Bush EPA Plans For Dramatically Relaxing Radiation Protection Before Leaving Office
10/30/2008: Plans to greatly increase permissible public exposures from a wide range of events resulting in release of radioactivity were condemned today by scores of organizations and individuals in a letter to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson.
A detailed report by Committee to Bridge the Gap reveals, radionuclide by radionuclide, the astronomical concentrations of radioactive contamination in drinking water proposed, which are orders of magnitude higher than EPA's longstanding drinking water limits. MORE . . .
CBG's Press Release
Rancho Secko Nuke Plant Victory
Bridge the Gap and the Sierra Club recently discovered a proposed contract by which radioactive wastes from decommissioning the Rancho Seco nuclear plant would be sent out of state for disposal in landfills not licensed or designed for radioactive waste. This would effectively bypass a victory by CBG in state court several years ago that overturned a regulation that would have permitted such unlicensed dumping in California, and an administrative moratorium on such practices in the state that we got adopted. CBG and the Sierra Club filed a complaint with the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD) Board [click here to see our letter], which resulted in a reversal by SMUD and a commitment not to send radioactive waste to unlicensed disposal sites [click here to see SMUD's response]. This victory is important not only for our region, but more broadly, since other radwaste generators would likely have used “SMUD does it” as an excuse for exploiting the same loophole.
- See CBG/Sierra Club Complaint to SMUD Board (click here)
- See the SMUD Board's response letter (click here)
Independent Panel Releases New Studies on Potential Cancers from 1959 Meltdown & Potential Migration from
Other
SSFL Accidents/Spills
On October 5, 2006 the Santa Susana Field Laboratory Advisory Panel released a series of studies about potential offsite exposures and health effects from the 1959 reactor meltdown at SSFL and other accidents, spills, and releases that occurred there. The Santa Susana Field Laboratory Advisory Panel is an independent group of epidemiologists, nuclear experts, and other specialists established by local legislators to provide independent assessment of risks from the Rocketdyne nuclear and rocket testing facility.
Click here to read the Panel's report and the scientists' studies
CBG Reveals New Evidence of
Radioactive Contamination of Water at SSFL
Click here to read the documents
Community Waterboarded by Water Board
11/03/2007
 |
After a hearing on November 1, the LA Regional Water Quality Control Board decided to relax Boeing's pollution permit. An Early Christmas for A Huge Polluter: At Boeing's request, and over the objections of the community, the Board permanently waived enforcement of violations at about half of Boeing's outfalls at its Santa Susana Field Laboratory and temporarily waived enforcement for the rest. Read CBG's comment letter here. (.pdf) |
In Memoriam
Three Giants in the Fight to Reduce Nuclear Risks –
Ted Taylor, John Gofman, Paul Leventhal
Read more here.
SSFL Bill Becomes Law
September 5, 2007: Seven Republicans joined Democrats in the California State Assembly in a 50-22 vote in favor of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory cleanup bill. One of the only nuclear meltdowns in the world occurred at SSFL. With passage in the State Assembly and the State Senate, Governor Schwarzenegger shortly thereafter signed the bill into law.
Witches Brew of Toxic Chemicals
Burned by Rocketdyne
in Open Pits
New Revelations of Dozens of Hazardous Wastes Burned Over Decades
Click here to read the document
( .pdf format, approximately 5.6mb)
EPA Staff propose rejection of National Academy of Sciences findings on Radiation Risks
Politicized, Anti-Science Effort to Set Lax Radiation Protection Standards
The EPA requested (and funded) the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study the state of scientific knowledge on the risks to human health of "low doses" of radiation. NAS found that there is no safe level of radiation; all doses increase the risk of cancer; and "low-level" radiation is about a third more dangerous in inducing cancer than EPA currently presumes in setting radiation standards to protect the public. You would think EPA would now tighten its regulations accordingly. You would be wrong. EPA staff has now proposed ignoring the Academy's recommendations and setting lower radiation risk figures than the NAS had found. In 27 of 28 comparisons between the NAS findings and the EPA recommendations, the EPA proposals were more lax (i.e. would result in more risk to the public). Bridge the Gap, Nuclear Information and Resource Service, and Public Citizen have disclosed this scandal.
