"Unusual Events" At American Nuclear Power Facilities

Just in case you thought there was nothing interesting going on in the US nuclear power industry, from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Preliminary Notification (PN) Reports

(Updated: 08-JUL-12)

2012 Preliminary Notices

July
PNO-I-12-002F	07/03/2012	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station - Current NRC Actions and Status of Union Contract Negotiations – (Update)
PNO-III-12-007	07/02/2012	NextEra Energy Point Beach: Point Beach Unit 2 Manual Reactor Trip and Unplanned Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours
June
PNO-III-12-006	06/28/2012	Detroit Edison Company: Fermi Power Plant, Unit 2- Unplanned Scram on June 25, 2012, Due To Loss of Reactor Feed Pump
PNO-I-12-003	06/21/2012	PPL Susquehanna, LLC: Shutdown Expected to be Greater than 72 hrs to Repair Leak from Chemical Decontamination Pipe on '1A' Reactor Recirculation Loop
PNO-I-12-002E	06/21/2012	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Status of Union Lockout at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station – (Update)
PNO-III-12-005	06/19/2012	FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company: Perry Unplanned Shutdown Greater than 72 Hours
PNO-III-12-004	06/14/2012	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Palisades Nuclear Plant - Shutdown Due to Safety Injection Refueling Water Storage Tank Leakage
PNO-IV-12-004B	06/13/2012	River Bend Station: Augmented Inspection Team onsite at River Bend Station (Update)
PNO-I-12-002D	06/06/2012	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Current NRC Actions During Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Union Contract Negotiations – (Update)
PNO-IV-12-004A	06/05/2012	River Bend Station: Augmented Inspection Team onsite at River Bend Station (Update)
May
PNO-IV-12-004	05/29/2012	River Bend Station: Augmented Inspection Team onsite at River Bend Station
PNO-I-12-002B	05/25/2012	Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station - Current NRC Actions During Contract Negotiations (Update)
PNO-I-12-002A	05/17/2012	Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station - Current NRC Actions During Contract Negotiations (Update)
PNO-I-12-002	05/16/2012	Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station - Current NRC Actions During Contract Negotiations
PNO-I-12-001A	05/09/2012	Salem Generating Station: Salem Generating Station Unit 1 Inadvertent Safety Injection and Notification of Unusual Event due to Fire Alarm in Containment (Update)
PNO-I-12-001	05/03/2012	Salem Generating Station: Salem Generating Station Unit 1 Inadvertent Safety Injection and Notification of Unusual Event due to Fire Alarm in Containment
April
PNO-IV-11-009B	04/24/2012	South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company: South Texas Project Unit 2 Reactor Trip and Extended Outage - (Update)
PNO-II-12-001	04/05/2012	Catawba Nuclear Station Units 1 and 2: Notification of Unusual Event due to Loss of Offsite Power
March
PNO-IV-12-002B	03/27/2012	Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.: Plant Startup Following Reactor Trip and Loss of Offsite Power at Wolf Creek Generating Station - (Update)
PNO-IV-12-003A	03/16/2012	Southern California Edison Company: San Onofre Unit 3 Augmented Inspection Team Onsite - (Update)
PNO-III-12-003	03/14/2012	Exelon Generation Company, LLC: Byron Unit 1 Unplanned Shutdown for Greater Than 72 Hours
PNO-III-12-002A	03/02/2012	Exelon Generation Company, LLC: Byron Unit 1 Loss of Offsite Power and Declaration of a Notice of Unusual Event - (Update)
February
PNO-III-12-002	02/29/2012	Exelon Generation Company, LLC: Byron Unit 1 Loss of Offsite Power and Declaration of a Notice of Unusual Event
PNO-III-12-001	02/07/2012	Exelon Generation Company, LLC: Byron Unit 2 Restarts After a Loss of Offsite Power and Declaring a Notice of Unusual Event
PNO-IV-12-003	02/01/2012	Southern California Edison Company: San Onofre Unit 3 Steam Generator Tube Leak and Rapid Shutdown
January
PNO-IV-12-002A	01/30/2012	Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.: Augmented Inspection Team Onsite at Wolf Creek Generating Station - (Update)
PNO-IV-12-002	01/18/2012	Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.: Wolf Creek Generating Station Notification of Unusual Event
PNO-IV-11-009A	01/12/2012	South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company: South Texas Project Unit 2 Reactor Trip - (Update)

