Published on Friday, February 5, 2010
by CommonDreams.org
Haiti - Still Starving 23 Days Later
by Bill Quigley
You can walk down many of the streets of Port au Prince and see absolutely no evidence that the world community has helped Haiti.
Twenty-three days after the earthquake jolted Haiti and killed over 200,000 people, as many as a million people have still not received any international food assistance.
On February 4, the UN World Food Program reported they had given at least some food, mostly 55 pound bags of rice, to over a million people. The UN acknowledges that it still needs to reach another one million people. The 55 pounds of rice are expected to provide a two week food ration for a family. Beans and cooking oil are scheduled to come later.
The Associated Press reported that people in Haiti at small protests were holding up banners reading “Help us, we’re starving.” Over a million people are displaced. About 10,000 families are in tents, the rest are living under sheets, blankets and tarps.
One of the people living under a sheet is a brand new mother with her one-day-old baby. The New York Times reports that Rosalie Antoine, 33, and her one day old baby were living in a neighbor’s yard with puppies and chickens under a sheet in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Port au Prince.
Haiti and the United Nations estimate 250,000 children under the age of 7 are living in temporary housing. Most need vaccinations.
Flavia Cherry, of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action, this week witnessed a pregnant double amputee give birth on the ground in one of the tent camps without any medical assistance at all. “This poor mother had nothing, no milk, no clothing for the baby, nothing!”
Even people who can afford to purchase food are having a difficult time. A 55-pound bag of rice costs 40 percent more today than it did before the earthquake. Dr. Louise Ivers, a Partners in Health physician in Port au Prince, reports a 25 kg (55 pounds) bag of rice that sold for $30 US dollars (1,207 Haitian Gourdes) before the quake, now costs $42 US dollars (1,690 Haitian Gourdes).
The World Food Program reports prices are still rising and people outside the earthquake zone are having difficulty meeting their basic food needs.
Twenty-three days after the quake.
Bill just returned from Haiti. He is Legal Director at the Center for Constitutional Rights. His email is Quigley77@gmail.com
February 5, 2010
Navajo Council's New Green Economy Commissioners
IGR committee confirms Navajo Green Economy Commissioners
By Navajo Nation Council
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- Hon. Lawrence T. Morgan is proud to announce the formation of the first Navajo Green Economy Commission. The five commissioners who have been selected and confirmed by the Intergovernmental Relations Committee include Wahleah Johns, Samuel Woods, Keith Betsuie, Anna Rondon, and LeVon Thomas.
"Each of the Commissioners is highly qualified to carry out the intended goal of creating green jobs on the Navajo Nation," said Speaker Morgan. "Today, there are more opportunities than ever before to move towards the development of a green economy and the creation of green jobs. These Commissioners are passionate about bringing green opportunities to the Nation, and I look forward to the work they will accomplish on behalf of our people."
The Navajo Nation Council became the first American Indian tribe to pass legislation supporting green jobs on tribal lands: Legislation No. 0179-09, enacting the Navajo Nation Green Economy Commission (NGEC) Act of 2009, and Legislation No. 0180-09, enacting the Navajo Green Economy Fund Act of 2009. Both were passed during the summer session of 2009.
"On the same day we were confirmed, President Obama declared that clean energy will be the driver of our economy for the long-term. With enormous solar and wind resources, our Diné can benefit from and lead the way towards this clean energy future," said Johns.
The five Commissioners are tasked with seeking appropriate federal, state, and other funding for the Navajo Nation Green Economy Fund, and networking with local, state, national and international groups to advocate and build Navajo Nation green economy strategies. They will also be working with Navajo Nation divisions and entities to coordinate these efforts and help bring green funding to the programs. The Commission will focus will be on small-scale, community development projects for economic development to empower local communities.
"In the years to come, and as we begin to transition toward more alternative renewable energy forms as a Nation, it is my vision that chapters will be able to sustain their own local green projects, and the Commission will become tasked with coordinating large scale green projects throughout the Navajo Nation," said Speaker Morgan.
