July 15th, 2005
Dear Shutdown group,
I'm very pleased to have been invited onto this new list.
I certainly believe the only reasonable position anyone can advocate today
is for an immediate shut-down of all nuclear power plants around the
world. A wide variety of clean alternative energy sources exist -- that's
not the problem. It's the tiny fraction of society which makes money by
the bucketful while generating thousands of tons of nuclear waste (and
"valuable" nuclear weapons raw material) which is the problem.
And those who regulate them.
But of course, I'm sure everyone on this list knows that. I believe
society as a whole is largely against nuclear power, and usually, the more
they know about it the more they oppose it.
I contacted my Congressman's office this morning and asked for an
appointment to meet with him. Another Congressperson had forwarded a copy
of my recent book (or "booklet" if you prefer) about my concerns regarding
San Onofre Nuclear Waste Generating Station. My Congressman's office said,
when I called, that they had received it "yesterday" (July 14th, 2005).
I had, foolishly I suppose, overlooked completely the idea of sending the
book to him myself. Having decided I could only afford to send it only to
a few people, I chose to send it to all the Democrats in the State
legislature (both House and Senate) and all of California's Democratic
Congressional Representatives, of which Randy "Duke" Cunningham is not one
(R-50th CA). (I've yet to hear of an anti-nuke Republican elected
official, although I'm sure there are millions of Republicans who do not
believe the hype about nuclear power.) I also sent the book to selected
Congresspeople from other states. (If anyone on this list would like
copies to send to your state or federal legislators, or for yourself or
others, please let me know.)
I am awaiting a call back from Cunningham's office for an appointment.
Next week Pamela Blockey O'Brien and I will be meeting with the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission regarding her recent 2.206 petition, with which I am
also affiliated and which is against:
"23 G.E. Mark 1 Boiling Water Reactors -- so-called Nuclear Lemons -
namely: Browns Ferry I, II, III. Brunswick I and II. Cooper I. Dresden II
and III. Duane Arnold. Edwin I. Hatch I and II. Fermi II. Hope Creek I.
James A. Fitzpatrick. Monticello. Nine Mile Point I. OYSTER CREEK (the
mother of all nuclear lemons). Peach Bottom II and III. Pilgrim I. Quad
Cities I and II. Vermont Yankee. Collectively and individually, with Bases.
"9 Westinghouse Pressurized Water Reactors -- so called "Ice Conensers" -
Namely: Catawba I and II. D.C. Cook I and II. McGuire I and II. Sequoyah
I and II. Watts Bar I. Collectively and individually, with Bases.
"15 Special Circumstance Reactors, namely: Salem I and II. St. Lucie I and
II. Turkey Point III and IV. San Onofre II and III. Crystal River
III. Calvert Cliffs I and II. Farley I and II. Grand Gulf I. Three Mile
Island I. With Bases.
"2 Nuclear Death Traps from Hell, namely: NUCLEAR FUEL SERVICES, Erwin,
TN. UNITED STATES ENRICHMENT CORPORATIONS PADUCAH GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANT,
Ky, with Bases.
"Requesting SHUTDOWN. LICENSE REVOCATION. CLEAN UP OF SITE AND
SURROUNDING AREA, WORKER COMPENSATION and far more as detailed herein,
including removal of any and all deadly radioactive "spent" fuel as soon as
humanly possible, as detailed herein."
Pamela Blockey O'Brien is a "Former Non-Governmental Organization Delegate
to the United Nations Second Special Session on Disarmament, 1982."
The meeting with the NRC will be by phone and will NOT include
representatives from the Utilities in question (apparently by their
choice), although it will include NRC lawyers, and transcriptions will be
made available to the public. (Hopefully we will also be given a chance to
correct these transcriptions, which inevitably have many errors (the name
Dr. John W. Gofman never seems to get transcribed correctly, for example.)
A copy of the 2.206 petition under 10 CFR Ch. 20 will presumably be made
available, if it is not already, through the NRC's ADAMS system so good
luck finding it. Pamela's cover letter for the petition reads:
---------------------------------------------------------------
The nuclear weapons and nuclear power issue is the most important issue in
the world, not only because they are inextricably interlinked, with
materials and technologies required mainly the same, -- as are the
establishments and science pushing both, -- but because they threaten all
life on earth, damage the gene pool, contaminate the planet and contribute
to global warming and the destruction of the ozone layer. The ozone layer
destruction first started by high altitude nuclear weapons tests, for example.