Click here for our joint statement.
Groups Blast Boeing Panel
07/17/2008: Boeing Pushes to Relax Enforcement of Water Pollution Limits
 |
Efforts by a panel assembled by Boeing to push for elimination of a range of enforceable numeric limits on pollution leaving its Santa Susana site were criticized by CBG and five other environmental organizations in a joint letter issued July 20.
Click here to read letter. (.pdf) |
NY Attorney General Sues NRC Over Rejection of Bridge the Gap's Rulemaking Petition to Upgrade Reactor Security
December, 2007: New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has filed suit in federal court against the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's failure to require protection of nuclear power plants against 9/11-type air attacks. CBG had proposed a rulemaking to upgrade such protections, a petition supported by seven state AGs, including New York's, but the NRC had rejected any requirements to protect reactors from air attack. New York has now sued the NRC; click here to read New York's brief.
- The State of New York's brief can be viewed here (.pdf)
- The State of California's amicus brief can be viewed here (.pdf)
- Public Citizen and Mothers for Peace's brief can be viewed here (.pdf)
Long Sought Win For The Community
07/11/2008 Result: EPA Stands Up; DOE Backs Down on Radiation Survey
DOE's out of control radiation levels |
After disclosures by CBG that DOE had altered critical numbers in a key table related to the cleanup of the contaminated Santa Susana Field Laboratory, EPA insisted that it take the lead on an independent radiation survey, and after years of resisting, DOE has finally agreed. See CBG disclosure, EPA letter, DOE response, and NRDC-CBG letter.
For years, the community surrounding the contaminated Santa Susana Field Laboratory had been promised that US EPA would conduct a comprehensive, independent radiation survey to locate the contamination that needed to be cleaned up. More . . . |
Historic SSFL Agreement
January 17: Agreement Reached Between the Schwarzenegger Administration, CBG and Other Groups that Santa Susana Nuke Site will be Cleaned Up to Strictest Superfund Standards
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At a press conference on January 15, Cal-EPA Secretary Linda Adams, CBG's Dan Hirsch and others announced what Secretary Adams called a "historic agreement" between the Administration and environmental and community groups that the heavily contaminated Santa Susana Field Laboratory will be cleaned up to the strictest EPA Superfund standards. More . . . |
Bush EPA Attempts Relaxation of Radiation Protections
As It Leaves Office
02/13/2009 Result: Obama Administration Withdraws Action
Before it is
Published in Federal Register
Victory! Obama Administration pulls back last-minute radiation regulation relaxation by Bush Administration, days before publication in the Federal Register. The regulation would have relaxed drinking water standards for radiation by factors of hundreds to millions. Fight not over. EPA reviewing the standards; could still issue them. Write EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, congratulate her on pulling back these horrid standards and urge her to permanently block their issuance. MORE . . .
- Read CBG/PEER news release and CBG study, which shows the astronomical increases in permissible exposures, radionuclide by radionuclide.
Official Summary of Proposed Nuclear Initiative Estimates Costs in Billions of Dollars in Case of Reactor Accident
12/26/07 Result: After Chuck Devore failed to garner enough support in the California Assembly to bring nuclear power to California, he attempted to qualify a ballot measure. However, Assemblyman Devore was forced to withdraw his proposed ballot initiative as well after a failure to garner enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Bridge the Gap and other groups worked hard to fight the initiative's placement on the ballot, forcing a recognition that its chances at passage were dismal. This marked Devore's second failure in recent months to bring nuclear power to California.
The California Attorney General, Legislative Analyst Office, and Finance Department have issued the official title and summary for a proposed initiative that would overturn the state's nuclear safeguards law and permit construction of new nuclear plants. State law prohibits new reactors until the California Energy Commission certifies that there is a solution to the high level radioactive waste problem. The initiative would void that law, allow new reactors in about two-thirds of the state, including seismically active areas, and permit high level waste to be stored in numerous places in California for a hundred years. The official summary indicates there could be millions of dollars in costs to cleanup radioactive contamination at each new nuclear plant, and "potentially in the billions of dollars in the event of a major radioactive release."