The passage of the Navajo Green Economy Commission and the Navajo Green Economy Fund
started with a shared vision. Partnerships with various non-governmental organizations were
instrumental in moving the vision of a green economy forward. The Navajo Green Economy Coalition, which consists of various non-profit organization representatives, garnered 23 Navajo Nation chapter resolutions and two agency resolutions in support of the Navajo Green Economy Legislation and Navajo Green Economy Fund, ultimately helping to turn ideas into legislative action at the Navajo Nation Council level.
"The input, guidance, and expertise from non-governmental organizations will continue to be of incredible worth as we move forward in our planning for a sustainable green economy," said Speaker Morgan. "I want to thank them again for sharing this vision with me."
The Navajo Green Economy Commission has received numerous inquiries since its passage and will begin its work immediately.
"Serving on this commission is a tremendous opportunity to lead the Navajo people to a greener and cleaner energy future," said Thomas. Thomas will serve as the youth representative on the Commission.
"I'm humbled to have been selected to this commission, and I look forward to seeing community-based green economies growing in the near future," said Rondon.
Speaker Morgan believes the concept of 'going green' is not a foreign concept to the Navajo people.
"Our livelihood has always depended on our intrinsic relationship with the land," said Speaker Morgan. "By moving towards a green economy, we will be re-shifting into a way of life that has always reflected our core values as Navajo people."
February 4, 2010
Rodriguez: 'We wanted a Nelson Mandela, We got a Clarence Thomas'
We Wanted a Nelson Mandela; We got a Clarence Thomas
By Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez
Photo: Roberto Rodriquez walking for migrants who died in the Sonoran Desert/Photo Brenda Norrell
President Barack Obama is an enigma. No one quite seems to know what
he actually stands for.
Most progressives saw in the election of Obama, a Nelson Mandela
figure. Based on his first year in office, many are understandably
disillusioned.
Conversely, much of the right wing of this country demonize(d) him as
a Joseph Stalin figure, this in a “right-center” country
The context of the 2008 election is important in making sense of these
views; it was a landslide. Obama garnered 54% of the electorate
compared to 46% for McCain (Apparently, someone forgot to tell the
electorate that we live in a “right-center” country).
Understanding this, the 2010 analyses of McCain/Palin and their
supporters matter little because it is their views that were
thoroughly repudiated in the 2008 elections. And their hostile
opinions of the president have not actually changed. If anything,
they’ve been emboldened by now having 41 votes in the senate –
compared to 59 for the Democrats (Apparently neither party can count
as Bush never needed 59 votes to govern forcefully, albeit for the
wrong causes). They would be quite happy with a Torquemada figure,
someone who governs from a place of fear, with an iron fist, who is
not afraid to employ torture.
The Obama enigma has more to do with the expectations of those who
swept him into office. In truth, those who thought they had gotten
Mandela – a liberator – were few because most understood that Obama
was elected head of an empire, not head of the UN Human Rights
Commission. Many more Democrats and Independents thought they had
elected a Martin Luther King figure – someone who would fight for the
rights and dignity of all human beings. Unquestionably, Obama indeed
can speak like MLK, but his actions, especially on matters of war and
peace and human rights, have been much closer to Supreme Court Justice
Clarence Thomas.
The Obama/Biden administration is clearly different than a
McCain/Palin administration would have been. Obama has set a different
tone worldwide, but he has not substantively altered the Bush-Cheney
doctrine. And rather than investigate former administration officials
for their roles in carrying out an illegal war, Obama unilaterally has
given them “get-out-of-jail free” cards. Worse, he’s embraced most of
Bush’s extra-legal policies in court. The only substantive difference
has come in relation to Guantanamo. For conservatives, Guantanamo is
Nirvana – a place outside the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. While he
has moved swiftly to close it down, he has not repudiated its most
reprehensible feature: indefinite detention of suspects without
charges.
The context of the 2008 election was a clear repudiation of all things
Bush-Cheney. Bush argued that September 11, 2001 had given him the
right to ignore the U.S. Constitution, Congress and the U.S. Supreme
Court, and international law. Beyond that, he crafted a circular
argument for his assertion and exercise of dictatorial powers; we were
a nation at war. That assertion depended upon a condition of permanent
worldwide war.