2011 Preliminary Notices

December
PNO-I-11-004A	12/16/2011	Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC: Nine Mile Point Unit 2 Technical Specification-Required Shutdown Due to an Increase in Unidentified Reactor Coolant System Leakage - (Update)
PNO-I-11-004	12/12/2011	Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC: Nine Mile Point Unit 2 Technical Specification-Required Shutdown Due to an Increase in Unidentified Reactor Coolant System Leakage
PNO-III-11-016A	12/12/2011	Northern States Power Company: Monticello Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours Due To Actuation Of Reactor Protection Relays Sensing Low Turbine Control Valve Hydraulic Pressure - (Update)
November
PNO-II-11-006A	11/30/2011	Carolina Power and Light Company: Brunswick Unit 2 Notification of Unusual Event (NOUE) Due To Reactor Coolant System Leakage - (Update)
PNO-IV-11-009	11/30/2011	South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Company: South Texas Project Unit 2 Reactor Trip
PNO-III-11-017	11/28/2011	NextEra Energy Point Beach: Point Beach Unit 1 Declares Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Offsite Power
PNO-III-11-016	11/22/2011	Northern States Power Company: Monticello Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours Due To Actuation Of Reactor Protection Relays Sensing Low Turbine Control Valve Hydraulic Pressure
PNO-II-11-006	11/16/2011	Carolina Power and Light Company: Brunswick Unit 2 Declares a Notice Of Unusual Event (NOUE)
PNO-IV-11-008	11/02/2011	Southern California Edison: Ammonia Leak Causes Evacuation of Unit 3 Turbine Building and Alert Declaration
October
PNO-III-11-015A	10/28/2011	Northern States Power Company: Unplanned Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours Due To A Loss Of The Auxiliary Power Transformer - (Update)
PNO-III-11-015	10/25/2011	Northern States Power Company: Unplanned Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours Due To A Loss Of The Auxiliary Power Transformer
PNO-III-11-014	10/20/2011	FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company: Davis-Besse Shield Building Indications
PNO-III-11-013A	10/20/2011	Northern States Power Company: Prairie Island Unit 2 Unplanned Shutdown for Greater than 72 Hours - (Update)
PNO-III-11-012A	10/19/2011	FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company: Perry Unplanned Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours - (Update)
PNO-III-11-013	10/05/2011	Northern States Power Company: Prairie Island Unit 2 Unplanned Shutdown for Greater than 72 Hours
PNO-III-11-012	10/05/2011	FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company: Perry Unplanned Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours
PNO-III-11-011A	10/03/2011	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Palisades Reactor Trip - (Update)
September
PNO-III-11-011	09/27/2011	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Palisades Reactor Trip
PNO-III-11-010	09/19/2011	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Palisades Unplanned Shutdown Greater than 72 Hours and Notification of Unusual Event
PNO-IV-11-007	09/19/2011	Union Electric Company: Alert Declared at Callaway Plant
PNO-IV-11-006	09/15/2011	Queen's Medical Center: Medical Event Involving Patient Overexposure
August
PNO-IV-11-003F	08/30/2011	Fort Calhoun Station: Fort Calhoun Station Declaration of a Notification of Unusual Event Due to High River Level – (Update)
PNO-II-11-005A	08/24/2011	Virginia Electric and Power Company (North Anna Power Station, Units 1 and 2): Alert - Emergency Declarations Due to Seismic Event
		Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant,  DC Cook, Hope Creek Generating Station, Limerick Generating Station, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, Palisades, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant, Surry Power Station, Units 1 and 2, Susquehanna Power Station, & Three Mile Island Nuclear Station: Notification of Unusual Event - Emergency Declarations Due to Seismic Event - (Update)
PNO-II-11-005	08/23/2011	Virginia Electric and Power Company (North Anna Power Station, Units 1 and 2): Alert - Emergency Declarations Due to Seismic Event
		Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant,  DC Cook, Hope Creek Generating Station, Limerick Generating Station, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, Palisades, Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant, Surry Power Station, Units 1 and 2, Susquehanna Power Station, & Three Mile Island Nuclear Station: Notification of Unusual Event - Emergency Declarations Due to Seismic Event
PNO-I-11-003A	08/15/2011	Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC: Nine Mile Point Unit 2 Notification of Unusual Event Due to Reactor Coolant System Leak Greater Than 10 GPM and Plant Shutdown Greater Than Three Days – (Update)
PNO-III-11-009	08/12/2011	NextEra Energy: Duane Arnold Unplanned Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours
PNO-I-11-003	08/09/2011	Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC: Nine Mile Point Unit 2 Notification of Unusual Event Due to Reactor Coolant System Leak Greater Than 10 GPM and Plant Shutdown Greater Than Three Days
July
PNO-II-11-004	07/27/2011	United States Enrichment Corporation: Chlorine Trifluoride Release at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant
PNO-I-11-001A	07/27/2011	Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC: Nine Mile Point Units 1 and 2 Strike
PNO-IV-11-003E	07/26/2011	Fort Calhoun Station: Fort Calhoun Station Declaration of a Notification of Unusual Event Due to High River Level – (Update)
PNO-I-11-002A	07/19/2011	PSEG: Salem Generating Station Notification of Unusual Event Due to Reactor Coolant System Leak Greater than 10 GPM and Technical Specifications Required Shutdown - (Update)
PNO-I-11-002	07/15/2011	PSEG: Salem Generating Station Notification of Unusual Event Due to Reactor Coolant System Leak Greater than 10 GPM and Technical Specifications Required Shutdown
PNO-IV-11-005A	07/13/2011	Cooper Nuclear Station: Cooper Nuclear Station Declaration of a Notification of Unusual Event Due to High River Level - (Update)
PNO-I-11-001	07/11/2011	Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, LLC: Nine Mile Point Units 1 and 2 Strike

read more...

