused from nuclear that is included as part and parcel of every homeowners policy is reason enough to oppose the planned nuclear renaissance being planned for America. Conservative estimates from 1980 studies estimate that a major nuclear incident here in America would cause between $43-78 Billion dollars in damages. Most host communities around nuclear reactors have seen large increases in both population and infrastructure, and real estate values have sky rocketed, so that figure is wantonly low. The Price Anderson Act sets liability for the industry at $9 billion. Further, if we look at Hurricane Katrina, people are NEVER MADE WHOLE, yet Entergy was made whole with almost $300 million in community block grants that allowed them to recoup 90 cents of every dollar lost, and get new infrastructure as a part of the bargain. Meanwhile, the average citizen affected by that tragedy is anywhere from being whole....would the aftermath of a major nuclear incident be any different?

As for meltdown...how many bullets have so far been dodged, and I am talking about the ones we have been allowed to know about? In Sweden (2006), and in Japan (1999) we have seen incidents that almost became biblical in the past six years, with the accident in Japan out right killing three workers...most disturbing in that accident, is the incident time frame, as it shows you a evacuation could become necessary in America, and in a similar event here in America to the one in Japan, the evacuation processes will not work. We twice now have had worker error almost blow up two nuclear bombs (both over 100 times more powerful than the one that went off at Hiroshima), and just last month we had a semi trailer of fuel grade uranium oxide tip over in North Carolina...if it was no big deal, why did they (Homeland Security) instantly throw an exclusionary zone around the area, thus blacking out the press? Car chases have gotten more coverage on FOX and CNN than this event recieved.

Lastly, the process to re license facilities has been fixed, as in collusion between industry, NRC and DOE....FACT....you cannot have this rebirth of Nuclear if you close down a large percentage of these aging reactors...in fact, you need ALMOST ALL OF THEM TO BE re licensed. Known design flaws...removed from consideration in the re licensing process with the statement they are grand fathered in. Leaking spent fuel rod storage facilities...not a part of the process, as it is NOT THE REACTOR. Degradation of the rivers...Sheehan of the NRC has been quoted,"though said degradation is real, it is not enough at any facility to deny re licensing." Further, many of these reactors around the world (over 400) are water cooled, and that is not expected to change all that much in the next generation of reactors. Using Indian Point as one example, it requires 2.5 Billion Gallons of water each and every day to cool said reactor. That water is returned to the Hudson River at around 100 degrees. Now call me foolish, but what is the contribution towards global warming when nuclear reactors are warming our water ways to the tune of 365 trillion gallons a year of 100 degree water? Why does the NRC, DOE and the nuclear industry refuse to bring forward publically this discussion?

Waste streams...read the hand writing on the wall...they (DOE and NRC) are going to wave a magic wand and make most of it disappear by re labeling it as future use resources (has been done before), which is why DOE is planning on getting into the reprocessing business big time. Further, they are getting into the reprocessing business as uranium, contrary to what industry would have us believe, is not a renewable resource...their claim of a 2-3,000 year supply of uranium relies upon some very fuzzy science at best, specifically mining the uranium out of sea water...now, how many of us are seriously comfortable with the nuclear industry owning and operating these huge floating uranium mining vessels as they suck hundreds of trillions of gallons of our ocean waters through some as yet to be invented process to strip out the uranium?

Lastly, what about the other sources of energy that are truly renewable? If you start following the money, America is being set up to subsidize the nuclear industry to the tune of TRILLIONS of dollars. (I have read one DOE estimate that places the amount at between $4-7.5 Trillion). Where would solar, wind, geothermal and other alternative fuels be with this kind of investment on the part of our government.

I may be naive, but if there ever was a fight to wade into, this is the one. If we as a nation are going to again go down the nuclear roadway, should it not be done honestly, and should we not have an open and FAIR national debate? Is it fair that host communities are not getting a true and fair hering/vote on all these relicensing petitions? As a stakeholder at Indian Point Nuclear Reactors owned by Entergy, and as the publisher of http://greennuclearbutterfly.blogspot.com there is little I can do but sound the alarm as best as I can, whereas, yourself, your organization have a far wider audience. We have been told to think globally, but act locally....we have it backwards, and that is why the nuclear industry is winning. Local grassroots are orphans with no chance at stopping the Nuclear Power 2010 juggernaut...instead, we need to band these organizations together and take this issue to the national stage, demand one bill in Congress co-signed by all Congressman and Senators around reactor communities...do your homework, and here is what you will find...using Indian Point as one example.

In 2006 Maurice Hinchey introduced a bill calling for a safety and security assessment of ONLY INDIAN POINT that was co-signed by only the three other congress members around Indian Point, and Hillary Clinton introduced a similar bill with no co-sponsors...both bills were read twice at committee level and officially KILLED when sent to sub-committee. Interesting enough, at about the same time, five members of Congress around Vermont Yankee wrote a letter to Mr. Diaz at the NRC demanding the same action for that facility...surely you see the devious and duplicitous deceit going on? Two reactors, both seeking the same action, but doing it in a way that both actions could DIE ON THE VINE while locally the Congressmen and women could feign concern....this deceit has occurred around every reactor community in America. Where is one NATIONAL BILL calling on a moratorium on all re licensing actions until such time as a safety and security assessment has been done for every reactor in America...further, where is Green Peace is making this happen?

Royce Penstinger
Green Nuclear Butterfly
www.greennuclearbutterfly.com

If Indian Point and Other Reactors So Safe, Why Does DOE Deny Us Access to Information That Spells Out Those Risk We Face? Are We NOT STAKEHOLDERS?

So, the NEI, foreign reactor owners and others can have SPECIAL ACCESS to information, but members of the general public living within the circle of death that is life living by a reactor are not? Just what risks are being HIDDEN FROM US, and WHY? As stakeholders, do we not deserver HONEST ANSWERS?
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If Nuclear Reactors Are SAFE, Why Has Homeland Security Made 2007 The Year To Be Ready To Shelter In Place?

OK...someone answer me this. The NRC and our nuclear industry (Entergy/Indian Point) would have us believe that Indian Point is safe, secure and vital. Further, they would have us believe that our evacuation plan will work...they have gone so far, as to eliminate flawed evacuation plans as a reason to deny relicensing! So, if Indian Point and all the other reactors are ever so safe why has Chertoff and Homeland Security made 2007 the year for Americans to be ready to SHELTER IN PLACE?

Resolve to be Ready in 2007

December 28, 2006
— Americans can make a New Year’s resolution that is both important and easy to keep – to prepare themselves, their families and their businesses for emergencies. "We want 2007 to be a year when our nation’s families and businesses take steps to prepare for emergencies," said Secretary Michael Chertoff. "Setting a clear goal to be prepared in 2007 is an easy way for all Americans to be as ready as possible if an emergency occurs."

