Use no 17. PR STUNT - "Geology Seminar"

PR STUNT - "Geology Seminar"


The best PR stunts are dressed up in expensive suits and paid for by the taxpayer.  Monday's "geology seminar" at Whitehaven was a brilliant example of nasty spin from a government who wants new nukes and desperately needs to be seen to have 'solved' the nuclear waste problem.  


Some have called for "more debate" but even if Cumbria's geology was perfect rather than leaky there are over 100 reasons why dumping high level nuclear waste in the ground is guaranteed to poison the land and us.  Here are just a few examples:

Repository is designed to be leaky

Rusting of the steel in the dump will create huge amounts of hydrogen which will have to be released undermining the so called "multi- barrier" system meant to protect people from leakage.  (issues 14 and 15)

Digging underground will create fast pathways for leaks

Rock would inevitably be damaged by digging to create huge caverns.  The danger caused by this "excavation damage zone" is not understood. ( issue 27)

New data shows copper will corrode faster than assumed

The NDA refer to a wall thickness of 5cm for the copper canisters holding  high level wastes.  Recent research shows that to achieve durability a wall thickness of one metre would be needed! (issue 39)

Nuclear Explosions in the Repository

The probability and impact of a "criticality" or mini nuclear explosion is not understood. ( issue 79)

NOTE- Issues Register from Nuclear Waste Advisory Associates

Summary ( 10 pages)

 http://www.nuclearwasteadvisory.co.uk/uploads/11953NWAAISSUESREGISTER%5BVersion1.1%5D.pdf

Commentary (30 pages)

 http://www.nuclearwasteadvisory.co.uk/uploads/11952NWAA%20ISSUES%20REGISTER%20COMMENTARY%20letterhead.doc

ACT OF FAITH

Use no. 16

ACT OF FAITH

Carlisle Cathedral is built to inspire awe.  Last time I went there was Chernobyl Day to ask Bishop Newcome (aka Nuke'm)  for a rethink on his outspoken support for new build and a deep nuclear dump in Cumbria.  A few of us supporters of a radiation free lakeland went in to the Cathedral.  When I opened my mouth to deliver a brilliant speech to  the Bishop's right hand man,  a tiny mouse squeak came out  "please give this important letter to the Bishop etc.."  

As soon as I got out of the Cathedral my voice was back to normal!  Thats not important  but what is important is that the Bishop has now replied to our letter saying:  

I am not prepared at this stage to withdraw my 
support for new build and geological disposal.

That Angel of Light sat above Carlisle Cathedral must be laughing his fiery socks off!    How many more lives will be snuffed out before The Bishop "withdraws his support" ? 

RUBBER STAMPS and ROTTEN JUDGEMENTS

Use no. 15

Rubber Stamps

We were at the High Court in Leeds last Thursday to support Rory Walker in his challenge to the Government's insane push for cancer factories. New nuclear build and radiation linked diseases are terrible twins.

Judge McCombe refused to allow the case to go ahead because in his esteemed opinion it is perfectly OK for the Secretary of State, Chris Huhne to be both cheerleader for new build and the person authorised to rubber stamp the *safety. Following new "fast tracking" of the planning system at no other point will the safety of new reactors be under scrutiny.

Rory was granted legal aid - but the Legal Services Commission has asked for £16,250 towards court costs if this case does eventually go ahead to "prove that there is public support for his case" This money was raised in a short space of time from ordinary people - not big NGOs - but the Judge had the brass neck to say that health detriment from new build was "of no public interest." He also looked over towards us in the public gallery and said that the case being brought with legal aid was "unattractive" Hmmm.

