From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #166 Reply-To: abolition-usa-digest Sender: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk abolition-usa-digest Monday, August 16 1999 Volume 01 : Number 166 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 10:32:04 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: 2 Radioactive Recycling News articles >Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 04:18:11 -0400 >Subject: 2 Radioactive Recycling News articles >To: dianed@nirs.org >From: dianed@nirs.org (dianed@nirs.org) > >From the Nashville Tennesseean August 11, 1999 and August 13, 1999 >Both front page stories and one expected on August 14, 1999 > >HREF="http://www.tennessean.com/sii/99/08/11/recycle11.shtml">http://www.t ennessean.com/sii/99/08/11/recycle11.shtml >>>================================================ >>>STATE ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT >>> >>>Radioactive recycling OK'd >>> >>>By Laura Frank / Tennessean Staff Writer >>> >>>Tennessee officials have given the OK for radioactive metal from nuclear >>>bomb-making machinery to be recycled for such everyday household >>products as >>>forks, frying pans and teeth braces -- drawing strong protest from two >>>congressmen and a federal judge. >>> >>>The state's action may be illegal, the congressmen say, and it leaves >>the >>>public with no way to know whether metal objects in their homes and >>>workplaces are made from recycled radioactive metal. >>> >>>State officials acknowledge the action makes Tennessee attractive as a >>>nationwide recycling center for radioactively contaminated metals, but >>they >>>insist the precedent they've set is safe. >>> >>>The state's approval of the recycling plan set a standard even federal >>>regulators have been wary to set, and the state did so without any >>public >>>input. >>> >>>"Tennessee is being used to basically distribute radioactive materials >>to >>>homes and workplaces throughout the entire U.S.," said Reuben Guttman, >>an >>>attorney for Oak Ridge nuclear weapons site workers who sued the >>government >>>to try to stop the plan. >>> >>>U.S. Reps. John Dingell, D-Mich., and Ron Klink, D-Pa., have called for >>an >>>immediate meeting with officials from the Energy Department, which owns >>the >>>Oak Ridge site, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which >>oversees >>>nuclear activities. Dingell and Klink made their request in letters sent >>>Friday to Energy Secretary Bill Richardson and the head of the NRC, >>copies >of >>>which were obtained by The Tennessean. >>> >>>The congressmen are upset that the Tennessee Department of Environment >>and >>>Conservation approved a foreign-owned company's experimental process to >>>recycle metals from Oak Ridge. That company, British Nuclear Fuels >>Limited, >>>is contracted to clean some of the nuclear age's most contaminated >facilities >>>at Oak Ridge. The company then plans to sell the recycled metal on the >>open >>>market. >>> >>>The new recycling plan could expose the public to some radiation, said >>Mike >>>Mobley, director of radiation health for the state Environment and >>>Conservation Department. But the metal will go through a cleaning >>process, >>>and the company's estimates show the level of leftover radiation would >>be so >>>low it would pose no danger, he said. >>> >>>At least one top scientist questions that, however. Even if the amount >>of >>>radiation left in the metal is small, it would be nearly impossible to >>>control or guarantee safety of the people using those items, said Evan >>B. >>>Douple, director of the National Academy of Sciences' Board of Radiation >>>Effects Research. >>> >>>"The potential problem is, as more and more radioactive material is >>floating >>>around in the marketplace, you wonder where it's ending up," Douple >>said. >>>"Nobody keeps a Geiger counter in the house to check out their stainless >>>steel silverware and their frying pan." >>> >>>Douple said that he had not seen British Nuclear Fuels Limited's >>Tennessee >>>plan but that the academy was "very curious" and would be watching. >>> >>>Mobley said he is confident in the safety of the plan, adding: "All I can >say >>>is you'd have to have an extraordinary amount of this metal in your home >>to >>>cause harm." >>> >>>But the federal judge who heard the union's lawsuit said that if the >>plan >>>proceeds, "the potential for environmental harm is great." >>> >>>U.S. District Judge Gladys Kessler ruled June 29 in Washington, D.C., >>that >>>federal law prevented her from stopping the project, but she called it >>>"startling