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From: owner-abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com (abolition-usa-digest) To: abolition-usa-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: abolition-usa-digest V1 #373 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 Thursday, September 7 2000 Volume 01 : Number 373 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 06 Sep 2000 14:24:07 -0400 From: Lisa Ledwidge / IEER <ieer@ieer.org> Subject: (abolition-usa) U.S. Government Failed to Protect Early Nuclear Weapons Workers From Radiation Risks - IEER press release - --=====================_17661988==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by maynard.mail.mindspring.net id OAA00154 Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE=20 Contact: Arjun Makhijani: 301-270-5500 U.S. Government Failed to Protect Early Nuclear Weapons Workers From Radi= ation Risks Some Forgotten Workers in 1940s and 1950s Suffered Huge Doses of Radiatio= n, Study Finds Study Raises Question of Whether Early U.S. Working Conditions Were as Ba= d as Those in the Soviet Union Takoma Park, Maryland, 6 September 2000: Many workers at privately-owned plants that the U.S. government used in the 1940s and 1950s for processing radioactive and hazardous materials for its nuclear weapons programs suffered large radiation doses, far in excess of then prevailing standards. The US government and its contractors were well aware of the dangers and deliberately misle= d the workers by providing false reassurances of safety, according to a study b= y the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) based on official documents of the time. The study, which assessed radiation doses to workers at three of the dozens of factories that processed nuclear materials, was commissioned by the newspaper, USA TODAY, which is publishing a series of articles based on an extensive investigation. =93Until we performed these calculations, research indicated that working conditions in the Soviet Union in the 1940s and 1950s were far worse than= in the United States,=94 said Dr. Arjun Makhijani, president of IEER and pri= ncipal author of the report. =93But the highest doses we found were so huge th= at this assumption needs to be questioned. While we do not have data from compar= able Soviet plants of the time, the data that we do have indicate that we shou= ld no longer assume that the worst exposed US workers during that period had gr= eatly lower radiation doses and risks than their Soviet counterparts.=94 The study examined documents and radiation dose data from: =B7 The Simonds Saw and Steel Co., a steel rolling mill in Lockport, = New York, near Buffalo, where uranium and thorium metal was rolled into rods on a part-time basis. =B7 The Harshaw Chemical Co. in Cleveland, where operations to make uranium hexafluoride began during the Manhattan Project. They continued at a gre= at pace after World War II. =B7 The Electro-Metallurgical plant in Niagara Falls, NY, where ura= nium metal that would eventually be used in plutonium production reactors was = made. Workers at the private sites were exposed to a variety of risks, includin= g toxic materials like beryllium, chemicals like fluorine, and radioactive materials, notably uranium, but also thorium. =93The most severely exposed workers had a greatly increased risk of dyin= g from cancer,=94 said Bernd Franke, a co-author of the report and a senior cons= ulting scientist to IEER. =93The risk of respiratory and kidney diseases would = also be elevated.=94 The highest cumulative radiation dose calculated by IEER corresponds to a= 40 percent chance of dying from cancer due to the exposure a 200 percent increase in the risk of fatal cancer compared to unexposed people, according to th= e report.=20 =93Working conditions were appalling,=94 said Dr. Makhijani. =93Data fro= m all three factories that we studied show that the radiation protection standards of= the time were routinely violated. And there is incontrovertible evidence tha= t the government, putting production first, failed to adequately protect the wo= rkers or properly inform them of the severe hazards that many of them faced.=94 Before the government built and opened its own large-scale plants for processing bomb materials, scores of private plants across the United Sta= tes were used in the 1940s and 1950s to provide materials for the furious pac= e of nuclear-bomb building after World War II. Plant and government data clea= rly document that the air that workers breathed was contaminated well above allowable limits, at times dozens or even hundreds of times above those limits, for long periods of time. There is even documentation that the governmen= t simply did not want the workers to know the risks that they faced. =20 For instance, W. E. Kelley, Manager of the New York Operations Office of = the AEC, wrote, that =93if popular opinion has any basis at all, a distinct h= azard does exist=94 in a highly polluted part of one of the plants. But he als= o stated that =93how serious a hazard exists is a matter of individual opinion.