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Mine rules still on drawing board | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan
Early next year, proposed rules Powertech USA must play by to open and operate its proposed uranium mine northeast of Fort Collins will be formally ironed out.
For most of this year, the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety has been busy drafting proposed rules for how Powertech must protect the environment and groundwater if and when it constructs its mine, slated for a site in Weld County about 15 miles northeast of Fort Collins.
The proposed rules allow for public input on the mine and set requirements for how the company must clean contaminants from the groundwater.
The rules govern in situ leach uranium mines, which include the Centennial Project and another proposed uranium mine near Grover west of the Pawnee Buttes.
Radiation board requires safety report on depleted uranium - Salt Lake Tribune
EnergySolutions won't be able to bring more depleted uranium to Utah until the company proves the waste can be safely disposed in Tooele County for the long run.
That's what the Utah Radiation Control Board decided Tuesday by sticking to principles it adopted last month, even after the company threatened legal action.
The limit on DU, as depleted uranium is often called, does not go into effect for several months, and that leaves open a window for EnergySolutions to bring up to 15,000 drums of it from a government cleanup in South Carolina. But board members said their action Tuesday actually gets the safeguard in place sooner than originally expected.
EnergySolutions sent its attorney to the board meeting Tuesday to warn of potential legal consequences if the board did not backtrack on actions taken at its October meeting.
Company to present regulators some options -- and a warning - Salt Lake Tribune
EnergySolutions » Lawyer expected to outline "acceptable," unacceptable" paths
EnergySolutions Inc. says state regulators are tinkering too much with the depleted uranium provisions of its operating license, and the nuclear waste company is sending its lawyer Tuesday, along with a politely worded threat to sue, to the Radiation Control Board.
Company spokesman Mark Walker said EnergySolutions has no comment in advance of the discussion. But the company's eight-page outline of the radiation board's legal options range from what it considers "preferred" to "unacceptable."
"To avoid litigation of this issue," EnergySolutions says, the board must not impose a moratorium or follow through with the pending license change, says the prepared presentation of Craig D. Galli, an attorney for the company. The statement is contained in prepared testimony obtained by The Tribune through an open-records request.
Nuclear Engineering International: Maryland PSC slams "orchestrated parade" promising Calvert Cliffs 3
The Maryland Public Service Commission has approved EDF's 50% purchase of Constellation Energy that could lead to the construction of an EPR at Calvert Cliffs, provided the two utilities meet several conditions.
First, they must hand residential ratepayers a $110 million rebate before March 2010. Second, the utilities must invest $250 million cash in Baltimore Gas & Electricity, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Constellation Energy, before July 2010. There were several other additional financial stipulations.
In September, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the investment structure and license transfer related to EDF's investment in Constellation Energy Nuclear Group. The New York State Public Service Commission approved the deal in April.
Nuclear regulator broke rules, says inspector general - washingtonpost.com
Ex-official said to have sought jobs from firms while on panel
A former member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission violated government ethics rules by directly contacting potential employers with business before the NRC before the end of his term in mid-2007, according to a report by the commission's inspector general.
Jeffrey S. Merrifield twice cast votes on matters involving companies he had contacted about job prospects, the report says. The firms -- the Shaw Group, Toshiba's Westinghouse Electric and General Electric -- "could potentially have benefited financially from his votes . . . during the specific timeframes in which Merrifield was negotiating with the three companies," the report concludes.
POGO Opposes White House Nomination of Industry Cheerleader for Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) expressed its strong concern about President Obama’s choice of William Magwood to fill a vacant seat on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). In a letter sent to Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Chair Senator Barbara Boxer and Ranking Member James Inhofe yesterday, POGO questioned Mr. Magwood’s ability to effectively oversee and regulate the more than 120 licenses and renewal applications currently and soon to be before the Commission, and opposed his nomination.
“This nomination flies in the face of the spirit of President Obama’s commitment to high ethical standards for the Administration’s appointees,” said POGO Executive Director Danielle Brian. “We believe it should be examined in the full light of public and congressional scrutiny.”
Boos as Obama taps Yucca supporter - Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 | 2 a.m. - Las Vegas Sun
Senators urged to reject choice for nuclear commission
Anti-nuclear groups are fighting the Obama administration’s nomination of a pro-Yucca Mountain nuclear industry insider to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
On Oct. 9, President Barack Obama nominated Bill Magwood to the commission, which is charged with regulating and licensing all civilian use of nuclear materials, including the stalled nuclear waste dump proposed for 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Critics of the choice say Magwood has a history of nuclear boosterism that is incompatible with the role of a regulator. He also has repeatedly been quoted as saying Yucca Mountain is the best solution to the nation’s nuclear waste storage issues, most recently in May.
