Standing in solidarity against dirty, dangerous, and expensive energy

Beyond Nuclear staff attended the rally in Washington D.C. on Sunday, July 13th against the Cove Point LNG (liquefied natural gas) expansion proposal, alongside organizing groups such as CCAN (Chesapeake Climate Action Network) and Public Citizen.

We've worked with them, and many other environmental group allies and concerned local residents, for the past many years, in order to successfully stop the Calvert Cliffs 3 proposed new reactor. Constellation Energy's Calvert Cliffs Units 1 & 2 (now owned by Exelon Nuclear), in Lusby, Maryland on the shoreline, are just a few miles from Dominion's Cove Point LNG terminal located out in the Chesapeake Bay. In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski warned about the security risks, due to the proximity of Calvert Cliffs to Cove Point.

Dominion also owns the North Anna nuclear power plant in Mineral, Virginia. Beyond Nuclear has worked with CCAN and other anti-fracking allies to oppose proposed new reactor units there, as well. We've also joined forces to successfully promote renewable alternatives, such as offshore wind power, in the Mid-Atlantic region.

As we've reported previously, the natural gas fracking wastes that would be generated in order to supply Cove Point's overseas export expansion are not only chemically toxic, but radioactive.

See CCAN's press release about the rally, including many colorful, powerful photos.

EcoWatch has reported on this issue. Mike Tidwell, CCAN's director, appeared NPR's Diane Rehm Show on July 15th.

Update on July 14, 2014 by admin

Police in Washington began arresting activists Monday morning after the first-ever sit-in at FERC. Photo credit: @CCAN/Twitter25 people were arrested by Homeland Security police on Monday, July 14th for conducting a non-violent, civil disobedience direct action at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, blocking entrances as employees showed up for work at the agency in charge of permitting Cove Point. See the press release, and photos from the direct action.

EcoWatch has reported on this story.

6.8 earthquake in Japan and tsunami warning for Fukushima prefecture

A 6.8 M earthquake was registered at 4:22 Japan Standard Time, 84 miles off the coast of the shutdown Fukushima Dai-Ni nuclear power station (not to be confused with the wrecked and melted Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor site.) Fortunately the Dai-Ni reactors remain in cold shutdown. A Tsunami Alert was also posted. More.

ASLB, EPA, FWS agree: proposed new Fermi 3 reactor's transmission line subject to NEPA review

An Eastern Fox Snake, a threatened indigenous constrictor, but one of numerous endangered or threatened species that could well inhabit Fermi 3's proposed transmission line corridor.In a ruling issued on July 7th, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) panel, overseeing the combined Construction and Operating License Application (COLA) proceeding regarding the proposed new Fermi 3 atomic reactor, agreed with intervening environmental groups: NRC staff's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) is incomplete. The ASLB panel has requested permission from the NRC Commissioners to undertake further sua sponte (Latin for "of their own accord") review of this National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) matter.

The environmental coalition has issued a press release. It quotes Beyond Nuclear's radioactive waste watchdog, Kevin Kamps:

“The hubris of the NRC staff in flouting environmental law is beyond belief, and unacceptable. It’s time for DTE to cancel Fermi 3, and move beyond nuclear, to efficiency and renewables, like wind and solar.”

The ASLB panel cites the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as also calling for NRC to undertake an EIS on the transmission line corridor. It also cites the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as not concurring on the NRC FEIS, as it now stands, for lack of specificity on the transmission line's route, and lack of analysis on endangered and threatened species impacts. The ASLB panel also points out that protected archaeological sites, such as Native American burials, could be impacted by the transmission line.

The environmental coalition member groups, intervening against Fermi 3 since 2009, include: Beyond Nuclear, Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination, Citizens Environment Alliance of Southwestern Ontario, Don’t Waste Michigan, and the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. The coalition is represented by Toledo-based attorney Terry Lodge.

DTE (formerly Detroit Edison) submitted a COLA to NRC in Sept. 2008 to build and operate Fermi 3 on the Lake Erie shore in southeastern Michigan. The coalition has opposed this at every twist and turn ever since.