and worrisome" that the public had no input or scrutiny >>before >>>Tennessee approved the plan. >>> >>>The judge also noted the recycling process is experimental and she saw >>no >>>evidence the process for removing radioactivity is safe or will work. >>> >>>The criticism of the recycling plan comes at the same time the U.S. >>>Department of Energy has ordered an investigation into whether a >>different, >>>decades-old DOE recycling plan exposed uninformed workers to highly >>>radioactive plutonium at Oak Ridge and its sister plants in Paducah, Ky., >and >>>Portsmouth, Ohio. >>> >>>Dingell and Klink said the Energy Department and British Nuclear Fuels >>>Limited purposely used Tennessee regulators to avoid public scrutiny and >>>bypass DOE orders that would have prevented the plan. >>> >>>"The action by the Tennessee Department (of Environment and >>Conservation) -- >>>apparently anticipated, aided and abetted by BNFL and the Department of >>>Energy -- may well be a violation of federal law," the two members of >>the >>>House Commerce Committee wrote to Richardson, the Energy secretary. "... >This >>>move by BNFL, DOE and the state of Tennessee has long-term consequences." >>> >>>Guttman, an attorney for the Nashville-based Paper, Allied-Industrial, >>>Chemical & Energy Workers International Union, said: "Everything has >>been >>>sort of snuck in the back door here." >>> >>>British Nuclear Fuels Limited has a $200 million DOE contract to clean >>three >>>stadium-size buildings at Oak Ridge and recycle at least 100,000 tons of >>>contaminated metals there, including 6,000 tons of radioactive nickel. >>The >>>buildings, and the machinery in them, were used to make nuclear weapons >>fuel. >>> >>>A company spokesman says its subcontractor, Manufacturing Sciences >>Corp., >>>commissioned a safety analysis to estimate how much radiation consumers >could >>>be exposed to if the metal were recycled into such items as hip joint >>>replacements, orthodontic braces, false teeth, eyeglass frames and >>flatware. >>> >>>"The radiation dose someone would get from the amount of X-rays needed >>to >>>install a hip joint replacement would be 90 times greater than the >>lifetime >>>dose from a hip joint made from the recycled nickel," said spokesman >>David >>>Campbell. >>> >>>The contaminated nickel at Oak Ridge is different from the rest of the >>metal >>>because it is in a form that is still classified and must be melted down >>>before it can be sold on the market. There currently is no federal >>standard >>>for releasing metal like the nickel that is radioactively contaminated >>not >>>just on the surface, but also internally. This is called "volumetric" >>>contamination. >>> >>>Kessler, in her June 29 opinion, pointed out that the U.S. Environmental >>>Protection Agency and the NRC, "after taking years to try to develop >national >>>standards, were unable to do so because of (the) inability to develop >>>consensus in the scientific community." >>> >>>In the absence of national standards, Kessler said, the Tennessee >>Department >>>of Environment and Conservation, "which has neither the resources nor >>the >>>extensive expertise of a national regulatory agency, is the only body >>with >>>any supervisory power." >>> >>>Mobley acknowledges his agency's lack of resources, bemoaning the need >>for >>>newer and more equipment to keep up with Tennessee's burgeoning nuclear >>>industry. But, he says, the state is one of 30 given regulatory power by >>the >>>NRC, and its actions on the metal recycling are an adaptation of the NRC >>>guidelines that exist for surface contamination. >>> >>>He says public input on the action was not required by law because it >>was >>>simply an amendment to Manufacturing Sciences Corp.'s existing license. >>> >>>"In a sense, it may be true" that Tennessee has set a national >>precedent, >>>Mobley said. "But it's really just an addition to the kinds of things >>we're >>>doing here in Tennessee. This is just another step in the process." >>> >>>Reprinted under the Fair Use >http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international >copyright law. >>> > > > >_____________________________________________________ > Foes of >nuclear recycling growing >The Tennessean August 13, 1999 >HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT > > Foes of nuclear recycling > growing > > By Laura Frank / Tennessean Staff Writer > > More than 185 environmental, consumer and public > interest groups have joined to try to stop recycled > radioactive metals from the Oak Ridge nuclear > weapons site from being used in everyday consumer > products such as toys and tableware. Yesterday, the > groups faxed a letter to Vice President Al Gore, > requesting he advise the U.S. Department of Energy > to stop the project until its safety can be >determined. > > The groups include organizations such as Greenpeace > and the Sierra Club, international groups from six > foreign countries and community groups such as the > Oak Ridge-based Coalition for a Healthy > Environment. > > They are upset Tennessee approved a plan to clean > and recycle atomic bomb-making machinery, then sell > the still slightly radioactive metal on the open >market. > Tennessee's approval sets a standard for releasing > such metal that federal regulators have been wary to > set, and it did so without any public input. > > Tennessee Department of Environment and > Conservation officials say the metal will be cleaned >to > safe levels of radiation, but the opposition argues >that > no level is guaranteed safe. Though state officials >say > the project is proceeding, the groups are encouraging > citizens to contact their elected representatives. > > "This is not a done deal," said Diane D'Arrigo, > director of the Nuclear Information and Resource > Service, an anti-nuclear organization in Washington, > D.C. "This is the tip of the iceberg. Tennessee is > setting the precedent for what the rest of the world >is > exposed to. People need to let their lawmakers know > how they feel." > > Val Loiselle, managing director of the Association of > Radioactive Metal Recyclers, says NIRS and the > other groups are misguided in their fear of radiation, > but he agrees that the public needs more information. > > "Prudency has gotten to the point that we're afraid to > get out of bed in the morning," he said. "Ultimately >the > scientific community has to help us decide what's > dangerous and what's not. We in the industry are just > as interested in that as NIRS." > > The groups wrote to Gore because he endorsed the > original recycling plan in 1996, when it called for > restricting use of the metal. Gore's top environmental > adviser said his office had not received the letter >and > had no immediate response. > > The groups also want Gore to ask Energy Secretary > Bill Richardson to report who buys the metal and > what's made from it. They want the administration's > Council on Environmental Quality to investigate why > the plan was approved without public input. > > > RELATED INFORMATION > Senator visits Paducah plant, says he's skeptical of > claims that uranium workers weren't hurt > > > TOP | HOME | LOCAL NEWS > SPORTS | WEATHER | PHOTO GALLERY > CELEBRITIES | ONNASHVILLE | HEALTH & FITNESS > CLASSIFIEDS | JOB SOURCE | PERSONALS | INTERNET >ACCESS > > ) Copyright 1999 The Tennessean > A Gannett Co. Inc. newspaper > Use of this site signifies that you agree to our >terms of service. > Associated Press content and material is Copyrighted by >The Associated Press. > Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 11:44:58 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: [y2k-nuclear] Fwd: Wyoming Uranium Mining Dear Friends, Is there anything we can do to stop new uranium mining? This is a scandal in light of the nearly impossible task of dealing with the waste we already have. Alice >Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 15:08:55 -0400 >Subject: [y2k-nuclear] Fwd: Wyoming Uranium Mining >X-FC-Forwarded-From: > y2k-nuclear-return-197-aslater=gracelinks.org@returns.egroups.com >From: mrobinowitz@igc.org (mrobinowitz@igc.org) > >Business as usual, as the countdown continues ... >this shows the federal government's true priorities, regardless of which >clown >is sitting in the Oval Office ... > >"uranium is thalidomide forever" (slogan of Australian anti-uranium >movements) > > >>>Date: 12 Aug 1999 10:43:20 >>>Reply-To: Conference "env.justice" >>>From: ajs@sagady.com >>>Subject: Wyoming Uranium Mining >>>To: Recipients of conference >>>X-Gateway: conf2mail@igc.apc.org >>>Lines: 254 >>> >>>Restart of uranium mining near Rawlins, Wyoming..... >>> >>>[Federal Register: August 12, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 155)] >>>[Notices] >>>[Page 44057-44059] >>>>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] >>>[DOCID:fr12au99-110] >>> >>>----------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>>NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION >>> >>>[Docket No. 40-8584] >>> >>> >>>Kennecott Uranium Company >>> >>>AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. >>> >>>ACTION: Final finding of no significant impact; notice of opportunity >>>for