THE BEYOND NUCLEAR BULLETIN
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“The People’s NRC is now in session” at Vermont Yankee
When the Nuclear Regulatory Commission gave a twenty-year license extension to the Vermont Yankee nuclear power station just ten days into the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear disaster in March 2011, they melted down their public credibility as well.
This was made clear at the outset of a public meeting convened by NRC in Brattleboro, VT on May 25, 2012 for its annual “public safety assessment” of Vermont’s twin design to Japan’s exploded radioactive wreckage. The tables were literally turned on the Nuclear Rubberstamp Commission when a conscientious and disciplined citizenry took control of the process by nonviolent demonstration.
Then, on July 1st, the Safe and Green Energy (SAGE) Alliance held an “Independence from Entergy” action at Vermont Yankee, complete with a giant “Trojan Cow” urging the nuclear utility to “Moooooove On!”, Solar Rollers, 300 protestors, and 40 non-violent civil disobedience arrests. More.
Beyond Nuclear and its environmental allies continue to resist the proposed new atomic reactor at Fermi 3 in Michigan. The coalition has defended its contention to protect the threatened Eastern Fox Snake species, an indigenous constrictor which inhabits the targeted area. The intervenors have also challenged the attempt by Detroit Edison, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the State of Michigan to whitewash as "official history" the nearly catastrophic October 5, 1966 meltdown at Fermi 1, as well as the original proposal to generate weapons-grade plutonium for the U.S. nuclear arsenal at the experimental breeder reactor. Fermi 1's rusting containment shell must be removed to make way for Fermi 3's construction; its demolition without public participation in decision making is a violation of the National Historic Preservation Act. More.
Rising up against nuclear risks in Japan
Nationwide rallies, including a historic manifestation of more than 150,000 at Japanese Prime Minister Noda's residence, have protested the decision to restart the first atomic reactors since the beginning of the nuclear catastrophe in Japan. The restarts at Ohi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture have ignored lingering concerns about seismic risks directly below the site, despite a Japanese parliamentary investigation confirming that the earthquake likely began the meltdowns at Fukushima Daiichi even before the tsunami inundated the plant. Cooling system breakdowns at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4 have shown that it would not necessarily take another big earthquake there to spark a catastrophic fire in the high-level radioactive waste storage pool. More.
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