# [PETITION ALERT ~ L.N.G. by Rail is Way Too Dangerous, Tell President Biden
and the PHMSA](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/10/petition-alert-l-n-g-
by-rail-is-way-too-dangerous-tell-president-biden-and-the-phmsa/)
[![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
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You can help to prevent LNG accidents, fires and injuries …
[![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
content/uploads/2023/03/D14A8541-7B32-4A38-ADC1-52D18D8BB68E-300x24.png)](h…
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**Stop Liquified Natural Gas by Rail in Your Community!**
**MEMO** :[ To Regional Residents & Concerned Citizens, Mid-Atlantic
States](https://cleanaircouncil.salsalabs.org/bombtrains_copy1?wvpId=3ba821…,
March 9, 2023
**We are asking for your support to[sign a petition asking President Biden and
the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to take
action to protect communities from the transport of dangerous liquified
natural gas (LNG) by rail. LNG is natural gas that is chilled to
-260°F.](https://cleanaircouncil.salsalabs.org/lngrailpetition/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=4760a265-1fd8-4eeb-8434-8d4fd0a8f4ce)
It is highly flammable and explosive when exposed to air and can burn the skin
if it makes contact.**
PHMSA is a federal agency under the Department of Transportation that is
responsible for regulating the nation’s pipeline infrastructure. In July 2020,
PHMSA issued a rule that lifted a long-standing ban on transporting liquified
natural gas (LNG) by rail. PHMSA also issued a special permit to specifically
allow the transport of LNG by rail from a liquefaction plant in Wyalusing, PA
to an export terminal in Gibbstown, NJ by a company called New Energy
Solutions. This LNG would then be shipped overseas.
**The proposed rail route for this project would expose almost 2 million
people to the risks of LNG, many of whom are low-income and already
overburdened by environmental injustice. The special permit allows the
transport of LNG using rail cars that were not designed for LNG transport,
adding to the potential for a catastrophic incident. And as LNG is made from
methane gas, it’s a highly potent greenhouse gas, further exacerbating the
climate crisis.**
**[Urge PHMSA to suspend the rule that authorizes LNG to be transported by
rail, to deny the renewal of the special permit for Energy Transport
Solutions, and to permanently ban the transport of LNG by
rail.](https://cleanaircouncil.salsalabs.org/lngrailpetition/index.html?eTy…
Thank you for taking this important action.
>>> _Sincerely, Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., Executive Director and Chief
Counsel_
CLEAN AIR COUNCIL, 200 FIRST AVE, SUITE 200, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222
URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/10/petition-alert-l-n-g-by-rail-is-
way-too-dangerous-tell-president-biden-and-the-phmsa/>
# [Traditional Values Under Threat in U.S. Congress: E.S.G. Plans Under
Attack!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/09/traditional-values-under-
threat-in-u-s-congress-e-s-g-plans-under-attack/)
[![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
content/uploads/2023/03/9E048C83-2E2F-4BD9-9264-6C42462F244D.jpeg)](https:/…
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Many investors say “ESG Is Here To Stay”
**Conservative values cast aside, Congress wages war on ‘woke’**
[Opinion Editorial of the Morgantown Dominion
Post](https://www.dominionpost.com/2023/03/08/conservative-values-cast-asid…
congress-wages-war-on-woke/), March 9, 2023
While we’ve been largely focused on what’s been happening in Charleston
lately, we’ve also had our eye on Washington, D.C., and the culture war
backlash happening there. **Last week, Congress passed a joint resolution
“disapproving” a Department of Labor rule that allows investment firms to take
into consideration environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. The
resolution, if signed into law, would reverse the rule and forbid investment
firms from using non-monetary factors when crafting portfolios for investors —
even if it’s what investors want.**
**The House of Representatives passed the resolution on a party-line vote. In
the Senate, Sens. Joe Manchin and John Tester (D-Mont.) joined with
Republicans to approve the disapproval.** (In an interview with Fox News about
his support of the resolution, Manchin said, “E.S.G.s by itself could just
kill our economy.” We assume he means the fossil fuel industry, from which he
personally benefits.)
