[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Scientists Seek Indestructible Bugs To Eat Nuclear Waste
Index:
Downwinders, nuke testing opponents applaud congressional spending
Study Suggests Chernobyl Affected Sweden
US Congress Keeps Alive Plans For Nev Nuclear Waste Dump
White House denies attempt to change Yucca radiation rules
Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc., Acquires Proxtronics Dosimetry
Radiation Panic Sparks School Closings
Alliant examines sale of nuclear power plant
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Downwinders, nuke testing opponents applaud congressional spending
bill
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah's nuclear testing opponents are pleased
with Congress's $388 billion spending bill, which stripped funding
for a nuclear bunker-buster bomb and provided an extra $27.8 million
to cover a shortfall in the program that compensates radioactive
exposure victims.
The Bush administration had advocated funding for a nuclear bunker-
buster bomb known as the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, as well as
new advanced-concepts weapons designs.
The House stripped the funds from its version of the bill earlier
this year. But key senators insisted on it being added, and the
deadlock jeopardized funding for a series of energy and water
projects until the Senate backed down and agreed to dropping the
research.
Congress passed the huge spending bill Saturday.
Utah Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson, who resisted funding for the
nuclear programs, called it "a great victory for those downwind of
the Nevada Test Site."
"Utahns have paid dearly for government deception about the safety of
nuclear weapons testing," he said. "I am determined to resist that at
every turn because this fight is not over. This issue will be
revisited, but today is a satisfying victory."
Downwinders, those sickened by exposure to radioactive fallout from
Cold War nuclear tests in Nevada, won another victory as Congress
approved $27.8 million championed by Utah Sens. Bob Bennett and Orrin
Hatch, to cover a projected shortfall for the Radiation Exposure
Compensation Act program. The program, which makes a lump payment to
compensate the victims for their cancers and other illnesses, has run
out of money in previous years.
"These funds mean Utah downwinders won't receive another IOU from the
government this year," Bennett said. "This is an obligation the
government must meet."
The new funding ensures the Radiation Exposure Compensation act will
be financially solvent through 2007. Utah has the second-largest
number of compensation act claimants in the United States.
The spending bill in its final form shifts $9 million from research
into new weapons to improving the reliability and longevity of
existing nuclear weapons.
---------------
Study Suggests Chernobyl Affected Sweden
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - More than 800 people in northern Sweden may
have cancer as a result of the fallout that spewed over the region
after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, according to a new
study by Swedish scientists.
The figure is significantly higher than any previous estimate, and
the study drew immediate fire from critics who said they doubted the
accuracy of the results.
The radiation was released on April 26, 1986, when reactor No. 4 at
Chernobyl nuclear plant exploded and caught fire, contaminating an
area roughly half the size of Colorado, forcing the resettlement of
hundreds of thousands of people and ruining some of Europe's most
fertile farmland.
The study monitored cancer cases among the more than 1.1 million
people in the northern parts of Sweden who were exposed to the
radioactive fallout between 1988-1996, and found that the cancer risk
increased in areas with higher levels of fallout, which was spread by
winds.
Of the 22,400 cancer cases among the group, 849 can be statistically
attributed to Chernobyl, said Martin Tondel, a researcher at
Linkoeping University who headed the study. The findings were first
published in this month's issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and
Community Health, a science magazine.
But Leif Moberg, a radiation expert with the Swedish Radiation
Protection Authority, questioned the findings.
"The radiation dosage that we in Sweden got after the accident was
too low to produce this many cancer cases," Moberg said, adding it
was probably too early to see any definite results of Chernobyl.
"Most cancer cases don't develop until 20, 30 or 50 years later," he
said.
Tondel, however, said that although the increase of cases can't
directly be attributed to Chernobyl, he could not see any other
explanation.
"We've tried our best to explain it in other ways, but we can't,"
Tondel told the AP. "So then you have to believe your data."
Tondel said factors like increased smoking, population density and
age had all been taken into account in the study.
"With every statistical method we used to look at it, we see an
increase (in cases) across the board," he said. "That indicates that
it's a Chernobyl effect."
The Swedish Radiation Protection Authority has previously estimated
that the fallout will produce about 300 cancer deaths in 50 years.
Moberg said another factor that speaks against the study was that
there was no significant increase in cases of leukemia or thyroid
gland cancer, which are usually the most common among radiation
victims.
---------------
US Congress Keeps Alive Plans For Nev Nuclear Waste Dump
WASHINGTON (AP)--U.S. lawmakers agreed Friday to provide enough money
to keep alive plans for a nuclear waste dump in Nevada, but they put
off trying to resolve a dispute over radiation protection that could
doom the project if not resolved.
