Saturday, November 29, 2014

11.30 Support #‎StandAgainstUranium‬ March in Rio | FILM PRODUCED BY THE CREE NATION PREMIERES AT THE INTERNATIONAL URANIUM FILM FESTIVAL


via Marcia Gomes de Oliveira (Uranium Film Festival) – To support the Stand Against Uranium March of the Cree, Cariocas will march now, Sunday, Nov.30, along Rio´s Copacabana beach. Start at 10 am, at Posto 6, last Fishermen community of Copacabana. Join us, if you can!


"The Wolverine: The Fight of the James Bay Cree" – short film teaser



FILM PRODUCED BY THE CREE NATION PREMIERES AT THE INTERNATIONAL URANIUM FILM FESTIVAL – The Wolverine
standagainsturanium.com/news/film-produced-cree-nation-premieres-international-uranium-film-festival/






JAMES BAY CREES LAUNCH STANDAGAINSTURANIUM MARCH - Cree youth walk from Mistissini to Montreal to oppose uranium development on their territory
gcc.ca/newsarticle.php?id=396

Eeyouch are walking for a uranium-free Eeyou Istchee
standagainsturanium.com/march/


Uranium Film Festival
uraniumfilmfestival.org


James Bay Cree Against Uranium on facebook

#‎StandAgainstUranium‬ hashtag on facebook

#StandAgainstUranium‬ - Twitter Search


see also

whats up: #StandAgainstUranium :: Cree march to demand ban on uranium exploration

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Nuclear power's dark future | The Japan Times




Nuclear power constitutes the world’s most subsidy-fattened energy industry, yet it faces an increasingly uncertain future. The global nuclear power industry has enjoyed growing state subsidies over the years, even as it generates the most dangerous wastes whose safe disposal saddles future generations.

Despite the fat subsidies, new developments are highlighting the nuclear power industry’s growing travails. For example, France — the “poster child” of atomic power — is rethinking its love affair with nuclear energy. Its parliament voted last month to cut the country’s nuclear-generating capacity by a third by 2025 and focus instead on renewable sources by emulating neighboring countries like Germany and Spain.

As nuclear power becomes increasingly uneconomical at home because of skyrocketing costs, the U.S. and France are aggressively pushing exports, not just to India and China, but also to “nuclear newcomers,” such as the cash-laden oil sheikhdoms in the Persian Gulf. Such exports raise new challenges related to freshwater resources, nuclear safety and nuclear-weapons proliferation.
Still, the bulk of the reactors under construction or planned worldwide are in just four countries — China, Russia, South Korea and India...


more: Nuclear power’s dark future | The Japan Times


Sunday, November 23, 2014

#StandAgainstUranium :: Cree march to demand ban on uranium exploration | Montreal Gazette




Cree march to demand ban on uranium exploration | Montreal Gazette
– Seven young members of the James Bay Cree Nation began an 800-kilometre trek from Mistissini to Montreal Sunday to demand a ban on uranium development in northern Quebec.

“We want a uranium-free Eeyou Istchee (Cree territory), ” said Youth Grand Chief Joshua Iserhoff, 36, who set out with six others at 11 a.m. in minus-2-degree weather.

They plan to arrive in Montreal on Dec. 15, the final day of hearings on uranium development by the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE).

The march underlines the Crees’ opposition to uranium exploration and mining, which they say would encroach on traplines, poison the environment and threaten their traditional way of life.

“It’s not just an issue for the First Nations but for Quebecers, too,” said Iserhoff, who launched an invitation to other marchers to join the walk at any point along the route to Montreal, via Chibougamau, the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region and Quebec City.

“Not only do we want to do this for our people but we want to save other natural resources from ever being contaminated and destroyed by uranium,” he said.

The BAPE started holding hearings on uranium development across the province in May and is scheduled to submit its recommendations to Environment Minister David Heurtel by next May.

Quebec has declared a moratorium on uranium projects pending the outcome of the BAPE hearings.

In 2013, Yves-François Blanchet, then environment minister in the Parti Québécois government, said no permits would be issued for the exploration or mining of uranium until an independent study on the mineral’s social acceptability and environmental impacts had been completed.

At that time, the only uranium project seeking an exploration permit was Strateco Resources Inc.’s Matoush site in the Otish mountains, about 275 kilometres north of Chibougamau.

Strateco, based in Boucherville, has invested $125 million on the project.

Stretco stocks plunged by more than 60 per cent in April 2013 after the government halted exploration.