**The resolution will go to President Joe Biden, who will have to decide
whether or not to veto the bill. We hope he does. Because when it comes to ESG
investing, also called sustainable investing, Congress has crossed the line
with its resolution.**
There are certainly cases where government interference in the market is
warranted — like when monopolies kill competition and drive up prices, or when
companies shirk their responsibilities to protect consumers.
**The Department of Labor rule does not mandate that investment firms offer
ESG, nor does it give any government-funded incentive for doing so — it merely
gives financial institutions the ability to offer something that consumers
increasingly want.**
**Even within investment firms, not every client has to participate.** The
vast majority — including big-name firms like Charles Schwab and Fisher
Investments — offer optional ESG portfolios, traditional portfolios that give
zero consideration to ESG or the ability to select a combination of ESG and
regular investments.
**In other words, Congress’ resolution is actually limiting the free market.**
Individual investors increasingly want to know that their money is doing
“good” and supporting companies that reflect their own personal values.
Congress is essentially taking away investors’ say in what’s being done with
their dollars, because conservatives view ESG as a form of “woke-ism” forcing
progressive values onto Wall Street, rather than the market responding to
consumer demand. **It boggles the mind how quickly conservatives abandon their
small-government, free-market values in their endless pursuit of culture
wars.**
**If the government were to step in, it should only be to standardize the
definition of ESG. What factors and benchmarks are considered ESG vary widely.
In general, though, ESG considers things like companies’ environmental impact
or green initiatives; diversity policies or human rights records; and
political contributions or history of lawsuits. Some critics have raised the
issue of “greenwashing” — companies claiming to be environmentally friendly or
socially responsible — that make companies look more attractive for ESG
investing than they actually are.**
_[Sometimes government regulation of the financial industry is necessary — but
this is not one of those
times.](https://www.dominionpost.com/2023/03/08/conservative-values-cast-
aside-congress-wages-war-on-woke/)_
URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/09/traditional-values-under-threat-
in-u-s-congress-e-s-g-plans-under-attack/>
# [Absolutely No Real Necessity to Build & Operate Nuclear
Reactors](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/08/absolutely-no-real-
necessity-to-build-operate-nuclear-reactors/)
[![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
content/uploads/2023/03/EBFB9A52-9CE8-4B27-9DC6-A269711BB14A.jpeg)](https:/…
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Modular nuclear reactors will be incredibly expensive, quite dangerous when
operating and generate high level radioactive waste
**[Action Alert from the WV Environmental Council](https://wvecouncil.org/),
March 8, 2023**
At any time, **the Senate Finance Committee is set to consider HB 2896, which
aims to** **designate West Virginia as an agreement state with the US Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (US NRC). However, this move could result in a financial
burden of at least 9 million dollars for our State over the next 4-8 years.