Read more at Ready.com:
http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html
Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

- Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
- Local maps

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:

- Prescription medications and glasses
- Infant formula and diapers
- Pet food and extra water for your pet
- Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
- Cash or traveler's checks and change
- Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
- Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. -Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
- Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
- Fire Extinguisher
- Matches in a waterproof container
- Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
- Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
- Paper and pencil
- Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Friday, January 12, 2007

News NRC, DOE and Entergy/NuStart HIDE FROM YOU-NEAR MELT DOWN IN SWEDEN

So, nuclear is clean, green, safe and secure? Then how come the industry tries to hide so many NEAR MISSES? Going through the nuclear news sources, just found this interesting story from Sweden where it seems we ALMOST HAD A MELTDOWN worse than Chernobyl just this past year! Seems the industry is not near as safe as they would like us to think it is.

NUCLEAR SCARE
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,430458,00.html
How Close Did Sweden Come to Disaster?

How Long To We Let Entergy DODGE BULLETS Before SAYING NO?
By Philip Bethge and Sebastian Knauer

The incident at Sweden's Forsmark plant underscores the vulnerability inherent in the process of producing nuclear energy. Experts say the accident won't be the last of its kind.

The culprit was as simple as it was troubling: a short-circuit. But that short-circuit caused an electricity failure that nearly led to catastrophe at Sweden's Forsmark 1 nuclear reactor.

Nearly two weeks ago, around noon on July 25, a power outage occured at Forsmark, throwing the plant's control room into a state of chaos. As the power failed, so did two of the plant's four emergency backup generators. The numbers on the controls started to go berserk, and it took a full 23 minutes before the workers, who for a time had no idea what was happening inside the reactor, were able to bring Forsmark 1 back under control.

Describing the mishap, the environmental organization Green Peace wrote that the events at Forsmark were comparable to a "ghost ship," with nobody at the rudder. And the Swedish Environment Ministry described the event as a "serious" safety incident. Swedish nuclear expert Lars-Olov Högland, who served as chief of construction for Vattenfall until 1986, put it far more dramatically. "It was pure luck that there was not a meltdown," he said. "It was the worst incident since Chernobyl and Harrisburg," a reference to the 1979 meltdown at Three-Mile Island in Pennsylvania.

Trojan Nuclear Power Plant Cooling Tower Implosion

1 May 2006 ~ Cooling tower demolition at the decomissioned Trojan Nuclear Power Plant. The tower WAS located on the south bank of the Columbia River about 20 minutes south of Portland, Oregon near the town of Ranier.



The NRC conveniently has removed the large plane scenario from their security assessment, yet as this video clearly shows, an explosion can easily take down a nuclear reactor.

Many more videos of this event posted on YouTube. Visualize these images in your mind to manifest the fate of the old and tired Indian Point nuclear power plant. Repeat after us: "Indian Point will NOT get its licence renewed!" Play it again and again, like a joyful mantra in your head... That's the spirit. You'll see, good news is contagious!

Please Sign Our Petition To Shut Down Indian Point

A Chernobyl Reality...Don't Believe Industry Lies.
Just a reminder, we need you to sign our petition to CLOSE INDIAN POINT, and we need you to have your friends and family sign it as well. We want to present the signatures of 50,000 Americans to Congressman John Hall demanding that he open congressional investigations into the SCAM being run on host communities who are being forced to play host to Entergy's aging and unsafe nuclear reactors (Pilgrim, Indian Point, Vermont Yankee). You can sign our petition here.

Relicensing SHAM...We Need Federal Investigations...PROCESS IS FIXED

Could the next Holocaust occur in your city or town?
OK...I am a NUTCASE, a conspiracy weirdo...or at least some would paint me out as so. Well, where are our Congressmen and Women demanding investigations of the NRC, DOE, the nuclear industry and George W. Bush for deliberately rubber stamping the re licensing applications of EVERY SINGLE REACTOR IN AMERICA? That's right, the FIX IS IN, and leave no doubt about it. Pilgrim, Vermont Yankee, Indian Point and every other community who is currently hosting an aging nuclear reactor is going to be FORCED to continue said hosting because our government, George Bush have decided behind our back to force a rebirth of nuclear energy down our throats! He is killing our troops with a SURGE in Iraq, and potentially killing us with a SURGE here in America to support the nuclear industry at ALL COSTS.
You like nuclear, think it is GREEN, that is your choice. BUT, where is the honest open debate of the issue, where is our SAY AS A DEMOCRATIC NATION in deciding the future we travel down? If you live in a community being forcibly RAPED by NRC, DOE and the nuclear industry, read on, as this gets uglier. It is no accident that the NRC has eliminated from consideration in re licensing such things as the WASTE STREAMS, and leaking spent fuel rod storage facilities. It is no accident that any and all design flaws in these reactors are being grand fathered into the original application as citizens objections, and scientist concerns are ignored for expediency. It is NO ACCIDENT that the NRC has approved every single re licensing application coming down the pike, and continues to do so regardless of the RISKS.
In a news release yesterday, the DOE confirmed the fact that the FIX WAS/IS on when it comes to nuclear energy, that what the GREEN NUCLEAR BUTTERFLY has been stating since its inception are true with this statement.
As a proven technology, and as the only non-fossil alternative for large-scale electricity production, nuclear power must be part of the solution. This is the conclusion reached by my government.

We recognize too, however, that to realize significant increases in nuclear power, a new framework for the utilization of nuclear energy is needed.

This new framework should encourage the growth of nuclear power as a cost-competitive alternative to other options......

As proposed by President Bush in 2004, a new framework for nuclear energy is needed to “create a safe, orderly system to field civilian nuclear plants without adding to the danger of weapons proliferation.”

Yesterday, Secretary Bodman described our vision for such a framework, which we call the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership or GNEP.

Now today,very quietly, away from prying eyes, the DOE has officially released its Global Nuclear Energy Partnership Strategic Plan! Even it's name sounds SCARY, and that is what it is. Further, if you put the pieces together, it is obvious this plan could never reach fruition without the NRC cooperating in the plan by keeping every single current reactor operating for another 20 years, even if said facilities present a CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER to host communities. You can find more here.

WASHINGTON, DC ? The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dennis Spurgeon today released the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) Strategic Plan, which details the Initiative?s purpose, principles and implementation strategy. The Plan outlines a path forward to enable worldwide increase in the use of safe, emissions-free nuclear energy without contributing to the spread of nuclear weapons capabilities in a manner that responsibly addresses the waste produced.

You can see the plan that has been in conception for sometime, while hiding it from the public here.

