Congress takes aim at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: ‘It’s déjà vu all over again’
James Heddle James Heddle

Congress takes aim at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: ‘It’s déjà vu all over again’

Politico reports that congressional promoters of “advanced” nuclear plants are blaming the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as the main obstacle to their deployment. The report singles out Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin (D-WV) and cites his and his colleagues blocking the reappointment to the commission of Jeff Baran, who tended to lean toward safety more than his fellow commissioners, as the start of a campaign to bring the agency to heel.

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USNC Awarded $5M NASA Nuclear Propulsion Contract
James Heddle James Heddle

USNC Awarded $5M NASA Nuclear Propulsion Contract

Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), a leader in nuclear energy innovation, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract by NASA to develop and mature Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) systems for the advancement of America’s civil science and cislunar capabilities. This contract, which will see NTP move from the paper phase into hardware, is a testament to USNC’s capabilities on the leading edge of advanced reactor design and manufacturing.

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Following Lengthy Criminal Investigation Over Applications for Tax Credits, Holtec International Agrees to Pay $5 Million Penalty and Use Outside Independent Reviewer in Future Dealings with the State
James Heddle James Heddle

Following Lengthy Criminal Investigation Over Applications for Tax Credits, Holtec International Agrees to Pay $5 Million Penalty and Use Outside Independent Reviewer in Future Dealings with the State

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) today announced that Holtec International, a Camden-based energy technology company involved in the decommissioning of nuclear power sites, agreed to pay $5 million in penalties and retain an independent reviewer approved by the State to monitor future applications for State benefits, and in exchange the State agrees to defer criminal prosecution following a lengthy criminal investigation into applications by Holtec and a related company, Singh Real Estate Enterprises (SRE), to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) for $1 million worth of tax credits from the Angel Investor Tax Credit Program.

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Halt to train service through San Clemente is indefinite following new landslide
James Heddle James Heddle

Halt to train service through San Clemente is indefinite following new landslide

Transportation and city officials are again grappling with a landslide that sent debris onto railroad tracks in San Clemente, shutting down the rail line indefinitely.

It’s been a recurring issue in recent years that has decision-makers wondering what to do about the vulnerable section of coastal train tracks. This landslide has also indefinitely disabled the town’s popular coastal trail.

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Health risks from nuclear contamination in St. Louis denounced at congressional hearing
James Heddle James Heddle

Health risks from nuclear contamination in St. Louis denounced at congressional hearing

The United States should not expand nuclear energy use, at least until the federal government can make up for the harms caused by previous nuclear projects, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri said at a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.

Bush cited the health problems nuclear waste has caused to many in her predominantly Black St. Louis-area district.

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