The compromise limits funding for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste
program to $577 million this fiscal year, the same as last year but
about two-thirds of the $880 million the Energy Department had said
it needed to keep the program on track.
The House had approved only $179 million for the project planned for
the Nevada desert 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, an amount that
would have essentially shut the program down.
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., chairman of the Appropriations
subcommittee dealing with Yucca, worked out a compromise with his
House counterpart, Rep. David Hobson, R-Ohio, to come up with more
money and keep the program going as part of an omnibus budget
package.
Congressional leaders hoped to pass the $388 billion spending
measure, covering most federal agencies, by Saturday.
While given enough money keep it operating, the Yucca Mountain
project faces numerous thorny problems that must be resolved next
year. Already a planned 2010 opening of the waste site is growing
increasingly unlikely, say program supporters in Congress and the
Bush administration.
A federal court ruled this year that the facility's proposed
radiation standards failed to follow National Academy of Sciences
recommendations as required by Congress. The Environmental Protection
Agency has been trying to rework its standards to meet the court's
objection.
The White House tried to get language into the budget legislation
that would have ended the requirement that EPA follow the Academy's
recommendations. But Republicans backed away from the issue both
because they feared it would doom the spending compromise and because
of the vehement opposition from Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.
Reid, a staunch opponent of the Yucca waste site who will be the
Senate's Democratic leader next year, vowed to fight any legislative
provision changing the radiation requirements.
The Energy Department had hoped to submit a license application to
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission by the end of the year and to
develop a transportation plan for moving waste to the site beginning
in 2010.
The Yucca repository, dug into a volcanic ridge near the Nevada Test
Site, is being built to hold 70,000 tons of used commercial reactor
fuel and high-level defense waste that has been accumulating at sites
in 39 states.
----------------
White House denies attempt to change Yucca radiation rules
WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House on Wednesday denied a report that
it's pushing Congress to change the radiation standard for the
proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in an apparent
attempt to overturn a federal appellate court ruling.
Congressional Quarterly, a Washington publication that tracks action
on Capitol Hill, reported Tuesday that the White House wanted to
attach to a spending bill a provision.
The provision would set the radiation standard, which a Washington
appellate court this year threw out.
Chad Kolton, spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget,
denied the report, asking "what White House" this proposal came from.
"The president has said the administration will live with the court's
decision," Kolton said.
President Bush has said he would not ask Congress to change the
standard, and he pledged to let the court process play out.
The Energy Department and other federal agencies have made it clear
they are not appealing the ruling to the Supreme Court.
Energy Department spokesman Joe Davis said the Environmental
Protection Agency would develop an appropriate regulatory response to
the court's decision, as recommended in the court's opinion.
The federal court ruling was a blow to the administration. It was
pushing to file a license request this year because it put the key
standard - how long the mountain is to keep radiation inside - at
issue and could delay the project.
If Congress passed a law setting a new standard, it would pave the
way for the administration to move forward on the planned nuclear
waste repository 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Congressional Quarterly also reported that the White House was
pushing to get more funding for Yucca Mountain by allowing Congress
to dip directly into the Nuclear Waste Fund.
Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and John Ensign, R-Nev., knew nothing about
the proposal to change radiation standards.
Ensign was told by the White House on Wednesday that it was only
pushing for the Nuclear Waste Fund change, spokesman Jack Finn said.
---------------
Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc., Acquires Proxtronics Dosimetry
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Dosimetry Solutions,
Inc., a leading dosimetry services provider (analytical determination
of exposure to ionizing radiation), has agreed to acquire the assets
of Proxtronics Dosimetry, LLC for an undisclosed amount.
Proxtronics began providing personal radiation monitoring services in
1990 and has since become one of the most recognized names for
quality and value in the industry. Proxtronics has a broad customer
base in the United States primarily offering film and TLD
(Thermoluminescent dosimeters) badge services. "In recent years, we
have been approached by many in the industry, but only Global
Dosimetry Solutions has demonstrated the ability to meet or exceed
the high level of quality and service our customers have come to
expect", remarked Guy Davis, President of Proxtronics. "GDS is a
great company with the finest people in the industry, and we are
confident that our customers will be well served" added Davis.
Global Dosimetry Solutions is majority owned by American Capital
Strategies, Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACAS), and has been in the personal
radiation monitoring business for over 30 years. According to Thomas
Logan, CEO of Global Dosimetry Solutions, "The acquisition of
Proxtronics is a great complement to our brand, as we share a common
commitment to quality and to excellence in customer service. As a
result, we are looking forward to serving our new customers and to
enhancing the legacy built by Guy and his team at Proxtronics."
