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Radiation Protection News Room
The news articles posted on the “Radiation Protection News Room” are provided solely as a service to readers. The intent is the raise awareness of current radiation issues in the news. Providing links to a non-EPA Web site does not constitute an endorsement by EPA or any of its employees of the sponsors of the site or the information or products presented on the site.
Radiation in the News
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News for March 13, 2009
Policy and Regulations
- House passes nuclear power bill (USA Today)
Legislation that would streamline the review process for nuclear power plants was passed by the Oklahoma House Thursday night, but opponents said the guidelines would protect utility stockholders while exposing ratepayers to the huge financial risks posed by nuclear plants. The proposal is one of several pieces of legislation supported by Republican House leaders that emphasize alternative forms of energy, including nuclear, wind, solar and compressed natural gas, as a way to ease the state and nation's dependence on foreign energy sources and advance the state as an energy leader.
Radioactive Waste
Hanford
- DOE to seek bidders for Hanford lab work (Tri City Herald)
The Department of Energy plans to request bids to award a new contract for Hanford's 222-S Laboratory, which performs chemical and radiochemical analyses needed for Hanford cleanup. The 222-S Laboratory complex, the primary laboratory for highly radioactive samples at Hanford, includes a 70,000-square-foot laboratory and several support buildings. It has 11 hot cells.
Nuclear Power
- Hearing on nuclear power's future (USA Today - AP)
Proponents of nuclear power urged the state to end a moratorium on building nuclear reactors. A state Senate hearing in Two Rivers Thursday drew varying opinions on the use of nuclear power, its risks and benefits. Nuclear power generates one-sixth of the state's energy with its plants in Kewaunee County and Manitowoc County. - Push to Reduce Greenhouse Gases Would Put a Price on Emitting Pollution (Washington Post)
Even companies are divided. The owners of nuclear power generators, which don't emit carbon dioxide, are at odds with utilities that rely on coal. And the emerging wind and solar industries are gaining a powerful voice as well.
News for March 11-12, 2009
Radioactive Waste
Hanford
- Omnibus bill's OK boosts Hanford, Mid-Columbia projects (Tri-City Herald)
Senate approval of a new federal spending bill means Hanford is likely to receive $146.5 million more for cleanup projects this year than was proposed by the Bush administration. The 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill approved Tuesday also includes money for other Mid-Columbia projects planned by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Kadlec Medical Center, Ben Franklin Transit, the Port of Benton and Hanford's historic B Reactor. - Hundreds of small quakes shake Hanford (Tri-City Herald)
The Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory operates a network of seismograph stations through Eastern Washington mostly to provide information about the Hanford nuclear reservation. Hanford produced plutonium for the nation's nuclear weapons program and was left contaminated with radioactive and hazardous chemical waste. - 9th Circuit sides with state on Hanford waste (Tri-City Herald)
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday ruled that the state of Washington does have authority over certain radioactive waste mixed with hazardous chemicals at Hanford. It upheld a 2005 summary judgment ruling in Eastern Washington federal District Court that the state had authority to require DOE to dig up and process waste temporarily buried at Hanford after 1970 until the nation has a national repository opened in New Mexico.
Risk Assessment
- 3rd Reactor Would Hurt Air Quality, Residents Say (Washington Post)
Air quality in Calvert County would suffer if a third nuclear reactor is built at the Calvert Cliffs plant in Lusby, some local residents said this week during a public hearing. Julia Clark, with the Southern Maryland Citizens Alliance for Renewable Energy Solutions, or Southern Maryland CARES, said the project is "nothing but an environmental injustice."
Nuclear Power
- Chu: Nuclear must be part of energy mix (Washington Post)
Energy Secretary Steven Chu sought Wednesday to assure skeptical senators that the Obama administration supports continued development of nuclear energy, even as it backs away from building a nuclear waste dump in Nevada.