=94= His letter documented that plant air sometimes exceeded what were then consid= ered tolerable levels by hundreds of times, and that medical evaluations of radiation dangers were =93becoming more conservative, and in some respect= s, more pessimistic about the eventual mass [?] outcome.=94 Yet, in the same let= ter, he reported that a staff member of the AEC had told workers at the same plan= t that =93all of our [AEC] records indicated that no unusual hazard existed.=94 =93A full accounting of the failure to warn or properly protect nuclear w= eapons workers by the government is surely due to the people of the United State= s,=94 said Dr. Arjun Makhijani. =93And the first and most urgent step is to pr= ovide treatment to those who are sick and compensation to those who were harmed= .=94 On September 7, 2000: =B7 IEER=92s full report to USA TODAY will be posted on the USA TOD= AY web site (www.usatoday.com). =B7 At 10 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, Dr. Makhijani will hold a pr= ess conference at the National Press Club, First Amendment Room, 529 14th Str= eet, NW, Washington, DC, where he will release the full IEER report and the associated documents. =B7 At noon, Eastern Daylight Time, Dr. Makhijani will participate = in an on-line chat hosted by USA TODAY web site. - ---30--- =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Lisa Ledwidge Outreach Coordinator and Editor, Science for Democratic Action Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) 6935 Laurel Ave., Suite 204=20 Takoma Park, MD 20912 USA (301) 270-5500 fax: (301) 270-3029 http://www.ieer.org =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=20 - --=====================_17661988==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-MIME-Autoconverted: from 8bit to quoted-printable by maynard.mail.mindspring.net id OAA00154 <html> Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Arjun Makhijani: 301-270-5500 <div align=3D"center"> U.S. Government Failed to Protect Early Nuclear Weapons Workers From Radiation Risks Some Forgotten Workers in 1940s and 1950s Suffered Huge Doses of Radiation, Study Finds Study Raises Question of Whether Early U.S. Working Conditions Were as Bad as Those in the Soviet Union </div> Takoma Park, Maryland, 6 September 2000: Many workers at privately-owned plants that the U.S. government used in the 1940s and 1950s for processing radioactive and hazardous materials for its nuclear weapons programs suffered large radiation doses, far in excess of then prevailing standards. The US government and its contractors were well aware of the dangers and deliberately misled the workers by providing false reassurances of safety, according to a study by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) based on official documents of the time. The study, which assessed radiation doses to workers at three of the dozens of factories that processed nuclear materials, was commissioned by the newspaper, USA TODAY, which is publishing a series of articles based on an extensive investigation. =93Until we performed these calculations, research indicated that working conditions in the Soviet Union in the 1940s and 1950s were far worse than in the United States,=94 said Dr. Arjun Makhijani, president of IEER and principal author of the report. =93But the highest doses we found were so huge that this assumption needs to be questioned. While we do not have data from comparable Soviet plants of the time, the data that we do have indicate that we should no longer assume that the worst exposed US workers during that period had greatly lower radiation doses and risks than their Soviet counterparts.=94 The study examined documents and radiation dose data from: =B7<x-tab> </x-tab></f= ont>The Simonds Saw and Steel Co., a steel rolling mill in Lockport, New York, near Buffalo, where uranium and thorium metal was rolled into rods on a part-time basis. =B7<x-tab> = ;</x-tab>The Harshaw Chemical Co. in Cleveland, where operations to make uranium hexafluoride began during the Manhattan Project. They continued at a great pace after World War II. =B7<x-tab> = ;</x-tab>The Electro-Metallurgical plant in Niagara Falls, NY, where uranium metal that would eventually be used in plutonium production reactors was made. Workers at the private sites were exposed to a variety of risks, including toxic materials like beryllium, chemicals like fluorine, and radioactive materials, notably uranium, but also thorium. =93The most severely exposed workers had a greatly increased risk of dyin= g from cancer,=94 said Bernd Franke, a co-author of the report and a senior consulting scientist to IEER. =93The risk of respiratory and kidney diseases would also be elevated.=94 The highest cumulative radiation dose calculated by IEER corresponds to a 40 percent chance of dying from cancer due to the exposure a 200 percent increase in the risk of fatal cancer compared to unexposed people, according to the report. =93Working conditions were appalling,=94 said Dr. Makhijani. =93Dat= a from all three factories that we studied show that the radiation protection standards of the time were routinely violated. And there is incontrovertible evidence that the government, putting production first, failed to adequately protect the workers or properly inform them of the severe hazards that many of them faced.