The company said it had obtained authorizations from the federal government and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, in addition to 22 permits from Quebec to advance the project.

After following the first two phases of the BAPE process, the Cree Nation is convinced, now more than ever, of the significant long-term risks that uranium development would bring to our land.” — Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come

Two weeks ago, the Cree Nation launched a social-media campaign, #StandAgainstUranium, and website, standagainsturanium.com/.

“After following the first two phases of the BAPE process, the Cree Nation is convinced, now more than ever, of the significant long-term risks that uranium development would bring to our land,” Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come said on Nov. 14.

“We are not prepared to impose such burdens on our future generations,” he added.

Environmental groups have tabled 1,500 briefs opposing uranium development before the BAPE and launched an online campaign, www.quebecsansuranium.org.


mascot@montrealgazette.com



#StandAgainstUranium

http://standagainsturanium.com/

Thursday, November 13, 2014

DR. HELEN CALICOTT SLAMS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ON CLIMATE BILL - NUCLEAR CONCESSIONS


 Helen Caldicott, the pioneering Australian antinuclear activist and pediatrician who spearheaded the global nuclear freeze movement of the 1980s and co-founded Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), has joined with left-leaning environmental groups here in an uphill fight to halt nuclear power as a "solution" to the global warming crisis. "Global warming is the greatest gift the nuclear industry has ever received," Dr. Caldicott told Truthout.

The growing rush to nuclear power was only enhanced, experts say, by the weak climate deal at the Copenhagen 15 climate conference. The prospects for passage of a climate bill in Congress - virtually all versions are pro-nuclear - were enhanced, most analysts say, because it offered the promise that China might voluntarily agree to verify its carbon reductions and it could reassure senators worried about American manufacturers being undermined by polluters overseas. But at the two-week international confab that didn't produce any binding agreements to do anything, Caldicott and environmental activist groups were marginalized or, in the case of the delegates from Friends of the Earth, evicted from the main hall.

The upshot of the latest trends boosting nuclear power - although no nuclear reactor has been built in America since the 1970s - are indeed grim, she said. "Nothing's going to work to stop them but a meltdown," she said, fearing the prospects of such a calamity. "I don't know how else the world is going to wake up."

Her fears may sound apocalyptic, but as Truthout will explore in more depth in part II of this article, the dangers of a meltdown, terrorist attack and radiation damage are far greater than commonly known. That's because of what federal and Congressional investigators, advocacy groups and medical researchers say is a culture of sloppy security, health and safety oversight by a cozily pro-industry Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (An NRC spokesman denied those allegations in a written statement to Truthout.) The quasi-independent agency is funded primarily by fees from nuclear power plants. On top of all that, the Obama administration is planning to offer about $20 billion in loan guarantees to fund two new uncertified and risky reactors designs that have faced safety and cost overrun problems overseas...



more: DR. HELEN CALICOTT SLAMS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ON CLIMATE BILL - NUCLEAR CONCESSIONS


The Inconvenient Truth in the US-China Climate Pact? | GreenWorld





China’s government tends to be ruled by a high degree of economic realism. The national economy comes first and has largely trumped other considerations, such as the environment, human rights, democracy, global public opinion, etc. The decision to enter into the climate pact with the U.S., to the extent that China intends to honor it (and there is no indication at this stage that it does not), suggests that it has to give serious consideration to how it will meet the lofty objective implied by the commitment to provide 20% of its total energy supply through low-carbon generation sources by 2030. It is being reported widely that this objective equates to China installing as much low-carbon generation as the entire current U.S. electricity production from all sources.
It’s completely reasonable to wonder, with such an ambitious goal, how much China will rely on nuclear as opposed to renewables to get there. In fact, there is no reason to expect that China will abandon nuclear, given all the rest of the reasons the country has been pursuing it: building of international prestige, demonstration of geopolitical might, illustration of engineering prowess, development of manufacturing capacity, etc.
But in reality there is no way that nuclear is going to be even close to a majority share of how China will get to the goal. China will soon have 22 reactors in operation and has the largest pipeline of reactors in construction in the world at a whopping total of 27. There are reportedly another 59 reactors in the planning stage, and 150 reactors proposed. These numbers are very similar to the historical U.S. reactor pipeline, which once approached a high of about 250 reactors proposed, planned, or developed. The U.S. fell short by more than half that number. capping out at 114 commercial reactors completed (15 of which are closing or closed), plus the five currently in construction.
If every one of these were actually built and put into operation, China’s ambitious nuclear development plans would cap out at about 250,000 MW of nuclear generation–more than 10 times the reactors and 12 times its current nuclear power capacity. And China would do this in about the same amount of time it has taken to develop just the 22 reactors currently in operation–an incredibly ambitious expansion under the huge constraints facing nuclear energy development. Essentially, China would have to build and put into operation 15 reactors/year for 15 years, more than one per month...
more: The Inconvenient Truth in the US-China Climate Pact? | GreenWorld




