Nuclear waste dump a danger and’ negligible’ benefit to Northern Territory
NT not able to cope with nuke accident, says Government, Northern Territory News BEN LANGFORD March 29th, 2010 MOST Territory hospitals and the Port of Darwin are not equipped to deal with a radioactive waste incident or interest from “sophisticated criminal groups”, the NT Government has said.
The Government has told a Senate inquiry into new laws for a nuclear waste dump there would be “negligible economic benefit from the facility” for the NT. Continue reading
Fires at 3 U.S. nuclear plants illustrate safety risks
Fires break out at three U.S. nuclear plants over the weekend, FACING SOUTH, By Sue Sturgis , March 29, 2010 Emergencies were declared at two Progress Energy nuclear power plants in the Carolinas over the weekend due to fires. There was also a fire at a nuclear power plant in Ohio on Sunday that sent two firefighters to the hospital. The blazes were put out and disaster averted, but the incidents underscore concerns about U.S. nuclear plants’ failure to comply with fire safety regulations…… Continue reading
Greens to Question Secret Deal on Muckaty Nuclear Waste Dump Plan
“They have been hiding behind the cloak of ‘commercial in confidence’ for too long.
Greens to question secret Muckaty contract in waste dump inquiry 29 March 2010
The Australian Greens will question the two parties involved in signing a secret contract that led to the nomination of Muckaty Station, near Tennant Creek, as the only proposed site for Australia’s first ever radioactive waste dump. Continue reading
Longterm Victims of Three Mile Island Nuclear Meltdown
To this day the families of those harmed by radiation at Three Mile Island have been denied the right to make their case in federal court.
The Legacy of Three Mile Island: It Could Happen Again At Any Time HARVEY WASSERMAN, BUZZFLASH, 27 March 2010, As radiation poured from 3 Mile Island 31 years ago this weekend, utility executives rested easy. They knew that no matter how many people their errant nuke killed, and no matter how much property it destroyed, they would not be held liable. Today this same class of executives demands untold taxpayer billions to build still more TMIs. No matter how many meltdowns they cause, and how much havoc they visit down on the public, they still believe they’re above the law. Continue reading
Union opposing Muckaty nuclear waste dump plan
ETU slams nuclear waste dump plan ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Mar 27, 2010 The Electrical Trades Union is seeking to ban its members from contributing to the proposed nuclear waste dump in Central Australia. Continue reading
France’s nuclear reactors cutting costs and safety
Revelations from an EDF insider Réseau “Sortir du nucléaire” French Nuclear Phaseout Network, 6 March 2010, : EPR reactor prone to major nuclear accident risk! The French Network for Nuclear Phase-out (Réseau “Sortir du nucléaire”) reveals confidential documents disclosed by an anonymous insider from EDF (Electricité de France, the main French power utility). These documents show that the design of the EPR presents a serious risk of a major nuclear accident – a risk deliberately taken by EDF to increase its profitability. Because it is potentially vulnerable to a situation which could have uncontrollable consequences, the EPR reactor is extremely dangerous.
Navajo’s Radioactive Legacy from Uranium Mining
Toxic legacy for tribes, High Country News, Caitlin Sislin | Mar 26, 2010 Earlier this month, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals approved a controversial permit for uranium mining operations at sites in Church Rock, New Mexico. The operation includes a site associated with the largest release of liquid radioactive waste in United States History — a catastrophe which continues, a generation later, to negatively impact the lives and health of Navajo people residing near the spill site. Continue reading
Pressure to use Oakajee as uranium port
“…there was scope to export products including uranium out of Oakajee, because it was relatively isolated.
A plan to export uranium through a port in a populated area would probably be opposed by the community….”
Barnett cool on Oakajee as uranium port, KATE EMERY AND PETER KERR, The West Australian, 26 March 2010, – Continue reading
W.A. premier rules out Oakajee port for uranium shipments
No uranium through Oakajee: Premier ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 25 March 2010, The Premier Colin Barnett has ruled out using the proposed Oakajee deepwater port north of Geraldton to ship uranium products. Continue reading
USA- resuscitation of nuclear industry threatened by waste problem
Waste issue hurting U.S. nuclear revival-panel Lack of plan for waste seen hurting nuclear development Commission told to move beyond Yucca Mountain site Some lawmakers oppose plan to shut down Yucca By Ayesha Rascoe WASHINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) – The lack of a permanent home for the nation’s radioactive waste is dampening prospects for a resurgence of the U.S. nuclear industry, federal commissioners said at their first public hearing on the subject. Continue reading
Rudd’s “aboriginal policy” more of a “uranium miners’ policy”
the big mining companies have been pressuring Australian governments to allow the opening of more mines and the establishment of a nuclear waste dump. The forced or coopted loss of Aboriginal control of their land is an important step to achieving this.
Fight for Aboriginal Rights: Labor steps up racist NT land grab, By Hamish Chitts. Rudd would make a great snake-oil seller because for all his lofty words over the past year,…..
In June 2007 the Howard Coalition government used the Little Children are Sacred report into child abuse in remote Northern Territory Aboriginal communities to invade these communities under what it called the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER)……. the Rudd Labor government has not only maintained the NTER, but also extended it.. Continue reading
Appeal to help local communities attend Senate hearing on nuclear waste dump
“Traditional Owners, Tennant residents and Barkly region pastoralists are extremely disappointed that the Senate Committee will not sit in Tennant Creek. The distance and cost to travel to Darwin makes it impossible for the majority of concerned people to attend the hearing,”
A public appeal is being launched to raise funds for Muckaty Traditional Owners to attend a Senate Inquiry hearing in Darwin on April 12.
The Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee is considering the recently tabled National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010, which identifies an area in the Muckaty Land Trust as the only site to be initially considered for a radioactive waste dump. Continue reading
Ionising radiation cancer risk to airline crews
if crew members and passengers already face largely unreported radiation risks from long-distance flying, we should have the right to know just how whole-body radiation scanning machines are part of this risk.
Flying and Excess Radiation, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Robert Alvarez: March 22, 2010 …..The recent reporting of dozens of cases of harm to patients from the misuse of CAT scans should serve as a cautionary warning.
Unfortunately, the doses of radiation experienced in every-day life, especially flying long-distances in jet aircraft, pose risks we should also carefully heed… Continue reading
Review: waste dump, uranium to Russia, U.S. waste problem, depleted uranium
Review: Australia: A big week with the Howard-Rudd government pretending that all is well with Muckaty waste dump plans, despite growing opposition. Rudd govt also intending to follow Howard’s deal on uranium sales to Russia. Concern rising over unnecessary medical radiation .
International: Nuke waste problem threatens “nuclear renaissance”. Canadian doctors oppose uranium mining, UK fears of radioactive terrorist attack. More revelations of cancer, birth deformities, from depleted uranium. Impoverished Niger a magnet for uranium miners
Northern Territory “Intervention” in interests of uranium miners, not Aborigines
Without doubt, the so called ‘resource boom’ where the price of minerals, especially of uranium started climbing, had a major impact in the introduction of the NT intervention laws which permitted the government to reclaim aboriginal lands.
it is the mining companies and not the aboriginal people who stand to gain from the relocation of aboriginal people away from their land
Alyawarr (Australian Aboriginal) people walked off. They say “enough is enough ! Abolish Northern Territory Intervention ! jagath dheerasekara, 23 March 2010, ” Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 