That’s why people had hoped for an MLK figure. That instead we got a
Clarence Thomas is not hyperbole. Time and again, the Obama
administration has upheld virtually every Bush war policy in and out
of court, including the notion of an all-powerful unitary executive,
the right to permanent worldwide war, the right to hold prisoners
indefinitely without charges and to rendition them and to illegally
spy on Americans.
At home, Obama has bungled his electoral mandate, especially on health
care, the economy and immigration. Rather than govern with a clear
moral authority, he has instead governed weakly from “the middle,” as
a naïve politician, appeasing the same right wing opponents that
detest his every move. Ironically, Bush did not receive a decisive
electoral mandate, yet he governed decisively. Contrarily, Obama was
given a massive electoral mandate, only to govern timidly as though he
owes his victory to the sore losers Tea Party Movement.
There are several precedents for governing from the middle. One came
in the early 20th century in Mexico after the ouster of dictator
Porfirio Diaz. The naïve new president, Francisco Madero, thought he
could reconcile the nation by ignoring his own supporters while
appeasing Diaz’s allies. He left them in power where they soon deposed
him.
Hopefully Obama will not suffer the same fate. However, unless and
until he begins to act upon his stated convictions, he will continue
to find himself proverbially in the middle of the political highway as
roadkill. He doesn’t have to be Mandela; the 2008 Obama will suffice.
Rodriguez, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, can be
reached at: XColumn@gmail.com
By Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez
Photo: Roberto Rodriquez walking for migrants who died in the Sonoran Desert/Photo Brenda Norrell
President Barack Obama is an enigma. No one quite seems to know what
he actually stands for.
Most progressives saw in the election of Obama, a Nelson Mandela
figure. Based on his first year in office, many are understandably
disillusioned.
Conversely, much of the right wing of this country demonize(d) him as
a Joseph Stalin figure, this in a “right-center” country
The context of the 2008 election is important in making sense of these
views; it was a landslide. Obama garnered 54% of the electorate
compared to 46% for McCain (Apparently, someone forgot to tell the
electorate that we live in a “right-center” country).
Understanding this, the 2010 analyses of McCain/Palin and their
supporters matter little because it is their views that were
thoroughly repudiated in the 2008 elections. And their hostile
opinions of the president have not actually changed. If anything,
they’ve been emboldened by now having 41 votes in the senate –
compared to 59 for the Democrats (Apparently neither party can count
as Bush never needed 59 votes to govern forcefully, albeit for the
wrong causes). They would be quite happy with a Torquemada figure,
someone who governs from a place of fear, with an iron fist, who is
not afraid to employ torture.
The Obama enigma has more to do with the expectations of those who
swept him into office. In truth, those who thought they had gotten
Mandela – a liberator – were few because most understood that Obama
was elected head of an empire, not head of the UN Human Rights
Commission. Many more Democrats and Independents thought they had
elected a Martin Luther King figure – someone who would fight for the
rights and dignity of all human beings. Unquestionably, Obama indeed
can speak like MLK, but his actions, especially on matters of war and
peace and human rights, have been much closer to Supreme Court Justice
Clarence Thomas.
The Obama/Biden administration is clearly different than a
McCain/Palin administration would have been. Obama has set a different
tone worldwide, but he has not substantively altered the Bush-Cheney
doctrine. And rather than investigate former administration officials
for their roles in carrying out an illegal war, Obama unilaterally has
given them “get-out-of-jail free” cards. Worse, he’s embraced most of
Bush’s extra-legal policies in court. The only substantive difference
has come in relation to Guantanamo. For conservatives, Guantanamo is
Nirvana – a place outside the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. While he
has moved swiftly to close it down, he has not repudiated its most
reprehensible feature: indefinite detention of suspects without
charges.
The context of the 2008 election was a clear repudiation of all things
Bush-Cheney. Bush argued that September 11, 2001 had given him the
right to ignore the U.S. Constitution, Congress and the U.S. Supreme
Court, and international law. Beyond that, he crafted a circular
argument for his assertion and exercise of dictatorial powers; we were
a nation at war. That assertion depended upon a condition of permanent
worldwide war.