(As per the US NRC 's estimation, becoming an agreement state takes around 4-8
years.)**
**The financial impact of HB 2896 cannot be ignored. This amount of money is
substantial, especially considering the current funding shortages faced by the
WV Department of Environmental Protection (WV DEP), which is already
struggling to fulfill its regulatory obligations towards existing
industries.**
**Please contact Senate Finance Committee members and tell them you do not
want West Virginia to take on the financial burden of HB 2896! Calls are most
effective:**
Senator Eric Tarr (Chair): (304) 357-7901
Senator Rupie Phillips (Vice Chair): (304) 357-7857
Senator Jason Barrett: (304) 357-7933
Senator Donna J. Boley: (304) 357-7905
Senator Charles H. Clements: (304) 357-7827
Senator Glenn Jeffries: (304) 357-7866
Senator Mike Maroney: (304) 357-7902
Senator Eric Nelson: (304) 357-7854
Senator Mike Oliverio: (304) 357-7919
Senator Robert H. Plymale: (304) 357-7937
Senator Ben Queen: (304) 357-7904
Senator Rollan A. Roberts: (304) 357-7831
Senator Randy Smith: (304) 357-7995
Senator Chandler Swope: (304) 357-7843
Senator Jack Woodrum: (304) 357-7849
>>> _[West Virginia Environmental Council](https://wvecouncil.org/), P.O. Box
1007, Charleston, WV 25324_
info(a)wvecouncil.org (304) 414-0143
URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/08/absolutely-no-real-necessity-to-
build-operate-nuclear-reactors/>
# [TRAIN DISASTER in East Palestine Pollutes Eastern Ohio & Ohio
River](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/05/train-disaster-in-east-
palestine-pollutes-eastern-ohio-ohio-river/)
[![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
content/uploads/2023/03/FEDCD3F5-C5F1-4158-ABFA-B46AD3EBF48C-300x168.jpg)](…
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Chemical pollution toxic to land, to fish, to animals and people. (Click image
to enlarge it)
**Environmental Disaster from East Palestine, OH Train Derailment**
From the [Article by Leigh Martinez, PennFuture
Blog](https://www.pennfuture.org/Blog-Item-2023-East-Palestine-Ohio-Train-
Disaster), February 23, 2023
The East Palestine, Ohio train derailment disaster is shocking in its scale
and potential effects. Unfortunately, we may not know this disaster's long-
term health and environmental impacts for months or even years.
The gradual release and burn of these chemicals increased the risk that they
spread beyond the crash site. With butyl acrylate found in local surface
water, testing the groundwater supply and subsoil is crucial. We encourage
anyone concerned about pollution and the safety of their community to document
their observations and request soil and well water testing from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The residents of East Palestine and neighboring communities deserve
transparency around the EPA's plan for continued air quality monitoring and
the data of air tests.
Regardless of location and as a regular practice, residents should report any
unusual odor or changes in environmental conditions to the appropriate state
environmental agency. We encourage residents to do their best to document the
changes they've observed so environmental threats can be tracked and
mitigated.
PennFuture continues to closely track developments and information coming from
both locals and government agencies.
**What We Know of the Accident** ~ On Friday, February 3, at 8:54 p.m. ET, a
Norfolk Southern freight train heading to Conway, Pennsylvania, derailed in
East Palestine, Ohio, approximately 1.2 miles from the Pennsylvania state
line. Thirty-eight rail cars went off the tracks and caught fire.
According to the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB), the
investigating agency, a resident's home surveillance video showed what appears
to be a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheating failure moments before
the derailment. The fear of a possible explosion forced the evacuation of
1,500 to 2,000 residents in a town of only 4,900.
**An Explanation of the Environmental Disaster ~** The train towed 20 cars
with hazardous material—11 of which derailed. Five overturned cars contained
vinyl chloride, a chemical used to make PVC plastic and vinyl products.
According to the National Cancer Institute, it is a flammable gas and cancer-
causing.
Norfolk Southern said some cars carrying vinyl chloride were at risk of
exploding. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine authorized a controlled burn of the
chemicals on Monday, February 6. This burn resulted in a massive smoke plume.
**Vinyl Chloride ~** When burned, vinyl chloride breaks down into two
chemicals: hydrogen chloride and phosgene. Phosgene is highly poisonous—used
in chemical warfare during World War I and responsible for many deaths,
according to the CDC. While long-term exposure to higher concentrations of the
gas can be deadly, the gas released by Norfolk did not result in reports of
injuries or fatalities.
**Hydrogen Chloride ~** This strong acid gas can cause eye, skin, and
respiratory irritation and pain.
**Other Chemicals Onboard ~** In addition to vinyl chloride, the EPA listed
the following chemicals as also on the train: 3. Butyl acrylate — a liquid
used for making paint, adhesives, and sealants, 4. Ethylhexyl acrylate — a
liquid used for making paint, printing inks, and plastics, is toxic to the
lungs and nervous system, 5. Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether — an industrial
solvent that can be absorbed through the skin and is toxic to the liver and
kidneys, 6. Isobutylene — a gas used in antioxidants, packaging, plastics,
and high-octane plane fuel.