Rory's legal team are considering whether to recommend an appeal against the judge's decision.

http://www.irwinmitchell.com/search/pages/newsviewer.aspx?f=Government-Faces-High-Court-Challenge-On-Nuclear-Power-Plans.aspx

*safety - The Secretary of State's defence lawyer declared on Thursday in court that the "best evidence suggests that there is no increase in cancers near nuclear power stations - that is the end of it" I suppose the "best evidence" is the recently published government COMARE report which did not include Sellafield ! And the real evidence of increased childhood leukemias (every week in the Cumbrian papers another "story" of another child's "brave fight") and other radiation linked diseases is nothing more than an inconvenient truth to be airbrushed out of history.

http://northern-indymedia.org/articles/1319

LEGAL CHALLENGES

Use no. 14

Legal Challenge to Nukiller New Build

FUNDS NEEDED FOR LEGAL CASE AGAINST "JUSTIFICATION" OF NEW NUKES

Rory Walker, a community worker from Lancaster has been granted legal aid for a Judicial Review against the government's "justification" decision which is a preliminary stage of approval required by the EU Euratom Directive before a final decision can be taken to build more nuclear power stations.

A hearing will be held at the High Court in Leeds on May 12th to decide whether the challenge will proceed to a full judicial review hearing.

The case centres on whether the government should first have measured "health detriment" including radiation linked diseases being inflicted on people, especially children in the vicinity of nuclear power stations.

Although Rory has won legal aid for the case, the Legal Services Commission has made a requirement that £16,250 should be made by other citizens who would benefit, should the case be successful. Rory's solicitors, Irwin Mitchell are still arguing against this large amount but its becoming apparent that a large sum will need to be met.

If the contribution cannot be found Rory will lose his legal aid and the protection that gives should the case be lost.

The fighting fund now stands at £8000 - all through contributions by people who do not want their health and their children's health damaged from new nuclear build.

All contributions are needed however large or small.

***New Video on Justification Challenge***

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SANEFILMVIDEOS#p/a/u/0/Mq58l2CkySg   

Donations can be made direct to the Heysham Anti Nuclear Alliance 

(HANA) bank account, 

as follows  Account name: Heysham Anti Nuclear Alliance  

Account reference: 616 322 406  Account number: 10091267  

Sort code: 16-12-27  

Donors, who wish it, will be sent a copy of the Application for Judicial Review.   

Please get in touch if you would like further information.  

Email Rory Walker : youllneverwalkalone@riseup.net  Telephone: 01524 381 394  

or Email Radiation Free Lakeland: rafl@mariannebirkby.plus.com Telephone: 015395 63671  

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/mar/25/chris-huhne-court-nuclear-cancer-children   

***Court Support***  On Tuesday 12th of May at the High Court in Leeds there will be a 

procedural hearing about Heysham Anti Nuclear Alliance's challenge to the Governments 

'justification' of new nuclear power stations in the UK. 

(http://www.heysham-anti-nuclear-alliance.org/appeal.html) 

A judge will hear the arguments put forward by our QC and by the Government's QC 

and make a decision if the case should go to a full Judicial Review.

ANNIVERSARIES: WINDSCALE, CHERNOBYL, FUKUSHIMA - NEVER AGAIN?

Use 13

Anniversaries

Today is the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe. We went to Carlisle Cathedral to lay three crosses:

Windscale- Never Again? Chernobyl - Never Again? Fukushima- Never Again?

A letter was delivered to the "nuclear is a green option" Bishop of Carlisle...

Dear Bishop Newcome,

CHERNOBYL - 25 YEARS ON.

Congratulations on your appointment as Lead Bishop on health care issues.

Today is the 25^th anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe. Radiation Free Lakeland and representatives from other concerned groups will be laying three crosses outside Carlisle Cathedral. The crosses will read:

Windscale- Never Again? Chernobyl- Never Again? Fukushima- Never Again?