That’s why people had hoped for an MLK figure. That instead we got a
Clarence Thomas is not hyperbole. Time and again, the Obama
administration has upheld virtually every Bush war policy in and out
of court, including the notion of an all-powerful unitary executive,
the right to permanent worldwide war, the right to hold prisoners
indefinitely without charges and to rendition them and to illegally
spy on Americans.
At home, Obama has bungled his electoral mandate, especially on health
care, the economy and immigration. Rather than govern with a clear
moral authority, he has instead governed weakly from “the middle,” as
a naïve politician, appeasing the same right wing opponents that
detest his every move. Ironically, Bush did not receive a decisive
electoral mandate, yet he governed decisively. Contrarily, Obama was
given a massive electoral mandate, only to govern timidly as though he
owes his victory to the sore losers Tea Party Movement.
There are several precedents for governing from the middle. One came
in the early 20th century in Mexico after the ouster of dictator
Porfirio Diaz. The naïve new president, Francisco Madero, thought he
could reconcile the nation by ignoring his own supporters while
appeasing Diaz’s allies. He left them in power where they soon deposed
him.
Hopefully Obama will not suffer the same fate. However, unless and
until he begins to act upon his stated convictions, he will continue
to find himself proverbially in the middle of the political highway as
roadkill. He doesn’t have to be Mandela; the 2008 Obama will suffice.
Rodriguez, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, can be
reached at: XColumn@gmail.com
February 2, 2010
Onodonga Leaders Speak on Treaties and the Environment
Onondaga Nation leaders to talk of land rights, treaties, the environment in yearlong lecture series in Syracuse
By Mike McAndrew / The Post-Standard
February 02, 2010, 12:17PM
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/onondaga_nation_leaders_will_t.html
Syracuse, NY - “Onondaga Land Rights & Our Common Future II” will begin Feb. 8 with Tadodaho Sid Hill, Clan Mother Audrey Shenandoah, and other Onondaga leaders talking about treaty commitments. The series of free lectures is being organized by Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation, an organization affiliated with the Syracuse Peace Council.
By Mike McAndrew / The Post-Standard
February 02, 2010, 12:17PM
http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/onondaga_nation_leaders_will_t.html
Syracuse, NY - “Onondaga Land Rights & Our Common Future II” will begin Feb. 8 with Tadodaho Sid Hill, Clan Mother Audrey Shenandoah, and other Onondaga leaders talking about treaty commitments. The series of free lectures is being organized by Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation, an organization affiliated with the Syracuse Peace Council.
Leonard Peltier: Alive and Kicking in the Iron House
From Leonard Peltier
Greetings from the Iron House. It has come to my attention that a rumor has been circulating about my death. Sorry to disappoint the Trimbachs, Ed Wood, and all the other vermin, but I am still alive and kicking. I continue to struggle for the truth about my case-much of it hidden in the 6,000 documents they are afraid to release-to see the light of day.
I have been monitoring the case with the Crow Creek tribe’s land issues, and have been asked my opinion. As in nearly all things, I come down on the side of the tribe. Sovereignty and self determination are the lynch pins to Indian freedom. I want the people of Crow Creek to know they have my fullest support in their endeavors. This case affects all Indians, and should matter to all people of conscience. Everyone should monitor this case to its fullest conclusion, and know it is yet another example of Indian people’s daily reality. The Indian wars are not over; they just are fought more in the courtrooms and the boardrooms these days. But the issues are mostly the same-the land, resources, and freedom. Freedom to think. Freedom to live as we wish. Freedom to be who we are. Don’t for a second allow yourself to think that the conspirators aren’t working. They’re out there, and as always they’re plotting ways to dispossess and marginalize Indian people at every opportunity.
We were all sad to learn of the passing this past week, of Howard Zinn. A brilliant author, researcher, activist, not to mention a fine human being and a friend to my cause, his loss is a blow to all of us who struggle against oppression. Please send up prayers for his family and loved ones, and that his spirit has a good journey.
As always, a big thank you to my family and everyone else helping out at the office, and all my supporters’ world wide. Through your efforts, one day we’ll win my freedom.