hearing. >>> >>>----------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>>SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposes to renew >>>NRC Source Material License SUA-1350 to authorize the licensee, >>>Kennecott Uranium Company (KUC), to resume commercial milling >>>operations at the Sweetwater facility, and to approve the plan for >>>future reclamation of the mill facility, existing and proposed new >>>tailings impoundment, and the proposed evaporation ponds, according to >>>the 1997 Reclamation Plan, as amended. The Sweetwater uranium mill site >>>is located in Sweetwater County, approximately 40 miles (64 kilometers) >>>northwest of the town of Rawlins, Wyoming. An Environmental Assessment >>>(EA) was performed by the NRC staff in support of its review of KUC's >>>license renewal for operation and the amendment request, in accordance >>>with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 51. The conclusion of the EA is a >>>Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed licensing >>>action. >>> >>>FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Elaine Brummett, Uranium Recovery >>>and Low-Level Waste Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office of >>>Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory >>>Commission, Mail Stop T7-J9, Washington, D.C. 20555. Telephone 301/415- >>>6606. >>> >>>SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: >>> >>>Background >>> >>> The Sweetwater uranium mill site presently is licensed by the NRC >>>under Materials License SUA-1350 to possess >>> >>>[[Page 44058]] >>> >>>byproduct material in the form of uranium waste tailings, as well as >>>other radioactive wastes generated by past milling operations. The mill >>>operated from 1981 to 1983, but is currently in standby status. KUC has >>>requested renewal of the license to allow operation of the mill >>>(includes construction of one new impoundment and up to eight >>>evaporation ponds), and the evaluation of that request has been >>>completed. KUC also has requested approval of the reclamation plan to >>>stabilize the existing tailings impoundment. In addition, the plan >>>provides for the future stabilization of proposed new tailings >>>impoundments, reclamation of land, and decommissioning of the mill >>>facility. >>> Construction of an additional five new impoundments and two >>>evaporation ponds may be requested if the mill operates for 20 years, >>>and the impact of this was considered in the EA. The additional > >>>impoundments would be reclaimed according to the NRC-approved plan and >>>any change in design would require review and approval by the NRC >>>staff. >>> KUC submitted the operations plan, reclamation plan, and associated >>>information by letters dated June 11, July 3, July 23, August 1, August >>>20, September 18, and October 7, 1997. The mill and land >>>decommissioning plan portion of the reclamation plan was submitted May >>>28, 1998. Page changes to various submitted documents and responses to >>>NRC staff comments were provided June 10, July 1, and July 20, 1998, as >>>well as February 3, February 25, March 25, April 21, and June 21, 1999. >>> >>>Summary of the Environmental Assessment >>> >>> The NRC staff performed an assessment of the environmental impacts >>>associated with the operations plan and reclamation plan, in accordance >>>with 10 CFR Part 51, Licensing and Regulatory Policy Procedures for >>>Environmental Protection. The license renewal would authorize KUC to >>>resume operation of the mill at a maximum production rate of 4,100,000 >>>pounds (1,859,748 kg) of yellowcake per year, and to possess byproduct >>>material in the form of uranium waste tailings and other uranium >>>byproduct wastes generated by the authorized milling operations. The >>>actual resumption of operations will be conditional on: (1) The NRC >>>review of standard operating procedures for mill operation; (2) a 90- >>>day pre-startup notification to NRC; and (3) the completion of a pre- >>>startup NRC inspection and resolution of any safety issues identified >>>by the inspection. The renewed license also would approve KUC's >>>proposed plan to stabilize and cover the tailings impoundments, and >>>decommission the mill facility (including land and evaporation ponds). >>>All conditions in the renewed license and commitments presented in the >>>licensee's renewal documents are subject to NRC inspection. >>> In conducting its appraisal, the NRC staff considered the >>>following: (1) Information contained in KUC's 1997 license renewal and >>>amendment requests, as revised; (2) previous environmental and