Department of Energy

Feds To Frackers: ‘No, Please – Let Us Help You Find A Place To Dump Your Wastewater’

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– Feds to frackers: “No, please — let us help you find a place to dump your wastewater” (Grist, Sep 25, 2013):

The Northeast’s fracking boom has left drillers with millions and millions of barrels of wastewater and nowhere to dump it. Some frackers have simply injected into deep wells, causing earthquakes; others have simply allowed their waste to flow into rivers.

Big government to the rescue: The Department of Energy will fund a $1.8 million, two-year project by Battelle that aims to find somewhere to stash that gross dross for an eternity.

From the Columbus Dispatch:

With more drilling and fracking expected, oil and gas companies will need to find the best locations to safely inject more waste, said Neeraj Gupta, senior research leader for Battelle’s subsurface-resources group.

Read moreFeds To Frackers: ‘No, Please – Let Us Help You Find A Place To Dump Your Wastewater’

At Least 16 Idaho National Laboratory Workers Inhaled PLUTONIUM-239

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… whose half-life is 24,100 years!

Plutonium is the deadliest substance on the planet.

Those workers need real help NOW.

– Radiation-exposed workers demand release of nuke plant accident video (RT, Aug 19, 2013):

Two workers have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Energy for failing to comply with the Freedom of Information Act by refusing to hand over a video of an incident in which 16 men, including the two plaintiffs, were exposed to radiation.

Brian Simmons and Ralph Stanton, two operators from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in Boise, are trying to force the agency to release the video through a lawsuit filed in federal court.

In their complaint, the workers described the radiation incident, which occurred on Nov. 8, 2011. Together with workers from two other facilities, Simmons and Stanton were packaging plutonium reactor fuel plates. Two of the fuel storage containers had “unusual labels” indicating that there could be some abnormalities with the fuel plates that were inside. But the labels did not warn of any danger, and when workers came across a fuel plate wrapped in plastic and tape, they unwrapped it. A black powder spilled out of the box, and at least 16 of the workers inhaled plutonium-239, which can damage internal organs and cause cancer. Seven of the employees came in direct contact with the powder, suffering external contamination of the skin.

“When the workers attempted to remove the wrapping material, an uncontrolled release of radioactive contaminants occurred, resulting in contamination of 16 workers and the facility, including plaintiffs Brian Simmons and Ralph Stanton,” the lawsuit states. “The sequence of events leading up to the release of contaminants, the uncontrolled release itself, and the emergency response at the [Zero Power Physics Reactor] facility were all recorded on video.”

In 2012, the INL announced that none of the workers suffered from any adverse health effects as a result of the incident, but they also refused to release employee-specific internal radiological dosage numbers.

But according to Seattle attorney John Sheridan, who filed a complaint with the US Department of Labor, the two workers suffered “symptoms of radiation poisoning including nausea, vomiting, confusion, diarrhea, and high blood pressure, which lasted for months.”

Read moreAt Least 16 Idaho National Laboratory Workers Inhaled PLUTONIUM-239

US Gov Report: 2 Refineries, 3 Nuclear Sites, And 6.25 Million Residents Still Dark

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– 2 Refineries, 3 Nuclear Sites, And 6.25 Million Residents Still Dark (ZeroHedge, Oct 31, 2012):

The US Department of Energy has just released their latest storm damage report for Sandy and it does not make for good reading. Over 50% of New Jersey residents remain without electricity and almost 2 million people in New York state alone. Port Reading (Hess) and Linden (Phillips) refineries remain shutdown (about 308,000 barrels per day or 26% capacity offline), and 3 nuclear sites (Salem, Indian Point, and Nine Mile Point) remain offline and many of the others are at dramatically lowered output (only 52% of capacity online!). Not good…

2012_SitRep6_Sandy_10312012_1000AM

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire: ‘The Columbia River Is At Stake, All Of That Area And Its Vitality’ … From Hanford Leaking PLUTONIUM

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– Gregoire Reacts To Leaked Hanford Waste Report (NPR, Jan. 18, 2012):

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Washington Governor Chris Gregoire says construction on a waste treatment plant at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation must continue. This despite serious safety concerns raised by two high-level whistleblowers. There’s also a newly leaked report that warns plutonium levels in Hanford tank waste could be much higher than previously thought.

Gregoire says those issues should be taken seriously, but the clean-up has already taken too long.

“If there’s a good and valid reason for us to stop, to slow down, we will listen to any legitimate concern,” Gregoire says. “But in the meantime I cannot continue to allow US Department of Energy to delay and delay and delay. The Columbia River is at stake, all of that area and its vitality.”

Read moreWashington Governor Chris Gregoire: ‘The Columbia River Is At Stake, All Of That Area And Its Vitality’ … From Hanford Leaking PLUTONIUM

Meltup (Documentary): The Beginning Of A US Currency Crisis And Hyperinflation.

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Added: 13. Mai 2010

Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu Throws $1.4 Billion Loan To Nissan Leaf

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Photo: Nissan

At today’s press conference at The Washington Auto Show, Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu had something to say about electric vehicles, and how the U.S. government would approach aiding EV manufacturers. Although it was originally thought that announcement would concern the loans that Tesla, Fisker et al have received, the surprise announcement concerned Nissan’s Leaf all electric car.

The Leaf, which Nissan says should get 100 miles to a charge, cost around $25,000 to $30,000 and should be in showrooms soon, will be receiving $1.4 billion from the American government to upgrade the company’s manufacturing plant located in Smyrna, Tennessee.

At the D.C. Auto Show Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy had closed a $1.4 billion loan agreement with Nissan to support the modification of the company’s Smyrna, Tennessee, manufacturing plant to produce both the Nissan LEAF as well as the lithium-ion battery packs that will power them.

The $1.4 billion is part of the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, a $25 billion program that was authorized by Congress in 2007, according to Clean Skies. The Japanese automaker says the loan will allow them to generate up to 1,300 jobs when the Tennessee plants are working at full volume. The factory modifications will begin later in 2010 and include the new battery plant as well as changes to the existing structure for electric-vehicle assembly.

Eventually the plants will construct up to 150,000 Nissan LEAF electric cars a year and as many as 200,000 batteries.

Read moreDepartment of Energy Secretary Steven Chu Throws $1.4 Billion Loan To Nissan Leaf

US: Trucks Carrying Nuclear Weapons Around The Country Revealed

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Another photo of a truck that was just released.

The idea of nuclear weapons being carted around in our highways, cities and neighborhoods doesn’t really put one’s mind at ease.

However, the government has been transporting seriously dangerous stuff like enriched uranium and plutonium secretly without public warning.

Friends of the Earth through the Freedom of Information Act has forced the Department Of Energy to release color photos of the trucks used to transport weapons. According to FOE, these are the first of such pictures that have been released in many years.

Read moreUS: Trucks Carrying Nuclear Weapons Around The Country Revealed