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
Leonard Peltier
--------------------
Greetings from the Iron House. It has come to my attention that a rumor has been circulating about my death. Sorry to disappoint the Trimbachs, Ed Wood, and all the other vermin, but I am still alive and kicking. I continue to struggle for the truth about my case-much of it hidden in the 6,000 documents they are afraid to release-to see the light of day.
I have been monitoring the case with the Crow Creek tribe’s land issues, and have been asked my opinion. As in nearly all things, I come down on the side of the tribe. Sovereignty and self determination are the lynch pins to Indian freedom. I want the people of Crow Creek to know they have my fullest support in their endeavors. This case affects all Indians, and should matter to all people of conscience. Everyone should monitor this case to its fullest conclusion, and know it is yet another example of Indian people’s daily reality. The Indian wars are not over; they just are fought more in the courtrooms and the boardrooms these days. But the issues are mostly the same-the land, resources, and freedom. Freedom to think. Freedom to live as we wish. Freedom to be who we are. Don’t for a second allow yourself to think that the conspirators aren’t working. They’re out there, and as always they’re plotting ways to dispossess and marginalize Indian people at every opportunity.
We were all sad to learn of the passing this past week, of Howard Zinn. A brilliant author, researcher, activist, not to mention a fine human being and a friend to my cause, his loss is a blow to all of us who struggle against oppression. Please send up prayers for his family and loved ones, and that his spirit has a good journey.
As always, a big thank you to my family and everyone else helping out at the office, and all my supporters’ world wide. Through your efforts, one day we’ll win my freedom.
In the Spirit of Crazy Horse,
Leonard Peltier
--------------------
February 1, 2010
Ian Zabarte: The end of Yucca Mountain Nuclear Dump
From: Ian Zabarte
BREAKING NEWS…This is the real truth on the end of the Yucca Mountain high level nuclear waste project:
DOE intends to submit a Motion to Stay the proceedings in a conference call earlier today. This Motion will specifically state that it intends to submit a Motion to Withdraw its License Application with prejudice within 30 days. The Motion to Stay will except the required filings, per the Board’s request last week, regarding the LSN and the 80 million documents currently available there. The Board has specifically requested that DOE address its plans with regard to their document collection, which accounts for 99% of the LSN collection, and all parties will be allowed to respond to DOE’s filing with any concerns.
I have been involved with this matter for 25 years and this is as close and real as it gets!
FYI – Presidential Memo below.
From Department of Energy Website, Nuclear Waste Blue Ribbon Commission Empanelled.
January 29, 2010
Secretary Chu Announces Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future
The Commission, led by Lee Hamilton and Brent Scowcroft, will provide recommendations on managing used fuel and nuclear waste
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to restarting America’s nuclear industry, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced the formation of a Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future to provide recommendations for developing a safe, long-term solution to managing the Nation’s used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. The Commission is being co-chaired by former Congressman Lee Hamilton and former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft.
In light of the Administration’s decision not to proceed with the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, President Obama has directed Secretary Chu to establish the Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. The Commission will provide advice and make recommendations on issues including alternatives for the storage, processing, and disposal of civilian and defense spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. “Nuclear energy provides clean, safe, reliable power and has an important role to play as we build a low-carbon future. The Administration is committed to promoting nuclear power in the United States and developing a safe, long-term solution for the management of used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. The work of the Blue Ribbon Commission will be invaluable to this process. I want to thank Congressman Hamilton and General Scowcroft for leading the Commission and I look forward to receiving their recommendations,” said Secretary Chu.
“As the world moves to tackle climate change and diversify our national energy portfolio, nuclear energy will play a vital role,” said Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change. “Today, the Obama Administration has taken an important step. With the creation of the Blue Ribbon Commission, we are bringing together leading experts from around the country to ensure a safe and sustainable nuclear energy future.”
"Finding an acceptable long-term solution to our used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste storage needs is vital to the economic, environmental and security interests of the United States," said Congressman Hamilton. "This will be a thorough, comprehensive review based on the best available science. I'm looking forward to working with the many distinguished experts on this panel to achieve a consensus on the best path forward."