June 2011 PNO-IV-11-003A 06/20/2011 Fort Calhoun Station: Fort Calhoun Station Declaration of a Notification of Unusual Event Due to High River Level - (Update) PNO-IV-11-005 06/20/2011 Cooper Nuclear Station: Cooper Nuclear Station Declaration of a Notification of Unusual Event Due to High River Level PNO-IV-11-004A 06/08/2011 Fort Calhoun Station: Fort Calhoun Station Declaration of an ALERT Due to Fire Affecting Plant Safety Systems - (Update) PNO-III-11-007 06/08/2011 Braidwood Declares Notice of Unusual Event Due to Potential Damage to Auxiliary Feedwater Pumps PNO-IV-11-004 06/07/2011 Fort Calhoun Station: Fort Calhoun Station Declaration of an ALERT Due to Fire Affecting Plant Safety Systems PNO-IV-11-003 06/06/2011 Fort Calhoun Station: Fort Calhoun Station Declaration of a Notification of Unusual Event Due to High River Level May PNO-III-11-006 05/05/2011 NextEra Energy Duane Arnold, LLC: Alert at Duane Arnold Energy Center PNO-II-11-003B 05/02/2011 Browns Ferry Units 1, 2, and 3: Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Offsite Power - (Update) April PNO-II-11-003A 04/28/2011 Browns Ferry Units 1, 2, and 3: Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Offsite Power - (Update) PNO-II-11-003 04/27/2011 Browns Ferry Units 1, 2, and 3: Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Offsite Power PNO-II-11-002B 04/19/2011 Surry Virginia Electric and Power Co. Units 1 and 2: Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Offsite Power - (Update) PNO-II-11-002A 04/18/2011 Surry Virginia Electric and Power Co. Units 1 and 2: Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Offsite Power - (Update) PNO-II-11-002 04/17/2011 Surry Virginia Electric and Power Co. Units 1 and 2: Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Offsite Power PNO-IV-11-002 04/08/2011 Energy Northwest:Columbia Generating Station Notification of Unusual Event March PNO-III-11-005 03/24/2011 Exelon Generation Company, LLC: Braidwood Unit 2 Unusual Event Due to Loss of all Control Room Communications PNO-IV-11-001A 03/14/2011 Pacific Gas and Electric Company: Diablo Canyon Power Plant Notification of Unusual Event (Update) PNO-IV-11-001 03/11/2011 Pacific Gas and Electric Company: Diablo Canyon Power Plant Notification of Unusual Event February PNO-III-11-004A 02/14/2011 Exelon Generation Co.: LaSalle Unit 1 Restart Following Automatic Reactor Scram and Shutdown Greater than 72 Hours Due to a Main Power Transformer Trip PNO-III-11-004 02/03/2011 Exelon Generation Co.: LaSalle Unit 1 Automatic Reactor Scram and Shutdown Greater than 72 Hours Due to Main Power Transformer Trip January 2011 PNO-III-11-003 01/24/2011 Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Palisades Shutdown Due to Loss of Main Generator Electrical Load PNO-II-11-001 01/21/2011 McGuire Nuclear Station: Shut Down Due to Service Water Strainer Blockage PNO-III-11-002 01/19/2011 FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company: Davis-Besse Unusual Event Due to 480V Cable Fire PNO-III-11-001 01/11/2011 Entergy Nuclear Operations Inc.: Palisades Unusual Event and 72-Hour Limiting Condition for Operation Due to 4160 V Ground Fault December 2010
PNO-II-10-005	12/23/2010	Honeywell International, Inc.: Hydrofluoric Acid Release at the Honeywell Uranium Conversion Facility
PNO-III-10-018A	12/21/2010	NextEra Energy Point Beach: Point Beach Unit 2 Reactor Unplanned Shutdown Due to Control Rod Drive Problems (Update)
PNO-III-10-018	12/17/2010	NextEra Energy Point Beach: Point Beach Unit 2 Reactor Unplanned Shutdown Due to Control Rod Drive Problems
PNO-IV-10-006	12/03/2010	Pacific Steel and Recycling: Loss of Control of Licensed Material
PNO-III-10-017	12/03/2010	Fermi Power Plant, Unit 2: Condensate Overflows Into Turbine Building
November
PNO-III-10-016	11/30/2010	Detroit Edison Company: Injured Person Transported Off-Site
PNO-IV-10-005B	11/29/2010	South Texas Project Unit 2 Reactor Trip and Notification of Unusual Event (Update)
PNO-I-10-006A	11/26/2010	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Notification of Alert Declared Due to Explosion as a Result of 21 Main Transformer Failure at Indian Point Unit 2 (Update)
PNO-IV-10-005A	11/12/2010	South Texas Project Unit 2 Reactor Trip and Notification of Unusual Event (Update)
PNO-I-10-006	11/08/2010	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Notification of Alert Declared Due to Explosion as a Result of 21 Main Transformer Failure at Indian Point Unit 2
PNO-IV-10-005	11/03/2010	South Texas Project Unit 2 Reactor Trip and Notification of Unusual Event
October
PNO-IV-10-004A	10/14/2010	Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.: Wolf Creek Technical Specification Required Reactor Shutdown (Update)
PNO-IV-10-004	10/05/2010	Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corp.: Wolf Creek Technical Specification Required Reactor Shutdown
September
PNO-IV-10-003A	09/07/2010	Entergy Operations, Inc.: Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 Technical Specification Required Reactor Shutdown (Update)
PNO-IV-10-003	09/07/2010	Entergy Operations, Inc.: Arkansas Nuclear One, Unit 2 Technical Specification Required Reactor Shutdown
August
PNO-III-10-015	08/31/2010	Exelon Generation Co.: Initiation of Reactive Inspection in Response to a Failure of the Mechanism that Cools Water Surrounding a Canister Containing Spent Fuel
PNO-III-10-014A	08/23/2010	Exelon Generation Co.: Braidwood Units 1 & 2 - Shutdown of Braidwood Reactors Unit 1 & 2 (Update)