**It 's currently known that the derailment caused the release of butyl
acrylate and ethylhexyl acrylate, which leaked into the ground, nearby
streams, and storm drains.**
Another major cause for alarm is the areas of contaminated soil and free
liquids that, according to the EPA, "were observed and potentially covered
and/or filled during reconstruction of the rail line including portions of the
trench /burn pit that was used for the open burn off of vinyl chloride."
Having multiple chemicals released adds to the complexity of the situation.
On Tuesday, February 21, EPA Administrator Michael Regan ordered Norfolk
Southern Railway to pay for the contaminated soil and water cleanup and
reimburse the EPA for the private cleanup of residential homes and businesses.
This order enables the EPA to force Norfolk Southern to adhere to a plan set
and managed by the EPA.
**Health Impacts ~** The EPA monitored the air quality and tested East
Palestine's municipal drinking water well. Private well water testing is
ongoing and residents with wells are told to still use bottled water. The EPA
did not yet release the data from air monitor testing.
**Drinking Water ~** Ohio Gov. DeWine said on Wednesday, February 16, that the
water in East Palestine's municipal system is safe to drink based on the Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency's results, however: 1. The Ohio EPA recommends
people using private wells for drinking water schedule an appointment for well
water testing. 2. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) will conduct independent water sampling to monitor water contamination
risks related to the train derailment closely.
**Air Monitoring ~** Air quality monitors are a tool to measure exposure to
air contaminants, but the technology has limitations. While the EPA has come
out to say the air quality in and around East Palestine is safe for residents
to return home, officials have not provided any data from the air tests.
Depending on which types of air monitors the EPA is utilizing, they may not be
providing the exact chemical breakdown and measurements in the air. How a
healthy first responder reacts to a particular air quality measurement differs
from an older adult or a child.
The EPA needs to be transparent with community members on the technology used
to test air quality, the limitations of the equipment, the chemical
specificity found, and the measurements.
**Environmental Impacts ~** The Norfolk Southern train carried 20 cars with
hazardous materials. After the spill, chemicals—including an entire load of
butyl acrylates—were seen running into storm drains and water sources.
As of Tuesday, February 21—two weeks after the train derailment—Norfolk
Southern reported the chemical spill contaminated at least 15,000 pounds of
soil and 1.1 million gallons of water.
Locals documented images of dead fish and an oily sheen along Ohio River
tributaries days after the spill. Those streams are reintroduction sites for
the hellbender salamander.
Water pollution puts endangered amphibian species at risk. An official with
the Ohio Department of Natural Resources told WKBN that it would take time to
know the effects on the hellbender. The federal government's Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry opened an investigation tracking the chemical
exposure.
**Water Contamination ~** According to the Ohio EPA, the Sulphur Run stream
was the body of water most impacted by the derailment because of an
"impoundment" on February 8 when officials rerouted the water with the damming
and pumps.
Environmental teams dammed a portion of Sulphur Run and rerouted it to protect
water downstream. Teams will treat contaminated water with booms, aeration,
and carbon filtration units.
**What Are Dioxins?** Dioxins are highly toxic, persistent organic pollutants
that take a long time to break down once in the environment. They are a
contaminant formed during the production of some chlorinated organic
compounds, released through waste incineration or burning fuels. Dioxins can
travel long distances in the air or water; when they settle into the soil, it
will take several years to break down.
Once in the environment, they can accumulate in the food chain—primarily in
animal fat, fish, and shellfish. Dioxins can cause cancer, disrupt hormones,
lead to reproductive and developmental problems, and damage the immune system.
In July 1976, a chemical plant explosion near Seveso, Italy exposed locals to
the highest known levels of dioxin.
Ohio's senators Sherrod Brown (D) and J.D. Vance (R) sent a joint letter
requesting the state and federal EPAs to test the air for dioxins.