“As the United States responds to climate change and moves forward with a long overdue expansion of nuclear energy, we also need to work together to find a responsible, long-term strategy to deal with the leftover fuel and nuclear waste," said General Scowcroft. "I'm pleased to be part of that effort along with Congressman Hamilton and such an impressive group of scientific and industry experts."
The Commission is made up of 15 members who have a range of expertise and experience in nuclear issues, including scientists, industry representatives, and respected former elected officials. The Commission’s co-chairs have a record of tackling tough challenges in a thoughtful, comprehensive manner and building consensus among an array of interests.
The Commission will produce an interim report within 18 months and a final report within 24 months.
The members of the Blue Ribbon Commission are:
Lee Hamilton, Co-Chair
Lee Hamilton represented Indiana's 9th congressional district from January 1965-January 1999. During his time in Congress, Hamilton served as the ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and chaired the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is currently president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and director of The Center on Congress at Indiana University.
He is a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and the President's Homeland Security Advisory Council. Previously, Hamilton served as Vice Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission).
Brent Scowcroft, Co-Chair
Brent Scowcroft is President of The Scowcroft Group, an international business advisory firm. He has served as the National Security Advisor to both Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. From 1982 to 1989, he was Vice Chairman of Kissinger Associates, Inc., an international consulting firm.
Scowcroft served in the military for 29 years, and concluded at the rank of Lieutenant General following service as the Deputy National Security Advisor. Out of uniform, he continued in a public policy capacity by serving on the President's Advisory Committee on Arms Control, the Commission on Strategic Forces, and the President's Special Review Board, also known as the Tower Commission.
Mark Ayers, President, Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
Vicky Bailey, Former Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Former IN PUC Commissioner; Former Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs
Albert Carnesale, Chancellor Emeritus and Professor, UCLA
Pete V. Domenici, Senior Fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center; former U.S. Senator (R-NM)
Susan Eisenhower, President, Eisenhower Group, Inc.
Chuck Hagel, Former U.S. Senator (R-NE)
Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources Institute
Allison Macfarlane, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University
Richard A. Meserve, President, Carnegie Institution for Science, and former Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Ernie Moniz, Professor of Physics and Cecil & Ida Green Distinguished Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Per Peterson, Professor and Chair, Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California - Berkeley
John Rowe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Exelon Corporation
Phil Sharp, President, Resources for the Future
Presidential Memorandum on the Blue Ribbon Commission (pdf - 10k)
Media contact(s):
(202) 586-4940
Mr. Ian Zabarte, Environmental Coordinator
Department of Environmental Protection
Moapa Band of Paiutes
http://www.moapapaiutes.com/
Office: (702) 865-2077
Cell: (702) 423-2952
"Every Day is Earth Day to Native Americans"
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 29, 2010
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY SUBJECT:
Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future Expanding our Nation's capacity to generate clean nuclear energy is crucial to our ability to combat climate change, enhance energy security, and increase economic prosperity. My Administration is undertaking substantial steps to expand the safe, secure, and responsible use of nuclear energy. These efforts are critical to accomplishing many of my Administration's most significant goals. An important part of a sound, comprehensive, and long-term domestic nuclear energy strategy is a well-considered policy for managing used nuclear fuel and other aspects of the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. Yet the Nation's approach, developed more than 20 years ago, to managing materials derived from nuclear activities, including nuclear fuel and nuclear waste, has not proven effective. Fortunately, over the past two decades scientists and engineers in our country and abroad have learned a great deal about effective strategies for managing nuclear material. My Administration is committed to using this advanced knowledge to meet the Government's obligation to dispose of our Nation's used nuclear material. Accordingly, I request that you establish a Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (Commission) and appoint its members. Those members should include recognized representatives and experts from a range of disciplines and with a range of perspectives, and may include participation of appropriate Federal officials. The Commission's business should be conducted in an open and transparent manner. The Commission should conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle, including all alternatives for the storage, processing, and disposal of civilian and defense used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. This review should include an evaluation of advanced fuel cycle technologies that would optimize energy recovery, resource utilization, and the minimization of materials derived from nuclear activities in a manner consistent with U.S. nonproliferation goals.