So, the question I have for Congress, for Congressman John Hall, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Senators Clinton and Schumer, for every elected Washington politician who's constituent base is being forced to play host to aging reactors in the name of a new initiative is this, "Is it fair to make us human Guinea pigs, far to thwart the process by denying our communities a just and fair hearing on the issues when it comes to the re licensing applications?" You can stop this grave miscarriage of justice, you can introduce and pass immediate legislation to declare a moratorium on all re licensing actions while an investigation of every licensed reactor, its owners and the NRC is carried out by both Congress, and a independent federal investigator from the Attorney Generals Office.

THE FOLLOWING COMMUNITIES (MOST RAPED AT LEAST ONCE BY DOE) NEED TO BE ON GUARD, AS YOU ARE TARGETS:

Department of Energy Selects Recipients of GNEP Siting Grants
Eleven sites to be analyzed for potential nuclear recycling facilities
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced that 11 commercial and public consortia have been selected to receive up to $16 million in grants, subject to negotiation, to conduct detailed siting studies for integrated spent fuel recycling facilities under the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) initiative. DOE will award the grants early next year after negotiations are completed with prospective awardees.

1. Atomic City, ID EnergySolutions, LLC
2. Barnwell, SC EnergySolutions, LLC
3. Hanford Site, WA Tri-City Industrial Development Council/Columbia Basin Consulting Group
4. Hobbs, NM Eddy Lea Energy Alliance
5. Idaho National Laboratory, ID Regional Development Alliance, Inc.
6. Morris, IL General Electric Company
7. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee
8. Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, KY Paducah Uranium Plant Asset Utilization, Inc.
9. Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, OH Piketon Initiative for Nuclear Independence, LLC
10. Roswell, NM EnergySolutions, LLC
11. Savannah River National Laboratory, SC Economic Development Partnership of Aiken and Edgefield Counties

Thursday, January 11, 2007

J. Patrick Moore Debunked-World's Biggest Sell Out?

Corporate Whore? Nuclear Shill? You Decide.
Dr. J. Patrick Moore, supposed co-founder of Greenpeace in 1976 said,

“It should be remembered that there are employed in the nuclear industry some very high-powered public relations organizations. One can no more trust them to tell the truth about nuclear power than about which brand of toothpaste will result in this apparently insoluble problem.” And,

“Nuclear power plants are, next to nuclear warheads themselves, the most dangerous devices that man has ever created. Their construction and proliferation is the most irresponsible, in fact the most criminal, act ever to have taken place on the planet.”

Now he has changed his mind and is considered a supposed “expert”.

His new CASEnergy coalition is exactly one of those high-powered pubic relations organizations.

Even more shocking is that as he wrongly pedals nuclear power as the solution to global warming, he espouses ideas that potentially prevent us from investing in renewable and sustainable electrical generating means.

In a Washington Post Commentary (April 2006). Dr. Moore wrote,

“And even if a jumbo jet did crash into a reactor and breach the containment, the reactor would not explode...”

5 years earlier (10 days after 9-11) Edward Lyman Ph.D of the Nuclear Control Institute wrote,

“However, a straightforward calculation shows that a large passenger jet like a Boeing 767, colliding into the reinforced concrete containment structure of a typical U.S. nuclear reactor, would in fact have a high likelihood of penetrating the containment.

While certain U.S. reactor designs are more vulnerable than others, all are potentially at risk. Gross structural failure of the containment building is also a possibility, especially for older plants which have experienced age-related degradation of containment materials ( VY is one such older reactor: ed)

The shock of such an impact would probably cause substantial damage to plant systems inside the containment, and the effect of a subsequent jet fuel fire or explosion would cause further mechanical and thermal damage to the containment, metal reactor components and the reactor vessel itself. Following such an assault, the possibility of an unmitigated loss-of-coolant accident and significant release of radiation into the environment is a very real one.”

In a Brattleboro Reformer article 1/11/07,
“ Moore believes, ‘dry cask is a perfectly safe and secure way to store spent fuel.”’

Meanwhile the issue of what to do with the waste after the “temporary” solution that may be dry cask storage, still lingers. In determining a solution to the long-term storage of radioactive waste, scientists found …

“Minerals intended to entrap nuclear waste for hundreds of thousands of years may be susceptible to structural breakdown within 1,400 years, a team from the University of Cambridge and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory reported Jan. 11, 2007 in the journal Nature.

The new study used nuclear magnetic resonance, or NMR, to show that the effects of radiation from plutonium incorporated into the mineral zircon rapidly degrades the mineral's crystal structure.

This could lead to swelling, loss of physical strength and possible cracking of the mineral as soon as 210 years, well before the radioactivity had decayed to safe levels, said lead author and Cambridge earth scientist Ian Farnan.”

Dr. Moore was wrong about the strength of the containment to withstand a modern airplane. Dr. Moore claims to know his science yet he apparently supports the current fad of temporary waste solutions. Still no one knows what to do with the waste long term. Scientists admitted to falsifying data to win pre-approval for Yucca Mountain. Because of this Yucca Mountain is likely not going to open. Now our VT legislators are hearing from an activist turned capitalist scientist and he is given the title of “expert”.

If he was an “expert” when he co-founded Greenpeace, and now as a turncoat he is considered an “expert” on the global warming issue, I just wonder what he will believe next week, month, decade and why we as laypeople or legislators should trust his supposed expertise.

Important Emails Found On NRC Site?

Know who the opposition is, and use that knowledge to reach out and communicate your dissatisfaction of a regulatory system meant to protect the licensee over public health and the environment. I was on the NRC site this evening searching out their meetings list, and found this very interesting email list as a part of it. Sharing it with my readers for general principles. It provides and interesting view into the special access to the information flow given to licensees, while stakeholders in the general public are kept in the dark.
For brevity of space, the entire list has not been republished here...if you would like the list, feel free to email roycepenstinger@aol.com and it will be emailed to you as soon as your request is recieved. Apparently, the NRC has no problems having a email service list for LICENSEES, but has a problem adding members of the stakeholder public to said list, since I have personally been told on more than one occassional that no such email notification is possible. Could it be, that not having a email service list for both documents and meetings is just a means of mitigating public involvement in the process? We'll see what happens, since I sent the NRC employee who posted this list to the NRC a request to be placed on the same service list.

Entergy To File Indian Point Relicense Application March 7th, 2007

Green Nuclear Butterfly wants to file as an intervener in the upcoming relicensing petition to be filed by Entergy for their Indian Point Reactors. To do this, we need samples of petitions and motions that have been used by other groups. We are laying out our plans now, so if your organization or grassroots groups have documents, suggestions, or filings we can use as templates to prepare for our own fight, please contact roycepenstinger@aol.com

Indian Point, Units 2 & 3
Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc
ML063320513
March 2007

Exposing The UGLY TRUTH...Congress is SCAMMING Communities HOSTING REACTORS

The post below was just released out onto my space. It exposes the ugly truth of a Congress perpetuating a con upon the communities who have been forced to play host to a fleet of aging, dying Nuclear Reactors, shows how our communities are denied a "comprehensive Independent Safety Assessment using the same methodology and scope that was applied to the Maine Yankee Reactor.''
It is time that we in the ANTI NUKE Environmental Movement join forces, close ranks, and demand accountability through a petition for Congressional Redress.