[Follow EPA updates on the environmental impact of the Norfolk Southern train
derailment
disaster.](https://response.epa.gov/site/site_profile.aspx?site_id=15933)
**What Pennsylvania Leaders Say About Railroad Safety ~**
**On Tuesday, February 21, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said his office
made a criminal referral against Norfolk Southern to the acting Pennsylvania
attorney general for review. At a press conference with Ohio Governor Mike
DeWine, Shapiro said: "The combination of Norfolk Southern's corporate greed,
incompetence, and lack of care for our residents is absolutely
unacceptable."**
Shapiro previously said publicly and in a letter to Norfolk Southern's CEO:
"You can be assured that Pennsylvania will hold Norfolk Southern accountable
for any and all impacts to our Commonwealth."
**Gov. Shapiro listed three critical things Norfolk Southern did wrong after
the derailment:**
1\. Norfolk Southern made its own plan and did not implement a unified command
which confused first responders and emergency management. As a result, state
and local agencies had to react versus work in tandem.
2\. Norfolk Southern gave inaccurate information and conflicting modeling
about the impact of the controlled release of chemicals.
3\. Norfolk Southern was unwilling to explore an alternative to burning
chemicals and released and burned the chemicals without warning government
agencies.
**Pennsylvania 's senators Bob Casey (D) and John Fetterman (D) sent a joint
letter with the Ohio senators requesting the EPA continue its monitoring of
the land, air, and water in East Palestine, Darlington Township in Beaver
County, and other impacted communities "until the long-term effects of the
exposure are fully understood."**
**Questions and Actions Post-Emergency Operations**
[PennFuture believes environmental disasters are long-term public health
disasters.](https://www.pennfuture.org/Blog-Item-2023-East-Palestine-Ohio-
Train-Disaster) We should ask the following questions of Norfolk Southern
Railway Company and Pennsylvania and Ohio leaders:
1\. What is the current plan for continued community engagement? How
frequently will residents in East Palestine and the surrounding areas receive
updates? Are there opportunities to comment on cleanup plans? 2. How is
ambient air being monitored? What are those measurements? 3. Where are air
samples being collected? 4. How frequently is the air quality being tested? 5.
Do experts know how far the toxic plume traveled? 6. Which bodies of water are
scientists sampling, and for which chemical constituents? 7. Are officials
advising children and dogs not to play in streams? 8. Were surface wipes used
on residents' homes and vehicles? If so, what were the results? 9. Where are
soil samples being collected, and how deep are those samples? 10. What is the
plan for dioxin testing? 11. What is the plan to notify the community of
dioxin contamination? 12. Was the controlled release and burn the best way to
control the chemicals? 13. What are the reasoning and safety around
transporting various chemicals near one another? 14. Was the train adequately
inspected? Are there plans to improve the inspections in the future? 15. How
can the community engage with testing and ongoing monitoring? 16. Are we
investing enough in environmental agencies' personnel and equipment to ensure
the fastest and best response to the next disaster?
**Notable Environmental Organizations to Follow ~ Ohio Environmental Council &
Clean Air Council**
The longer people go without answers and action, anxiety and fear grow in the
community. We need to limit pollution's impact on the ecosystem and mental
health. East Palestine and Beaver County residents deserve transparency in
testing and cleanup and a clear plan for long-term environmental monitoring.
URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/05/train-disaster-in-east-
palestine-pollutes-eastern-ohio-ohio-river/>
# [Community Solar Petition Available Now ~ You Can Sign & Be
Helpful!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/04/community-solar-petition-
available-now-you-can-sign-be-helpful/)
[![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
content/uploads/2023/03/08167427-555A-43ED-893C-7CD8F306D0F2-300x46.jpg)](h…
content/uploads/2023/03/08167427-555A-43ED-893C-7CD8F306D0F2.jpeg)
Strength & progress result when our various groups work together
**Sign the petition: Show your support for community solar ASAP**
From the [Coalition Named “West Virginians for Energy
Freedom”](https://www.energyfreedomwv.org/community-solar)
You can join with fellow West Virginians in support of allowing community
solar in our State of West Virginia. Community solar will rein in energy
costs, create jobs, and promote energy freedom.