PNO-III-10-014	08/17/2010	Exelon Generation Co.: Braidwood Units 1 & 2 - Shutdown of Braidwood Reactors Unit 1 & 2
PNO-II-10-004A	08/11/2010	Duke Energy Carolinas LLC.: Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Annunciators (Update)
PNO-II-10-004	08/11/2010	Duke Energy Carolinas LLC.: Notification of Unusual Event Due to Loss of Annunciators
PNO-I-10-005	08/10/2010	PPL, Susquehanna, LLC: Susquehanna Station - Alert Declared Due to High Refrigerant Levels in the Unit 1 Reactor Building
PNO-III-10-013	08/09/2010	Former Breckenridge Disposal Site: Potentially Hazardous Material Spill at the Former Breckenridge Disposal Site
PNO-I-10-004A	08/04/2010	PPL, Susquehanna, LLC: Susquehanna Unit 1 Manual Scram and Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours Due to an Internal Flooding Event (Update)
July
PNO-111-10-012A	07/22/2010	Exelon Generation Co.: LaSalle Units 1 and 2 Leakage of Tritium from Onsite Storage Tank (Update)
PNO-I-10-004	07/20/2010	PPL, Susquehanna, LLC: Susquehanna Unit 1 Manual Scram and Shutdown Greater Than 72 Hours Due to an Internal Flooding Event
PNO-II-10-002B	07/08/2010	Carolina Power and Light Company: H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant - Fires Affecting Safety Related Equipment; Special Inspection Upgraded to an Augmented Inspection (update)
PNO-III-10-010A	07/06/2010	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Update - Palisades Forced Shutdown for Greater than 72 Hours to Replace Leaking Control Rod Drive Seal
PNO-III-10-012	07/02/2010	Exelon Generation Co.: LaSalle Leakage of Tritium from Onsite Storage Tank
June
PNO-III-10-011	06/29/2010	First Energy Nuclear Operating Company: Davis-Besse Start-Up Following Repairs of Control Rod Drive Mechanism Nozzle Flaw Indications
PNO-II-10-003	06/29/2010	Honeywell International, Inc.: Bargaining Unit Lock-Out at Honeywell- Metropolis Works
PNO-III-10-010	06/24/2010	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Palisades – Forced Shutdown for Greater than 72 Hours to Replace Leaking Control Rod Drive Seal
PNO-I-10-003	06/23/2010	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc./American Electric Power: Unusual Event Declarations Due to Seismic Activity at Vermont Yankee and D.C. Cook Stations
PNO-IV-10-002	06/23/2010	Pacific Gas and Electric Company: Alert at Diablo Canyon Power Plant Unit 1
PNO-III-10-009A	06/17/2010	Detroit Edison Company: Fermi 2 Alert and Unplanned Shutdown for Greater Than 72 Hours (Update)
PNO-III-10-009	06/07/2010	Detroit Edison Company: Fermi 2 Alert and Unplanned Shutdown for Greater Than 72 Hours
May
PNO-I-10-002	05/28/2010	Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.: Loss of Normal Communications / Storm Impact Offsite at Vermont Yankee
PNO-III-10-008	05/20/2010	First Energy Nuclear Operating Company: Public Availability of Two NRC Employees Differing Professional Opinions Concerning Past Issues at Davis Besse
PNO-III-10-007	05/19/2010	Exelon Generation Co./Quad Cities: Unusual Event Declared at Quad Cities Due to Freon Leak in the Access Building
PNO-III-10-006A	05/19/2010	FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company/Perry Nuclear Power Station: Manual Reactor Scram Due to Loss of Control Rod Drive Charging Water Header Pumps (Update)
PNO-III-10-006	05/14/2010	FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company/Perry Nuclear Power Station: Manual Reactor Scram Due to Loss of Control Rod Drive Charging Water Header Pumps
April
PNO-II-10-002A	04/15/2010	Carolina Power and Light Company: H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant - Fires Affecting Safety Related Equipment (Update)
PNO-III-10-003A	04/12/2010	First Energy Nuclear Operating Company: Davis-Besse Control Rod Drive Mechanism Nozzle Indications (Update)
March
PNO-III-10-005A	03/31/2010	First Energy Nuclear Operating Company: Turbine-Driven Feedwater Pump Fire Caused by Leak in Lube Oil System (Update)
PNO-III-10-004A	03/31/2010	Detroit Edison Company: Fermi 2 Scram and Unplanned Shutdown for Greater Than 72 Hours (Update)
PNO-III-10-004	03/30/2010	Detroit Edison Company: Fermi 2 Scram and Unplanned Shutdown for Greater Than 72 Hours
PNO-III-10-005	03/30/2010	First Energy Nuclear Operating Company: Turbine-Driven Feedwater Pump Fire Caused by Leak in Lube Oil System
PNO-II-10-002	03/29/2010	Carolina Power and Light Company: H.B. Robinson Steam Electric Plant - Fires Affecting Safety Related Equipment
PNO-III-10-003	03/16/2010	First Energy Nuclear Operating Company: Davis-Besse Control Rod Drive Mechanism Nozzle Indications
PNO-I-10-001A	03/01/2010	Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, Inc.: Update - Calvert Cliffs Dual-Unit Trip Due to Partial Loss of Offsite Power
February
PNO-I-10-001	02/19/2010	Constellation Energy Nuclear Group, Inc.: Calvert Cliffs Dual-Unit Trip Due to Partial Loss of Offsite Power
PNO-II-10-001	02/19/2010	Catawba Nuclear Station, Unit 1: RCS Pressure Boundary Leakage identified on RTD Weld
January
PNO-III-10-002	01/21/2010	Prairie Island Units 1 and 2, Northern States Power-Minnesota: Fire in a Nonsafety-Related Diesel Generator
PNO-IV-10-001A	01/19/2010	Pacific Gas and Electric Company: Earthquake Near Humboldt Bay Power Plant (Update)
PNO-IV-10-001	01/11/2010	Pacific Gas and Electric Company: Earthquake Near Humboldt Bay Power Plant
PNO-III-10-001	01/11/2010	Exelon Generation Co., LLC: Braidwood Station Declaration of Unusual Event Due to Fire within the Protected Area