In performing its functions, the Commission should consider a broad range of technological and policy alternatives, and should analyze the scientific, environmental, budgetary, economic, financial, and management issues, among others, surrounding each alternative it considers. Where appropriate, the Commission may also identify potential statutory changes. The Commission should provide an interim report to you within 18 months of the date of this memorandum, and that report should be made available for public comment. The Commission should provide a final report to you within 24 months of the date of this memorandum. The Department of Energy shall provide funding and administrative support for the Commission, as you determine appropriate, so that it can complete its functions within these time periods. Additionally, all executive departments and agencies shall provide such information and assistance to the Commission as you or the Commission may request for purposes of carrying out the Commission's functions, to the extent permitted by law. Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to require the disclosure of classified, proprietary, law enforcement sensitive, or other information protected under governing law. This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. You are hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. BARACK OBAMA
BREAKING NEWS…This is the real truth on the end of the Yucca Mountain high level nuclear waste project:
DOE intends to submit a Motion to Stay the proceedings in a conference call earlier today. This Motion will specifically state that it intends to submit a Motion to Withdraw its License Application with prejudice within 30 days. The Motion to Stay will except the required filings, per the Board’s request last week, regarding the LSN and the 80 million documents currently available there. The Board has specifically requested that DOE address its plans with regard to their document collection, which accounts for 99% of the LSN collection, and all parties will be allowed to respond to DOE’s filing with any concerns.
I have been involved with this matter for 25 years and this is as close and real as it gets!
FYI – Presidential Memo below.
From Department of Energy Website, Nuclear Waste Blue Ribbon Commission Empanelled.
January 29, 2010
Secretary Chu Announces Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future
The Commission, led by Lee Hamilton and Brent Scowcroft, will provide recommendations on managing used fuel and nuclear waste
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to restarting America’s nuclear industry, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced the formation of a Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future to provide recommendations for developing a safe, long-term solution to managing the Nation’s used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. The Commission is being co-chaired by former Congressman Lee Hamilton and former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft.
In light of the Administration’s decision not to proceed with the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, President Obama has directed Secretary Chu to establish the Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. The Commission will provide advice and make recommendations on issues including alternatives for the storage, processing, and disposal of civilian and defense spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. “Nuclear energy provides clean, safe, reliable power and has an important role to play as we build a low-carbon future. The Administration is committed to promoting nuclear power in the United States and developing a safe, long-term solution for the management of used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. The work of the Blue Ribbon Commission will be invaluable to this process. I want to thank Congressman Hamilton and General Scowcroft for leading the Commission and I look forward to receiving their recommendations,” said Secretary Chu.
“As the world moves to tackle climate change and diversify our national energy portfolio, nuclear energy will play a vital role,” said Carol Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change. “Today, the Obama Administration has taken an important step. With the creation of the Blue Ribbon Commission, we are bringing together leading experts from around the country to ensure a safe and sustainable nuclear energy future.”
"Finding an acceptable long-term solution to our used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste storage needs is vital to the economic, environmental and security interests of the United States," said Congressman Hamilton. "This will be a thorough, comprehensive review based on the best available science. I'm looking forward to working with the many distinguished experts on this panel to achieve a consensus on the best path forward."
“As the United States responds to climate change and moves forward with a long overdue expansion of nuclear energy, we also need to work together to find a responsible, long-term strategy to deal with the leftover fuel and nuclear waste," said General Scowcroft. "I'm pleased to be part of that effort along with Congressman Hamilton and such an impressive group of scientific and industry experts."
The Commission is made up of 15 members who have a range of expertise and experience in nuclear issues, including scientists, industry representatives, and respected former elected officials. The Commission’s co-chairs have a record of tackling tough challenges in a thoughtful, comprehensive manner and building consensus among an array of interests.
The Commission will produce an interim report within 18 months and a final report within 24 months.
The members of the Blue Ribbon Commission are:
Lee Hamilton, Co-Chair
Lee Hamilton represented Indiana's 9th congressional district from January 1965-January 1999. During his time in Congress, Hamilton served as the ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and chaired the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is currently president and director of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and director of The Center on Congress at Indiana University.