Wednesday, November 12, 2014

PRESS RELEASE UPDATE: Dangerous Uranium Hexafluoride Leak Worse Than Initially Reported, Regulator Says | Nuclear Energy Information Service

10 nov 2014

CHICAGO– A more serious incident occurred at the Honeywell Uranium conversion facility in Metropolis, Illinois than was originally reported by the plant operators to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The NRC Event Report states,
“DISCOVERY OF AFTER-THE-FACT EMERGENCY CONDITION – ALERT DECLARATION NOT MADE DURING EVENT INVOLVING URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE LEAK After review of additional observations and other evidence not directly involved with the response, Honeywell has determined that the event should have been upgraded at 1942 [CDT] on 10/26/14, to an ‘Alert’ classification per our classification criteria.”
“Emergency response and public awareness to a hazardous release from Honeywell depends on the reliable, honest and timely reporting by Honeywell. No government agencies can detect in real time an ongoing release of radioactive Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6) or toxic Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) at the facility”, stated Gail Snyder, Board President of Nuclear Energy Information Service...

more: PRESS RELEASE UPDATE: Dangerous Uranium Hexafluoride Leak Worse Than Initially Reported, Regulator Says | Nuclear Energy Information Service


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Fukushima Radioactivity Detected Off West Coast | TEPCO Publishes Arrogant Press Release To The US On Fukushima | SimplyInfo


News Release | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institiution

Fukushima Radioactivity Detected Off West Coast

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Relations Office
November 10, 2014
(508) 289-3340

Monitoring efforts along the Pacific Coast of the U.S. and Canada have detected the presence of small amounts of radioactivity from the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident 100 miles (150 km) due west of Eureka, California. Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) found the trace amounts of telltale radioactive compounds as part of their ongoing monitoring of natural and human sources of radioactivity in the ocean.

In the aftermath of the 2011 tsunami off Japan, the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant released cesium-134 and other radioactive elements into the ocean at unprecedented levels. Since then, the radioactive plume has traveled west across the Pacific, propelled largely by ocean currents and being diluted along the way. At their highest near the damaged nuclear power plant in 2011, radioactivity levels peaked at more than 10 million times the levels recently detected near North America...




Zoom
Satellite measurements of ocean temperature (illustrated by color) from July 28th to August 4th and the direction of currents (white arrows) help show where radionuclides from Fukushima are transported.  Large scale currents transport water westward across the Pacific.  Upwelling along the west coast of North America in the summertime brings cold deep water to the surface and transports water offshore.  Circles indicate the locations where water samples were collected.  White circles indicate that no cesium-134 was detected.  Blue circles indicate locations were low levels of cesium-134 were detected.  No cesium-134 has yet been detected along the coast, but low levels have been detected offshore. (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)





TEPCO Publishes Arrogant Press Release To The US On Fukushima | SimplyInfo


As news came out about yet another finding of Fukushima radioactive contamination offshore of North America, TEPCO published a rather bizarre press release. The corporate statement insists the contamination “Level raises no concern for human or animal health”. 

This is a bit like taking healthy food advice from McDonalds...





from tepco -

Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report 2014

Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report (Nov 11,2014)TEPCO ISSUES STATEMENT ON WOODS HOLE REPORT FINDING VERY LOW LEVEL OF CESIUM 134 FROM FUKUSHIMA OFF CALIFORNIA COAST

Level raises no concern for human or animal health; company notes progress in protecting ocean and pledges continued monitoring of water
TOKYO, November 11--Yesterday, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), a private organization in the United States, reported that samples of water taken from the Pacific Ocean off the U.S. West Coast contain very small amounts of Cesium 134, at concentrations it has noted are "well below what is thought to be of human health or fisheries concern," and within safety limits established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration. Noting the report, the Tokyo Electric Power Company issued the following statement...