Why Obama Isn't Fighting the Budget Battle

This is comment on the Huffington Post article by Robert Reich, "Why Obama Isn't Fighting the Budget Battle"

"So many jobs have been lost since Obama was elected and so many people have entered the workforce needing jobs that even if job growth were to match the extraordin­ary pace of the late 1990s, year after year, the unemployme­nt rate wouldn't fall below 6 percent until 2016. That pace of job growth is unlikely, to say the least."

These numbers are humbling, Mr. Reich. Thanks for another dunk in the icy water of reality.

IMHO, we need a Value Added Tax to suppress imports and encourage exports, an end to our lopsided free trade practices, and to roll back those nasty Bush tax cuts that feed the overfed. No more cuts, please. This is death by a thousand cuts, already.

more on the VAT here: http://com­pletelybak­ed.blogspo­t.com/sear­ch/label/V­AT

Peace out.

Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Everything Is NOT Fine, Nukes Are NOT A Solution

Nuclear power plants are a problem. An economic problem, a health problem, an environmental problem, and a security problem. The problem can not be fixed.

Executives and salesmen from nuclear power industry will be all over the media in the weeks to come, especially the corrupt conservative media like Fox News, telling you that what happened in Japan could never happen in the U.S. (even though it did at Three Mile Island -- there was a partial, and nearly full meltdown there).

The executives and salesmen will tell you that steady improvements have been made to reactor design since Three Mile Island melted down, and that there is nothing to fear. That is your cue to cry, "Bullshit!" The problem can not be fixed. Nuclear power plants are too complicated to manage safely in a crisis. Too many things will go wrong. This has been proven more than once. And, there are proven cheaper, safer solutions.

And the executives and salesmen will tell you that to meet our future energy needs while limiting carbon emissions, we must make nuclear power a larger part of our electricity generating mix, that we must use every means at our disposal. That is stupid. When you cut off your hand with a chainsaw and rush to the emergency room, you do not expect the doctors to try a bit of everything. You expect them to try what is known to work best. Renewables are proven to work best, and cost less. Renewables give a better cure, faster.

The best reasons not to build nuclear power plants are cost and timing. The cost of nuclear power is much higher than that of renewables, especially distributed renewables which don't require new transmission lines. Also, renewables are much quicker to build, so renewables save more carbon, more quickly. That timing advantage yields far more climate protection. No nuclear plant, even if construction started today, would have any meaningful impact on mitigating the climate crisis we face because they take too long to build. Further, worse delays and cost overruns than in the past will inevitably occur because we no longer manufacture in the US the required components to build a nuclear power plant. It is estimated that 80% of the parts would come from abroad. Doesn't that seem a bit risky to you?

In the words of Amory Lovins from the Rocky Mountain Institute, in a paper titled "Mighty Mice:"

Buying a costlier option, like nuclear power, instead of a cheaper one, like ‘negawatts’ and micropower, displaces less carbon per dollar spent. This opportunity cost of not following the least-cost investment sequence – the order of economic and environmental priority – complicates climate protection. The indicative costs in Figure 3 (neglecting any differences in the energy embodied in manufacturing and supporting the technologies) imply that we could displace coal-fired electricity’s carbon emissions by spending $0.10 to deliver any of the following:

• 1.0kWh of new nuclear electricity at its 2004 US subsidy levels and costs.
• 1.2-1.7kWh of dispatchable windpower at zero to actual 2004 US subsidies and at 2004-2012 costs.
• 0.9-1.7kWh of gas-fired industrial cogeneration or ~2.2-6.5kWh of building-scale trigeneration (both adjusted for their carbon emissions), or 2.4-8.9kWh of waste-heat cogeneration burning no incremental fossil fuel (more if credited for burning less fuel).
• From several to at least 10kWh of end-use efficiency.

The ratio of net carbon savings per dollar to that of nuclear power is the reciprocal of their relative cost, corrected for gas-fired CHP’s carbon emissions (assumed here to be threefold lower than those of the coal-fired power plant and fossil-fuelled boiler displaced). As Bill Keepin and Greg Kats put it in Energy Policy (December 1988), based on their still-reasonable estimate that efficient use could save about seven times as much carbon per dollar as nuclear power, “every $100 invested in nuclear power would effectively release an additional tonne of carbon into the atmosphere” – so, counting that opportunity cost, “the effective carbon intensity of nuclear power is nearly six times greater than the direct carbon intensity of coal fired power.” Whatever the exact ratio, their finding remains qualitatively robust even if nuclear power becomes far cheaper and its competitors don’t.

