'Next Chernobyl or Three Mile Island': South Carolina citizens fear environmental catastrophe

As reported on RT. (You can skip the ad at the beginning.) The story is about the latest hazardous radioactivity and toxic chemical leak at the Westinghouse nuclear fuel fabrication facility near Columbia, SC. It includes a segment of an interview with Beyond Nuclear's radioactive waste specialist, Kevin Kamps, towards the end.

RT also posted a short article, including another interview segment with Beyond Nuclear's Kamps.

New Documents Show Corporate and Foreign Interests Seek to Influence U.S. Nuclear Policy

U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (Democrat-Maryland), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and ReformWH [White House], Agencies Still Refuse to Produce Documents in Committee’s Investigation

See the press release posted on the website of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform, chaired by U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (Democrat-Baltimore, MD).

Links to primary documents, as well as the two interim staff reports (July 29, 2019, as well as Feb. 19, 2019) are provided there.

Chairman Cummings issued the following statement:

“Today’s report reveals new and extensive evidence that corroborates Committee whistleblowers and exposes how corporate and foreign interests are using their unique access to advocate for the transfer of U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. The American people deserve to know the facts about whether the White House is willing to place the potential profits of the President’s personal friends above the national security of the American people and the universal objective of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.”

The Washington Post has reported on this news. So too has The Daily Beast. The New York Times has published closely related coverage, re: Thomas J. Barrack, Jr., a close friend of President Donald J. Trump for decades, top fundraiser for Trump's 2016 campaign, top Trump Transition official, top advisor, the chair of his Inaugural Committee, and behind the scenes lobbyist. The Times reports: "[Federal] Investigators have also questioned witnesses about Mr. Barrack’s involvement with a proposal from an American group that could give Saudi Arabia access to nuclear power technology."

Update on August 1, 2019 by admin

On August 1st, Sputnik Radio's "Loud & Clear" had Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps on to discuss the Cummings committee report.

Here is "Loud & Clear's" write up:

A new report issued on July 29th by the House Oversight committee based on 60,000 newly released internal corporate documents communications show that IP3, a private company led by retired generals and admirals, lobbied the White House to transfer U.S. nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. U.S. hypocrisy is on full display as it’s military industrial complex -- and profit driven generals and admirals -- worked towards nuclear proliferation when it comes to Saudi Arabia. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, joins Brian and John.

Listen to the interview here -- it begins at the 86 minute 20 second mark, and continues for a half-hour, till the end of the show.

Nuclear power ‘seven decades of economic ruin’, says new report

From Pressenza: New research has found that almost all nuclear power plants built since the nuclear industry’s inception have generated large financial losses.

The report by the German Institute for Economic Research examines 674 nuclear power plants built since 1951. Its authors found that typical nuclear power plants averaged 4.8 billion euros in losses.

The report authors argue that new technology for nuclear plants won’t solve the underlying economic difficulties: “Those in favor of nuclear energy like to point out the ongoing technological developments that could lead to it growing more efficient in the future.

“They include ‘fourth generation’ nuclear power plants and mini-nuclear power plants (small modular reactors, SMRs). Anything but new, both concepts have their roots in the early phase of nuclear power in the 1950s. Then as now, there was no hope that the technologies would become economical and established.”

Kate Hudson, CND general secretary, said:

“The history of nuclear power is seven decades of economic ruin and environmental catastrophe. Toshiba’s decision last year to abandon plans to build a reactor at Moorside in Cumbria and Hitachi’s suspension of work this year on the Wylfa Newydd plant in Anglesey simply reflect the economic reality that this report sets out.

“Nuclear power isn’t only expensive, it creates an unsolvable waste problem, and as the TV drama Chernobyl so graphically reveals, nuclear accidents create human misery and environmental destruction.

“Our new Prime Minister should learn these lessons and adopt a fresh approach to energy that centres on clean and economically viable renewable technology.”

More Than 160 Environmental Defenders Were Killed in 2018, and Many Others Labeled Terrorists and Criminals

As reported by The Intercept.

Inside the Secret Campaign to Export U.S. Nuclear Tech to Saudi Arabia

Industry coalition’s push to win over the Trump administration is concerning officials on Capitol Hill who are fearful that it could threaten U.S. national security.

As reported by the Daily Beast.