safety >>>evaluations of the facility; (3) data contained in land use and >>>environmental monitoring reports; (4) existing license conditions; (5) >>>results of NRC staff site visits and inspections of the Sweetwater >>>facility; and (6) consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife >>>Service, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Wyoming State Historic >>>Preservation Office, and the Wyoming Department of Environmental >>>Quality. The staff evaluation of the Sweetwater operation plan and >>>associated documents is being evaluated in a Safety Evaluation Report, >>>and the technical aspects of the reclamation plan are discussed >>>separately in a Technical Evaluation Report that will accompany the >>>final agency licensing action. >>> The results of the staff environmental review are documented in an >>>EA placed in the docket file. Based on its review, the NRC staff has >>>concluded that there are no significant environmental impacts >>>associated with the proposed action. >>> >>>Conclusions >>> >>> The NRC staff has examined actual and potential impacts associated >>>with the operation of the mill, site decommissioning, and reclamation >>>of the tailings impoundments, and has determined that the requested >>>renewal of Source Material License SUA-1350 will: (1) be consistent >>>with requirements of 10 CFR Part 40, Appendix A; (2) not be inimical to >>>public health and safety; and (3) not have long-term detrimental >>>impacts on the environment. The following statements summarize the >>>conclusions resulting from the staff's environmental assessment, and >>>support the FONSI: >>> 1. An acceptable environmental and effluent monitoring program is >>>in place to monitor effluent releases and to detect if applicable >>>regulatory limits are exceeded. Radiological effluents from facility >>>operations have been and are expected to remain below the regulatory >>>limits; >>> 2. Mill tailings and process liquid effluents from the mill circuit >>>will be discharged to a multi-lined impoundment with a leak detection >>>system; >>> 3. The licensee will conduct site decommissioning and reclamation >>>activities in accordance with NRC-approved plans; and >>> 4. Present and potential health risks to the public and risks of >>>environmental damage from the proposed mill operation, decommissioning, >>>and reclamation were assessed. Given the remote location, requirements >>>in place, licensee's inspection and radiation safety programs, area of >>>impact, and past activities on the site, the staff determined that the >>>risk factors for health and environmental hazards are insignificant. >>> Because the staff has determined that there will be no significant >>>impacts associated with approval of the license renewal (and associated >>>amendments), there can be no disproportionally high and adverse effects >>>or impacts on minority and low-income populations. Consequently, >>>further evaluation of Environmental Justice concerns, as outlined in >>>Executive Order 12898 and NRC's Office of Nuclear Material Safety and >>>Safeguards Policy and Procedures Letter 1-50, Revision 1, is not >>>warranted. >>> >>>Alternatives to the Proposed Action >>> >>> The proposed action is to renew NRC Source Material License SUA- >>>1350, for operation of the mill, subsequent decommissioning of the >>>facility, and reclamation of the tailings impoundments, as requested by >>>KUC. Therefore, the principal alternatives available to NRC are to: >>> 1. Approve the license renewal request as submitted; or >>> 2. Renew the license with such additional conditions as are >>>considered necessary or appropriate to protect public health and safety >>>and the environment; or >>> 3. Deny the renewal request. >>> Based on its review, the NRC staff has concluded that the >>>environmental impacts associated with the proposed action do not >>>warrant either the limiting of KUC's future operations or the denial of >>>the license amendment. Additionally, in the TER prepared for this >>>action, the staff has reviewed the licensee's proposed action with >>>respect to the criteria for reclamation, specified in 10 CFR Part 40, >>>Appendix A, and has no basis for denial of the proposed action. >>>Therefore, the staff considers that Alternative 1 is the appropriate >>>alternative for selection. >>> >>>[[Page 44059]] >>> >>>Finding of No Significant Impact >>> >>> The NRC staff has prepared an EA for the proposed renewal of NRC >>>Source Material License SUA-1350. On the basis of this assessment, the >>>NRC staff has concluded that the environmental impacts that may result >>>from the proposed action would not be significant, and therefore, >>>preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not warranted. >>> The EA and other documents related to this proposed action are >>>available for public inspection and copying at the NRC Public Document >>>Room, in the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street N.W., Washington, DC 20555. >>> >>>Notice of Opportunity for Hearing >>> >>> The Commission hereby provides notice that this is a proceeding on >>>an application for a licensing action falling within the scope of >>>Subpart L, ``Informal Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials >>>and Operators Licensing Proceedings,'' of the Commission's Rules of >>>Practice for Domestic Licensing Proceedings and Issuance of Orders in >>>10 CFR Part 2 (54 FR 8269). Pursuant to Sec. 2.1205(a), any person >>>whose interest may be affected by this proceeding may file a request >>>for a hearing. In accordance with Sec. 2.1205(c), a request for a >>>hearing must be filed within thirty (30) days from the date of >>>publication of this Federal Register notice. The request for a hearing >>>must be filed with the Office of the Secretary either: >>> (1) By delivery to the Rulemakings and Adjudications Staff of the >>>Office of the Secretary at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, >>>Rockville, MD 20852; or >>> (2) By mail or telegram addressed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear >>>Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Rulemakings and >>>Adjudications Staff. >>> Each request for a hearing must also be served, by delivering it >>>personally or by mail to: >>> (1) The applicant, Kennecott Uranium Company, P.O. Box 1500, >>>Rawlins, WY 82301; >>> (2) The NRC staff, by delivery to the Executive Director of >>>Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD >>>20852; or >>> (3) By mail addressed to the Executive Director for Operations, >>>U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. >>> In addition to meeting other applicable requirements of 10 CFR Part >>>2 of the Commission's regulations, a request for a hearing filed by a >>>person other than an applicant must describe in detail: >>> (1) The interest of the requestor in the proceeding; >>> (2) How that interest may be affected by the results of the >>>proceeding, including the reasons why the requestor should be permitted >>>a hearing, with particular reference to the factors set out in >>>Sec. 2.1205(g); >>> (3) The requestor's areas of concern about the licensing activity >>>that is the subject matter of the proceeding; and >>> (4) The circumstances establishing that the request for a hearing >>>is timely in accordance with Sec. 2.1205(c). >>> Any hearing that is requested and granted will be held in >>>accordance with the Commission's ``Informal Hearing Procedures for >>>Adjudications in Materials and Operator Licensing Proceedings'' in 10 >>>CFR Part 2, Subpart L. >>> >>> Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of August 1999. >>> >>> For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. >>>John J. Surmeier, >>>Chief, Uranium Recovery and Low-Level Waste Branch, Division of Waste >>>Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. >>>[FR Doc. 99-20909 Filed 8-11-99; 8:45 am] >>>BILLING CODE 7590-01-P >>> >>> >>> >>>------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --- >>>Alex J. Sagady & Associates Email: ajs@sagady.com >>> >>>Environmental Enforcement, Technical Review, Public Policy and >>>Communications on Air, Water and Waste Issues >>>and Community Environmental Protection >>> >>>PO Box 39 East Lansing, MI 48826-0039 >>>(517) 332-6971 (voice); (517) 332-8987 (fax) >>>------------------------------------------------------------------------- - --- > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >GET WHAT YOU DESERVE! A NextCard Platinum VISA: DOUBLE Rewards points, >NO annual fee & rates as low as 9.9% FIXED APR. Apply online today! >http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/606 > > >eGroups.com home: http://www.egroups.com/group/y2k-nuclear >http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications > Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 14:46:11 -0400 From: Karina Wood Subject: (abolition-usa) Project Abolition events Dear US Abolitionists: As you may be aware, Project Abolition -- a new initiative from the Fourth Freedom Forum, Disarmament Clearinghouse, Global Resource Action Center for the Environment, The Nation Institute, Peace Action, PeaceLinks, Physicians for Social Responsibility, State of the World Forum, and Women's Action for New Directions -- is coordinating a nationwide series of community forums & a national media campaign on nuclear weapons abolition around the 10th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, November 9, 1999.