The Diocese is informed by the Churches Together Environment Group which is largely advised by Supporters of Nuclear Energy SONE. “Environment Group” publications reflect this pronuclear bias. We feel that the Diocese could do much more to seriously take on board legitimate concerns about nuclear power. For two hours on the morning of your enthronement in 2009 we spoke to 150 people who had come along specially to sign a letter voicing concerns at the Diocese’s pro nuclear stance. The letter asked:

“Will the Diocese of Carlisle consider listening to independent expert advice

(not from pro nuclear government or industry) on radiation risks of new build and geological disposal before making further pro-nuclear statements?”

Well, the Diocese did kindly agree to hosting a meeting on 6^th Feb 2010 We were however surprised that you chose at the meeting to reaffirm a commitment to new nuclear build. The hope was that people would have time to go away and reflect on all the points raised during the presentations. Even local Parish Newsletters present the Diocese’s pronuclear view as “the green route to secure, safe and reliable power” - no dissenting voices get a look in.

In July children from Belarus will be spending a month in the South Lakes to give their damaged immune systems a respite.

The damage will continue through the "children of irradiated parents for as many as seven generations." So "the genetic consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe will impact hundreds of millions of people."

Alexey V. Yablokov (Center for Russian Environmental Policy, Moscow, Russia), Vassily B. Nesterenko, and Alexey V. Nesterenko (Institute of Radiation Safety, Minsk, Belarus). Consulting Editor Janette D. Sherman-Nevinger (Environmental Institute, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan).


““In Belarus cancer of the thyroid is so prevalent that the scar left after a thyroid operation is now chillingly referred to as a Belarussian Necklace, thus marking them forever as Chernobyl's victims. Since the disaster there has also been an increase of 800% in the incidence of cancers in children living near to the reactor plus there has been a dramatic increase in the rate of babies born with substantial physical disabilities. Babies born limbless, deformed and with severe brain damage.

There are so many other radiation related health crises occurring in the region that for the first time in Belarussian history , the death rate is HIGHER, than the birth rate”. The South Lakeland branch of Friends of Chernobyl’s Children

Given the ongoing Chernobyl catastrophe and since your enthronement, now Fukushima, will the Diocese of Carlisle withdraw its support for new build and geological disposal?

….. and join us in saying NEVER AGAIN!

Yours sincerely,

Marianne Birkby

On behalf of Radiation Free Lakeland

015395 63671

Note:

Sent by email attachment is the document :

Why a deep nuclear waste repository should not be sited in Cumbria: a geological review

by David Smythe Emeritus Professor of Geophysics, University of Glasgow 11 April 2011

Refs:

http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2010/10/bishop-of-carlisle-appointed-as-lead-bishop-on-healthcare-issues.aspx

http://www.sone.org.uk/content/view/394/30/

http://www.churchestogethercumbria.co.uk/UK%20Energy%20Policy%20and%20the%20Environment%20paper.pdf

http://www.churchestogethercumbria.co.uk/nuclear_energy_discussion.htm

Friends of Chernobyl’s Children

http://focc.org.uk/South_Lakes.html

Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment

Written by Alexey V. Yablokov (Center for Russian Environmental Policy, Moscow, Russia), Vassily B. Nesterenko, and Alexey V. Nesterenko (Institute of Radiation Safety, Minsk, Belarus). Consulting Editor Janette D. Sherman-Nevinger (Environmental Institute, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan).
Volume 1181, December 2009

http://www.nyas.org/publications/annals/Detail.aspx?cid=f3f3bd16-51ba-4d7b-a086-753f44b3bfc1

UNINSURED JOYRIDING

Use 12

Uninsured Joyriding - A Public Liability

The nuke industry is lobbying for a cap on its public liability. "Consultation" ends on 28th April. Wrote today to tell the Department of Energy and Climate Change that this is insane.