You are receiving the enclosed Petition to the U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION, called a "2.206 Petition Under 10.CFR, Chapter 20" in the hope
that you can help expose its contents and thereby save lives. It is an
attempt to force the shutdown of some of the most bloody awful,
environmentally ruinous, dangerous, vulnerable commercial nuclear power
plants and nuclear production facilities in the nation. It must be
understood, that nuclear power plants all produce PLUTONIUM in their fuel
rods during operation, and far more besides. All these potential terrorist
targets listed, are themselves terror inducing.
From nuclear plants located in mangrove swamps which threaten Miami and
the Keys, to those which have no large containment dome over them, which
could wipe a chunk of two or three states off the map, in terms of
rendering them uninhabitable. From commercial reactors producing extra
radioactive hydrogen (Tritium) for nuclear weapons use, which can not only
meltdown, but explode, to one that threatens Washington DC. As well as a
nuclear production facility that rivals some of the worst in the former
East Bloc. All in here, with a common thread: children nearby. Our most
precious children, whose health and lives are affected.
PLEASE read this through to the end. And as you read it, remember these
things:
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is partly funded by its licensees, the
nuclear industry.
The ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) allied with
the WHO (World Health Organization) recommends the most awful radiation
"standards" which are accepted worldwide. It is highly selective and
controlled, self-appointing, self-electing, dominated by the nuclear
establishment and the medical radiological societies, with physician
participation limited to medical radiologists, according to Dr. Bertell,
who states: "It is, in every sense of the term, a closed club and not a
body of independent scientific experts." (No Immediate Danger, R.
Bertell, p. 173).
The IAEA has virtually no oversight. Within the UN system it has fiscal
independence. It's principal objectives, contrary to popular believe, are
to shove nuclear power, and all things nuclear Except the Bomb, down the
world's throat. It's all in its charter. Due to this, it is responsible
in part for nuclear proliferation, as any nation with a power plant, with
enough money and know-how, can ultimately get The Bomb. Via a 1959
agreement, the IAEA can also run interference with WHO. There should be
Senate Hearings and investigations on the enclosed, and the above. In case
of a nuclear catastrophe, FEMA takes over from NRC. They know far less --
even the late Dr. Carl Sagan made fun of FEMA, reprinting FEMAs admonition
in the event of nuclear war: "If a weapon detonates nearby; a) extinguish
fires, b) repair damage. (A Path Where No Man Thought, Dr. Carl Sagan & Dr.
Richard Turco).
---------------------------------------------------------------
The entire 2.206 petition runs 63 pages (typed, single-spaced) -- an
awesome accomplishment for anyone, but especially for a anyone as ill as
she has been lately. It took her about nine months to complete the document.
We have been assured that the NRC officials we will speak to will have read
her petition BEFORE we speak with them. (I'm preparing a series of
questions I can use to help assure us of that fact.) I'm hoping that
representatives from other federal agencies will also be on the line, of
course, especially since the operation of many, if not all, of these
nuclear facilities is a crime against humanity -- "murder," she wrote.
For those on this list whom I have not met yet, below are web sites I've
created with additional information about nuclear power, its history,
current status, methods of operation, etc. etc..
I'm hoping to be in Nevada August 4-7.
Warmest regards,
Russell Hoffman
Concerned Citizen
Carlsbad, CA
Please visit these web pages:
POISON FIRE USA: An animated history of major nuclear activities in the
continental United States:
How does a nuclear power plant work? Animations of PWRs and BWRs:
Internet Glossary of Nuclear Terminology / "The Demon Hot Atom":
List of every nuclear power plant in America, with history, activist orgs,
specs, etc.:
SHUT SAN ONOFRE!:
STOP CASSINI web site:
NO NUKES IN SPACE: (FLASH animation):
or try:
List of ~300 books and videos about nuclear issues in my collection
(donations welcome!):
Learn about The Effects of Nuclear War here (written with Pamela
Blockey-O'Brien):