=20 I want to update you all on our plans for November, so please read the memo below, or open the attached file, and let us know if you are interested in working with us on any of these events: Highlighting the Tenth Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall:=20 Why Do We Still Have a Cold War Nuclear Policy? Nationwide Speaking Events & A National Media Campaign The Project Abolition groups are developing a plan for taking advantage of the forthcoming 10th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall to highlight the need for nuclear weapons abolition. We are planning a series of nationwide community forums to take place against the backdrop of a national media campaign, which will be launched on the anniversary date, November 9. Our message will be that the United States has wasted the historic opportunity afforded by the end of the Cold War to make serious progress on dismantling the vast nuclear arsenals here and in Russia. Ten years ago, the Berlin Wall fell, but today tens of thousands of nuclear weapons remain and we are developing new ones. We will posit the question: Why does the United States still cling to a Cold War nuclear policy?=20 Elements of the Campaign: Community Forums:=20 We plan to organize community forums in states which meet the following 3 criteria: where there are Senators and/or presidential candidates we particularly wish to educate on the urgent need for nuclear weapons abolition; where we can generate extensive media coverage; and where we have a core of enthusiastic and experienced organizers. We are currently considering major cities in the following states: Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Vermont. **Please contact us if you live in one of these states and would like to help host a community forum during the week of November 9.** Definite dates so far: ** Nov 9: Des Moines, Iowa: community forum: Sen. Alan Cranston & Betty Bumpers confirmed speakers.=20 ** Nov 9: Washington, DC: press event (see "Wall of Denial" section below). No speakers confirmed yet. ** Nov. 9: San Francisco: press event. Former OR Rep. Elizabeth Furse confirmed speaker. Invited Rep. Lynn Woolsey, Rep. Barbara Lee, Athletes United for Peace. Looking for celebrities. ** Nov. 10: New Hampshire (researching venue): community forum: Sen. Alan Cranston & Admiral Turner confirmed speakers. ** Nov. 10: Portland, OR: community forum: Former OR Rep. Elizabeth Furse confirmed speaker. ** Nov. 12 or 13: Little Rock, AR: (tentative; in planning stages) community forum at a downtown art gallery, hosted by Arkansas WAND & Arkansas Women's Project & area PeaceLinks members. Invited Betty Bumpers.=20 These events are in various stages of planning, and more are being developed: we'll post frequent updates. Editorial Board Meetings: In order to maximize the opportunity of having a major speaker in town for a community forum event, we encourage local groups to set up meetings with the editorial boards of their leading local newspapers. "Wall of Denial": We will construct a "Wall of Denial" somewhere in the area of the U.S. Capitol or the Ellipse in Washington, DC, from lightweight materials, perhaps using thousands of "bricks" representing the thousands of nuclear weapons remaining in US and Russian arsenals. On the wall, slogans will decry "The Cold War Lives," and "We Need Our Nukes" and other such messages of "denial" of the Cold War's demise. Above the Wall, a large banner will be erected, saying, "Mr. President, Tear Down the Wall! Abolish Nuclear Weapons!"=20 This visual publicity stunt will be modeled after the Berlin Wall and will serve as a backdrop for speakers at a press event on November 9, to which members of Congress, celebrities and prominent individuals will be invited. Musicians will also be invited to attend and perform. The wall will remain at the site for up to a week or more, permits allowing, during which time the public will be encouraged to come and sign a petition demanding nuclear abolition.=20 Signature ads: Depending on the funds we can raise, the Project Abolition groups will place a large signature ad in a national newspaper (New York Times or Washington Post) on November 9. We encourage local groups all over the country to place signature ads in your local newspapers on November 9, especially in cities where community forums will take place. (Contact us if you need information on how to produce a signature ad.)