Speed matters too: if nuclear investments are also inherently slower to deploy, as market  behaviour indicates, then they don’t only reduce but also retard carbon displacement. If climate matters, we must invest judiciously, not indiscriminately, to procure the most climate solution per dollar and per year. Empirically, on both criteria, nuclear power seems less effective than other abundant options on offer. The case for new nuclear build as a means of climate protection thus requires reexamination.

Rule out nukes now. Do not let corrupt politicians waste precious money and time making a bunch of already overpaid executives richer on the taxpayer's dime. You will sleep better, and you will save a mountain of money. Renewables create better paid, long-term as opposed to short-term jobs, and renewables will preserve our climate and environment, leaving a much better world for the future.

BTW, here's a map of nuclear power stations around the globe, overlaid on a map of seismic faults:
Nuclear Power Plants & Earthquake Activity

Trust these guys?

I don't know...

Senators John Thune (R-SD), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lamar Alexander (R-)

I just don't trust these guys...

Senator John Thune (R-SD)

Top 5 Contributors, 2005-2010, Campaign Cmte and Leadership PAC

Contributor	Total	Indivs	PACs
Koch Industries	$42,050	$7,050	$35,000
Dm&E Railroad	$38,600	$38,600	$0
Indep Insurance Agents & Brokers/America	$36,000	$0	$36,000
California Dairies Inc	$35,000	$0	$35,000
AT&T Inc	$32,500	$0	$32,500

...view more data

Top 5 Industries, 2005-2010, Campaign Cmte and Leadership PAC

Industry	Total	Indivs	PACs
Retired	$1,183,633	$1,183,633	$0
Securities & Investment	$438,624	$339,824	$98,800
Insurance	$386,660	$97,660	$289,000
Republican/Conservative	$383,572	$359,095	$24,477
Real Estate	$379,515	$308,515	$71,000

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Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Top 5 Contributors, 2005-2010, Campaign Cmte and Leadership PAC

Contributor	Total	Indivs	PACs
Kindred Healthcare	$119,700	$109,700	$10,000
UBS AG	$98,450	$88,450	$10,000
Elliott Management	$88,500	$88,500	$0
Brown-Forman Corp	$86,850	$56,850	$30,000
FMR Corp	$84,500	$49,500	$35,000

...view more data

Top 5 Industries, 2005-2010, Campaign Cmte and Leadership PAC

Industry	Total	Indivs	PACs
Securities & Investment	$1,310,124	$985,625	$324,499
Lawyers/Law Firms	$1,019,933	$749,083	$270,850
Retired	$943,305	$943,305	$0
Real Estate	$898,855	$616,855	$282,000
Insurance	$851,433	$293,433	$558,000

...view more data

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

Top 5 Contributors, 2005-2010, Campaign Cmte and Leadership PAC

Contributor	Total	Indivs	PACs
Pilot Corp	$69,500	$69,500	$0
UBS AG	$55,700	$45,700	$10,000
Clayton Homes	$47,500	$47,500	$0
Psychiatric Solutions	$47,411	$32,411	$15,000
Eastman Chemical	$43,000	$18,000	$25,000

...view more data

Top 5 Industries, 2005-2010, Campaign Cmte and Leadership PAC

Industry	Total	Indivs	PACs
Lawyers/Law Firms	$486,800	$382,300	$104,500
Retired	$472,366	$472,366	$0
Securities & Investment	$422,199	$367,199	$55,000
Real Estate	$412,450	$364,950	$47,500
Misc Finance	$346,405	$336,405	$10,000

...view more data

data courtesy of: opensecrets.org

No CAFO Is Too Foul For Michigan

Michigan House Bill 4212 is a fine example of a piece of legislation written by corporate lobbyists. It applies to groundwater pollution by Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO). It allows for “voluntary” monitoring, zero-liability, and state funding of groundwater protection and cleanup of pollution deliberately created by corporate CAFO’s.

The bill was recently passed by the Michigan State Senate, and now heads to our Republican Governor, Rick Snyder, for his signature. He will no doubt sign it.

In effect, the bill uses scarce state funds to subsidize toxic CAFO’s, and caps cleanup costs for pollution discharge violations at $15,000. The cap was included to insure that cleanup costs never consume too much of the fund, which CAFO lobbyists prefer be used to subsidize farm operations, essentially channeling state funds to their corporate client’s  bottom line. Yet, you can be sure that cleanup will cost many times more than $15,000.

 

There are no provisions in this bill to cover the cost of what economists refer to as “externalities” -- all of the unintended, but very real consequences of a particular action. In the case of CAFO’s, these externalities include hundreds of permanently ruined aquifers that for centuries provided drinking water to families and farm animals (on small, sustainable family farms); intense and nauseating odors descending on resident’s dwellings, obliterating the fresh air that was once a cherished element of their rural existence; fly infestations so dense that it is impossible for people or their animals to go outside without being enveloped by swarms of insects. Residents should be amply compensated for these externalities that are no fault of their own and destroy their lives and property values, but rest assured, your Republican governor and legislators will be sure to protect their corporate sugar daddies from any such claims. Which means that Michigan taxpayers will pay to clean up the mess created by their thrifty CAFO neighbors. And be assured, it will cost a lot. 

Another fine Republican principle: privatize profit, socialize loss. Unless...

Maybe the CAFO’s will compensate residents for their losses voluntarily? After all, that is how this bill mandates “farmers” comply with pollution regulations. Self-regulation. Yeah. That always works. Look how well the banking industry did with self-regulation. Republicans are so smart.