=94 Before the government built and opened its own large-scale plants for processing bomb materials, scores of private plants across the United States were used in the 1940s and 1950s to provide materials for the furious pace of nuclear-bomb building after World War II. Plant and government data clearly document that the air that workers breathed was contaminated well above allowable limits, at times dozens or even hundreds of times above those limits, for long periods of time. There is even documentation that the government simply did not want the workers to know the risks that they faced. For instance, W. E. Kelley, Manager of the New York Operations Office of the AEC, wrote, that =93if popular opinion has any basis at all, a distin= ct hazard does exist=94 in a highly polluted part of one of the plants. = ; But he also stated that =93how serious a hazard exists is a matter of individual opinion.=94 His letter documented that plant air sometim= es exceeded what were then considered tolerable levels by hundreds of times, and that medical evaluations of radiation dangers were =93becoming more conservative, and in some respects, more pessimistic about the eventual mass [?] outcome.=94 Yet, in the same letter, he reported that a staff member of the AEC had told workers at the same plant that =93all of our [AEC] records indicated that no unusual hazard existed.=94 =93A full accounting of the failure to warn or properly protect nuclear weapons workers by the government is surely due to the people of the United States,=94 said Dr. Arjun Makhijani. =93And the first and mo= st urgent step is to provide treatment to those who are sick and compensation to those who were harmed.=94 On September 7, 2000: =B7<x-tab> = ;</x-tab>IEER=92s full report to USA TODAY will be posted on the USA TODAY web site (<a href=3D"http://www.usatoday.com/" eudora=3D"autourl">www.usatoday.com</a>). =B7<x-tab> &nbs= p; </x-tab>At 10 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time, Dr. Makhijani will hold a press conference at the National Press Club, First Amendment Room, 529 14th Street, NW, Washingt= on, DC, where he will release the full IEER report and the associated documents. =B7<x-tab> &nbs= p; </x-tab>At noon, Eastern Daylight Time, Dr. Makhijani will participate in an on-line chat hosted by USA TODAY web site. <div align=3D"center"> - ---30--- =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Lisa Ledwidge Outreach Coordinator and Editor, Science for Democratic Action Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) 6935 Laurel Ave., Suite 204 Takoma Park, MD 20912 USA (301) 270-5500 fax: (301) 270-3029 <a href=3D"http://www.ieer.org/" eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.ieer.org</= a> =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D</html> - --=====================_17661988==_.ALT-- - - 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: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 13:29:26 -0800 From: Abolition 2000 <admin@abolition2000.org> Subject: (abolition-usa) Secret project carried hidden dangers Secret project carried hidden dangers In the 1940s and '50s, the U.S. government secretly hired scores of private companies to process huge volumes of nuclear weapons material. But the companies were not prepared for the hazards of handling nuclear material. Workers were not informed of the risks. Thousands were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. Government reports were classified and buried. The result is a legacy of poisoned workers and communities that lingers to this day. The full story of the secret nuclear contracting has never been told, until now. Today Thursday Friday Toxic legacy At the height of the Cold War, the U.S. government secretly hired hundreds of private companies to work on America's nuclear weapons program - and never told the workers or communities of the dangers they might face from radiation and other hazards. The workers Many of the surviving workers now have higher risks for cancer and other ailments, but there has been almost no effort to learn whether such problems have occurred. That oversight might cost those who have gotten sick a chance for compensation. The environment Radioactive and toxic contamination at many of the contracting sites lingered for years, sometimes with serious health risks. Some still are not cleaned up, ignored by federal programs meant to address pollution from nuclear weapons production. =46or full story, please visit: http://www.usatoday.com/news/poison/cover.h= tm =46ront page, News, Sports, Money, Life, Weather, Marketplace =A9 Copyright 2000 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. - - 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: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 