Below my open letter to colleague Remy Chevalier of Rock The Reactors.

From Green Nuclear Butterfly Moderator

Remy,

I know you have a lot of friends on MySpace, friends who can help build a movement, and that is what we need to do.

The slogan for far too long in the environmental community especially in the anti-nuclear community has been too Think Globally, Act Locally...problem is in regards to the nuclear industry, that slogan is backward, we need to Think Locally, Act Globally.

The NRC, the governing body for the nuclear industry, and even our elected representatives in Washington, DC have successfully hoodwinked local host communities of aging, decaying nuclear reactors by keeping us isolated.

Imagine for one instance, locally elected Congressmen and/or women telling their constituents, "I am doing everything I can along with the help of (name two or three other local members of Congress) to close such and such a Reactor, to demand a full Safety and Security Assessment, as is witnessed by bill #such and such that we have all consigned on to."

Repeat that same speech, that same rhetoric in 103 communities across America.

Here's the deceit...those bills are real, they are actually being introduced, but why is it that none of the Congressmen or Congresswomen from the other Reactor host communities CO-SIGN the other community's bills?

Why haven't the members of Congress from all 103 Reactor Communities all created ONE SINGULAR BILL that would demand a Safety and Security Assessment of all 103 nuclear reactors, a bill that would put all re-licensing activities on hold until these investigations are complete?

Every nuclear reactor in America has an average of three members of Congress associated with it...do the math. There is no way they WOULD NOT HAVE THE VOTES to bring such a bill to the floor, and to pass it. They even have the votes to overturn a presidential VETO.

CAN YOU SEE THE SKUNK IN THE WOOD PILE HERE? Divide and conquer, force each of us in the grassroots to fight our fight ALONE, because they know this social isolation will allow the NRC and the Nuclear industry town by town, reactor by reactor to force a re-licensing through each and every single time, while these members of Congress claim they did ALL THEY COULD TO HELP THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

Green Nuclear Butterfly wants to end this deceit by bringing all ANTI-NUKE GROUPS TOGETHER to fight as one unified team...it is the only way. Joined together, we can send a clear message to the Congress of the United States of America...the game is over, we want our Safety and Security Assessments.

Royce Penstinger
www.greennuclearbutterfly.com
EXAMPLE OF THE GAMES PLAYED IN WASHINGTON

Senator Hillary Clinton-she talks a good game, but let's look at her bill, and it's lack of Co=Sponsors...not even Schumer is signed on.
S.2488 Title: A bill to require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct an independent safety assessment of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 4/3/2006) Cosponsors (None) Related Bills: H.R.4891 Latest Major Action: 4/3/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
All Information (except text)
Text of Legislation
CRS Summary
Major Congressional Actions All Congressional Actions All Congressional Actions with Amendments With links to Congressional Record pages, votes,reports
Titles
Cosponsors (None)
Committees
Related Bills
Amendments
Related Committee Documents
CBO Cost Estimates
Subjects

S.2488 Title: A bill to require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct an independent safety assessment of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 4/3/2006) Cosponsors (None) Related Bills: H.R.4891 Latest Major Action: 4/3/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Now, let's look at a similar bill introduced over in the House by Congressman Hinchey.
H.R.4891 Title: To require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct an Independent Safety Assessment of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. Sponsor: Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] (introduced 3/7/2006) Cosponsors (4) Related Bills: S.2488 Latest Major Action: 3/17/2006 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.

All Information (except text)
Text of Legislation
CRS Summary
Major Congressional Actions All Congressional Actions All Congressional Actions with Amendments With links to Congressional Record pages, votes,reports
Titles
Cosponsors (4)
Committees
Related Bills
Amendments
Related Committee Documents
CBO Cost Estimates
Subjects

Then, after making it LOOK GOOD, let's see how this bill, just like Hillary Clinton's bill was KILLED.

H.R.4891 Title: To require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct an Independent Safety Assessment of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. Sponsor: Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] (introduced 3/7/2006) Cosponsors (4) Related Bills: S.2488 Latest Major Action: 3/17/2006 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
ALL ACTIONS:
3/7/2006:
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
3/17/2006:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.

So that we EXPOSE all the players in this little SHELL GAME, lets see all four of the CO-SPONSORS who wanted to LOOK GOOD in the host community for the failing Indian Point Reactors.

COSPONSORS(4), ALPHABETICAL


Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] - 3/7/2006
Rep Kelly, Sue W. [NY-19] - 3/7/2006
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 3/7/2006
Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4] - 3/7/2006

Now, to further illustrate my point that these bills are WINDOW DRESSING, not meant to go anywhere, I offer you this as additional proof. Wouldn't you think, that Congressman Maurice Hinchey for instance could have gotten say US Congressman John Olver to CO-SPONSOR said bill in light of this excerpt from a request said congressman made to the NRC?

U.S. Rep. John Olver has also written a letter to Diaz, urging the agency ''to conduct a comprehensive Independent Safety Assessment of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant using the same methodology and scope that was applied to the Maine Yankee Reactor.'

In closing, let's consider this in regards to Hilliary Clinton's bill...there were NO CO SPONSORS. Surely if we take a look at Senator Reid's opposition to nuclear waste being stored inside Yucca Mountain, he would have been an EASY CO SIGNER to have gotten? I've taken the liberty of providing an excerpt from one of his press releases on the subject below:
Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Washington, DC—Senator Harry Reid delivered the following remarks while testifying at today’s Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing about the Yucca Mountain Project.

Remarks by U.S. Senator Harry Reid March 1, 2006

"I am convinced the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump will never be built because the project is mired in scientific, safety and technical problems."

"In 1982, Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, which called for disposal of nuclear waste in a deep geological repository that would remain stable for thousands of years. The Act directed the Department of Energy to pick the most suitable site based on natural, geologic features."

"In 1987, Congress instead opted for political expediency and limited DOE’s studies to Yucca Mountain, despite the fact that the criteria in the Act would disqualify the Yucca Mountain site."

"DOE has been studying Yucca for 20 years now, and the studies are still incomplete. "

"Transportation of nuclear waste from around the country to Yucca poses hazards to public health, economic and national security, and environmental safety – hazards from accidents or terrorist attacks. DOE has not addressed those hazards."

