The last major review before a revolutionary laser uranium enrichment plant could be built in Castle Hayne will take place behind closed doors.
The unusual step in closing the hearing Wednesday is because the discussions will include non-public information about GE Hitachi Global Laser Enrichment but also the sensitive technology that would be used at the plant, said David McIntyre, spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20120710/ARTICLES/120719985
Uranium Hearings: Hiding out
By:
| Times-Dispatch
Published: August 02, 2012
Published: August 02, 2012
"I don't think the public has any clue as of today that these are going on,"
says Dan Holmes of the Piedmont Environmental Council. He is referring to public
hearings being held by the Virginia Department of Health about lifting the
state's ban on uranium mining.
Notice of the meetings — such as it is — was posted only a few days before the first of the hearings was to occur. And it was posted only on state websites. That's a splendid way to make sure nearly nobody sees the news. Robert Burnley, a former director of the state's Department of Environmental Quality, is correct when he says the limited exposure
Virginia's General Assembly has tried several times to permit local governments to post public notices only on the Internet. It's a bad idea for a variety of reasons, and this controversy helps to illustrate another one. Unless someone is actively seeking the information, they seem unlikely to run across it. That limits the exposure to the activist few who pay close attention to the issue.
Those activists may be members of the public, but the public includes more than just activists. The state needs to do a better job of informing people about its public hearings. Otherwise, they do not deserve the term.
Notice of the meetings — such as it is — was posted only a few days before the first of the hearings was to occur. And it was posted only on state websites. That's a splendid way to make sure nearly nobody sees the news. Robert Burnley, a former director of the state's Department of Environmental Quality, is correct when he says the limited exposure
Virginia's General Assembly has tried several times to permit local governments to post public notices only on the Internet. It's a bad idea for a variety of reasons, and this controversy helps to illustrate another one. Unless someone is actively seeking the information, they seem unlikely to run across it. That limits the exposure to the activist few who pay close attention to the issue.
Those activists may be members of the public, but the public includes more than just activists. The state needs to do a better job of informing people about its public hearings. Otherwise, they do not deserve the term.
Getting info shouldn't be difficult
By: The Daily Progress | The Daily Progress
Published: July 31, 2012 Updated: July 31, 2012 - 8:47 AM
If you want to chime in on Virginia’s uranium policy, pay attention to the state’s website.
Some environmentalists are complaining that the public was not adequately notified of meetings to be held in August.
“I don’t think the public has any clue as of today that these are going on,” Dan Holmes, state policy director for the Piedmont Environmental Council, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch on July 27. (The Daily Progress ran a story on July 29 about this week’s meeting.)
“Notice was given as soon as the logistics and plans for these meetings were finalized and secured,” replied Maureen Matsen, Gov. Bob McDonnell’s energy adviser.
In order to speak at any of the six meetings of Uranium Working Group planned for August, citizens have to sign up in advance. For some of the meetings, the deadline for signing up had been today.
That deadline has now been extended.
According to a spokeswoman at the Virginia Department of Health, which is handling the logistics for the meetings, the public does not need to sign up to comment at a public hearing tomorrow night in advance of Thursday’s UWG meeting. But to speak during the meeting, notification is being required.
Asking people simply to sign up before speaking is not unusual; local government bodies occasionally do the same when a controversial topic is on the agenda. The protocol helps maintain order and prevents a comment period from turning into a free-for-all.
However, advance signup is usually not required. Additionally, the public has a long lead time to prepare for such meetings; local governments by law must give notice of meetings well in advance.
Not so, apparently, the Uranium Working Group, which is on an accelerated schedule to get a report to the governor in December.
According to Ms. Matsen, information on the meetings was made public on July 24 and July 25, roughly one week before the original sign-up deadline. But …where?
The information wasn’t to be found on the UWG’s own website. The Times-Dispatch scrutinized that site on July 27 and found no clear information about the meetings, and this newspaper looked hard for it on July 30 and found nothing. We also looked at the health department website and, again, found no obvious information about the meetings.
Turns out, the information was there — but you had to know where to dig: under “Administration,” then “Meetings Calendar,” then a long list of individual meetings.
It also was posted last week, we discovered, on the main Virginia.gov website’s town hall portal.
http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/2012/jul/31/getting-info-shouldnt-be-difficult-ar-2097612/
Shock? Russia owns 20% of all U.S. uranium reserves — Top Nuke Official: We are now mining in Wyoming… “This is something you probably couldn’t imagine some 3 or 4 years ago”
Some projects related to the civilian part of the nuclear industry are already open to private capital, including foreign interests. There are already quite a few private investors involved in uranium mining. Besides, we have been mining uranium not only in Russia for a long time now. You’ve mentioned the United States – well, we’re the largest owner of uranium deposits on US territory. Rosatom owns 20 percent of America’s uranium reserves. We are presently mining in the state of Wyoming, for example. This is something you probably couldn’t imagine some 3 or 4 years ago. Today, it’s reality.
http://enenews.com/shock-russia-owns-20-of-all-u-s-uranium-reserves-top-nuke-official-we-are-now-mining-in-wyoming-this-is-something-you-probably-couldn%E2%80%99t-imagine-some-3-or-4-years-ago-video
Nuclear ‘hard to justify’, says GE chief
By Pilita Clark, Environment Correspondent
Nuclear power is so expensive compared with other forms of energy that it has become “really hard” to justify, according to the chief executive of General Electric, one of the world’s largest suppliers of atomic equipment.
“It’s really a gas and wind world today,” said Jeff Immelt, referring to two sources of electricity he said most countries are shifting towards as natural gas becomes “permanently cheap”.
“When I talk to the guys who run the oil companies they say look, they’re finding more gas all the time.
It’s just hard to justify nuclear, really hard.
Gas is so cheap and at some point, really, economics rule,” Mr Immelt told the Financial Times in an interview in London at the weekend. “So I think some combination of gas, and either wind or solar … that’s where we see most countries around the world going.”
http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/60189878-d982-11e1-8529-00144feab49a.html#axzz22EmXYtdK