Critics urge Florida to halt nuclear projects that could cost $35 billion
A former federal energy regulator, environmentalists and others asked Florida leaders today to delay their pursuit of nuclear power in light of lower electricity demand and the rising costs of building new reactors.
A Southern Alliance for Clean Energy meeting on the issue comes days before the Public Service Commission will vote on whether FPL and Progress Energy can pass to customers the incremental planning costs of four new nuclear reactors that are estimated to cost up to $35 billion and are awaiting state and federal approvals.
Utilities have pushed for expanding nuclear energy because once reactors are built, they provide a relatively cheap, long-term source of energy that doesn’t release greenhouse gases and also saves customers money by protecting them from fluctuating fuel costs. Nuclear energy makes up a fifth of the power produced by FPL at a fraction of the cost of other power sources.
Sparring begins on Magwood nomination at NRC| knoxnews.com
Beyond Nuclear issued a press release today stating that it and "close to 100" other anti-nuclear or activist groups opposed to nuclear energy are lining up against the nomination of William Magwood to the NRC.
Meanwhile, the Nuclear Energy Institute issued a release saying the industry welcomed the nomination of Magwood and George Apostolakis to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
In a statement, Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear said:
"We urged President Obama to instead nominate a strong regulator to the NRC Commission who has demonstrated a commitment to public safety, rather than to nuclear power industry promotional and financial interests. Mr. Magwood has a long track record promoting the nuclear industry's interest, including the scientifically-flawed Yucca Mountain dumpsite proposal, canceled by President Obama."
NRC Orders Hearings On Reactor At Calvert Cliffs - wjz.com
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has decided to open its hearing process in a dispute over a proposal to build a third nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs in Lusby.
The NRC made the decision Tuesday in the application process for UniStar Nuclear, which is a joint venture of Baltimore-based Constellation Energy and the EDF Group, a French company.
Several groups argue the third reactor would be owned and controlled by foreign interests, contrary to the Atomic Energy Act and NRC regulations.
But UniStar counters that the proposal would not put a third reactor into control by foreign interests.
The NRC hasn't taken a position, and the hearing process can take more than a year.
NRC - NRC Extends Comment Period on Proposed Rule Revisions to Environmental Protection Regulations
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the public comment period on the proposed rule revisions to the environmental protection regulations, specifically the Summary of Findings on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Issues for License Renewal of Nuclear Power Plants and the draft revision of Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, NUREG-1437, originally published in 1996. The submittal deadline is extended from Oct. 14 to Jan. 12, 2010.
The public can view the NRC’s original notice on the proposed rule revisions in the Federal Register at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-24153.pdf exit icon PDF Iconand the original press release at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2009/09-130.html.
The NRC has held public meetings to obtain comments in Georgia, Massachusetts, Illinois and Maryland; the California meetings will be held in October and have been announced separately.
Comments on the proposed rule, draft revised GEIS and associated documents may be submitted via the federal e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov exit icon (Docket I.D. NRC-2008-0608); by e-mail to Rulemaking.Comments@nrc.gov ; by mail to Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001, ATTN: Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff; or by fax to 301-492-3466. Written comments on the draft revised GEIS should be sent to: Chief, Rulemaking, Directives and Editing Branch, Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mailstop TWB-05-B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555-0001.
Political Headwinds Hit a Reactor Project on the Chesapeake - NYTimes.com
The proposed Calvert Cliffs 3 reactor in southern Maryland has been considered a leader in the nuclear power industry's hopes for a U.S. renaissance.
It is a finalist for a multibillion-dollar Energy Department construction loan guarantee, and for months, the political and financial signals facing it have been green lights. Its developer, Baltimore-based Constellation Energy, would share the deep pockets of its French partner, Électricité de France International (EDF), the largest nuclear power provider in the world. EDF has offered Constellation $4.5 billion for a 49.99 percent share in the Maryland company's nuclear power projects, including the proposed new reactor.
Associated Press: Canada considers splitting its nuclear agency
Canada may divide its nuclear agency into two units in a bid to resolve the global shortage of medical isotopes, which are used for medical imaging to diagnose cancer and heart disease, Canada's natural resources minister said Friday.
Lisa Raitt said the government would likely separate state-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. into a research division that includes the medical isotopes reactor and another division for the pressurized heavy water reactors that generate electric power.