He is a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and the President's Homeland Security Advisory Council. Previously, Hamilton served as Vice Chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission).
Brent Scowcroft, Co-Chair
Brent Scowcroft is President of The Scowcroft Group, an international business advisory firm. He has served as the National Security Advisor to both Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. From 1982 to 1989, he was Vice Chairman of Kissinger Associates, Inc., an international consulting firm.
Scowcroft served in the military for 29 years, and concluded at the rank of Lieutenant General following service as the Deputy National Security Advisor. Out of uniform, he continued in a public policy capacity by serving on the President's Advisory Committee on Arms Control, the Commission on Strategic Forces, and the President's Special Review Board, also known as the Tower Commission.
Mark Ayers, President, Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
Vicky Bailey, Former Commissioner, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Former IN PUC Commissioner; Former Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs
Albert Carnesale, Chancellor Emeritus and Professor, UCLA
Pete V. Domenici, Senior Fellow, Bipartisan Policy Center; former U.S. Senator (R-NM)
Susan Eisenhower, President, Eisenhower Group, Inc.
Chuck Hagel, Former U.S. Senator (R-NE)
Jonathan Lash, President, World Resources Institute
Allison Macfarlane, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University
Richard A. Meserve, President, Carnegie Institution for Science, and former Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Ernie Moniz, Professor of Physics and Cecil & Ida Green Distinguished Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Per Peterson, Professor and Chair, Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California - Berkeley
John Rowe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Exelon Corporation
Phil Sharp, President, Resources for the Future
Presidential Memorandum on the Blue Ribbon Commission (pdf - 10k)
Media contact(s):
(202) 586-4940
Mr. Ian Zabarte, Environmental Coordinator
Department of Environmental Protection
Moapa Band of Paiutes
http://www.moapapaiutes.com/
Office: (702) 865-2077
Cell: (702) 423-2952
"Every Day is Earth Day to Native Americans"
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 29, 2010
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY SUBJECT:
Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future Expanding our Nation's capacity to generate clean nuclear energy is crucial to our ability to combat climate change, enhance energy security, and increase economic prosperity. My Administration is undertaking substantial steps to expand the safe, secure, and responsible use of nuclear energy. These efforts are critical to accomplishing many of my Administration's most significant goals. An important part of a sound, comprehensive, and long-term domestic nuclear energy strategy is a well-considered policy for managing used nuclear fuel and other aspects of the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle. Yet the Nation's approach, developed more than 20 years ago, to managing materials derived from nuclear activities, including nuclear fuel and nuclear waste, has not proven effective. Fortunately, over the past two decades scientists and engineers in our country and abroad have learned a great deal about effective strategies for managing nuclear material. My Administration is committed to using this advanced knowledge to meet the Government's obligation to dispose of our Nation's used nuclear material. Accordingly, I request that you establish a Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (Commission) and appoint its members. Those members should include recognized representatives and experts from a range of disciplines and with a range of perspectives, and may include participation of appropriate Federal officials. The Commission's business should be conducted in an open and transparent manner. The Commission should conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle, including all alternatives for the storage, processing, and disposal of civilian and defense used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. This review should include an evaluation of advanced fuel cycle technologies that would optimize energy recovery, resource utilization, and the minimization of materials derived from nuclear activities in a manner consistent with U.S. nonproliferation goals.
In performing its functions, the Commission should consider a broad range of technological and policy alternatives, and should analyze the scientific, environmental, budgetary, economic, financial, and management issues, among others, surrounding each alternative it considers. Where appropriate, the Commission may also identify potential statutory changes. The Commission should provide an interim report to you within 18 months of the date of this memorandum, and that report should be made available for public comment. The Commission should provide a final report to you within 24 months of the date of this memorandum. The Department of Energy shall provide funding and administrative support for the Commission, as you determine appropriate, so that it can complete its functions within these time periods. Additionally, all executive departments and agencies shall provide such information and assistance to the Commission as you or the Commission may request for purposes of carrying out the Commission's functions, to the extent permitted by law. Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to require the disclosure of classified, proprietary, law enforcement sensitive, or other information protected under governing law. This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. You are hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. BARACK OBAMA
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)