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The Lie Of Safe, Secure, Vital-Tokaimura Criticality Accident

When Is The Next Chernobyl?
You have heard the lies from the NRC, Entergy, the nuclear industry as they try to tell us that Nuclear Energy is safe, secure and vital, as they try to sell us on re licensing aging, ever more dangerous reactors, and pitching citizen funding of up to 200 more reactors. They would have you believe that there are NO DEATHS associated with the industry, no major accidents since Chernobyl, which they blame on a shoddy antiquated reactor, and worker error.
It's a nice white lie told by nice well meaning Corporate Executives concerned with their corporate bottom lines. Problem is, a cursory glance through Internet links shows you the MAGNITUDE of their lies and deceit. Tonight, we give you information on the Tokaimura Criticality Accident, and call on Congressman John Hall, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and on all the Representatives in Congress of communities hosting these aging reactors to pass legislation that will order the NRC to conduct a comprehensive Independent Safety and Security Assessment of every single nuclear reactor in America.
Further, we call on these Congressmen and women to include as a part of this CO-SPONSORED legislation a moratorium on all re licensing activities until such time as every one of these Independent Safety and Security Assessments have been completed.

Tokaimura Criticality Accident
http://www.uic.com.au/nip52.htm
Nuclear Issues Briefing Paper # 52

June 2000
On 30 September 1999 three workers received high doses of radiation in a Japanese plant preparing fuel for an experimental reactor. Two of the doses proved fatal.

The accident was caused by bringing together too much uranium enriched to a relatively high level, causing a "criticality" (a limited uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction), which continued intermittently for 20 hours.

A total of 119 people received a radiation dose over 1 mSv from the accident, but only the three operators' doses were above permissible limits, and two of these have since died.

The cause of the accident appears to be "human error and serious breaches of safety principles", according to IAEA.

A Part of The Critical Time Line: For Full Time Line

SEPTEMBER 30, 1999
note: all times reported in Japanese Standard Time, or 13 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time, except where noted

10:35 AM
Various media sources report that a radiation leak was detected, its cause not immediately known. Police denied reports that a fire had broken out.

11:15 AM
A Kyodo News Chronology (released on October 1) reports that the Japanese Science and Technology Agency received the first report on the accident from JCO.

11:33 AM
The Kyodo News Chronology reports that the accident was reported to the Ibaraki Prefecture.

11:35 AM
Asahi Shimbun.
Monitoring for Gamma Rays begins.

12:41 PM
The Kyodo News Chronology reports that police blocked roads near the plant and banned entry within a radius of 200 meters around the plant.

3:18 PM
The Kyodo News Chronology reports that Tokaimura village authorities issued an evacuation advisory to 50 families living within a 350 meter radius of the plant.

3:35 PM
Asahi Shimbun"Poor Preparation Delays Neutron Testing"
The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute begins monitoring neutron levels at 14 locations around the facility, six hours after the accident.

4:00 PM
IAEA Press Release. "Accident at the Tokaimura Fuel Conversion Plant."

IAEA learned of the accident. The IAEA Emergency Response Unit immediately made contact with Japanese authorities in order to closely follow the situation.

Japan Times. "Tokai Nuclear Accident Goes Critical; Remains out of Control."

Prefectural authorities in the adjacent town of Naka said the radiation level was rapidly increasing, based on observations of monitoring posts inside the town.

5:00 PM
The Associated Press, "Radiation levels remain high after nuclear accident."
According to the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, 2-4 millisievert of radiation per hour or 10,000 to 20,000 times the normal level-was detected inside the processing facility as of 5 pm. The government's Nuclear Safety Commission said there might have been a continuing "criticality," as there continued to be high levels of radiation seven hours after the accident.

Sodium 24, a radioactive substance, was detected in the vomit of three of the victims.

The government decided to set up a task force headed by Science and Technology Agency chief Akito Arima to deal with the accident.

5:37 PM
Citizen's Nuclear Information Center, a Japanese nongovernmental organization, reports that initially, an atmospheric radiation count of 0.84 mSv/hour (10,000 times of the annual dose limit) was monitored, but the local government has announced that the radiation count is back to normal. The Science and Technology Agency announced that it was a criticality accident.

6:00 PM
Citizen's Nuclear Information Center reports that the head of Tokai villages stressed the following at a press conference: the atmospheric radiation count has not decreased around the site; there is a possibility that nuclear fission is still occurring at the moment; and the plant's structure is intact.

7:00 PM
Citizen's Nuclear Information Center reports that the Tokaimura municipal officials said up to 4.5 millisievert of neutrons per hour was detected near the circumference of the plant shortly after 7:00 pm. Village officials also said Cesium-138 was detected near the plant.

The Kyodo News Chronology reports that the central government set up a crisis management task force headed by Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.

IAEA Press Release.
"Radiation Accident in Japan."
While the cause of the accident remains under investigation, it is known that it occurred when workers were transporting a mixture of liquid nitric acid containing 19 percent enriched uranium to a precipitation container. A "flash criticality" occurred.

At its highest point, the dose rate at the facility boundary was measured to be around 4 millisievert/hour.

The three seriously irradiated workers received a dose of more than 8 Sv.

8:00 PM
Citizen's Nuclear Information Center reports that the facility where the accident occurred is a commercial plant where enriched UF6 gas is converted to UO2 powder for further processing. The pellet fabrication is done in another plant nearby.

8:30 PM
The Kyodo News Chronology reports that Ibaraki Governor Masaru Hashimoto issued an evacuation advisory to about 200,000 residents living within a 10 kilometer radius of the plant.

9:00 PM
Citizen's Nuclear Information Center reports that:

The radiation count is still high and not even JCO workers can enter the site. No one is aware of the situation inside the plant and nothing is being done. It is very likely that criticality is ongoing.
Two of three workers hospitalized are suspected to have been seriously exposed due to a sudden increase of white blood corpuscle experienced by both of them. 160 people have evacuated to a community center. The evacuees will have to spend the night at the center. Atmospheric radiation count was 0.7 milisievert per hour (mSv/h) at 3 pm. Normal count is 1 mSv/year.

11:00 PM
The Associated Press, "Nuke Accident serious, may be continuing, Nonaka says."
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka said, "There are concerns that the situation is continuing and is affecting a larger area than was believed earlier in the day."

Shuffling Priorities...Green Nuclear Butterfly To Become Flag Ship Blog

Considering its past, do you really trust the nuclear industry to lead us into the future?
Many of my friends, as well as some recent detractors who have been attacking me on a personal basis relentlessly since I began posting on Nuclear issues, are well aware that I publish numerous blogs. The attacks in the past week or so, have made me realize my efforts for the immediate future need to be focused on the most important issues. As a result of this decision, many of my blogs are going to be put into moth balls for the time being as all my efforts will now be concentrated in three specific blogs, and a fourth that will be launching shortly. These three flag ship blogs, all of which will have a huge focus on Indian Point, Entergy, and the Nuclear Industry will be as follows:

Green Nuclear Butterfly: As the newly assigned flagship blog, our efforts will be spent A) doing whatever it takes to close down Entergy's Indian Point, and B) perhaps more importantly, working to bring all local grassroots organizations surrounding Nuclear Plants nationwide into a National Coalition to petition Congress for redress, to exercise our right of redress to close these aging facilities, to demand investigations of both the industry and the NCR. We need to change the format, change the game...it is time to think LOCALLY, but act GLOBALLY. The nuclear industry knows they can beat us individually, town by town, reactor by reactor, so the time has come to make relicencing a NATIONAL ISSUE.
Congressman John Hall: John Hall is our Congressman here in the 19th Congressional District of New York. Indian Point is in his back yard. His career, his promises, his actions are being tracted as we push him to keep the promise of closing down Indian Point...there are at least three other members of Congress we will begin tracking on occassion in this blog as well, as they have a shared DUTY to shut down Indian Point, including Congressman Maurice Hinchey and Congresswoman Nita Lowey, and lets not forget both of our Senators in Schumer and Hilliary. The Green Nuclear Butterfly encourages grassroots to create similiar blogs for their own members of Congress and the Senate, then link up together so that we can force these members of Congress to ACT AS A UNIFIED TEAM in introducing legislation to demand accountability, to act as a team in opening up investigations, to act as a team in demanding all relicensing be frozen until after independent investigations have been completed.
If Indian Point is an example, every host community has at least three members of Congress that should be taking these reactors seriously...so, where are the co-sponsors when bills like HR 4891 are introduced? It's a con game, as they know keeping us acting locally keeps them looking good while nothing gets done. HR4891 should have as sponsors every Congressman or woman in America that has an aging reactor in or near their district...so, where are the 309 CO-SIGNERS ON THIS BILL? I can pull up similiar bills around every reactor, all of them have the same lack of support from outside the local area. WAKE UP GRASSROOTS, we are being DUPED.

Washington Scandal: As always, this blog will feature articles on Washington politics, and world news with a strong emphasis on the three issues most important to myself, including all things Nuclear, the War in Iraq and bringing our troops home, and lastly dealing with the 12-20 million illegal aliens here in America and securing our National Borders.

The key to winning the war against relicensing, and that is what we are facing requires all local grassroots organizations forming into a National Coalition. To do this, we need volunteers, we need the local groups plugging in, linking together, and working as a team. We need to start forming national Email lists, need to start presenting our demands and petitions as a representative group. If you are a local ANTI NUKE group tired of spinning your wheels as the NRC and their licensees dance around your objections, if you would like to be in at the very beginnings of building a National Movement to close down unsafe reactors, please email one of the following people:

roycepenstinger@aol.com

remyc@prodigy.net

garyfromvermont@yahoo.com

The Green Nuclear Butterfly is also open to all ANTI NUKE writers who want to give voice to their own stories...contact roycepenstinger@aol.com to be added to this blog as a guest writer.
We do have two other blogs that can be activated at a moments notice, including Entergy Watch, so we would be very interested in putting a team of writers together that have Entergy facilities in their own back yards. GREEN PEACE was started in a garage, and now is one of the largest GREEN GROUPS in the world. From the simple beginning of a single Green Nuclear Butterfly, let us build a new movement, let us link, network and join together to take on the most important issue of our time, before it is too late, and one of these aging reactors becomes America's own Chernobyl.

The Power of A Butterfly In Shutting Down Indian Point

Cannot begin to tell you how many times so far people have asked...why the Green Butterfly as the symbol for your Green Nuclear Butterfly. Well, the flap of butterfly wings in Brazil could actually trigger/set off a storm in Texas. The "Butterfly theory" postulates that over time that the power released from the flapping of butterfly wings will become amplified, and that power will eventually affect weather patterns thousands of miles away.

The Green Nuclear Butterfly is here flapping our wings, and as time grows imagine the movement that shall rise from first one, then a handful, and eventually millions of ANTI NUKES joining forces as one both here in America, and around the Globe...a movement to affect the status quo. We have writers on board from four states where there used to be only one. We have readers from all over the the United States, as far west as California, and we have readers in Australia. Let our wings continue to beat.

Democrats, John Hall Pass 9/11 Commission Legislation...Sort Of

Let's Have Some TRUTHINESS On This One John...How Come No Committees Were Done Away With?
I suppose that Nancy Pelosi thinks voters have a short memory, or perhaps that we can be very easily fooled with a slight of hand trick? Tom Staudter has released a lengthy press release on John Hall's voting for for 9/11 Recommendations Bill to Make America Safer. Now, there are some potentially good things in the bill which I read earlier this evening, but there are some things MISSING, including the single BIGGEST recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. Let's not play games here.
Congress should create a single, principal point of oversight and review for homeland security. Congressional leaders are best able to judge what committee should have jurisdiction over this department and its duties. But we believe that Congress does have the obligation to choose one in the House and one in the Senate, and that this committee should be a permanent standing committee with a nonpartisan staff.
Document Page Number: 421, PDF Page Number: 439, View in context: page, section, chapter

Keeping only HALF A PROMISE is not keeping a promise...especially when the Democrats don't want to pass this specific 9/11 Recommendation for one VERY SELFISH REASON, the nine committees that would be eliminated, that would be obsolete.

U. S. Representative John Hall
Democrat – New York 19th CD

For Immediate Release
January 9, 2007

Hall Votes for 9/11 Recommendations Bill to Make America Safer
Lauds the Correction of Homeland Security Funding for NY

Washington, D.C. – U. S. Representative John Hall, acting on a pledge to make our nation safer from terrorism, voted today for legislation that will implement the unfulfilled recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission. The new bill, H.R. 1, marks a serious and resolute commitment toward improving homeland security, preventing terrorists from acquiring Weapons of Mass Demolition and developing strategies for preventing the spread of terrorism.

The House passed the bill this evening by a vote of 299 to 128. It is one of the first pieces of legislation brought to the House floor by the new Democratic leadership.

“I’m proud to stand here in Congress with colleagues who know the threat of terrorism remains real in our country, and that the time for long overdue action protecting the safety of American families has finally arrived,” said Hall. (12-20 MILLION illegal aliens here in American is not a threat to American Families? Abandoning the fence, and not securing our Southern Border...uhhh...isn't that a serious security problem?)

