Reactors Archives · Page 25 of 31

August 10, 2004

NIRS in concert with a national coalition petitioned NRC for emergency enforcement action on BWR structural vulnerabilities to terrorism. 32 of the nation’s 104 licensed nuclear power stations are fatally designed and constructed so that irradiated fuel storage ponds are located literally on the roof of the reactor building in structures that NRC has identified in a pre-9/11 study as vulnerable to aircraft penetration. The same study identified that the resulting nuclear waste fire involving hundreds of tons of irradiated nuclear fuel would cause tens of thousands of fatalities out to 500 miles. An international coalition (US and Canada) has filed an emergency enforcement petition to NRC to address the structural vulnerabilities of these reactors or force their closure. Click here for Petition and Annex to the Petition. List of Affected Reactors.

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July 23, 2004

On , Committee To Bridge the Gap (CBG) filed a Petition for Rulemaking to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission focused on revising the Design Basis Threat for nuclear power stations to contemplate and defend against realistic threat levels and to require that nuclear power station operators protect the facilities from attack by aircraft.

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July 1, 2004

State of New Jersey letter () to NRC Region 1 outlining concerns for public safety from perceived vulnerabilities of the Oyster Creek nuclear power station to attack by aircraft and secrecy of federal and industry reports that might otherwise assuage such concerns.

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June 29, 2004

NIRS allegation to NRC Nuclear Reactor Regulation regarding nuclear industry non-compliance with NRC Orders issued in 1998 to bring inoperable Thermo-Lag 330-1 fire barriers into compliance with federal law [10 CFR 50 Appendix R III.G.2] and instead substituting unapproved, largely unanalyzed and illegal Operator Manual Actions with a particular focus on Florida’s Crystal River nuclear power station.

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May 3, 2004

NIRS/Public Citizen/NAACP of Claiborne County (MS)/Sierra Club (MS) file contentions to oppose new reactor at Grand Gulf Mississippi. Text of contentions on safety, environmental justice, emergency planning Text of contention on high-level radioactive waste

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March 1, 2004

Nuclear Monitor () Special Edition article on the issues of emergency planning following the Three Mile Island accident on March 28, 1979.

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January 24, 2004

NIRS comments to NRC regarding the agency’s proposed criteria for the adoption of illegal and unapproved "manual operator actions" in lieu of operable fire barriers for the protection of remote control room functions to safely shut down the reactor in the event of fire by accident or an act of terrorism.

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October 1, 2003

GAO Report [] determining that the NRC and nuclear industry are falling behind in their accrual of sufficient funds to decommission and clean up radioactive contamination from nuclear power reactor operation.

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October 1, 2003

Appendix from GAO report [] that lists the nuclear power stations that GAO has identified as falling behind in their accruing sufficient funds to adequately complete future decommissioning and radioactive cleanup operations.

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September 15, 2003

Letter to DOE Secretary Spencer Abraham from environmental groups across the globe demanding preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement for MOX tests.

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