Nuclear Weapons
- Officials: Iran does not have key nuclear material (Washington Post)
Iran does not yet have any highly enriched uranium, the fuel needed to make a nuclear warhead, two top U.S. intelligence officials told Congress Tuesday, disputing a claim by an Israeli official.
News for March 10, 2009
Radioactive Waste
- Studsvik sells SVAFO to nuclear utilities (World Nuclear News)
Studsvik of Sweden has sold its SVAFO subsidiary - a non-commercial company responsible for managing historic radioactive waste - to the country's four nuclear power producers. - New uncertainty arises over Maine's nuclear waste (USAToday)
State officials say the Obama administration<s plan to cut funding for a proposed nuclear waste repository in Nevada raises questions about the future of spent radioactive fuel being stored next to the former Maine Yankee plant. - Spain says no decision yet on nuclear waste site (Reuters India)
The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, last year recommended Spain step up efforts to find a dedicated site for storing high-level nuclear waste.
Hanford
- DOE has 60 public tours in 2009 of Hanford landmark nuclear plant (The Canadian Press)
The U.S. Department of Energy has scheduled 60 public tours of Hanford 's nuclear weapons production site between April and September. Online registration opens March 30 .
Yucca
- Group would study alternatives to Yucca (Las Vegas Review – Journal)
Sen. Harry Reid said Monday he is working to form a study group to come up with alternatives to burying nuclear waste at the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. - Yucca Mtn. decision places Maine Yankee nuclear waste disposal plan in limbo (Brunswick Times Record)
The wait for radioactive waste to be trucked away from Wiscasset might have gotten longer, as the Obama administration last week canceled a 22-year-old plan to collect and store all of the country's used nuclear reactor fuel at a central Nevada site.
Health
- New lung cancer radiation therapy created (United Press International)
US radiologists say they have developed a new lung cancer treatment that avoids conventional radiation regimens or surgical procedures.
Nuclear Power
- Arab role needed to solve Iran nuclear issue: ElBaradei (NYT)
The stand-off over the disputed Iranian nuclear program cannot be resolved without the engagement of Iran's Arab neighbors, U.N. atomic watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei said on Monday. - Iran says nuclear plant to start operating by Aug 22 (Iran Focus)
Iran said on Tuesday that its much-delayed nuclear power plant , where testing began last month, would start operating by August 22. - Nuclear power plant commits to meeting safety requirements (Asbury Park Press)
The move means Oyster Creek is the first nuclear power plant in the nation to enter a period of extended operation without having had its license to operate renewed. - Iran counts on Russia for September launch of nuclear plant (RIA Novosti)
Iran hopes Russia will keep to the September schedule for the launch of the Bushehr nuclear power plant , a former Iranian president said on Tuesday.
Nuclear Weapons
- ElBaradei Encourages Arab States to Join Iran Dialogue (Global Security Newswire)
Meanwhile, Iran announced it would open its Bushehr nuclear power plant to visitors next week, a move possibly intended to show that the facility was built with peaceful functions in mind.
Other
- Radioactive waste is topic of community forum at CCU (South Carolina Now)
Coastal Carolina University professor Ken Rogers will give a talk titled “Your Place or Mine: Global Highly Radioactive Waste Disposal Policy,” on Wednesday, March 11, 2009.
News for March 09, 2009
Radioactive Waste
- Shipload of spent radioactive fuel from Gremikha arrives Murmansk (Barents Observer)
Built in 1974, Serebryanka is intended for loading, temporary storage, transport, and offloading of liquid radioactive waste. - US to construct storage facility for radioactive waste (Middle East North Africa Financial Network)
Jordan and the United States have signed a contract for the construction of a modern central storage facility (CSF) for radioactive waste in Jordon Atomic Energy commission (JAEC)in Amman. - Uranium debate rages along Quebec's North Shore as locals oppose mines (The Canadian Press)
Like more and more regions across Canada, locals are bristling over the prospect that radioactive metal could be unearthed so close to their town.