Noting that the bipartisan 9/11 Commissioners assailed Congress and the Administration last year for practically ignoring the Commission’s recommendations, Hall said, “This critical bill puts forth specific steps that address the shortfalls the 9/11 Commissioners highlighted.” (Not exactly)

The bill is comprised of a number of vital provisions that will substantially improve homeland security, most notably improved explosives detection at the nation’s airports, required phasing-in of 100% inspection of carry-on cargo on passenger aircraft and 100% scanning of U.S.-bound shipping containers, plus providing first responders with equipment that allows them to communicate with one another in emergencies.

Also included in the bill are steps that will help prevent terrorists from acquiring WMD and will also bolster international efforts to stem nuclear weapons proliferation. (So curious here...how does this goal jive with the DOE/NRC plan for wanting to build all those new reactors, which will actually HELP to perpetuate NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION? ) Reducing the appeal of extremism through the promotion of economic opportunities, education reform, human rights and democratic processes in the countries of the Middle East, along with as education opportunities for youths in Arab and predominantly Muslim countries is included in the new legislation as well.

“The bill put forward in Congress today is a broad, comprehensive package that finally takes action and meaningfully advances the entire spectrum of the 9/11Commission recommenda-tions,” Hall remarked. “Prominent among these is the recommendation to allocate most of our resources to where the threats are greatest. My state of New York has already experienced the brutal realities of terrorist attacks and remains a top target nationwide. In my district alone there is the Indian Point nuclear power plant, which is 35 miles away from New York City, as well as military facilities including West Point, and major highways and rail lines. The federal government needs to provide the bulk of anti-terror resources to protect targets like these in the New York City area and Hudson Valley. Today's legislation will allow it to do just that.”

Continued Hall: “Not only will this bill correct the flawed homeland security funding formula, it will finally take steps to plug the gaping holes in our air security, secure our ports from the nightmare of nuclear terrorism (Indian Point-Large aircraft, attack on spent fuel rod storage facilities.), and push this Administration to undertake an aggressive foreign policy that will attack the fundamental drivers of terrorism around the world.”

“Today is the first step toward real homeland security, but ensuring the security of the American people will require a sustained effort, aggressive oversight, and a commitment to a tough, smart, strategic approach,” said Hall. “We remain committed to pursuing this effort.” Is a part of this effort going to include SHUTTING DOWN INDIAN POINT?

Important MEETING for FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN Threatened BY INDIAN POINT

Please Join Us!
Meeting of Newly Formed Council on Public Health and Toxic Emissions Will be Held at noon on Friday, January 12, 2007 at the Blythdale Children’s Hospital.

We will be meeting in a ground floor conference room reserved by Dr. Kathy Silverman. (Just ask at the desk when you walk in.)

The Council was formed for the purpose of getting a Children’s Environmental Protection Act passed in the state of New York. This meeting will broadly focus on how to get groups and individuals interested in public health to join forces to increase public awareness and effectuate legislation that is protective of the most vulnerable among us –e.g., babies and children -which, ipso facto, will also offer more protection to women, the ill and the infirm.

Astonishingly, as things now stand, most federal and state sandards (and all federal nuclear power emission standards) are aimed at protecting only adult males, which represent the least vulnerable.

Directions are pasted below. All are welcome.

Please call me if you have any questions!

Michel

Michel Lee, Esq.
Chairman
Council on Intelligent Energy
& Conservation Policy

White Plains, New York 10602
(914) 393-2930
ciecplee@optonline.net

DIRECTIONS TO Blythedale Children’s Hospital
95 Bradhurst Avenue, Valhalla, NY

From I-287 (Heading West): Take Exit 4 (Hartsdale) - Route 100A .

Go North on Route 100A (left if you’re headed East, right if you’re headed West) for 2 miles. After crossing through the light at the intersection with the Cabin Restaurant (on your left), turn left into the second driveway on your left. This brings you into the parking lot of Blythedale. Enter via the main entrance and the security guard will direct you to the conference room.
From the Sprain Brook Parkway North: Get off at the Eastview exit. Make a right at the end of the exit ramp and make a left at the light by the Cabin Restaurant. Make a left into the second driveway. This brings you into the parking lot of Blythedale. Enter via the main entrance and the security guard will direct you to the conference room.

[NOTE- SPRAIN BROOK PKWY CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED VIA 1-287 WEST, TOWARDS THE TZ BRIDGE- IF YOU’RE COMING EAST ON 287, YOU HAVE TO PROCEED TO EXIT 4 (RT-100A HARTSDALE) MAKE A U-TURN AND GET BACK ON 287 HEADING WEST.]

Tuesday, January 9, 2007

Another NEAR MISS...Nuclear, Safe, Secure, Vital My Butt

Just in from the Washington Scandal...the Bush, Bilderberg, two nuke goose step with the NRC dance card partner Entergy...too harsh? Should I tone it down a bit?
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
America Dodges Another Nuclear Tragedy...NUKE SUB COLLIDES with Japanese OIL TANKER

The DOE, DOD, NRC, NEI, Entergy and the entire Nuclear Industry love playing Russian Roulette with the lives of innocent human beings, both here and around the world as the black gloved elite of the Bilderberg Conference march us ever closer to a one world government shared with us by George Bush the first as he tipped his hand, showing if but briefly the vile, insidous plans of a future global monarchy owned and control by Big Business, and global corporate interests, a world where the safety, security and health of the masses takes a back seat to profits and absolute power.

Last month it was a truck load of uranium oxide tipped over on I-95, and two nuclear reactors shutting down for no apparent reason. Now, in January we averted an accident of apolyptic proportions off the coast of Iran when an American nuclear powered fast-attack USS Newport News submarine RAMMED into A OIL SUPER TANKER! Surely I am not the only one going OH MY FORKING GAWD! Think about it folks...we have a ocean going nuclear reactor ramming into a SUPER TANKER filled with millions of gallons of crude oil! WAKE UP FOLKS...it would not have taken much more of and accident than this one to have wreaked irreparable harm on the world environment, as we watched in horror a combined oil, nuclear explosion of unprecedented magnitude shroud the Middle East in god knows what kind of a fall out as hundreds if not thousands of miles of shore line were destroyed!

The time to STOP THE RUSSIAN ROULETTE IS NOW...we need to shut down aging and failing nuclear reactors, need a morritorium on any new reactors until the scientist telling us Nuclear Energy is safe can actually make it so, instead of feeding us lies.

Updated:2007-01-09 13:32:59
U.S. Submarine Collides With Japanese Ship
AP
TOKYO (Jan. 9) - A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine collided with a Japanese oil tanker in the Straits of Hormuz, through which 40 percent of the world's oil supplies travel, officials said.

No one was hurt in the accident that happened Monday night in the 34-mile wide straits, which are bordered by Iran and Oman and serve as the entrance to the Persian Gulf.

Damage to the fast-attack USS Newport News submarine and the supertanker was light and there was no resulting spill of oil or leakage of nuclear fuel, officials from the U.S. Navy and the Japanese government said.