15:16:32 -0800 From: Abolition 2000 <admin@abolition2000.org> Subject: (abolition-usa) ACC Conference Call Minutes 23 August 2000 ACC Conference Call 23 August 2000 Present: Jackie Cabasso, John Burroughs, Alyn Ware, Alice Slater, Akira Kawasaki (for Hiro), Ross Wilcock, David Krieger, Carah Ong Apologies: Lars Pohlmeier, Janet Bloomfield Facilitator: Jackie Notetaker: Carah I. Review Agenda III. Carah sent a financial report to the ACC on 23 August. ACC needs to discuss fundraising. Rachel and Ben Vaughn Foundation is the only outstanding Grant. David posted an email to ACC on NAPF charges to host Abolition 2000 Coordinator to the ACC. Currently, overhead is based on a percentage of Carah's salary in relation to other projects hosted at NAPF. *Should Abolition 2000 not receive funding, NAPF will reduce or eliminate charges Fundraising-Carah has taken the [grant] proposal initially drafted by NAPF and refined it. *Members of the ACC will email Carah with information about other prospective funders. *Carah will email list of large contributors to ACC. *Jackie will compose a fundraising appeal, to be posted on the list-serve on behalf of the ACC to follow up on NPT mailing. IV. Global Council Carah posted a report to the ACC on the Global Council listing those who will be joining and continuing to serve. Merav suggested several Israeli contacts and John Hallam suggested several South Asian contacts. Akira has suggested additional GC members from Japan. The ACC agreed to invite all of these nominees to join the GC.*Carah will contact [them] and invite them to join the GC. *Ross will contact Bill Robinson to update the GC listserv with new addresses. * It was agreed that Bill Robinson would be invited to join the GC. The ACC discussed various ideas about how to activate and engage the GC. One idea is that the GC could be approached about amending the A2000 Statement. However, concern was expressed that how to best frame this question needs to be more fully worked out. It was agreed to revisit the GC questions at the end of the agenda. *Akira will try to suggest possible facilitators for the GC and draft a description for the facilitators. V. Nagasaki Global Citizens' Assembly Akira sent an update on the Nagasaki Conference to the ACC. The ACC needs to focus on name and nature of A2000 meeting in Nagasaki. Akira proposed "Abolition 2000 Review and Strategy Meeting, Nagasaki: How to Strengthen the Grassroots Voice." The ACC adopted the title suggested by Akira. *Akira will draft a program which the ACC will discuss on the next call. A2000 has 3 days during the conference to schedule events. *Akira will post an announcement and invitation to the ACC, which will subsequently be posted to the abolition-caucus. Funding- Akira noted that Abolition 2000 will not need to request funding for conference outside of any expenses the Network would incur. VI. Day to Ban Weaponization and Nuclearization of Outer Space Alice suggested alerting the GC about the October 7 and ask what they are doing in their country around the International Day. Jackie suggested engaging the GC in a discussion on Space issues and also bring up the October 7 event. VII. Millennium Summit The Millienium Summit is coming up at the beginning of September. Kofi Annan has made a proposal for a major international nuclear disarmament conference, which is being shot down by the NWS. LCNP wrote a letter of support to all the UN missions, which was posted to the abolition-caucus by John. John noted that the nuclear disarmament conference can still be pursued in the General Assembly after the Millenium Summit. Jackie suggested initiating a mini-campaign to encourage Network members to contact their governments and missions in their own countries to support such a conference and follow-up on the letter composed and sent by LCNP. Alyn also suggested pushing for the option of a nuclear disarmament conference being included in the final document. David suggested that the ACC write a letter to Kofi Annan to give support of Network to the idea of the conference. *Carah and David will draft a letter offering support for Annan's proposal (Millennium Summit Opening is deadline for this process) VIII. Next Steps * Alyn will draft an introductory message to the GC soliciting input on and support for the letter to Kofi Anan and various other proposals from the ACC X. Next Call 18/19 September 2000 Time of call: Aotearoa: 9 am on 19 September Canada: 5pm EDT, 2 pm PDT on 18 September Germany: 11 pm on 18 September Japan: 6am on 19 September United Kingdom: 10 pm on 18 September United States: 5pm EDT, 2 pm PDT on 18 September - - 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: Thu, 07 Sep 2000 07:48:56 -0400 From: Ellen Thomas <prop1@prop1.org> Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/09/07 - Daybook; Presidential Candidates; Activist Announcements 1) Daybook, Washington Times and AFP, September 7, 2000 http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-200097212257.htm Report release =97 11 a.m. =97The Institute of Medicine holds a news= briefing