[Community solar projects](https://www.energyfreedomwv.org/community-solar)
enable individuals, businesses, or organizations to purchase or subscribe to a
“share” in a community solar project. Community solar participants receive a
credit on their electric bill each month for the energy produced by their
share.
And, community solar ensures we have the right to choose where our electricity
comes from.
Also, **community solar** has the power to save West Virginia families
millions of dollars per year through lower electric bills.
It does so while encouraging local economic development throughout the State.
This creates good jobs and attracts more employers to invest in West Virginia.
**Let’s face it, community solar is a free-market way to generate electricity.
Let’s secure energy freedom for West Virginia families now, i. e., as soon as
possible.**
#######+++++++#######+++++++########
**SEE ALSO:** “[Advocates Pitch Community Solar To State Lawmakers. Some Say
No](https://wvpublic.org/advocates-pitch-community-solar-to-state-lawmakers-
some-say-no/),” Curtis Tate, WV Public Broadcasting, January 10, 2023
URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/04/community-solar-petition-
available-now-you-can-sign-be-helpful/>
# [Small Modular Nuclear Reactors ~ Bad Deal or Terrible
Deal](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/02/small-modular-nuclear-reactor…
bad-deal-or-terrible-deal/)
[![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
content/uploads/2023/03/57B4AAB5-38E6-43BF-
BA8A-5652F07CDB8F-232x300.jpg)](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
content/uploads/2023/03/57B4AAB5-38E6-43BF-BA8A-5652F07CDB8F.jpeg)
Small Modular Nuclear Reactors studied by Union of Concerned Scientists
**Small modular nuclear reactors: A bad deal for Southwest Virginia! And all
of us!**
From the [Letter by Rees Shearer, Virginia
Mercury,](https://www.virginiamercury.com/2023/02/16/small-modular-nuclear-
reactors-a-good-deal-for-southwest-virginia/) February 16, 2023
**In announcing his 2022 Virginia Energy Plan, Gov. Youngkin said, “A growing
Virginia must have reliable, affordable and clean energy for Virginia’s
families and businesses.” The Governor’s plan to promote and subsidize Small
Modular nuclear Reactors (SMnRs) in Southwest Virginia fails all three of the
Governor’s own criteria:**
>>> SMnRs can’t be reliable when they cannot reliably be built and brought on
line in a predictable and timely fashion.
>>> SMnRs can’t be affordable because nuclear power is close to the costliest
of all forms of electric power generation.
>>> SMnRs can’t be clean since they produce extremely toxic high and low-level
nuclear waste, which has no safe storage or disposal solution.
**Appalachia has long served as a sacrifice zone for rapacious energy
ambitions of other regions.** Southwest Virginians have had reason to hope
that would change as opportunities for low-cost solar development emerged in
recent years. Instead, politicians like Youngkin are making too-good-to-be-
true promises about SMnRs, sidelining opportunities to promote solar, which
can produce power in a matter of weeks, not decades.
Imposing SMnRs on Southwest Virginia is disturbing. My father worked for the
Atomic Energy Commission in the 1950s. The promise the nuclear industry and
the government touted then – “electricity, too cheap to meter” – never has
been realized. TVA and other utilities abandoned nuclear plants under
construction, leaving costly monuments to that folly and sticking electricity
customers with the bill.
**COSTS** : It’s not at all clear that SMnR technology will succeed, or when.
Levelized cost charts of electric power generation rate nuclear as among the
very most expensive means to generate electric power at utility scale. If
nuclear waste management, insurance, and decommissioning costs are counted,
actual costs are far higher. (Some of these costs are already socialized for
nuclear power – e.g. insurance in the Price-Anderson Act.)
The first commercial SMnR is not expected to be completed until 2029, but
already its developers have raised the target price of its power by 53%. This
is not a surprise; nuclear power construction history documents an extremely
strong correlation between new designs and cost increases and project delays.