Both ships remained able to navigate, Navy officials said.

The bow of the submarine was traveling submerged when it hit the stern of the supertanker Mogamigawa as the vessels were passing through the Straits, causing minor damage to the Japanese vessel, the U.S. Navy and Japan's Foreign Ministry said. The Japanese government said it was informed of the crash by the Navy and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

Nuclear Industry Petitions Congress...We Want To Rape America

Al Gore's Inconvenient truth...an appropriate name for what the Green Nuclear Butterfly is bringing out into the light of day. Question is, where is Al Gore on this important issue, where does he stand on Nuclear Energy, on the DOE's Nuclear 2010 plan that calls for the NRC to rubber stamp the re licensing of almost every ailing, aged Nuclear Reactor in the current fleet, where does he stand on the devious plan to build 400-700 Nuclear Reactors around the world.

The FIX IS IN...we have Retired Admiral Skip Bowman (who was in charge of the Navy's entire nuclear program) now acting as the hired gun of the Nuclear Industry's lobbying arm, National Energy Institute. testifying before Congress about the need for CONTINUED FUNDING of the DOE's Nuclear Power 2010 plan, a plan who's birth father is George W. Bush. Without actually speaking the words, Skip Bowman makes it clear what he, the NEI, the DOE and the NRC expect Congress to do...go along with the plan to fund the rebirth of the nuclear industry, to pass legislation that will force American taxpayers to subsidize over time the Nuclear Industry to the tune of 4-7 TRILLION DOLLARS.

His testimony starts off from the very beginning talking about the need for new Nuclear Capacity...no discussion of exploring other alternative earth friendly energies, just a discussion wherein diminishing oil and gas supplies coupled with the reality of global warming makes Nuclear the obvious choice, and then chiding Congress to continue funding the nuclear industry at unprecedented levels. Let's explain this...the nuclear industry claims they do not have the necessary funding to create design details that the NRC requires to approve a new reactor design...instead, they want us as American citizens to pay the cost of the industry's RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

Now, the nuclear energy industry as a whole, through out their various assorted company's and supportive groups (NEI, WNA to name two) have over the past ten years or so spent over TWO BILLION DOLLARS lobbying our federally elected officials. Perhaps that money would have been better spent doing the research they are now claiming needs to be done? Perhaps Entergy would have been better off spending all the money ($400 million) they set aside for stock buy backs into research, better off taking the money they give to groups like Peekskill's Paramount Theatre in an attempt to buy favor on doing this research and development, instead of asking us the tax payer to pay their tab?

Bowman stated, that the industry has accelerated their spending on NP2010, and they would like Congress in turn to accelerate government spending on the program...sort of the chicken and the egg argument, with the nuclear industry saying, "We want to build new reactors" but "we want the government to pay for the DESIGNS...oh, and while we are on the subject, we are also going to want the government to give us VERY LOW INTEREST LOANS to build these reactors, and last but not least, hold us harmless for civilian financial damages should there be a major nuclear incident from one of these new reactors, or any of the older ones."

It would be nice if the above were the only DEMANDS that SKIPPER BOY BOWMAN had for our 110th Congress, but hold on folks, seems that the nuclear industry is also very concerned about some of the RISKS THEY FACE from overly burdensome NRC regulations, those on the books, and those that might be added to the books as new regulations are created...it interferes with their plans. Dancing around coming out straight with what he wanted, Skip instead said just enough to let our Congressmen/women read between the lines...he wants, the nuclear industry wants the new generation of reactors they are wanting to build grand fathered in under the old existing less stringent 10 CFR rules and regulations. Congress, moving quickly he says would help the Nuclear Industry to move forward EXPEDITIOUSLY. In short, he wants new reactors granted a waiver from new stricter siting criteria.

As mentioned above, Skip Bowman then expressed his concern that the industry could not afford to build these NEW reactors, that the money (as in investors) was not there. Faced with this truth, he instead wants Congress to write some new legislation that would allow various companies (ENTERGY/NuSTART) to borrow the money from the government at very cheap interest rates, and to guarantee the loans. Now, I know I am a DUMB OLD FARM BOY, but seems to me, that if we really have no choice but to BUILD all these new nuclear reactors, and they are going to be built with TAX PAYER DOLLARS, that we should do away with the profit mongers, and have the reactors OWNED BY THE PEOPLE of America, instead of being built to profit a few money whores within the small circle of the rich and elite. After all, we are taking ALL THE RISKS. Mind you, Green Nuclear Butterfly is not endorsing a new generation of reactors, but if such a reality is forced upon us, and if it is our money building them, then we should own them ourselves. It is suggested here that EVERY AMERICAN CITIZEN write, call, fax and email their elected officials stating you are against IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS that would assure the eligibility of large projects such as the 200 new reactors that the nuclear industry wants to build with our money.

Bowman completed his presentation to Congress by suggesting Congress needed to take action to fix the nuclear waste disposal problem...in short, pass a federal law forcing the waste on the folks out west, mandating that YUCCA MOUNTAIN become the defacto national nuclear waste dump site. Well isn't that nice of our Admiral Skip Bowman? It gets better...not only does Skipper Boy Bowman want YUCCA MOUNTAIN to play host for the nuclear industry's waste streams, but he wants the 70,000 Metric Ton limited removed as well....it's simply not enough! How much waste does Bowman want stored at Yucca Mountain you ask? He wants it open ended, wants us to trust the powers that be to make technical decisions as they go along...sort of like with all the spent fuel rod storage facilities now bursting at the seems with re stacked, overly crowded conditions, begging for a major accident at every single reactor in America...OH YEAH, there's a great one for Congress to consider. Let's KILL NEVADA!

He closed with a rather STARLING ADMISSION, though probably did not mean to. He was pushing Congress to support the Nuclear Energy Partnership initiative in a broad bipartisan way, and to pass legislation that allows for more flexibility in the nuclear process, one that can accommodate technological successes and failures (and there will be both)....OK, stop right there. There will be successes, and there will be FAILURES. Wait a minute America...are you willing to have your community play RUSSIAN ROULETTE by having one of these reactors in your CITY? Are you willing to turn the other way and go along with the NRC when they force another city to play RUSSIAN ROULETTE? Are you fine knowing one of us is DOOMED to be a FAILURE?

Before you buy into the LIE of GREEN NUCLEAR, it is strongly suggested you start doing some serious homework on this subject, as it could mean the deaths of millions of people, generations of children born with horrid birth defects, generations of elevated cancer rates, as it only takes ONE SERIOUS ACCIDENT, and as it is, we have been lucky in narrowly avoiding numerous MAJOR INCIDENTS at these sites, and those are just the ones that the NRC and the nuclear industry have not been able to keep secret, and out of the public domain.