11.14 BERKELEY, CA: Safety Countermeasure of Onagawa NPS after the Great East-Japan Earthquake, and the current situation of nuclear power in Japan



Colloquium: Center for Japanese Studies | November 14 | 10 a.m. | 180 Doe Library

Akiyoshi Obonai, Chief Nuclear Reactor Engineer and Chief Electrical Engineer, Tohuko Electric Power Company

On, March 11, a massive earthquake occurred at 2:46 p.m. Japan standard time, and the epicenter was about 130km off the Pacific Ocean from the Oshika peninsula where Onagawa NPS is located.

This talk will first address what happened at Onagawa Nuclear Power Station (NPS), and how the plant was managed in order to reach a cold shut down.

Next Obonai will go over the safety countermeasure after 3/11, learning the lesson from Onagawa and Fukushima. He conducted the detailed evaluation of 3/11/11 earthquakes and tsunamis. Based on this evaluation, further seismic reinforcement has been conducted and a high levee (about 29m above sea level) was constructed. In addition, safety upgrades were made for severe accidents, i.e. Filtered Containment Vessel System, and alternative decay heat removable system.

Finally, Obonai will talk about the current situation of nuclear power in Japan. For example, government policy, people’s attitude toward nuclear power, and the circumstance for restarting nuclear power station.

Akiyoshi Obonai received his masters in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1994. He currently works for the Tohuko Electric Power Company in reactor operation, reactor safety analysis and nuclear fuel management. He is certified by the Japanese government as a Chief Nuclear Reactor Engineer and Chief Electrical Engineer

cjs-events@berkeley.edu, 510-642-3415



Institute of East Asian Studies Calendar: Safety Countermeasure of Onagawa NPS after the Great East-Japan Earthquake, and the current situation of nuclear power in Japan


Monday, November 10, 2014

DIABLO CANYON – Whose Fault? | video | FOE lawsuit | Fairewinds Energy Education




Relay Chatter from Fairewinds Energy Education

If an earthquake fault caused a nuclear accident at California’s Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, whose fault would it be?  Did you know that Diablo Canyon is adjacent to two active earthquake faults: the Hosgri and Shoreline faults?

When we think of earthquake damage we think of buildings shaking and crumbling, pipes bursting and breaking. Diablo Canyon would suffer not only these traditional earthquake disasters, but also severe, dangerous mechanical threats. Arnie explains something engineers call “relay chatter”. In three short video segments, he shows us what relays are and how a seismic event would wreak havoc at Diablo Canyon causing “relay chatter”.  In addition, its proximity to two earthquake faults leaves it at risk for other mechanical failures and safety issues.

In this Fairewinds’ Video, Arnie Gundersen shares key points from his expert report for Friends of the Earth (FoE) regarding Diablo Canyon’s seismic quandary.  Arnie’s expert report is below, along with the entire FoE legal case file and submittal to the NRC.


Whose Fault? | Fairewinds Energy Education



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

The Diablo Canyon reactors and the fight for a safe, nuclear-free California (updating)


  1. On August 25, the Associated Press broke the story that the Nuclear Regulatory commission had suppressed a formal “differing professional opinion” of former senior resident inspector Dr. Michael Peck, in which he concludes that the Diablo Canyon reactors are operating outside of the license because of the newly identified earthquake risks. On the same day, Friends of the Earth relesed Dr. Peck’s suppressed DPO in its entirety...

more at FOE Updates: news releases and updates




Sunday, November 2, 2014

Carbon Free, Nuclear Free | Fairewinds Energy Education




In this video, Fairewinds' nuclear expert Arnie Gundersen talked with staffers from the United Nations about why nuclear power is not a viable solution to the issue of climate change. Lending itself as a beautiful segway to the powerful demonstration of thousands, Gundersens' presentation to UN staff coincided with the People's Climate March that took place in NYC.
Making his way from New York City to Westchester county, Arnie met up with Tim Judson, executive director of NIRS, (the Nuclear Information and Resource Service) to address the proximity of the Entergy owned Indian Point reactors to downtown Manhattan- a mere 26 miles away. Not unique to Japan, the possibility for a nuclear disaster like the meltdown at Fukushima could happen at any nuclear power site in the United States.


transcript at: Carbon Free, Nuclear Free | Fairewinds Energy Education



whats up: #BustTheMyth
you can't nuke global warming!


