The waste is very small in comparison to waste produced by fossil fuels. Only thirty tons of high-level waste is made a year per reactor. Some of the waste can be reused while most must be disposed of. Environmentalists worry about the radiation seeping, but geological deposits are proven to be secure for dumping waste. Salt water is also believed to decay radioactive materials (WNA, 2013).
In 1997 alone, the oil and gas industry spent $51.7 million on lobbyists and purchasing meals, travel and other favors for decision-makers and their staff, according to a study by the Associated Press. Oil companies that want to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge have also worked to wi... ... middle of paper ... ...e rights of future generations to its resources. Upon weighing both sides of the issue, and considering the severity of ethical implications we can easily see that environment is a priceless asset to our future generations and us. Natural systems possess a value in them that makes them worth preserving, even at the cost of our needs. [i] Stepping up efforts to stop oil drilling http://www.house.gov/capps/isoil.html [ii] CNN.com - Nature - Offshore oil drilling could flood coastal http://www.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/09/01/cara.bill/ [iii] ALASKA OIL DRILLING http://www.american.edu/projects/mandala/TED/alaska.htm [iv] Stepping up efforts to stop oil drilling http://www.house.gov/capps/isoil.html [v] Greenpeace Arctic Action http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/arctic/ [vi] Greenpeace Arctic Action http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/arctic/
In order for uranium to be used in power plants we must concentrate the U-235 to about 0.9% for CANDU reators and 3% for most Light Water Reactors. Weapons grade uranium is set at a concentration of 85%. These numbers are magnitudes apart and yet the public opinion is that they are one in the same. With world energy needs anticipated to grow and with organic energy sources becoming increasingly expensive, nuclear energy stands alone as a untapped resource which countries can set as there cornerstone for energy needs. With proper education I hope that the public opinion of nuclear energy in North America will improve and nuclear power become the environmentally friendly alternative to conventional energy production.
The Department of transportation has sank nearly three decades of research and money into the site and have just this year began developing a concise transportation plan for the movement of this nuclear waste throughout our country to the Yucca Mountain site, says Energy Department spokesman Joe Davis. “With the licensing procedures expected to take 3 years” (Abraham 2002) and that license only granted through the construction period of the site, at which point and time the Department of Energy will have to reapply for licensing before they can begin to receive wastes, the project is at least 8 years away from completion. I personally think that eight years allows plenty of time for further development of transportation methods and protocols that will guarantee the safe movement and containment of this waste through our major cities. The Department of Energy will probably come up with special containers that will be specifically designed to withstand even the most violent of turnovers and impacts, just like they have done for the transportation of gaseous cyanide and chlorine which are transported bye truck and rail every day.
Nuclear Energy It seems that the world as a whole is in search of an energy source that is cleaner, cheaper, and more efficient. This seems to be particularly true in the United States where the government seeks to separate themselves from their reliance on petroleum from countries including those in the Middle East. Their agenda, unfortunately, is less concerned with environmental issues than it is with issues of power, money, and dominance. Either way, nuclear energy has emerged as the forerunner for alternative energy sources. Today, there are 109 nuclear power plants in the United States which contribute roughly 20% of the power used in the United States(Nuclear Energy, April 13, 2005).
They promised public consultation for significant mining proposals on conservation land, and that legislation came into force on Friday the 24th of May 2013 (1)(2) but unfortunately by this time DOC had already given its consent. Throughout the entire three year process opposition leader Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society have battled against Bathurst Resources in environment court but unfortunately in August 2013 the environment court ruled in favour of Bathurst Resources and the mine is now set to go ahead. (3) What is an opencast coal mine? Opencast mining is a surface mining technique of extracting rocks or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow such as the mine pictured below. Open-pit mines are dug on benches, which describe vertical levels of the hole.
Two miles of tunnel have already been excavated and three more miles remain till completion. The mountain is planned to receive waste by the year 2010 (www.cyberwest.com). The Nevada state government is against putting the depository in the Mountain. Many people disagree with the project a say the the site can safely hold the waste for only 100 years (www.
Nuclear energy accounts for over 19% of total electrical output in the United States. With 100 nuclear power reactors in 31 states, nuclear energy is an emerging feasible power source. While there are advantages of nuclear power that can mitigate global warming impact, there are also disadvantages of nuclear power. Nuclear energy advocates claim, it is needed in order to help address the risks of climate change due to the emission of greenhouse gasses being relatively low. Nuclear power plants do not emit carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, or nitrogen oxides as part of the power generation process.
An investigation commissioned by former Secretary of State James Baker concluded that this incident was preventable and BP failed in putting safety as a priority. In the Alaska incident, 260,000 gallons of oil leaked from a BP oil pipeline on Alaska’s North Slope in March, 2006. Later investigations found that BP hired uncertified inspectors and kept records poorly. BP agreed to re-inspect 10,000 points and corrected their problems. In July of 2005, a BP oil platform, called Thunder Horse, toppled after Hurricane Dennis.
The watchdog showed its teeth again two days later, when it blacklisted China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the country's biggest oil producer, reportedly because it did not comply with regulations at one of its refineries. It is the second time that the company enters the list of environmental felons in six months. Alongside its increasingly uncompromising stick, Beijing carried a large carrot and announced the creation of a 10 billion yuan ($1.65 billion) fund to fight air pollution. According to Premier Li Keqiang, the plan is to "use rewards to replace subsidies to fight air pollution in key areas." Battling pollution is certainly a priority for the development of China, as reports show staggering data about life and economic losses linked to the deterioration of the environment.