Dear DECC, Please ensure that Radiation Free Lakeland's views are taken into account regarding Implementation of changes to the Paris and Brussels Conventions on nuclear third party liability. Radiation Free Lakeland are in full agreement with the Nuclear Free Local Authorities that continuing with the 'nuclear liabilities' consultation is meaningless in the light of the Fukushima catastrophe. The nuclear industry should not have the luxury of getting away with the limited liability proposed as a matter of course by our pronuclear coalition government. Nuclear operators are allowed to cap their liability at one billion. This would only compensate for the loss of 6 months tourist trade in Cumbria. Or is equivalent to the combined insurance of traders in Cumbria's one day County Show. Each trader needs to be insured for at least £5M and there are hundreds of traders. In contrast in the event of a major nuclear "accident" the nuclear industry is like a reckless uninsured (uninsurable) joyrider, literally a public liability.The nuclear industry is a liability we cannot afford.

All money and effort should be put into looking after the existing wastes as safely as possible

and limiting the damage already done to health and the environment.

yours sincerely,

..

more info:

Cumbrian Economy worth over £2bn http://www.cumbriatourism.org/business-support/awards-why-enter.aspx  Cumbria County Show http://www.westmorlandshow.co.uk/ 
Consultation can be found here:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/paris_brussels/paris_brussels.aspx

Notes:  

(1)The Nuclear Free Local Authorities consultation submission

can be downloaded from: 

http://www.nuclearpolicy.org/docs/consultations/NFLA_P_B_Liability_Response.pdf .  

(2)     Guardian, quoting from the Yomuiri Shimbun newspaper:

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/13/japan-nuclear-plant-evacuees-compensation   

(3)       Bloomberg 14th April 2011: 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-14/nuclear-regulators-delay-study-of-fukushima-lessons-until-2012.html   

(4)     Independent 16th April 2011: 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/nuclear-plant-evacuees-call-for-bigger-payouts-2268640.html   

(5)     DECC consultation on the management of the UK’s plutonium stocks: 

http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/plutonium-stocks/1243-uk-plutonium-

NORWEGIAN WHISTLEBLOWERS - THANK YOU!

Use 11

Whistleblowers - Neptune Network from Norway

Police today removed Neptune Network's campaigners from the railway line at Sellafield. Why Oh Why are'nt thousands of Cumbrians sat on the railway preventing nuclear wastes from being delivered to Sellafield? Perhaps it is because the intelligentsia have been neutered by The Guardian's George Monbiot. Perhaps it is because Cumbrians think 'why bother - our souls are owned by the company store' - but George isn't Go(o)d and the company store turns out to be paid for by the tax payer. The wastes that Neptune Network are blowing the whistle on, travel to Sellafield from around the world and through "reprocessing" even higher level wastes are added to the growing toxic brew. Norwegian campaigner, Frank Hugo Storelv said "The plant cannot handle the waste they already have in a responsible way and they say themselves that Sellafield cannot accommodate more without creating an untenable security situation. Sellafield stores most of the world's nuclear waste and Norway is under threat from this."

Meanwhile Chair of Cumbria tourism Eric Robson has said that he supports "geological disposal" under Cumbria of this toxic brew because:

"I'm convinced by the scientific arguments that geological disposal rather than burying our heads in the sand is the best way forward. Nuclear waste is with us. We can't wish it away despite the best efforts of some so-called environmentalists. My views are well known and I am elected as chairman of Cumbria Tourism, rather than being self appointed."

Fair enough to have a personal view - but as well as being Chair of Cumbria Tourism this popular chap is also the owner of the PR company recieving taxpayer's money to promote "steps towards geological disposal" 

As the Norwegians have shown the waste just keeps on coming! 

Where is that wild Border Reivers spirit?  They were villains precisely because the "Borderers of both England and Scotland by the 16th century realised that their respective government could no longer provide justice nor protection"  The Border Reivers may have been outlaws but they never stole our future - or left us with our beautiful land unfit for anything but a nuclear graveyard.

 http://www.borderreivers.net/wordpress/2008/02/19/an-introduction-to-the-border-reivers/

http://www.neptunenetwork.org/profiles/blogs/atompolitiet-fjernet