Indeed, the Lazard research shows that nuclear is the ONLY grid-wide
generation source to increase in price, 2009-2021. The increase was 36%!
**NUCLEAR WASTE, TRANSPORT, AND REPROCESSING** : Nuclear waste and
reprocessing are also serious concerns. Make no mistake, unreprocessed nuclear
waste, for all practicable purposes, is FOREVER. The fact that we have become
accustomed to risk does not, by any means, reduce risk. Nor will SMnRs
generate less waste than their larger forebears. Indeed, a recent Stanford
University study concluded that “small modular reactors may produce a
disproportionately larger amount of nuclear waste than bigger nuclear plants.”
Safeguarding this waste is already costing taxpayers and utility customers
tens of billions of dollars. With the failure of the U.S. to designate a
central storage facility, nuclear power plants are forced to continue to store
the waste in pools on site.
Yet nuclear waste recycling, known as reprocessing, is no panacea. In
November, the Governor spoke in Bristol in support of recycling nuclear waste
from SMnRs: “I think the big steps out of the box are the technical capability
to deploy in the next 10 years and on top of that to press forward to
recycling opportunities for fuel.” He may have had in mind BWX Technologies of
Lynchburg, which is beginning reprocessing of uranium at its Nuclear Fuel
Services (NFS) plant just south of the Virginia border in Erwin, Tennessee,
for nuclear weapons.
It took over a decade, but in 1984, Congress finally killed the last proposal
to reprocess nuclear waste into nuclear fuel. The reprocessing would have
taken place at the Clinch River Breeder Reactor, also south of the Virginia
border, near Oak Ridge, TN. The concern then was the potential for accidental
highly toxic “spills” of nuclear wastes or purposeful diversion of plutonium
into the international weapons market. I recall this clearly because I spoke
at a public hearing in Abingdon about the transportation of nuclear waste that
would be bound for the Clinch River plant.
Transportation of SMnR nuclear wastes along Virginia mountain roads or
railroads across the border to Erwin presents further risk of accident and
contamination. Longstanding concerns about transportation and security of
nuclear wastes have never been adequately addressed.
In addition, Princeton University physicist, Frank N. von Hippel reported in
the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
charged with protecting U.S. citizens from reactor disasters such as Three
Mile Island, Chernobyl, or Fukushima, has moved toward offering greater
flexibility for a nuclear industry plagued by cost overruns and calls for
safety improvements, rather than hewing to its primary responsibility for
maintaining safety of nuclear generating facilities and the American people.
The Bulletin also reports that, because of longstanding financial troubles
experienced by the commercial nuclear power industry, state legislatures are
increasingly being asked and are feeling compelled to subsidize nuclear power.
Gov. Youngkin’s state energy plan would take Virginia down that road, a road
that could be very long.
**URANIUM MINING in VIRGINIA?** Because of toxic pollution risks, mining
uranium in Virginia is currently prohibited under a moratorium enacted by the
General Assembly. Coles Hill in Pittsylvania County contains the largest
deposit of uranium in the U.S. Just a month ago, Consolidated Uranium, a
Canadian company, announced its purchase of Virginia Energy Resources, which
owns Coles Hill. It sounds like those executives think that another run at
overturning the mining moratorium might be successful. That this purchase
announcement comes so shortly after Youngkin’s announcement of SMnRs in his
Virginia Energy Plan feels like more than coincidence.
Uranium mining in a wet, eastern location would present a far higher
opportunity for contamination than mining that has for years had problems
affecting water and public health in the West. We Appalachians know the social
and environmental costs of an extractive economy. We should not support any
enterprise that forces that kind of exploitation upon our neighbors,
especially mining with known, pervasive health, safety and environmental
risks.