Update on July 11, 2014 by admin

On July 11th, in response to the ASLB panel's July 7th request for permission from the NRC Commission to conduct a sua sponte review of the lack of a transmission line corridor environmental impact statement by NRC staff, the NRC Commission ordered briefs from the parties (environmental coalition interveners, DTE Energy, and NRC staff) in response to the ASLB request. The 20-page briefs are due Monday, July 28th. (The coalition met this very short deadline.)

The NRC Commissioner order also calls for response briefs, not to exceed 10-pages, due August 7th.

88 pounds of nuclear material seized by ISIS in Iraq

As reported by Reuters, Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants have seized 88 pounds of nuclear material from a university in Mosul, Iraq. The Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations has reported the theft to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and called on the UN for assistance in the nuclear material's recovery.

Reuters reports that Iraq's U.N. Ambassador, Mohamed Ali Alhakim, wrote in his July 8 letter:

"Terrorist groups have seized control of nuclear material at the sites that came out of the control of the state," Alhakim wrote, adding that such materials "can be used in manufacturing weapons of mass destruction."

"These nuclear materials, despite the limited amounts mentioned, can enable terrorist groups, with the availability of the required expertise, to use it separate or in combination with other materials in its terrorist acts," said Alhakim.

He warned that they could also be smuggled out of Iraq.

"The Republic of Iraq is notifying the international community of these dangerous developments and asking for help and the needed support to stave off the threat of their use by terrorists in Iraq or abroad," Alhakim wrote.

The incident is reminiscent of the immediate aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, when unguarded nuclear facilities were systematically looted.

Chris Williams (VCAN, VYDA, NIRS) to speak in Chicago July 17th

From left to right, Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps, VYDA's Chris Williams, and VYDA's Jeanette Baer "frog marched" into a waiting "Paddy wagon" by Windham County Sheriff's deputies for the ride to Brattleboro City Jail, March 22, 2012.The following announcement comes from Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS) Director, David Kraft. If you are near Chicago and can attend, please do, and bring folks with you! If not, but you know folks near Chicago, please send word to them!

"Greetings All --

NEIS would like to invite you and your organization/group to a special evening with activist/safe-energy advocated CHRIS WILLIAMS on Thursday, July 17th, 6:30 p.m. at Multi-Kulti Center in Chicago (see flier here and NEIS website -- www.neis.org -- for details). No charge, free-will offerings accepted. 

Chris has done community organizing on energy and consumer advocacy issues for decades. He's the 18-year former director of Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana; and recently with his involvement with the Citizens Action Network of New England [Vermont Citizens Action Network, VCAN] and the Nuclear Information and Resource Service [NIRS, where he serves as Board Chair] in D.C. [as well as his involvement with Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance, VYDA], has played an instrumental role in helping shut the old and unsafe Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor in Vermont. His tool box comes fully equipped -- everything from community organizing to civil disobedience to NVDA [non-violent direct action]. 

He comes to us in Illinois -- the most nuclear-reliant state in the U.S. -- with a simple yet important message: You CAN and MUST shut nuclear reactors! This comes at an especially critical time, as Exelon Corporation launches its national campaign to gut renewable energy and subsidize old, unprofitable reactors.

Please make plans to attend this event, and inform people you know about it through your group's e-mail blasts, list serves, and by reproducing and distributing the flier [linked above]. Please RSVP if you can come. Thanks in advance! We hope to see you in Chicago on the 17th!

--Dave Kraft--"

If you plan on attending, please RSVP to Dave/NEIS at: (773) 342-7650, or neis@neis.org.

Beyond Nuclear is proud to partner with Chris and Dave on this event. It's not the first time. As but two examples: the mass non-violent civil disobedience action against Entergy Nuclear's Vermont Yankee (see photo, above left), and the Beyond Nuclear/NEIS "Mountain of Radioactive Waste 70 Years High."