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Daily Archives: March 17, 2011

The NRC and Nuclear Power Plant Safety in 2010

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The NRC and Nuclear Power Plant Safety in 2010

  • “The crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami is a stark reminder of the risks inherent in nuclear power. One of its consequences has been heightened concern about the safety of nuclear power facilities in the United States. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the federal agency responsible for ensuring that U.S. nuclear plants are operated as safely as possible, gets mixed reviews in a March 2011 UCS report, The NRC and Nuclear Power Plant Safety in 2010: A Brighter Spotlight Needed. The report—the first of an annual series—was prepared and scheduled for release before the crisis in Japan began to unfold, but the disaster makes the report’s conclusions more timely than ever. Authored by UCS nuclear engineer David Lochbaum, the report examines 14 “near-misses” at U.S. nuclear plants during 2010 and evaluates the NRC response in each case. The events exposed a variety of shortcomings, such as inadequate training, faulty maintenance, poor design, and failure to investigate problems thoroughly. Since NRC inspections cannot reveal more than a fraction of the problems that exist, it is crucial for the agency to respond effectively to the problems it does find. The report offers examples of both effective and ineffective responses:”

    • Report on Immigration in the United States: Detention and Due Process

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    News release: “The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) today is publishing its Report on Immigration in the United States: Detention and Due Process. The report contains the conclusions of an investigation the IACHR carried out to ascertain whether policies and practices on immigrant-related detention in the United States were compatible with the country’s international… Continue Reading

    News GAO Reports; FY2012 Budget Request, Measuring Disaster Preparedness,

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    Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Request: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-11-467T, March 17, 2011 Information Technology: Investment Oversight and Management Have Improved but Continued Attention Is Needed, GAO-11-454T, March 17, 2011 Measuring Disaster Preparedness: FEMA Has Made Limited Progress in Assessing National Capabilities, GAO-11-260T, March 17, 2011 Nuclear Nonproliferation: More Progress Needed in Implementing Recommendations for… Continue Reading

    How mobile devices are changing community information environments

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    How mobile devices are changing community information environments, by Kristen Purcell, Lee Rainie, Tom Rosenstiel, Amy Mitchell, Mar 14, 2011 – Pew Internet “Local news is going mobile. Nearly half of all American adults (47%) report that they get at least some local news and information on their cellphone or tablet computer. The information they… Continue Reading