=20 Radio Talk Shows: The Mainstream Media Project has agreed to promote our speakers to be interviewed on national and local radio talk shows during November. Op-Eds & Letters to the Editor: We will commission op-eds by prominent individuals and work to get them published in major newspapers on November 9. We will produce model letters to the editor, and we encourage local activists to get letters published in their local newspapers on November 9. These pieces will draw attention to the anniversary, state our "wasted opportunity" message, and call for urgent disarmament measures. Editorial Advisories:=20 We will commission a media education organization to produce an editorial advisory promoting our message and encouraging major newspapers nationwide to publish editorials on November 9. =20 Congressional Action: We will ask members of the Senate to make speeches on the Senate floor on November 9, expressing the "wasted opportunity" message, and calling for urgent disarmament measures (if they have not adjourned by this date; the House will most likely have adjourned end of Oct). Confirmed Participating Speakers to date: =B7 Betty Bumpers, President, PeaceLinks =B7 Senator Alan Cranston (D-CA), ret. =B7 Representative Elizabeth Furse (D-1st OR), ret.=20 =B7 Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-10th OH) =B7 Jonathan Schell, journalist, author of The Gift of Time and The Fate of the Earth =B7 Stephen Schwartz, publisher, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, author, Atomic Audit =B7 Admiral Stansfield Turner, USN (Ret.), former director, CIA =B7 Cora Weiss, President, Hague Appeal for Peace Foundation =B7 Randall Forsberg, Global Action to Prevent War And the national directors of the Project Abolition groups If you want to help host a community forum, or need further campaign details, please contact: - --=20 Karina H. Wood Field Coordinator, Project Abolition and U.S. Outreach Coordinator, Hague Appeal for Peace 85 John St. Providence, RI 02906 Ph: 401-276-0377 Fax: 401-751-1476 Email: kwood@igc.org For information on Project Abolition: www.fourthfreedom.org For information on the Hague Appeal: www.haguepeace.org - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 15:50:07 -0400 From: ASlater Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Y2K TV movie How about sending letters to NBC and bugging them to include nuclear weapons and nuclear power as part of the disaster scenario? Alice Slater >Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 11:34:58 -0400 >Subject: Y2K TV movie >NBC hatches Y2K disaster picture > >By Josef Adalian > >NEW YORK (Variety) - Looking to take advantage of millennium madness, NBC >is working on ``Y2K,'' a disaster picture >that imagines near-apocalyptic results brought about by the much-hyped >computer bug. > >The thriller stars Ken Olin (``L.A. Doctors'') as a techie trying to save >the United States from disasters caused by computer >failures as 1999 turns into 2000. > >The picture is the only announced broadcast project to date capitalizing on >concerns over the Y2K computer bug, in which >machines interpret the date 1/1/00 as Jan. 1, 1900. Analysts have predicted >all sorts of catastrophes as a result of the problem, >though forecasts regarding the actual impact of the bug vary widely. > >In ``Y2K,'' the bug causes an East Coast power outage, ATM failures, >airliners whose instruments don't work and other >assorted calamities. Olin's character battles one of the biggest imagined >consequences of the bug when a nuclear power plant >threatens to go into meltdown. > >``Y2K'' also stars Joe Morton (``Terminator 2,'' ``The Astronaut's Wife''), >Ronny Cox (``Total Recall,'' ``Murder at 1600'') >and Lauren Tom (``Friends,'' ``Futurama''). Dick Lowry (``Atomic Train'') >directs. > >Reuters/Variety > >Diane Hatz >Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) >15 East 26th Street, Room 915 >New York, NY 10010 >tel: (212) 726-9161 >fax: (212) 726-9160 > Alice Slater Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE) 15 East 26th Street, Room 915 New York, NY 10010 tel: (212) 726-9161 fax: (212) 726-9160 email: aslater@gracelinks.org GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons. - - To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message. ------------------------------ End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #166 *********************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send "help" to the same address. Do not use quotes in your message.