Global Dosimetry Solutions will take over current customer contracts
for all commercial dosimetry processing services and Proxtronics
customers will be migrated to GDS badge service over the next several
months. "We recognize the importance of maintaining the integrity of
current customer contracts and service levels and want to assure
Proxtronics customers a seamless transition", added Logan. "This deal
represents a significant extension of our current customer base and
will make a positive contribution towards our aggressive growth plans
for 2005."
About Global Dosimetry Solutions
Global Dosimetry Solutions, based in Irvine, California, is one of
the world's largest providers of radiation dosimetry services. GDS
offers a full range of services for measuring ionizing radiation
primarily through film, thermoluminescent and track etch
technologies. Since early 1970, the company has continually provided
state-of-the-art personal radiation monitoring services to hospitals,
medical and dental offices, university and national laboratories,
nuclear power plants and other industries. GDS provides services to
more than 500,000 people globally. Global Dosimetry Solutions is
majority owned by American Capital Strategies, Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACAS), a
$3.5 billion investment fund headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. For
more information, please visit: www.dosimetry.com
-----------------
Radiation Panic Sparks School Closings
SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria moved to quell panic on Friday after
rumors of a nuclear power plant accident in "a nearby country"
sparked school closings and a dash to pharmacies by people seeking
anti-radiation remedies.
It was not clear from where the rumors originated, but media reported
earlier this week of a scare concerning the Cherna Voda plant in
neighboring Romania and, later, at a reactor in the Russian town of
Balakovo.
Both countries denied any radiation leaks, but Bulgarians have
started buying iodine and other anti-radiation remedies in scenes
reminiscent of 1986, when news of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster
spread across then-communist eastern Europe by word of mouth amid an
initial hush-up by the region's Soviet regimes.
Bulgaria's civil defense office said it had received scores of
worried inquiries.
"This whole thing has been blown way out of proportion," said Civil
Defense spokeswoman Lilia Kostadinova. "We have been measuring for
seven days and there has been no increase in radiation levels."
Romanian authorities have said there have been no incidents of any
type at Cherna Voda, which lies near the country's Danube-river
border with Bulgaria. Russian authorities have also denied any
radiation leaks.
Kostadinova said her office had sent a team with Geiger counters to
at least one school to calm worried administrators, and two
elementary schools closed in Sofia Thursday. Media said the closures
had possibly fueled fear. In the Black Sea port of Varna, people were
buying large quantities of iodine, a reputed antidote to radiation
exposure.
-------------------
Alliant examines sale of nuclear power plant
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - Alliant Energy Corp. executives said they
will continue to examine options for selling the company's stake in a
Wisconsin nuclear power plant after a proposed sale was rejected by
regulators.
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin rejected the proposed
purchase of Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant by Richmond, Va.-based
Dominion Resources from Alliant's Wisconsin Power and Light and
Wisconsin Public Service Corp. for $220 million.
The power plant is located along Lake Michigan in Carlton, Wis.,
about 35 miles southeast of Green Bay, Wis.
Wisconsin state regulators rejected the sale on a 2-to-1 vote Friday.
A commission statement indicated it was the first time in the state
that an investor-owned utility would have been sold to an out-of-
state company. The sale would have made the plant a "wholesale
generation plant and exempted it from state regulation, including
authority over future sales of the nuclear facility to other
companies," the commission said.
Madison, Wis.-based Alliant, which owns 41 percent of the plant, and
Wisconsin Public Service, 59 percent owner of the plant, said they
were still weighing the implications of the decisions and reviewing
their options to continue pursuing the sale of the plant.
The Kewaunee plant is not in the rate base of any Iowa customers of
Alliant, although it is in the rate base of Alliant's utility
subsidiary in South Beloit, Ill.
"We continue to believe the timing is right to sell the plant," said
Barbara Swan, Wisconsin Power & Light president. In addition to the
Kewaunee nuclear plant, Alliant is majority owner of the Duane Arnold
Energy Center near Palo.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sandy Perle
Senior Vice President, Technical Operations
Global Dosimetry Solutions, Inc.
2652 McGaw Avenue
Irvine, CA 92614
Tel: (949) 296-2306 / (888) 437-1714 Extension 2306
Fax:(949) 296-1144
Global Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/
Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/
************************************************************************
You are currently subscribed to the Radsafe mailing list. To
unsubscribe, send an e-mail to Majordomo@list.vanderbilt.edu Put the
text "unsubscribe radsafe" (no quote marks) in the body of the e-mail,
with no subject line. You can view the Radsafe archives at
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/radsafe/