Contact the Governor, Ask Him To Sign SB990
10/12/07 Result: Governor signs historic cleanup bill into law, clearing the path for meaningful cleanup at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
(alert text follows)
It is critical that the Governor is aware of public support for the recent SSFL bill passed by the California Legislature, SB990. Please write or call Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger NOW. Copies of any letter should be sent to Susan Kennedy, Chief of Staff to the Governor; and Dan Dunmeyer, Cabinet Secretary.
The Governor, Susan Kennedy, and Dan Dunmeyer can be reached at the same address:
Phone: 916-445-2841 Fax: 916-445-4633
Address: State Capitol Building,
Sacramento, CA 95814
A copy of a letter should also be sent to Linda Adams, Secretary of Cal-EPA. She can be reached at the following address: 1001 “I” Street,
Sacramento, CA 96812
Critical Hearing Regarding SSFL
Hearing Date : 1/19/06
Result: The Regional Water Quality Control Board refused to grant Boeing a relaxed pollution permit.
Rocketdyne has violated its pollution discharge permit from its nuclear/rocket testing site dozens of times in the last few months. The Regional Water Quality Control Board, rather than enforcing the pollution limits in the face of these persistent violations, has now proposed relaxing the rules to allow Rocketdyne to keep violating the limits for years to come. Come and speak at this public hearing to oppose this dangerous proposal. For more information, call us at (310) 478-0829 and see Bridge the Gap's comments on the two proposals to be voted on at the hearing:
CBG's Beamhenge Proposal
PROTECT REACTORS FROM TERRORIST ATTACK!
Update: 12/21/07 -- CBG comments on NRC proposed rulemaking that does not include protection for a 9/11 style attack at a reactor.
Result: Although the NRC failed to adopt CBG's Beamhenge proposal, CBG's focus on reactor volnurability to air attack sparked a national debate. Recently, the New York Attorney General filed a lawsuit against the NRC for failing to adopt Beamhenge.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has initiated an important rulemaking on reactor security, for which your comments are critical. A successful terrorist attack on a nuclear facility could release massive radioactivity, capable of producing tens of thousands of immediate deaths and hundreds of thousands of latent cancers, as well as contaminating an area the size of a big state for generations. Yet the NRC is proposing to DO NOTHING to improve the security of the nation's nuclear plants. The proposed rulemaking explicitly is designed to codify the status quo, which is woefully inadequate, with no security upgrades at all from the situation currently in place. Write them to indicate how inappropriate their proposal is, and that security at reactors needs to be dramatically improved.
NRC's Lax Dirty Bomb Cleanup Standards
A nuclear Katrina in the Making 1/11/2006
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today issued guidelines for responding to a radiological "dirty" bomb that would permit doses to the public equivalent to tens of thousands of chest X-rays without requiring intervention and cleanup. The federal government estimates radiation doses that large would produce cancer or leukemia in a quarter of those exposed. (This is on top of the number of cancers that would occur in the absence of the extra radiation exposure.)
Boeing Pays $471,000 for 79 Pollution Violations
Boeing has waived its right to a hearing before the LA Regional Water Quality Control Board on a proposed $471,000 fine for scores of violations of pollution discharge limits and has submitted payment. This has the effect of canceling the October 4 hearing at which members of the public would have been able to argue the fine should have been larger.
Click here for the Regional Board's announcement.
CBG Critiques Boeing Cleanup Plan
August 25, 2007: CBG tears into inadequate investigation of toxic contamination at Santa Susana Field Lab. Click here for CBG Comments on "RFI Group 6 Report."
- Our comments are available for download HERE (.pdf)
New Yucca Rule Would Allow Equivalent of 1700 Chest Xrays Over a Lifetime
Would Produce 1 Cancer Per 125 People Exposed
10/12/2008: EPA has now finalized the radiation protection standards for Yucca at 15 millirem/year for the first 10,000 years and 100 millirem/year thereafter. The 100 millirem figure is a breathtaking break with decades of EPA strenuous positions that permitting that high an exposure is "nonprotective of health."
Click here for CBG's Press Release (pdf) |