Here is the vote tally:

IN FAVOR

SENATE DEMOCRATS

Gleason (D) Smith (D) Young (D)

SENATE REPUBLICANS

Booher (R) Brandenburg (R) Caswell (R) Colbeck (R) Emmons (R)

Green (R)  Hansen (R) Hildenbrand (R) Hune (R) Jansen (R)

Jones (R)  Kahn (R)  Kowall (R)  Marleau (R)  Meekhof (R)

Moolenaar (R)  Nofs (R)  Pappageorge (R) Pavlov (R)

Proos (R) Richardville (R) Robertson (R) Rocca (R)

Schuitmaker (R) Walker (R)

AGAINST

SENATE DEMOCRATS

Anderson (D) Bieda (D) Gregory (D)  Hood (D) Hopgood (D)

Hunter (D) Warren (D) Whitmer (D)       

SENATE REPUBLICANS

None

Note the Republican vote is strictly on partisan lines. We would not want our Republican legislators to actually think about what they are voting for.

The folks who voted for this should be thrown in jail...

Here are the choice excerpts. The words with strikethroughs represent text removed, and text in caps represents text that was added. Everything in bold was highlighted by me for your entertainment.

House Bill 4212 (2011)

A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled "Natural resources and environmental protection act," by amending sections 8702, 8703, 8704, 8705, 8706, 8707, 8708, 8709, 8710, 8713, 8714, 8715, and 8716 (MCL 324.8702, 324.8703, 324.8704, 324.8705, 324.8706, 324.8707, 324.8708, 324.8709, 324.8710, 324.8713, 324.8714, 324.8715, and 324.8716), section 8703 as amended by 1995 PA 61, section 8707 as amended by 2000 PA 100, section 8715 as amended by 2008 PA 18, and section 8716 as amendedby 2007 PA 174, and by adding section 8713a.

March 1, 2011: Returned to the Michigan House of Representatives, where bill was given Immediate Effect and ordered enrolled, and then presented to the Governor for signature into law.

House Bill 4212 would put the Michigan Agriculture Environmental assistance Program (MAEAP) in statute. MAEAP farms are excused from civil fines for water discharges and water discharges would be non-point source pollution.

Sec. 8706. The intent of this part is to reduce risks to the environment and public health and promote economic development by preventing groundwater contamination from pesticides and fertilizers assisting farms in achieving MAEAP standards.

...

Prioritizing the activities of the groundwater stewardship teams based on detections of pesticides in groundwater, nitrogen concentrations in groundwater, groundwater impact potential estimation, or other factors as determined by the director. The use of money in the clean water fund created in section 8807 and other funding sources to promote MAEAP and activities to encourage more MAEAP-verified farms.

...

The MAEAP shall be a voluntary program that is available to farms throughouT the state.

...

(8) (3) Liability A farmer shall not be liable for groundwater contamination shall not be imposed on a person in the groundwater stewardship program under this part a MAEAP-verified farm for activities on the MAEAP-verified farm unless he or she was grossly negligent or in violation of state or federal law or failed to comply with the provisions of the applicable groundwater stewardship program or plan MAEAP standards. Nothing in this part shall This part does not modify or limit any obligation, responsibility, or liability imposed by any other provision of state law.

...

9) The department shall establish a MAEAP grants program.

Grants issued under the MAEAP grants program are limited to

availability of funds collected pursuant to this part. Grants shall be available for all of the following:

(a) Technical assistance.

(b) Promotion of the MAEAP.

(c) Educational programs related to the MAEAP.

(d) Demonstration projects to implement conservation practices.

(e) Removal of potential sources of contamination.

(f) Other purposes considered appropriate by the director.

...

(b) Preference for funding for nonpoint source pollution – funds for farms seeking MAEAP verification. (I'm not sure what this means,  but it doesn't sound good! :JMW)

...

the director...may...(a) Promote voluntary water quality monitoring by farms.

...

(2) Water quality information collected under this section by the department in cooperation with farmers shall be aggregated and made available to the commission of agriculture and ruraL development. Specific locations or persons involved in water quality information collection are exempt from disclosure under the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.

...

Sec. 8714. (1) Upon confirmation of an adverse impact on  groundwater, the director may, upon reasonable notice, require a person to furnish any information that the person may have relating to the identification, nature, and quantity of pesticides and fertilizers that are or have been used on a particular site and to current or past production practices that may have impacted groundwater quality. This information shall be treated as confidential business information and is not subject to the freedom of information act, Act No. 442 of the Public Acts of 1976, being sections 15.231 to 15.246 of the Michigan Compiled Laws 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.

...

The director shall annually seek matching general fund general purpose appropriations in amounts equal to the groundwater protection fees collected under section 8715 that are deposited into the fund pursuant to this part. The state treasurer shall direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.

(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.

...

(c) Emergency response and removal of potential sources of groundwater water contamination. Expenditures pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed $15,000.00 per location.

...

(e) Administrative costs. Expenditures pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed 20% of the annual appropriations from the fund.

...

(6) The department shall establish criteria and procedures for approving proposed expenditures from the fund. 

(7) Notwithstanding section 8715, if at the close of any fiscal year the amount of money in the fund exceeds $3,500,000.00, the department shall not collect a groundwater protection fee for the following year. After the groundwater protection fees have been suspended under this subsection, the fees shall only be reinstated if, at the close of any succeeding fiscal year, the amount of money in the fund is less than $1,000,000.00.