The government has hired investment bankers N.M. Rothschild & Sons to develop a restructuring plan for AECL, Raitt said, and they are scheduled to report back to her in the next few months.
Regulators order FPL to disclose executive pay | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida's Information Leader
Florida's two biggest electric utilities must disclose how much they pay their executives and other top employees, state utility regulators decided Tuesday.
Florida Power & Light Co. immediately said it would appeal the Public Service Commission's ruling. A Progress Energy Florida spokesman said his company has not yet decided if it will take the issue to court.
The five commissioners unanimously ordered the companies to disclose the compensation of those making more than $165,000, saying that information is vital to helping them decide whether to raise customers' rates in January.
FPL salaries secret: Florida PSC will decide if FPL employees' compensation is confidential -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
State regulators Tuesday will weigh whether to allow Florida Power & Light Co. to keep its employees' salaries secret. The Public Service Commission meeting in Tallahassee comes one week before regulators take up FPL's request for a $1.3 billion annual increase in base rates.
Florida's five major utilities, including FPL, provided detailed salary information to the commission. But FPL and Progress Energy Florida, based in St. Petersburg, have asked to keep the information private for competitive reasons. A group of 15 employees from FPL — the state's largest utility with 4.5 million customers — hired an attorney this month and said they oppose disclosing salaries for privacy reasons.
The First Amendment Foundation and the Office of Public Counsel — the state's advocate for utility customers — said state law requires utilities to make the information public.
Florida OK's plan to build nuclear plant - South Florida - MiamiHerald.com
Florida approved a nuclear plant for the first time in more than three decades. The plant would be built in Levy County.
TALLAHASSEE -- Over the objections of some residents, elected officials and environmental groups, the governor and the Cabinet on Tuesday embraced Progress Energy's controversial proposal to build a nuclear plant in Levy County -- the first such plant approved in Florida in 33 years.
The vote by Gov. Charlie Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum and Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink is not the final hurdle for Progress' plant, which still needs to secure federal approval. But the unanimous Cabinet endorsement -- with Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson absent -- helps cement what is likely to be a new era of nuclear plant construction, with Florida Power & Light also planning to build a new nuclear plant, at Turkey Point in Miami-Dade County.
Maryland Gets More Time to Review Constellation-EDF Deal - washingtonpost.com
The Maryland Public Service Commission has granted a request by state officials to extend hearings regarding the proposed $4.5 billion investment in Constellation Energy by EDF, a French energy company.
Constellation and EDF had been moving toward a Sept. 17 deadline to complete the deal. But the Maryland Energy Administration and other state agencies had asked for more time to review terms of the proposal.
Constellation appeals decision on PSC investigating EDF nuke deal
Constellation Energy Group said Tuesday that it has appealed a Baltimore judge's decision to dismiss the company's request for review of a plan by the Public Service Commission to investigate the proposed sale of half the company's nuclear operations. The PSC said in June that it has jurisdiction to review the sale plan to French firm EDF because it would give EDF major control over Baltimore Gas and Electric, Constellation Energy's regulated utility. The PSC is considering whether the proposed $4.5-billion transaction is in the public interest. Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Stuart Berger on July 2 said the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the appeal of the PSC decision because the commission's decision to review the sale was not a final decision and therefore not subject to review. The company filed the appeal Monday to the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. "We are taking this step to preserve our legal rights in the future," spokesman Robert Gould said.
Environmentalists seek to bar TVA nuclear reactor :: WRAL.com
Five environmental groups petitioned federal regulators Wednesday to block the only commercial nuclear reactor now under construction in the United States - an unfinished 1970s-era reactor the Tennessee Valley Authority is working to complete after three decades in mothballs.
The groups claim TVA failed to consider the impact on the Tennessee River, public health and safety and the utility's need for more electricity when it revived a 1976 application for an operating license for the Watts Bar Plant Unit 2 reactor near Spring City, Tenn.
"TVA keeps pushing for more nuclear reactors in spite of the massive cost overruns they always have when they build them," said Bill Reynolds, the nuclear committee chairman for the Sierra Club's Tennessee chapter.
Deseret News | Decision tabled on uranium disposal
Members of the state's Radiation Control Board have tabled for now any decision to impose a moratorium on the storage of depleted uranium at EnergySolutions' Clive facility.
The 6-4 decision to further delay giving a definitive answer on the issue came after more than three hours of presentations on the ability — or inability — to safely dispose of the Class A radioactive material at the Tooele County site.
Instead, the majority of board members want to wait until a Sept. 22 meeting with representatives from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who will be in town that week for two days of public hearings.
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