- Public comment opens on Hanford deadlines
Public comment will open today on a proposal to delay some cleanup work in central Hanford but speed up cleanup of chemical and radioactive contaminants near the Columbia River.
- Sign up for tours of Hanford nuclear site (ST)
The Department of Energy will offer more tours of the closed Hanford nuclear reservation in Eastern Washington this year, increasing the number of tours from 48 to 60. - DOE to review waste removal options at Hanford (The NewsTribune)
The Department of Energy will prepare a report this year on the future of high-level radioactive waste, new Energy Secretary Steven Chu said.
Safety and Security
- Google Earth Uncovers British Nuclear Sub Base, Missile Facility (FOXNews)
Britain's nuclear defense headquarters could be under threat from terrorists using Google Earth.
Health
- 7 Surprising Ways Cell Phones Affect Your Health (ABC News)
In recent years, public fears over the radiation emitted from cell phones have led to several theories about the health conditions this radiation might engender. - New lung cancer radiation therapy created (United Press International)
U.S. radiologists say they have developed a new lung cancer treatment
that avoids conventional radiation regimens or surgical procedures.
Nuclear Power
- Nuclear power industry sees opening for revival (SFC)
With the Obama administration staking the nation's energy future on clean sources, the U.S. nuclear power industry aims to make a comeback by building dozens of new reactors that supply plentiful, carbon-free electricity.
Nuclear Weapons
- ISrael believes Iran can build nuclear weapons (SPI)
Iran is now capable of producing atomic weapons, Israel's top military intelligence officer said Sunday, sounding the highest-level warning that Israel's arch-enemy has achieved independent nuclear capability. - Russian Foreign Minister Says Nuclear Arms Deal With US a Top Priority (Voice of America)
Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov says a new legally binding Russian-American treaty on strategic offensive arms is his government's top priority
Other
- Obama veers from Bush's environmental course (USAToday)
Yucca was not likely to open until 2020, despite a 1998 deadline set by Congress for the government to take charge of nuclear waste. Obama's position could further delay finding a final resting place for the radioactive materials piling up at the nation's nuclear plants.
News for March 06, 2009
Radioactive Waste
Yucca Mountain
- Future Dim for Nuclear Waste Repository (NYT)
President Obama’s proposed budget cuts off most money for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste project, a decision that fulfills a campaign promise and wins the president political points in Nevada — but raises new questions about what to do with radioactive waste from the nation’s nuclear power plants.
Hanford
- Hanford tour registration opens March 30 (Tri-City Herald)
The Department of Energy will offer more tours of the closed Hanford nuclear reservation this year, increasing the number from 48 to 60. Registration for all tours opens March 30, with seats reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Last year, all 2,000 seats for tours were reserved the day registration opened.
Safety and Security
- State officials say tests still show no threat from TVA spill (Knoxville News Sentinel)
Repeated tests still show no signs of radiation or air or water pollution above state and federal standards, officials said at the meeting. That includes water from private wells and public utilities, according to TDEC.
Risk Assessment
- Clarify what 'radioactive' means (The Oak Ridger)
Tennessee Attorney General Robert E. Cooper Jr. opined this week that a bill prohibiting the dumping of any radioactive waste in Tennessee landfills is "constitutionally suspect" and that it doesn't identify "any legitimate public concerns for the prohibition against processing or disposal of radioactive waste material in any municipal or private landfills."
Health
- Experimental imaging gives early read on tumors (San Francisco Chronicle)
This experimental imaging relies on a familiar hospital workhorse: PET scans, typically used for things like detecting cancer or revealing the effects of a heart attack. Unlike CT scans or MRIs, PET scans can show a tumor's internal activity, not just its size. To do a PET scan, doctors inject a patient with a radioactive substance that shows up on the scan in places where certain processes are happening - like hungry cancer cells gobbling up a lot of blood sugar.