...

(The fund, which is not to exceed $3.5 million, will be used for all of the following?!? I’ve highlighted the egregious stuff -- corporate welfare -- which is most of it. :JMW)

(b) "Direct assistance" includes, but is not limited to, programs that will provide for any of the following:
     (i) Provision of alternate noncommunity water supplies. 

(ii) Closure of wells that may impact groundwater, such as abandoned, improperly constructed, or drainage wells.

(iii) The environmentally sound disposal or recycling of specialty pesticide containers. 

(iv) The environmentally sound disposal or recycling of nonspecialty pesticide containers.

(v) Specialty and nonspecialty pesticide pickup disposal programs. for pesticides not currently registered for use.

(vi) Programs devoted to integrated pest and crop management natural resources conservation that strive to encourage the judicious use of pesticides and fertilizers and other agricultural inputs and practices that are protective of water quality through targeted applications as part of a systems approach to pest control and related crop management decisions.

 (vii) Incentive and cost share programs for persons in the groundwater stewardship program for implementation of groundwater stewardship practices or groundwater protection rules to assist farmers in achieving MAEAP standards.

 (viii) Incentive and cost share programs for persons who notify the director of MAEAP-verified farms with potential sources of groundwater contamination on their property.

(ix) Monitoring of private well water for pesticides, and fertilizers, and other contaminants.

(x) Removal of soils and waters contaminated by pesticides and fertilizers and the land application of those materials at agronomic rates.
    (xi) Groundwater stewardship program MAEAP grants pursuant to section 8710.

(xii) Programs that enhance investment of private and federal funds in conservation.

(xiii) Verification.

(xiv) (xii) Other programs established pursuant to this part. 

(c) "Indirect assistance" includes, but is not limited to, programs that will provide for any of the following:

(i) Public education and demonstration programs on specialty pesticide container recycling and environmentally sound disposal methods.

(ii) Educational programs. for pesticide and fertilizer end users.

(iii) Technical assistance programs. for pesticide and fertilizer end users. 

(iv) The promotion and implementation of on-site evaluation systems, and groundwater stewardship conservation practices, and the MAEAP.

(v) Research programs for determination of the impacts of alternate pesticide and fertilizer management practices.

(vi) Research program for determination of aquifer natural resources sensitivity and vulnerability to contamination. by pesticides and fertilizers.

Contact your Michigan Representative or Senator, and if they voted for this thing, let them know how happy you are that they are working so hard on behalf of corporate interests.

Find your Governor, Representative or Senator here.

Planned Utility Scale Solar: A Big, Greedy Mistake?

I just finished reading a post on the SLV RENEWABLE COMMUNITIES ALLIANCE, "BLM solar study a corporate land-grab?"

It gave me the distinct sense that my long held misgivings about utility scale solar electricity generation, operated by utilities and corporations on public land, is not such a great idea.

So, I posted a comment (open until March 17th -- hurry!) on the BLM's "Solar Energy Development Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS)" site, which solicits public comments here.

Here's my comment (feel free to copy & paste!):

PEIS sounds, I'm sad to say, like a bad idea all around.

First, when I see names like BP, Chevron, JP Morgan, and Goldman Sachs associated with any use of public resources, including land (or Gulfs... i.e. Gulf of Mexico), my hackles are immediately raised. These folks do not, under any circumstances, put the interests of the public first. Their sole concern is short-term profit, and long-term domination of market share to the exclusion of all other options.

Second, utility scale electricity generation is not generally considered a least-cost solution for renewable electricity generation. A proven better and cheaper approach is distributed renewables, where electricity is generated near the load (on the roof, or in adjacent property), and where local co-generation (CHP: combined heat and power) is implemented in the case of thermal generators. Distributed renewables do not require the construction of long-distance transmission lines, so lower cost and better efficiency are gained. Also, distributed renewables bring the added benefit of more, better paid jobs in existing communities.

So, why would we embrace the use of public land for corporate, utility scale electricity generation? Well, it sounds like interested utilities and corporations want to dictate the terms of renewable electricity generation, and insure a perpetual profit stream at the expense of ratepayers. By implementing capital-intensive projects, corporate planners insure their dominating influence will persist for many, many years (this is the same approach used by the nuclear power industry -- once ratepayers have invested a fortune to build one of those things, they are loath to abandon it, even if better options are present).

Further, this plan sounds a little like mountain top removal to me. Once you build in these environments, the environment is altered -- pristine ecosystems gone -- forever. Distributed renewables offer power generation on already developed land (for less expense, and no lossy transmission lines).

If there is no stopping this, I suggest we go very slowly. No “fast track,” thank you. Take sufficient time to evaluate the social and environmental impact, GHG footprint, and economics of these plants. If, after detailed, public-reviewed study, these projects are deemed worthwhile from a public interest perspective, please stick with BLM option #1: “A no action alternative that continues the issuance of right-of-way authorizations for utility-scale solar energy development on a case-by-case basis in accordance with existing policies.”

Then, I would insist that these utilities be publicly owned, not-for-profit entities. They should not be corporate profit centers that hold ratepayers captive for decades.

Thanks!

More: http://completelybaked.blogspot.com/search/label/Energy

If you care about public land use for private gain, or the future of renewable energy, I would suggest you read the post, and post a comment, before March 17th.

Update: The PEIS deadline for comments has been extended until April 15th.
But don't procrastinate! Be heard, not herded.