**CORPORATE CRONYISM and POLITICAL BOONDOGGERY** : BWX Technologies of
Lynchburg (formerly Babcock and Wilcox) is the nuclear contractor we can
anticipate would be charged with Gov. Youngkin’s wish to reprocess nuclear
waste into fuel. BWX has been on the ropes for years, since nuclear became so
unpopular with utilities in the wake of the Three Mile Island accident. It has
managed to stay afloat with military contracts and wants to develop the
reactors it builds for subs and aircraft carriers for commercial power
production. The SMnRs are its ticket, and Gov. Youngkin is playing both their
salesman and the state’s purchasing agent. Some General Assembly members are
angling to help their localities and favored industries cash in.
#######+++++++#######+++++++#########
**SEE ALSO ~** [INFOGRAPHIC: Small Modular Reactors | Department of Energy,
2018](https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/infographic-small-modular-reactors)
#######+++++++#######+++++++#########
**" Advanced" Isn't Always Better ~ Assessing the Safety, Security, and
Environmental Impacts of Non-Light-Water Nuclear Reactors**, Edwin Lyman,
March 18, 2021
If nuclear power is to play an expanded role in helping address climate
change, newly built reactors must be demonstrably safer and more secure than
current generation reactors. Unfortunately, most "advanced" nuclear reactors
are anything but.
The [Union of Concerned Scientists undertook a comprehensive
analysis](https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/advanced-isnt-always-better) of the
most prominent and well-funded non-light-water reactor (NLWR) designs. We
asked:
§- What are the benefits and risks of NLWRs and their fuel cycles ?
§- Do the likely overall benefits of NLWRs outweigh the risks and justify the
substantial public and private investments needed to commercialize them?
§- Can NLWRs be safely and securely commercialized in time to contribute
significantly to averting the climate crisis?
Based on the available evidence, we found that the NLWR designs we analyzed
are not likely to be significantly safer than today’s nuclear plants. In fact,
certain alternative reactor designs pose even more safety, proliferation, and
environmental risks than the current fleet.
URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/02/small-modular-nuclear-reactors-
bad-deal-or-terrible-deal/>
# [EYES ON THE SHELL ETHANE CRACKER FACILITY IN S.W. PA ~ Zoom
3/1/23](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/01/eyes-on-the-shell-ethane-
cracker-facility-in-s-w-pa-zoom-3123/)
[![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp-
content/uploads/2023/03/DCA61B84-F5D4-4F35-B3AD-A12BBD9DA24E-300x206.jpg)](…
content/uploads/2023/03/DCA61B84-F5D4-4F35-B3AD-A12BBD9DA24E.jpeg)
The Shell Ethane Cracker Facility appears to have challenging performance due
to complex startup activities
**Eyes on Shell Monthly Meeting, Beaver County, Pennsylvania. March 1, 2023**
From the [Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community, Ambridge,
PA](https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pdeGprj8qH9b1ZZrasEDVuwnYVxWpGtX8),
3/1/23
**All of us, no matter where we come from or what we look like, want to live
in a safe, healthy environment where our families can thrive. But fossil fuel
lobbyists and the politicians they pay for are once again sacrificing our
health for their profits. We are coming together as a community to protect our
families and hold Shell accountable for the damage they will do to our
environment.**
Connect with **Eyes On Shell** , and learn more about: -monitoring processes,
-expected air contaminants, -water pollution, -health impacts ….
Join us to learn about steps you can take to protect yourself, and your loved
ones from harm. You can be part of the Eyes on Shell watchdog team. If you
see, smell, or hear something that doesn’t seem right, let us know.
eyesonshell(a)gmail.com ……. (724) 923-3244
Note: By registering for this event you give permission for the organizers to
send related emails to you.
**Time** ~ [You can choose to attend the following
session](https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pdeGprj8qH9b1ZZrasEDVuwnYVxWpGtX8).
~ Mar 1, 2023 07:30 PM
<https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0pdeGprj8qH9b1ZZrasEDVuwnYVxWpGt…>
**Our mailing address is:**
Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community
P.O. Box 31, Ambridge, PA 15003
URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2023/03/01/eyes-on-the-shell-ethane-
cracker-facility-in-s-w-pa-zoom-3123/>