USA is littered with nuclear sites that could face danger from natural disasters
James Heddle James Heddle

USA is littered with nuclear sites that could face danger from natural disasters

The U.S. has more than 3,700 nuclear warheads stockpiled around the country and 54 nuclear power plants in 28 states. And while nuclear energy facilities and weapons sites have always been built with potential natural disasters in mind — whether it was earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes or floods — those disasters stress their support systems and create new worries for safety experts.

Read More
Conflicts of interest surrounding nuclear laws could undermine US safety
James Heddle James Heddle

Conflicts of interest surrounding nuclear laws could undermine US safety

Nearly 50 years ago, Congress passed the Energy Reorganization Act and took an axe to the Atomic Energy Commission, the secretive federal agency created after the World War II-era Manhattan Project to develop and control military and civilian nuclear technology. The AEC was formerly led by Lewis Strauss, the antagonist to J. Robert Oppenheimer recently portrayed on-screen by Robert Downey, Jr. 

Read More
Why this is a pivotal moment for Hanford’s nuclear waste cleanup
James Heddle James Heddle

Why this is a pivotal moment for Hanford’s nuclear waste cleanup

The Hanford site in Benton County is at a pivotal moment, set to finally transform the nuclear leftovers of a century past into glass that can be safely stored — a process called vitrification. Last October, the first of two melters used to actually vitrify the waste became active, with the second melter scheduled to launch this spring.

Read More
A warning about radioactive air pollution from Pilgrim
James Heddle James Heddle

A warning about radioactive air pollution from Pilgrim

Andrea Campbell filed a civil lawsuit last week against Holtec, the company decommissioning the Pilgrim nuclear power station in Plymouth, for releasing asbestos air pollution during their demolition process. Asbestos is a known airborne carcinogen that causes malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and ovarian cancer.

Read More
State Sues Holtec for Mishandling Asbestos at Pilgrim Reactor Site
James Heddle James Heddle

State Sues Holtec for Mishandling Asbestos at Pilgrim Reactor Site

Mass. Attorney General Andrea Campbell has filed a civil complaint against Holtec Decommissioning International, owner of the shuttered Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, for a long list of violations related to improperly handling, storing, shipping, and disposing of asbestos-laced debris during demolition work at the plant.

Read More