Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Vermont Yankee – just one of many aging, leaking nuclear power plants

Indeed, a desperate national industry now pushing for massive federal subsidies to build new reactors may not survive a flood of elderly clunkers being forced to close by the weight of their own contamination….

Vermont’s radioactive nightmare FDL The Seminal Harvey Wasserman
February 10, 2010

Like a decayed flotilla of rickety steamers, at least 27 of America’s 104 aging atomic reactors are known to be leaking radioactive tritium, which is linked to cancer if inhaled or ingested through the throat or skin. Continue reading

February 12, 2010 Posted by | 1, water | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Angela Pamela uranium mine – a threat to Alice Springs’ water supply?

Uranium mine’s future depends on water supply ABC Rural News , 09/02/2010 The project manager for uranium exploration at the Angela Pamela deposit, 25 kilometres south of Alice Springs, says mining will only go ahead if the company can prove that it won’t harm the town’s water supply.

The Angela Pamela exploration site lies close to the aquifer that supplies the town with water.

Stephan Stander says it won’t be known until the end of this year whether or not Cameco Paladin will apply for a mining licence.”The joint venture partners are committed to the fact that we won’t develop the project or even consider it if we can’t, technically, for ourselves, prove that we won’t impact on the town’s water supply,” he says.

Uranium mine’s future depends on water supply – 09/02/2010

February 11, 2010 Posted by | 1, uranium, water | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Highly radioactive leaking water continues from Ranger uranium mine

Uranium mine leak ‘5400 times normal level’ – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) By Emma Masters  Feb 9, 2010 Contaminated water seeping from a mine in Kakadu National Park has a uranium concentration more than 5,000 times the normal level, a Senate estimates committee has heard.

The Office of the Supervising Scientist is the environmental regulator of the Ranger uranium mine, which is owned by Energy Resources of Australia. Continue reading

February 11, 2010 Posted by | environment, Northern Territory, uranium, water | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Radioactivity found in wells near nuclear power plant

(USA) Elevated levels of radioactive chemical found in wells at SC nuclear power plant site CB ONLINE  The Associated Press, February 10, 2010
SENECA, S.C. (AP) – Officials say they’ve found elevated levels of a radioactive form of hydrogen in water in two wells at a South Carolina nuclear reactor site.

Duke Energy said Tuesday that samples from two wells at Oconee Nuclear Station near Seneca showed tritium levels above the nuclear industry’s voluntary reporting level.

Elevated levels of radioactive chemical found in wells at SC nuclear power plant site | Markets | Market News | Canadian Business Online

February 11, 2010 Posted by | 1, water | , , , | Leave a comment

W.A’s Chamber of Minerals and Energy doesn’t want public inquiry on uranium mining

Chamber snubs uranium inquiry call ABC News  February 4, 2010 The Chamber of Minerals and Energy has rejected the call for a public inquiry into proposed uranium projects in Western Australia.The Government yesterday upheld a decision by the Environmental Protection Authority to use an environmental and management review program to assess Toro Energy’s uranium project near Wiluna.

The Conservation Council of Western Australia wants a public inquiry, the highest level of assessment, and says it should be applied to all proposed uranium projects.

Chamber snubs uranium inquiry call – ABC North West WA – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

February 6, 2010 Posted by | politics, uranium, water, Western Australia | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear reactor leaking radiation into groundwater

Today’s groundwater is tomorrow’s drinking water. “Tritiated water” is chemically identical to water. Only now, it is radioactive water with a half-life of 12.3 years. That means that it can pose a biological hazard for 120 years.

(USA) Uncontrolled radiation releases still getting out of Vermont Yankee, Beyond Nuclear 6 Feb 2010, New test wells sunk around the Vermont Yankee nuclear power station have revealed rising radiation levels in groundwater on the banks of the Connecticut River near the town of Vernon, Vermont. Continue reading

February 6, 2010 Posted by | 1, water | , , , , | Leave a comment

Media ownership in Australia

Media ownership in Australia

28 Dec 2009 Australian media ownership is one of the most concentrated in the world. The last review of media ownership in Australia (1999) found that of 12 capital city and daily papers, seven are owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation and three by John Fairfax Holdings. The West Australian and the Canberra Times were the only independently owned dailies, however, the Canberra Times is now part of the Farirfax group and The West Australian is now part of Kerry Stokes’ media group.

The Impact of Ownership on the Dissemination of Information Continue reading

January 7, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, media, water | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Can uranium mines be operated safely?

Uranium Mining: Australia and Globally League of Individuals for the Environment, Inc , Gavin M. Mudd 7 Jan 2010 “………………..The most recent experience of Australia’s operating uranium mines demonstrates the challenges involved in uranium mining, which are distinct and unique. There have been numerous incidents at the now closed Nabarlek mine and the operating Ranger, Olympic Dam, and Beverley projects. Continue reading

January 7, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, environment, uranium, water | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Uranium miner squanders Australia’s precious water – for FREE!

water-dropsSouth Australia: Olympic Dam mine BHP Billiton 30 Oct 09 Watch Western Mining Corporation first developed the Olympic Dam (Roxby Downs) Uranium Mine in 1983, despite strong and sustained opposition from Kokatha and Arabunna Traditional Owners and environmentalists. BHP Billiton purchased the underground Olympic Dam mine in 2005.

In May 2009 BHP Billiton released an Environmental Impact Statement detailing plans to turn Olympic Dam into a massive open pit mine. With this expansion uranium production is expected to increase from 4,000 tonnes to 19,000 tonnes per year and copper production from 200,000 to 750,000 tonnes a year. Continue reading

October 30, 2009 Posted by | 1, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, environment, uranium, water | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment