The Atomic States of America

 

Available on DVD from The Video Project: http://www.videoproject.com/atstofam.... In 2010, the United States approved the first new nuclear power plant in 32 years, heralding a "Nuclear Renaissance". But that was before the Fukushima accident in Japan renewed a fierce public debate over the safety and viability of nuclear power. The Atomic States of America journeys to nuclear reactor communities around the country to provide a comprehensive exploration of the history and impact to date of nuclear power, and to investigate the truths and myths about nuclear energy. From the gates of Three Mile Island, to the cooling ponds of Braidwood, IL, the film introduces people who have been on the front lines of this issue for decades: community advocates, investigative journalists, renowned physicists, nuclear engineers, Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspectors, and former government leaders. Based in part on Kelly McMasters' book "Welcome to Shirley", about growing up in the shadow of the Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island, the film explores the evidence for serious health consequences documented by people living in Shirley, as well as near other nuclear facilities. Their concerns call into question who can be trusted to provide truthful information, and how much influence the nuclear industry has over the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its decisions. As the nation stands at the crossroads of a possible Nuclear Renaissance, The Atomic States of America inspires informed discussion on the safety, viability and future of nuclear power in the United States.

CC Newsletter 23 Dec - Japan Plans Dumping Fukushima’s Nuclear Waste In Ocean: Pacific Collective Vows To Oppose

 

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The Pacific Collective on Nuclear Issues, a group of civil society and student organizations, has categorically denied the veracity of a report released by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO), vowing to oppose Japan’s planned mass disposal of wastewater stored at the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant. The strong objection comes a day after TEPCO submitted a detailed plan to the nuclear regulation authority seeking the release of accumulated wastewater into the sea. TEPCO said it would use an underwater tunnel to dispose of 1.28 million tons of contaminated water of the plant at a depth of 12 meters in the

sea.

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Countercurrents.org

Japan Plans Dumping Fukushima’s Nuclear Waste In Ocean: Pacific Collective Vows To Oppose

by Countercurrents Collective

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/japan-plans-dumping-fukushimas-nuclear-waste-in-ocean-pacific-collective-vows-to-oppose/

The Pacific Collective on Nuclear Issues, a group of civil society and student organizations, has categorically denied the veracity of a report released by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO), vowing to oppose Japan’s planned mass disposal of wastewater stored at the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant. The strong objection

comes a day after TEPCO submitted a detailed plan to the nuclear regulation authority seeking the release of accumulated wastewater into the sea. TEPCO said it would use an underwater tunnel to dispose of 1.28 million tons of contaminated water of the plant at a depth of 12 meters in the sea.

Debunking the Eternal Economic Growth Model

by John Feffer

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/debunking-the-eternal-economic-growth-model/

Can those who advocate hitting the brakes on economic growth get their message across before it’s too late?

Voices of Concern: Aussies for Assange’s Return

by Dr Binoy Kampmark

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/voices-of-concern-aussies-for-assanges-return/

With Julian Assange now fighting the next stage of efforts to extradite him to the United States to face 18 charges, 17 of which are based on the brutal, archaic Espionage Act, some Australian politicians have found their voice.  It might be said that a few have even found their

conscience.

‘Previously Unknown Massacres’: Why is Israel Allowed to Own Palestinian History?

by Dr Ramzy Baroud

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/previously-unknown-massacres-why-is-israel-allowed-to-own-palestinian-history/

Haaretz’s investigative report – ‘Classified Docs Reveal Massacres of Palestinians in ’48 – and What Israeli Leaders Knew’ – is a must-read. It should be particularly read by any person who considers himself a ‘Zionist’ and also by people who, for whatever reason, support Israel, anywhere in the world.

Democracy as commodity

by Jim Miles

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/democracy-as-commodity/

The U.S.’ Summit for Democracy has come and gone without too much fuss.  It was a strange little show with the leader of the so called ‘free world’ – being those “democratic” countries that for whatever reason support U.S. dictates – attempting through rhetoric and probably a few winks and nods to maintain its

establishment as the group’s leader.    From what I saw in the MSM it really amounted to little and may well have shown how weak the supposed leadership is.

Left Smiles in Chile

by Bhabani Shankar Nayak

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/left-smiles-in-chile/

In the age of rising tide of neoliberal authoritarianism and populist reactionary religious politics, the electoral victory of left brings smiles to all progressive forces beyond Chile.

Albert Camus: Living in the Tension & an Ethical Politics in the Absurd World

by Dr Pravat Ranjan Sethi

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/albert-camus-living-in-the-tension-an-ethical-politics-in-the-absurd-world/

By one of the most profoundly influential thinkers of our century, The Rebel is a classic essay on revolution. For Albert Camus, the urge to revolt is one of the “essential dimensions” of human nature, manifested in man’s timeless Promethean struggle against the conditions of his existence, as well as the popular

uprisings against established orders throughout history.

Saffronization    of  the  army  and  militarization  of    the  government

by Sumanta Banerjee

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/saffronization-of-the-army-and-militarization-of-the-government/

The  outpouring  of  grief  over  the  tragic  death  of  General  Bipin  Rawat  is  manifesting  itself  in  an  ugly    belligerent  form,  which was    never  witnessed in  the  past    on  similar  occasions,  like  the  passing  away  of  army  stalwarts –  Sam  Manekshaw,  Arjan  Singh  and  Sundarji.  The  present  state-sponsored  display  of  national  mourning  over  Bipin  Rawat’s  death  is    fast  degenerating  into  an  orgy  of  revenge against  those  who  are  expressing  their  misgivings  about  certain    dubious  and  oppressive  acts  by  the  late  general  during  his  tenure  as  both  the  army  chief  and  later  as  the  Chief of  Defence  Staff.

Consciously Superstitious Elite and Flourishing

Superstitions in India

by Dr. Y. Srinivasa Rao

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/consciously-superstitious-elite-and-flourishing-superstitions-in-india/

In a country where almost eighty percent of population live in rural India and at least sixty of India population is illiterate and uneducated, it is quite depressing to know that at least, ninety-five percent of Indian elite are deeply religious, ritualistic, god fearing and superstitious. It is against the logic of the co-relation between reason/rationality and economically, socially and psychologically secured lives, the religious orthodoxy flourishes among the elite.

An Open Letter to the Chief Minister of Odisha over the ongoing police repression in Dhinkia

Press Release

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/an-open-letter-to-the-chief-minister-of-odisha-over-the-ongoing-police-repression-in-dhinkia/

We, the undersigned, are shocked and deeply concerned over the ongoing police repression on the peasants and betel

growers of Dhinkia, Gobindpur and Nuagaon villages of Jagatsinghpur district in Odisha who for seventeen years have used the most democratic means to resist the forceful acquisition of land for the POSCO project.

Thousands Protest Against Karnataka Anti-Conversion Bill In Bangalore

Press Release

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/protest-against-anti-conversion-bill-in-bangalore/

Today the streets of Bangalore saw an outpour of citizens in large numbers to protest against the anti-people and unconstitutional ‘Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill 2021’. The rally began from Mysore Bank Circle and culminated at Freedom Park. A broad coalition of more than 40 organisations vociferously demanded that the Bill be withdrawn as the Government of Karnataka is trampling upon the constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of religion, privacy and dignity.

Think twice: Can we deliver on #HealthForAll without saving lives from viral hepatitis?

By Shobha

Shukla & Bobby Ramakant

https://countercurrents.org/2021/12/think-twice-can-we-deliver-on-healthforall-without-saving-lives-from-viral-hepatitis/

Despite over 350 million people living with hepatitis B and C virus globally, and 3 persons dying every minute, much-needed efforts are yet to be on-track to end viral hepatitis in next 108 months (by 2030) as promised by heads of all countries in UN General Assembly (by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals). More importantly, during the Covid pandemic, efforts to prevent and save lives from viral hepatitis had taken a backseat – which is risking losing the gains made earlier in addressing viral hepatitis across the world.

News alert: Keating: Holtec has decided to dump radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay in early 2022

 

PLYMOUTH — The company decommissioning Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station has told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that it plans to start discharging radioactive water from the plant into Cape Cod Bay sometime within the first three months of 2022.

U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Mass., shared an email with the Times that his staff received from the NRC Wednesday that confirmed Holtec International had informed the agency of its plan to release radioactive water into the bay.

Just a week earlier, Holtec spokesman Patrick O'Brien told a Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel in Plymouth there were other options, including evaporating the million gallons of water from the spent fuel pool and the reactor vessel and other plant components or trucking it to a facility in Idaho.

"We had broached that (discharging water into the bay) with the state, but we've made no decision on that," O'Brien said.

Previously:Pilgrim nuclear plant may release 1M gallons of radioactive water into bay. What we know

In an interview Tuesday, Harold Anagnostopoulos, Nuclear Regulatory Commission plant inspector and senior health physicist for Region 1 (which includes New England), said he didn't know of any planned discharge, but "we would not be involved in that decision. We would be involved in investigating or inspecting to make sure that they are meeting the requirements of their license."

Keating said that not disclosing their plans at a public forum violated promises of transparency.

"It's troubling that within a couple of days it turned into a sure thing," Keating said Friday.

"If Holtec had true concern for public health and the environment and worked with transparency as they promised, Holtec would halt any dumping until a viable solution is found acceptable," said Diane Turco, director of Cape Downwinders, a citizen watchdog group. "(D)umping into Cape Cod Bay just highlights the fact that the NRC and Holtec don’t have a solution for what to do with nuclear waste. Contaminating our environment is part of the nuclear nightmare process and that is immoral."

Of more concern to Keating than the lack of transparency, was what he said was a decision motivated by cost and not by necessity.

Two years ago, during the negotiations for longtime plant owner Entergy Nuclear Operations to sell Pilgrim to Holtec for the purposes of decommissioning, Keating said he and others expressed concern about turning the process over — including the $1.03 billion decommissioning trust fund — to a private company that hadn't yet dismantled a nuclear plant. At the time, state Attorney General Maura Healey tried to intervene on that basis, citing concerns that the billion-dollar fund might prove insufficient and that Pilgrim would be Holtec's first shot at decommissioning.

In interviews, both the NRC and Holtec said that discharging radioactive water into the ocean is a common practice in the nuclear industry and is the least expensive method. O'Brien said Pilgrim discharged radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay as recently as 2017.

Keating said there is also a profit motive to the dumping plan.

"They are responsible to their shareholders, and that's what is going to drive them," he said.

O'Brien said in an email response Friday night that the company hadn't made any decisions yet on which disposal option to use.

"We are looking at all options allowed under the state and federal NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit. We are evaluating options that include trucking for disposal, evaporation, overboarding (release) of treated water or some combination thereof. As was stated, we would be looking to come up with a final plan over the next 6-12 months, working with state and federal regulatory authorities to ensure compliance, and provide the public ample notice on the final disposition,” O'Brien wrote in the email. He said Holtec may have informed the NRC that they were ready to discharge, but hadn't finalized plans.

The email shared by Keating from NRC Congressional Affairs Officer Carolyn Wolf said that "Holtec has informed the NRC that it plans to discharge liquid effluents sometime in the first quarter of 2022."

O'Brien said cost is one consideration, but that "all levels of risk are evaluated and considered as well."

In an interview this week, Anagnostopoulos said the water from the plant cannot be discharged unless it meets standards for radioactivity materials and levels. The water is handled in batches (Holtec said the batches will be 20,000 gallons) and is cycled through filters to remove metals and other possible contaminants as well as any longer-lived high radioactive elements.

Radioactive tritium is generally what is released from nuclear power plants and the Department of Energy website put its half-life at 12.3 years.

Anagnostopoulos said the level of radiation allowed to be discharged is 100 millirems. To put that in perspective, soil contains roughly 21 millirems and a mammogram exposes the patient to 42 millirems, according to U.S. Department of Energy data. A cardiac CT Scan contains over 2,000 millirems.

Anagnostopoulos said that the 100 millirem level is right at the mouth of the outfall before dilution comes into play. He said that sensors at the mouth of the discharge pipe and at a distance measure radiation, and that plant employees do biological and water sampling and submit them to an independent lab to test for bioaccumulation. He said there are also risks in transporting radioactive water, such as the potential for a crash or spill along the route, and that it is transferring a problem elsewhere.

But Keating said that claims of low radiation levels in nuclear plant effluent were only one part of the decision-making process. He said the potential biological and economic damage caused to maritime industries such as fisheries, aquaculture and recreation, including the public perception that they may be tainted with radioactivity, should have been factored in. If it was, he said, the clear choice was to truck the water to another site, not dump it into the ocean.

"The issue is much more clear-cut. We have an alternative (trucking) and the only difference is cost," said Keating, who argued that the $1 billion in the trust fund came from ratepayers and that they deserved the best disposal solution that preserved their environment and maritime industries.

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