to release a report, "The Gulf War and Health," assessing the scientific evidence on the potential health effects of depleted uranium, sarin, pyridostigmine bromide and vaccines to protect against anthrax and botulism. Location: National Academies, 2100 C St. NW. Contact: 202/334-2138. Additional information from DU-List: The Institute of Medicine will release the report, Gulf War and Health. Volume 1. Depleted Uranium, Sarin, Pyridostigmine Bromide, and Vaccines, on Thursday, September 7th at 11 a.m. (EST) at a briefing for the public and press. The briefing will be held in= the Lecture Room of the National Academy of Sciences Building, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. A live audio Webcast of the briefing will be available on the= Internet at http://national-academies.org> and you will be able to ask questions of= the panelists during the briefing via email. The Webcast requires free= RealPlayer software, available at <http://www.real.com/player>. Additionally, the executive summary of the report will be available on the Internet through the National Academy Press website <http://www.nap.edu> Iraq briefing =97 5:30 p.m. =97 The New Atlantic Initiative and the= Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs host a news briefing, "Saddam's Iraq and the Next Administration." The speaker is Richard Butler, former executive chairman of UNSCOM, the U.N. special commission on disarmament. Location: Wohlstetter Conference Center, American Enterprise Institution, 1150 17th St. NW.= Contact: 202/862-4878. Chemical emissions news conference =97 9:30 a.m. =97 The National Environmental Trust, Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Learning Disabilities Association hold a news conference to release a report on "Polluting Our Future: Chemical Emissions in the U.S. that Affect Child Development and Learning." Location: Nest, Willard Intercontinental Hotel,= 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contact: 202/822-5200, Ext. 212. 2) Presidential Candidates - - Al Gore - Carbondale, Pa. 1 p.m. =97 Addresses employees of Gentex and discusses his specific= budget goals for the future and details budget plans, Gentex Corp.,=20 - - George W. Bush - Westland, MI, Dayton, OH, and Pittsburgh, PA 8:15 a.m. - Remarks to Veterans, Harris Kehrer VFW Post #3323, 1055 South Wayne Road, Westland, Michigan 48186=20 11:50 a.m. - Remarks to Veterans, Wright State University (MSG), Student Union Center - Multi-purpose Room, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, Ohio 45434, (937) 775-5522=20 6:00 p.m. - Rally in Pittsburgh at Mellon Square Park, corner of William Penn and 6th Avenue. - --- - - Ralph Nader this week - New Mexico Thursday, September 7- Albuquerque, NM=20 3:45 - 4:30 PM - Press Conference, Hyatt Regency, 330 Tijeras, NW 6:30 - 7:30 PM - Fundraising Reception, Fiesta Ballroom, Hyatt Regency,=20 330 Tijeras, NW 8:30 - 9:30 PM - Speech, Kiva Auditorium, 401 Second St., NW Friday, September 8 - Santa Fe and Farmington, New Mexico 9:45 - 10:30 AM - Press Conference, Hotel Santa Fe, 1501 Paseo De Palarta, Santa Fe, NM=20 4:15 pm - 5:00 pm Speech/Rally, Henderson Fine Arts Center, San Juan College, 4601 College Blvd, Farmington, NM=20 - ---- 3) Announcements - - D.C. Statehood Green Party monthly meeting Thursday 7 September, 7 p.m, One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street NW, room= 700. For more information, call Jenefer 546-0940. [Note: The D.C. Green Party= office was burglarized last weekend, for the second time.] - - Stop the Mobile Chernobyl! No Nuke Dumps on Native American Lands! Nuclear Utilities Would Transport 40,000 Tons of High-Level Nuclear Waste through Dozens of States to Dump on the Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians Reservation in Utah. Make Your Opposition Known to the U.S. Nuclear= Regulatory Commission Before the Public Comment Period Ends September 21, 2000:=20 1. Submit Comments on the NRCs Draft Environmental Impact Statement=20 2. Sign NIRS petition opposing the Private Fuel Storage plan (go to NIRS web site http://www.nirs.org/roadsrails/skullvalleypetition.htm)=20 3. Print NIRS petition, get it filled out, and send it to us ASAP.=20 You can also submit comments on-line at=20 http://www.nrc.gov/NRC/NUREGS/SR1714/index.html=20 The DEIS itself is also available at this web site. From: michael mariotte <nirsnet@nirs.org>=20 - - Star Wars (NMD) has been and will be astronomically expensive Since the 50s the U.S. has spent $122 billion on various missile intercept systems. Since Reagan's introduction of Star Wars in 1983 we've spent $69 billion dollars without fielding a workable system. The Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that, through 2015, it would cost $60 billion to build and maintain the system planned by the Clinton Administration. Current NMD budget for FY 2001-2005 is $12.7 billion, but is likely to rise sharply. Pentagon cost estimates for highly technical weapons systems are almost= always much lower than the actual final cost of the weapon system (e.g. B-1 bomber, B-2 