At the WAVE Conference - Arnie Gundersen's Presentation on Vimeo





Is nuclear power a sustainable or safe solution to ongoing energy demands around the world? Fairewinds’ Arnie Gundersen was invited to speak in August at the WAVE conference sponsored by Life Chiropractic College West. More than 1600 chiropractors attended the conference near San Francisco, California to hear speakers like Arnie Gundersen and Erin Brockovich talk about speaking truth to power. Leading chiropractic educators were also joined by mind-body experts including Larry Dossey, MD, a leading proponent of the power of intention to heal; epigenetics pioneer Bruce Lipton, PhD; and Lynne McTaggart, author of The Field; as well as ADHD Nation author Alan Schwarz.
Arnie spoke about the four problems that will be created worldwide by building more nuclear plants. As you will see in the video, Arnie is using the iPad app Keynote for his TED-like presentation.


transcript at: At the WAVE Conference - Arnie Gundersen's Presentation on Vimeo


Saturday, November 1, 2014

10.31 再稼働反対!首相官邸前抗議





1031 再稼働反対!首相官邸前抗議

薩摩川内市議会が川内原発再稼動に同意!
http://www.jiji.com/jc/zc?k=201410%2F2014102800064&g=soc

この嫌な流れを堰き止め、潰すべく、インチキカルト安倍自民党政権に
猛烈な大抗議を!

日時:2014年10月31日(金)18:00〜20:00 予定
場所:首相官邸前および永田町・霞が関一帯
(国会議事堂前駅、霞ヶ関駅、虎ノ門駅、桜田門駅をご利用ください)
呼びかけ:首都圏反原発連合

・官邸前抗議エリアでは基本的に、18:30、19:00、19:30が抗議スピーチ時間となっており、
19:00過ぎにフリーマイク(顔を映されたくない方がその場でスピーチできます。
電波の関係上可能な場所は国会議事堂前駅3番出口付近まで)の時間があります。

▼注意事項

※反原発・脱原発というテーマと関係のない特定の政治的テーマに関する旗やのぼり、プラカード等はご遠慮ください。詳しくはこちら→http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/?p=789
※現場が混雑しているため、ビラ配布や署名集め等は抗議終了後の20:00以降にお願いします。
※この首相官邸前抗議は、あくまで非暴力直接行動として呼びかけられたものです。その趣旨を十分にご理解頂きご参加いただきますよう、宜しくお願い致します。
※その他、基本的に主催者の指示に従っていただきますようあらかじめご了承お願いたします。
※スピーチに関しましては以下のご協力をお願いいたします。
一人あたり 「1分以内」 でお願いします。
反原発・脱原発テーマに関係のないテーマでのスピーチはご遠慮ください。
特定の団体のアピールにつながるスピーチはご遠慮ください。個人としてアピールをお願いします。
主催者側の意向に沿わない内容であると判断した場合、中断をお願いすることもあります。あらかじめご了承ください。

▼お知らせ

報道関係各位さま/取材のお問い合わせに関して
取材のお問い合わせは下記へお願いします。
press@coalitionagainstnukes.jp

http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/?p=4142
1031 rework opposite!
The Prime Minister's Office before protests Satsuma Sendai city Council accept the Sendai nuclear power plant operation!

http://www.Jiji.com/JC/ZC?k=201410%2F2014102800064&g=SOC this disgusting trend, the order to kill in the Liberal Democratic Party inchkikalto Abe large protests and furious!
Re: 10/31/2014 (money) 18:00-20:00 appointment place: before the Prime Minister's official residence and Nagata-Cho, at Kasumigaseki 1 zone (kokkai-gijidomae station, Kasumigaseki, Toranomon station, sakuradamon station take a) call: Metropolitan anti-nuclear Association, Downing Street before protest area basically, 18:30, 19:00, 19:00 past the protest speech time and 19:30 free Maik ( can speech might not want to face reflected on the spot.

Relationship on the radio where the Parliament building front until the station number 3 exit ) of there time. ▼ theme of attention matters * Nuke, nuclear and non specific political themes concerning the flag and banners, placards, please.
For http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/?p=789 * site is crowded with → click here for more information in protest after 20:00 please, distribute leaflets or collecting signatures. * This Prime Minister's official residence before protests are, one last call as a non-violent direct action.
Fully understanding its purpose will join us to thank.
* And other basic instructions of the organizers to follow you will first note that please.
* About speeches please our.
Thank you within 1 minute, per person.
Please refrain from speech in not related to the anti-nuclear and nuclear theme theme. Please refrain from speech lead to groups of specific appeal.
As a personal thank you appeal. You may be asked to stop if the contents does not address the intention of the organizers determined.

Please be forewarned.
▼ about contact news media relations Dear customer / coverage coverage inquiries to the following please. Press@coalitionagainstnukes.jp http://coalitionagainstnukes.jp/?p=4142 (Translated by Bing)