bomber, F-18, M-1A-1 tank, etc, etc, etc) <fdpeace@earthlink.net> ___________________________________________________ Today's News and Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm Submit URL/Article: mailto:NucNews@onelist.com OneList Archives: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews (subscribe online) Subscribe to NucNews Briefs: mailto:prop1@prop1.org Quick Route to U.S. Congress: http://www.senate.gov/senators/index.cfm (Senators' Websites) http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.html (Representatives' Websites) http://thomas.loc.gov/ (Pending Legislation - Search) Presidential Candidates' Websites (a-z): George W. Bush - http://www.GeorgeWBush.com -= http://64.92.133.170/Calendar.asp Pat Buchanan - http://www.gopatgo2000.com/default.htm Al Gore - http://www.algore2000.com/ Ralph Nader - http://www.votenader.org/press.html (Please send other sites of qualified candidates.) Other Excellent News-Collecting Sites - Downwinders - http://www.egroups.com/group/downwinders DOE Watch - http://www.egroups.com/group/doewatch Online Petition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons - http://www.PetitionOnline.com/prop1/petition.html Distributed without payment for research and educational=20 purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107. - - 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: Thu, 7 Sep 2000 09:40:48 -0700 From: nukeresister@igc.org (Jack and Felice Cohen-Joppa) Subject: (abolition-usa) Re: Washington Gathering to Free Vanunu WASHINGTON GATHERING TO FREE VANUNU Three Days of Solidarity and Support for Israel's Nuclear Whistleblower and for a Nuclear-Free World September 26-28 **Tuesday, September 26 - THE CONFERENCE 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Aloysius Church, 900 N. Capitol St. NW (at K St.), four blocks northwest of Union Station red line Metro stop. Speakers include BISHOP THOMAS GUMBLETON, ELIZABETH MCALISTER, RABBI PHILLIP BENTLEY AND NICK & MARY EOLOFF, Mordechai's adoptive parents. Light lunch and refreshments will be available for a small fee. EVENING PROGRAM - Tuesday, September 26 Music by Ken Giles, award ceremony and talk by DANIEL ELLSBERG "Mordechai is My Brother" Vegetarian dinner at 6:30, available for $5. Evening program and dinner at St. Aloysius Church. Childcare available for the conference and evening program, but reserving a space is necessary (phone # below). **Wednesday, September 27 - THE VIGIL Dawn to dusk vigil for Vanunu's freedom and for a nuclear-free Middle East and world at the Israeli Embassy, 3514 International Drive, NW. Come for all or part. While not at the vigil, activists can call on their Senators and Congressional Representatives on Capitol Hill. **Thursday, September 28 - THE ACTION Noon-hour mass rally in front of the Israeli Embassy to mark the 14th anniversary of Vanunu's kidnapping by Israeli agents in Rome after telling his story to a British newspaper. Speeches, songs, prayers and action demanding the prisoner's immediate and unconditional release and the abolition of nuclear weapons. Meet at 11:45 a.m. at Connecticut Ave. and Van Ness St. at Van Ness/University of the District of Columbia stop on the Metro red line to assemble for the three block walk to the Israeli embassy. For more information and childcare reservations, contact Kathy at Dorothy Day House, (202)882-9649, or the U.S. Campaign to Free Mordechai Vanunu, (608)257-4764, email <samday@chorus.net>. - - 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: Thu, 7 Sep 2000 09:40:15 -0800 From: Abolition 2000 <admin@abolition2000.org> Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Invitation to NMD Seminar >Delivered-To: a2000@silcom.com >X-Sender: sfraser@pop.igc.org >Date: Wed, 6 Sep 2000 20:13:51 -0400 >To: wilpf@wilpfnymetro.org >From: sfraser <sfraser@igc.org> >Subject: Invitation to NMD Seminar > >Hi Friends and Colleagues: > >WILPF NY Metro is organizing a seminar on National Missile Defense! >Please come if you can! > >National Missile Defense: From the Local to the Global > >WHEN: September 16, 2000; 11:00am - 4:00pm >WHERE: New School Graduate Faculty Building, Swayduck Auditorium, 65 >5th Avenue, New York City > >SPEAKERS: > >Aaron Bouska, Peace Action NY State > >Lucy Webster, ECAAR > >Michelle Ciarrocca, World Policy Institute > >Stephen Young, Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers > >John Burroughs, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy > >Bill Hartung, World Policy Institute > >Karl Grossman, SUNY Professor of Journalism > > > >We will be videotaping the event, from which a NMD video will be >produced and distributed to Congress! > > >No RSVP is necessary and the EVENT IS FREE!!!!!!! > >See you there, > >Stephanie Fraser > >PS: FYI, for all my friends and family on this list: my baby has >not arrived yet, and is due on the 21st. Everything has gone >beautifully so far! Love to all of you who have sent good wishes! - - 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: Thu, 7 Sep 2000 09:57:59 -0800 From: Abolition 2000 <admin@abolition2000.org> Subject: (abolition-usa) Get Active No Nukes for Global Warming >- - - original CMEP message follows - - - > >No Nuclear Reactors For Global Climate Change; Nuclear Energy Should Not >Receive Renewable Energy Credits > >The nuclear power industry is trying to gain access to yet another subsidy >and the U.S. is posed to support them in upcoming international >negotiations. By falsely claiming that nuclear power is needed to address >global climate change, the industry hopes to construct and operate new >reactors all over the world. The industry wants to use a pollution trading >credit scheme in the current Kyoto climate change agreement to offset >nuclear energy's oppressive construction costs. The Clinton/Gore >administration is planning to support use of pollution credits to nuclear >energy based on the same formula used to give renewable energy credits. >This policy would give nuclear energy status equal to sustainable energy >under the energy credit plan in the Kyoto agreement. > >CALL OR EMAIL officials below. Demand the Clinton/Gore administration adopt >the following positions: > >* Nuclear power is not sustainable and is not the solution to global >climate change; energy efficiency and sustainable energy are. > >* Any further subsidy to the nuclear industry will thwart sustainable >technologies and ultimately hurt our efforts to address global climate change. > >* Nuclear power must be specifically excluded from the CDM (clean >development mechanism) of the Kyoto agreement and given no credits. > >Also, tell the Clinton/Gore administration many "developing" nations don't >want nuclear power and their citizens do want a voice > >We must not spread nuclear terror by allowing financially and/or >politically fragile nations to be burdened with nuclear waste, pollution >and weapons proliferation risk as many countries (including the US) >currently are. All nations deserve better. We MUST reduce greenhouse gases >domestically, not get false "credit" for reductions by selling any nation >dirty nuclear reactors. The U.S. should learn from our own horrible >mistakes with nuclear energy and not allow the nuclear industry to abuse >other nations with their failed technology-no nuclear power reactor order >has been placed in the U.S. since 1973. We have yet to find a way to safely >store the first cupful of radioactive waste produced in the U.S. on April >24, 1942. > >We must tell the Clinton/Gore administration that it is unacceptable to >support the nuclear industry in trying to get more undeserved investment >and legitimacy, even while ratepayers in the United States are bailing out >nuclear reactors to the tune of $500 billion dollars. A boost to the >nuclear industry could also mean more nuclear reactors will be built in the >US, after many years of stagnation and rate-payer robbery. > >Contact the following U.S. officials before and during climate change >meeting in Lyon which commenced on September 4. Further alerts and updates >will be coming. > >Mr. David Gardiner, Executive Director, >White House Climate Change Task Force, >Phone: 202-395-2343, Fax: 202-395-2311; >email: David_Gardiner@ceq.eop.gov > >Mr. Frank Loy; Under Secretary for Global Affairs; >Phone: 202-647-8877; Fax: 202-647-0753 >email: mitchelllm@state.gov > >Mr. Roger Ballentine; Deputy Assistant to the President on Environmental >Issues; >Phone: 202-456-1782; Fax 202-456-1736; >email: rballe ntine@who.eop.gov > >BACKGROUND > >Through the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement created to address >climate change, the nuclear industry hopes to get credit (to offset >construction costs) for something it cannot deliver: clean, environmentally >friendly, non-polluting, energy production. > >Language in the Kyoto Protocol will allow developed nations to build power >plants in other countries and get a pollution credit if the new plant leads >to reduced greenhouse gas emissions. However, the country receiving the >credit does not have to reduce their own greenhouse gas production. This >concept is called the Clean Development Mechanism, or CDM. In essence, it >is a worldwide pollution trading credits scheme. The United States (Three >Mile Island), Russia (Chernobyl), and Japan (Tokaimura) are among the >nations eligible for CDM credits. Each of these countries has a poor >nuclear technology record and a history of sacrificing democratic >principles, such as public participation, for nuclear industry profit. > >Decisions on policies and enforcement for the Kyoto agreement happen at >annual meetings of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Climate >Change Convention. This year is the sixth meeting (COP 6). It will be held >in The Hague, Netherlands from November 13-24, 2000. Decisions on the CDM >may be made, however, at an interim meeting occurring September 4-15 in >Lyon, France. In fact, the nuclear industry is pushing hard to give nuclear >power CDM credits during LYON and is relying on the US, China and Japan to >push the industry position during the negotiations. > >THE U.S. MUST APPROVE LANGUAGE WHICH SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITS THE INCLUSION >OF NUCLEAR POWER IN THE CDM. > >One of the CDM's primary objectives is to help developing countries achieve >sustainable development by subsidizing previously unsubsidized industries. >Allowing nuclear energy to receive pollution trading credits through the >CDM would in effect reduce the cost of nuclear reactor construction, >thereby giving nuclear power another huge, undeserved subsidy, while >keeping money from sounder, proven investments like energy efficiency. >Every dollar invested in energy efficiency is up to seven times more >effective in CO2 emissions reduction than that same dollar invested in >nuclear power. Energy efficiency alone could account for 60% of the >emissions reduction necessary in the U.S. to meet the Kyoto protocol. > >Further investment in nuclear would also keep funds away from renewable >energy development. This trade-off is exactly what has happened in the U.S. >over the past 50 years. When comparing U.S. government subsidies for >nuclear, solar, and wind, the nuclear power industry has received the >majority (96.3%) of $150 billion in investments since 1947; that's $145 >billion for nuclear reactors and $5 billion for wind and solar. Nuclear >subsidies have cost the average household a total amount of $1,411 [1998 >dollars] compared to $11 for wind. The more money we spend on nuclear >power, the less greenhouse gas reduction benefit we receive, while we hurt >sustainable technology investment. > >The U.S. claims it does not want to limit "developing" nations to certain >technologies; that developing nations should decide for themselves which >technologies are sustainable and which are not. While this seems to be a >reasonable position on its face, implementation of the Kyoto agreement >allows for very little equitable public participation. Therefore, a >mechanism for ensuring that the citizens of a nation really want a certain >technology does not exist. Additionally, many smaller developing nations >fear nuclear power CDM credits would favor high-growth nuclear projects in >developing countries over smaller, sustainable projects in non-nuclear >developing nations. As an Indonesia delegate commented: "I think it is >simple colonialism to push nuclear power onto developing countries, leaving >them with all the burdens that come with it". Indian NGOs have worded a >letter to the U.S., Japan, and Canada stating, "[T]he undersigned Indian >social and political organizations, human rights organizations, NGOs, >women's rights organizations, and trade unions are writing to urge you to >exclude nuclear power from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the >Kyoto Protocol". Member nations of AOSIS (Alliance of Small Island States) >oppose giving nuclear reactors credit for greenhouse gas reduction, asking >that CDM projects "Not support the use of nuclear power". Countries of >AOSIS do not support the use of nuclear power to address global climate >change even though their island nations stand to lose the most from sea >level rise. > >Each current 1000-megawatt reactor produces 40 bomb's worth of plutonium >per year and atomic waste which will be dangerous for many thousands of >years, with no proven storage technology able to last for the entire >hazardous life of these radioactive wastes, natural and man-made barriers >included. > >Finally, nuclear reactors threaten our health. As a matter of normal >operation, reactors release radioactive substances to the air and water. >Many human population studies demonstrate that additional, low, constant >levels of radiation can cause cancer and genetic mutations in this and >future generations. Subjects of these studies, often nuclear facility >workers and communities, suffer higher rates of diseases than non-nuclear >communities, even with apparent normal operation of these facilities. > >For more information, Contact: Cindy Folkers, Energy Future Project >Coordinator, NIRS, 202-328-0002. > >To learn more about this and other issues Critical Mass Energy Project >works on, visit our web site at www.citizen.org . > >Michael Welch >Get-Active list manager > >This is a personal list managed by Michael. Affiliations listed below are >for identification purposes only. > >------------------------ >"Society is like a stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you get a lot of >scum on top." > > Edward Abbey > >Michael Welch, michael.welch@homepower.com > Associate Editor, Home Power magazine www.homepower.com > Office Coordinator, Redwood Alliance www.igc.org/redwood > (Not HP mag's #s) 707-822-7884 fax: 707-822-3481 > >___________________________________________________________ >T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 >Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics - - 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 #373 *********************************** - To unsubscribe to $LIST, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with "unsubscribe $LIST" in the body of the message. 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